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VALENT I N TO M BE RG

RUDOLF
STEINER
TIBRARY
65FERNHIILRD
GHENTNY12075

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Publis hed w i t h c h e k i n d p e r m i s s i o n o f
Prof. Martin Kriele on behalf of the author.

C o P YR IG H T @ rsgs : C andeurl l l anuscri pts


777A . S outhMai n S treet
S pri ng V al l ey, N Y 10977

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATESOFAMERICA


t!

THE PHILOSOPHY
OF TAKING COUNSEL
WITH OTHERS
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?! HE Phi.losophyof SpiriturtlActi'------l' :-,::
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w e l l a s i n m o ra l a c ti o n . In thi s book. :he :e.--: :' I
i mp u l s e fo r fre e d o m, fi n d s i ts expressi oe:: :-;-:::
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w h i c h i s b a s e d n e i th e r o n God, nor on l :a= :i - :-: :17
s a n s w e rs th e q u e s ti o n : H ow can I a* an = " -::v :
ix freely ?
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.* H o w e v e r, th e h u m a n e g o i s nor ai one - :: --' ::.- i - j 1: I l :: I1
b o d y . W h e n i t ra i s e s i ts e lf above the b.' * :-;= :: --: ;r : -: :r:
:?-t i m m e d i a te i y i n to l i v i n g c o rnmuni l ! rsi :l c::.: = l :,= l t ,' t :::: l ri ::
-- : -rTTl:lr
l-rj lrfl :- rrii : rr-r
arises : How caa u)e attain a true knowlej:;
w o rk to g e th e r i n fre e d o m ?
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& T h i s q u e s ti o n i s a n s w ered through R -i ::-: )::-::- : I : i " - ,r;,' =
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4 comnrun'ityboth in knowing and -- -:
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and/,ndi,oidpal action, then the tr{vster.- D::-zo ::1 :e $rx &{i:-x,-i' l,i l*:i-
= ti o n s o f c o m m u n i ,ty i n k n ow l edge ani a:-* --- - = :: -; ::; :i -: :E
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= th a n b y th e s a me i n d i v i d u al s, each srasi :r: a----= .
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.= T h i s d i ffe re n c e b e c o mes vi si bl e. coc. i :- ::,- -.--tr :: :rl : ::F: i i :i r.:
.:i.;

Wh i l e th e P h i ,l o s o p h y i s i ntended for the si :;-: :-z-:- E i " IT ni -T:' :: ::::


to te rm s w i th h i ms e l f, th e Mystery D ramas a:3 --:= - -::
i:;:

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:ic fo rma n c e b e fo re a n a u d i e nce' The form he:e:::::s:i :rl : i l --r: :Ir:-:::
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w i s d o m i n c o mmu n i ty c o u l d onl y be exP :ess;- :. :-:l :mLl Ii ;.:-:
i.* th a t i s , d ra m a ti c a l l y .
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T h ro u g h rh e P h i ,L o s o p hy, the thi nki ng ;o:-s--.---;- = ;: :-" -::
ij th e p h y s i c a l o rg a n i s m a n d experi ences i rsel f :: = - --:: ;: I rl -: ::r.-.1{.-:i "
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t he mo ra l c o n s c i o u s n e s s fre e s i tsel f from tyranni cal urges and from com-
pul s i v e l a w .s a n d e x p e ri e n c e s i tsei f i n the P ure act of moral i magi nati on.

T h ro u g h th e M y s te ry D ra mas, the consci ousness, free of the body, pen-


et r a te s th e s o u l -l i fe o f o th e r p eopl e ; the soul , as i t frees i tsel f, i nti matel y
uni te s w i th o th e r s o u l s to c a r ry out deeds i n common.

T h e w o rk i n p o w e rfu l th o ughts and sharpl y defi ned concepts w hi ch can


be s ti m u l a te d b y th e P h i ,l o s ophy may free the soul from the physi cal body
and l e a d i t to e x p e ri e n c e i n the etheri c body. W orki ng i n dramati c pi ctures
and w o rd rh y th m s , th e s u b s tance of the Mystery D ramas educates the soul
to the capaci,ty for transfonni,ng rhe body-free consciousness.

