Staying Connected
Brisbane Branch of the Anthroposophical Society in Australia
August 2015 Edition
Monique Davies 0414 291 491 email anthroposqld@gmail.com
In thinking, I experience myself
united with the stream of
cosmic existence.
Rudolf Steiner
In the contemplation of Nature you must
Rudolf Steiner House Regent’s Park London
Regard the One as All;
Www.rsh.anth.org.uk
Nothing is within in, nothing is without.
Reminder:
Grasp thus without delay
Cancelled
Brisbane Branch meeting on the August
29th with Jane Hanckel—Nature
A holy open secret.
Rescheduled - March 2015
*Source: Seamon, David & Zojonc, Arthur
1998,Goethe's Way of Science:
A Phenomenology of Nature, p.59.
Samford Valley Steiner School Festivalley
fundraiser Fair. All Welcome, 10am-4pm.
This Saturday, August 29th
Next Brisbane Branch Meeting September 26th, 2015
With Margie Bruvel
Can our nourishment make a contribution towards extending our thinking from natural
science to spiritual science?
Lifting consciousness of the self, the other and the nature basis of existence around the
family dinner table.
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Brisbane Branch meeting Report— Economics with Ron Vaisey 25th July.
Ron with his extensive research and knowledge took us through the day into the field of
Economics. I know for myself, this is an area I had not
studied so it will take me a while to relate to it, to give
it the justice and proper thought that it certainly deserves. I look forward to meeting with our group from
his talk in October to see what each one of us integrated. Ron posed some questions for us to think about
for these next months. Here are some examples of
what he discussed. “What is the value of something
and how can a price be worked out for an item or a
teacher? What is the true price of something?” A consumer is really paying for an item or service to continue in business rather than the cost of a particular
item.
Steiner’s three folded social picture, Rights Section,
Economic Section and the Culture Section. To think
about when one section takes over another and how
this will cause an unbalance very quickly. Steiner’s idea of money getting old was new to
us. Our governments have to rethink how to make money living all the time continually.
Monique Davies
Our Book Clearance continues...
The clearance sale is proving a wonderful success. Thank you to everyone who has supported us. We had far too many good books languishing and getting dusty and we needed to
draw attention to them. We are very pleased that our overstocked and overlooked books
are now happily being bought and read and residing in new homes. The truism that everyone loves a sale is indeed true! Therefore we are continuing and expanding the sale.
$5 items and 50% off..
Rudolf Steiner Book Centre
rudolfsteinerbookcentre.com.au
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“What it is to be human”
Talk by Constanza Kaliks at Samford Valley Steiner School
Constanza began this talk by giving us a picture of how humanity has evolved from Old Testament times up to the present. The human being lived with a sense of belonging during Old
Testament times whereas in modern times the human being now seeks a sense of identity,
uniqueness.
This path from ‘belonging’ towards ‘uniqueness’ had a turning point during the time of Nicholas of Cusa when Nicholas of Cusa brought the view that knowledge is only possible if we
have comparisons. There was a change from looking upward for God to looking around in the
world. This was the beginning of the Natural Sciences. The human being could change from
‘belonging’ to the world, to ‘the world belongs to me’.
world in technology where we can send a message on a mobile phone instantly to another
person anywhere in the world.
Everything now in our times has become smaller and smaller, pieces of knowledge that have
separated off from the whole – compressed into myriads of pieces. With this separation
comes the possibility though of freedom. Constanza gave a picture of this ‘smallness’ of the
Now in our times of the Consciousness Soul, the Consciousness Soul can look at the self in
the same was as looking at another. This is in a sense a disassociation. In our times we live
in a disruption between belonging and connection, and, disassociation and the striving for
identity. This means humanity is often not conscious of the reality. We put a barrier between our self and the reality eg a mobile phone puts a piece of glass between us and the
reality of the other. The holocaust was an example of this where the human being was
dehumanised.
In this time of objectification of everything we need to ask “What is it to be human?” Giorgio Agamben ( a modern Italian Philosopher) said ‘to be human is a potential’. Hans Jonas (1903 – 1993 a German born, Jewish philosopher) wrote “A Search for the
Good after Auschwitz” and described God as: God is all knowing, all present and all wise.
