POD
~I am a form in the flame
Seen only if one gazes long into the fire…
Clouds of smoke tear like a shroud
& I see the shine of other hidden ones,
Faces aglow with heat
Flashing like lightning, speaking with thunder…
Rising in the offering
The scent of my prayer
An incense of hope & wonder…
~hag
This season of Whitsun-tide is the world-festival of the NOW, highlighting the challenging relationships of Self & community. How do we work as individuals to transform our ingrained sympathies & antipathies? How do we purify our astral nature in order to make ourselves into a vessel worthy to receive the Holy Spirit, giving us the possibility of manifesting the ‘Spirit Self’ – healing the formative forces of our Life-Spirit, which will provide the capacity to create new social forms..?
In ancient times the human being experienced the True Self, the Higher I AM, in the cosmos outside of them, in the Sun sphere, thru initiation, by leaving the body – This was outpictured in the time of the ancient Summer Solstice Festivals – Which have now become mysteries of St. John the Baptist, where the Spirit is called to become manifest, by appling the powers of the Archangel Uriel.
The Whitsun-tide inaugurates a new age, when human beings thru a personal path of self-guided catharsis comes to an awakening of the Higher I AM in “their inmost being” as a force of transformative power, which is the force of love. The Greek word for grace is, “charis”, which means the free love from God.
This brings us back to the great social question of our time: the individual in relation to the whole – the community, & the cosmos.
Only by a social & personal catharsis which allows the true spirit of freedom, the true I AM, to eclipse our small personal egotism & the lower impulses of our nature, can a new community & new language of universal sister/brotherhood be created.
Only out of the spiritual recognition of the universal Human Being, will the ideas & applications of a new approach to fraternity in economics; equality in human rights; & freedom in the cultural/spiritual life, be accomplished.
May we strive to serve this goal out of the spirit of The Sophia.
~hag
Sophia Community Circle – WEDNESDAY 2 JUNE 2021 9:30 am PT / 10:30 am MT / 11:30 am CT / 12:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm GMT / 6:30 pm CET We are She – She are We – Embodying Love in Wisdom with Hazel & Ultra-Violet Archer Hazel Archer-Ginsberg – Founder of Reverse Ritual: Understanding Anthroposophy through the Rhythms of the Year & the ‘I Think Speech’ Podcast.Trans-denominational Minister, Essayist, Lecturer, Poet, Anthroposopher – working as the Festivals Coordinator of the Chicago Rudolf Steiner Branch, & the Central Regional Council of the Anthroposophical Society. Past Video Recordings Ultra-Violet Archer – Songwriter and Music Producer, exploring music as a tool for healing and storytelling. Currently studying at the International Youth Initiative Program in Sweden. After two years at Oberlin College and Conservatory, she will be transferring to Columbia College of Chicago’s ‘Contemporary, Urban and Popular Music’ program this fall. Click here to find the links to her original releases and YouTube channel. She also sings and produces for the band Circle’s Edge. When she’s not making music, you can find her foraging for edible plants, reading fantasy novels, or hosting women’s circles! Here is a link to Ultra’s final project for YIP The Holy Grail Study Group with the CRC Mysteries of the Holy Grail – from Arthur and Parzival to Modern Initiation 2 June 2021 – 7:15 pm Central (8:15 pm Eastern) “When the pupil has recognized all the elements from which he must liberate himself, a sublime being of light stands before him whose beauty is difficult to describe in human language. This encounter takes place when the sundering of the organs of thinking, feeling and will extend to the physical body, so that their reciprocal connection is no longer regulated by themselves but by higher consciousness, which has now entirely liberated itself from physical conditions. The organs of thinking, feeling and will, have then become instruments under the sway of the human soul, which exercises its dominion over them from supersensible regions. The soul, thus liberated from all bonds of the senses, is now confronted by the second Guardian of the Threshold”~Rudolf Steiner, The Mysteries of the Holy Grail, Chapter 27, “The Parzival Saga as Modern