A s o u l w h i c h h a s a c h i e v e d the above menti oned capaci ty for transforma-


t ion c a n , to a c e rta i n d e g re e , no l onger be al one. It Ii ves i n other peopl e
and b e a rs o th e rs w i th i n i ts b ei ng" In a certai n sense2 i t l oses the ri ght
t o p ri v a te p o s s e s s i o n o f k n o w l edge. It becomes hard for i t to di sti ngui sh
bet w e e n k n o w l e d g e g a i n e d more by i ts ow n efforts and sufferi ng, and know -
led g e g a i n e d th ro u g h i n n e r rel ati ons w i th others.

T h e s e n te n c e , " 1 k n o w th i s - i t i s my know l edg.," i ncreasi ngi y l oses


it s me a n i n g , G ra d u a i i y o n e can onl y speak of know l edge i n the soui w hi ch
has arisen through the whole streqm of li'f e .

S u c h a p e rs o n i n w a rd l y " ta kes counsel w i th others" w ho are connected


r o h i m, E v e ry i n s i g h t w h i c h comes to hi m i s the resul t of a " counci l " -
,' to g e th e r" . F o r before the know l edge ri pens, a person must
a c o n s u l ti n g
enre r i n to v a ri o u s s ta n d p o i n t s and cogni ti ve l evel s. N ot unti l he has
ide n ti fi e d s e l fl e s s l y w i th a seri es of di fferent vi ew s and di sposi ti ons of
m i n d d o e s th e re a ri s e o u t o f these a harmony. Thi s harmony i ' s i ' tsel f rhe
ne w l y g a i n e d i n s i g h t.

T h e v a ri o u s s ta n d p o i n ts a nd atti tudes w hose concordance provi des a


ne w i n s i g h t c a n n o t b e me re l y thought out. They are real , represented by
r ea l p e o p l e . It i s th ro u g h a l i vi ng erperi ence of the vi ew poi nts i n rhe
s o u l s o f o th e rs th a t o n e c o mes to l i vi ng i nsi ght.

T h ro u g h a n i n n e r p a rti c i p a ti on i n the desti ni es and struggl es of others,


I c a n a c h i e v e w i s d o m w h i c h I cannot reach rhrough my ow n stri vi ng,
r h ro u g h s tru g g l i n g a l o n e . o rher peopl e can make me w i ser - i f I meet
t he m w i th l o v e .

o n l y w h e n w e h u m b l y s tri ve for the harrnony of vari ous vi ew poi nts -


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:i s pe a k s i n s e v e ra l p l a c e s i n h i s Mysterr- D r;' i := s ' -r : = : - -;

r::f br oth e rs " . T h i s " c o u n c i l " m ust not be uc' j e:s:::i ' : -: i ' :r' r:n:d::
ri of th i s b ro th e rh o o d a l re a d y k now evervrhi n.a ar-: ::--. :l ::-' :- : ,-:r-:-: :-
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i; a c o u n c i l w o u l d n o t b e a s p i rirual communi :v -1 :---:-:-- ' w -:i ::i :l :E :-: -'
= - -: r:' t-: :E ' ;"
ii,,i " ea s t, n o rth -e a s t, s o u th -e a s t" w oul d noi i re :o::--::
' s' -' ::-' - :: :t:: s' ;:
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ar e u n i fi e d d o e s i t c a fry rh e p ossi bi l i n of hi i ' ne :.-:-:tr,-= :-r-. i T: :- :-:---:= :
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:ii in su c h a c o mmu n i ty c a n a c tu al l y have the ar:e' := ---: :: ::: .- j ' .: -
-:::-
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'i_: Wh a t. th e n . i s a " c o u n c i l " i ntended for spi :i --1- r-:T'
:,+, al w o rk ? l t i s a n e w l i v i n g b ei ng, an organi sr' r-:= =
$$. --' ' 1-:- ;r-'
:i.: '
,.{ wo rk i n g to g e th e r o f p o l a ri ti e s' Just as i n :he
:-:
t he o n e h a n d i n a s tru g g l e b etw een nervous srs:= -
,iz and o n th e o th e r h a n d i n th e uorki ' ng togei l 4: o: ::r-= ::
iE t he g o o d o f th e w h o l e o rg a n i sm i n the rhvthrni c si -s::*
i+
ii;
s pi ri tu a l c o u n c i l e x i s ts th ro u gh the fact that opr' --' ::: :
i5 and a g .i n u n i te d o n a h i g h e r l eveI after rh" e ' " -.' i
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:i s e l o e s a s o p p o s i te s .
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A l re a d y th i s re q u i re m ent i s portrayed i n scene one of the fi rst Mystery
D ra ma . H e re w e a re Pre sented w i th asequence of di fferent - even confl i c-
ti n g - v i e w s w h i c h a re , how ever, i n themsel ves correct. The standpoi nts
fro m w h i c h th e v i e w s a ro se are enti rel y i usti fi ed.