Rudolf Steiner spoke to young people about what the Festival for our Time could be – the
Michael Festival – where human beings come together out of hope and expectation. We
need resilience. The world asks me what meaning will I give to it. We need the skill of
openness to deal with the reality in which we live. We construct our identity and seek a
sense of belonging. Social media is an expression of these strivings – a need to be seen and
also an expression of this – others know I exist.
The question to be asked is “Does social media give us the experience we are looking for?”
The possibility of judgement can help us stay human in this world – we need to exercise
judgement. The joy to be human, to have a real meeting cannot come with technology.
Written by Helen Vogel
How wonderful it was to see a cross section of people attending Constanza Kalik Tuesday
11th August. There were Members and Friends of the Society, parents of the Samford
Valley Steiner School, students from the high school and a number of Teachers attended
too.
I would also like to say Thank you to Mia Mitropoulos and Olga Bruvel for cooking the
lovely soup for the evening too. We were all well nourished! Monique Davies
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Continued: The lnterior of the Earth by Ruth Gamble
The Nine Layers of the Inner Earth
l. The solid or mineral earth layer - the Earth's crust - spiritual binding layer which contains the subterranean sphere. Polarity experienced between spirituality - materialism
2. The fluid (soft) earth layer - spiritual-viscous layer which annihilates life
Polarity experienced between contentment - depression
3. The air (vapor) earth layer -spiritual-awareness layer which reverses sensations to the opposite.; pain
is felt as pleasure, joy as sorrow. Polarity experienced between self confidence - self-deception
4. The form or water earth layer - spiritual-reversed astral layer where primal forces are materialised as
the negative counter images to physical things.. Polarity experienced between divine love - lust
5. The fruit earth layer - spiritual harvest layer where there growth forces are exuberant. Tendency towards enormous expansion, held in check by upper layers. Soul and archetypal forces. Polarity experienced between abundant health - sclerotic tendencies
6. The fire (passion) earth layer - spirit- passion layer, desires and will life. Pure, spiritual will forces in
constant motion, drives and instincts. These can burst upwards via channels, transforming spiritual forces into physical forces, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Polarity experienced between selfcontainment - blind instinct.
7. The mirror (reversor) earth layer - spiritual mirror layer - qualities are transformed into the opposite.
All spirit in nature is transformed into its opposite, e.g. light becomes electricity. Polarity experienced
between morally disciplined - immoral actions.
8. The fragmenting (splintering or explosive) earth layer - spiritual-fragmenting layer creating division,
disharmony, dispute and hatred among people and nations. Polarity experienced between clear thinking
- chaotic thinking.
9. The earth core - spiritual-core layer - black magic/spiritual evil. Polarity experienced between love of
life - self loathing.
The Renewed Christian Mysteries
“The human being who remains at the centre of existence, has the task in the second half of world evolution to redeem the sub-earth(y forces, in spiritual fraternity with the Divine Mediator and the upper
powers.” (Steiner)
A deepening of our understanding of the Mysteries of Golgotha through tracing the path of Christ's journey through the Passion, Death, Journey to the interior of the Earth, and the Resurrection can strengthen
our work as co-creators.
"The path of Christian esoteric development follows the path of Christ, as each stage of the Passion (the
Washing of the Feet, the Scourging, the Crowning with Thorns, the Bearing of the Cross, the Mystical
Death, the Entombing, and the Resurrection) results in the transformation of corresponding spheres
within the interior of the earth. As Steiner advised...a balanced pursuit of higher forms of cognition
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requires the penetration and transformation of these realms. We should advance no higher
into the heights of super­ consciousness than we have penetrated into the chthonic realms
of the subterranean Spheres...to do otherwise is to endanger the soul through imbalances
which promote luciferic self-illusion and/or the ahrimanic will-to-power.”
(Paul O’Leary INTERIOR OF THE EARTH ppx,xi)
In her book, von Halle presents her spiritual research in an
effort to bring encouragement and clarity to our deepening un­
derstanding of the Mystery of Golgotha and the healing power
of working with the Christ Initiation.
