The Life, Nature, and Cultivation of Anthroposophy
GA 260a
Member Newsletter, 10 August 1924
18. How the Leading Thoughts are to be Used
Those who want to take active part in the Movement may find in the Leading Thoughts that are issued from the Goetheanum, an impulse and stimulus that shall enable them to bring unity and wholeness into all anthroposophical activity.
They will find in them, as they receive them week by week, guidance for deepening their understanding of the material that is already at hand in the lecture-cycles and for putting it forward in the Group Meetings with a certain order and harmony.
It would without doubt be more desirable for the lectures given in Dornach to be carried at once in all directions to the individual Groups. But one has to remember what complicated technical arrangements such a course would necessitate. The Executive at the Goetheanum are making every possible effort in this direction, and still more will be done in the future. But we must reckon with the possibilities that exist. The aims that found expression at the Christmas Foundation Meeting will be realised. But we need time.
For the present those Groups that have members who visit the Goetheanum, hear the lectures there and can bring back the substance of them into the Group Meetings have an advantage. And Groups should recognise that the sending of members to the Goetheanum in this way is a good thing to do. On the other hand, however, the work that has already been achieved within the Anthroposophical Society and that is embodied in the printed lecture-cycles and single lectures should not be undervalued. If you take up these lecture-cycles and call to mind from the titles what is contained in this one and in that, and then turn to the Leading Thoughts, you will find that you meet with one thing in one lecture-cycle, another in another, that explains the Leading Thoughts more fully. By reading together passages that are found separated in different lecture-cycles, you will discover the right points of view for expounding and elaborating the Leading Thoughts.
We in the Anthroposophical Society are wasting opportunities all the time if we leave the printed lecture-cycles quite untouched and only want always to hear ‘the latest’ from the Goetheanum. And it will readily be understood that all possibility of printing the lecture-cycles would gradually cease if they were not widely made use of.
Another point of view also comes into consideration. In spreading the contents of Anthroposophy, a strong sense of responsibility is necessary in the first place. That which is said about the spiritual world must be brought into a form such that the pictures of spiritual facts and beings which are given are not exposed to misunderstanding. Anyone who hears a lecture at the Goetheanum will receive an immediate and direct impression. If he repeats the contents of what he heard, this impression can echo from him; and he is able so to formulate them that they can be rightly understood. But if they are repeated at second or third hand, the possibility of inaccuracies creeping in becomes greater and greater. All these things should be borne in mind.
The following point of view is, however, probably the most important. The point is not that Anthroposophy should be simply listened to or read, but that it should be received into the living soul. It is essential that what has been received should be worked upon in thought and carried into the feelings; and the Leading Thoughts are really intended to suggest this with regard to the lecture-cycles already printed and in circulation. If this point of view is not sufficiently considered, then the nature of Anthroposophy will be constantly hindered from manifesting itself through the Anthroposophical Society. People say, though only with apparent justice: ‘What use is it to me to hear all these things about the spiritual worlds if I cannot look into those worlds for myself?’ One who speaks thus does not realise that such vision is promoted when the working out of anthroposophical ideas is thought of in the manner indicated above. The lectures at the Goetheanum are so given that their contents can live on and work freely in the minds of the hearers. The same applies also to the contents of the lecture-cycles. These do not contain dead material to be imparted externally, but material which, when viewed from different aspects, stimulates the vision for spiritual worlds. It should not be thought that one hears the contents of the lectures and that the knowledge of the spiritual world is acquired separately by means of meditation. In that way one will never make real progress. Both must act together in the soul. And to think out anthroposophical ideas and allow them to live on in the feelings is also an exercise of the soul. A person grows into the spiritual world with open eyes if he uses Anthroposophy in the manner we have described.
Far too little attention is paid in the Anthroposophical Society to the fact that Anthroposophy should not be abstract theory but real life. Real life, that is its nature; and if it is made into abstract theory this is often not at all a better but a worse theory than others. But it only becomes theory when it is made such—i.e. when one kills it. It is still not sufficiently realised that Anthroposophy is not only a conception of the world, different from others, but that it must also be received differently. Its nature is recognised and experienced only when one receives it in this different way.
The Goetheanum should be looked upon as the necessary centre of anthroposophical work and activity, but one ought not to lose sight of the fact that the anthroposophical material which has been worked out should also be made use of in the Groups. What is worked out at the Goetheanum can be obtained gradually by the whole Anthroposophical Society in a full and living sense, when as many members as possible come from the Groups to the Goetheanum itself and participate as much as possible in its activities.
But all this must be worked out with heart and mind; the mere imparting of the contents of the lectures each week is useless. The Executive at the Goetheanum will need time and will have to meet with sympathetic understanding on the part of the members. It will then be able to work in accordance with the intention of the Christmas Foundation Meeting.
18. Wie die Leitsätze Anzuwenden Sind
In den Leitsätzen, die vom Goetheanum ausgegeben werden, soll die Anregung für die tätig sein wollenden Mitglieder gegeben sein, den Inhalt des anthroposophischen Wirkens einheitlich zu gestalten. Man wird finden, wenn man an diese Sätze jede Woche herantritt, daß sie eine Anleitung dazu geben, sich in den vorhandenen Stoff der Zyklen zu vertiefen und diesen in einer gewissen Anordnung in den Zweigversammlungen vorzubringen.
