II. The Physical World and the Moral-Spiritual Impulses

The outcome of this battle between spirit and matter as kindled by the will to overcome the duality of spirit and matter in the external physical world of the earth, it lights up in man's being—the outcome of this inner conflict which, behind the scenes of man's life continues also during waking hours in the sphere of the will, takes effect behind the scenes of existence during the time between, falling asleep and waking. As long as man has only his ordinary consciousness, this is covered up by sleep. But during this sleep is woven that essence which, when again etherealised and ‘astralised’ after death, attains that creative force which, after having passed through the next period between death and a new birth, will have added a new measure of strength to the power which flows into our will-forces from long past lives on earth.