79. Occult Historical Research

Dr. Rudolf Steiner spoke on this topic at the annual meeting of the German section of the Theosophical Society on October 18, 1903. A very brief summary of the remarks is given here. — The founder of the Theosophical Society gave us the “Secret Doctrine,” in which the foundation for a solution to the great riddles of existence is laid on two sides. In a comprehensive theory of the origin of the world (Cosmogenesis), the plan is shown according to which the scene has developed out of the spiritual primal powers of the universe, on which man is responsible for his earthly change. From a second volume (Anthropogenesis) we see which stages man himself has gone through until he became a member of the present race. It will depend on the development of the Theosophical movement, on when it will have reached a certain state of maturity, in which time the same spiritual forces that have given us the great truths of the first two volumes will also give us the third. This will contain the deeper laws for what, on the outside, so-called “world history” offers us. It will deal with “occult historical research”. It will show how the destinies of nations are fulfilled in the true sense, how guilt and atonement are linked in the great life of humanity, how the leading personalities of history arrive at their mission, and how they fulfill it.

Only he who knows how the great trinity of body, soul and spirit intervenes in the wheel of becoming can see through the development of mankind. Above all, one has to realize how physical existence is conditioned in the broadest sense by the great cosmic natural forces, which take on a specific form in the characters of races and peoples and in what is called the “spirit” of an age. One will recognize how the material basis comes about, which expresses itself in the fact that people represent certain types (peoples, eras) in which they resemble one another. The generic characters will be more clearly illuminated here, which they cannot receive from the cultural history that is focused on the merely superficial. One will understand how the influence of the soil, the climate, the economic conditions, etc. actually takes place on people.

Then the role that the personal element plays in history will be examined. The drives, instincts, feelings and passions come from this personal element. And they can only be understood if one is aware of the influence of the world, which is called astral or psychic (soul), on the world that takes place before our physical senses and our mind. This part of occult history will help us to understand what is usually attributed to the arbitrariness of individual personalities. And we will understand the interaction of individual personality, nation and age. The enlightening light will be cast into world history from the astral field.

Thirdly, it will be learned how the collective spirit of the universe intervenes in human destinies, how the life of this collective spirit pours into the higher self of a great leader of humanity, and in this way, through channels of this higher life, is shared with all of humanity. For this is the way in which this higher life takes: it flows into the higher selves of the leading spirits, and these communicate it to their brothers. From embodiment to embodiment, the higher selves of human beings develop and learn more and more to make their own selves into missionaries of the divine plan of the world. Through occult historical research, one will recognize how a human leader develops to the point where he can take on a divine mission. One will see how Buddha, Zarathustra, and Christ came to their missions. The lecturer illustrated these general statements by suggesting some examples of how to think about the development of great leaders of humanity through their reincarnation.

The Annual Meeting of the German Section of the Theosophical Society was opened on the morning of October 18, 1903 by a board meeting attended by the board members Dr.Rudol£f Steiner (General Secretary), Miss v. Sivers (Berlin), Julius Engel (Charlottenburg), Richard Bresch (Leipzig), Bernhard Hubo (Hamburg), Mrs. v. Holten (Berlin), Günther Wagner (Lugano) and Kolbe (Hamburg). Internal section matters were discussed and it was decided to bring about a closer exchange of ideas and communication between the individual branches by creating a small organ for this purpose, only for the branches and their affairs. Miss v. Sivers was elected secretary of the section and the appointment of Miss v. Rosen as assistant to the section, which has been made possible by the loving kindness of our English brothers, was confirmed. On Sunday evening, the lecture on “Occult Historical Research” took place. It was followed by a discussion of important theosophical questions (for example, the position of so-called monism in relation to theosophy, the use of psychic powers in life, etc.), in which the following took part: Günther Wagner (Lugano), Richard Bresch (Leipzig), Bernhard Hubo (Hamburg), Julius Engel (Charlottenburg), Arenson (Stuttgart) and Rüdiger (Charlottenburg). At the general meeting on Monday, October 19, the following were present in addition to the above-mentioned branch representatives from outside: Frau Geheimrat Lübke (Weimar), Arenson (Stuttgart), Fischer (Hannover). The business of the section was taken care of. Of this, the following should be mentioned: Frau Helene Lübke (Weimar) and Fräulein Mathilde Scholl (Cologne) were elected to replace two former members of the board. It was reported that a new branch had been formed in Weimar and that the formation of others was to be expected. Miss Klara Motzkus (Berlin) and Mr. Franz Seiler (Berlin) were elected as auditors.