03-13-2009, 08:05 AM
Here is a description of the spirit-world from Rudolph Steiner's Investigatiions into Occultism:
The first glimpse into this spirit-world is even more confusing than that into the soul-world. For the archetypes in their true form are very unlike their sensible reproductions. But they are also equally unlike their shadows, the abstract thoughts. In the spiritual world all is in continual motion, in inceasing creation. Rest, a remaining on one place, such as exists ion the physical world, is not to be found there. For the archetypes are creative. They are the makers of all that comes into existence in the physical and astral worlds. Their forms are perpetually changing; anmd every archetype is endowed with the potentiality of assuming innumerable special forms. They cause the specific forms to grow out of themselves; and hardly has one form been produced than the archetype begins production of the next. Moreover, the archetypes are inter-related more or less closely. They do not work singly. One archetype will need the help of others to carry out its creative task. Innumerable archetypes often co-operate to bring some living being into existence in the physical or astral worlds.
There are different kinds of archetypes and different regions or conditions. The first region or condition contains the archetypes of the physical world, in so far as these are not endowed with life. The archetypes of minerals, plants, animals and men are to be found here, but only those of their physical properties. This region or condition forms the basic structure of the spirit-world. It is called the continent. One may get a conception of it by imagining space filled with physical bodies of various kind, and then picturing these physical bodies removed and only their outlines left. Somewhat like a sculptors mould or an intaglio are the expanses of the first and lowest region of the archetypal world. The things and beings which are embodied in the physical world exist here as moulds; and in between the moulds the archetypal forms working in spiritual music are actively engaged. When physical embodiment occurs, the hollow spaces are to a certain extent filled up with physical matter. Anyone who gazes into space with both physical and spiritual visoinsees the physical bodies and in between them the mobile activity of the creative archetypes. One's own self also becomes visible like a photographic negativewhich one can begin to retouch.
The second region or condition of the spirit-world contains the archetypes of life. But here life forms a perfect unity. It streams through the world of spirits, forming its fluid element, pulsating like blood through everything. It may be compared to the sea and the waters of the physical earth, though its distribution is more like that of the blood in the body than that of the seas and rivers of the earth. This region is called the ocean of the spirit-world; it is flowing vitality formed of thought material. In this element are found the creative archetypal forces of every living creature that makes its appearance in physical reality. Here all life shows itself as unity, and we see that life in man is akin to the life of all his other fellow-creatures.
The third region contains the archetypes of every-thing of the nature of the soul. One finds oneself here in a much rarer and finer element than in the first two regions. By way of comparison it may be designated the atmosphere of the spirit-world. All that happens in the souls of the two other worlds has here its spiritual counterpart. All sensations, feelings, instincts, passions and so forth are here once more existent after a spiritual fashion. The atmospheric processes in this aerial sphere correspond to the sufferings and joys of the creatures in the other worlds. The longing of a human soul is heard here as a soft breathing ~ ... ~ a passionate outbreak sounds like a stormy blast. One can here perceive the sighing of every creature, if one directs one's attention to it. At times something like thunderstorms with flashes of lightning may be seen, and one finds that the passions of a battle fought upon earth are expressed in such spiritual thunderstorms.
The archetypes of the fourth region are not directly related to the earthly world. They are, one may say, beings which rule the archetypes of the three lower regions and *arrange their coming together*. They are occupied with the ordering and grouping of the subordinate archetypes. The spiritual activity of this region is accordingly more comprehensive.
The fifth, sixth and seventh regions differ essentially from the others. In them one finds the impulses and creative forces of the archetypes themselves. Anyone able to soar to these regions makes acquaintance with the purposes which underlie our world. Like living seeds the archetypes here lie ready to assume the most varied forms of thought-beings. When these seeds are brought into the lower regions, they spring forth amd show themselves in the most varied forms. The ideas through which the human spirit excercises creative power in the physical world are reflections of these origins in the higher spirit world. The observer with the spiritual ear, who ascends from the lower regions of the spirit-world to these higher ones, becomes aware how the sounds translate themselves into a spiritual speech (wow) He begins to understand the spiritual language through which things and beings not only manifest their nature in music but express it in words. They tell him their eternal names.
These origins are of a composite nature. From the element of the thought-world is taken a membrane or covering of seeds which enclose the life kernel itself. Herewith we have reached the limit of the 'three worlds,' for the kernel originates in still higher worlds.
