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The Rudolf Steiner Archive

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Search results 1591 through 1600 of 6552

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250. The History of the German Section of the Theosophical Society 1902-1913: The Latest Developments I 20 Mar 1913, The Hague

I don't want to add anything else to these things for the moment; after all, the more you add, the less tolerable things become – I just want to ask whether our feelings in Berlin when our friends decided to work towards finally drawing a line under it were justified, whether we can assume, take for granted, that our friends would feel: It is impossible for me to speak to those who continue to call themselves confessors of Misses Besant.
Much of what was impossible to achieve within the Theosophical Society because of its prejudices, because it was opposed to narrowly defined traditions, can be achieved in the Anthroposophical Society, and those who want to see will see that the breadth of perspective that we need in our present time is to be tried out now, so that what flows down from the spiritual worlds in our time, in the way of spiritual wisdom and spiritual will impulses, can benefit a part of humanity that has an understanding for it. That is why this first cycle, which is being held here before you, my dear Theosophical friends, and which is the first cycle of the established Anthroposophical Society, seems to me to be particularly worthy of celebration.
250. The History of the German Section of the Theosophical Society 1902-1913: The Latest Developments II 29 Mar 1913, The Hague

We will increasingly feel that what has happened is a liberation; but many things will have to be understood, my dear friends. We have noticed in particular in Germany that a certain movement with pretensions has emerged, the truthful description of which would be nothing short of an outrage; because the way, for example, our opponents in Germany have , which led to the necessary defense, showed everywhere, in every point, the opposite of what must be striven for by a real occult movement, showed everywhere a desire for tyranny poured into objective untruths.
And the one who examines will be able to find this ancient, sacred criterion of real understanding of the occult realized precisely in our ranks. Mocking real occultism was the demand that, for example, the German section had to accept anyone who, in their own opinion, but not in the opinion of this section, had to belong to it.
It has come to the point that in the last “Mitteilungen” it had to be said that one of the representatives of the “Besant system” in Germany went so far as to say that he did not understand how that strange boy could have gone through the kind of development he was supposed to have gone through.
250. The History of the German Section of the Theosophical Society 1902-1913: The Origin and Development of the Anthroposophical Movement 25 Sep 1920, Dornach

I did not think the time had come then to come out openly under the real flag of the Anthroposophical Movement. And so I said at the time: I already know a name that should be given when this movement takes on a reasonable form; but I need it later, I don't want it misused yet.
And if the anthroposophical movement had not sensed that it had to absorb social elements within itself, or rather, had to allow them to emerge from itself, then it would have proved to be just any old sect standing in the corner, but not as that which it was meant to be from the very beginning: the renewal of spiritual life from the original spiritual source for the developmental needs of modern humanity. This should be fully understood within our movement. And above all, it should be understood that if anthroposophy is to fulfill its task, then it must actually pour its currents into all the individual branches of modern knowledge, it must take hold of all science.
For if we had not this ghastly specialization in individual sciences alien to life, if we did not have this lack of understanding of life through these separate individual sciences, then we would not have been driven into the misfortune of recent years.
250. An Impulse for the Future 15 Dec 1911, Berlin
Translated by Frank Thomas Smith

In other opportunities I have already emphasized the difference between founding and endowing. It was many years ago. It was not understood then, and since then hardly anyone has thought about this difference. Therefore the spiritual powers which stand before you under the symbol of the Rose Cross have also overlooked bringing this difference to the world.
What is described as the “Theosophical Way” is in a beginning stage, for the preparations must still be made in order to understand what is meant. But what is understood with the concept of theosophical art has already begun in many ways by the performances in Munich and above all the meaningful beginnings in Stuttgart; and an additional important advance for the understanding of these things is shown by the Johannes building [in Munich].
If you think that what I am saying is somewhat curious, then please understand it thus: that it happens in full consciousness that what is therewith preserved is everything which belongs to the eternal laws of being.
251. The History of the Anthroposophical Society 1913–1922: The Essence of Anthroposophy 03 Feb 1913, Berlin
Translator Unknown