Initiation”, excerpts from Steiner’s How to Know Higher Worlds … focus of the June 2 meeting. Note: we are starting with Chapter 27 as it provides foundational concepts. We will continue with Chapters 1 & 2 in the following session (July 7). This lecture can be found online at the CRC’s website by clicking this link The Central Regional Council of the Anthroposophical Society in America invites you to join our ongoing study conversation. The study has been divided among four volunteers who will summarize their section to rebuild it as a foundation for our conversation. Please familiarize yourself with the lecture if possible so you will feel comfortable sharing your reflections and thoughts with the group. This collection of lectures has been republished by Rudolf Steiner Press as: “The Mysteries of the Holy Grail — from Arthur and Parzival to Modern Initiation.” The book was compiled and edited by Matthew Barton, published by Rudolf Steiner Press in 2010. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88210505106 Meeting ID: 882 1050 5106 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcHr5EVwrv If you have questions, please contact Alberto Loya aloyavaca@utexas.edu Agenda for this meeting (CST) 7:15 Welcome and Introductions 7:18 Verse 7:25 Study led by four volunteers ote: CRC team will ID volunteers Marianne – pg. 179 to 186 Laura – pg. 186 to 194 Travis – pg. 194 to 199 Alberto – pg. 199 to end 8:05 Conversation 8:28 Close with verse |
Hi Kyle,
Yes, it was on December 21, 2020, that the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn occurred. Kepler had predicted in 1623 that this alignment was related to the Star of Bethlehem.
What interests me immediately about your moving to your present location is that December 21, 2021 is a numeric transference of December 21, 2012, which was once proclaimed as the long expected end of the Mayan Calendar, and entry into the New Age. Robert Powell and Kevin Dann combined to write a book on it, as we know from the other list. Yet, its merits are only slowly coming forth over these nearly nine years.
You mention suffering as being important to experience, and this is really true. Any advocate of Buddhism must know of the four noble truths about why suffering exists in the world. A Buddhist also knows of the means to achieve enlightenment through the eight-fold path of righteousness. Yet, Christianity also acknowledges this path in the 23rd Psalm, where it says: “Thou leadest me in the paths of righteousness for Thy Names Sake”. Thus, there is a complete alliance between Buddhism and Christianity.
Voluntary suffering is a big issue, which we should consider. Christ on the Cross of Golgotha represents the supreme sacrifice, and yet this condition has come to us all to suffer in life. Why? With the Eightfold Path of the Buddha, given so eloquently with the Sermon at Benares, it was made clear what the path to salvation required. One must be righteous in all activity.
To engage in suffering voluntarily is a new addition, which the world presents in daily life. My breakthrough, as I told you before, was the eruption of Mount St. Helen in 1980. Some time after this event, a book fell into my hands which encouraged the engagement in voluntary suffering much along the lines of what John the Baptist had done at the Jordan River as the forerunner of Christ. I also was to experience this near-death experience as a little boy. When I became an adult, I had the same occasion to make this kind of suffering a personal event. Now, I look back upon it after forty years, and think about you at age 39.
There must be a reason.
Shekinah is also referred to the Star of Bethlehem, which occurred in 7 BC, and indicates the birth of the two Jesus children. I remember this from a book which took pains to calculate certain cycles of the planet Mercury, and wherein the building of Solomon’s Temple was the starting point, c. 967 BC. By 586 BC, with the deportation to Babylon, the Temple of Solomon was destroyed, and only restored some 99 years later during the reign of Zerubbabel, c. 487 BC.
The Gospel of John contains a very interesting reference to this in chapter 2:
First Passover—Cleansing the Temple
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.”
Kyle, this diagram which you have given is an extraordinary presentation, from a Buddhist perspective, and needs to be aligned with the similar rendition from the Kabbala mysticism of the Jews. Can we do a comparison?
