Wednesday, July 31, 2002, 12:36:42 PM, you wrote: b> HUGH COURTNEY: We talk about non-physical forces that eminate from b> the cosmos and from other beings here on Earth. Steiner talks about a b> whole hierarchy of spiritual beings that we are no longer aware of in b> our present age, but humanity did have this awaremenss for eons.
Interesting that all the great meditation traditions warn against paying attention to the "beings" that often appear to long-time meditators, saying that they are merely phantoms that should be shaken off en-route to the big prize, complete Oneness with God/the void/everything - enlightenment. Despite Steiner's insistence that anyone could follow in his footsteps, I've never heard of anyone describing their own personal experience of Steiner's spirit-world in exactly Steiner's Euro-centric terms. When this spirit-world is referred to, it seems to me to be usually in reference to what Steiner has said, not what the speaker has personally experienced. Enlightenment is described in common terms across all religious traditions. So are the "demons" wrestled with by the enlightened on their way to enlightenment, although the demons are described in terms of the meditator's religious background. But Steiner's experience seems to belong to Steiner alone. He demanded that people test his teachings, and they have tested and found his thoughts on biodynamics, and schooling and human development sound. But cosmic beings? Did Steiner pay too much heed to the shadows of his own mind? If we accept biodynamics, do we have to accept Steiner's religious outlook? I'd like some clarifying comment on this. -- cheers, Matt mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
