Lecture III

When we observe a man of the present day clairvoyantly we see that his astral body really consists of two parts, namely, the part that is already under the control of the ego and the part he is not yet able to control. This latter is still filled with lower forces and impulses, and when the ego drives these out all kinds of powers are added to the astral body. In order that the astral body should not be destroyed by the lower forces it must always be permeated and suffused by higher beings who control it in the same way that man will control it in the future when he has attained the goal of his evolution. The beings whose task it is to control that part of the astral body which is still uncontrolled by man are one stage higher than he is, they are the Angels, or Spirits of Twilight. In fact one such Spirit watches over every human being, and this Spirit has power over the astral body; it is therefore no childish idea, but profound wisdom, to speak of guardian angels. These guardian angels have a great duty to perform.