It i s a l s o c h a ra c te ri s ti c that thi nki ng gradual l y becomes ever more ca-


p a b l e o f u n i fy i n g c o n tra d i cti ons as i t emerges from rhe physi cal body -
w h e n i t l i v e s i n th e l i fe body. It acqui res ever more strongl y the capaci ty
f.or conc'il'iati'on.

T h e s c h o o l s o f W e s te rn occul t tradi ti on i n the cul ture-epoch precedi ng


o u rs fo s te re d th e w i s d o m of the i ntel l ectual soul through teachi ng thi nki og
i n s u c h a w a y th a t th e s tudent had to sol ve a sequence of probl ems w hi ch
c o u l d , a n d c a n s ti l l b e descri bed as " the neutral i zati on of bi nari es" . The
p u p i l w a s g i v e n a c o n c e P t to w hi ch he had to fi nd i ts anti thesi s. Then he
h u d to d i s c o v e r a th i ,rd conceP t w i th w hi ch he coul d bi nd together the tw o
c o n tra d i c to ry c o n c e P ts i n to a hi gher uni ty. It w as an exerci se i n " ternary"
th i n k i n g . F a b re { ' OIi v e t' s ternary about,desti ny can be ci ted as an examP l e'
T h e c o n c e p t' fre e d o m ' w as gi ven for a start: the freedom of human P erson-
a l i ty . T h e . a n ti th e s i s to freedom i s fate ; fate w l i i ch for human consci ous-
n e s s i s , i n th e fi rs t i n s ta nce, i ncomprehensi bl e. The pol ari ty betw een a
fa re w h i c h o p e ra te s o u t of the past and a w i l l w hi ch i s di rected sol el y
(D i vi ne
ro w a rd th e fu tu re fi n d s i ts reconci l i ati on i n eternal provi dence
d i re c ti o n ). T h u s :

Providence (n)

F a te ( - ) Freedom (+l

th e w h o l e fi g u re e q u a l i ng the i dea of D esti ny.

T h i s a p p ro a c h i s n o r sui tabl e ro our ti mes and can no l onger be consi d-


e re d s e ri o u s l y . v e fe e l i t resembl es a game, for w e are l i vi ng i n the age
o f th e c o n s c i o u s n e s s s o ul . B ut to attai n the facul ty of reconci l i ng anti th-
e s e s b y m e a n s o f th i n k i ng i s sti l l requi red today - onl y i t has to be done
i n a n o th e r w a y .
l

O n e w a y o f a c h i e v i n g th i s . one w hi ch i s sui i r-t :. -' r:,:,::-n:$fl rr!$' :rrrl us-:' ,--ss"


is t h e P h i ,l o s o ,p /ty . As a w h o le i t i s so consri uc:.' :::i - a i ri rhr:
rfl r* n -:L:
als o " ty p e o f th i n k i n g m u s t b e exerci sed. The c:-:* -= r-€,r-:: -€ui i * .& rl:re.. '
ev en i n th e fu n d a m e n ta l p ri n c i p l e of epi stemol Lr;' l : :n. f - t r t[rx:!
namely, that it is the organization of the human !=::,e wrr:r;-[ fi.,,-in}xs ]]-
one total reality into the realm of ideas anci rhe r::-: if T{e'rrcinnirmrn tr:
t he ta s k o f c o g n i ti o n i s to o v e rcomc rhe sepa:a:::: :-= mrr: -mrl ft ruunr.-E tr
or ga n i z a ti o n i n o rd e r to e s ta b l i sh the uni n' oi i :e.:. -* m: r{--T- .& .:
T his fu n d a m e n ta l th o u g h t p re s ents a chal l enge ro:1-Tan rrsr--:-i m -: r-:-;e
ov er a b a s i c c l e ft i n h u ma n c o nsci ousness. It i s a cnal .i e:s: :. :::3.:: :
" t er n a ry " , n o t th ro u g h i n te l l e ctual specui ati on. but :a:i :: -a:; * & rl xna:-:-
t houg h t a c ti v i ty o f th e c o n s c i o usness soul .