– but it is certainly difficult to introduce into the modern life of the spirit enough understanding to enable people to feel Dante’s Beatrice and Philosophy as equally real and actual. Why is this?
In reality it is deeply symbolic when we take up Hegel’s philosophy, especially the Encyclopedia of the Philosophical Sciences, and find as the last thing in this nineteenth-century book, a statement of the way in which philosophy interprets itself. It has understood everything else; finally, it grasps itself. What is there left for it to understand now? It is the symptomatic expression of the fact that philosophy has come to an end, even if there are still many questions to be answered since Hegel’s days.
This is the progress of the history of human evolution in relation to the spiritual facts under consideration. And now I leave it to all those, who wish to examine the matter very minutely, to see how it may also be shown in detail from the destiny of Sophia, Philosophia and Anthroposophia, how humanity evolves progressively through the soul principles which we designate the intellectual soul (the soul of the higher feelings), the self-conscious soul and the Spirit-Self.
251. The History of the Anthroposophical Society 1913–1922: First General Assembly of the Anthroposophical Society 03 Feb 1913,

The leaders of our study group present in Berlin will be able to tell you that under the pressure of the difficult circumstances here, our life force is strengthened by looking up to him who guides us so wonderfully through writing and word.
They therefore fully support all the numerous protests by other domestic and foreign branches of the Theosophical Society against the attempts, which are incompatible with a love of truth and a theosophical attitude, to hinder and undermine Dr. Steiner's beneficial and self-sacrificing work, and consider membership of the Order of the Star in the East to be incompatible with membership of the Theosophical Society due to the unbrotherly antagonistic attitude towards the person and teachings of Dr.
251. The History of the Anthroposophical Society 1913–1922: Discussion About the Founding of a Trading Company “Ceres” 06 Feb 1913, Berlin

It would be a mistake to choose a commission. We have to develop understanding and act on the basis of the original initiative. We can only be understanding consumers as an Anthroposophical Society.
Measures of value are basically false, and if we want to gain understanding, we must gain this understanding by not basing ourselves on a foundation that has not fundamentally improved the social order.
To do that, we need to talk a little, so that understanding is gained and not just among the small circle of those present, which is a small circle for 2,500 members.
251. The History of the Anthroposophical Society 1913–1922: Second Farewell Address to the General Assembly 08 Feb 1913, Berlin

It is so that one must take it seriously, because it is a very strong accusation in the present, and effective if it were believed in relation to the inner, to the hateful motives. And with regard to the other underlying motives of Mrs. Besant, I find only a slight difference compared to another accusation that came across my eyes, from a letter that is one of a whole series of letters.
251. The History of the Anthroposophical Society 1913–1922: The Obligation to Distinguish 20 May 1913, Stuttgart

But it happens time and again that these or those misunderstandings, these or those things open to misunderstanding, creep into our ranks. The one who can understand this best, the one who can really understand this well, is really myself. But if nothing were said at all, it would not work either.
That is why I would like to make a heartfelt request to you not to live too much by this need for peace. Misunderstandings arise easily, understandably. And if I had always been understood since 1907, many things would not have come about that quite understandably did come about.
I must keep emphasizing such things. It should be understood that it is not a license for anything if a person calls himself a Theosophist. The rejection of the Jesuit accusations that originated in Germany and which Mrs.
251. The History of the Anthroposophical Society 1913–1922: Second General Assembly of the Anthroposophical Society — Day One 18 Jan 1914, Berlin

I don't know how widely this expression will be understood; but members who live further away and don't understand it can ask their friends in Berlin what a “Konzessions-Schulze in the disguise of a superman” is.
And how many are there who are able to bring the necessary interest and understanding to such endeavors? It is understandable that a pioneering undertaking like this one must meet with great resistance, especially from the partisans of the dualistic and monistic schools.
He then thought that since he is Polish, it would be nice if he could perhaps become Secretary General in Warsaw. But when he realized that under Besant's aegis the matter was becoming shaky, he thought he would do better if he could work under Dr.

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