The Life, Nature, and Cultivation of Anthroposophy
GA 260a
Member Newsletter, 20 January 1924
1. A Letter to Members
The foundation of the General Anthroposophical Society at the Christmas gathering cannot have its fulfillment in what was done or witnessed by the members who were at the Goetheanum while it lasted. Its real meaning will only be fulfilled if in the future, in all the world, those who are devoted to Anthroposophy can feel the coming of fresh anthroposophical life as they give effect to its intentions. Otherwise the meeting would not have done what it set out to do. Such was doubtless the unspoken language in the hearts of those who took part in it.
For more than twenty years we have cultivated the life in Anthroposophy. Members who have worked together in it in the forms of association which we had till now, need only let their own experience speak and they will understand why the effort was made from the Goetheanum to give rise to a new impulse.
Anthroposophical endeavour grew out of small beginnings. A few people within the framework of the Theosophical Society came together to share in what was then brought forward in the special form of Anthroposophy. All that they wanted to begin with was to learn of Anthroposophy and make it fruitful in their lives. In little circles and unambitious public gatherings we spoke about the Spiritual World, about the nature of Man, and the way knowledge of these things is attained. Scarcely did anyone, outside the circle of those who took part in the meetings, concern himself with what was brought forward there. Many of those who did take part, found what they had been seeking in the deepest longings of their souls. These either became faithful and quiet adherents or more or less enthusiastic fellow-workers. Others, not finding what they wanted, remained away when they felt that this was so. All went on quietly and without disturbance from outside.
So it continued to be for many years. We cultivated the fundamental elements of insight into Soul and Spirit. Indeed we were able to go very far in this. Opportunities could be created for those who had been engaged in Anthroposophy for a long time, to rise from fundamental to higher truths. The foundations of Anthroposophy were laid, not only as a spiritual-scientific system of knowledge, but as a thing of life in many human hearts.
But Anthroposophy goes to the very roots of human life, and there it comes together with all that springs forth in the creative work and consciousness of man. It lay in the nature of the case that its activities extended by-and-by to the most varied spheres of human life and work.
A beginning was made in the sphere of Art. In the Mystery Plays, artistic shape was given to what spiritual sight revealed in the World and Man. To many members it was a source of deep satisfaction to receive again in an artistic presentation what they had hitherto absorbed, without external pictures, through the mind.
Here again, no one outside the circle of those who took part paid much attention.
Then it was that keen and devoted Anthroposophists conceived the plan of building a home of its own for the Movement. In 1913 we laid the Foundation Stone of what afterwards became the Goetheanum, and in the following years this home of Anthroposophy was built.
Something else took place at this time. Men and women, whose life-work lay in one branch or another of science or academic learning, had gradually come into the Society. Their original motive in joining was certainly none other than the widespread and purely human need of the heart and soul. They wanted to find, in their own souls, paths which would lead them to the light of the Spirit. But their scientific training and experience had also shown them how the prevailing scientific ideas invariably fail at the very point where definite knowledge becomes a burning need for man. Here the accepted ideas come to a dead end. Our friends perceived that the different sciences — if fertilised by Anthroposophy — might be carried forward, where, with the methods adopted hitherto, they filter into nothingness. Thus anthroposophical work arose in many spheres of science and scholarship.
Through the Goetheanum and through this scientific work, the Anthroposophical Society was so placed before the world that the peaceful and undisturbed development it had hitherto enjoyed came to an end. The world became aware of Anthroposophy; people outside its circle began to ask what was right and wholesome in it. Inevitably, some came forward who cherished convictions divergent from what Anthroposophy was showing, or whose lives were bound up with things which Anthroposophy revealed in a light which did not please them. They began to pass judgment on Anthroposophy from their own points of view.
For the results which rapidly ensued, the Anthroposophical Society was altogether unprepared. It had been a centre of peaceful work; and in such work by far the greater number of members had found complete satisfaction. This was all they had considered requisite, beyond the duties which were theirs through their place in outer life.
And who can say they were in the least wrong in thinking so? When human beings turn away dissatisfied from other things and come to Anthroposophy, they naturally want to find in it the positive side of spiritual knowledge and spiritual life. They feel themselves disturbed in their search if they must everywhere encounter active opposition and attacks.
