Key Insights
Body, Soul and Spirit
Every human being has not only a physical body permeated by formative life forces, but an enduring soul or body of consciousness, consisting of thinking, feeling and will. Living within, and active through the soul and body, is the I, Self or true Ego - the individual spirit and eternal part of the human being.
Reincarnation and Destiny
Anthroposophy gives detailed knowledge of the processes and principles which guide the re-embodiment of the individual human spirit in repeated earthly lives in successive cultural epochs. World evolution and history are recognised as the learning and development process for each of us, as well as for humanity as a whole. The laws of Destiny (or Karma) are spiritual laws of cause and effect working from one earthly life to the next, ensuring not only that we reap what we have sown, but also that we have the opportunity to set right what has gone wrong through our past mistakes and failings. Each life is a meaningful process of development during which we again meet others with whom we are connected, guided by the usually unrecognised hand of a divine wisdom, prepared in the time between death and re-birth.
Freedom
We become free to the extent that our I or thinking spirit consciously masters and determines our inner soul condition, outer behaviour, and our own development, within the framework of destiny. Free deeds are possible out of the creative source of imagination. However this capacity for freedom will lead to increasing egotism, and consequent greed, conflict and destruction, unless we develop the forces of love which have their source in our higher spiritual nature.
A Modern Path of Spiritual Self Development
Rudolf Steiner did not expect belief in what he put forward, but open-minded, clear thinking consideration and study, leading to understanding as a basis for eventual personal experience. Everyone has the potential to experience spiritual realities but in our times we need to consciously develop the faculties that make this possible. Steiner gave clear guidance on conditions and safe methods for awakening spiritual perception. A key requirement is that one takes three steps in the development of character and moral qualities for every one step in cognition. These qualities include reverence, equanimity, positivity and tolerance but also confidence, courage, creativity and initiative.
This is a path that develops and strengthens the whole person, leading to new insight into life, a deepening of feeling and responsibility, and a greater capacity for service. Steiner's key work in this area is Knowledge of Higher Worlds and its Attainment.
Anthroposophy and Religion
Anthroposophy is not a religion, but a path to knowledge of the spiritual beings and realities to which all religions point. It confirms the essential truths of all great religions and spiritual leaders. All have their place in the unfolding drama of the evolution of consciousness through successive historical epochs, and in different regions of the earth, guided and inspired by divine spiritual beings.
The centrality and uniqueness of Christ's incarnation is confirmed, and that Christ need not and will not incarnate again in a physical body. Anthroposophy describes the second coming of Christ in our times as the intensified working of Christ within the realm of the Earth's life forces, and within human beings, towards the development of a Christ-like consciousness. This real process is not confined to those of any particular religion; rather it is a question of the consciousness and morality developed by individuals.
Anthroposophy has its roots in the perceptions, already gained, into the spiritual world. Yet these are no more than the roots. The branches, leaves, blossoms and fruits of Anthroposophy grow into all the fields of human life and action
Rudolf Steiner