The Guardian of the Threshold: Scene 6

A space not circumscribed by artificial walls but enclosed by intertwined plants like trees and structures which spread out and send shoots into the interior. Owing to natural phenomena the whole is moving violently and is sometimes filled with storm. The stage is divided into two groves, separated for a short distance by a row of trees. The grove on right of stage is red, that on the left is blue, the former is appropriated later by Lucifer and his Spirits, and the latter by Ahriman and his Spirits. The dance movements are set to music. Maria and Capesius are on the stage as the curtain rises; then Benedictus, Philia, Astrid, Luna, the Other Philia, Lucifer, Ahriman, and Creatures which move in a dancing fashion and which represent thoughts, lastly the Soul of Dame Balde.

Benedictus (only audible, not yet visible): Within thy thinking, cosmic thoughts do live.

Capesius (in astral garb): There echoes Benedictus' noble voice; His words are ringing in the spirit here, And are the same as in the book of life Are written down to aid his pupils' work, Which souls on earth find hard to understand And which are even harder to fulfil. What part of spirit-land is this, where sound The words which serve to test the souls on Earth?

Maria: Hast thou abode so long in spirit-land In such a way that thou hast learned so much And yet this region is unknown to thee?

Capesius: What lives here in its own reality Souls, versed in spirit-ways, can grasp with ease; Each thing explains itself through something else. The whole may stand revealed in light, when part Seen by itself, may often still seem dark. But when a spirit-essence doth unite With earthly nature to create some work, The soul begins to lose her grasp of things. And not alone a part, but e'en the whole Is oft concealed from her by darkness deep. Why words which come in Benedictus' book And which were written for men's souls on Earth, Should echo here, within a place like this, That is the problem which doth offer here.

Benedictus (still invisible): Within thy feeling, cosmic forces play.

Capesius: Again there come the words which on the Earth Did Benedictus to his pupils trust; And here in his own voice they echo forth. They stream through all the limitless expanse Of this great realm arousing darksome powers.

Maria: I feel already what I must pass through Within the boundless spaces of this realm; And Benedictus' nearness draws me on. In this place he will let me gaze on things Incomprehensible to souls on Earth The while they dwell in bodies bound by sense, And e'en whilst serving spirit-pupilship. So must the master bring them to this place Where words do not depend on human speech, But are imprinted on their souls by signs; Here he transforms to speech world happenings— A world-descriptive language for the soul. I'll loose my inmost being from the Earth, Condensing all my powers within my soul, And so await whate'er may be revealed To indicate my way through spirit-space. And then when I return to life on Earth 'Twill be a thought which, when recalled will shine As knowledge in mine inmost depth of soul.

Benedictus (appears from the background): Win thou thyself in power of cosmic thought, Lose thou thyself in life of cosmic force; Thou shalt find earthly aims reflect themselves Through thine own being in the cosmic light.

Capesius: So Benedictus is in spirit here And not his words are echoing. Doth then the teacher bring the lore of earth To vivify and work in spirit-realm? But what can be the meaning here of words Which he doth use on earth in other ways?

Benedictus: Capesius, thou hast in thine earth-life Entered within my circle, though in truth Thou ne'er wart conscious of thy pupilship.

Capesius: Capesius is not within this place; And his soul will not hear him spoken of.

Benedictus: 'Thou wilt not feel thou art Capesius But him in spirit thou shalt see and know. For thee the powerful work of thought hath now In thy soul-body oped the spirit-life. So that thy soul-life could release itself From thought's dream-play within thine earthly frame. Too weak it felt itself to wander forth From out world distances to depths of soul; Too strong to gaze at lofty spirit-light Through all the darkness that surrounds the Earth. I must accompany each one who gains The spirit-light from me in earthly life Whether he knows, or Both not know, that he Came as a spirit-pupil to myself. And I must lead him further on those paths Which he in spirit learned to tread through me. Thou hast through thy soul-sight in cosmic space Learned to draw nigh the spirit consciously Since loosed from body thou canst follow it. But, not yet freed from thought, thou canst not see True being in the spirit-realm as yet. Thy senses' body thou canst lay aside, But not the fine corporeal web of thought. Thou only canst perceive the world in truth When nothing of thy personality Remains to cloud the clearness of thy sight. He only who hath learned to view his thoughts As things outside himself, e'en as the seer Beholds his earthy form released from him, Can penetrate to spirit verities. So look upon this picture that it may Turn into knowledge through clairvoyant powers Thoughts, whose true being is built up in space To forms, which mirror forth the thoughts of men.

(A cheerful subdued light diffuses itself. Philia, Astrid, and Luna appear in glowing clouds.)

(Exeunt Capesius and Maria.)

Voices (which sound together, spoken by Philia, Astrid, and Luna.): Let thoughts hover round Like weaving of dreams And build themselves in To souls that are here; Let will that creates And feeling that stirs And thought that doth work The dreamer arouse—

(While this sounds, Lucifer approaches from one side, and Ahriman from the other. They go to their thrones raised on each side at the back of the stage, facing the audience; Lucifer on the right of the stage, Ahriman on the left.)

Lucifer (in a loud voice, emphasising every word): Within thy will do cosmic beings work.

(On Lucifer's side, beings with golden hair, dressed in crimson and radiantly beautiful representing thoughts, begin to move. These carry out, in a dancing fashion, movements which represent the forms of thought corresponding to Lucifer's words.)

