76 thoughts on “Portals of Perception”

1. ‘Homeles man’ – my gosh, I am having difficulties on the computer!

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2. Hazel, I wanted to follow up on the remark about Goethe – how Steiner could never have incarnated with him, for his ‘human all too human’ aspect. So we know that Goethe was also a man who was ‘held captive’ – lack of a better term for it – by his passions. Aside from seeing his quotes up on the blackboard during my Waldorf years, referring to him with childhood humor as ‘Goatee’, the first work I read of his was The Sorrows of Young Werther. Now, what a work of passion that is!

   I don’t know where I read this, perhaps a comment on Facebook, referring to Goethe as an Initiate who wouldn’t possibly incarnate on Earth today. Now, I don’t know how I feel about that. And I admit, perhaps I don’t understand exactly what it truly means to be an Initiate in the full sense of it. A pupil, yes, I do get that… but an Initiate? So, for someone like Goethe, I do wonder if someone with such passions with the dicotemy of Amfortas/Parsifal – if you will – can also be considered an ‘Initiate’ in the full sense of the meaning of it.

   What it sounds like, to me, is that Steiner had described… over and over again… how incomplete of a science is that of Goethean Science, and it is part of the task through Anthroposophy to ‘expound’ on it. There was no compendium he left, but fragments. Sometimes too much, and sometimes too little of explanations. No quick answers. Nothing of the like. Preliminary grounds? Seeds? Surely. Goethe surely understood the ‘Potential Principle’ found in Nature, behind matter.

   With a Being who’s mission was not completed, I would think it appropriate to gather that they would ‘want’ to incarnate again… and in a time like now. Why else would Steiner, himself, say that he will incarnate again around.. well… this time as well, and so soon?

   Would these ‘times’ we live in qualify for ‘certain conditions’ which enable souls to have quick incarnations? So many people mention of a ‘speeding up’ of events. Would that not include the speeding up of Beings returning to Earth for fast incarnations?

   I guess the other possibilty is that they surely would work ‘through’ people who are incarnated, rather than doing so themselves (physically) – kind of like what you had mentioned.

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   1. I agree that Goethe would not be considered an initiate – as you say Steiner said as much. And it’s up to Spiritual Science to take up where his work left off…

      The reason former Anthroposophist’s are meant to incarnate again in our time is to take advantage of the Michael Age. Otherwise we will have a long time to wait for the next one.

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3. Yes, that is the interesting thing regarding Vidar and the Vulcan beings. Vidar coming from the past in a ‘renewed’ way is a great way to put it. I haven’t seen any discussion about a particular lecture, perhaps because it is not available online – only audio format. Its from ‘How the Spiritual World Projects into the Physical World’ CW150 Lecture 8. This is given in Bocham, Germany, at the inauguration of the Vidar Branch in 1913. Even today, there exists the Widarschule.

   Steiner explains in this lecture the importance of having such a center in the midst of an industrious ‘material’ city. Furthermore, the materialism we are engulfed with today – which he explains is a necessity – is akin to a seasonal change. We can see this as an ‘autumn and winter’ of sorts… where plants die, and the earth has a kind of cold egotism. Everything is drawn inwardly. In this sense, we don’t complain that winter has come… even though we find joy when springs arrives. We are in a spiritual Winter of sorts. Here’s an excerpt:

   “It is indeed true that we have to find the element in those depths if our soul that allows us to understand Christ Jesus.

   But it is also true that after a summer spent in the fields and pastures the people who lived on the edges of the woods, at the lakeside, or surrounded by mountains and were able to look towards the symbol of the Christ child felt something different in their souls that we do, we who must feel strong enough to receive the Christmas message even in a time that has become mechanised and abstract, smoke-filled and dry. If these powerful thoughts which spiritual science can give us can take root in our hearts, a sun power will come from these hearts of ours that will be capable of shining into the most desolate outside environment with a power that will be as if within ourselves light upon light were ignited on the tree of our inner life. The roots of this tree are the roots of our soul itself, and this winter season we must do more and more to transform it into the Christmas tree. We can do this if we take the message of the spirit, which true anthroposophy can be for us, not just as theory but as something that is full of life. This is how I wanted to bring the thoughts of Christmas from our spiritual science into the room we want to inaugurate today for the work which our friends have already been doing here for some time.

   Our friends here want to dedicate their work and their branch to a god who in the north is considered to be the god who brings *rejuvenating powers*, spiritual childhood powers, to a human race that is growing old. Nordic people turn to this god when they want to speak of something which, coming from the Christ Jesus spirit, can bring new tidings to our human race of rejuvenation. His is the name to which our friends want to dedicate their work and their branch. They want to call it the Vidar Branch. May this name hold promise, just as the work done here, what has already been done by people who love the spirit and intend to do in time to come holds promise for us. Let us truly appreciate what our Bochum friends here are attempting, and let us bless the work, also calling for the Christ’s blessing, by unfolding our best and most loving thoughts here for the blessing, the power and the genuine, true spiritual love for this work. We can feel that we are celebrating today’s festival of naming the Vidar Branch in the right sense.”

   On a side note, I wonder why some lectures are not online (even though the rsarchive is a wonderful resource). It was only by chance that I happen to order this lecture series in book format, and realised that only one lecture from it is available online. Yet, here is given another clue into the importance of Vidar in connection with the importance of ‘inner feeling’ and connection with Christ… among other themes that were discussed in the lecture.

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   1. SPIRITUAL BEINGS IN THE HEAVENLY BODIES AND IN THE KINGDOMS OF NATURE, GA 136, Lecture I, 3 April 1912, Helsinki is where Steiner gives the lessons that Vidar teaches

      THE MISSION OF THE INDIVIDUAL FOLK SOULS, GA 121, 11. Nerthus, Freyja and Gerda. Twilight of the Gods. Vidar and the new Revelation of Christ, 17 June 1910, Oslo This in in the archives

      This lecture you quote goes well with the 1st lecture above. Besides giving the attribute to Vidar saying he brings *rejuvenating powers* he also calls him a bringer of *Youthful Forces* this is what the etheric body provides – & the etheric realm is where Vidar directs us to meet the rainment of the Christ therein

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      1. I’m glad you mentioned GA136! What a great connection to Vidar, even though his name is not even mentioned in it. I haven’t read the other lectures, except for lecture 6 – which I would like to come back to later, or perhaps comment on another thread. I just love the momentum that takes place on this blog… only if I could keep up with all the daily ‘going ons’ and ‘what nots’ and ‘what have yous’.

         There is so much I want to comment on, but I find myself lost for words. Or rather, I find myself incapable for the time being, of finding the appropriate words to express everything clearly. Given that, with taking the risk of sounding silly and incomprehensible, I’m beginning to find words being a terrible filter and I wish I could convey what I really mean by just saying: ‘vibes vibes vibes! You know what I mean?’

         Moving on… this is why I feel that Steiner’s view on Art and the Mission of [it], why he is so focused on Art and artists (in general), why he makes connection with ‘seers’ and ‘artists’ in the sense that their true ‘source’ is one in the same… is so extremely important with all that it implies in regards to the mission of Anthroposophy. The developing of that spiritual ‘eye’ is exactly what he hammers in, as this ultimately leads to seeing beyond the physical – the material. Then of course, this ties in with the Etheric Realm.

         I can only guess the reason why Steiner was so prolific in words, is that during his time on Earth, that just so happened to be the best way to convey esoteric teachings. These topics were already making headway in the public, well before Steiner. That is quite possibly the ‘main’ reason why he entered the public sphere, so as to correct misleading esoteric information -Blavatsky, Sinnett, etc. But even then, he still asserts that it is impossible to disprove materialism to a materialist with a materialist’s rationale… so then goes his famous words: ‘let them talk’. Anthroposophy is not meant to be grafted onto a materialist, rationalistic, natural scientific view… for even the idea of the Etheric makes no sense if viewed only ‘materialistically’. It needs to stand on its own feet.

         Putting the pieces together, it is no wonder that Steiner points to an actual being who incarnated as Novalis, Raphael. Who are artists, who are the forerunners of the Michael Stream… which in turn is relating to Vidar as well. It is pointing us to live our lives ‘artfully’, regardless of what technique we use to express ourselves. And this is all ‘semblance’ of the spiritual.

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         1. Vibes, Yes! I know what you mean…
            I love how you point up how art & its mission is such an important path to spirit. And how the artist can be like a psychopomp leading us into the unseen worlds – how we are all artists when we use our imaginative cognition to see how color & light can open the way into the elemental realm…

            I picked up a biography of Blavatsky that I have been reading, while also remembering that even though Steiner rejects the spiritualist’s decadent ways, we have to remember how that whole phenomena really opened many materialists to the possibility of acknowledging spirit. Steiner speaks about how at first HPB was in touch with true Masters on the inner plane. The lesson is that in the modern path of initiation we must make our moral development the foundation for our occult development or we will become a vessel for lesser forces.

            You are right on with the concept that we are meant to live our lives artfully. To look out at the world & see spirit behind nature, to engage it wilth our intentional will is an art. And as they say what would eARTh be without ART…
            xox

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            1. “we have to remember how that whole phenomena really opened many materialists to the possibility of acknowledging spirit.” Yes, that is a great point. And that surely is something of significance. But then again, there is the issue of ‘Caused Harm’, who was it? I cannot remember his name, but he though occult information was best kept secret for the amount of damage it can cause if made public would cause much harm. Does any of that ring a bell?

               One thing that comes to mind, relating to this, is spiritual materialism.. from GA225 lecture 7:

               “What was once an instinctive but at the same time a highly spiritual form of knowledge has become corrupt; the life of the human soul in the spiritual worlds has descended to the material world which from the time of the Middle Ages onwards was the only world that remained accessible to the mind of man. Over yonder in the East we see a culture which in the true sense is not culture at all but an impulse to give an earthly, physical garb to purely spiritual experiences awakened by insight into the mysteries of the Pleroma.”

               https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GnoDoc_index.html

               So that is certainly something to ponder on, in what respects has spirituality nowadays become a mere physical garb? Of course, there is a fine line with this, for some can outwardly appear ‘spiritual’ but that doesn’t always mean that they really are in touch with spiritual world. I suppose that all comes down to intention.. and whether it is just for a physical ‘show’ or is something truly artful, in the sense that it directs one to the spiritual – or in this case, the Pleroma… not the corrupted Pleroma.

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               1. Yes, well stated. We can not let an extremly important connection that humanity must foster in regards to working with the so-called dead by letting it be spoiled thru this ‘mere physical garb’ that you speak of…

                  I was thinking more about the concept at large:
                  With the scientific revolution & the rise of materialistic modernism, humanity lost touch with tradtions that kept them connected with the dead. Death became, The End. There was no place for a spiritual world, nor any way to understand the spiritual beings who lived there, including human beings who had died. Death ruled.

                  Then, as karma would have it, in the mid-nineteenth century (1848), things began to change, & the story gets a bit strange. For you see, Spiritualism was born
                  in the village of Hydesville in upstate New York. & yes, It is true that spiritualism led to fantastic excesses & materialistic delusions of all kinds & that the spiritualist movement had more than its fair share of hustlers of every complexion – charlatans, con artists, illusionists, fakes of every kind. Nevertheless, for all its errors – the most grievous of which was “mediumship”-
                  spiritualism accomplished two great feats: it made the idea of a spiritual world thinkable again in a contemporary, nonsectarian way, & it did so thoroughly democratically, that is, it was open to all, atheist & esotericists alike.

                  “Mediumship” thereby came into being & swept across the country. Among the multitudes that came to witness these events many, mostly women, believed that they had the same powers & that they, too, were “mediums.” Ironically this gave feminism an enormous boost; women were able to declare themselves independent of the male ecclesiastical hierarchy. They became, in a sense, a new kind of priestess. “Spiritual circles” quickly began to form around these mediums, & everywhere regular relations began to be established between “this world” & the “next.” (of course as you say Kyle, many people were hurt by the charlatans, & as Steiner says most of these women were not able to truly access anything but the lower astral dregs…)

                  Famous figures like Benjamin Franklin began to appear on the scene. Meanwhile, esoterically, many occult groups began to form & others come out into the open, such as, H. P. Blavatsky’s Theosophical Society.

