The Rudolf Steiner Archive

July 3, 1906

My dear Mr. Bauer!

I would have liked to have written to you long ago. But I was quite busy with other things. First I was in Paris, where I gave a series of lectures over four weeks.¹ Then I had a lot of work to do at home. I'm sure you will agree that I will not be coming to the Nuremberg Congress. I do not believe that one could achieve anything serious in such a short time as I would have been allotted.

On the other hand, if it is convenient for you, I would like to visit you and our other dear members around August 8. That is, within the days after the 8th. Perhaps you will then be able to hold a lodge meeting together. I will write you the day later. I will write you the day later, because I will be in the vicinity of Nuremberg in a few days for another matter.²

The Leadbeater case is serious. I have written a circular about it, which will be sent to all our members in the next few days.³In this matter, we have to go into the deeper underlying issues. It is simply the case in occultism that, with the method that Leadbeater adopted, it is extremely easy to fall away. But actually, the case can only be properly judged from the occult point of view. I hope to explain the whole matter to you orally in the next few days.

[...] ⁴

Kind regards to you, your wife and all the members.

Yours,

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Berlin W 30, Motzstrasse 17

At first, there is no change in the E.S. work.

• 1. See “Cosmogony”, CW 94
• 2. Rudolf Steiner was in Bayreuth with Marie von Sivers for a performance of Parsifal on August 6/7, 1906. It is not known whether he visited Nuremberg.
• 3. See the circular letter of July 1906 in part II “On the history of the division of the Esoteric School of Theosophy into an Eastern and a Western School”.
• 4. These remarks refer to the knowledge-cultic section of Rudolf Steiner's Esoteric School; see GA 265.

August 14, 1906

Dear Mrs. v. Bredow!

As sad as the news you gave me regarding our dear Mathilde Scholl is, it does not surprise me. However, it will not be possible to help her by doing something that she herself would have to be a part of. The situation is such that she is facing a test that cannot possibly be taken away from her. What you and I can do is strike the right note for her within ourselves. And the note that your letter to me just shows as yours is the right one. You will help her best by remaining strong in this very note. It would not be right to interpret Matilda's present state of mind as a “weakness”. At the occult level at which she lives, it is not a matter of her inner weakness, but rather of the strength of the attacks on her soul by certain powers. One gets the right point of view if one regards the form in which friendship expresses itself in her as a test. There can be no question of any “fault” on your part, dear woman. If you remain true to the path you have chosen, you will do the right thing for yourself and for Mathilde.

You must both have the firm point of your friendship in view of the spiritual ideal. I myself will write to Mathilde in a few days. Today would not be the right time. If she emerges victorious from this trial, then all the more strength will flow to her in the end.

During the time I was allowed to spend with you, I would have been of more use to you if I did not have some very important duties to attend to right now. But the main thing is that you have found a way to follow the path that is right for you in your difficult circumstances. In human development, a lot depends on such things. A secure soul is a powerful force for spiritual progress. You will not lose courage in the face of difficulties, even if unexpected ones arise. You are emotionally in tune with your environment. And even if you often think that your influence is not great enough there, you will gradually recognize that indirectly it is seeking the right paths and will ultimately find them.

Let the spiritual powers you have sought be with you as you maintain and develop the path you have been striving to follow for a while.

Kind regards

Yours

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Berlin W, Motzstrasse 17

August 15, 1906

Dear Director!

Today I also have something to say about your exercise. It is right to continue it in the same way until about August 23. Then it would have to be shaped in the following way. You begin your morning meditation with

1. breathing exercise.² Before you begin to take the usual breathing breaths, imagine, as vividly as you can, a plant that you know well. You must know it in every detail, so that the imagination can be a very exact one. You keep this image as the only content of your consciousness in mind for the duration of the eight breathing-strokes that now follow.

You now do the following:

Inhalation – retention – exhalation, so that the three intervals relate to each other as 1:4:2 (in feeling), so if the inhalation lasts 2 seconds, for example, the retention lasts 8 seconds and the exhalation 4 seconds. (If you cannot breathe in this order, normal breaths can be inserted in between, but the presentation of the plant must not be interrupted.) While inhaling and during the first half of the retention, meditate with the plant in mind:

During the second half-breath and while breathing out, meditate on

(The meaning of these words will gradually become clear to you on its own).

This is done over the course of seven breaths.

On the eighth, you try to put your consciousness into the plant itself as much as possible, as if you were in the plant and looking at yourself from the outside. (As if you had gone out of yourself and were standing in front of yourself); in doing so, you meditate on yourself.

