Vulcan

The Vulcan will be once in the very distant future the seventh and last embodiment of our planetary system. It will evolve from the New Venus, which will precede it. After that, our planetary system will ascend to a higher cosmic existence comparable to our present zodiac. The occult planet described by Rudolf Steiner is not to be confused with the physical planet Vulcan hypothetically assumed within Mercury's orbit in 1859 by the French mathematician and astronomer Urbain Le Verrier, with whom he wanted to explain Mercury's mysterious perihelion precession. This phenomenon was clarified satisfactorily only by the general relativity theory of Albert Einstein.

By the clairvoyant consciousness already now certain realizations can be won over the future volcano existence. This is namely in a certain sense a repetition or further development of the Old Saturn, from which our planetary system has originally emerged. If the clairvoyant consciousness directs itself to the Old Saturn existence, as it at present still continues to work hiddenly in our Earth existence, then this picture gradually breaks up into two parts, one of which points back to the past, but the other opens up a view of the future volcanic state. For this, however, a very highly developed supersensible degree of consciousness is necessary.

„In a similar way, for a still more developed supersensible consciousness, a future state of development results, which can be called the state of Vulcan and which stands in the same relation with the state of Saturn as the state of Venus with the state of the Sun, and the state of Jupiter with the development of the Moon. Therefore, considering the past, present and future of the evolution of the earth, one can speak of the evolution of Saturn, the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, Jupiter, Venus and Vulcan. - As these comprehensive relations of the development of the earth, so also observations about a nearer future result for the consciousness. Every picture of the past corresponds also to such a picture of the future. But when speaking of such things, something must be emphasized, the consideration of which must be considered as necessary as possible. If one wants to recognize such things, one must completely renounce the opinion that the mere philosophical reflection on the sensuous reality can fathom anything. These things can and should never be investigated by such thinking. Who would believe, if he had received information about the state of the moon through spiritual science, that he could now find out through such reflection how it would look on Jupiter, if he would keep the earth and moon conditions together, would be surrendering to enormous deceptions. These relations are to be investigated only by raising the supersensible consciousness to the observation. Only when the researched is communicated, it can be understood also without supersensible consciousness.

Towards the communications about the future the spiritual researcher is now in a different position than towards those concerning the past. At first, man cannot face future events as impartially as he is able to do so with regard to the past. What happens in the future excites human feeling and willing; the past is endured in a completely different way. Whoever observes life knows how this already applies to ordinary existence. But in what tremendous degree it increases, what forms it assumes in relation to the hidden facts of life, of this only he can have knowledge who knows certain things of the supersensible worlds. And thus the reason is given why the knowledge of these things is bound to quite definite limits.“ (Lit.:GA 13, p. 400f)

Literatur

• Rudolf Steiner: Die Geheimwissenschaft im Umriß, GA 13 (1989), ISBN 3-7274-0130-3 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org

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.