The History of the Esoteric School 1904–1914, Volume One

GA 264 — 18 May 1904, Berlin

To Mathilde Scholl in Cologne

Berlin, May 18, 1904

Dearest Fräulein Scholl!

I have just returned from London. On the way here, I gave a lecture in Hannover.¹

It is now my task to respond to your meditation work. Your letter of the 15th of this month expresses a feeling that you have towards your inner experience.². You say, “I am no longer distressed when I feel the spiritual life less strongly at times.” This is the right mood of serenity, which must increasingly dominate the inner worker. The right progress will come more and more as you get into the mood: to accept everything in silence and devotion, whatever may come. You must not want to force anything, but calmly wait for what is to come. However it may appear to you, you have come further and will continue to come further. I have also spoken about you to Mrs. Besant in this regard. For it was essentially my mission now in London to speak with Mrs. Besant about the E.S. and her task in Germany. Now Mrs. Besant could appoint me “Arch-Warden of the E.S.” with the stipulation that what I do is done in her own name. The next thing I had to discuss with her was to accept you as a member of the School of the First Degree. In a few days I shall send you the Rules of the First Degree, and you will then tell me how you stand. But for the time being, I have to tell you that by being accepted into the “first degree,” the members of the E.S. come into real occult contact with the spiritual current that emanates from the Masters, and that over time you become more and more aware of this, even if it is perhaps slowly. I can fully represent to the “blessed masters” that you have reached the level of admission. I will share with you what I have to tell you orally when we meet again, probably in Amsterdam.³ The success of the German Theosophical movement depends on our having a core of people who work esoterically. You are chosen to help in this direction above all. These are serious words that I address to you, but you are always ready to take seriousness seriously.

I will write to you more about everything else in this regard soon.

Above all, do not be frightened by things as they are, which you have experienced, according to your letter. These are reactions of the astral body, which has been engaged through meditation, upon the etheric body and through it upon the physical body. What you see are physical and etheric processes, which have their origin in your own physical organs. The causes for this lie in your astral body, which is aroused by meditation. All this will be overcome. And later, the embodiment of real supersensible experiences will take the place of these things. Everything must be experienced. In peace.

I enclose the diploma for Miss v. Dessauer.⁴ Please take care of everything else with Miss v. Sivers.

So things are going well in Cologne. It would be quite necessary for the formal merger to take place in Düsseldorf soon as well.

Warmest regards to you and your colleagues.

Yours,

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Berlin W, Motzstrasse 17