The Contemporary Human by Rudolf Steiner with Journaling Prompts
Let us first consider the nature and the essence of the human being. When someone comes into our presence, we first of all see the physical body through our sense organs. The human being has this body in common with the whole world around him; and although the physical body is only a small part of what the human being really is, it is the only part of the human being which ordinary science takes account. But we must go deeper. Human beings can move, feel and think; they grow, take nourishment and reproduce their kind. Human beings have in common with plants their capacity to nourish themselves, to grow and reproduce; if they were like stones, with only the physical body, none of this would be possible. They must therefore possess something which enables them to use substances and their forces in such a way that they become for them the means of growth. This is the etheric body.
“This excerpt is presented in its original form to preserve the depth and nuance of Rudolf Steiner’s language. While some phrasing may differ from modern conventions, its meaning and essence remain intact.”
The human being, of course, has other faculties as well. He can feel pleasure and pain, which the plant cannot do. Animals can feel pleasure and pain, and thus have a further principle in common with the human being: the astral body. The astral body is the seat of everything we know as desire, passion, and so forth.
But the human being is distinguished from the animal. This brings us to the fourth element of the human being which comes to expression in a name different from all other names. I can say ‘I’ only of myself. The higher the moral and intellectual development of a human being, the more will his ‘I’ have worked upon his astral body.
Whatever part of the astral body has thus transformed by the ‘I’ is called Manas. Manas is the fifth member of the human being’s nature. A human being has just so much Manas as he has created by his own efforts; part of his astral body is therefore always Manas. But the human being is not able to exercise an immediate influence upon the etheric body, although in the same way that he can raise himself to a higher moral level he can also learn to work upon the etheric body. What he has transformed in this body by his own efforts is called Buddhi. This is the sixth element of the human being’s nature.
The highest achievement open to the human being is to work right down into his physical body. That is the most difficult task of all. In order to have an effect upon the physical body, the human being must learn to control the breath and the circulation, to follow consciously the activity of the nerves, and to regulate the processes of thought. He will then have developed in himself what we call Atma. In every human being four elements are fully formed, the fifth only partly, the sixth and seventh only in rudimentary form. Physical body, etheric body, the astral body, ‘I’ or ego, Manas, Buddhi, Atma - these are the seven constituent elements of the human being.
~ Excerpt from ‘The Evolving Human Being,' Chapter 1 of Agriculture: An Introductory Reader by Rudolf Steiner. Original texts compiled with an introduction, commentary, and notes by Richard Thornton Smith.
Note: This excerpt is from Rudolf Steiner’s original text and does not include commentary or notes from the editor.
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Journaling Prompts for Self-Reflection
Beyond the Physical
Steiner describes the human being as more than just a physical body. In what ways do you experience yourself as something beyond the material world?
Influence on the Subtle Bodies
While we can immediately influence our thoughts and emotions, working upon deeper layers like the etheric and physical bodies requires greater effort. How do your habits, breath, and daily routines affect your well-being and spiritual growth?
The Power of Transformation
According to Steiner, we shape our Manas (higher mind) through conscious effort. What beliefs, habits, or emotions have you actively worked to refine or transform in your own life?
Growth Through Effort
Steiner states that the more we refine our astral body through conscious effort, the more Manas develops. What personal practices or disciplines help you cultivate higher awareness and self-mastery?
Continue the Conversation
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