Rudolf Steiner

[Isabelle]

Hello everyone,

I've noticed that Rudolf Steiner has been mentioned a number of times in postings on Gornahoor, and I've been curious as to how Steiner fits into the realm of Tradition. From my understanding of Steiner, his whole philosophy centers around the idea that humans are evolving -- are meant to evolve -- through numerous epochs and stages. He was very outspoken against retrograde movement (the Catholic Church (spiritual) for one, yoga (physical) for another...) seeing this as retarding our ability to progress.

I know that Tomberg at one time was deeply involved in Anthroposophy but left after he was ostracised for his differing points of view.

Just looking for your thoughts....

Isabelle

[HOO]

Tradition creeps. Creeps into everything.* Like fire it burns everywhere it can burn, and like water it flows everywhere it can flow. Everything derives from it, and errors or illusions are but de-generations or privations. It seems wise men through the ages have utilized aspects of almost anything, being enlightened by, and being able to enlighten it with Tradition. Be it, for example, non-aryan traditions of chthonic sorcery or Levantine traditions of morality.** It "cannot be opposed, for the very plane that houses the will to oppose it is situated below the horizon of efficacy." Indeed, even the lowest cults, and most inferior workable techniques and doctrines embody it (up to the level that they are able!) for otherwise they would not work at all.*** As shall the doctrines of this postmodern age be consumed, as were the uncountable tribes, civilizations and their traditions lost to history, high or low, consumed before it.

* ´The world of being and the world of becoming affect things, demons and men.´ ["Revolt Against the Modern World" 1934 - by Evola, Julius (ITI 1995)]

** ´According to some (Piganiol, Les Origines de Rome [Paris, 1899]) the appearence of the Olympian gods next to the feminine deities of the earth was the result of the mixture of the cults of northern origin with the cults of southern origin.´**** ["Revolt Against the Modern World" by Evola, Julius 1934 (ITI 1995, p. 199)] : Now this seems global, as for example the Aryans adapted Tantrism to the needs of the times, and Germanics adapted non-Aryan shamanistic practices. (´[...] even ancient practices of the dark pre-Aryan substratum were borrowed, transformed, integrated, and elevated to an initiatory plane.´ [“The Yoga of Power” 1949 - by Evola, Julius (ITI, 1992 p. 8)])

*** ´The dimension of that which is universal may appear in different aspects and different degrees in various civilizations and traditional organizations. The „formative process“ always encounters resistance from matter, which in its determinations caused by time and space acts in a differentiating and particularistic sense in relation to the effective historical application of the one principle that in itself is superior and antecedent to these manifestations.´ ["Revolt Against the Modern World" 1934 - by Evola, Julius (ITI 1995, p. 25)]
**** ´This goddess of the Southern Hemisphere, who is transfigured and reduced to a pure and almost Demetrian form, as exemplified in the Brassampouy caves inhabited by Aurignacian man, was introduced and became dominant in the new civilization of Western-Atlantic origin. Along the path of Atlantic colonizers, from the Neolithic to the Minoan period and from the Pyreneees to Egypt, we encounter female idols almost exlusively, while in the cult there were more priestesses than priests, or quite often, effeminate priests.´ ["Revolt Against the Modern World" by Evola, Julius 1934 (ITI 1995, p. 207)]

Common or Natural history is not sapiential, and as time, is illusory. The Primordial Tradition is always here and even the most savage creatures and most pitiful humans are derived (if that's not too positive a word) from it. The more de-generated, the more a creature is alienated from its (Primordial or Adamic) essence.

