On educating yourself in holistic spiritual science

In contemporary mineral science, we find many different fields and subfields, and each is broken down in specializations.

In spiritual science, everything is interconnected with everything, and the multiple, different perspectives (or information dimensions) to approach a topic are an essential ingredient and requirement of the study process because this represents a key characteristic of the type of knowledge.

Therefore an open attitude and agile and flexible mind are required, as the approach to learning is non-linear or 'compartimented' - see Notes on the study process. Your study is a soul process, you are actually developing or re-building for yourself a worldview in its totality. You are building a new spiritual scientific worldview foundation which encompasses everything your logical mind can take in scope of consideration.

Furthermore, educating yourself should not mean theoretical study, but also practice (see initation and initiation exercises) and combined praxis, learning a way of life. How do you live it, use it as a compass for your soul?

Aspects

See also holistic education or holism

Inspirational quotes

Daskalos (in book HTS by Markides), quoting "what Father Yohannan [editor, see: Individuality of Christian Rosenkreutz] said in a previous lesson"

"Thoughts and beliefs are too weak as wings to help us attain great heights of knowledge"

Illustrations

Lecture coverage and references

1911-06-GA15

It is not well to make many definitions or summaries in spiritual science or theosophy, or indeed in occultism generally. It is better to give a description, and to try and call forth a feeling of what really exists.

Albert Soesman

explains on the first page of his book on the senses:

There are many ways to approach anthroposophy. The way I propose to do it is to take a particular subject as my starting point. You can start with anthroposophy in general and make your way from there into a specific subject, but, interestingly enough, you can also start with a certain subject and work your way up from this into anthroposophy as a whole, in as far as it is possible to arrive at a general outline of anthroposophy in a limited number of lectures. I hope your souls will succeed in following this reverse path — starting with something specific in order to end up with something general.
As was announced, the following will be based on the studies of Rudolf Steine, who once said that a study of the senses is actually the first chapter of anthroposophy. While that sounds simple enough, I will have to start by saying something first about that word `first'.
Usually, when you read an ordinary book, and you have read chapter 1, you are then finished with chapter 1. Next comes chapter 2, and subsequently chapter 3, etc. That is, in fact, how many books are written. But by no means all books are written like that. When you read The State by Plato, for instance, you will find something very peculiar about that book. Its structure is not: chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, etc.; instead, reading that book is like walking through an immense temple building, as it were. The whole book is structured like a Greek temple; it is not just a sequence you follow. And this is often also the case with the work of Rudolf Steiner. You have to get used to this at first — that in fact everything, to the last chapter, is already contained in chapter 1. And it is the same in chapter 2 — everything is already there.
This is also how it will be with my lectures. So you will have to bear with me. For some of you it will seem strange that I do not follow a logical sequence — that you have to learn to consider matters in a compositional fashion. You will have to have some patience, and be prepared to wait and see whenever I say something that seems unusual to you. You will have to let go of linear thinking to some extent.
I hope you will find that when something seems strange to you, the next thing may, in fact, balance it out. You will have to look upon these lectures as a piece of music. When you listen to music, you do not think: 'All right, here is the first tone, now where is the second, the third?'. Instead you simply wait until the entire piece is finished, and then you can say: 'That was terrible', or: 'Yes, it did something for me', or whatever. That is the sort of consideration I ask of you — to bear with me until the compositional element makes an appearance. I know I am asking a lot of your patience, but I hope that in the end you will find it worthwhile.

Fred Poeppig

his book'Rückblick' contains the following quote, not in the GA.

machine translation (in DE below)

Rudolf Steiner's oral statement to Mrs. Sybell-Petersen, conveyed by Adelheid Petersen in a lecture given in August 1950