                  So i guess my point is, while it was far from kosher on many levels it created an opening for a new world view for many.

                  The door had been opened to extramundane influences, & could not be re-closed. Spiritualism was a Frankenstein monster, AND a Prometheus into the bargain.
                  For you see, In Rudolf Steiner’s lectures given in Dornach 1915 “The Occult Movement in the 19th Century”, Steiner confirmed, that spiritualism, while in itself a sham, was “consciously created” by adepts of the time to combat materialism.

                  Whatever interpretation one puts on these facts, however, several things remain clear. Spiritualism, out of which Theosophy arose, & well as Jungian psychology & most modern Western spiritual movements, was an enormously significant cultural impulse.

                  Regardless of how foolish aspects of spiritualism were, it nevertheless affirmed, for a large portion of humanity in the west, the presence of an invisible, spiritual world permeating this one: a world waiting only for the physical world to wake up to it.

                  We need only realize that we are surrounded by the spiritual worlds & need only awaken our own organs of perception to perceive these consciously.

                  We can all communicate with the dead & the spiritual worlds. They are always around & with us & it does not take priests, mediums, or otherwise specially chosen people to enter into the working relationship that is our collaboration between heaven & earth.

                  We know in our heart of hearts that our lives encompass so much more than mere ”things,” & that we are spiritual beings living in a spiritual world. In this way, we come to understand the supreme importance of earthly life as the only sphere in the universe where death can be experienced.

                  Life, eludes natural scientific observation, because life is not a material phenomenon, but a gift, a grace, from the spiritual world.

                  Death, however, is experienced only on earth, that is why, of all beings of the divine-spiritual worlds, only The Christ-Being knows death. The presence & knowledge of The Christ, whether recognized by that name or not, is therefore tremendously important.

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                  1. Wow, yes. Thanks for elaborating on this subject! I suppose throwing a cliche here might be appropriate, to not ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’ with advent of a Spiritualist Boom in the late 19th – early 20th century. And it surely is strange.

                     Now, in regards to the lectures you cited, I think this might have been one of Steiner’s purposes here on Earth, which essentially is to ‘wake people up’ to everything that is happening, and not be unconscious to the streams that are flowing in and through humanity. The real pitfall to Spiritualism – or just Spirituality in general – is that it can also be a trap just like materialism. It is said that Steiner had ripped out a chapter in CG Harrison’s Transcendental Universe, who had addressed similar issues with HPB and Sinnett 20 years before! Steiner was keeping up with what was out of the ‘bag’, and doing his best to help people stay awake to what was going on. A major issue that had to be addressed were in regards to partial truths, misunderstandings, and flat out errors. Regardless if they were done unconsciously or advertently, it was obvious Steiner had a mission to make things clear.

                     This is perhaps the difference when it comes to ‘gifted’ individuals and the rest. Someone with powers can easily sway masses and string them along with partial answers. The difference between someone like that and Steiner, is that Steiner just wants people to wake up and ‘realize’ that we are all – in fact – clairvoyant, and each and every one of us are perfectly capable of achieving that higher perception. The difference is unconscious ‘atavistic’ clairvoyance, and the ‘new’ form which is cultivated ‘consciously’.

                     I’ve been looking for the lecture where Steiner speaks of a German philosopher (I think?) who licked the root of a poisonous plant, and had a sensation that his head was cut off but his center of thinking was in a different place, lower nearer the heart and above the gut. He claimed (I am paraphrasing), that was quit an incredible perception and felt more connected with the world around him. Now, he apparently tried to repeat this again, but it did not work. What Steiner added, was that this fellow had these results only when he licked the root during a full moon. Otherwise, nothing would happen. The point is, is that the same ‘result’ of licking that poisonous plant root ‘can’ be cultivated consciously ‘without’ doing something such as that.

                     Keeping that in mind, isn’t it coincidence that now many decades after the Spiritualist Boom and especially recently, that there is a new found interest in sacred plants: Ayahuasca, Iboga, etc… (not to mention LSD which was basically derived from mold on wheat, completely shifted one’s consciousness to something of a spiritual nature.) Again… what would Steiner have to say about all this? Its akin to licking the poisonous plant root, as in: we actually don’t need it, but achieve those states ‘consciously’.

                     I don’t mean to go off on a tangent from the theme of the so-called ‘dead’. What is rather fascinating about all of this, is that our physical bodies are literally avatars for our higher selves. In that sense, death really is an illusion and only endemic to our Earth realm, which we just so happen to ‘morph’ into in a strange sort of way and take on elaborate shapes such as our human body. But yes, that life spirit, the soul, doesn’t die… so then the aspect of connecting with those who are not physically here, but definitely ‘somewhere’ is so relevant.

                  2. I often think about what Steiner says about why we don’t have tons of former initiates walking around these days – How our educational system & the lack of morality in our materialistic world doesn’t allow those former traits to be carried over, not to mention they can’t find suitable parents to give them suitable bodies…etc…

                     So thank god we have the teachings of Rudolf Steiner who made many personal sacrifices to bring the new Mysteries. And of course we can have faith that masters like Christian Rosencrantz are working in the background with worthy human beings, & high Spiritual Beings on the inner planes for the further Christening of evolution.

                     It’s true that many folks since the 60’s are stepping into what is now-a-days referred to as ‘Plant Medicine’ hoping to take the short cut – which we know is not reliable & quite dangerous to the soul. Steiner spoke specifically about Friedrich Nietzsche in this regard.

                     If we had a little more faith we would realize that we are given miracles every day, we are just too asleep to see them – including communicating with the so-called-dead…

                  3. Hazel, when you spoke of Initiates – or lack of many, during this time – I was reminded of a few things. GA237 lecture 9 (The Michaelites) seems very pertinent to this theme. I’ll share just one passage, even though the entire lecture is worth reading over in full:

                     “Now this is a thing that takes root deeply, very deeply in the karma of the individual. Hence the strange destiny of those who are sincere anthroposophists, the strange destiny that they are not able to come to terms with the world: they cannot quite master it, and yet at the same time they have to approach the world and enter into it with full earnestness.

                     I have said that those who stand with full intensity within the Anthroposophical Movement will return at the end of the century, and others will then unite with them, for by this means the salvation of the earth and earthly civilisation from destruction must eventually be settled. This is the mission of the Anthroposophical Movement, which weighs on the one hand so heavily upon one’s heart, while on the other hand it moves the heart, uplifts it with enthusiasm. This mission we must understand and see.

                     It is most necessary for the anthroposophist to know that in this situation as an anthroposophist his karma will be harder to experience than it is for other men. From the very outset those who come into the Anthroposophical Society are predestined to a harder, more difficult experience of karma than other men. And if we try to pass this harder experience by — if we want to experience our karma in a comfortable way — it will surely take vengeance on us in one direction or another. We must be anthroposophists in our experience of karma too. To be true anthroposophists we must be able to observe our own experience of karma with constant wide-awake attention. If we do not, then our comfortable, easy-going experiencing of our karma — or rather our desire to experience it so — will find expression and take vengeance in physical illnesses, physical accidents and the like.”

                     When you mention beings like Christian Rosenkreutz working in the background, well, this does imply that even if some Initiates are not physically incarnated, they surely are working through individuals. It’s no question that this is a dire time. So it is apparent that an individual working in the Michael community would mingled and intertwine their karma with non-anthros, simply for the sake bringing more people into the Michaelic stream. We can easily say, screw it, I don’t want to deal with that… but given that Michael would go into battle with forces of Darkness, it is only appropriate that Michaelites (or ones destined to become Michaelites) would gladly – and with much enthusiasm – incarnate on Earth with the intention to positively influence many.

                     I can truly speak for myself on this occasion. Even though I grew up with a Waldorf education, when I turned 13, I was thrown into the foray of the public educational system… and thus, my karma has been intertwined with many who are – as Steiner put it – on the outside of the Anthroposophical movement. Now, how can I possibly understand with such conviction that this was my own karma, and that it was something I knew would happen before coming into this incarnation? Well, I had an experience while in a Rainbow Gathering in Indonesia. I had felt this incredible amount of love and sense of community, and I chose to leave the gathering before it ended. Why? Because I had friends that I wanted to see who were staying in Jakarta. I literally was excited to take that feeling, and impulse, and go straight into the darkness of a chaotic metropolitan hub and bring that feeling with me to people who needed it. And sure enough, I came at a time when a friend (former band member) actually needed my positivity!

                     So when pondering the question of ‘who are we, really?’ there is a high likelihood that our conscious realisation of the truth will lag behind the actuality of it. Steiner did not even reveal his past incarnations, and most likely any Initiate among us now would never proclaim they are Initiates.

                     So if that is truly the case that our current climate inhibits the incarnation of Initiates, due to there not being a suitable body, that leaves a tremendous burden (and task) on us Michaelites to pave the way for the future, so that sooner than later – hopefully – more Initiates may return. This, I feel, is something that needs to be done so that the original Masters of the School of Chartres can return.

                  4. Thank you for bringing in KARMIC RELATIONSHIPS III, GA 237, lecture 9. The Michaelites: Their Karmic Impulse Towards The Spiritual Life
                     The Working of Ahriman into the Once Cosmic and Now Personal Intelligence, 3 August 1924, Dornach. https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA237/English/RSP1977/19240803p02.html
                     before I left the ASA Gnerla Council I recommended that the ciuncil take up Vol 3 of the Karma lectures for we really do need to remember what we signed up for in earnest…

                     I think we can all look back & see where karma is working in our lives – especially seen in our relationships.

                     I am thinking a lot about how we can we develop our forward thinking perspective to be able to call in our future karma consciously – & in my case without causing pain…

                  5. Hi Kyle. Some interesting comments you’ve made here, and thanks Hazel for posting the link to the lecture; I’ll check it out. A couple of thoughts arose while reading your comments. You ask: “Now, how can I possibly understand with such conviction that this was my own karma?” A year or two ago, this question would baffle me; however, recently as a result of deeper meditations, what’s arisen from my subconscious is a greater understanding of my past lives – not all of them, but critical ones for understanding some answers to this question you ask. I can now say for certain that the karma I’m experiencing stems from those past lives, and I’d recommend to all to seek to become familiar with any of your past lives that have been instrumental in creating your unique karma; all part of Know Thyself.

                     The other thought to mention came up during a discussion we just had, from a Leading Thought (GA 26, #6) on the subject of The Activity of Michael and the Future of Mankind. It was mentioned that Michael respects our freedom, and doesn’t force anyone to adopt his ways, which are Christ’s ways, but he does set an example for us of the power over Lucifer and Ahriman that we possess, if we’ll avail ourselves of it. He, as the countenance of Christ, is always available to come to our aid, but we must seek him out and not the other way around.

                     Fascinating experience you had Kyle, showing up when your fellow band member needed your positivity. I’m sure that band member will forever be grateful for your sudden appearance there, and for the help you proffered.

                  6. Yes, Seek & you shall find, knock & the door will be opened to you…

                  7. Hi Hazel, I vaguely remember seeing a comment from Maverick regarding you leaving the general council of the ASA, but I don’t remember the reasons why. I don’t want to pressure you to say over your blog, but that does come as a bit of a surprise – but I also get it, I think. You know, when Ashley and I met you and Chuck, I had said to Ashley that you are actually someone who is perfect for that role. For example, the both of us really had no business at the Turning Place that day (as far as organisations and initiative planning goes), yet you and Chuck went out of your way to meet us for lunch.

                     It shows that you understand the inclusivity of the spirit of Anthroposophy, and it is relevant to everyone no matter what their associations may be. And that is just awesome. So, while I think you were perhaps an ideal person for that role, that someone like you is exactly what an organisation such as the ASA needs, I have no doubt that whatever you spend your energy on/towards will be more the worthwhile. Steiner had high hopes for the Anthroposophical society, but just because and organisation bears the name – or even location, such as Dornach – this does not directly mean that it will fully carry the intended mission or is immune to any types of disruption. This really is an interesting time to see how things will develop in the near future.. and hopefully not too much a painful development at that!

