Theosophy, by Rudolf Steiner, , at sacred-texts.com The
following words of Goethe's describe, in a beautiful manner, the
starting point of one of the ways by which the constitution of
man can be known: "When a person first becomes aware of the
objects surrounding him, he observes them in relation to
himself, and rightly so, for his whole fate depends on whether
they please or displease him, attract or repel, help or harm
him. This quite natural way of looking at and judging things
appears to be as easy as it is necessary. Nevertheless, a person
is exposed through it to a thousand errors which often cause him
shame and embitter his life. A far more difficult task do those
undertake whose keen desire for knowledge urges them to strive
to observe the objects of nature in themselves and in their
relations to each other, for they soon miss the gauge which
helped them when they, as persons, regard the objects in
reference to themselves personally. They lack the gauge of
pleasure and displeasure, attraction and repu