Following the Moon recapitulation a fourth cycle having seven epochs of development begins. This is the standard idea of cycles within cycles, the theosophical-anthroposophical fractal universe, in which it is necessary to repeat the previous conditions in a shorter period before evolution can proceed further.

In this case, the Earth is divided into seven cycles of materialisation and spiritualisation.  These sub-stages or form conditions that further recapitulate the preceeding primary cycles.  So, in the beginning of the Earth-Condition, the Earth and other planets condensed from an original purely spiritual state (the Arupa, Rupa, and Astral stages) through the stages of "fire", "gas", liquid, and solid, finally culminating in the present Earth.  It is also stated that future cycles will reverse this progress and become progressively more subtle and aetheric.

The fourth of these stages or conditions, and the only one charcaterised by solid matter and physical existence, is called the Earth condition, our present aeon or cycle.    This "Earth Stage" is divided in turn into seven shorter epoches, corresponding to the Root Races of Blavatsky.  These are

• the Polarian
• the Hyperborean
• the Lemurian
• the Atlantean
• the Present or "Post-Atlantan"
• the "Seal"
• and the "Trumpet"

notes and comments:

If one were to associate the Anthroposophical and Theosophical Root Races with the Kabbalistic conception of Shemittot (cycles), then the seven root-races given above would be associated with (or under the rulership) of the following (descending) order of Sefirot - Hesed, Gevurah, Tifaret, Netzah, Hod, Yesod/Malkhut.  While this feels right as an archetypal correspondence in principle, there do not seem to be any clear one on one associations between each sefirah and root race.

Another way of looking at this would be to use an arc or descending-ascending model.  This gives three descending and three ascending stages, with the middle stage as the point of maximum involution.  One can equate this with the Theory of Process of Arthur M. Young, with his seven kingdoms of Photon - Particle - Atom - Molocule - Plant - Animal - "Dominion" (although again while good in principle there is no way to give a one- on one- correspondence), and have the sefirot and chakras as the vertical axis between the descending and ascending arcs.  But this does not explain why the more material rational consciousness of the "Post-Atlantean" root race should belong to a higher stage than the psychic/magical/clairvoyant consciousness of the Atlantean root race (on a par in fact with the "Astral" Lemurian consciousness).

It seems the only solution is to do away with the arc-model altogether or else have the "Post-Atlantean" as the lowest period of involution.  In fact Steiner refers to Christ's incarnation as necessary to reverse the descent of consciousness into matter; this seems at variance with his idea of the Post-Atlantean as being on the Ascending Arc.  In any case we now have a single sequence of descent, which reaches it's culmination in the present material consciousness, with the human race as the turning point of Gaia and planetary evolution (i.e. Man has the power to either destroy Gaia or enable Gaia to spread throughout the universe through space colonisation and artifically constructed biospheres).  "Seal" and "Trumpet" can therefore refer to post-(present)human and post-singularity stages of evolution, as appropriate to their apocalyptic Book of Revelations nomenclature.

Bringing in Hermann Poppelbaum's association of Root Races with geological eras and the evolution of life (fascinating as an example of a Goethian / Anthroposophical biology and Paleontology; but ridiculous if taken too literally) and Transpersonal psychologist Ken Wilber's psychology (as I have already associated together on another page) allows us to really go overboard with correspondences and symbolism.

Regarding the last two stages, I have appended my own notes here, which I should point out are totally at variance with the Anthroposophical and standard "spiritual" and "esoteric" systems.  Some may reply that such future technology is actually "ahrimanic", and a descent into the "machine world" (c.f. the technosphere), and would point to Steiner's prediction regarding the incarnation of Ahriman in 3000 A.D.  I personally do not see things in such negative terms, although if by Ahrimanic is meant science and technology that is certainly a valid assumption.

Now, whether there is anything useful in the above table is upto the reader to decide.  I have presented it here purely as an exercise in imagination.  (to add sefirot to the above table, go to this page for Sefirot-Chakra correspondences)

The Anthroposophical Timescale compared with geology and science

The Meme/Theme of Root Races

Anthroposophical Cosmology