                  8. Yes, a long complicated story – a Tragicomedy full of Karmic knots – I threw the brick at my own head. I guess in hindsight it was to make sure the part of the messenger in my case specifically the part of Cassandra, got played out – strung up – hanged from a rope that was woven long ago…

                     As you can imagine most folks just want to jump over the ropes that bind them, or use them to tie up those that are tugging on the short end in an effort to untie it…

                     But it’s a lot of work to try to find the source of an old knot, let alone to do the work of creating a new tapestry – much easier to quote the letter of the law, kill the scapegoat, & get on with the grand illusion…

                     And since I must have planned this whole thing with these folks long before we came together in this life, I must use this opportunity to take the next step in my own moral deveoplment…

                  9. Yes, thank you Hazel – again – for keeping this dialogue going. Hope you feel better – and hope Steve, too, comes back in the mix!

                     Maverick, these are great points you’ve made. For sure, actions/deeds do have correlation with thinking. The example you gave is a perfect for illustrating this. It also reminded me of a couple things. Steiner speaks of the Angeloi as being closest to human, but the difference is that everything is externalised. So a thought/deed, is essentially acted upon immediately. Not to get into this other subject, but this was essentially what caused a rebellious hierarchy, for this was the first time a Being can ‘keep’ thoughts or ‘think’ for themselves. So it is amazing to have Christ come into the mix in human evolution, for now we know that thinking something (especially spiritually speaking) is the same as doing it.

                     Regarding this, I read a book dedicated to the life and teaching of Staretz Silouan – The Monk of Mount Athos, by Archimandrite Sophrony. It is quite amazing, that none of the book speaks of spiritual science, being of Eastern Orthodox nature. Yet, Silouan is a model of someone who grasps much of what spiritual science explains. I won’t go into a synopsis of the book, but what struck me about your comment regarding thoughts/actions as being the same – i.e. feelings or thinking something lustful equating to adultery – is that this monk would go into deep contemplation regarding such thoughts that may have occured to him, to such extreme depths, that he finds himself in ‘hell’ – in a sense -but then comes back completely owning all of his ‘human-ness’. Seeing that we are all imperfect, he never ends to purify himself, his soul. And much of this is through silence, deep meditation.

                     I may not be summarising it well, but this does show – at least in one way – how a person can take their life on earth spiritually, as a priority. Of course it is not to say that we all have to become nuns and monks, but at the very least, to be mindful of ‘what’ we are thinking, and the effects of such ‘thoughts’. So naturally, this Staretz Silouan had said that being a monk really is not for everyone. But I think it is safe to say that even research into spiritual science also is not for everyone. This is difficult, and daunting material. However, even the slightest effort and interest into these matters is a massive step in itself.

                     I just wanted to add a quick comment regarding what you said, Maverick, on sojourning through ‘planetary consciousnesses’ – if I may say it like that. That is really fascinating picture. Now, I know that you have mentioned you have Mercury as your ruling planet (or planetary consciousness, if I am gathering that correctly?) And it always goes in that sort of order… as in, if that is the case for you, your previous incarnation was influenced more by a Venus consciousness?

                     I’ll try not to write too much here… but what struck my mind with planetary consciousness, and soujourning through these spheres, is the theme and purpose of the Michaelic stream itself! We know with the last address, Steiner brought up the being of Raphael/Novalis. So if we take a being as such, this being brings back what they learned, what deeds the performed here on Earth, and takes it back to the heavenly spheres. But of course, we bring down what we gained from other sphere to Earth. So, this whole back and forth feedback, journeying through these spheres… Earth is essentially ‘and supposed to be’ spiritualised to this effect. This is exactly why I am so hung up on artful living, creation of ‘true’ art, and deeds which have profound spiritual effects that can be felt throughout the world, and even in the heavens. It’s as though there is some kind of blockage and a spiritual plumbing issue where the duct needs to be cleared out to have a kind of open channel between the Earth sphere and the rest of the heavenly spheres. That’s exactly the challenge of actually perceiving in a ‘sphere’ which essentially is mineralised, densified, and this is a purely endemic phenomena compared to the rest of the cosmos… Earth essentially is predominately a ‘rebel’ sphere compared to the grand hierarchy of things. And that is interesting to think about, that this whole sphere we are in, this Maya, was created out of an act of rebellion… but now, to get ‘out of it’ is a kind rebellious act against a ‘rebel/rouge’ sphere… which is a step and effort to find unity with the natural, true nature of the cosmos.

                     So yes, there are so many facets to it all and it can get overwhelming. But it surely doesn’t hurt to be kind to ourselves, and just know that being patient pays off, that eventually we will get to where we truly want to be if we approach our journey with good faith and earnestness and good will with our fellow brothers and sisters sharing the path – and even those who don’t know what path they are on at this point in time!

                  10. I love how this conversation is going.
                      During this & other illness I have had a similar experience as you describe for your Monk of Mount Athos.
                      I hope to write about it when I am able…

                      BTW: I did get ahold of Stever Hale & he hopes to join us again soon.

                  11. Good to hear Steve’ll be back soon. I also love how this convo is going; with you now studying psychology, I think these articles and convos could become very interesting as we delve into human nature more, especially bringing in the amazing insights of Steiner in that regard. Cheers.

                  12. Just a quick read of your comments Kyle, an enjoyable read for me. I perceive from you a mind that’s attuned to the mind of Christ, the Logos that was involved in creating all, and sustaining all – you have an ability to perceive the Cosmos, at least you want to understand it. And you have a youthful eagerness to apply what you’re learning, to make the world that you inhabit a better place for all. I wonder if you’re aware how rare that is? My experience is that it’s quite rare – aside from all those who are bogged down in materiality, the ones who express an interest in the spiritual realities are being satisfied with what I refer to as spiritual “fast food”. Their thoughts only extend far enough to digest a quote here and there; I saw this especially on social media sites like Facebook (which I no longer participate in). Enough about you – I found your comments extremely interesting, and hope to get back to you later after I’ve assimilated them.

                      I like what you mention about humanity evolving to a stage where they realized they could “keep” their thoughts; I think that’s how you worded it. And as they evolved they realized their past thoughts were returning with them when they made another incarnation into Earth, so that their new experience on Earth started to include thoughts coming from their previous planetary sojourns, plus their previous experiences on Earth. I want to let this idea live in me for a while; I think it could be a fruitful idea.

                      I wouldn’t get too caught up in the actual physical planetary “spheres” as you mentioned, although it’s interesting that you point out they are spheres. That they are mineralized, or gaseous, forms really doesn’t mean much, since they’re only the shadows of the reality behind them. This is made clear by the fact that they have differing numbers of dimensions associated with them, differing according to the consciousness we experience when we’re in their realm. As we know, our Earth is three dimensional, so that’s what we experience while here, even if, as Steiner proposes, the human being is a six-dimensional being – we have the capacity to take in more dimensions, but while on Earth we’re only able to experience life in three of those dimensions. Cayce has pointed out that Venus has 4 dimensions, and Jupiter has at least 5, if not more. Those dimensions of consciousness are what we’re bringing with us when we incarnate on Earth, and what makes our thoughts of such interest. For me, with Mercury having influenced me presently, there are anywhere from 2 dimensions up to 7, so it makes for some interesting mental thinking at times. Cayce would put it like this: “the entity made its flight from Mercury”; that was his way of expressing that my last sojourn before returning to Earth was in the realm of Mercury.

                      Okay, I’d better run – have a webinar coming up soon, but am enjoying this discussion, and the title for this blog is also of interest – Portal of Perception. Thanks Hazel for enabling this discussion for those who are like-minded and wish to go deeper into these subjects. Cheers.

                  13. Hi Maverick, likewise, I’ll have to take some time to assimilate what you’re bringing to the table. And thank you for that! I would take the exact quote and GA number if I could, but part of what happens in the future is that humanity will no longer be able to realise their “I” on their own accord, but through the other beings around them. What does this mean? The sixth epoch is a time when the internal becomes external. Why the pain someone else goes through, you will feel it just as much. Why two races, Good and Evil, sprout… for it is karma ‘externalised’. This is why the importance of community, out of voluntary good spirit ‘Philedelphia’, freedom of religious/spiritual thought is a hallmark of the epoch to come.

                      So when you mention about how can others get ‘to know who you really are’, part of how I personally realised this is by what I ‘meant’ for others. The saying that, the people who are around you are like ‘mirrors’ and that others around you are like ‘keys’ to knowing yourself… its actually quite true. I am personally hard on myself, so there is much what I’ve had to piece together regarding my own identity, from several ‘disparate’ sources/people… and find common threads. Of course, there is a difference between one’s subjective opinion and what one observes as objective. It really takes honesty and some discernment regarding which is which. Of course, one cannot be fully swayed by what other’s think and say all the time.

                      Regarding past lives, I’ve had a few experiences where certain people said I was familiar to them from a former incarnation, and one time (not recently), pin pointed to being a specific person. Do I believe it? Well, one thing is for certain, is that certain strong ‘events’ do have karmic implications. And in that one particular case, it seemed very specific, and the timing of events did have some peculiar associations that was hard to ignore… and this was coupled by dreams I had of that specific region (which was on the other side of the world), which I had over 15 years prior to actually have been there. Does it make sense with the law of reincarnation, which Steiner states that we generally incarnate once every cultural age (1500 years was it?) and we go from female/male/female/male etc…? No, it doesn’t, not at all. But we also are given clues that quick reincarnations seem to be happening now, more often than not. So, I don’t understand what the rule for that is. And then there is the other phenomena where a soul can incarnate in an already born individual.. and avatar.

                      So the jury is out for me, whether we live in times where ‘normal’ rules for incarnations/reincarnations apply or not. If any being can incarnate in a body that is already born… then who is to say that this doesn’t happen at a more regular frequency? Yes, we are in a spiritual Winter of sorts… and perhaps there are not many ‘bodies’ that are suitable for certain souls to reincarnate. But that doesn’t mean that some physical bodies are not suitable at a later stage of development. Things happen, and events happen, where a person in a physical body can one day realise they are someone entirely different from who they thought they were. Now, how does one explain that? Are these, then, signs of miracles? Does it make sense… maybe not. But it does seem apparent that one thing is true, that when we get deeper into the matter… the nature of such things appear paradoxical and seemingly contradictory. As in, the mind cannot at all grasp it for what it is, and this is why words and language cannot get to the heart of the matter… for the heart of the matter is the heart, not the mind! We can only do our best by adducing from whatever parameters and clues are given.

                      —

                      Regarding the Spheres, yes, I did not mean physical planets. But, more so when I refer to ‘spheres’ I did mean states of consciousness or rather, perception. This is what I’ve gathered from the Michael Mystery, what Steiner talks about as the Sphere of Ahriman. It’s actually been there for a long time, but we only ‘entered’ the sphere during the 15th century. We are not talking about physical movement, but our perception entered a different sphere. Just imagine that we have only been ‘perceiving’ this world the way we currently are, for only about 500 years. We ‘entered’ the Ahrimanic Sphere – which we are in. And that really is the challenge of our times, to be able to gain ‘consciously and voluntarily’ that ability to perceive the spiritual world which before we were able to ‘unconsciously’ do. It is drastically different.

                      When you mentioned the sojourn, then, what I was attempting to convey, is that here on Earth, we have the task of regaining a spiritual Sphere of consciousness (perception), because the Ahrimanic one, is essentially closed off (mineralised). That is why many people have the sensation that Earth is a prison planet. It is, if we think that this sphere of perception is the only one. But a true Earth perception, sans Ahrimanic influence, is the one that needs redeeming. And that is why I emphasised deeds, actions, thoughts, art that are done on the Earth sphere… this is the stuff that gets brought ‘back’ to the other heavenly spheres. That is the stuff of brilliance and shine. Evil is closed off, essentially. And this is perhaps one of the struggles and frustrations that many people feel, that wish to fully live out their ‘potential’ on Earth… it is so difficult, and more often than not, one falls short of what they ‘saw’ as potential before incarnation. There are countless examples of individuals in the past several centuries who prior to their passing, were depressed and frustrated, because they did not reach the heights they imagined… even though what they accomplished and brought to others was a great and positive thing.