The coming youth comes from completely different cosmic worlds than we do, that will increase. They will bring with them a tremendous ability to think, a virtuosity of thought. But this is the greatest temptation and at the same time the greatest Ahrimanic attack against anthroposophy. There will be the danger that through the tremendous ease of understanding the anthroposophical concepts the matter will get stuck in the thinking and a tremendous sense of well-being will develop in the thinking of anthroposophy; but one will not break through to training. The only thing that youth can get, that will steel it to withstand future events, is that it meets anthroposophy in training. Training is the foundation through which study alone can lead to a true goal.
If anthroposophy is taught as a science, it becomes harmful. Anthroposophy must never be mere theory; it must become immediate life. If it is allowed to be mere doctrine, it is killed and handed over to Ahriman, the Lord of Death.
But it is much more convenient for people today to think and adopt a few anthroposophical concepts than to discard a single habit. What anthroposophy makes of our souls is much more important than any amount of theoretical knowledge about spiritual scientific concepts.
[1] from "Rudolf Steiner on the coming youth".

Mündliche Äußerung Rudolf Steiners gegenüber Frau Sybell-Petersen, übermittelt von Adelheid Petersen in einem Vortrag, gehalten im August 1950

«Die kommende Jugend kommt aus ganz anderen kosmischen Welten her als wir, das wird sich steigern. Sie bringt eine ungeheure Denkfähigkeit, eine Virtuosität des Denkens mit. Das ist aber die größte Versuchung und zugleich der größte ahrimanische Angriff gegen die Anthroposophie. Da wird die Gefahr sein, daß durch die ungeheure Leichtigkeit der Auffassung der anthroposophischen Begriffe die Sache im Denken stecken bleibt und sich ein ungeheures Wohlgefühl im Denken der Anthroposophie entwickelt; aber man wird nicht durchstoßen zur Schulung. Das einzige, was die Jugend bekommen kann, was sie stählen wird, um die künftigen Ereignisse zu bestehen, das ist, daß sie der Anthroposophie in der Schulung begegnet. Die Schulung ist das Fundament, durch das das Studium allein zu einem wahren Ziel geführt werden kann.
Wenn Anthroposophie als Wissenschaft gelehrt wird, wird sie schädlich. Anthroposophie darf niemals bloß Theorie sein; sie muß unmittelbares Leben werden. Läßt man sie bloß Lehre sein, so tötet man sie und übergibt sie Ahriman, dem Herrn des Todes.
Es ist aber den Menschen heute viel bequemer zu denken und einige anthroposophische Begriffe sich anzueignen, als nur eine einzige Gewohnheit abzulegen. Was die Anthroposophie aus unseren Seelen macht, das ist viel wichtiger als noch so viel theoretisches Wissen über geisteswissenschaftliche Begriffe.
[1] from "Rudolf Steiner über die kommende Jugend".

Discussion

Note 1 - On seriousness

2024-08 - excerpts from a forum post thread

Anthroposophy is a serious business.
This statement isn't some moral assertion or an appeal to treat anthroposophy seriously.
The seriousness of anthroposophy is similar to something which the student of medicine may experience, when he/she starts to realise that his chosen profession is a really serious business. Which means that as a doctor he is going to deal with the matters of life and death, that he will be responsible for human lives. If he wants to become a surgeon, he will realise that the smallest mistake may decide about patient's life. Some quack doctors may think that this isn't serious, that they are themselves the smartest doctors after reading some "weekend course of medicine". But the real student of medicine knows how long it takes to study, to learn the detailed anatomy of human body, how many years of hard work, sacrifices, how many books to read, how many sciences, detailed informations to memorise, how many years of practice it all takes.
Certain analogy may be applied to anthroposophy. Someone who really knows it, who studied genuinely Steiner's teachings for decades, not just reading few books, but studying it in details, meditating, thinking over every detail, may realise, how serious these teachings are. That they concern life and death. This is about most existential things, suffering, sacrifices, hard work, life lasting trials. This is not about hovering in spiritual clouds really, but being close to Earth, working in dense material substance in humbleness and self-denial. This is about following Christ, who came on Earth for suffering and sacrifice. And somebody who starts a genuine study of anthroposophy, realises at once, what this is about and what kind of reality is to be confronted, what kind of powers are to be dealt with. One also confronts at once the opposing powers and realises, what kind of beings they are, how they really work in one's life.
The difference with medicine or other sciences is that today there are no real schools or academies of anthroposophy. No professors or authorities, no classes, no courses. If there are self-annointed academies or classes or self-proclaimef teachers of anthroposophy, they are not real. Rudolf Steiner, leaving this world, left no initiates who could be true teachers of anthroposophy. The Mysteries are closed down, no ears were found to hear the word of spirit. It is so because we live in times now, when there cannot be any true spiritual teachers and initiates. This is not their time, this is the time of completely different kind of beings. We live exactly in such times.
One might ask, if there are no teachers, what gives you right to teach such things, what kind of initiate are you? The answer is: there are no initiates today and I'm certainly not the one.
The path of anthroposophy starts from the most basic level, from the genuine, arduous study. I have the highest respect for those who study systematically, by themselves or in the small groups, who even in this group systematically quote Rudolf Steiner's teachings.