A solemn question has indeed arisen for the Anthroposophical Society. How can the true pursuit of spiritual life be continued in the way that spiritual life requires, though the time is past when Anthroposophy was left alone save by those who shared in it and whose interest was positive and sympathetic? Those who are responsible at the Goetheanum have seen one of the questions of the moment in this light: May it not be necessary to admit that the Anthroposophical Society must work to embody even more of Anthroposophy than hitherto? And how can this be done?
Beginning from these questions, I will continue my address to members in the next number.
1. An die Mitglieder!
Die Weihnachtstagung zur Begründung der Allgemeinen Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft kann ihren Inhalt nicht allein in dem haben, was die während ihrer Dauer am Goetheanum versammelten Mitglieder erlebt haben. Nur wenn man überall, wo man Anthroposophie liebt, in der Zukunft empfinden wird: es ist durch die Ausführung dessen, was durch diese Tagung angeregt worden ist, neues anthroposophisches Leben gekommen, wird dieser Inhalt wirklich da sein. Wenn dies nicht sein würde, hätte diese Tagung ihre Aufgabe nicht erfüllt. So sprachen wohl auch die Gefühle derjenigen, die Teilnehmer waren.
Mehr als zwei Jahrzehnte ist das anthroposophische Leben gepflegt worden. Diejenigen Persönlichkeiten, die sich in den bisher bestehenden Formen zu diesem Leben zusammengeschlossen haben, werden, wenn sie ihre Erfahrungen sprechen lassen, verstehen, warum vom Goetheanum aus versucht worden ist, einen neuen Impuls zu geben.
Aus kleinen Anfängen ist das anthroposophische Streben heraus gewachsen. Wenige Menschen haben sich innerhalb des Rahmens der Theosophischen Gesellschaft zur Teilnahme an dem zusammengefunden, was in der besonderen Gestalt der Anthroposophie vor sie hintrat. Kennen lernen wollten sie zunächst diese Anthroposophie und für das Leben fruchtbar sein lassen. In kleinen Kreisen und in kleinen öffentlichen Veranstaltungen wurde über die geistige Welt, über das Wesen des Menschen und über die Art, wie man zur Erkenntnis von beiden kommt, gesprochen. Kaum kümmerte sich jemand, der nicht an den Veranstaltungen teilgenommen hat, um das, was da vorgebracht wurde. Und von denjenigen, die teilnahmen, fanden viele, was ihre Seelen aus tiefster Sehnsucht suchten. Dann wurden sie entweder treue, stille Anteilnehmer oder mehr oder weniger enthusiastische Mitarbeiter. Andere fanden es nicht und blieben, als sie dies bemerkten, weg. Alles ging in Ruhe und ohne Störung von außen vor sich.
Viele Jahre hindurch ist es so gewesen. Es wurden die grundlegenden Geistes- und Seelen-Einsichten gepflegt. Man konnte in dieser Pflege sehr weit gehen. Für Persönlichkeiten, die längere Zeit mit der Anthroposophie sich beschäftigt hatten, konnte eine Gelegenheit geschaffen werden, durch die sie von den grundlegenden zu den höheren Wahrheiten aufsteigen konnten. Dadurch wurde als Anthroposophie etwas begründet, das nicht nur ein geisteswissenschaftliches Erkenntnissystem, sondern etwas Lebendiges in den Herzen vieler Menschen war.
Doch Anthroposophie geht bis an die Wurzel des Menschendaseins. Und sie finder sich in dieser Wurzel zusammen mit allem, was im Erleben und Schaffen der Menschen erwächst. Deshalb war es naturgemäß, daß sie ihre Betätigung nach und nach über die mannigfaltigsten Gebiete des Erlebens und Schaffens ausdehnte.
Ein Anfang wurde mit dem Künstlerischen gemacht. In Mysterienaufführungen wurde künstlerisch gestaltet, was die geistgemäße Anschauung von Welt und Menschen offenbarte. Zahlreichen Mitgliedern war es befriedigend, im künstlerischen Bilde wieder zu empfangen, was sie vorher ohne äußeres Bild, nur im Gemüte, aufgenommen hatten.