"Tradition lives on, however, although only in fain echoes." ["Revolt Against the Modern World" 1934 - by Evola, Julius (ITI 1995, p. 28)]
“It manifests itself in human history by a miracle: namely, that human supra-biological life continues from century to century, from millennium to millennium, and its source does not dry up; that the sacred fire above the altars of hearts and the altars of stone is not extinguished from century to century, from millennium to millennium; that goodness, truth and beauty do not lose their attraction from century to century; thar, in spite of all, there is faith, hope and charity in the world; that there are saints, sages, geniuses, benefactors, and healers; that pure thought, poetry, music, and prayer are not being engulfed by the void; that there is this universal miracle of human history; and that the miraculous exists.” [“Meditations on the Tarot” - by Tomberg, Valentin]

"So there indeed is a degeneration for Europe to know god passively as only a savior, and to divorce the regal and priestly into king under pope. But this degeneration had anyway affected Europe before the spreading of Christianity. But never have all succumbed, Christian or not." ["The Mystery of the Grail" 1934 - by Evola, Julius (ITI 1996 p. 40)]

Now I'm not an official spokesperson for this project, but "the vision and the task taken up by Gornahoor, however unclearly or poorly expressed. [...] [Is] Transcendent, by integrating and surpassing the best of antique pagandom and Christendom." ["Creative and Heroic Action" 2011, by Cologero] For me, this, as it also appears to do for Gornahoor, includes integrating and surpassing the best of Steiner; or any doctrine decent enough. God acts through all. ALL.

[logres]

Isabelle, Rudolf Steiner is interesting because (among other things) he split Theosophy over against Krishmanurti (Cologero has an essay on Krishmanurti called "Time for a Second Renunciation"). I am not an expert on Steiner, but his writings at the very least impinge upon areas of Tradition's interest, including initiations through dream states. As a Western mind (arguably to his detriment), he is of note because he attempted to esoterically describe the precise situation (in time) of man's spiritual evolution (see Bondarev'sinterpretations of Christ/Anti-Christ). As I understand it, the Slavic & Germanic quarrel with Eastern doctrine from India/China (see also Peter Deunov) had to do with the nature of the Christ-event. This is obviously a good starting point for someone of Christian background who is trying to decide where to "place" his faith in the being of Christ. None of these men were considered "orthodox" within the Western Church, but were regarded as dogmatic Christians by those who were trying to penetrate the West with Eastern teaching. I am not picking sides here, but Steiner's work seems on the whole to be too critically situated to ignore - it has a ring of truth about it, and it makes sense to the Western mind, at least enough to argue with. My use of him in essays is as a locus, or starting point, for experiment and discussion. Deunov also believed that Eastern techniques were suitable for the "expiration" (outbreathing) of man's evolution, but not the "inspiration" or inbreathing - there is also a debate over the "stunted" (and therefore Providentially useful) nature of the Slavic soul at this point in world history, a soul supposedly still "unEnlightened" and capable of direct contact with God through Nature. That said, I am glad to hear what you say, and will keep that in mind.

[logres]

Thanks to Graham for pointing out that there was a question re:Steiner.

[Graham]

I am working on a translation of Evola's essay on Anthroposophy from 'Mask and Face of Contemporary Spiritualism', an essay which (correct me if I'm wrong) hasn't yet been made available in English. It should clarify what relationship Evola felt with Rudolf Steiner and provide some handy points of reference for us. Here's a snippet:

"It is advisable to distinguish the different components in the 'Steiner phenomenon'. The first - predominant - comes from the same source that gave rise to theosophism, of which a number of elements are found reprised. A second component is linked to Christianity. Next there exists a final factor which will seem to correspond to a 'positive' element: the demands of a 'spiritual science'. The interlacement of these components, maintained by force in the iron mesh of a system which, in its ingenuity, is almost like the 'philosophies of nature' of the German romantics, is characteristic of anthroposophy. Just as in numerous particulars of the anthroposophical teaching, so for the ensemble of such doctrine and even for the personality of Rudolf Steiner one feels the tiresomeness of a rectilinear and limpid direction cut, like an improvisation, by the tyrannical 'visionary' current and by irruptions of collective complexes. The example of Steiner is most instructive, for he shows what can come to a man from meditation when, alone, without linkage with a regular initiatic tradtion and without a protective chrism, by means of varied praxis - in cultivating, for example, what has been called 'thought detached from sense' - he ventures imprudently into the world of the hypersensible."