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

GA 265

Ash, Salt and Water

From a teaching session in Munich, December 12, 1906

Through the process of combustion, through the precipitation of ash, the spirit came to earth. Through the precipitation of salt, wisdom came to earth. Both must be washed again by the waters of life.

Instruction lesson Berlin, February 1908, no date given

It is important that we learn to understand the formulas used in the lodge better and better, so that we can follow the ceremonies in which they are used with more understanding.

The ashes, salt and water have a deep meaning. In the early Atlantean period, the air was filled with water and the sun's rays could only be seen indistinctly through the dense fog. In this mist, outside of the physical body, we lived, the spirits that have since moved into the human body. But back then we were outside and guided these bodies [from the outside].

Everything hard and solid on earth has crystallized out of this water atmosphere. At that time, the water was not as dense as it is now, and the air was denser. But gradually the water sank to the surface of the earth, leaving the atmosphere behind as air, while the water became denser. This is symbolized by the salt in its dissolved state.

Salt is wisdom; Ruach Hochmael emerged from it.

In the beginning there were no bones in the human body. But as the atmosphere gradually crystallized, the segregated salt formed the bones where there had previously been only magnetic currents.

Death is quite correctly represented by a skeleton with a scythe. For the bones represent the relatively permanent part of the human body, the part from which the body for the next incarnation will be formed. They represent the future, while the soft parts represent the past, that which fades away from life. The bones, with their blood and lymph, represent the future, because the self gains a firm foothold where the blood cells are formed.

At the beginning of the terrestrial period, the Earth was filled with nothing but human beings. At that time, man appeared first. As he developed further, some remained behind to form the animal kingdom. Among these, some were unable to develop further and formed the plant kingdom. And finally, some remained from the plant kingdom to form the minerals, as can be seen in the formation of coal. These remainders are produced by crystallization. To develop further, one must keep one's tools liquid (mobile) so that the dense, accumulating substances (the coagulating substances) can be excreted.