Cognition (n)

The Human OrAanization

A c tu a l l y th e c o n te n t o f th e fi rst part, the epi s:enoi cr::m* s,or-:ri = *


P hi, l o s o p h y , i s e x p re s s e d b y th i s di agram i f i ::s :-:!a{::ne.i .ers
rttl m$ Ir
moetement. Then the bottom side of the triangle 3€ s,spie[-sr:*rrlr +:*rr][]E1:
of t h e o rg a n i z a ti o n ) i s g ra d u a l ly overcome as i r:i s.s rrrurotr n& L* --& -= :;:::
at the top of the triangle - where percept an<i i:=a a:e i&m:|umgd ,xmiltrE "u,c:--:
c ogn i ti o n - i t e n ti re l y d i s a p p e ars,

Thus the Phi,losophy of Spi,ri,tual Actiz'iiy is a r'arin rnuimnmo


omrrwrril,nrrit
the organization, a path of freeing the conscio.qrl,es.s hnuil tthe b@dt"n-

The Mystery Dramas of Rudolf Steiner. hosere:- *mmr:mrrvnM &rl,i r: :-=


body-freed consciousness. Here the human behg b,ec'nt *-q nrroiher rr a
community through which he can widen his knowllemgrery m om@ f.e.-:m€-
nious accordance of the individual insighs of a nnmrn,rmrilher
@Sffi,nrf'*
mrers{um-
alit ie s .

1. Also titled : The Philosophy of Freedom -Ei-


THE MEANIh{G AND SIG}.IIFICAT,{CE
OF A FREE ANTHR.OPOSOPF{ICAL CROUP
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I f i n a g ro u p rh e mo o d p re d omi nares w hi ch
i ei -erc:s or: or i ne i nsi ghr
t hat i ts e ffo rt c a n m e a n a p a rh of knou-redge.
;her rhe ;ro:rp has reached a
s t ag e o f m a tu ra ti o n a t w h i c h o ne mav ha' e
reason ,o hJp. i ear i i can become
an o rg a n o f c o g n i ti o n , a n d a n organi sm of know i eci ge.
In rhrs process of be_
c omi n g , i t i s o f fu n d a m e n ra l i m porrance rhar
rhe el emenrs of l ecture and di s_
c us si o n u n d e rg o a n i n n e r tra n s formati on :
a transformari on i n rhe sense
t hat te a c h i n g (h o l d i n g fo rth ) a n d di scussi on e' orve
i nro a,,raki ng coun-
s el" w i th o n e a n o rh e r. w h a t m arters i s that
a group meeri ng become more
and m o re a c o n fe rri n g to g e c h e r, w herei n not onl y
pracri cal rhi ngs are spok-
en ab o u t, b u t a l s o p u re q u e s ti ons of know redge.
such i s, rhen, rhe ai m of
a gr o u p : th a t i t b e c o m e s a c o unci l of fri ends.

B u t me e ti n g i n " c o u n s e l " means more than


merei y addi ng together w hat
t he in d i v i d u a l m e m b e rs k n o w . A " counsel ' ,
i s no mere summari on of that
whic h i s a l re a d y k n o w n ; i n s te ad i t i s an
actual process of artai ni ne know -

* 'Arbeitsgruppe'
: 'working-group',study group, branch here
; and throughoutis
simply translated as ,group,.

