Awareness - Life - Form
GA 89
About the Draft publisher’s contract for the volume intended to continue Theosophy
On 9 June 1904, Rudolf Steiner announced to the Berlin Branch that his book Theosophy, which was due to appear in a few days’ time, would be followed by a second volume, on cosmology. This second volume was also discussed at a meeting with his publisher, Max Altmann from Leipzig. Altmann then send a draft contract. The title of the book is given there as ‘Die Geheimlehre’ (the secret doctrine). This was evidently a working title, for at that time theosophical and cosmological knowledge was identified with the main work of H. P. Blavatsky, the founder of the theosophical movement, which was entitled The Secret Doctrine (vol. 1: Cosmogenesis). Thus the French writer Edouard Schure, for example, asked Marie von Sivers, with whom he was acquainted, if the discussion of the Lemurian age in Steiner’s essays ‘From the akashic record’ (later published as Cosmic Memory) had been taken from Mme Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine, ‘which seems to me to be the case. At any rate, the matter has gained greatly in clarity as presented by Mr Steiner’s pen.’ Marie von Sivers reply on 16 June 1905 was:
I would also like to reply to a question you asked. Mr Steiner has no need to borrow from The Secret Doctrine in order to tell us about the akashic record. The living source which flows through him is much more abundant than anything available so far. [...] It is his destiny to help us gain clarity about the contents of The Secret Doctrine, add to it and take it further.
In November 1905, the new work was for the first time given its actual title in a notice: ‘Shortly to appear ‘Geheimwissenschaft’ {Occult Science). By Dr Rudolf Steiner (Leipzig, M. Altmann).’ Repeated many times, the notice read as follows from the summer of 1907: ‘The continuation of this book ‘Theosophy’ will very shortly appear under the title Occult Science. The long delay has merely been due to the author’s unceasing lecturing activities. Publication is now due, however, whatever the circumstances.’ (in GA 34). It was completed by the end of 1909 and appeared early in 1910.