                      This is the brilliant thing about Goethe, that I don’t believe is talked about enough in anthroposophical circles (at least to my knowledge). Goethe is all to often put on a pedestal and deified, but we forget that he was ‘human all too human’… and he is an exemplary model of our current predicament of this age: that we can be two beings at once, which is the heart of the Parsifal/Amfortas mystery. Steiner speaks of Goethe not as someone who knows everything, but someone who understands the predicament of being human while trying to manifest potentiality, which is the highest from the spiritual world. That is the challenge, that in this 5th epoch we are intended to bring this dichotomy of our beings into Oneness. This is what I find so extraordinary about Staretz Silouan (1866-1938), for he was someone who illustrates a Being that was very close to integrating the Twoness into Oneness – potentiality into actuality.

                  14. The externalized karma will also show up in our physical features proving which of the 2 the Good or the Evil we are aligned with…

                      With Spiritual Science we are given the standard time frames for incarnations as around 1000 years OR when the world conditions have so changed as to provide the elements we need.
                      Steiner also gives exceptions when folks die together as a group, such as in a ‘natural’ catastrophe.

                      OR like you say there is some sort of ‘incorporation’ that occurs where a particular sheath of an advanced human soul can work within the physical, etheric or Astral body of someone who has a special destiny. Of course the 2 Jesus children are the prime example, but Steiner gives other indications of historical individualities in his Karmic Relationships. For instance, the painter Raphael’s father died when he was young & worked into him from the spiritual world.

                      When I hear the word spheres my mind goes to my Kabbalistic training. The 10 Sephiroth on the Tree of Life are a powerful meditative glyph.

                      As for Goethe, Steiner said that they could never have incarnated together because of his ‘all too human’ characteristics. xox

               2. Hi Maverick. I may as well just ask you straightforward what it was that you meditated on in regards to knowing you past lives. This has been something of thought of, pondered over, for quite some time – even read some literature pertaining to that, specifically. Yet, I cannot say with certain of who I was in past lives, but only that I seem to share likeness and similarities with certain individuals – karmically and personality wise – which does not directly denote that I ‘was’ them.

                  Now, if some of it is a matter of Astrology, and looking at one’s chart, I am definitely familiar with mine… I’m just not sure what else to look for other than the South Node/IC – which supposedly is linked to the past. Other than that, there seems to be much that reveals future Karma, destiny (North Node, MC).

                  Any insight is greatly appreciated 🙂

                  Reply

                  1. Yes, well I’m sure any good system of meditation where you’re entering into the power available in silence is a good method. The important thing is that it becomes a means of bringing thoughts that are normally latent in the subconscious to arise into consciousness, and silence and mind control is the best way to do this. Once you’ve embarked on such a mission, sleep will also factor in, and your dreams can become a means that your angel will use to show you factors where you can begin to piece together memory pictures of your past lives.

                     I know Steiner has many verses on meditation and teachings on meditation. These I haven’t used myself, since I already had my own methods when I began researching the Steiner materials. I use a method adopted from the Hebrew symbology that’s in the tabernacle that Moses erected in the wilderness, while enroute to the promised land. Moses was told to build the tabernacle EXACTLY according to the pattern shown to him on the mountain. I believe that pattern was of the future human being, the spiritualized human being.

                     As I’ve mentioned, my spiritual organs of perception were opened/healed when I started reading the Bible, when I was 25, so the idea of the tabernacle wasn’t foreign to me. Later, when about 45, I came across the Cayce materials, and since he also had a Christian upbringing, it became easy for me to relate to his teaching about using the tabernacle as a model for meditation. Again, the spiritualized human being is what’s offered – by this I understand to mean that God is within us, that our pineal gland (which Steiner doesn’t talk a lot about – I think he felt it wasn’t fully developed, but would be in a future state) is our Holy of Holies, also called the Most Holy Place. That holy place is where Moses met with God, which was symbolical for us that we too can meet God there. One should keep in mind that Christ is the Way to access this holy place – as the book of Hebrews tells, through the veil, that is, His flesh. Rather than go into detail, I’ll give you a YouTube link for a talk given by Samuel Dancey, from the Ottawa area. In it he presents the method I use (with some minor modifications that suit me personally), and he also ties in the Chinese acupuncture system, showing its usefulness and similarities. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZV-c-4MDeI

                  2. Afterwards it came to me that I should mention the pituitary gland, or what many would call the “third eye”, or “eye of God”. I mentioned the importance of the pineal gland, but didn’t say anything about this equally important gland. The reason I didn’t mention it is this: for me, this incarnation has been about developing my pineal gland. While I’d welcome any development of my pituitary, it’s my understanding that I’ll need to return for another incarnation for that phase of development. That’s one of the beauties of the continuity of life, that we don’t have to achieve everything in one life experience. My birth chart for this incarnation demonstrates for me that I came this time to develop my pineal, and that’s sufficient; I must be patient, and return for the development of my pituitary, and I’m looking forward to that.

                  3. I see what you mean, Maverick. It does seem to come down to what works best for the individual based on their background, experience, etc. I’ll set aside some time to look at the Youtube presentation. Meditation sure is a personal thing, and so many ways to go about it, as long as the mind is still. Then of course, the idea is to tap into the Pure Thought Realm, eventually.

                     You prompted me to look up anything Steiner mentions about looking into past lives. He does mention that in the future, humanity will develop an organ that enables one to do so. The danger lies when human beings do not use it. But this is the future. However, we are still speaking about an organ that we are in the preliminary stages of ‘growing’ – so to speak.

                     Now, what caught my attention that may have slipped past me before… was that we can tap into our past lives by ‘thinking’, as in, ‘what we thought before.’ This is interesting to me, and this is kind of related to what you were saying about being patient to achieve something in your next incarnation. Given that, let’s just say we (or anyone, generally speaking) don’t realize who we were in our past lives. That is a big ‘what if’, and not discourage. Well, what we think about now could potentially fire up realizations in further incarnation… even if it is by slow increments.

                     Again, this is not to say that in our present life, we couldn’t tap into our thoughts of our past lives. In At The Gates, Steiner explains the Akashic Records as being thoughts, more or less. So this means, if we are to paint a picture of say, the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, we would not ‘see’ a physical/cinematic picture of it happening as though it were a movie. In the Akashic Records, we would ‘see’ (for lack of a better term) the thoughts of close to 200,000 beings that were there experiencing it – including Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington… which in turn, ‘paints’ the picture of what actually happened.

                     So this is a difference.. being able to remember past lives ‘physically developed’… but this falls short as far as what one’s Soul personally experienced. For, we are more than just our physical bodies. But what we experience, what we feel, what karma we’ve woven with others… this is the substance of actual remembrance. And like any difficult task one is faced with, with time and practice, it doesn’t become that difficult anymore. That is what the Thai Monks said about achieving Nirvana… is that it is actually supposed to be quite easy (maybe not the best analogy, but I think you know what I mean).

                  4. That’s most interesting, the point you make about using thinking to connect with thoughts we’ve had before in past lives. Sometimes, when Cayce was accessing the Akashic records, he said he had difficulty discerning whether something he observed had actually been a deed, an activity carried out, or merely a thought. The explanation was that thoughts are deeds; thinking something is the same as actively doing something. Hence the teaching of Jesus about just having thoughts of hatred toward our brother or sister being equivalent to murder, or thoughts of lust as being equivalent to adultery.

                     In what was called a Life reading, the first item usually mentioned was astrological influences. One of the reasons Cayce was able to get such an accurate and interesting read on an individual was his ability to see multiple incarnations; so, he’d say something along this line: Mercury is the ruling influence in the present experience; in the one previous it was Venus; in the one previous to that Jupiter, etc. This was attributed to something he called (and maybe others use this term also) the Universal Consciousness, which is not quite the same thing as the Akashic records. The records are an actual imprint of energy on the “akasha”, while the Universal Consciousness is, as I would understand it, more of a mental state, but the collective mental state, not limited to a particular time or space. It’s probably more akin to what we call the Infinite Mind of God.

                     I mentioned the planets because our sojourns in those spheres of consciousness symbolized by the planets are what determines our current mental awareness, and in a greater way the Universal Consciousness, where we’d be able to get in touch with our mental awareness accumulated over many death to rebirth sojourns. It’s important to distinguish our mental awareness from our emotional awareness, our feelings. According to Cayce, our mental awareness, including urges and influences that seem to “pop” into our minds, and we don’t know where they come from, are coming from those sojourns in the planetary spheres between death and rebirth, while our emotional awareness is the result of our experiences solely on this Earth sphere, which takes in many incarnations. As I write this, I’m reminded how I need to re-read Steiner’s book “Life Between Death and Rebirth” to understand the influence of the zodiac, which is again different from our sojourns in the planetary spheres of consciousness.

                     All that to say that there’s a lot to take into consideration when we want to analyze the accumulation of thoughts we’ve had over our many lives. So yes, I agree with you Kyle, that tapping into that Universal Consciousness, as well as the Akashic records, can be a huge benefit when it comes to knowledge of our past lives. As Steiner would say, the human being is incredibly complex, the most complex being in the universe. This is why Socrates was incredibly wise to say, “O Man, Know Thyself”, since getting to know ourselves is the beginnings of the path to know the Infinite Mind behind our environment, our universe.

                     Thank you Hazel, for making it possible for these discussions – it’s a great place to flesh out some of our thoughts, without judgment. I say without judgment because we haven’t achieved perfection yet, but we’re a work in progress. We’re the seekers who will eventually find; the knockers at the door of understanding.

                  5. Yes, knock & the door will be opened, aks & you shall recieve…

                     Sorry I have been away for these last days i have not been well so i have not strength for the computer realm…
                     But you are in my thoughts
                     xox

                  6. Thanks for the heads up Hazel – we’ll pray that your strength and a sense of normalcy will return for you. Cheers.

                  7. Here’s a thought I had today, and it relates to your thought of how you can search out your thoughts from past lives. It’s actually a question – while you can presumably get to know yourself better using this idea through your subconscious, how are others, who don’t have access to the Universal Consciousness, supposed to get to know you, or anyone else, since we don’t have access to your subconscious? The only way that comes to mind is if you were to let us in on your discoveries. I’m thinking of this especially when it comes to close relationships, such as marital relationships. How can one get to intimately know their partner, especially all of their past life thoughts, without having access to their partners subconscious, short of the partner being very forthright about what they discover regarding those past life thoughts? If not, it makes for a real trial and error, buyer beware, kind of relationship. Be careful what you’re getting into sort of thing. Maybe Hazel will be learning this in her psychology materials?

            2. Yes, exactly… spheres as modes of perception. Meditation brings one to such spheres, i.e. The Tree of Life.

               Steiner refers to sphere time after time when referring to the different modes of perception across the cultural ages. The reasons why we don’t see the world as the humanity did during the Greco-Roman age. This is why, as another example, we have no idea how the Egyptians built the pyramids they did. We just cannot fathom how they did it. But it all comes down to their sphere of consciousness.

               It is all too inglorious for us to admit that our current mode of perception (sphere) is rather dull compared to times of old. But it is necessary for our own development… for our own freedom, and we need to earn it – consciously.

               This passage shows a way Steiner uses it, and makes sense of where we are today:

               “As the Thoughts pass over into the physical body, they lose their aliveness; they become dead — spiritual dead constructions. Previously, whilst pertaining to Man, they were yet at the same time organs of the Divine Spirit-beings, to whom Man himself pertained. They willed in Man as living forms of Being. And hence Man felt himself through them livingly bound to the spiritual world.

               With his dead Thoughts, he feels himself released from the spiritual world, — he feels himself planted down completely into the physical world.