This is fascinating, thank you for this, Steve. I really had no idea what Shekinah meant before. A strange coincidence to note, is that when I moved to this town, it was exactly on 21st of Dec. 2021, when Jupiter/Saturn was aligned? Wasn’t that conjunction referred also to the Star of Bethlehem?
A comparison diagram would be great! Are you referring to the the Tree of Life with the qliphoths/sephiroths?
I found an online version of the book Dependent Origination, although the book I have is a different translation.
https://buddhismforbeginnersgroup.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/dependent-origination-the-buddhist-law-of-conditionality-by-p-a-payutto.pdf
You can find a similar diagram on page 109. The difference, however, is that the circle is a closed circle, and at any point, that ‘suffering’ can either be used to transcend out of the ‘circle’ – going to faith (which is also coupled with ‘skillful conduct/wise reflection’) or stay within it – so to speak and keep on the track with ‘ignorance’ and so on. But I find it remarkable that ‘suffering’ can be a kind of way to indicate a turning point (which, in itself, was mentioned earlier). Turning points seem key, because the direction seems completely decided whether we are conscious or not and also have the necessary strength of will.
Here’s another interesting comparison to note. In the same book, the diagram is in the chapter entitled ‘Breaking the Cycle’ which comes right after the chapter The Link Between the Middle Teaching and the Middle Way. In Anthroposophical terminology, that Middle Way reminds me too much of the Christ Path.
Dear Hazel,
You wrote this very compelling remark:
“Look how far Christianity has come from the source. So yes, I too am wary of the dogma of the Church, & still have a hard time relating to the concept of ‘The Father God’.”
I have been walking around all day thinking about this. You see, for me, the 10:10 exercise is a 24/7 event. I often stay up all night in order to write about these kinds of things. Only when I get them out can I sleep peacefully. Now, you say that you still have a hard time relating to the concept of ‘The Father God’. Yet, in the Gospel of John, Christ makes it astoundingly clear to His disciples about how the time had come when He was to go to the Father. This is documented in chapters 14 thru 17 of this gospel.
So, indeed, whatever church dogma exists in relation to Christ as Son to His Father, seems rather universal based on these assertions coming from these very four chapters. It is hard to refute the idea of the Son going to the Father, which Christ finally gets His disciples to accept by chapter 17.
Yet, we have at least two significant places where Christ speaks about the Mother of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Chapter two, which describes the Marriage in Cana, and then, chapter nineteen, where the three women stand below the Cross. Christ specifically introduces the Mother to Her new son, who is the ‘Disciple Whom the Lord Loved’, and wherein “from that hour she entered into his household”.
So, here we are. Last year we penetrated deeply into the Saint John Imagination, and where it seemed clear from Steiner’s lecture that the Mothers work from out of the depths of the earth in begetting being, just as the Father does from the heights. The Son is born in the midst.
Is it a Father-Mother equation that you seek, Hazel, for greater clarity? If so, I would agree, and even willing to call it a Mother-Father equation because my mother was so loving in the nurturing manner, while my father was rather a brute force element working in nature. I feel that Steiner really solves the equation here. Summer is just two weeks away!!
Actually, I must say that since working with the Spiritual Science I have come to rid myself more & more of the Patriarchal societal overlay & my own childhood bias. The Ascension Festival really helps me connect thru the Christ coming to ‘sit at the right hand of the Father’ – And this whole concept of the Father God as creator principle corresponding to the mysteries of death ring true for me. Also thru being a member of the Christian Community, I do get a good perspective of the place of the Father in the Trinity – & how the Holy Spirit is a mediator.
But in general, in this life, I came in, as a ‘seeker of Christ’, thru the Divine Feminine – a warrior for Sophia/Michael, with the experience of living into the being of Anthroposophia. So while I see & agree that the paths from the heights to the depths & the depths to the heights are reached thru the center, I am finding the paths from the Mothers more accessible – but that doesn’t mean I don’t still work hard to know & tread the other paths…I am reading B. Livagood’s little book on the 4 paths to help me round out the polarities…
And yes the 10:10 Thought-Seed is 24/7 for me too!
