GERMS ORIGINATING FROM ANIMISTIC SUBSTANCE

I HAVE SPOKEN OF the awakening of the spirit-germs to consciousness of existence.

Just as there are spirit-germs as the last precipitation in the Spiritual Sphere, so there is finally also a precipitation of unconscious animistic-germs in the Animistic Sphere; and just as the spirit-germs sink into the most delicate layer of ethereal matter, so the animistic-germs sink into the most delicate layer of gross matter, where later on they work as developed animistic helpers.

These animistic-germs are also veiled with cloaks and, having thus become heavier, they sink into a somewhat denser layer of gross matter, where they likewise remain literally stuck.

Before proceeding with explanations, however, I must mention something of which I have already briefly spoken, but about which I so far intentionally avoided giving closer descriptions, because if I say too much prematurely it might easily lead to confusing entanglements for the human spirit.

I once pointed out the fact that, in addition to those things which have taken on form, there are also currents which flow through and penetrate Creation.

But with the expression “currents” we already have the form itself again; for it is actually so – they are streams flowing through Creation just as rivers flow upon the earth, and also like the currents of air!

And just as these two differing gross material species of currents exist on earth, so we also have two species that stream through Creation – animistic currents and spiritual currents!

There is nothing in Creation which is not formed.

We have individual forms and collective forms.

To the collective forms belong the currents of the species which work beside or, better said, with the special forms or individual forms.

Each of these currents has very definite tasks which precisely correspond with their species; we may also say, which issue from the species.

Thus it is a spiritual current which among other things also guides the spirit-germs as long as they are unconscious along the path which brings them to where development may begin.

On this path the spirit-germs’ inner urge to become conscious has a pushing and pressing effect upon them, while the effect of the stream of the spiritual current is to carry them along.

At the time when the first spirit-germs approached that part of the world which includes the earth, the World of Matter was not yet as dense as it is today; for it was only later on through men’s volition developing in the wrong way that greater density and heaviness came about, resulting in a greater distancing from the Light and more sluggish and hampering movement.

In view of the lightness of the World of Matter at that time, the spirit germ’s inherent urge, together with being carried along by the stream, were sufficient for it to reach the first goal for development.

Further development was also easier, since even the faint beginnings of consciousness provided a sufficient impulse to proceed along another stretch of the path.

All this has become considerably more difficult today!

Here I must again insert something!

The sinking down of spirit-germs is a process which proceeds without interruption for Creation.

When I formerly stated that a very definite stage of maturity must be present in the World of Matter for the reception of spirit-germs, and that this can no longer be repeated as the maturity increases, this did not concern the whole of Creation, but only individual celestial bodies such as the earth, for example!

Finally, only such human souls as were older, and which had already been previously incarnated, could come to the earth; those which have to complete their course in the closing of the cycles, but not spirit-germs, i.e., souls which have never before been in the dense World of Gross Matter.

But there are always parts in Creation prepared to receive spirit-germs which have already attained to consciousness of their existence, but which must first develop towards self-consciousness through experiencing.

As long as the human spirit leads nothing but a life of being conscious of its existence it must retain the name “spirit-germ”, although its cloak may already bear the human form.

Only with its further development towards self-consciousness does it cease to be a human spirit-germ and become a human spirit!

It is necessary to say this here in order to avoid misinterpretations or erroneous conceptions.

That is why I have already mentioned in my last lecture that it is a big step from consciousness of existence to human self-consciousness, which latter alone brings in its train the free and conscious will to decide, but also the full responsibility for it.

As I proceed with my explanations I must make ever keener divisions in the conceptions, whereas in the past I could still leave many things under collective conceptions.

This is not perhaps a sort of play upon words, which many clever intellectuals in their spiritual indolence held in readiness as a designation for certain passages in my Message; with which, however, they plainly enough showed nothing but their utter ignorance and lack of comprehension for the seriousness and greatness of the matter!

Instead, it is an urgent and unavoidable necessity if man wants to fathom the movement of Creation at all!

Then he cannot get along for ever with a few earthly expressions, but he must in fact accommodate himself to the necessity of gradually learning ever more exact limits and of clearly weighing the real meaning of each individual word.

We must also do the same if we want to advance, and not come to a halt or leave unclarified areas behind us!

There must be movement in this, too, instead of rigid and stubborn adherence!

When first I explain something in broad outlines I can name it differently than when I go into details and have to separate things more and more, all of which I could at first take as a collective conception.