               But hereby he is at the same time brought into the *sphere* of the Ahrimanic Mind. The Ahrimanic form of mind has no great power in those regions, where the Beings of the Higher Hierarchies keep Man within their own immediate sphere, — either by working within him themselves, as in primeval times, or, as later, by the brightness of their ensouled or living reflection. So long as the workings of super-sensible Beings continue in this way to enter into all the workings of Man, — until, that is, about the fifteenth century A.D. — the powers of Ahriman find within the field of human evolution only a faint echo, one might say, of their strength.”
               -THE MICHAEL MYSTERY GA 26 IV. Michael’s Task in the Sphere of Ahriman

               So the Ahrimanic ‘sphere’ has been here – so to speak – since before the 15th century AD… but we are in a position where this sphere has gained influence over the majority of humanity – planted down, cut off from the spiritual world. This is what I’m getting at. The Mode of Perception, that can be consciously ‘shifted’ out of the Ahrimanic mind. A clear example of the fact that we are ‘in that sphere’ is evident in just about every sector of our lives…. the ‘kinds’ of buildings we make, the music, the economy, agriculture… it’s all Ahrimanic.

               Of course, Ahriman is such a buzz word in the Anthro community and gets thrown around… but seeing it as a ‘qualitative’ term rather than a boogeyman, clears up alot of confusion. Again, an Ahrimanic Sphere is a mode of perception… hence, gives reason why Steiner explains that the consciousness throughout the cultural ages in no way, are static and can even be compared to the consciousness of today – as in, we cannot assume that Man during the 4th epoch saw what we see now… and this will be the same in the 6th, will not see things the way we see it now. And the difference is that it has to be attained consciously. That is the situation, and this is why Steiner has said that the majority of his lectures are for the purpose to wake people up.

               Well, I think platforms like this one, Hazel… definitely serves this purpose. So thank you for that. Any bit of nudging any inspiration these days goes a very long way.

               Reply

               1. I totally get what you are saying about this Ahrimanic Mode of Perception. I have been especially awake to it during this present sickness.

                  Also before that, it is most present for me when I am entering & leaving sleep. I can tell if I have brought spiritual thoughts into or out of the spiritual world – or if I have toiled like a prisoner in the Sphere of Ahriman.

                  Reply

               2. Hi Kyle. I have a bit of extra time this morning, and find myself wanting to respond to a couple of things in your comments that I find interesting.

                  You mention the “Tree of Life” in relation to spheres of perception. I’m assuming you’re referring to something Hazel mentioned the other day, the Kabbalah tree of life, since the different sefirot (attributes, or emanations) are usually illustrated as spheres, and are given the form of the tree of life, which is also the form of the human being. Hazel’s been learning balance lately, and balance is of the utmost importance in this Kabbalah tree of life, as it is in human life.

                  You mention the Pyramids also, and how we marvel at their construction. We like to say that we’re advancing in comparison to ancient societies, but in some ways it seems we’re actually devolving – that is, we’re losing abilities the human being once had. We in Canada see this regularly, where our indigenous peoples, some of them at least, are trying to pass down to the younger generation what they received from their ancestors, fearing that if they don’t it’ll be lost forever. The Pyramids are an example of this; much of their construction was only made possible from the advancements made in the Atlantean civilization. When their continent sank, the Atlanteans fled to other lands, and what we call Egypt now was one of those places they fled to. It’s a shame that the construction abilities those Atlanteans used in helping to build the Pyramids wasn’t passed on; Cayce tells us that someday the Hall of Records will be located, and opened, and perhaps the records found will help in that – he said that the entrance to the Hall is under the right paw of the Sphinx, but to date no one has been allowed by the Egyptian government to explore this possibility, despite the fact that ultrasounds have shown some cavities underground. The Pyramids are also interesting due to their shape, which is certainly a contrast to the spheres we’ve been discussing. If one asks why their peculiar shape, certainly sound and vibrations come to mind. As a musical person yourself Kyle, I know you’ll appreciate that aspect. I have friends who’ve meditated in the Great Pyramid, and any chanting or other sound vibrations are life-changers for them – they never forget it’s effect on them. The pyramid’s shape may also be related to our pineal gland, since it gets its name from it’s pine-cone like shape. This would lend itself to the idea of a pyramid as a holy temple, wherein the Divine was met; this aspect of them would pertain to their use in the initiation process.

                  Regarding dead thoughts, and this idea of the Ahrimanic sphere, I can only give my personal experience. The deadening influence of our physical bodies on Thoughts coming from Divine Spirit beings is a reality; however, the presence of the Christ Mind in us, together with our will’s strength, is able to enliven those thoughts again – this would be considered as a continual resurrection of those Thoughts. I believe, at least I’ve been told, that Prokofieff talks about this, perhaps in his book on The Philosophy of Freedom. Because of this power the Christ Mind in us has, I find it difficult to speak about the Ahrimanic sphere, for the very reason that Ahriman has no power in me, at least not when I’m in attunement with the Christ Mind. But I wonder if this Ahrimanic sphere you mention is related to that Eighth sphere Steiner speaks of? If so, I can see how many people who are experiencing difficulties with Ahriman’s “power” seem to be enmeshed in this Eighth sphere, which I think you’ve said is like a shadow around our Earth sphere?

                  Well, our thoughts are with you Hazel as you work towards getting your physical body back into balance with your mental and spiritual bodies. The sooner that happens the better for us all, since we’re all interconnected, in consciousness at least. Cheers.

                  Reply

                  1. I believe that initiates such as Steiner can penetrate these ‘Halls of Records’ in the Akashic. But, since as Kyle said we do not have the same consciousness as in those times we cannot just start building pyramids, now-a-days.
                     Interesting that you mention the pyramids & the Sphinx. I was just reading ‘Pre-Earthly Deeds of Christ’ where Steiner says the gifts received from these sacrifices allow the human being to stand upright, & walk, speak & think. Because that impulse was so strong starting in Lemurian times Steiner explains that is why they were able to build the pyramids:
                     “After the occurrence of the three Christ-Events, which have again been described to-day from a certain standpoint in their influence on human evolution, came the post-Atlantean epoch. In this evolution the mission of the peoples belonging chiefly to that stage of man’s development known to us as the Egyptian-Chaldean was to recapitulate what had happened for humanity in the Lemurian epoch; but at the same time to permeate it with consciousness. Quite unconsciously man learnt to stand upright in the Lemurian epoch, and to become a speaking being in the Atlantean epoch. Quite unconsciously he took in the Christ-Impulse at that time because his power of thought had not been awakened. In the post-Atlantean times he has had to be led slowly to understand what it was that he had thus taken in unconsciously in prehistoric ages. It was the Christ-Impulse which enabled him to stand upright and look up into the cosmic heights. In the Lemurian epoch man lived as he was obliged to do. Later the peoples of Egypt, who were not yet fully conscious but in a condition preparatory to the attainment of full consciousness, had to be led to revere what dwells in the human power of erectness. The Initiates, whose mission it was to influence the culture of Egypt, taught the people to revere that power by causing them to build the Pyramids which reach up from the earth towards the Cosmos. Even now we cannot but marvel at the way in which, through the working of the cosmic forces into the whole form and position of these structures, this power of the upright is brought to expression. The Obelisks were erected so that man might begin to penetrate into the power of the perpendicular. The wonderful hieroglyphics in the Pyramids and on the Obelisks, which were intended to point to the Christ, awakened to consciousness the super-earthly forces of the Lemurian epoch.
                     As regards the power of speech, however, the Egyptians could not even acquire that dim comprehension which they had for the power which enables man to stand upright. Their souls had first to undergo the right schooling, so that in later times they might be able to understand the riddle — how the Christ lives in man’s gift of speech. That riddle was to be received with the most sacred reverence by the maturing human soul. This was provided for in the most wonderful way by the Hierophants, the Initiates of the Egyptian civilization, when they erected the enigmatic Sphinx with its dumb, granite form which only produced sound under the influence of the Cosmos when the human beings of that day were in an exalted state of consciousness. In the contemplation of the silent Sphinx, from which sound only proceeded at sunrise under certain cosmic conditions and in certain relations, there came to man that deep reverence by which the soul was prepared to understand the language which must be spoken when it would be brought to higher consciousness how the Christ-Impulse gradually enters into the evolution of earthly humanity. That which the Sphinxes themselves could not yet say, although they prepared the way for it, had to be said to mankind. In the forming of the word-movement lies the Christ-Impulse.
                     This was announced to mankind in the words: —
                     In the Primal Beginning was the Word
                     And the Word was with God
                     And a God was the Word.
                     The same was in the Primal Beginning with God.”

                  2. Although humanity has lost or buried much throughout history, there are some ways in which we’ve advanced, and it’s all part of the Divine plan. There are some things about this age of “air consciousness” that I enjoy; being able to read and digest your words Hazel, and Kyle’s words, and Steiner’s words, is one of those advances. That we have a record of Steiner’s words, and we have the Biblical records where someone like Abel, whom Cain slew, still speaks (Hebrews 11:4), can be a great help in our development, assuming that we combine this ability we have with reverence. I mention that proviso, because throughout human history there are those who choose to retard their development, by not availing themselves of the blessings available for us in things such as speech.

                     Instead, some people will always choose to worship the created thing rather than the Creator or, as Paul expressed it, they will “change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:23) Thus, they worship the Sphinx, or the obelisk, or the Pyramid, and lose touch with the spiritual reality that’s behind these images. The Egyptians worshipped many gods, just not the Most High God. But out of the very midst of Egyptian culture, the Most High God formed a nation in those furnaces of affliction in Egypt, a nation that would produce the man Jesus, the one who would become Christ Jesus. This Jesus was initiated in one of those Pyramids, and it’s through Him that God now speaks: “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…” (Hebrews 1:1,2).

                     We may one day return to having one language; Steiner may have mentioned this. But we’ll have developed much in other ways too. As Kyle mentioned, at a future time everything that is internal will be external, so we’ll instantly on meeting someone see all that we need to know about them. On their foreheads will be some sort of identifying mark, the Revelation tells us. Science and technology is helping us to understand and appreciate the power and energy that’s in our speech, even in such mediums as the internet, so keep putting the message out there into the ether – it’s helping those of us who have the Christ Impulse to further develop. Cheers.

                  3. Everything in its season

                  4. I just wanted to acknowledge some of these great last comments here. I don’t have much to add regarding the Pyramids, but I am familiar with the acoustic properties of it. That is awesome, Maverick, that you have friends who have first hand experiences like that. My only close experience to that was at the Mayan pyramid in Chitchen Itza, but the acoustical phenomena was ‘outside’ of it.

                     But the Pyramids – and even other megalithic structures of old – there is the high ‘likelihood’ that mineral substance was softer than it is now. We do know that nothing happens overnight in terms of ages goes or Earth ‘changes’. So it is appropriate to see that Earth’s ‘densification’ has happened gradually. It would then be much easier to work with stone (lifting, forming) than it is now.

                     Back to the ‘musical’ properties of it, I think this is a really important point. There is undoubtedly a kind of sacredness to spaces that have such ‘musicality’. This field can be expanded on, and I believe that there is much potential for this in the near future. It doesn’t mean we have to build pyramids, but simply, ‘work with what we have’. Incredible music can be played on beat up, worn out instruments, and still sound sublime. So we don’t need Pyramids anymore, but, sacred spaces.

                     I am thinking aloud here… but there definitely is something connected with architecture and music. Carpenters still use the Pythagorean theorem, and musician still use the Pythagorean ‘modes’ in a scale. Up until a year ago I was doing the musical stuff, now I am doing carpentry. Of course, you don’t find projects that blend the two ‘mediums’ together… but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t possible, or that it hasn’t been done before (i.e. Pyramids). I’ll bet that an interior of a building with the right form, and material, can produce sympathetic vibrations, so that if a certain tone is produced it would amplify it. Now how would that sound if you are in the middle of it?!

                     Well, Steiner does say that Music in the future will be more focused on one tone… rather, then the relationship of notes together. This is an interesting remark. So how would that be played out? I’ll have to find where he said that, I think somewhere in GA271 (Art and Theory of Art).