Thank you for being there with me
xox
Fundamentalist Christianity would have Christ rising in the sky and disappearing in the clouds in order to “sit at the right-hand side of God”.
The Ascension
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Acts 1.
Anthroposophical Christianity indicates that Christ ascended and disappeared into the etheric realm of the earth and where He would work some 1500 years for the good of earth evolution as the Earth-Spirit. So, who actually sits on the right side of the Father? I think the two who seem to magically appear amongst the disciples give the answer. It is the Son of Man who goes to the Father, while the Son of God continues to work as Real Power for the good of earth evolution. As we know, Christ is here until the end of time.
The phrase for me as I spoke about at Ascension, shows the unlocking of the realm of the father creating a lemniscate flow between the highest worlds & the Earth.
The phrase for me as I spoke about at Ascension, shows the unlocking of the realm of the father creating a lemniscate flow between the highest worlds & the Earth.
Hi Hazel,
I have been reading Steiner’s lectures on “The Occult Significance of the Bhagavad Gita” this week, and he conveys in lecture 3 here something that really stands in relation to what you say about sympathies and antipathies. You wrote:
“How do we work as individuals to transform our ingrained sympathies & antipathies? How do we purify our astral nature in order to make ourselves into a vessel worthy to receive the Holy Spirit, giving us the possibility of manifesting the ‘Spirit Self’ – healing the formative forces of our Life-Spirit, which will provide the capacity to create new social forms?”
What Steiner says in this lecture is that these ingrained sympathies and antipathies have the effect of corrupting our nightly experience of dreams. Rather than having the pure experience of passing through lower Devachan while we sleep, which would acquaint us with spiritual beings as we course through our past lives in spirit recollection, we bring a certain kind of ‘excess baggage’ into the sleep experience with the ‘likes and dislikes’ accumulated over a lifetime of learning to conform to social norms. This begins at a very early age. Thus, we become “opinion-minded”, and this is coming earlier and earlier in childhood development. Thus, dreams tend to be a kind of chaotic mess because we infuse them with psychological baggage coming from the waking conscious experience. In reality, dreams should be as pure as the periods of dreamless sleep, where we pass through higher Devachan. This also takes place every night and where the moral good is implanted for the future.
Steiner indicates here how we can come to resolve this issue which intrudes upon the dream life, and it involves keen self analysis and forgiveness. In my experience, much of my own excess baggage is owed to a kind of specific trauma inflicted, and I think this goes for you also. I still wrestle with it nearly every night, which makes me wonder if I am really making any progress.
Steiner’s simple solution is to give up having these ‘likes and dislikes’ and be as current and dispassionate as possible. Then, the NOW prevails always, with the reflective apparatus of yesterday and tomorrow. This lecture also reinforces the work required from KOHW.
https://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA146/English/AP1968/19130530p01.html
Thank you Steve, this rings so true.
And knowing you are out there struggling with this as well, we can support each other in the endevour of ‘self analysis and forgiveness’.
Last night i was indeed wrestling with my own demons, which always happens after a public presenetation.
This really is a great point to focus on. When I was staying at the forest monastery, one of the monks said of the sensation one will get is this “dispassionate” state. Not being swayed by the dislikes, and likes, if you will… or the joys and sorrows; ups and downs. It’s really a strange state, and perhaps it’s not something we are accustomed to in our society, but the monks make a point to distinguish between joy and ‘happiness’ which the latter is what you will eventually feel. It seems counter intuitive to treat the ‘likes’ the same way as ‘dislikes,’ but essentially they are all of that opinion mind anyway. As someone who quite vividly remembers dreams, this point really hits home. Something more to work on. Thank you for that.
We msut never disolve into what Steiner calls ‘lukewarm’ but must instead strive for equanimity
You see, this is so important Hazel. Achieving the equipoise of Christ. This means that we can operate out of a kind of balance between opposites, which Steiner described so well with his course from GA 158, on Lucifer and Ahriman, c. November 1914.
