he Spirit-Man (Atma),--so at this point there is
formed a similar first germ of the Life-Spirit (Budhi).

When all this has continued for some time, an interval of rest again
occurs. Following this, as in previous instances, the activity of the
human being is resumed for a while. Then conditions commence, which mark a
new intervention of the Lords of Wisdom. By its means human nature becomes
capable of feeling the first traces of sympathy and antipathy for its
environment. In all this there is still no real sensation but only a
premonition of sensation. For the inner life-activity, which might be
characterized in its manifestation as perception of smell, is revealed
externally as a kind of primitive language. If the human being is inwardly
conscious of a useful smell--or taste, or glitter,--it is manifested
outwardly by a sound; and the same thing happens, in a corresponding way,
with an inwardly uncongenial perception. Through all the events described,
the real meaning of the Sun evolution for the human being is indicated.
The human being has reached a higher stage of consciousness than that of
the Saturn period. It is the consciousness of sleep.

After a time, the point of evolution is also reached at which the higher
beings connected with the Sun stage must pass into other spheres in order
to work out that with which they have endowed themselves by their work on
the human being. A long period of rest sets in, one similar to that
between the Saturn and Sun evolutions. Everything that has been perfected
on the Sun passes into a condition which may be compared with that of a
plant when its powers of growth are resting in the seed. But just as those
powers of growth appear again in a new plant, so does everything that was
living on the Sun come forth again, after the period of rest, from the
cosmic depths, to begin a new planetary existence.

The meaning of such a term of rest, or "cosmic sleep," will readily be
understood if we will only direct our spiritual vision to one of the
orders of beings already mentioned, for instance, to the Lords of Wisdom.
They were not far enough evolved on Saturn to be able to ray forth an
etheric body from themselves. They were only prepared for this after they
had gone through their experiences on Saturn. During the rest (Pralaya)
they transform into actual capacity what has been previously only prepared
within them. Thus on the Sun they are evolved far enough to pour forth
life from th