They feel deeply, that this is the right path, that they are in the right place, and that on the level they are, they have the allowance of spiritual world to study with patience and to proclaim Steiner's teachings as they are.

They do not try to replace anthroposophy with their own life wisdom, amateur philosophy or all kinds of speculations.

They do not try to remove Rudolf Steiner's teachings and place something else instead, their own teachings preferably.

They do not try to impose their institutional authority on anybody, as "teachers" annointed by some officials.

I know here are few such genuine and faithful Rudolf Steiner students. I have the highest respect and sympathy for you, guys.
Nevertheless, during the study comes the moment, when the student rises to the level of a very specific, existential understanding. This is the level when one realises the grave and serious character of things he/she studies.
This is also the time when imaginations are advanced and first inspirations from the spiritual world appear and also first trials. This is an advanced level in the times we live in. I myself am allowed by spiritual worlds to share my own inspirations. This is due to the spiritual principle, that one cannot hide inspirations given by spiritual worlds, they need to be shared.
And this "faculty" is independent from any institutional recognition, outer acknowledgement, being known, famous etc. This is the role, function coming directly from the existential dimension of anthroposophy.

and responses

We can in a sense, know it all, and yet, for some reason, the knowledge does not enter deep down into us and effect an obvious transformation! Perhaps it is the inertia of our dense karma and acts as some kind of firewall upon which the rich truths and understandings of Dr. Steiner bounce off. And how much of that might even be for our own safety!
So much of the basic decencies of human nature, it seems to me, have been atrophied in us (me).
Devotion? True prayer? Reverence? Compassion? Tolerance? How much can I say these live in me existentially anymore?
And yet, when precisely in the moment of my life when I would have dived down deep into abject, vapid materialism, along comes a Great Master speaking the language of the times yet transcending those times as well. And some vestige of humanity I seem to have heard him, reached for him...and tries its best now to hold him in my arms.
So very very much to take in, so very very much to understand.
Gradually the head turns a bit, the heart opens a bit, the eyes see again a bit and the evidence of grace dawns in one's dark depths!
I can begin now to take sure steps toward the light through the work of Rudolf Steiner. I don't know why I feel such certainty in what flows from him for I am not one to entertain belief of any kind. I suppose it is the objective, scientifically shaped way the concepts are presented that leaves me free to work with them, not yet knowing if they are true (there's that firewall again). The impossibly massive richness of it makes me laugh when I feel people thinking that they know it all now and can move on to the next thing. Personally, I am hoping for between 2 and 5 percent of it to sink in before I die and counting it a pretty good incarnation!

Considering the clever manipulative resistance frequency and processed food and childhood vaccinations and the hormonal levels of pornography at the tip of the finger and rock and roll noise at high levels and societies distractive mind control and the message of fear on every street corner. I would say how is it possible we are still here seeking truth. I would think we are doing quite well considering the odds. Failure is a good thing when the main task is to develop wisdom and understanding. Personally I am content to know my hierarchy instructors valued what was needed most. I appreciate the sacrifice and patience of higher worlds. every millimeter of deepened understanding is a milestone given the context you describe.

Related pages

References and further reading

Erhard Fucke: 'Das anthroposophische Studium - Seine Bedeutung für den Schulungsweg' (1981)