2-21-98 RUDOLPH STEINER

Often described as one of the greatest spiritual teachers of the modern age, Rudolph Steiner was born in Austria, became head of the German branch of the Theosophical Society, and finally founded his own organization which he named the Anthroposophical Society. Its purpose was to promote a new form of spiritual science (Anthroposophy) based in "The Mystery of Golgatha".

Steiner's contributions to the various fields of knowledge are so penetrating and far-reaching that many scholars have trouble even trying to articulate or summarize them. When we look at the three basic fields of knowledge, science-philosophy, art and religion, we find Steiner's creative contributions everywhere! He made commentaries on all the philosophers of antiquity and of his own day -- philosophy had been his primary field of academic study. The philosophy of science also received his detailed attention. He taught how each of the various art forms, namely: architecture, sculpture, painting, music, poetry, sacred dance and drama, could be brought into greater alignment with Spirit both in theory and practice.. He wrote his own Mystery Plays, designed buildings, created paintings and sculptures, wrote poetry and even created a new form of art which he called Eurythmy, which combined sacred dance and sound. In the field of religion, he encouraged a group of Lutheran ministers and lay people to form a "The Christian Community" based in the principles of Anthroposophy and "The Mystery of Golgatha."

He gave out a whole new theory of education which is now represented in hundreds of Waldorf Schools throughout the world. He founded Bio-Dynamic Agriculture, a more esoteric approach to growing healthy vibrant food. He created a new paradigm for the healing arts, which is now called Anthroposophical Medicine. And finally, he attempted to give the world a proper understanding of social and political life in lectures such as "Social Renewal". His fundamental message in this arena was that there are three great social institutions, the religious-educational-cultural arm, the legal-political arm and the economic arm of society. Each needs to remain separate and autonomous from the others if society is to function smoothly.

His work did not stop here. In a series of books and lectures he attempted to give us a vision of where we have come from, where we are going and where we are now in the grand cycle of human evolution. He laid out seven great planetary Cycles, three which have already passed, three which lie in the future and the fourth (earth evolution) which we are living in now. This fourth major Cycle has seven subdivisions of which we are now in the fifth, called "The Post-Atlantean Epoch." This fifth epoch also has seven sub-divisions: the Vedic civilization, the Persian, the Egyptian, the Greek, and our present fifth civilization called the Fifth Post-Atlantean, which will be followed by two more civilizations. Then our earth Cycle will come to a close followed by the fifth major planetary Cycle called "Jupiterian" by Steiner and then a "Venusian" and a "Vulcan" Cycle.

This cosmology is not based solely in impersonal forces, such as we find in Vedic descriptions of history, but also in the many unique contributions of individuals whose efforts span more than one life according to Steiner. In his series of lectures entitled "Karmic Relationships" Steiner tries to show how certain great people help shape history through repeated earth lives as different personalities.

The restoration of the doctrine of reincarnation was an important part of Steiner's work; in fact, possibly his crowning achievement. He himself admitted to being a reincarnation of Thomas Aquinas and he also gave many other wonderful examples of how a great person in one life plays a different role in another life, sometimes significant and sometimes not.

The problem with Rudolph Steiner and his teaching was it was so broad in scope and so visionary that virtually all students of Anthroposophy remain content (or intimidated) to merely carry his torch. And people who only feel qualified to tend another's flame, often do so in increasingly rigid and even dogmatic ways, which in the case of Steiner's students in particular, is totally contrary to the spirit of Anthroposophy.

Another problem was that Steiner came from a European tradition steeped in conservative intellectualism. He was also trained in western philosophy. Thus, the book he felt would be his greatest and most lasting contribution, "The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity", is too difficult for most people to review, much less understand.

Yet another problem was Steiner's failure to clearly specify the stream of spiritual evolution from which he, himself, taught: the path of Gyana Yoga. This is the same mistake made by many other spiritual teachers of the past, but a forgivable one, considering the absence of The Art of Multi-Dimensional Living during their time. Steiner attempted to both upgrade Gyana Yoga for modern man and, at the same time, offer an integral approach to spirituality (an integral yoga) for all people, without clearly differentiating these two approaches. This is a monumental error which leaves many of his present day students in consternation over why they comprehend and appreciate some aspects of his teaching and not others.