                     Apologies if I skipped over other topics covered on this page… hope we can come back to it again. 🙂

                  5. That’s cool that you’re now a carpenter – my former trade. I didn’t want to be just any carpenter; I wanted to be a master carpenter, so my goal was to travel the world, learning the building systems of many countries. I did make some headway on that, but never accomplished all I’d hoped. It was very “Giovanni Papini-like” of me to expect to be one of the best – he, before he wrote his best-known book, “Life of Christ”, had great ambitions to become like a god, if not the God. He had thoughts of coming to America and starting a new race of humanity, with himself as the forerunner. It’s amazing the crazy ideas he had – of course, he was humbled, and wrote one of the best books describing Christ’s life that’s available.

                     Thanks Kyle for taking time out of your busy schedule to make the many comments we’ve been enjoying. And best wishes in the carpentry field. Cheers.

                  6. That’s so awesome. I would love to hear more about your experience as a carpenter. I love to hear how people can be pulled to certain personalities, such Giovanni Papini in your case. There is definitely a connection with architecture and writing.. building, that is. It doesn’t surprise me that someone like Steiner was able to delve into that area – among others. This surely is something we can learn from him, that there is a cross over of many artistic/trade mediums into one another.

                     Cheers to the new Renaissance!

                  7. My grandfather who came on the boat from Italy & Never really learned English was a carpenter. I have a wonderful memory of his strong hard hands. I remember sitting on the porch swing when I was about 7 & he would make it go really high, my grandmother would yell Paulo stop your scaring the child, but I would just laugh. I would hold his big stubby callused hand & trace the lines, marveling at their foreignness. He said in Italian “Jesus was a carpenter”. Once he squeezed my little knee when I asked him if he was strong. I squealed with delight, & we laughed as he smoked his pipe enjoying the swing that he had built.

                  8. Enjoy hearing of such stories. The nation of Italy has been blessed with producing many interesting, and gifted, individuals throughout its history, and it’s seen its share of great historical events as well. Those are some lovely memories you share Hazel. Cheers.

                  9. I’ll keep that in mind, and will mention anything to do with my carpentry experience as it comes up in our discussions, now that I know you’re working in that field. Hazel has an insider’s understanding of why I mentioned Papini, if she remembers something mentioned a few months back.

                     Pertaining more to our “Egypt” discussion, I was reading of an “aura chart” being formulated for a young man by Cayce; an aura chart is similar to a family crest – it’s like a natal chart in symbolic form, so it’s based on the zodiac, and works like a natal chart, from left to right, but uses various symbols to represent prominent characteristics in a person’s many incarnations/excarnations. Anyways, I mention it because for this individual, he gave the symbol of a pyramid as symbolic of a “temple of dedication”, and the sphinx as a symbol of “knowledge, wisdom and understanding”. I find it interesting to think that the entrance to a Hall of Records lies under the sphinx’s right paw, almost like it’s being kept until a future time when humanity is ready to receive the kind of knowledge kept in that Hall. If such knowledge were to be divulged too early, humanity would probably bring about their own destruction by misusing it. While I don’t doubt that an initiate like Steiner would be able to probe such records, I get the impression that Steiner’s insights come more from the spiritual world than through physical records such as would be in this Hall.

                     Speaking of records, that was one of the means Cayce accessed when giving a person a Life reading (Cayce gave differing types of readings – physical suggestions make up the bulk of them, then there were explanation of dreams, and another type was called a combination mental, physical, spiritual reading). Whatever “world” Cayce accessed for a Life reading, there was usually an old man, the keeper of the records, who would hand him a book opened to the pages pertinent to the individual getting the reading. I mention this because I read a unique one this week where, in the place of the old man, it was a woman who handed him the records. He mentioned “…a different form appears…” That’s the first I’d heard of a woman being involved, and the reading was for a woman, and one whose experiences had been somewhat unusual.

                  10. That really is a great story of your grandfather, Hazel. Sounds like quite the individual, embracing life.

                      Maverick, I am interested to hear more – whenever is appropriate – about what and how you’ve been drawn to Papini (if that’s not too much to ask). About over a year ago from now, I had been drawn to an Italian individual myself, but he was alive in the early 19th century – Ugo Foscolo. He was incarnated during the same time frame as Goethe was (born after him, and died before him – only 49 years of age). What is even more strange was how I came about this person, for he is relatively unknown outside Italy. At any rate, such things happen when one researches into things based on ‘hunches’ and ‘signs’.

                      —–

                      Cayce sure is a remarkable figure. When you mention books, and a record keeper of sorts, I am reminded of a certain person (alive) named Robert Moss. He’s a dream teacher/researcher – essentially – and I took some of his courses some time ago. It is interesting what you said about Cayce and the ‘record keeper’, is that Moss had a visualisation exercise regarding a library. Now, you see, he brings you into a guided visualisation of going into a library (and of course, you see it how you imagine it would be), and you end up meeting a record keeper of sorts. This was ‘one’ guided visualisation of several that he did. But what usually happened for me, is that my actual dreams had these guided visualisation carried over into them. In my dream, Mark Twain was my record keeper.. but he didn’t show me any books because he was drinking whiskey and shoo-ing away pesky little goblins that were harassing him.

                      So I wonder how Cayce ‘ended up’ in a place like that… but I do know there is a possibility that one ‘can’ do that. The strange part about dreams tied with guided visualisations, is that one had led to a dream, which ended up being a premonition, of sorts, of a place I ended up (in its likeness) no longer than a few weeks later.

                      Dreams, of course, is a whole other topic. And I thought it was very remarkable, Hazel, when you mention gaining insight -was it?- during the state before sleep and before waking? That does seem to be the most potent time between worlds.

                  11. Once again Kyle, you mention some fascinating thoughts. About Papini, as much as I’d like to share with you, it’s a subject we’re counselled not to speak much of … but, what I find fascinating is that three of us have been carrying on this thread of a conversation, and we all have some connection with Italy, and around the same time frame. This is the way souls move when they’re free to be themselves, when they’re not bogged down in this material world, or chained to their fixed ideas and concepts.

                      I’ve been noticing that those hours before waking seem to be when I dream the most. I had a dream a few years back, where I came into a huge library of books, but it was in an underground location; actually, it was in the side of a mountain. It was a massive room with arched ceilings, all white except for the vari-colored books on shelves. At the time I was working with buildings that use arched aluminum beams with white fabric stretched between them (Sprung structures, you may have heard of them), so I just assumed it had something to do with them. I didn’t meet anyone there; maybe the dream just didn’t last long enough?

                      Yes, Cayce is an interesting individual. I could tell you lots of interesting stories – he’s had several biographies done, but never an autobiography. He wasn’t a writer per se, although he enjoyed writing letters to friends, many of those being attached to readings enabling us to read them today. How he’d meet the keeper of the records is worth recounting though, since this conversation is mostly between us three.

                      He would travel in what he could only describe as a bubble, and it’d be spiralling upward. He’d pass what he termed many levels of consciousness – those levels would have persons who were on the other side, who were longing to tell their story to anyone who would listen. Later, he realized that these persons were the ones whom mediums would contact and learn truths from the spiritual world. Some mediums were content to converse with those on lower levels of consciousness, while some desired higher levels, and were usually what we would call the more successful, well-known mediums, because the accuracy of the information increases the higher one goes. But Cayce pressed on through all these levels until he broke through into a level of bright, pure Light. I liken it in my imagination to flying in a plane, when the plane is rising through the levels of cloud, until it breaks through into that blue sky of light above the clouds. It was in this realm of pure Light where he’d meet the keeper of the records, and it’s because of his persistence in not becoming entangled in the lower levels of consciousness, that his information is so accurate and far beyond human wisdom, and yet much of it forms the basis of what we call human wisdom. Human wisdom as we learn it though, usually becomes adulterated, contaminated, just as Steiner said with thoughts, how they become dead as they enter our physical form, and need to be resurrected through the Christ Impulse working in us. So it’s not enough to read a Steiner lecture or book, or a Cayce reading in my case – those thoughts which came from high places need to be resurrected in us. Because this doesn’t always take place, this is why much of this wisdom becomes adulterated – by people who are satisfied with the lower levels of consciousness, just as those who are satisfied with mediums who channel those lower levels of consciousness. This is how error enters into what once was pure. Once you’ve tasted the brilliance of wisdom that’s come from the highest sources, the lower level stuff just doesn’t interest, although, as Hazel can attest, I’m sure, patience is a virtue – there are many times we’re called on to be patient with those who are enthralled with something from those lower levels.

                  12. Interesting description from both you & Cayce! I have also had library dreams that were in a subterranean rock temple – when waking I often have the sensation that you described from Cayce, like a rising up, in my case from the rock cave into that hypnogogic half awakened consciousness, usually I remember page numbers but not necessarily what book haha.

                  13. It’s very important that you are following the synchronicities – This lets the spiritual world know you are paying attention & that attracts them to you as they are always looking for people like you to co-create with

                  14. It truly is, Maverick, pretty awesome that this thread opened up many different ‘portals’ – if I may say so. I understand what you mean in regards to Papini. Nevertheless, it is remarkable we all have some connection to Italian personalities. What is also synchronistic is that Dante’s death day was yesterday… and Foscolo’s book Last Letters of Jacob Ortis, the main character visits Dante’s grave. So, I do try my best to keep aware of signs even though I might not understand what they ultimately mean… although I’m sure I’ve missed many. Thank you for that affirmation. It always helps to know we are on the right path, and the people we are around do help in that process.

                      Im regards to Cayce, I’m seeing more on what you’ve described as him having a high moral aptitude. This is great, and really important. I can see why you’ve been drawn to him. This moral quality is so vital.

                      —-
                      I’ve never dealt with sprung structures, but it is fascinating how our physical/etheric waking life feeds into our dream world (astral/I). It just goes to show how both the waking state, and dream state are constantly giving each other feedback. This is part of the reason why I have tended to be more selective when and if I ever watch movies and such. It literally imprints images. Of course it’s a relatively new medium, and not many examples of ones who use it consciously. Tarkovsky is one of them.

                  15. Thank you for bringing in that point of being mindful of the kinds of movies & such that we let imprint us. These images are played out in our backward review & have nothing to give thwe spiritual world unless we infuse them with morality & meaning.

                  16. There’s so much garbage in those movies, merely a reflection of our current culture and their interests. I try to find some that are based on true stories that will have some moral value. So true that we carry these images into our world of sleep.

                  17. Regarding how our physical world and astral world work together, one of the lessons I learned relates to travel. I discovered that the places that attracted me to travel to in my search for life experiences turned out to be locations where I’d had previous incarnations. I can’t say that this is true for everyone, but it sure took me by surprise. I had no inkling when I chose to travel to those places that they’d have some significance later in my life. It shows how that huge volume of memories we keep in our subconscious can bubble up into our current life experience, often without our being aware of it.

                      Also, I realized from a statement I read today how even my “intuitive thinking” can result from my previous astrological sojourns. I made a note of this in my “Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path” book (the new name for Philosophy of Freedom) – he said “As we find these are the astrological aspects, which come as those latent forces or influences that are intuitional, or intuitive.” (1444-1, par. 5). I mentioned previously how astrological aspects, including ones from previous lives, can give us mental urges and influences, thoughts which just seem to “pop” into our heads, we know not where from.

                  18. It makes sense that our intuitive thinking connects to past life experience since intuition is a co-creation with the spiritual worlds.

                      For me I certainly notice that I have definite antipathies toward some locations. Like I really don’t want to go to China. I totally resonate with India, Egypt & Ireland from past lives. & I often wonder if I will move to a different state, But I don’t feel the calling…Well that’s not true I feel the calling to live in a Camphill village but CG says it’s not for him…

                  19. That’s interesting that you feel drawn to some places, not to others. I must have had a bad experience with Africa, because I have an antipathy to that continent. I can sure understand your interest in another state – I’ve been surprised to learn how many people getting Life readings, who were living mostly on the Eastern seaboard, had previous incarnations either on the Eastern seaboard, or quite a few who had lived around the Fort Dearborn area, now known as Chicago. I also can understand how you would have an interest in a Camphill community – you have that love for Nature. They have a lovely one on Vancouver Island, Glenora Farm; that was my first exposure to group study of Steiner’s material – the Christian Community that’s in Duncan would go there for it’s meetings; there, and the Sol Center in Duncan.