When inhaling and half exhaling:

“My death - your life”

on the second half-breath and exhalation:

“Your death - my life”

Do this only once.

Then follow:

Active thinking at the point between and slightly behind the eyebrows (nasal root) and meditate:

I am

Active thinking at the inside of the larynx and meditate:

It thinks.

Lively thought of arms and hands, meditating:

She feels.

Lively thought of the whole body, meditating:

It wants.

Warm greetings,

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Berlin W 30, Motzstrasse 17

• 1. The first part of the letter is about the Esoteric School's section on the cult of knowledge; see GA 265.
• 2. For this and further breathing exercises, see the volume of collected esoteric exercises (GA 267, in preparation).

1906, undated

Dear Mr. Meebold!

I would like to quickly answer the questions you raised and summarily address the points you touched on.

I only touched on the question of the master implicitly by pointing out that “I” does not mean “I” when I say “I”. I knew that you would understand me correctly because I have the highest regard for the experiences you have had in life and therefore spoke to you with complete trust.

I know that you are familiar with the ancillary exercises. But it is necessary to practice them systematically once. What you describe as an “inner experience” you owe to the practice so far. And you will also have the rest in my description given to you in the future as your experience, and in fact a special feeling will really arise from each special exercise. Please do not think, I beg you, of “suggestion” here. With such concepts, one only throws stones in one's way.

The meaning of “breathing retention” will become clear to you if you direct your thoughts in the following direction: the process of earthly embodiment is conditioned by “lung breathing”; the upward movement to spirituality must therefore undo this process through practice, etc., etc. This, of course, is only a hint, which I ask you to develop further.¹

Please do not regard the “secrecy” as an obligation of principle, but only as a temporary one, due to the confused present circumstances in E.S. and T.S. I do not keep secrets from intimate friends if these friends enjoy your absolute trust. For the time being, however, please regard this “silence” as if one friend were confiding in another and telling him: Please do not talk to anyone about this. The time will surely come when we will be able to communicate with each other about it, so that the duty of silence will no longer be necessary towards such friends. So for the time being, please treat this confidential message as confidential. I myself would be glad if this did not need to be the case. I am particularly pleased with those of my students who are learning to understand my relationship to occultism no differently than a mathematician's to mathematics. This also completely resolves the vexed question of authority.

I would be very pleased to see you at the congress.² It gives me great satisfaction that you are starting the exercises so soon. I will always be at your service for important matters, even in writing.

Warmest regards,

Dr. Rudolf Steiner

• 1. Cf. on this “From the Content of the Esoteric Lessons”, CW 266.
• 2. Since the letter does not state an exact date, it may have been either the Paris Congress in May 1906 or the Munich Congress in May 1907.

Berlin, August 4, 1907

My dear Mr. Bauer!

Enclosed I am sending you the “Additional Exercises”, which also include the last three periods. You wrote to me some time ago that these are still missing for the Nuremberg group. I am sending them to you so that you can give them to your esotericists when you think it is right. Of course, this can also be done after your vacation. Because it is always good if those practicing stay with something for as long as possible.

For yourself, I am sending seven sayings, spread over the seven days of the week.¹ One practices them by immersing oneself on Friday in the sayings for Saturday, on Saturday in those for Sunday, and so on. You can do this several times a day and try to absorb the depth of such a saying for 20-30 minutes. You will benefit greatly from this in order to gain access to the mystery of the all-pervading seven.

At the same time, I am sending you Esoteric Leaves, which will give you a handle to experience the four sayings you already know even further in their power.²

During your leisure time, extend the practice time as much as you can with your strength. But in any case, not beyond measure.

You will send me the transcript of your Munich lecture soon. I have to finish the “Federation Yearbook”. And your lecture has to appear in it.³

Give my warmest regards to your dear wife. She should continue to practise in the same way.

With best wishes,

Dr. Rudolf Steiner

• 1. Michael Bauer was “Sub-Warden” for Nuremberg, i.e. head of a regional esoteric group, just as Adolf Arenson was for Stuttgart, and Sophie Stinde for Munich. The “Additional Exercises” and “Seven Sayings” are contained in “Instructions for an Esoteric Schooling”.
• 2. The “Esoteric Leaves” are not available, but it could have been the exegesis of “Light on the Path”.
• 3. Lecture at the Munich Congress in May 1907 on the cultivation of occultism within society. However, the “Federation Yearbook” was not published.

Berlin, August 4, 1907

My dear Eugenie von Bredow!

