18. The Christ

We have seen that the event of the birth of Christ on earth has a cosmic significance; it is central to planetary evolution. The whole astral body of the Earth has undergone a change since Christ appeared on Earth. Before that it was only possible to look into higher worlds through the mysteries and prophetic schools. It was not possible before such an appearance as the conversion of Saul into Paul, [it was not possible] that through the astral the higher worlds were seen. Such a nature initiation was possible only because through the death of Christ the astral substance of the earth had changed. Christ had made Himself a body out of the etheric sphere of the earth at the appearance of Damascus, and in that body He appeared to Paul.