Düsseldorf, April 16, 1909 – A fascinating lecture delivered by Rudolf Steiner shed light on the profound, often invisible, spiritual hierarchies that have guided human evolution from ancient times. Dispelling common misconceptions, Steiner explained how beings far beyond human comprehension have interacted with humanity, shaping our very development and inspiring our greatest leaders. This intricate spiritual economy, he noted, provides a deeper understanding of our origins and future.
Steiner began by clarifying that while he often uses diagrams involving planets and the Sun, these are primarily "boundary marks for the different Hierarchies" and not meant to depict literal astronomical alignments or conjunctions. He introduced the Copernican system for planets, but also an esoteric understanding where astronomical Mercury is called Venus, and astronomical Venus is called Mercury in a deeper sense. Crucially, when mapping the realms of these spiritual beings, it is the Earth, not the Sun, that becomes the conceptual center for understanding these "domains of the respective hierarchies".
The Unique Nature of Humanity
To understand these higher beings, Steiner urged a return to the nature of man. He reiterated that humans, as they first appeared and developed on Earth, consist of four essential parts: the physical body, the etheric body, the astral body, and the ‘I’ (or Ego).
As humanity evolves, the 'I' works on the astral body, transforming it into what is called Manas or Spirit-self. This is not a new part added to man, but a transformed product of the astral body itself. Further spiritual development sees the etheric body transform into Budhi or Life-spirit, and ultimately, the physical body transforms into Atma.
A defining characteristic of the human being, especially in a perfected state reached through future stages like Jupiter, Venus, and Vulcan, is that all seven principles – Atma, Budhi, Manas, the ‘I’, astral, etheric, and physical bodies – are contained entirely within each other, forming a coherent, self-contained being. This unique configuration, Steiner emphasized, is critical to understand, as it does not apply to other beings in the universe. This "self-contained" state, where man is "imprisoned within his skin," only originated relatively recently on Earth.
Higher Hierarchies: Ethereal Forms and Separated Principles
The spiritual beings immediately above humanity exhibit a fundamentally different structure.
-
Angels: Unlike humans, Angels have their higher principles—the Ego, Manas, Budhi, and Atma—separated from their physical presence and hovering in a spiritual world. While they develop physical, etheric, and astral bodies that may appear as a whole, their Ego does not wander on Earth in a body like a human’s, nor do they develop their Manas on Earth at our current stage.
- Remarkably, the physical body of an Angel is not fixed or defined like a human's. Instead, it is to be found in flowing and running water, dissolving mists, winds, and even lightning flashes. One large body of water, for instance, could contain the densest physical part of eighty Angels. Their etheric and astral bodies also live within water, air, and fire.
- To perceive an Angel's spiritual being – their Ego and Manas – one must look clairvoyantly into the astral realm. The realm in the solar system associated with Angels extends up to the Moon.
-
Archangels: The next level of hierarchy, Archangels, show an even greater separation of principles. Their astral body is not united with their physical and etheric bodies.
- Their physical and etheric bodies can only exist together if the physical body consists of air or fire, meaning they cannot be perceived in water. Their higher spiritual principles are entirely in the higher worlds, and their spiritual counterpart must be found clairvoyantly, separated from their lower bodies.
- Archangels are known for their task of directing entire nations.
-
Archai (Primeval Beginnings or Spirits of Personality): At this still higher level, only the physical body of an Archaic being can be perceived in the lower world; everything else resides in the spiritual realm.
- Their physical body can exist only in fire, and is particularly discernible in the flames of lightning. A clairvoyant can easily recognize the Spirits of Personality reflected in a lightning flash.
- The cosmic realm of these Spirits of Personality reaches up to the astronomical planet Venus (esoterically called Mercury).
-
Exusiai (Spirits of Form): Beyond the Archai are the Exusiai, or Spirits of Form, whose influence extends up to the Sun. These powerful beings utilize the Venus beings (Spirits of Personality) in fire and the Mercury beings (Archangels) in wind as their "executive organs". Steiner noted that ancient religious texts, which speak of God making "flames of fire into his servants and winds into his messengers," accurately reflect these spiritual facts.