It would be best to leave it entirely up to your sister whether she wants to continue the more intimate Theosophical work or not. The doubts and concerns that arise from her belief that she is not doing the right thing are also disturbing. Occult development is only possible if a person vigorously keeps such doubts and concerns at bay. It is certainly not good to persuade her. Therefore it is only advisable to remove her doubt, as if she could not, to tell her that the despondency goes too far; but otherwise put everything in her own will. One should not believe that Theosophy as such does not help people. And your sister wants to remain loyal to it.

In this sense, you may hold that. Then there is no reason for you to be sad about the matter.

I send you my best thoughts and remain

sincerely yours

Dr. Rudolf Steiner

We are only now able to leave today.

• 1. Rudolf Steiner and Marie von Sivers spent August in Italy.

Berlin, August 4, 1907

My dear Mathilde Scholl!

Your letter is a fine example of seeking the center of your being within yourself; continue in this way, achieve what you set as your goal. The light that spiritual science gives man is such that it can illuminate all his actions and thoughts, as well as all his relationships with other people. He will only find the right way to relate to these other people when he views his relationships in this light. Then nothing can be dangerous to him, whatever form this or that may take on the outside. Our life conditions will not become colder if we allow this light to fall on them. But we can easily get on the wrong track if we have once placed ourselves in this light and then do not allow everything to be illuminated by it. So look at things as they are now and continue in this way. Your niece is on the right path. Enclose a few words of advice for her."

Please accept my warmest greetings and best thoughts.

Yours always,

Dr. Rudolf Steiner

Kind regards to the Künstlers.

Berlin, March 23, 1908

My dear Miss Minsloff!

Warmest regards to everyone. The exercises were not meant to stop one day, but to continue forever 1) Not available. until you receive new ones. It will now be good if you continue the morning and evening exercises exactly as described during your last visit. This exercise contains many secrets, which reveal themselves through years of energy through inner identification with the content. You in particular will come to real inner revelations through patiently continuing this exercise. If you occasionally feel a weakening of your strength, it is a temporary phenomenon that has no further significance and will return in the form of energy. The following are especially important in the morning exercise: 1) the seven lines you already know; 2) the four meditations on “I am,” “It thinks,” “She feels,” “He wills,” in connection with the breathing described to you; 3) the magic word given to you; 4) devotion to the divine ideal. Between the second and third inhalation, you insert a vivid visualization of a plant (imagination) and try to completely immerse yourself in the idea of how the human being owes his life to the plant. You do this like this:

Inhalation while looking at the plant and thinking:
Your (the plant's) death – my life
Then hold your breath and look at the imagined plant;
then exhale with the thought:
My death - your life.
Repeat this three times, then follow with:
Inhale again with the sentence:
Your death - my life;
then exhale
My death – your life;
then refrain from breathing for a while (three times as long as you inhaled).
Repeat this three times again.
Then place yourself in the plant; identify with it in your thoughts and look at yourself as if you were a completely different being, inhaling with the thought:
My death – your life
Exhalation with the thought:
Your death – my life; then again holding the breath for a while.
This is done once.
In doing so, you always have the plant in front of your mind's eye.

---

In the evening, do the exercises that have been described to you.

---

The subsidiary exercises: concentration of thought, initiative actions; overcoming pleasure and pain, positivity, impartiality are repeated in such a way that when you have finished them, you start again from the beginning; one month of concentration of thought, then one month of initiative action, etc., as described in your papers.

If you carry out these exercises, everything will go well.

And if you, my dear Fräulein Minsloff, do not overstrain your strength, then I can fully agree with all the things you do for other people. They will have a beneficial effect. You are doing everything right.

Now a few words about the founding of the Russian Section. Not much will be achieved for the great spiritual cause, which alone can be salutary and is important, by founding this Section. In Germany, the Section is in many respects already a stumbling block; but a necessary one that must not be ignored. We had to have the Section here. For you, the Section will be even less beneficial. You have in the country and especially in the people the great theosophical treasure, which, through a spiritual connection with what you have learned here as true theosophy and also as genuine, life-giving, future-oriented Christianity, must come to the highest spiritual bloom precisely in Eastern Europe. In the non-theosophical spiritual life of the West, there is a science that is of value for the future only because of its comprehensive thought technique. This thought technique must be inculcated into the spiritual life in the future. In the East, however, you have a folk soul content that must be developed for the benefit of all humanity. It is this folk soul content that makes it possible to express great wisdom from the East in a few sentences, which cannot be exhausted in the West with entire books. The sufferings in your country are the birth pangs of this folk soul content. But to the true student of these matters the germ of this national soul-content appears like a breath of magic. Much spiritual work is needed here. What Miss Kamensky presented in Munich as a lecture at the congress has nothing to do with this spiritual matter, because these are basically only theoretical reflections of the West; the folk soul lies much deeper. Much of this folk soul germinated in Tolstoy; but all of this must be combined with genuine theosophy if it is to become genuine.