                  20. Yay, I probably won’t be going on any Safire’s either…xox

                  21. Garbage is quite an appropriate term for it, Maverick! I just recently read the lecture series of Art and Theory of Art. One thing – of many – stood out to me, was how Steiner described ‘good’ or ‘true’ art as not replicating nature or reality. So just as someone may be able to brilliantly copy what they see with their eyes, they are not getting into the spirit of it. For at the heart of the matter, behind nature, is the true artistic ‘potential’. This is evident in the myriad formations in the plant kingdom – for instance. This was part of Goethe’s focus, on the finding the artistic impulse which Nature is formed (I hope I summarised that correctly). Now, holding up art to such a standard… we see that much of what is out there is replicating reality. As Steiner puts it, or perhaps he was quoting Schiller (I cannot remember): if we want to hear/see something that replicates reality, what use is it to do it on a stage when you can just walk outside and see it happening for yourself?

                      This is why I talk about Andrei Tarkovsky so much. Not only does he understand this, but to this day he is the only filmmaker (that I know of) who consciously applies a spiritual scientific understanding to his art. Among Steiner, whom he mentions, he also had to have known of Schiller, for there is a whole interview of him discussing ‘inner freedom’!

                      The Cinema format definitely holds potential. However, it just so happens to be one that can be very costly, so it is no wonder that Hollywood has taken ahold of it from the very beginning. The potential of the format has been misused, and even in the most debased form of it has a tremendous impression on the masses. So I think it is interesting, Maverick, that you mentioned how mentioned that it mostly reflects our current culture and its interests. I may just throw this out there, that perhaps it actually is ‘the source’ that creates our current culture and interests. The name of ‘Hollywood’ is akin to a magic wooden wand.

                      Of course, this is a whole other subject, and perhaps Steiner alluded to this, but I do think that a huge field where certain ‘Occult’ influences hold power is through the cinema. ‘Tell A Vision’. Just see how individuals become ‘entranced’, just staring at the ‘tube’. I mean, really looking at the matter in a spiritual way… it really is quite a bizarre phenomena; how a huge majority of the population can be so enthralled in an artificial electric box. But at the same token, it can also be used as a powerful medium conveying beautifully thoughtful art – such as Tarkovsky’s films.

                      I really wish I took all of this more seriously years ago. I can only imagine what kind of review I’ll have to go through given all the stuff I’ve seen on the ol’ Tube.

                  22. I worry especially for the children who are addicted to this medium which is full of horror

                  23. Interesting you mentioned Fort Dearborn. Hazel knows I lived in Chicago, and even went to the same college as Ultra-Violet. It was when I first moved there in 2001, I lived at the college dorms a block adjacent to Dearborn Station. A side note, that building used to be a printing press and apparently caught fire in the great Chicago Fire. So there is another Fort Dearborn connection for you!

                      The past-lives and geographical location-resonation, sure is a fascinating connection. I read a book awhile back by Michael Talbot, on past lives, and this is one of the things he went on about. Feeling drawn (or repelled even) to certain geographical places does give some indication. I also feel the same, Hazel, in regards to India and Ireland… even Italy and Greece. But one thing is for sure, that quite a few places (not all) I’ve traveled to, I’ve had some strange feelings of familiarity. I’ve also had the feeling that there are places that I’ve felt drawn to, that perhaps I’ve always wanted to go to.. even in a past life. So, the desire to ‘be somewhere’ may have carried over.

                      Whatever the case may be, I do feel that there is some ties with this and that of what Steiner refers to as the Homeless Soul. And this is perhaps due to the impulse behind more and more individuals striving to remember their path through many incarnations… which is one of the characteristics of the new cultural age. Past lives, in general, was not so commonly acknowledged as it is now – regardless if the majority of us understand it or not. For not that long ago, even the idea of reincarnation was a heretical notion – I guess more so in the Western world. And that is something significant.

                  24. Interesting to bring up this idea of the homeless soul…

4. I feel that Vidar has some relation to Vulcan, and the Vulcan Beings. There are some possible clues, given that Vidar is still a figure that has yet to be understood and pertains to the future.

   GA204:
   “Since the 1870s, super-earthly Beings – not of the human order – have been descending (from the sphere lying between the Moon and Mercury) to the Earth for the purposes of their further development, and they enter into relationships with human beings. Just as the Vulcan-men were the last to come down to the Earth so now Vulcan beings are coming into the realm of earthly existence. They are coming down to the earthly slowly and by degrees, and ought to be willingly received.

   In the course of the next centuries more and more spiritual beings will be among us — beings whose language we ought to understand. Vulcan beings, ‘Supermen’ of Vulcan, ‘Supermen’ of Venus, of Mercury, of the Sun, will will gradually come down to the Earth and unite with this earth-existence.

   They desire nothing else than to be the advance-guards of what will happen to earth-existence when the moon is once again united with the earth. The fact there is already a body of spiritual science today is due to the fact that Beings from beyond the earth are bringing the messages from the spiritual world down into earth-existence.

   The substance and content of spiritual science comes from them: they want to give it to us and they want us to act in the sense of spiritual science. Their desire is that spiritual science shall be translated into social behaviour and action on the earth.”

   Then in GA 121 Lecture XI:
   “And if exalted forces are to be aroused in mankind in the future, if we would speak with the words of Vidar, the silent Asa, whom we shall most certainly see before us, he will then become the active friend of co-operative work, of cooperative industry” …… “We know that they are only ***individual sacrificial flames*** which do not separate from one another, but which will unite in the mighty ***sacrificial fire*** that must unite for the good of mankind through the anthroposophical view of life which is so dear to our hearts and is so deeply rooted within our souls.”

   Now, here in the works of Jacob Boehme:
   The Incarnation of Jesus Christ:
   “For the Virgin of the wisdom of God surrounded the Word of life or the centre of the Holy Trinity. Thus the centre was moved, and the heavenly Vulcan kindled the *fire* of love, so that the principle of the flame of love was generated.”

   The Forty Questions of the Soul:
   THE ELEVENTH QUESTION
   How and where is the Soul seated in Man?
   “3.It dwelleth in three Principles, but the Heart is its original; it is the inward fire in the heart, in the inward blood of the heart; and the spirit of it, which hath a 6 glance from the fire, is in the tincture; for it is clothed with the tincture, and burneth in the heart.”
   “4. And the spirit moveth upon the heart in the 1 bosom of the heart, where both Principles part themselves; and it burneth in the tincture as a brimstone light, and diffuseth itself abroad into all the members of the whole body; for the tincture goeth through all the members.
   5. But the true 2 fire-smith in the centre sitteth in the heart, and governeth with the spirit in the head, where it hath its counsel-house, viz. the mind and 3 senses; also the five chief counsellors, viz. the 4 five senses, which exist out of the five spirits of the original, as we have declared in our 5 third book, and in our 6 second, and also in our 7 first.”
   2) Fire-Smith, refers to Vulcanus.

   —–

   Furthermore, there is no Norse counterpart to Vulcan or Hephaestus. It is only known that the Son of Ivaldi, the dwarves Brokkr and Eitri crafted golden locks of hair, Skidbladnir (ship), Gugnir (Odin’s Spear), and Mjiolnir (Thor’s Hammer).

   What I find remarkable about this, is that in order to for Thor to use Mjolnir… it was Vidar’s mother (!) Grid, who gifted Thor with a belt that doubled his stregth and an iron glove so that he can wield it. Also, Vidar himself was said to have had a ‘boot’ which some translations say that that is how he stepped on Fenris’ jaw and was able to pry it open.

   So, even though there is no Aesir or Vanir (that I know of) who is directly linked to blacksmithing – Vidar, at least by association – seems to fit the bill of a being with ‘inner fire’. Even though it was Dwarves who crafted these objects, weapons, it was ultimately Vidar’s mother who helped Thor – in his case – able to wield it.

   Reply

   1. Awesome KJ – Thanks for bringing this research forward – Interesting to contemplate the relationship between these beings. The ‘Supermen’ of Vulcan are coming in from the future to effect the now. And Vidar is coming in from the past in a renewed way; we can call it a promotion to Archangel of the Sun, with the task of working in the now, to help humanity achieve a new clairvoyance of the future that involves the Etheric Christ…

      Reply

   2. Yes, thanks Kyle for some fascinating research – it’s got me thinking about Vulcan, and about present-day “messages” we’re getting from sources like Kryon and the Pleiades. I did a bit of looking into Cayce’s view on Vulcan, and it may interest you. Cayce, although most Anthro’s wouldn’t like to admit, had access to the Akashic records much like Steiner. Someone asked Cayce if Vulcan was a planet, to which he replied:

      “(Q) Is there a planet anciently known as Lilith or Vulcan? (A) Pluto and Vulcan are one and the same. No Lilith. Lilith is a personality.” (826-8, par. 19).

      Now, here’s the reference I found of most interest – it would seem from this that the goal is to become a ray of light which will eventually merge with the source of Light. Also, I wonder if these “super-human beings” Steiner refers to may be the result of such an ego as is mentioned here?:

      “(Q) Now, is it possible for the ego to return to the physical plane again, except through the route of the cradle? (A) That dependent not only upon the mental and spiritual desire of the ego, but also upon the desire of those who study those impressions that are not effaced in the earth. These made one, may bring into being that of the entity in such a manner as to be made, to be seen, felt, heard, and in such there becomes oft danger unless understood. In this is the psychical as one set in motion those of the spiritual force, as is made manifest in each entity, or so in body; this as it moves from sphere to sphere, seeks its way to the home, to the face of the Creator, the Father, the first cause, the all infusible force as is manifest; as the ties of sphere to sphere recede, then self is lost in that of attaining for itself the nearer and nearer approach that buildeth in manifested form, whether in the Pleiades, Arcturus, Gemini, or in earth, in Arcturus, Vulcan, or in Neptune, and seeks to draw that as is experienced through the sphere, passing, then, ever as light, a ray that does not end, lives on and on, until it becomes one in essence with the source of light. Same as the entity this so moves sphere to sphere.” (136-83, par. 16).

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      1. That is interesting about Cayce’s views, Maverick. I don’t want to immediately discredit him, or any other channellers for that matter, but did he not get his messages while in a trance? I admit I don’t know much about him, so I would rather not judge to harshly!

         But that doesn’t make sense to me that Vulcan and Pluto are the same, which would imply that Hephaestus and Hades are the same (?). My stance on that not only comes from the Myths themselves, describing two different beings, but that Humanity during the 4th epoch – or at least part of it, I would assume – actually ‘felt’ them to be real. Now, unless something has changed since then in the spiritual world which would lead Cayce to say something like that, I don’t know.

         In regards to ‘Super-men’, my understanding is that this implies ‘angels’. There is a graph in Heindel’s Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception concerning future development of man. The term ‘Super-men’ is used for current ‘humanity’ in the next phase of Jupiter. While, previous ‘Humans’ in the Moon phase are now ‘Super-men’ (angels) now. If these terms hold true across the board for Heindel and Steiner, then what Steiner may have meant then, is that these are Angels from Vulcan…and that ‘They desire nothing else than to be the advance-guards of what will happen to earth-existence when the moon is once again united with the earth. The fact there is already a body of spiritual science today is due to the fact that Beings from beyond the earth are bringing the messages from the spiritual world down into earth-existence.’

         Now, I don’t know where that all fits into the current pantheon of the spiritual hierarchies, but Steiner explains that ‘Their home is the sphere lying between the moon and Mercury’. The Moon and Mercury? Now that is interesting, because this is a ‘sphere’ that is near the Moon but also the Sun. This seems to be a bridge between Astral and Etheric. I do believe that it is one thing to ignore the Vulcan Beings, but even more so ignore the Angels working with us.

         In GA182, The Work of the Angels in Man’s Astral Body:
         “The astral body is the member nearest to the Ego; obviously, therefore, the answer to this question will vitally concern us. The Angels are the Hierarchy immediately above the Human Hierarchy itself. So the question is not unduly arrogant and we shall see how it can be answered. What are the Angels doing in man’s astral body in this present epoch which began in the 15th century and will last until the beginning of the fourth millennium?

