Lecture VI

And the Ahrimanic? What is that? When we meet Ahriman in the super-sensible world, we find his particular attributes are quite different from those of Lucifer. To come into relation with Lucifer in the super-sensible world, we really only need to purify and cleanse ourselves from all the dross of faulty ego-hood and the egoism of sensory existence. For that, Lucifer will make us a good guide in the actual super-sensible world, and we shall not easily become his prey. But with Ahriman it is different; his is another task in world evolution. While Lucifer reveals all that is hidden, Ahriman's task for the world of the senses can be described by saying that where our world of the senses is, where it becomes visible, there is Ahriman, but he permeates it invisibly, super-sensibly. How does Ahriman help us? He helps us considerably in the physical world; he helps every soul. Indeed, he helps every soul to carry into higher worlds as much as possible from the world of the senses, of what is played out only there, because the world of the senses exists for some purpose and is not merely maya. It exists as the stage for events that beings may experience, and what is thus enacted and experienced must be borne up into super-sensible worlds. The power to carry into eternity what is of value in sensory existence is the power that belongs to Ahriman. To give the passing moment back to eternity, that is in Ahriman's power.