In contrast to all this, which, as I know, is also imprinted in your goals, my dear Miss Minsloff, in contrast to all this, the founding of a section is a childish pygmy work, the innocent play of a few theorizing people who are inwardly fanatical about the one form of theosophy they have come to know. And the best thing to do is to let them found their section and say to ourselves, they may do as they please. The section will only benefit from the section foundation through what is poured into the section vessel. For this reason, it would probably not be entirely good if I were to give lectures there right now. May the section be founded first. With or without the Section we shall not stray from the path we are walking. And the Section will do no harm, nor much good either, in your country. It seems best to wait a little while longer with my lectures, even if it is not for long. Let the Section go its way. Continue your own work, my dear Miss Minsloff, as you have done so far. It is better if you do this valuable work positively and still let the section develop quietly. Whether you and the few members of the German section should join the Russian section is not something that needs to be decided now. That can be left until the Russian Section is established, if it should happen at all.

I am writing this letter for you, and I ask you not to share the content with any of the other Theosophists, with only one exception, if you have the opportunity: Miss Olga von Sivers. But she too should only consider the matter as a guide for herself and not tell this to others.

As always, truly yours,

Dr. Rudolf Steiner

[Undated, August 1908]

* You are not allowed to talk about the exercise with anyone. Please copy this and send it back to me.

Dear Miss Kili!

The exercises promised to you during my stay in Strasbourg are as follows:

In the morning, as soon as possible after waking up, when no other thoughts have yet crossed your mind, try to distract your attention from your surroundings and from all everyday thoughts and to immerse yourself completely in the following seven lines for five minutes (not by the clock, but by feeling):

In the pure rays of light
The divinity of the world shines
In the pure love for all beings
The divinity of my soul shines.
I rest in the divinity of the world
I will find myself
In the divinity of the world.

After this has happened, take a deep breath, as if inhaling J; after inhaling, add CH to J, so that you have “I” within you, like the force that permeates the inhaled air. Let this power (namely “I” in the inhaled air) permeate the entire body in thought; then back to the chest. Then breathe out CH and keep J in the body. One should have the thought that J also means Jesus and CH Christ. This breathing is repeated three times.

Then the image of a plant, how it arises from the seed, how it grows, blossoms, bears fruit, withers again and dies, should fill the soul for about 5 minutes (not by the clock, but by feeling).

In the evening, read 7-8 lines from Dr. Steiner's “Theosophy” and then reflect on them for about 15 minutes.

After that, look back over the events of the day, starting with the evening and finishing with the morning.

These exercises are continued day after day until I replace them with new ones. One must have patience to practice exactly the same thing for months, perhaps years. The fruit will come.

Heartfelt Theosophical Greetings,

Dr. Rudolf Steiner

Berlin, November 15, 1908

Dear Sir!

To the best of my knowledge, my introductions to “Goethe's scientific writings in Kürschner's National Literature” have not been published in a separate print run. If the publisher had published one at the time, it would have been without my knowledge. But that will not be the case.

The publication I mentioned in Hannover is called: “The Structure of the Atom and Life” by Dr. Adolf Drescher (published by Emil Roth in Gießen 1908). In the preface of this publication, you will also find a mention of the earlier book by the same author that you mentioned. Drescher does not take occultism into account in his atomic constructions. Therefore, I only used him for a comparison in principle.¹

Regarding the color of the pentagram! The coloring of the pentagram figure enclosed will be the best for you as well, which I had made for individual esotericists. But this presentation is complicated. If a color is used, then the most effective is that of the horn to ☽ (violet-reddish).

The serpent is best represented in the yellow as found in the ☿ pentagram and hexagram.²

Seal of the Rose Cross on a blue background – black cross – 7 stars (in Munich, 8 should stand exoterically for 7 esoterically).³

Arrangement:

[IMAGE REMOVED FROM PREVIEW]

Please excuse the brevity as it is time to leave.

Warmest regards,

Yours sincerely

Dr. Rudolf Steiner

• 1. Rudolf Steiner was in Hannover on November 4 and 5, 1908 for lectures and probably had a conversation with Hübbe-Schleiden, who was very much concerned with atomic constructions.
• 2. Cf. the illustration and text on page 190.
• 3. Refers to the Rose Cross seal first given by Rudolf Steiner for the Munich Congress. Cf. The Munich Congress at Whitsun 1907 and its Effects,