s of his views, and on all justifiable
antagonism, yet there are reasons which hold him back from the immediate
defence of his own efforts and aspirations. These reasons will become
apparent to any one entering more deeply into occult science. It would
therefore be superfluous to discuss them here. If they were cited before
the threshold of this science had been crossed, they would not suffice to
convince one who, held back by irresistible repugnance, refuses to cross
that threshold. But to one who effects an entry, the reasons will soon
manifest themselves, with unmistakable clearness from within.

This much, however, implies that the reasons in question point to a
certain attitude as the only right one for an occult scientist. He avoids,
as much as he possibly can, any kind of outer defence or conflict, and
lets the cause speak for itself. He simply puts forward occult science;
and in what it has to say about various matters, he shows how his
knowledge is related to other departments of life and science, what
antagonism it may encounter, and in what way reality stands witness to the
truth of his cognitions. He knows that an attempted vindication would,--not
merely on account of current defective thinking but by virtue of a certain
inner necessity,--lead into the domain of artful persuasion; and he desires
nothing else than to let occult science work its own way quite
independently.

The first point in occult science is by no means the advancing of
assertions or opinions which are to be proven, but the communication, in a
purely narrative form, of experiences which are to be met with in a world
other than the one that is to be seen with physical eyes and touched with
physical hands. And further, it is an important point that through this
science the methods are described by which man may verify for himself the
truth of such communications. For one who makes a serious study of genuine
occult science will soon find that thereby much becomes changed in the
conceptions and ideas which are formed--and rightly formed--in other spheres
of life. A wholly new conception necessarily arises also about what has
hitherto been called a "proof." We come to see that in certain domains
such a word loses its usual meaning, and that there are other grounds for
insight and understanding than "proofs" of this kind.

All occult science is born from two thoughts, which may take root in any
human being. To the occult scientist these thoughts