to him through external organs, but from within outward, like
his own ego in self-consciousness, he is able to observe that
manifestation as long as his attention is not turned to an outer world of
perception. But from the moment that the astral body is reconstituted, his
attention is turned outward; the astral body once more craves an outer
etheric and physical body. It is thus turned away from the inner
revelations. For this reason there is now an intermediate state, during
which man is immersed in unconsciousness. Consciousness can emerge again
in the physical world only when the necessary organs for physical
perception are formed.

During this period, in which consciousness illuminated by inner perception
ceases, the new etheric body begins to link itself to the astral and man
can once again enter a physical body. In the linking together of these two
bodies only such an ego could consciously take part as had of itself
created the Life-Spirit and Spirit-Man out of the creative forces, hidden
in the etheric and physical bodies. Until the individual has evolved as
far as this, beings further advanced than himself in evolution must guide
this linking together. The astral body is guided, by such beings as these,
to parents through whom it may be endowed with the appropriate etheric and
physical bodies. Before the attachment of the etheric body takes place,
something of very great importance happens to the man who is about to
re-enter physical existence.

In his former life he created disturbing forces, which were revealed to
him on the journey retraced after death. Let us again take an example. He
caused some pain in an outburst of anger in the fortieth year of his
former life. After death, the other's pain came before him as a force
which had interfered with the evolution of his ego. It is likewise with
all such events of his former life. On his re-entrance into physical life
these hindrances to his evolution confront the ego anew. As, on the
threshold of death, a sort of memory-picture arose before the human ego,
so there now arises a vision of the life approaching. Again he sees a
picture, this time showing all the obstacles which he has to clear away,
if he is to advance in evolution. And what he thus sees becomes the
starting-point for forces which he must bring with him into his new life.
The picture of the pain he has caused the other man becomes a force which
impels the ego, on entering life again, to make amend