Steiner lived during a time when the Veda was gaining renewed popularity in the west. He saw the dangers of this authoritarian-based model for modern day western people and, in reacting against it, blurred the distinction between the teachings of the ancient Veda (first Post-Atlantean Civilization) and those of the living Veda that continues to evolve alongside developing humanity.

Another defect in his teaching was Steiner's refusal or inability to discuss individual caste natures with the same degree of specificity as he discussed social caste institutions. This may have been a "political" decision on his part necessitated by the conservative intellectual climate of his times. Although Steiner talked a great deal about the science of the stars, it was usually in the context of cosmology, rather than specific expressions of astrological principles to any of the eight fields of living. In other words, his emphasis was too theoretical and lacking sufficient application. Genuine spiritual SCIENCE is necessarily tied to astrological principles and their applications and this is one of the major differences between Steiner's and my own definition of spiritiual science and its value in daily life.

The efforts of Anthroposophists to create an astrology based in Steiner's spiritual science -- what they call Astrosophy -- is a worthwhile one, but up to the present, Astrosophy has shown only meager results. These good intentioned people have only tapped into the most peripheral issues of astrology and the fact that they have, in some form, grasped the two ends of life's spectrum, relative life and astrology and spiritual life and Anthroposophy, does not mean that they have been able to join them into some meaningful whole and/or an applied science.

Steiner's destiny related to a powerful Jupiter. It was his task to preserve the best of the ancient Mystery Traditions by making this knowledge more public. It was also his task to create new knowledge-based forms of community such as the Waldorf Schools and centers for Bio-Dynamic Agriculture. Sometimes this preservative function demonstrated by Steiner is at odds with the organizing power of the creative teaching function, which not only makes knowledge fascinating, but also easily understood, coherent and relevant. What I am describing here is the difference in caste nature between a Kshatriya and a Brahman and how each deals with knowledge. It is a subtle and possibly controversial point to raise, but an important one.

It is partly the magnificence and comprehensiveness of Steiner's contribution which has required me to also set forth certain shortcomings in his teaching. Hopefully, this emphasis will not leave the wrong impression with the reader. Steiner's Anthroposophy is a form of spiritual teaching which all can benefit from, because it unfolds, in great depth, what were formerly the more esoteric teachings of Christianity and their relationship to the ancient mystery traditions. It also describes in scientific form the various states of consciousness and the whole science of modern spiritual initiation However, it is probably only Gyan Yogis who will be drawn to, and will benefit most from the deepest aspects of his work, namely: the teachings of the path of knowledge . This aspect of his work was begun in his "Philosophy of Spiritual Activity" and concluded with his lecture series entitled "Karmic Relationships."

Steiner's Anthroposophical teachings have a number of basic divisions: 1) the Cosmic Christ and his role in human evolution; 2) spiritual initiation and the various states of consciousness; 3) cosmology and human evolution; 4) the relationship of spiritual science to all the various disciplines of knowledge; 5) the path of knowledge - the creation of a modern form of Gyana Yoga for western people. The important point is that, since Steiner taught out of the stream of Gyana Yoga, the path of intellect or pure knowledge, this approach colors all other aspects of his teaching, so that no matter which of the other above mentioned subjects one is addressing, he will find the material "too intellectual", "too difficult" or some such expression, if one is not also of this same spiritual stream.

I am not suggesting these things to denigrate his contributions in these four other areas, but to give solace to those who have difficulty with assimilating Steiner's basic knowledge. I have counseled many Anthroposophists regarding these very issues and find that until these distinctions are clear in their mind, they often suffer great conflict in their soul. This is particularly true of those who have been drawn to Steiner's work through one of his applied disciplines like Bio-Dynamic Agriculture or Waldorf Education. Some of these people are comfortable with the more mundane aspects of Anthroposophy, but not its inner core. When they discover their own path and that it is different from that of pure knowledge, they are soothed and can often continue in their Anthroposophic work by taking a new angle to it both internally and externally.

One can come to Love through Wisdom and to Wisdom through Love. Steiner followed the former approach, but gave due emphasis to the latter as well. In this sense his teaching is universal, but his discussion of Love always stemmed from his strength of personality (the intellect) and consequently did not have the same impact as when expressed by those on paths more related to the heart. This is a cosmological fact, a unique display of the principles of The Art of Multi-Dimensional Living in the life of this great sage.