“In pursuing the anthroposophic schooling path, it will be una­
voidable, at a certain point…to undergo something that is tradi­
tionally called the 'descent to hell’… As well as a 'personal de­
scent into hell' however, whose aim is to enable the I cleansed
of desires and drives to awaken into the universal context of
other I beings, there is also a 'transpersonal' descent into hell
that one might call world-historical. Here the I of the spiritual
pupil who awakens to higher consciousness while still alive on
earth, experiences how the deeds of humanity and of every sin­
gle human soul relate to the evolution of his cosmic
home." (von Halle pp 12-15)
THE CHRIST IMPULSE is a recently published collection of Steiner lectures given in
1910 and contains a lecture on the Sermon on the Mount, where Christ Jesus gives the Be­
atitudes. Steiner outlines the changing conditions facing mankind and the new mysteries of
the Ego which will become the spiritual force for the redemption of the human being, hu­
mankind and the Earth itself. The I that we consciously and diligently take up in freedom,
working on our Astral, Etheric and Physical bodies given to us by the Spiritual Powers. will
transform and spiritualize those bodies into our higher bodies of Spirit Self, Life Spirit and
Spirit Man. We become co creators with Christ and the higher powers. Steiner illuminates
these processes reflected in the Beatitudes.
"Christ went down to Hell for our salvation and we should be careful frequently to go down
there, too.” Thomas Aquinas
Confronting the forces of Evil is a vital task of our time to bring our courageous awareness
to and we need to know about the territory, the dynamics and the spiritual beings at work.
We can bring the light of consciousness to realms of darkness within our souls, in communi­
ty with Spiritual Beings. This is a mighty "Mystery Drama for humanity to participate in, in
whatever ways we can!
.
Ruth Gamble
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References
THE INNER LIFE OF ‘THE EARTH
Exploring the Mysteries of Nature, Subnature & Supranature
Ed Paul O’Leary
Steiner Books 2008
ISBN 9780880105958
THE TRANSFORMATION OF EVIL
And the Subterranean Spheres of the Earth
Sigismund von Gleich
Temple Lodge 2005 (English) ISBN
9781902636719
DESCENT INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH
On the Anthroposophic Path of Schooling
Judith von Halle
Temple Lodge 2011(English)
ISBN 978!906999223
GOSPEL OF ST JOHN
Rudolf Steiner
THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH
An Esoteric Study of the Subterranean Spheres
Rudolf Steiner & Adolf Arenson
Rudolf Steiner Press 2006
ISBN 9781855841192
THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE
Bernard Lievegoed - J van der Meulen
Hawthorn Press 1991
ISBN 1869890507
CONFRONTING CONFLICT
Friedrich Glasl
Hawthorn Press 2002 (English) ISBN
9781869890711
THE CHRIST IMPULSE
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner Press CW 116 2014
ISBN 9781855844063
THE UNKNOWN HIERONYMUS BOSCH
Kurt Folk Goldenstone Press
ISBN 9781556437595
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Study Groups
Study Group – Theosophy reading to Page 62 (Creeger version)
Fridays 10am– 11.30am All welcome! Samford area
Contact Monique 0414 291 491 or email
Book Study —
Developing the Self—Through the Inner work path in the light of Anthroposophy
By Lisa Romero
Wednesday 6-7pm Keperra Chapter 2
July 22nd, August 19th
To obtain a copy of the book or enquire about the study group 0439 896 025
First Class Lessons in Brisbane:
For members of the School of Spiritual Science,
Class Holder Jan Baker-Finch is giving Lessons at Alderley at 10 am on a monthly basis.
September 13th
October 11th
November 15th.
For more information please feel welcome to call Jan on : 0403 171 65
Attendees are asked to arrive in good time and to bring their Blue Cards. Lessons are free rendered
Annual Conference
Meeting the World
Engaging, living, creating
September 25-28
Sophia Mundi School, Abbotsford, Melbourne
Download program and registration details here: http://www.asc-au.com
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