Ahriman (speaking in a loud, hoarse voice): These cosmic beings do but puzzle thee.

(After these words Lucifer's group is still and the thought-beings on Ahriman's side move and carry out dancing movements which make forms corresponding to his words. They have grey hair and are clad in indigo blue, being square in build, and in appearance distinguished more by force than beauty. After this the movement from both groups is carried on together.)

Lucifer: Within thy feeling cosmic forces play

(The thought-beings on Lucifer's side repeat their movements.)

Ahriman: The cosmic forces are but mocking thee.

(The thought-beings on Ahriman's side repeat their movements, then again both together.)

Lucifer: Within thy thinking cosmic thought doth live.

(Repetition of the movements in Lucifer's group.)

Ahriman: The cosmic thought doth but bewilder thee.

(Repetition of the movement in Ahriman's group.)

(The movements of each group are then repeated four times separately and thrice together.)

(The thought-beings vanish left and right; Lucifer and Ahriman remain: Philia, Luna, and Astrid advance from the background, and speak together the words they spoke before with the following alteration.)

Philia, etc.: Thoughts hovered around Like weaving of dreams And built themselves in To souls that are here— Then will that creates And feeling that stirs And thought that loth work The dreamer aroused—

(Philia, Astrid, and Luna vanish. Enter Capesius in astral garb, and after he has spoken a few words Maria joins him, though at first he cannot see her.)

Ahriman: At birth I was the equal of the gods, Who have curtailed my many ancient rights. I wished in such a way to fashion men For Lucifer, my brother, and his realm, That each should bear his own world in himself. For Lucifer in spirit worlds but seeks To show himself as peer among his peers; To others he but shows his form sublime; He ne'er would seek imperious rulership. I wished to give unto mankind such strength That they might grow to equal Lucifer. And had I stayed within the realm of gods This too had been in primal days fulfilled. The gods however willed to rule on Earth, And from their kingdom they did one day thrust My power into the depth of the abyss, So that I might not make mankind too strong. And thus 'tis only from this place I dare Send out my powerful strength upon the Earth. But in this way my power turns into *Fear*.

(As Ahriman finishes speaking, Benedictus appears.)

Capesius: He who hath heard what both these two powers here Spake from their places out into the worlds May know from this where he can look and find Both fear and hatred in their own domains.

Benedictus: In cosmic speech thou shalt perceive thyself; And feel thyself in cosmic power of thought. And as thou now didst see outside thyself What thou didst dream was all thine inmost self, So find thyself, and shudder now no more At that one word thou hast a right to use To prove thine own existence to thyself—

Capesius: So once more I belong to mine own self!— Now will I seek myself, because I dare To see myself in cosmic thought and live.

Benedictus: And thou must add all this which thou hast won To victories of old to give the world.

(Dame Balde in her ordinary dress appears in the background beside Benedictus.)

Dame Balde (in a meditative voice suitable for fairy tales): Once on a time there lived a child of God Who had affinity with those who weave The thoughtful wisdom of the spirit-realms. This child, brought up by truth's almighty Sire Grew up within his realm to ancient strength. And when his body, radiant with light, Did feel his ripened will creative stir, He often looked with pity on the Earth Where souls of men were striving after truth. Then to the Sire of truth the child would say: ‘The souls of men are thirsting for the drink Which thou canst hand to them from out thy springs.’ With earnest speech the Sire of truth replied: ‘The springs, of which I am appointed guard, Let light stream forth from out the spirit-suns; Only such beings dare to drink the light As need not thirst for air that they may breathe. Therefore in light have I brought up a child Who can feel pity for the souls on Earth And manifest the light 'midst breathing men. So turn and go unto mankind and bring The light that's in their souls to meet my light Enfilled with confidence and spirit-life.’ So then the shining light-child turned, and went To souls who keep themselves alive by breath. And many good men found he on the Earth, Who offered him with joy their souls' abode. These souls he turned to gaze with grateful love Upon their Sire who dwells in springs of light. And when the child heard from the lips of men And joyous mind of men, the magic word Of fantasy, he knew himself alive Dwelling with gladness in the hearts of men. But one sad day there came unto the child A man who cast upon him chilling looks. ‘I turn the souls of men on earth toward The Sire of truth who dwells in springs of light—’ Thus to the strange man did the light-child speak. The man replied: ‘Thou dost but weave wild dreams Into men's spirits, and deceiv'st their souls.’ And since the day which witnessed this event The child who can bring light to breathing souls Hath often suffered slander from mankind.

(Philia, Astrid, Luna, and the Other Philia appear in a cloud of light.)

Philia: Now let every soul That drinks of the light Awake to full power In cosmic expanse.

Astrid: So too let the spirit That knoweth no fear Arise in full power In cosmic domains.

Luna: Let man who doth strive To reach to the heights In Beings' foundation. Hold fast with full strength.

The Other Philia: Let man struggle on To him who bears light And opens out worlds Which quicken in men The sense of delight. This beauty so bright Awakened in souls, Inspired to admire, The spirit leads on To realms of the gods. Achievement consoles The feelings that dare The threshold to tread, Which strictly doth guard 'Gainst souls that feel fear. And energy finds A will that grows ripe And fearless doth stand 'Fore powers that create And fashion the worlds.

Curtain falls whilst Benedictus, Capesius, Maria, Dame Balde, Lucifer, and Ahriman, and the four Soul-forms, are still in their places