A decorative rectangular woodcut headpiece featuring symmetrical acanthus-style scrollwork and foliage. In the center is a small face or mascaron looking forward.

Chapter One.

Preliminary Report.

God-seeking reader! Here, the Wheel of BirthA central concept in Böhmean theosophy describing the eternal movement and "churning" of the divine properties as they bring forth life and consciousness. is shared with you according to all three PrinciplesThe three realms of existence: the dark fire-world (wrath), the light-world (love), and the outer astral-elementary world., undivided and in its entirety, so that you may see in advance how the forms or powers of the new manThe spiritual self that is "born again" through inner transformation. are born in their proper order within the souloriginal: "Gemüthe"; refers to the seat of the mind, emotions, and spiritual will..

2. Form this vividly in your soul, and you will learn to understand our author in the following figures all the more easily, since true understanding resides inwardly within the soul itself.

3. Especially since he wishes to show you here, as an entrance, only generally what the first-created image of God was before the Fall—which remains hidden in the spirit, recognized by the author in practiceoriginal: "Praxi"; referring to lived spiritual experience rather than mere theory., and unfolded for you in the figures of the perfect man through the new birth in Christ, A printed curly brace appears to the right of this paragraph.

4. And in you, through the rebirthThe process of returning to the original divine state intended for humanity., it will also gradually come into being and be recognized, if you follow the writer in earnest.