And again: inner life and outer world
Whatever kinds of influences from the outer world a seeker may face, – he must always remain aware of the fact that nothing in this outer world can make the path to the spirit inaccessible, as long as, with careful observance, he lives up to the plentiful advice I have given him in my teachings.
But it depends on ‘living up’ to these advices, – not on approving and therefore being enthusiastic about them!
However, living up to my teachings requires the pupil from the start: to create order with respect to his specific personal daily life. –
Only when all this has been ‘sorted out’, – in all aspects and in every single relationship, – has the seeker acquired the right to carry on striving, and only then is his expectation justified that he will attain what can be attained in the spirit while on earth, even during his life on earth.
The most widespread and popular ‘broadmindedness’ which thinks that it is permitted to treat everything to do with everyday life as a bagatelle when striving for the spirit is most reprehensible.
Even if something is inherently a ‘bagatelle’, it is never a bagatelle depending on whether it has been treated according to the spirit or not. – –
In a parable in the Gospels it is said to the good servant: “Because you have been faithful in little, have authority over much!”
What is here in parable form applies to one of the most important demands of the spirit!
Whoever cannot manage in his transient earthly life to behave already in such a way that his thoughts, speech and actions can be acknowledged by the spirit has not yet understood the possible help of the outer world, and all his striving to become conscious in the eternal spirit is of no use to him.
But whoever in his daily world even makes the smallest decision to act, – and even if it must be made in extreme haste, – with all naturalness in such a way that his eternal salvation depends solely on this one decision is much nearer to becoming spiritually conscious than he thinks.
Even if his inherited disposition prevents complete development here in his earthly life, he will enter eternity as one who is conscious! –
Even if his inherited disposition prevents complete development here in his earthly life, he will enter eternity as one who is conscious! –
(Excerpts from the chapter ‘Inner life and outer world’ pages 594-603.)
