The above little gleam of light shed upon the empty space of the universe has shown us that this empty space in itself is not, and can never in any situation become, the scene of physical life and existence in any way other than through the principle of organic birth and death. By virtue of this principle we enter the physical world from the spiritual world. And by virtue of the same principle we return once again to the spiritual world. When we are able to be born into the physical world it is only because such a world already exists. But a physical world cannot exist and provide opportunities for life for discarnated beings without being a living organism. The Earth is such an organism. Within its particular structure the specific opportunity for living on which our daily physical life is based occurs. Were we to leave the physical area of the Earth to any extent, we would enter the empty space of the universe to the same extent, where we would have no possibility whatsoever for maintaining our physical existence. Entering the empty space of the universe is the same as entering circumstances in which our physical organism ceases to be an instrument for the experience of life, since the physical dimensions that it is built to be able to master no longer exist. Where there is no air, lungs cannot work. Where there is no light, sight cannot work. Where there is no sound, hearing cannot work, just as the use of speech would also be impossible. To this must also be added the fact that the force of gravity, which otherwise keeps us in place, does not exist either, and our centre for balance thereby stops working. "Up" and "down" no longer exist for us. And our ability to orientate is therefore put out of action. In addition our means of transport would have to reach a speed that at least corresponds to the speed of light if this gigantic journey through space were not to collide with our relatively ephemeral existence.
      After this it must be understandable that physical spaceship travellers will never reach the distant target in the universe that they have set for themselves alive. If their means of transport can arrive at the destination undamaged, which is probably not outside the bounds of possibility, then the spaceship on the distant world will become a grave in which its passengers are buried. The spaceship journey thus becomes merely a funeral for people who have committed suicide. The empty space of the universe is spirit and can therefore be frequented only by spiritual beings.