I1
ledg e , m a k i n g i t p o s s i b l e fo r enti rel y new i deas to come ro l i ght. Thi s
" c om i n g to l i g h t" o c c u rs i n rhe center of a ci rcl e w hi ch the persons i n-
v oive d h a v e to fo rm . If th e y f orm a ci rcl e on a moral -spi ri tuai basi s; thar
is , i n th e s p i ri t o f mu ru a l h e l p , rhen a mi ddl e-poi nt of thi s ci rcl e comes i nro
bein g - Ii k e th e s u n w i th i n th e zodi ac. Thi s center poi nr, w hi ch can be
v iew e d fro m a l l s i d e s , b e g i n s to shi ne and to enl i ven. In other w ords, the
f und a me n ta l p ri n c i p l e o f th e J ohn Gospel , " w here tw o or rhree are garhered
in m y n a me , I a m th e re a mo n g them" , al so show s i tsel f to be rrue on the
m or e m o d e s t l e v e l o f h o n e s t a nd free anrhroposophi cal group w ork. H ere,
t oo, s o m e th i n g a p p e a rs b e tw e e n and above the i ndi vi dual s w hi ch goes be-
y ond e a c h o f th e m . T h e s p i ri tual bei ng of a group becomes percepci bl e,

T h i s a p p e a ra n c e o f th e s p i r i tual bei ng of a group w as al so rhe reason


why R u d o l f Ste i rre r g a v e n a me s ro groups : ro bri ng to expressi on rhe con-
nec ti o n o f a g ro u p to a s p i ri tu al bei ng. In thi s gi vi ng of names (w hi ch w as
alwa y s a v e ry s o l e m n a ffa i r, o f ten carri ed out w i th great ceremony) i t w as
not a ma tte r o f s i m p i y g i v i n g a group a ti rl e, a desi gnati on; the deci si ve
r hing w a s th a t a g ro u p re c o g n i z e and seek i ts ' hi gher ego' . The name of a
gr ou p d e n o te d a t th e s a m e ti m e i ts esoreri c task i n that i t poi nted ro an " I
am o n g th e m " to w h o m a c o n s c i ous rel ati onshi p w as to be attai ned through
t he g ro u p ' s w o rk . (F o r i t w a s not a matter here of the i ndi vi dual karmi c
r elat i o n s h i p s o f th e m e m b e rs o n.thei r paths of desti ny, but of the common
ende a v o r to b e to g e th e r i n th e w ork of the group.) Thus the names - Luke
G r ou p , Be n e d i c t Gro u p , C h ri s ti an R osenkreutz Group, etc. - i ndi cated not
m er e l y ti tl e s , n o r th e d i re c ti o n s of the parti cul ar sympathi es of those i n-
v olv e d , b u t ra th e r th e ta s k o f uni ti ng themsel ves w i th a parti cul ar source
of in s p i ra ti o n .

A n d w h e n p e o p l e h a v e fo rmed a ci rcl e i n an honest, free and earnesr


dis po s i ti o n o f s o u l , th e y i n d e e d become uni ted w i th a cerrai n hi gher source
of in s p i ra ti o n . Wh e re th e re i s such a ci rcl e, an i l l umi nati ng center poi nt
als o c o m e s i n to b e i n g . Bu t h ow i s such a ci rcl e formed, and w hat human
m or a l s i g n i fi c a n c e d o e s i t h a v e ?

W h e n a n u mb e r o f fre e h u m a n bei ngs come together for a task i nvol vi ng


questi o n s o f k n o w l e d g e , i t i s onl y natural that the poi nts of vi ew can be
quit e d i ffe re n t. T h e s e d i ffe re nt, often di vergi ng, vi ew poi nts offer j ust
t hose e l e m e n ts w h i c h s h o u l d bi nd together to form a ci rcl e; one bui l t not
on p e rs o n a l s y m p a th i e s , b u t o n a spi ri tual foundati on.