And I must always give collective conceptions first in order to go into details later on, once your apprehending faculty has gained to some degree a clear picture of the collective conception; otherwise you would never be able to come to an understanding in view of the vast magnitude of Creation.

You would quickly lose the firm soil of real knowledge, and fall into the desultory obscurities which are customary among men, and which characterize the adherents of the numerous sects and of the churches as well.

For this reason let such persons continue to talk!

They only give evidence of their superficiality and of their dread of taking the trouble to go into things more closely.

Follow me joyfully in the way in which I give it to you!

Then you will gain nothing but benefit therefrom, for not only do I make it easier for the human spirit, but I first make it possible for him to grasp the magnitude at least in those parts with which he is connected and upon which his activity remains dependent.

Just as the spiritual currents carry the spirit-germs, so the animistic currents carry the animistic-germs along their courses.

Only later on can one talk specifically about the starting-point, the species and activities of all these currents.

As a beginning today let us simply accept the conception that all these currents, like the air and waters of the earth, are fructifying, preserving and purifying – in short furthering in every respect!

Moreover these currents were also in part already known to former earthmen!

But let us now return to the purpose of today’s lecture after these digressions!

The animistic-germs are carried by currents of an animistic nature.

Despite the animistic basic species of the currents there are, however, quite different, even many-sided individual species; and for this reason ever more side-currents seeking their own path gradually separate from the original main current as it follows its course through the various planes.

For as the distance from the Light increases the various individual species separate as side-currents, which ultimately contain the whole of only one very definite species of being; and in obedience to the Law these side-currents only lead along with them the corresponding homogeneous species of animistic-germs.

In this way such animistic-germs proceed towards their destined places, fulfilling the Law of Creation.

They are divided into such germs as are closely connected with flowers, with other plants, likewise with water, air, with the earth and rocks, with fire, and with many other individual things in the Worlds of Matter as well.

As the currents stream through the planes, the corresponding beings are always deposited in each individual plane, indeed in each intermediate plane as well – those beings that are of the same homogeneity as the plane where they are deposited!

They stay behind in the plane where they have to work, because they become conscious there.

All this takes place through the natural and most simple operation of the laws, in such a way that it could not possibly be different!

In each intermediate plane specific kinds of beings awaken to consciousness in a manner that in each case corresponds with their strength, and begin to work there in a forming, protecting and tending way.

Finally there remain in these currents merely those beings which can only come to consciousness on the celestial bodies of the coarsest Worlds of Matter. And as the last deposit thereof there are also animistic-germs, which cannot immediately awaken in the coarse World of Matter, but which need a special development.

However, this again is only a large picture I am giving you for the time being, which you can best take in at first as if you were looking at a flat map, observing the courses of the streams, rivers and brooks with their many branches and apparently self-chosen paths!

Only then can you round off the picture and envisage that water arteries also stream through the interior of the earth and not merely flow on the surface, and the same with air currents.

In this way you will have finally gained in picture form a part of this kind of happening in Creation.

If men of the earth would swing and serve aright in the Will of God, the earth would actually be a harmonious although coarse reproduction of Creation.

It is only due to the perversity of mankind that this has not yet happened.

Now let us at last talk of animistic-germs, which we had taken as our subject.

Those that are most closely related to the spirit-germs of earthmen as regards their development are the small flower-elves of the earth.

As you regard it, these awaken in the cups of earthly flowers, but not in the way you imagine it!

It is true that they are in the flowerbuds which form their coarsest protective cloak until they awaken, but there is something else in addition.

In reality they lie softly embedded in a layer of fine, delicate gross matter, not visible to you in the earthly sense.

But at the same time they also lie in a flower-bud of the earth.

The delicate layer of gross matter not only penetrates the bud but also the entire earth and its surroundings, something which is invisible to you.

It is in this layer that the actual development to consciousness of the flower-elves takes place, while the earthly flower-bud remains but the coarsest outer protection, of which the flower-elves are pretty well independent despite a certain connection.

Nor do they die as the flowers wither, but their development continues through their helpful tending of new earthly flowers, and partly also of new elf-children.

Their strength grows with their ability.

So it goes on and ever onwards to the point where they can lift themselves in full maturity to another and new field of activity; for as with the spirit-germ so with the animistic-germ… both are subject to one Divine Law of development which is uniform in its effect!

Nor are the small elves left unprotected from danger as they develop, so that their habitation, even while a flower-bud, could be eaten by animals or destroyed by an inconsiderate human hand, as it would seem in the gross material sense.

