ritual world. This double of
the human being, in accordance with a law of the spiritual world, is bound
to be his first impression in that world. It is easy to explain this
fundamental law to ourselves, if we consider the following. In the life of
the physical senses man is cognizant of himself only so far as he is
inwardly conscious of himself in his thinking, feeling, and willing. This
cognition is an inner one; it does not present itself to him externally,
as do stones, plants and animals; but even through inner experiences, man
learns to know himself only partially, for he has within him something
that prevents deep self-knowledge, namely, the impulse to immediately
transform this quality, when through self-cognition he is forced to admit
its presence and concerning which he is unwilling to deceive himself.

If he did not yield to this impulse, but simply turned his attention away
from himself--remaining as he is--he would naturally deprive himself of even
the possibility of knowing himself in regard to that particular matter.
Yet should he "explore" himself, facing his characteristics without
self-deception, he would either be able to improve them, or in his present
condition of life he would be unable to do so. In the latter case a
feeling would steal over his soul which we must designate a feeling of
shame. Indeed, this is the way in which man's sound nature acts; it
experiences through self-knowledge various feelings of shame. Even in
ordinary life this feeling has a certain definite effect. A healthy-minded
person will take care that that which fills him with this feeling does not
express itself outwardly or manifest itself in deeds. Thus the sense of
shame is a force urging man to conceal something within himself, not
allowing it to be outwardly apparent.

If we consider this well, we shall find it possible to understand why
occult science should ascribe more far-reaching effects to another inner
experience of the soul, very closely allied to this feeling of shame.
Occult science finds that within the hidden depths of the soul a kind of
secret feeling of shame exists, of which man in his life of the physical
senses is unaware. Yet this secret feeling acts much in the same way as
the conscious feeling of shame of ordinary life to which we have alluded;
it prevents man's inmost being from confronting him in a recognizable
image, or double. Were this feeling not present, man would see himself as
he is in very tru