37. The Dangers of Initiation

A personality who first learned to develop the forces within himself and then sacrificed himself is a valuable sacrifice in the great course of life. But if a personality without strength and energy takes this word: You shall sacrifice yourself, as a word of life, it becomes a phrase here and, because it is empty, will produce a life without content. In this sphere there is a vampire of life; it sucks out the forces of life. It is necessary to see clearly in this sphere. In no wise must there enter into this work that sense of well-being which a man so easily experiences when uttering fine phrases. Here the man who really wants to ascend into the higher worlds needs care and patience, for only little by little can he learn to distinguish aright.