I-24 Progressive development of the human being’s 9-fold nature charted through the present post-Atlantean Epoch

Occult History (OH), Lect. 3; The Gospel of St. Mark (GSMk), Lect. 4; Materialism and the Task of Anthroposophy (MTA), Lect. 11

As to the Mineral Physical Conditions of Earth evolution, we are now in the 5th “Evolutionary Epoch,” namely, the post-Atlantean (see I-1), which is in turn divided into 7 Cultural Eras, of which we are also in the 5th, the one following the Greco-Roman (see I-19). Each aspect (“fold”) of the 9-fold nature of the human being is the primary target for humanity’s development through the post-Atlantean Epoch, as follows:

This is not to say that the development is completed during the indicated Cultural Era, for the human being will not attain to the state of manas or Spirit Self, proper, prior to the Jupiter Condition of Consciousness (see I-1), which is far in the future. Prior to the commencement of the Ego (soul) state in the Chaldo-Egyptian period, higher spiritual beings, in the state of atma (during the Indian Era) worked on the Etheric Body, and in the state of buddhi (during the Persian Era) worked on the astral body, and in the state of manas or “Manna” (during the Chaldo-Egyptian era, e.g., Ex 16,31; Num 11,7; Jn 6,31; 1 Cor 10,3; cf. Rev 2,17) worked on the Sentient Soul, for the Ego was not yet then strong enough to make itself felt independently, which became possible only during the Greco-Roman Era (the Christ era).