The lukewarms are the prevailing condition which exists today in order to presage the future. In other words, it already exists in order to oppose the real future. What is needed is a real fire spirit, which the Christ Impulse exists to provide. Does that make sense?
To be lukewarm means to be not hot or cold. Yet, could this not be the dilemma of our future? I think the Book of Revelation is right in drawing attention to this matter. We either fight with Christ-Light, or admit the loss into delusion and maya. Many experience this today, but it still can be converted to the true and real.
A ton to talk about if anyone is really interested.
It is the Holy Spirirt who brings the fire to the Christos – The flame of Wisdom to the ‘Being of Love’
“We either fight with Christ-Light, or admit the loss into delusion and maya”
It’s totally appropriate you use the word ‘delusion’ as that is one of the three raw defilements indicated in Buddhist doctrine (the other two being ‘hate’ and ‘greed’). It may seem like coarse attributes, but it’s amazing how easy it is to come under the umbrella of any of these three, as raw defilements can be broken down to finer and finer attributes until they are so subtle as you can almost not even detect it unless you develop a stronger sense of awareness. So essentially, just being able to recognise any of these within yourself, being truly honest with yourself, for sure is a massive step in the right direction – at least I believe so, as we see so many examples around us of unconscious behaviour and the consequences which spring from that. I believe this may be part of that ‘fight’ you are indicating… at least part of it.
And then after ‘admitting to the loss…”
my problem is i always beat myself up about it…
That’s a great point, and something to be careful of, getting lukewarm. I like that expression. Equanimity is perhaps a more appropriate word than dispassionate, as this spiritual search does contain (at least i can say for myself) much inspiration.
Regarding Christ, well, that is the one factor that Buddhism – as we know it – never factored in as far as a practice is concerned.
And yet the buddha works for the Christ. This being gave his astral body to the Luke Jesus & is now working from the Mars realm at the request of Christian Rosenkrutz on behalf of Christ to bring peace into this sphere. The Christ impulse is Universal – all ‘religions’ like all roads, like evoution itself, lead to this our ultimate reality…
Yes, this was new for me regarding Christian Rosenkrutz and the Buddha and his mission on Mars. It’s another example of how spiritual-science shows how the spiritual world is ever evolving, just like on the physical plane.
Just to comment, I would never ever look down on Buddhism as a spiritual path, it has only helped me tremendously – personally speaking. I like how you mention the Christ impulse being universal, I do feel this myself, and there is something transcending beyond a religious label to it. Perhaps this is something that keeps people from the impulse, like a word association of sorts with ‘Christ’ – churches, crusades, inquisition, dogma, etc… yet, it’s beyond that, but words are symbols and symbols can easily be misunderstood for the true essence they are meant to convey. If that makes any sense.
Yes, exactly, everything is always evolving, & it goes in phases. But every once in a while we come to certain turning points that call for a kind of reckoning – a chance for a promotion – or a set-back.
But mostly it feels like when a new impulse comes in there is a lag-time, till everyone catches on that we must turn the page.
Look how far Christianity has come from the source. So yes, I too am wary of the dogma of the Church, & still have a hard time relating to the concept of ‘The Father God’
Although these days it seems like time is speeding up. Just look at how quickly the whole world took up the corona crisis conditions…how cool would it be if human beings turned that wiliness to change into a will for good, instead of as a fear response..?
Rudolf Steiner often indicated that the destiny of Buddhism was to come to Christianity. In the legend of Barlaam and Josaphat we see how Josaphat, the Maitreya bodhisattva, and successor of Gautama Buddha, meets Barlaam, a Christian hermit, and is converted.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlaam_and_Josaphat
Yet, in the same way that Judaism resists the Christ, Buddhism also resists this evolutionary Power. Kyle, do you know what the Buddhists say when you ask them about Christ? Steiner always indicated the importance of mutual appreciation and respect. He even makes it quite precise somewhere that Buddhism has been converted, but simply does not yet recognize it.
