1431. But why do terrestrial human beings thus curse, criticise and persecute these "manifestations of Paradise", which are really divine events that they will gradually be unable to live without, and which have in fact been introduced into the world solely through their own desires, wishes and longings? Indeed, in order to understand this, one must of course first fully realise what a "manifestation of Paradise" actually is. "Eden" or "Paradise" is actually an expression of the culminating peak of each of the six kingdoms or forms of existence of the spiral cycle. This peak is in turn the state in which the majority of the individuals of such a kingdom are one hundred per cent in harmony with the laws of this kingdom. But since a mental kingdom, such as the "animal kingdom", the "human kingdom" or any of the other kingdoms of the spiral cycle, is merely a limited section of the cycle, and the living beings have to pass through the entire cycle, they cannot remain in any one of these kingdoms. They thus move, evolving through all six kingdoms according to what they desire and what they are satiated with. Thus "Adam" and "Eve" desired to eat of the "tree of knowledge", which is the manifestation of the "animal kingdom" or the killing principle. But since they were "beings of light" and could not become "beings of darkness" or "animals" instantaneously or miraculously, but had to evolve to the "animal" state, and since, in order to be able to comply one hundred per cent with the laws of the "animal kingdom", they had to be in disharmony with both the "kingdom of light" and the "kingdom of darkness" in the first period of this kingdom, where they were still to a great extent "beings of light", but – through having begun to "eat of the tree of knowledge" or worship matter – had also become "animal" beings. Being in harmony with the "kingdom of darkness" or the "animal kingdom" was their goal, the satisfaction of their great desire. And as long as this had not yet been met, they could not possibly feel satisfied or happy. From the first feeble beginning of their "eating of the tree of knowledge" until they were fully able to practise the laws of the "animal kingdom" as an automatic function, existence had therefore to constitute in principle the opposite of "Paradise", namely "Hell".
      But after having become capable of fulfilling to perfection the laws of the "animal kingdom" and having therefore become satiated by this form of manifestation or experience of the "paradise of darkness", their desire had to be the opposite of a desire for darkness. It would have to be a desire or hunger for "light". And everything that could stimulate and inspire the "manifestation of light" or so-called "good" became morality and authorised ideals, while everything that was still triggered by "animal" tendencies or manifestations, must be felt here as obstacles to the attainment of the perfect "manifestation of light". That beings were not particularly sympathetic towards dark manifestations, which, once they had reached their peak, could be regarded only as "immoral" and as obstacles, is quite natural. And it is because of this antipathy that the biblical "event in the Garden of Eden" is now called the "Fall" with its "serpent" and seduction. Terrestrial mankind's present moral desire or ideal is "manifestations of light", as opposed to the desires or longings of the biblical "Adam" and "Eve", which were "manifestations of darkness".