I n i ti a l l y , h o w e v e r, th e i n d i vi dual vi ew poi nts by no means compri se rhi s

12 i
bind i n g , u n i ti n g e l e me n t. O n the contrary, at fi rst they have the effect of
s epa ra ti n g . An d y e t th e ta s k c onsi sts i n havi ng the vi ew poi nts together
pr od u c e a u n i fy i n g s u b s ta n c e , so that a ci rcl e comes i nro bei ng. To atrai n
t his , w e c a n try to b ri n g th e v i ew s together by attempti ng uni te them on
t he l e v e l o f c h o u g h ts . B u t th e resul t of thi s arrempr (i f w e are total l y hon-
es t ) w i l l u n a v o i d a b l y p ro v e to be throughl y unsati sfyi ng. It w i l l become
c lea r th a t th e v i e w s a re th u s combi ned, but not bound together i n a real
unity . T h i s i s d u e to th e fa c t that there i s al w ays an abyss, an empry
s pac e , b e tw e e n th e i n d i v i d u a l vi ew s. A s a pral aya condi ti on i s i nterposed
bet w e e n th e Ol d Sa tu rn s ta g e o f exi stence and that of the Ol d S un, so i n a
s im i l a r m a n n e r a k i n d o f ' th o u ght pral aya' i s i nterposed betw een one vi ew -
poin t a n d a n o th e r. In o rd e r to bri dge these abysses, w e must avoi d goi ng
abou t th e ta s k i n s u c h a w a y t hat w e try to create a connecti on on the same
lev e l ; th a t i s , i n th e re g i o n o f thought-l i fe. To create thi s connecci on, w e
m us t a c tu a l l y d e s c e n d fro m th e head, from the l evel of thoughts, and i m-
m er s e i n to th e h e a rt, a n d th e n from there ri se agai n to the l evel of thoughts
- in th e h e a d o f th e o th e r p e rson. Oni y i n thi s w ay does one l earn to un-
der s ta n d th e o th e r. F o r w h e n p eopl e confront each other w i th thei r heads, i

one c a n n o t u n d e rs ta n d th e o th er. B ut one understands the other person u


whe n h i s th o u g h t w o rl d ,i s e n tered i nto by w ay of the heart. A nd w hen one r
'!
has th u s u n d e rs to o d th e o th e r' s w orl d of thought, one w i l l al so have i nsi ght
int o th a t w h i c h i s ru e a n d j u s t i fi ed i n the other' s vi ew s. Then, w i l l al so
I
,t
be f o u n d th e mi s s i n g l i n k s w h i ch uni te vi ew poi nt w i th vi ew poi nt' 1

T h e i n n e r a c ti v i ty o f th e fo rmi ng of a ci rcl e i s therefore not a surface


m ov e m e n t s u c h a s th i s :
-7

I ns t e a d , i t i s a rh y th mi c w a v e -l i ke movement w hi ch occurs betw een the


lev e l s o f th e h e a d a n d th e h e a rt :
people
It is dris kind of inner activiqy which forms a circle of a group of
the persons
united through the heart who are strivinS for knowledge. Hence
their
involved do not merely observe one another but have inwardly extended
mutu-
hands to each other. And when a group of people have in this sense
ally re a c h e d o u t to e a c h o th e r, the ci rcl e i s created' Then the i l l umi nati ng
group has come
center point comes into being - and a free anthroposophical
world. The work
about, iruving a name which is also valid in the spiritual
rela-tionship
of this grouf will then be such that it secs itself in a vertical
trul y be " i n accord w i th the C hri stmas
r o r h e h i g h .r w o rl d . T h u s i t w i l l
F oun d a ti o n M e e ti n g o f !9 2 3 " .
well
Such groups are the backbone of the anthroposophical movement as
treasures of
as the hope that there endure not only the anthroposophical
k now l e d g e , b u t - a l s o - l i v i n g anthroposophi cal endeavors. A nd w hen
contact w i th each other on
s ing l e g i o u p " o f th i s k i n d fi n d obj ecti ve human
from the danger of ' spi r-
r natte rs o f c o n re n r, th e y w i l l n ot onl y be preserved
a moral -spi r-
ir ual p ro v i n c i a l i s m" b u t th e y can al so uni te together, formi ng
for i ts ow n w el l -bei ng'
it ua l a s s o c i a ti o n w h i c h d o e s n ot exi st excl usi vel y
tasks of thi s
T o f u rth e r th i s a s s o c i a ti o n w oul d be one of the w orthi est
of cultivating that which is
Ittde magazine, since it would be a matter
m os t n e e d e d i n th e p re s e n t s i tuati on of the anthroposophi cal movement"

14

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