Akasha

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Akasha (Sanskrit: आकाश ākāśa, from kash "to shine, radiate, shine, be visible") means, according to the ancient Indian view, as much as heaven, ether or space. Especially according to the Indian elemental theory of Vaisheshika, Akasha is equated with the ether and thus corresponds to the quintessence of Aristotle. Strictly speaking, the Akasha substance is the subtle primordial substance from which everything is formed and in which thought can directly express itself. As such, it also forms the basis for the world memory, the so-called Akasha chronicle.

To the question: "Is the Akasha substance etheric or astral?" Rudolf Steiner answered:

„The astral substance is the higher substance. The Akasha substance stands between physical and astral matter. It is the finest physical matter, the very finest matter in which thought can directly express itself.“ (Lit.:GA 53, p. 230)

In another place Steiner states:

„The whole earth was formerly in a much finer, thinner etheric state. Akasha is the finest form in which, before primeval times, everything was in the etheric state that now confronts us on earth as solid, liquid and so on. The solid granite of our primeval mountains, all metals, all salts, all types of lime, everything that is on our earth today - also all vegetable and animal forms - were present at that time in this fine Akasha. Akasha is the finest form of matter.

The human body that man has today is composed of all the substances of the earth. All kinds of matter are found in some chemical composition in the human body. At that time all these substances were in the Akasha state and the spiritual being of man incarnated into this Akasha matter. It was a completely different form from the human being of today. In this Akasha matter everything was still undifferentiated that later became differentiated. It contained everything that later became mineral, plant and animal forms. In that in which the pure divine human being incarnated, in this Akasha matter, all animal forms were still contained, as well as everything that later became human form.“ (Lit.:GA 53, p. 217)

Literature
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.
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