What can the human being (Anthropos) of today do
to recognize our inherent wisdom (Sophia) –
to access the source of spiritual knowledge,
for our own inner development,
for the evolution of the earth
& for all of humanity?
By transforming ourselves we change society & are better able to put the riddles of existence into perspective, reflecting & speaking to our need to relate to the world out of a spiritual scientific attitude of mind, as well as our basic artistic needs, & the need to develop a relationship to the world in complete freedom.
Anthroposophia can truly be embodied thru our practice of Spiritual Science, bringing into focus the essential nature of our humaness, in light of our evolution of consciousness.
What does Spiritual Science give us? By revealing the all-embracing laws of karma & reincarnation, it shows us the existence of an objective, wisdom-filled spiritual world that is accessible by direct experience thru inner development – which permeates us with Hope.
It shows, if we understand karma, that our physical body, which will pass away into dust when we go thru the gate of death, can, thru the forces permeating us with hope, be re-built for a new life. Spiritual Science fills us with the strongest forces of hope.
But if we can’t truly live into Spiritual Science – the new revelation for our present age – if we get stuck in the intellect, or act from a place of exclusion like the Essences, we will still be able to reincarnate, because of Christ’s deed on Golgotha – which planted the seed for our physical resurrection in ages yet to come. Yes, because of this grace, physical life on earth goes on, despite people’s ignorance of its spiritual nature.
Human beings can reincarnate again; but, Steiner reveals, that “there would begin to be something very strange about these incarnations…To put it simply, a condition of dying away, of withering, would assail humankind if their consciousness, and from there the hidden depths of their being right down into the physical body, were not given fresh life through the power of hope.”
This power of hope arises thru the certainty of wisdom gained thru the laws of karma & reincarnation. Karma = Hope
“Faith is the source of the true future. It makes space for grace, and that is what constitutes the power and validity of the promise that has been made to all generations…~Romans 4:16.
Faith, Love, & Hope, are the 3 stages in the foundation of our essential soul nature. It is impossible for a human being to thrive if our 3 sheaths are not warmed thru – permeated, & strengthened by these virtues, which are necessary for health & for life itself – When cultivated, Faith, Love, & Hope are the basic forces that fortify & transform our astral, etheric body, & physical bodies.
I admit that I have heard these virtues spoken of many times before, & have not done anything with them. Harkening back to my bible school days, I remember how they usually appear as set forth in the order given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, where we hear all about the importance of Love, ending with: “Three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.”
It’s powerful to reclaim these virtues now in the light of Anthroposophy.
~hag
3 December 2022 – “Speaking with the Stars”: Asteroid 324 Bamberga steals the spotlight this month with a path that takes it near Algol, the Demon Star. Already high in the east an hour after sunset, Algol is an eclipsing binary star that grows dimmer as its unseen companion passes in front of it and brighter as its circling orbit moves it away once more.
The large main-belt world stays close to the Demon Star all month, while the nearby Moon will slide on by over the next several days, leaving darker skies in its wake.
Sunrise: 7:05 A.M.
Sunset: 4:35 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:11 P.M.
Moonset: 2:23 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (81%)
Rudolf Steiner’s Lectures on this day
Holiday Market at the Rudolf Steiner Branch
4249 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago
10 December 2022 – from 11 am – 4 pm
Handcrafted gifts, décor & toys
Featuring Live Music, Puppetry & Candle Dipping!!!
If you would like to be a vendor contact Elizabeth Kelly
eilisaineariadne@gmail.com
The ‘Envy of the Gods’ – The ‘Envy of Human Beings’
Presented by Adriana Koulias*
A Winter Solstice offering preparing us for the Centennial commemoration of the burning of the first Goetheanum.
21 December 2022, at 5 pm PT, 6 pm MT, 7 pm CT, 8 pm ET
Here is a link to the World Clock for your time zone
Online & in-person at the Rudolf Steiner Branch Chicago
Dear Friends – This special presentation is supported by your generous donations. $10-$50 or pay what you will www.rschicago.org/donate (credit card or PayPal)
Please type ‘Adriana’ in the memo for your payment
To register & receive the Zoom code email your receipt of payment to the Cultural Events & Festivals Coordinator Hazel Archer-Ginsberg hag@rschicago.org
For those attending in-person doors open at 5:30 pm for our Potluck meal. Please bring food & drink to share.
Work on building the First Goetheanum, which was designed and supervised by Rudolf Steiner, began after the laying of the double dodecahedron foundation stone on the 20th of September 1913. Construction proceeded for a decade under enormous difficulties in the political, economic and cultural realms, brought on by the advent of the First World War. After the war when the building was near completion, the First Goetheanum was destroyed by an arsonist on New Year’s Eve 1922/1923.
This NYE 2022-23 will be the 100th anniversary of this event and the world is again facing many difficulties, political, economic and social. Adriana’s lecture will explore what Rudolf Steiner meant by the ‘Envy of the Gods and the Envy of Human beings’ and how a consciousness of this during the coming 12 Holy Nights can provide the necessary strengthening for the coming twelve months.
During this presentation Adriana will speak about the three gifts given by Rudolf Steiner in 1913: The naming of Anthroposophy, The Fifth Gospel, and The Laying of the Foundation Stone of the First Goetheanum. She will explore with us how we can link our hearts to the old Goetheanum during the coming 12 Holy Nights to prepare ourselves for the coming 12 months in 2023, so we can work towards a Cosmic New Year.
In this way we will celebrate the Jubilee of the Christmas Conference and the resurrection of the living impulse of the First Goetheanum in the most auspicious way.
For Rudolf Steiner tells us: ‘My dear friends, may this link our hearts to the old Goetheanum which we had to consign to the elements. May it link our hearts also to the Spirit, to the Soul of this Goetheanum. With this vow before whatever is best within our being we want to live on not only into the new year. In strength of deed, bearing the spirit, leading the soul we want to live on into the new cosmic year.’ ~Rudolf Steiner, ‘The Envy of the Gods and the Envy of Human Beings.’
Adriana Koulias was born in 1960 in Brazil. Adriana moved to Australia when she was 9 years old where she lives today. She has studied art, operatic singing and nursing. She has been studying Anthroposophy (awareness of our humanity) as given by Rudolf Steiner for 33 years and has since 2002-3 integrated this knowledge into several novels and a number of books, international lectures and articles online and in magazines.
Hazel, these words are important, and especially where you say:
“But if we can’t truly live into Spiritual Science – the new revelation for our present age – if we get stuck in the intellect, or act from a place of exclusion like the Essences, we will still be able to reincarnate, because of Christ’s deed on Golgotha – which planted the seed for our physical resurrection in ages yet to come. Yes, because of this grace, physical life on earth goes on, despite people’s ignorance of its spiritual nature”.
Yet, the intellect is the primary means to comprehend Spiritual Science. This is proven by Steiner’s own introduction to it with the small book, “Truth and Knowledge”. Herein, he combats every argument against the possibility of meeting the soul and spirit in the life between birth and death. As such, he only compounded it with his magnum opus, “The Philosophy of Freedom”. Later, in 1918, he expanded the book in order to incorporate more of his spiritual-scientific researches, and it became retitled as, “The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity” in order to especially appeal to his american audience.
Do you know why? Because we americans think we are free when we are not.
Yes, we think we are thinking, but most often we are not.
It is Heart-Thinking not head thinking that we need to cultivate
O Light Divine!
Christ, Sun!
May Thy warmth fill our hearts,
Enlighten our heads,
That good may become
What we from our hearts would found,
From our heads direct
With single purpose.
Amen