Divine Guidance: Hierarchies and Human Evolution
Steiner explained that these three hierarchies—Angels, Archangels, and Spirits of Personality—have been intimately involved in humanity's development.
-
The Lemurian Age (Early Humanity): In ancient Lemurian times, humans possessed only physical, etheric, and astral bodies. They were helpless, unable to think or develop in the modern sense. To guide these early beings, Spirits of Personality (Venus spirits) descended and ensouled the physical bodies of certain Lemurian individuals.
- These specially graced individuals, though outwardly similar to others, wielded immense, suggestive influence over their surroundings. They led vast migrations to populate the Earth without needing speech or signs, as people instinctively followed their powerful presence. Their cosmic significance extended to Venus, influencing the entire Solar System.
-
The Atlantean Age: As humanity progressed, the need arose for Archangels (Mercury spirits) to intervene. During the Atlantean period, Archangels descended and ensouled the physical and etheric bodies of specific Atlanteans.
- These individuals, often referred to as "priest-kings" of Atlantis, were not what they outwardly appeared to be (a phenomenon Steiner called "Maya"). An Archangel was the true active agent within them, guiding smaller groups and bestowing divine laws received directly from the heavens. These leaders operated from "secret stations" or "Oracle" sites, exploring cosmic mysteries and training others.
- A remarkable detail revealed by Steiner concerns the preservation of etheric bodies. When these Archangel-ensouled Atlantean Initiates died, their physical bodies dissolved, but their precious etheric bodies, permeated by Archangels, were preserved in the spiritual world. The great leader of the Atlantean Oracles, known as Manu, preserved the seven most important of these etheric bodies. Manu later led the remnant of the Atlantean population to Asia to establish the new post-Atlantean civilization. He then wove these ancient, preserved etheric bodies into the new etheric bodies of seven chosen individuals, who became the seven holy Rishis of ancient India. These Rishis, though outwardly simple, could speak of the greatest mysteries of the universe during moments of inspiration due to the Archangel-imbued etheric bodies they carried.
-
The Post-Atlantean Age: Even in post-Atlantean times, humanity still required spiritual assistance. Great leaders of this era were ensouled by Angels, who descended into their physical, etheric, and astral bodies.
- These "men possessed by Angels"—including the great founders and leaders of religions—were able to recall previous incarnations and served as teachers and guides for humanity, with Angels speaking through them.
The Buddhas: Overlapping Inspirations
Steiner emphasized that these developmental processes are not rigidly separated but "slide one within the other" and "overlap". Even in post-Atlantean times, individuals could still be inspired by earlier hierarchies. Drawing on Eastern teachings, Steiner categorized these specially inspired personalities:
- A Dhyani-Buddha is a post-Atlantean person, outwardly appearing human, but who is ensouled by a Spirit of Personality (Archai) down to their physical body. This is a general name for human individualities permeated by Archai.
- A Bodhisattva is a post-Atlantean personality who carries an Archangel within them, ensouling them down to their etheric body.
- A human Buddha is a post-Atlantean individual who carries an Angel within them, being ensouled in their physical, etheric, and astral bodies.
Steiner highlighted that the Eastern teachings speak not of just one Buddha, but of many, existing at different degrees of perfection. This complex interplay means a single human personality can be a "meeting point" for various higher beings. For example, a Dhyani-Buddha or Bodhisattva might only ensoul the etheric body, not the physical. It's even possible for a human Buddha (already inspired by an Angel) to receive further inspiration in their etheric body from an Archangel. In some cases, a single person might be animated by spirits from both Mercury and Venus, demonstrating the intricate and often overlapping nature of spiritual influence.
These profound insights, Steiner concluded, invite us to look beyond the physical appearance, which can be "Maya" or illusion, to understand the true, complex spiritual nature of humanity and its extraordinary evolutionary journey.