The flowers are, of course, tended by developed elves, but an elf-child does not live in every flower, only in those that are specially protected and inaccessible to danger, as far as one can speak of inaccessibility.

Also in cases where danger approaches they are immediately carried away as long as they have not yet become conscious.

I first mention the flower-elves because they have always been and still are standing in the swinging of the Will of God.

They cannot be influenced by the will of men, but they always weave and breathe in the vibrations of the Light!

In this fact lies the secret as to why every flower, even the most simple, is radiant with beauty; for the flower-elves stand in the Light!

Owing to their delicacy they have female forms and, because they are attuned to the Light, they are of the most exquisite beauty!

On the basis of the Message you will now already be able to follow that there are also elves which have male forms according to their activity!

They are denser and more positive, because they occupy themselves with a harder material.

The tree elf, for instance, has a male form.

The form and density always correspond with the activity!

Thus, because they are working with earth and rocks, the gnomes also have male forms.

They are denser, while the nixies or water sprites of the liquid element, again bear female forms.

You yourselves can draw further conclusions and will always hit upon what is right, if you use the Message in which you find the Laws of Creation as a basis!

What is said here concerns the developed animistic beings of your surroundings on earth!

Everything which is closely connected with the coarsest World of Matter can really only count on a result which is quickly visible through positive activity and in greater density.

Therefore that which is male is always the part inclined towards what is denser and thus lower, the part which acts positively; on the other hand, that which is female is the part inclined towards the more delicate and thus higher, the part which receives negatively.

Such is the arrangement of Creation according to the Will of God, and only when man also adjusts himself accordingly and swings therein will real ascent come to him, which he cannot achieve in any other way.

For then all his activity swings in the Cross of Creation, in which positive with negative, working actively and receiving passively, hold the balance!

And ever again it is still the woman of humanity who does not fill her post in Creation!

If you reflect upon all this quietly you can come to undreamed-of conclusions, and to clarifications that have so far seemed almost insoluble to you.

But your intellect will not acquiesce so readily and quietly, but will ever again want to sow doubt in order to confuse you and thus hold you fast in the spell which it was able to inflict upon you almost unopposed during the past centuries.

There are probably many people in whom the questioning thought arises: And the furies?

Do they not also have female forms although their activity is of a very positive nature?

Therefore I already want to deal with this subject now and explain to you: The furies exist in both male and female form, yet both have one aim alone in spite of their diverse effects… destruction!

The furies, however, are not animistic beings. Such a thing does not originate from the Will of the Light!

Furies are nothing but productions of men’s volition.

They belong to the demons that must immediately perish when men’s volition improves and turns to the Light!

True, they are very dangerous, and in the Judgment they are set free so that they can rush upon all mankind!

But they can only do harm where they can attach themselves, i.e., where they find homogeneous evil or fear in a person.

Through this the furies must also serve the Light, for they do away with the evil men on earth and thus further the great purification!

As soon as this is completed the furies also obtain no further nourishment, and must automatically perish!

But whoever has fear in the Judgment lacks conviction about the Word of Truth, and thus also confidence in the Omnipotence of God and in His Justice, which so often manifest in the helping Love!

Such a person will then rightly fall a victim to his lukewarmness or indolence.

He is meant to be seized and destroyed by the furies during the Judgment!

Therefore in the end that also is a simple happening which in its dreadfulness must proceed along the paths of the Holy Law of God!

The furies unleashed!

This means they are not restrained, but for a time will be allowed to have a completely free run!

Men will not be protected therefrom, but abandoned to the raging!

However, it is quite natural that those people who have the right inner conviction and who are connected with the Light cannot be attacked, for no response can be found within them to which the furies can cling in order to confuse them.

During this raging those connected with the Light stand as if in a cloak which cannot be penetrated, and upon which every attacking evil volition injures itself.

This cloak has automatically grown during the hours of danger through the firm trust in God.

But men who in their conceit or presumption think they are faithful, and yet have faith only in their church but not in God, and who are thus not inwardly alive, will be tossed hither and thither like a withered leaf in a storm.

They must also perish in this turmoil unless they recognize in time through this happening that they have been hollow in their rigid belief, and ardently exert themselves to absorb life from the Light of Truth which shines above all the storms.

Remain wakeful and strong so that the furies cannot find support within you!

Become in your deeds like the many small animistic helpers which in their faithful service are an example for men!

* * *