s external images. This was
during the period when he had just descended from the disembodied state
into incarnation. It was the period of his growth on earth. As the time
approached for the embryo to be developed those images faded, and man only
retained something like inner memory-pictures of them. The actions of the
Sons of Fire (Archangels) were contained in those light-pictures, which
appeared to man to be the servitors of the Fire-spirits who sent down a
spark into his own inner being. When their outer manifestations died away,
man felt them inwardly in the form of images (memories). He felt himself
united with their forces. And so indeed he was. For by means of what he
had received from them, he was able to work upon his surrounding
atmosphere. This, under his influence, began to emit light.

At that time nature forces and human forces were not as yet separated from
each other as they subsequently became. What happened on earth still
emanated to a great extent from human forces. Viewing nature processes on
the earth from the outside, one would then have seen in them not only
something independent of man, but also the effect of human activity within
those processes. Sound-perceptions assumed a still more different form to
the earth-man. From the beginning of earth-life they had been perceived as
outer tones. Whereas the external air pictures were perceived up to the
middle of earth existence, the external tones could be heard even after
that middle period. And only toward the end of his life did the earth-man
become insensible to them. But the memory-pictures of those sounds
remained. In them were contained the manifestations of the Sons of Life
(Angels). When, toward the end of his life, man felt himself inwardly
united with those forces, he was able, by imitating them, to produce
mighty effects in the earth's watery element. The waters surged in and
above the earth under his influence. Man had perceptions of taste only
during the first quarter of his earth-life, and even then they seemed to
the soul like a memory of the experience of his disembodied state. As long
as they lasted, his body continued to grow more and more solid by
assimilating external substances. In the second quarter of earth life
growth still continued, but the form was already fully developed. At this
time man could perceive other living beings near him only through their
heat, light, and sound effects; for he was not as yet capable of imagining