Inner balance

Achieving inner balance is the sixth subsidiary exercise, which according to Rudolf Steiner is a necessary preparation for every spiritual training. It is achieved by practising the five preceding exercises alternately and bringing them into balance with each other.

„In the sixth month one should then try to systematically do all five exercises again and again in a regular alternation. In this way a beautiful balance of the soul will gradually develop. One will notice that any dissatisfaction with the appearance and nature of the world will disappear completely. A mood of conciliation towards all experiences takes possession of the soul, which is by no means indifference, but on the contrary only enables one to actually work in the world in a bettering and progressive way. A calm understanding of things opens up that were previously completely closed to the soul. Even the gait and gesture of the human being change under the influence of such exercises, and if the human being can even notice one day that his handwriting has taken on a different character, then he may say to himself that he is about to reach a first rung on the path upwards. Once again, two things must be emphasised:

First, that the six exercises discussed paralyse the harmful influence which other occult exercises may have, so that only the favourable remains. And secondly, that they alone actually ensure the positive success of the work of meditation and concentration. Even the mere fulfilment of common morals, however conscientious, is not yet sufficient for the esotericist, for these morals can be very egoistic, if a man says to himself: I want to be good, so that I may be found good. - The esotericist does not do good because he wants to be found good, but because he gradually realises that good alone brings evolution forward, while evil, on the other hand, and the unwise and the ugly, put obstacles in the way of this evolution.“ (Lit.:GA 267, p. 60f)

„Five qualities of the soul are thus named, which the spiritual disciple must acquire in regular training: mastery over the conduct of thought, mastery over the impulses of the will, serenity in the face of pleasure and suffering, positivity in judging the world, impartiality in the conception of life. He who has spent certain periods in succession practising the acquisition of these qualities will then still need to bring these qualities into harmony in the soul. He will have to practise them, as it were, two and two, three and one, and so on, at the same time, in order to bring about harmony.“ (Lit.:GA 13, p. 251)

Literature

• Rudolf Steiner: Die Geheimwissenschaft im Umriß, GA 13 (1989), ISBN 3-7274-0130-3; Tb 601, ISBN 978-3-7274-6011-1 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Anweisungen für eine esoterische Schulung (Sonderausgabe), (GA 245) (1993) pdf
• Rudolf Steiner: Seelenübungen, GA 267 (2001), ISBN 3-7274-2670-5 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.