How does this compare with experiences of hyperspace?
The first glimpse into this spirit-world is even more confusing than that into the soul-world. For the archetypes in their true form are very unlike their sensible reproductions. But they are also equally unlike their shadows, the abstract thoughts. In the spiritual world all is in continual motion, in inceasing creation. Rest, a remaining on one place, such as exists ion the physical world, is not to be found there. For the archetypes are creative. They are the makers of all that comes into existence in the physical and astral worlds. Their forms are perpetually changing; anmd every archetype is endowed with the potentiality of assuming innumerable special forms. They cause the specific forms to grow out of themselves; and hardly has one form been produced than the archetype begins production of the next. Moreover, the archetypes are inter-related more or less closely. They do not work singly. One archetype will need the help of others to carry out its creative task. Innumerable archetypes often co-operate to bring some living being into existence in the physical or astral worlds.
There are different kinds of archetypes and different regions or conditions. The first region or condition contains the archetypes of the physical world, in so far as these are not endowed with life. The archetypes of minerals, plants, animals and men are to be found here, but only those of their physical properties. This region or condition forms the basic structure of the spirit-world. It is called the continent. One may get a conception of it by imagining space filled with physical bodies of various kind, and then picturing these physical bodies removed and only their outlines left. Somewhat like a sculptors mould or an intaglio are the expanses of the first and lowest region of the archetypal world. The things and beings which are embodied in the physical world exist here as moulds; and in between the moulds the archetypal forms working in spiritual music are actively engaged. When physical embodiment occurs, the hollow spaces are to a certain extent filled up with physical matter. Anyone who gazes into space with both physical and spiritual visoinsees the physical bodies and in between them the mobile activity of the creative archetypes. One's own self also becomes visible like a photographic negativewhich one can begin to retouch.
The second region or condition of the spirit-world contains the archetypes of life. But here life forms a perfect unity. It streams through the world of spirits, forming its fluid element, pulsating like blood through everything. It may be compared to the sea and the waters of the physical earth, though its distribution is more like that of the blood in the body than that of the seas and rivers of the earth. This region is called the ocean of the spirit-world; it is flowing vitality formed of thought material. In this element are found the creative archetypal forces of every living creature that makes its appearance in physical reality. Here all life shows itself as unity, and we see that life in man is akin to the life of all his other fellow-creatures.
The third region contains the archetypes of every-thing of the nature of the soul. One finds oneself here in a much rarer and finer element than in the first two regions. By way of comparison it may be designated the atmosphere of the spirit-world. All that happens in the souls of the two other worlds has here its spiritual counterpart. All sensations, feelings, instincts, passions and so forth are here once more existent after a spiritual fashion. The atmospheric processes in this aerial sphere correspond to the sufferings and joys of the creatures in the other worlds. The longing of a human soul is heard here as a soft breathing ~ ... ~ a passionate outbreak sounds like a stormy blast. One can here perceive the sighing of every creature, if one directs one's attention to it. At times something like thunderstorms with flashes of lightning may be seen, and one finds that the passions of a battle fought upon earth are expressed in such spiritual thunderstorms.
The archetypes of the fourth region are not directly related to the earthly world. They are, one may say, beings which rule the archetypes of the three lower regions and *arrange their coming together*. They are occupied with the ordering and grouping of the subordinate archetypes. The spiritual activity of this region is accordingly more comprehensive.
The fifth, sixth and seventh regions differ essentially from the others. In them one finds the impulses and creative forces of the archetypes themselves. Anyone able to soar to these regions makes acquaintance with the purposes which underlie our world. Like living seeds the archetypes here lie ready to assume the most varied forms of thought-beings. When these seeds are brought into the lower regions, they spring forth amd show themselves in the most varied forms. The ideas through which the human spirit excercises creative power in the physical world are reflections of these origins in the higher spirit world. The observer with the spiritual ear, who ascends from the lower regions of the spirit-world to these higher ones, becomes aware how the sounds translate themselves into a spiritual speech (wow) He begins to understand the spiritual language through which things and beings not only manifest their nature in music but express it in words. They tell him their eternal names.
These origins are of a composite nature. From the element of the thought-world is taken a membrane or covering of seeds which enclose the life kernel itself. Herewith we have reached the limit of the 'three worlds,' for the kernel originates in still higher worlds.
How does this compare with experiences of hyperspace?