Auch dies konnte geschehen, ohne daß sich andere Menschen als die unmittelbar Beteiligten viel darum kümmerten.
Da wurde von enthusiastischen und opferwilligen Anteilnehmern an der Anthroposophie der Plan gefaßt, dieser eine eigene Heimstätte zu schaffen. 1913 konnte der Grundstein zu dieser, die später Goetheanum genannt wurde, gelegt werden. In den darauffolgenden Jahren wurde sie gebaut.
Ein anderes kam hinzu. In der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft hatten sich allmählich Persönlichkeiten eingefunden, deren Lebensaufgabe die Pflege des einen oder des andern wissenschaftlichen Gebietes war. Gewiß, der ursprüngliche Beweggrund ihres Anschlusses an die Gesellschaft war auch für diese Persönlichkeiten das allgemeine ° menschliche Seelen- und Herzensbedürfnis. Sie wollten in ihrer Seele die Wege finden, die diese an das Licht des Geistes heranführen. — Aber ihr wissenschaftlicher Entwickelungsgang hatte sie auch dazu geführt, einzusehen, daß die herrschenden Anschauungen überall, wo entscheidende Erkenntnisse zu einem brennenden Bedürfnis des Menschen werden, versagen, weil sie an tote Punkte kommen. Sie mußten erfahren, daß man die Wissenschaften überall da fortsetzen könne, wo sie nach den bisherigen Methoden in das Nichtige auslaufen, wenn man sie durch Anthroposophie befruchtet, - Und so entstand anthroposophische Arbeit auf den mannigfaltigsten wissenschaftlichen Gebieten.
Durch das Goetheanum und durch die wissenschaftliche Arbeit war die Anthroposophische Gesellschaft so vor die Welt hingestellt, daß deren vorherige ruhige und störungsfreie Entwickelung aufhörte. Man wurde auf Anthroposophie aufmerksam. Man fing außerhalb ihrer eigenen Kreise an, zu fragen, was an ihr richtig und heilsam ist. Es konnte nicht ausbleiben, daß sich Menschen fanden, welche mit ihrem Urteile an anderem hingen, als was Anthroposophie zeigte, oder die ihr Leben mit etwas verbunden hatten, das im Lichte der Anthroposophie nicht so erschien, wie sie es haben wollten. Diese fingen nun an, Anthroposophie von ihren Gesichtspunkten und Lebensinhalten aus zu beurteilen.
Was nun daraus in ganz kurzer Zeit entstand, darauf war die Anthroposophische Gesellschaft nicht vorbereitet. In ihr ist ruhig gearbeitet worden. Und in der ruhigen Arbeit fanden weitaus die meisten der Mitglieder ihre volle Befriedigung. Es war alles, was sie glaubten leisten zu sollen, neben den Aufgaben, die ihnen ihr Platz im äußeren Leben zugewiesen hatte.
Und wer könnte diesen Mitgliedern auch nur im geringsten unrecht geben, wenn sie in dieser Art denken? Menschen, die unbefriedigt sich von anderem abwenden und zur Anthroposophie kommen, wollen naturgemäß in ihr das Positive der Geist-Erkenntnis und des geistigen Lebens finden. Sie fühlen sich in ihrem Suchen gestört, wenn sie von allen Seiten von Kämpfen gegen die Anthroposophie berührt werden.
Es ist schon so, daß die ernste Frage für die Anthroposophische Gesellschaft entstanden ist: wie ist in der Art, die für wahre Pflege des Geisteslebens notwendig ist, diese Pflege weiterzuführen, trotzdem die Zeit vorüber ist, in der sich um Anthroposophie niemand außer den Anteilnehmenden kümmerte? Vor der Leitung des Goetheanums gestaltete sich eine der Fragen, die für sie in Betracht kommen, so: Ist vielleicht nötig, sich zu gestehen, daß von der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft noch mehr Anthroposophie erarbeitet werde, als bisher geschehen ist? Und wie kann dies geschehen?
Von diesen Fragen ausgehend, möchte ich in der folgenden Nummer dieses Nachrichtenblattes meine «Ansprache an die Mitglieder» fortsetzen.