I think it’s safe to assume, Hazel, that we are definitely at a kind of ‘turning point’ as you say. We can either move forward, or backwards. But that’s such an important insight to consider, is the lag and speeding up perception that us humans on the physical plane tend to experience. What blows my mind is that some individuals have had the foresight so far ahead that they are literally centuries beyond their current time. How does one feel at a present time with that kind of realisation? Certainly would take much soul strengthening to cope with the larger societal impulses.
This topic really brings up quite alot to ponder about, so forgive me if I’m not so thorough in my thinking. In terms of how far Christianity has come from it’s source, it’s quite amazing, actually. And we can see now, that the impulse hasn’t stopped.. and many are trying to find a connection back to that source. The other day, I came across this place where they sing Christian Kirtans… the name of the place is called Shekhinah (in Biblical hebrew that means ‘dwelling’ or ‘settling’ of the divine presence of God). Under the title, they put “the Path of Christ” and there is the emblem of the sacred geometry of the Flower of Life. Ok, this is not something you see everyday! The other interesting thing about this place is that a friend of mine suggested I look for a place that is a Christian Meditation community, and one of his friends there is a really good musician. It just happened to be the same place, although now it’s closed temporarily. My point of brining this story up, is that this feels like an entirely different stream with the Christ impulse, even if it’s not a true answer to all spiritual questions and such, it’s definitely a creation brought out by individuals who felt a kind of calling to this impulse. I have a feeling this kind of ‘thing’ might pop up in more places as time goes on. I mean, you have kirtans – hindu, mediation/samadhi – generally attributed but surely not limited to buddhism, and is centered on the Christ Path. I just rarely see institutions put ‘Christ and Path’ together, and thought it wouldn’t be a surprise if someone there read a bit of Anthroposophy themselves.
Steve, I personally haven’t asked any Buddhists what they say of Christ. If I remember correctly, one of my Thai friends viewed Christ as someone who became enlightenment, but I cannot say that is the view of all. The Monks, however, I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some real hardcore studious ones have some extraordinarily insightful view on Christ from a Buddhist perspective. But one thing is very interesting when comparing both Buddhism and Christianity, is that the former was born out of a Hindu soceity, and the latter of Judaism. There’s many Sutta’s written after Buddha’s death, just as Gospels were written after Christ. I find that remarkable. Buddha really was addressing ‘that’ time in particular, and it’s implied that many of the things he knew would just not be understood by the masses, so that’s why there’s such a heavy emphasis put on the distillation of the essential elements, like the four noble truths and the eightfold path. The saying was something like, he knew as much as there are leaves on the forest floor – and then he scoops up a handful of leaves in his hand – but the only important things to know are as much as how many leaves are in his hand.
Forgive my long windedness here. But this is such a great subject, it’s a bit difficult to contain the enthusiasm! Back to the Buddhist/Christian connection. When I came accross this diagram which is supplimentary to the Buddhist Law of Conditionality – Dependent Originiation – I see something that can easily be dovetailed into a Christ Path. Here’s the diagram:
https://scdd.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/uploads/original/2X/8/8e2df240d4dea98cc37b1658e909d12f4bd88b70.gif
So you see on the bottom, it summarises dependent origination, basically. One thing can arise, which begets this condition, which begets the next, and so on. You can look at it at a macrocosmic level in terms of one’s who life, or you can look at it as something that can happen within a short moment. All those things can occur. But you see, the first step out of that circle? That step is ‘faith’. I just find that remarkable. I’ve heard ‘faith’ as being described as something like, you know you can be in a better state spiritually speaking, but you’re not there yet, although you know you can get ‘somewhere’ – ie. spiritual attainment. Well, no need to elaborate on ‘faith’ in terms of Christ… but you see the connection here?
*A great site for reading the Suttas:
https://suttacentral.net
Interesting that they chose Shekinah – the name of the Divine Feminine – So intuitive that this indwelling aspect can open the way on the Christ path.