Lecture XXI

This law of effect and counter-effect however also holds good for the entire spiritual world and it is of the utmost importance to know this if one wishes to understand reincarnation and karma. Action finds its expression on the physical plane. A feeling does not show itself directly on the physical plane. When I am connected with someone in friendship we can be separated physically, so that we cannot make our feeling known outwardly by means of an action and yet we can feel affection for one another. A feeling can have its direct effect on the astral plane. It is only when feeling passes over into action that it finds its expression on the physical plane. We must bear this difference in mind. We must be perfectly clear about the fact that every single action that takes place on the physical plane has its effect somewhere and also its counter-effect. Through the action an alteration is always brought about on the physical plane.