         What is there to be said in the general sense when it comes to answering a question such as this? It can only be said that spiritual investigation, when earnestly pursued, is not a matter of juggling with ideas or words, but works its way into the actual sphere where the spiritual world becomes perceptible … but this question can, in reality, be fruitfully answered only in the age of the Spiritual Soul itself.

         You may think that if this question had been asked in other epochs, an answer would probably have been forthcoming. But neither in the epoch of atavistic clairvoyance nor in that of Greco-Latin civilisation could this question have been answered, because the pictures arising in man’s soul from atavistic clairvoyance obscured his observation of the deeds of the Angels in his astral body. Nothing could be seen of this, precisely because he had in him the pictures given by the atavistic clairvoyance. And in the Greco-Latin period, thought was not as strong as it is today. Thought has been strengthened as the direct consequence of natural science. Hence it is in the epoch of the Spiritual Soul that such questions can be the subject of conscious study. The fruitfulness of Spiritual Science for life must be shown by the fact that we do not just browse on theories but know how to say things of incisive significance for life.”

         GA182 is quite a lecture to read over. The implications are that if the human being ignores the work of the Angel in the Astral (I am paraphrasing, not a quote), they will take it upon themselves to intervene on the Etheric and Physical level. So this is quite a serious matter!

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         1. Thanks for bringing in the Angels working in our Astral bodies – this is extremely important to become conscious of.

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         2. I only mentioned Vulcan and Pluto being the same to bring to your awareness that given our long history, these names have meant different things. It wasn’t an attempt at being dogmatic about it; rather just to be aware that, to the ancients, the name Vulcan may have been used to refer to something other than what we use it for today.

            Cayce is a most interesting man. I’m so glad I met him before Steiner, otherwise I’d be like you, very skeptical. Fortunately for me, I’ve had the chance to go deeply into Cayce’s background. If it were possible to introduce Cayce to Steiner, I know there would be an instant disregard from Steiner. On the other hand, if I were to ask Steiner, when he was preparing to research the Akashic records, to consider this man Cayce, I believe the result would be quite different, due to past incarnations of Cayce.

            In one of Cayce’s incarnations – it may have been a Persian, I can’t recall – he had been mortally wounded and was fleeing from his attackers. He was in a desert, dying, in great pain, and the pain was so severe that he learned that he could leave his body as a means of disregarding the pain he was in. He did die, but carried this lesson with him. Another of his incarnations was as a High Priest (Ra Ta) in what we now call Egypt, circa 10,500 B.C. It was this incarnation that was one of his greatest influences on his entrance as Edgar Cayce. Here is one explanation of his entrance as Ra Ta:

            “But the entrance into the Ra-Ta experience, when there was the journeying from materiality – or the being translated in materiality as Ra-Ta – was from the infinity forces, or from the Sun; with those influences that draw upon the planet itself, the earth and all those about same.” (5755-1, par. 43).

            These were two of his more outstanding incarnations; he had others, but I mention these to point out that there’s more to this individual than you’ll hear about from the folk lore or the internet. I don’t want to belabor this, since this is an anthroposophical blog, but for this very reason, I’ll mention that I believe the archangel Michael spoke on several occasions through Cayce – not a lot of text, but very powerful when he did speak – powerful in the sense that there were wind-like movements of air in rooms where the windows were shut, and a great energy in the room that left everyone shaking with awe and with tears in their eyes at what they’d experienced. Here’s a sample of one of those texts:

            “16. BOW THINE HEADS, YE CHILDREN OF MEN! FOR I, MICHAEL, LORD OF THE WAY, WOULD SPEAK WITH THEE! YE GENERATION OF VIPERS, YE ADULTEROUS GENERATION, BE WARNED!

            17. THERE IS TODAY BEFORE THEE GOOD AND EVIL! CHOOSE THOU WHOM YE WILL SERVE!

            18. WALK IN THE WAY OF THE LORD! OR ELSE THERE WILL COME THAT SUDDEN RECKONING, AS YE HAVE SEEN!

            19. BOW THINE HEADS, YE WHO ARE UNGRACIOUS, UNREPENTANT! FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD IS AT HAND!

            20. THE OPPORTUNITY IS BEFORE THEE! ACCEPT OR REJECT!” (294-208).

            The rest of your comments Kyle I need to re-read and digest, but I wanted to address these issues separately. Cheers.

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            1. That is a great point, Maverick, with what you say: “the name Vulcan may have been used to refer to something other than what we use it for today.” Again, I don’t doubt that Cayce had picked up on something which may perhaps go against preconceived notions of what it it believed to be. If that makes sense.

               You reminded me of several things here. I somehow ended up looking into the Uratia Book, Nebadon… which has a very elaborate and specific hierarchical structure of the spiritual world. I cannot comment much on it, other than it is very detailed, and that is impressive in itself. With the Pleiades, I am reminded of the works of Delores Cannon and her research into it. Also, Drunvalo Melchizadeck. He is someone I was following before I delved into Steiner’s works, even though I went to a Waldorf School. Drunvalo is an interesting figure. Apparently, my dad and some of my relatives met him, and he had aligned my dad’s chakras with crystals. This wasn’t long before I was born (or conceived, for that matter).

               Going of on a tangent here. Back to Cayce. That is quite a powerful statement, of Michael. This also reminds me of another figure… Jacob Boehme. When reading some of his works, I can only imagine how someone like Boehme would be received today. Some of his wording is rather straight to the point without frills, and I would imagine, might offend many people… or, he might very well be perceived as an insane person. But much of what he says holds true if one cares to look past the ‘abrasive’ language – although I didn’t personally find it abrasive, though I can see how some ‘might’ find it that way.

               Thank you for sharing that.

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               1. I see Cayce as an intermediary, a transitional individuality that carried his atavistic clairvoyance into the 20th century as the ‘Sleeping Prophet’ to help people realize that there are spiritual dimensions – Like the spiritualists, but not harmful in the least – He brought much knowledge & healing for many people. I remember my mother read some of his work before she died & it was a balm to her heart.

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                  1. That’s touching, that he was a balm to your mother. If we can be a balm for others to bring some hope and some sanity to their lives, then we can count our lives as worthwhile. Cayce was told that his parents should have named him John, because he was a forerunner for the Christ Consciousness. That’s where I see the two streams meeting, because Steiner also was a type of forerunner of the same consciousness – this is why I said recently that all extremes meet in Christ. (Steiner might have preferred to see himself as carrying on something begun in Aquinas and Rosenkreutz, rather than being a forerunner. But I think Cayce, at least to the American people, really was a forerunner – he tried to direct those who were going astray with Spiritualism and materialism, back to the understanding that Christ was the Way to the Father).

                  2. I totally see that too…Perfectly said…

               2. Good point about Boehme; I have to go back and re-read him sometime in future, but he reminds me of someone who recognized the importance of being a ray of light that will someday be reunited with the Source of light.

                  By the way, have you heard from Steve Hale lately Hazel? He’s usually weighing into these discussions, but has been strangely silent. Did you throw him off with your recent changes in direction?

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                  1. haha, yes, dear Steve, not sure, i have been thinking of him as well. Perhaps I’ll shoot him an email to check-in…
                     xox

               3. Apologies for pasting the quote twice on my last comment. Perhaps you can delete it?

                  I was saying, the term I meant was ‘homeless soul’. This passage has been one that has lingered in my mind for quite some time:

                  THE MISSION OF FOLK-SOULS GA 121 Lecture I

                  “ Perhaps you will better understand what we mean if you remember, that at a certain stage of mystic or occult development one is called a ‘homeless man.’ This designation is a technical one, and if we wish to characterize without further ado — as we are not now speaking about the path of knowledge — what is to be understood by the term ‘homeless man,’ we may briefly say, that a man is called ‘homeless’ when, in his knowledge and grasp of the great laws of humanity, he cannot be influenced by all that usually arises in a person through living in his native country. A ‘homeless man’, we might also say, is one who is able to identify himself with the great mission of humanity as a whole, without the various shades of the particular feelings belonging to this or the other home-land playing any part. This will show you that a certain degree of maturity in mystical or occult development is necessary, in order to have a liberal point of view regarding something which we otherwise rightly consider great, which, in contradistinction to individual human life, we describe as the Mission of the several Folk-spirits, as that which brings, out of the foundations of a people, out of the spirit of the various peoples, the separate concrete contributions to the collective mission of humanity.
                  We shall therefore describe what we may call the greatness of that from which the ‘homeless man’ must in a certain respect free himself. Now the ‘homeless’ men of all times, from primeval ages down to our own day, have always known, that if they were to characterize in all its fullness that which is described as the character of homelessness, they would meet with very, very little understanding. In the first place a certain prejudice would be brought against these homeless men, which would be voiced in the reproach: ‘You have lost all connection with the nation from which you have sprung; you have no understanding for that which is usually most dear to a man’. This, however, is not really the case.
                  Homelessness is in reality — or at least it may be so — a détour or roundabout way, so that, after this sanctuary of homelessness has been attained, the way may be found back to the folk, in order to be in harmony with what is permanent in the evolution of mankind. Although it is necessary to begin by drawing attention to this, on the other hand it is also not without reason, that just as the present time, that which we call the Mission of the several Folk-souls of humanity, should for once be spoken of quite impartially. Just as it was right that, to a certain extent, silence should be maintained regarding their mission until the present time, there are good reasons why one should now begin to speak of this mission. It is especially important, because the fate of humanity in the near future will bring men together much more than has hitherto been the case, to fulfill a common mission for humanity. But the individuals belonging to the several peoples will only be able to bring their free, concrete contributions to this joint mission, if they have, first of all, an understanding of the folk to which they belong, an understanding of what we might call ‘The Self-knowledge of the Folk.’ In ancient Greece, in the Apollonic Mysteries the sentence ‘Know thyself’ played a great rôle; in a not far-distant future this sentence will be addressed to the Folk-souls; ‘Know yourselves as Folk-souls’. This saying will have a certain significance for the future work of mankind.”

                  https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA121/English/APC1929/19100607p01.html

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                  1. Ah yes, tHIS IDEA OF TRANSENDENTING NATION , OF FEELING YOURSELF TO BE SIMPLY HUMAN

                  2. That’s interesting; I hadn’t come across that where Steiner speaks of the “homeless man” – if I had, it would have resonated instantly. I’ve considered myself a homeless man for about 40 years, ever since reading about Abraham being called by God to leave his hereditary family and the nation of Ur he’d been raised in. I was able to instantly identify with him. Later I found out why – in the epistle to the Hebrews I learned that Abraham “went out, not knowing where he was going … he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10). Then, in the Revelation that Jesus Christ gave to John, that city is described in the last two chapters, coming down out of heaven. It’s not the kind of city that we’re accustomed to.

                     Don’t know if you’ve heard the name Rich Mullins – he was a Christian singer/songwriter who died too early. He wrote a couple of songs about Christ’s life as a homeless man, one who always found some sort of shelter, but never truly feeling at home in this world. There’s a whole documentary called Rich Mullins – Homeless Man; here’s just a short excerpt from it of author Brennan Manning, a good friend of Rich’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T60w9VEnbIw

                     So yes, I’d certainly classify myself as one of these homeless men, even though I have somewhere to lay my head, which is more than Jesus had at times. I’m looking for the same city that Abraham was looking for – I’m sure this would be the city that Steiner says the Folk-souls would belong to.

5. Lots of war stuff throughout history on today’s date! The Aldous Huxley quote was a good one, especially if you saw Ukraine’s president Zelensky’s tweet about history repeating itself: https://twitter.com/zelenskyyua/status/1498697538085568514

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   1. Yes, I thought that was significant being that it is the Feast day of the god of volcanos

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      1. Erupting of volcanoes certainly fits – one Google search said that Vulcan was thought to be a god, or the god, of the underworld. Haven’t looked into what Steiner said about Vulcan, but it’s interesting that the outermost planet (some don’t consider it a planet) in our galaxy, unless it changes again, would be representative of a god of the underworld!

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