Donate books to help fund our work. Learn more→

The Rudolf Steiner Archive

a project of Steiner Online Library, a public charity

Search results 401 through 410 of 6552

˂ 1 ... 39 40 41 42 43 ... 656 ˃
96. Original Impulses fo the Science of the Spirit: How We Come to Christianity through the Science of the Spirit 27 Apr 1907, Berlin

I said that Paul went forth to speak of Christianity, and that he founded the esoteric Christian school under Dionysius in Athens. We are going to explain the parables in the way they were explained at that time.
We come to understand such a parable if we enter more deeply into its meaning. One thing to be considered from the beginning is that it is in Luke's gospel and does not appear in the other gospels.
If we take it seriously we'll grasp the profound significance and understand that the rich man may indeed be compared to the divine regent of this world. The analogy does indeed exist—rich man and divine regent of the world.
96. Original Impulses fo the Science of the Spirit: Three Ways of Being Personal 12 Jun 1907, Berlin

It is meant to play a role in practical life, be concerned with education, come to be at home in all branches of practical life. Those who have deeper insight and understanding of the true impulses of theosophy will know, even today, what opportunities this theosophy will provide in the future.
135 He sought to follow the mystery plays of old. The underlying intention was to let theosophy crystallize in the developing structure of the world. The programme was in a solemn and festive red, showing a black cross with roses wound around it against a blue background.
The initials given on the programme reflected the underlying thoughts.136 Today I would like to consider some questions that may come up in relation to this.
Original Impulses fo the Science of the Spirit: Preface

If one reads Emil Bock’s studies of that period in Steiner’s life and work,1 it is evident that these were themes that must have taken people aback a bit in circles where much devotion had been given to cultivation of the past. Mrs Besant understood this very well and did not consider it a problem, as may be seen from a letter she wrote to Dr Hübbe- Schleiden, the president of the Theosophical Society in Germany: London, 7/6/07 Dear Dr Hübbe-Schleiden, Dr Steiner’s occult training is very different from ours.
96. Karma and Details of the Law of Karma 15 Oct 1906, Berlin
Translated by Dorothy S. Osmond

Thus, we have here to do with creative life, with a creative body which underlies the physical body that can be touched in space. This etheric body is the bearer of a man's habits.
It is important to study these examples individually because only so can we really understand life. It must again and again be stressed that the idea of Karma, rightly understood and to be found in Christianity, must never be thought to contradict the teaching of the Redemption.
When, in the future, these things are rightly understood, it will become evident for the first time that Theosophy is not an opponent of any confession that has a genuine foundation and how it leads far rather to a true understanding of it.
96. The Lord's Prayer: An Esoteric Study 28 Jan 1907, Berlin
Translated by Floyd McKnight

Man is today essentially a consciousness, or understanding being, whereas in many ways his will is limited. He understands the surrounding world as a totality—that is, to a certain degree—but has no real control over all that he penetrates with his knowledge.
Through the Lord's Prayer, the petitioner, at the time when he uses it, may rise to understand the full meaning of the development of his seven-principled human nature. It follows that even when the users of these seven petitions are the simplest people, who do not necessarily at all understand them, these petitions express for them, too, the spiritual-scientific view of human nature.
Only this manner of arrangement is effective, even among simple people who do not in the least understand the deep meaning of the words. A comparison of human life with occurrences in nature will make this appeal of true prayer to the simplest of people more understandable.
97. The Christian Mystery (2000): The Christian Mystery 09 Feb 1906, Düsseldorf
Translated by Anna R. Meuss

The return refers to the return of Christ Jesus.3 Understanding of this event can be prepared for with the anthroposophical view of the world. When all human beings have been through an incarnation where they knew nothing of reincarnation and karma, reincarnation will be taught again.
The first is simplicity. This is a Christian virtue. You have to understand that we have many experiences in life that make us lose our lack of bias. Almost every human being is biased.
It is putting the words ‘to be lord you must be the servant of all’10 into practice. We must understand that we do not owe anything we are to our own self. We have to take account of everything other people and the world around us have made of us and reflect on this deeply.
97. The Christian Mystery (2000): The medieval view of the world in Dante's Divine Comedy 11 Feb 1906, Düsseldorf
Translated by Anna R. Meuss

Today we'll consider one of the greatest works in world literature, Dante's11 Divine Comedy.12 We have to understand that to gain even a little insight into this work we must go back to the 13th and 14th centuries.
The earliest Atlanteans were not yet conscious of the I. The personal comes under the sign of the god Mercury, Hermes. Man came to the personal level when he fell into I-nature, egotism.
In the end we are shown how we live, move and are in God but must not presume to understand God.43 In the end, Dante only wrote of growing certainty in the human ability to recognize God.
97. The Christian Mystery (2000): The Gospel of John as an Initiation Document I 12 Feb 1906, Cologne
Translated by Anna R. Meuss

John described experiences on the astral level because he took the view that it is only possible to understand what Christ Jesus accomplished on this earth if one considers it in the light of the spirit. The things the master did and said could only be understood if one put oneself in a higher state of consciousness.
The Lord put things very clearly. Nicodemus did not at first understand him. It is John himself who needed to understand; it was explained to him in the vision that it was a matter of killing off the lower human being, with the higher human being coming alive. He gradually understood who Jesus actually was; that the powers of the world's origin, the father of the world, were alive in him.
97. The Christian Mystery (2000): The Gospel of John as an Initiation Document II 13 Feb 1906, Cologne
Translated by Anna R. Meuss

John was Lazarus raised from the dead. We can understand therefore why it is only now that mention is made of the disciple whom the Lord loved. This is the secret at the centre of the gospel, that the writer was Lazarus raised from the dead.
He felt that the whole of humanity was resting upon him, that he was under its heel. Having experienced all this at the devachanic level, John was able to understand the words of the vine and its branches that followed.
97. The Christian Mystery (2000): Karmic Law as Outcome of Active Life. Causes of Sickness and Heredity 14 Mar 1906, Stuttgart
Translated by Anna R. Meuss

Now to the second law. We'll find it easiest to understand if we go back to our own childhood. We'll all find that we have taken in many new concepts and ideas since then and have learned a great deal.
This teaches us to take the original source texts literally again and understand them. Having been naive to begin with, then a freethinker and seeing symbols, one finally becomes a student of the occult.
183 There are many examples of heredity playing an important role. We must however understand the true meaning of karma and reincarnation, for this alone will help us to understand heredity.

Results 401 through 410 of 6552

˂ 1 ... 39 40 41 42 43 ... 656 ˃