1. To the Members!
The Christmas Conference for the founding of the General Anthroposophical Society cannot have its content solely in what the members gathered at the Goetheanum experienced during its duration. Only if, in the future, people everywhere who love anthroposophy feel that new anthroposophical life has come about through the implementation of what was inspired by this conference will this content truly be there. If this were not the case, the conference would not have fulfilled its purpose. This was probably also the sentiment of those who participated.
Anthroposophical life has been cultivated for more than two decades. Those personalities who have come together in the existing forms of this life will understand, when they let their experiences speak, why an attempt has been made from the Goetheanum to give a new impulse.
Anthroposophical endeavors have grown out of small beginnings. Within the framework of the Theosophical Society, a few people came together to participate in what presented itself to them in the special form of anthroposophy. They first wanted to get to know this anthroposophy and make it fruitful for their lives. In small circles and at small public events, they talked about the spiritual world, the nature of human beings, and how to gain knowledge of both. Hardly anyone who did not attend the events cared about what was being presented there. And of those who did attend, many found what their souls had been longing for. They then became either loyal, silent participants or more or less enthusiastic collaborators. Others did not find what they were looking for and, when they realized this, stayed away. Everything proceeded calmly and without outside interference.
This was the case for many years. Fundamental insights into the spirit and soul were cultivated. It was possible to go very far in this cultivation. For personalities who had been involved with anthroposophy for a long time, an opportunity could be created through which they could ascend from the fundamental to the higher truths. In this way, anthroposophy was established as something that was not only a spiritual-scientific system of knowledge, but something alive in the hearts of many people.
But anthroposophy goes to the root of human existence. And it finds itself in this root together with everything that arises in human experience and creativity. It was therefore natural that it gradually expanded its activities to the most diverse areas of experience and creativity.
A start was made with the arts. Mystery plays were used to artistically express the spiritual view of the world and humanity. Many members found satisfaction in seeing in artistic form what they had previously absorbed without any external image, only in their minds.
This, too, was possible without anyone other than those directly involved paying much attention to it.
Enthusiastic and self-sacrificing participants in anthroposophy then conceived the plan to create a home for it. In 1913, the foundation stone was laid for what later became known as the Goetheanum. It was built in the following years.
Another factor came into play. Gradually, personalities whose life's work was the cultivation of one or another scientific field had gathered in the Anthroposophical Society. Certainly, the original motivation for their joining the Society was also the general human need of the soul and heart. They wanted to find in their souls the paths that would lead them to the light of the spirit. But their scientific development had also led them to realize that the prevailing views fail wherever decisive insights become a burning need for human beings, because they reach dead ends. They had to learn that science could be continued wherever it came to a dead end according to previous methods, if it was enriched by anthroposophy. And so anthroposophical work arose in the most diverse scientific fields.
Through the Goetheanum and through its scientific work, the Anthroposophical Society was presented to the world in such a way that its previous quiet and undisturbed development came to an end. People became aware of anthroposophy. Outside its own circles, people began to ask what was right and beneficial about it. It was inevitable that people would be found who, in their judgment, clung to something other than what anthroposophy showed, or who had connected their lives with something that, in the light of anthroposophy, did not appear as they wanted it to. These people now began to judge anthroposophy from their own points of view and life experiences.
The Anthroposophical Society was not prepared for what emerged from this in a very short time. Work had been carried out calmly within the Society. And in this calm work, the vast majority of members found complete satisfaction. It was everything they believed they should achieve, alongside the tasks assigned to them by their place in outer life.
And who could blame these members in the slightest for thinking this way? People who turn away from other things in dissatisfaction and come to anthroposophy naturally want to find in it the positive aspects of spiritual knowledge and spiritual life. They feel disturbed in their search when they are confronted with attacks on anthroposophy from all sides.
It is true that a serious question has arisen for the Anthroposophical Society: how can this care be continued in the manner necessary for the true cultivation of spiritual life, even though the time when no one but those involved cared about anthroposophy is over? One of the questions facing the leadership of the Goetheanum was formulated as follows: Is it perhaps necessary to admit that the Anthroposophical Society needs to develop even more anthroposophy than it has done so far? And how can this be achieved?
Based on these questions, I would like to continue my “Address to the Members” in the following issue of this newsletter.