Es wäre ja gewiß wünschenswerter, wenn jede Woche sogleich die Vorträge, die in Dornach gehalten werden, in allen Richtungen an die einzelnen Zweige gebracht werden könnten. Allein man sollte auch bedenken, welch komplizierte technische Einrichtungen dazu nötig sind. Es wird gewiß von Seite des Vorstandes am Goetheanum nach dieser Richtung alles Mögliche angestrebt und noch getan werden. Aber man muß mit den vorhandenen Möglichkeiten rechnen. Die Absichten, die auf der Weihnachtstagung geäußert worden sind, werden verwirklicht werden. Aber wir brauchen Zeit.
Vorläufig sind diejenigen Zweige im Vorteil, welche Mitglieder in sich haben, die das Goetheanum besuchen, da die Vorträge hören und deren Inhalt in den Zweigversammlungen vorbringen können. Und es sollte von den Zweigen erkannt werden, daß die Entsendung solcher Mitglieder an das Goetheanum eine Wohltat ist. Aber man sollte auch nicht die Arbeit, die in der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft schon geleistet ist und die in den gedruckten Zyklen und Vorträgen vorliegt, allzu sehr unterschätzen. Wer diese Zyklen vornimmt, sich nach den Titeln erinnert, welcher Stoff in diesem oder jenem enthalten ist, und dann an die Leitsätze herantritt, der wird finden, daß er in dem einen Zyklus das eine und in dem anderen ein anderes findet, das den Leitsatz weiter ausführt. Aus dem Zusammenlesen dessen, was in den einzelnen Zyklen getrennt steht, können die Gesichtspunkte gefunden werden, von denen aus in Anlehnung an die Leitsätze gesprochen werden kann.
Wir wirken in der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft wie rechte Verschwender, wenn wir die gedruckten Zyklen ganz unbenützt lassen und immer nur «das Neueste» vom Goetheanum empfangen wollen. Es ist doch auch leicht begreiflich, daß allmählich jede Möglichkeit, die Zyklen zu.drucken, aufhören müßte, wenn diese nicht ausgiebig benützt würden.
Es kommt noch ein anderer Gesichtspunkt in Frage. Bei der Verbreitung des Inhaltes der Anthroposophie ist Gewissenhaftigkeit und Verantwortlichkeitsgefühl in allererster Linienotwendig. Man muß das, was über die geistige Welt gesagt wird, in eine Form bringen, daß die Bilder der geistigen Tatsachen und Wesenheiten, die gegeben werden, nicht Mißverständnissen ausgesetzt werden. Wer am Goetheanum einen Vortrag hört, kann einen unmittelbaren Eindruck haben. Wenn er dessen Inhalt wiedergibt, so kann bei ihm dieser Eindruck nachklingen, und er ist imstande, die Dinge so zu formulieren, daß sie richtig verstanden werden können. Wird aber ein Zweiter, Dritter der Vermittler, so wird die Wahrscheinlichkeit immer größer, daß sich Ungenauigkeiten einschleichen. Alle diese Dinge sollten bedacht werden.
Und ein weiterer Gesichtspunkt ist ja wohl der allerwichtigste. Es handelt sich ja nicht darum, daß der anthroposophische Inhalt nur äußerlich angehört oder gelesen werde, sondern daß er in das lebendige Seelenwesen aufgenommen werde. Im Fortdenken und Fortfühlen des Aufgenommenen liegt ein Wesentliches. Das aber soll mit Bezug auf die schon vorliegenden gedruckten Zyklen gerade durch die Leitsätze angeregt werden. Wird dieser Gesichtspunkt zu wenig berücksichtigt, so wird es fortdauernd daran fehlen, daß das Wesen der Anthroposophie durch die Anthroposophische Gesellschaft sich offenbaren könne. Man sagt nur mit scheinbarem Recht: was nützt es mir, noch soviel von geistigen Welten zu hören, wenn ich nicht selbst in solche Welten hineinschauen kann, Man berücksichtigt dabei nicht, daß dieses Hineinschauen gefördert wird, wenn über die Verarbeitung des anthroposophischen Inhaltes so gedacht wird, wie es hier angedeutet ist. Die Vorträge am Goetheanum sind so gehalten, daß ihr Inhalt lebendig und frei in den Gemütern der Zuhörer fortwirken kann. Und so ist auch der Inhalt der Zyklen. Da ist kein totes Material zur bloßen äußeren Mitteilung; da ist Stoff, der unter verschiedene Gesichtspunkte gerückt das Schauen in geistige Welten anregt. Man sollte nichtglauben: den Inhalt der Vorträge höre ich an; die Erkenntnis der geistigen Welt eigne ich mir durch Meditation an. So wird man nie im wahren Sinne weiterkommen. Beides muß in der Seele zusammenwirken. Und das Fortdenken und Fortfühlen des anthroposophischen Inhaltes ist auch Seelenübung. Man lebt sich in die geistige Welt schauend hinein, wenn man so, wie es hier gesagt ist, mit diesem Inhalt verfährt.
Es wird eben doch in der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft viel zu wenig darauf gesehen, daß Anthroposophie nicht graue Theorie, sondern wahres Leben sein soll. Wahres Leben, das ist ihr Wesen; und wird sie zur grauen "Theorie gemacht, dann ist sie oft gar nicht eine bessere, sondern eine schlechtere Theorie als andere. Aber sie wird eben erst Theorie, wenn man sie dazu macht, wenn man sie tötet. Das wird noch viel zu wenig gesehen, daß Anthroposophie nicht nur eine andere Weltanschauung ist als andere, sondern daß sie auch anders aufgenommen werden muß. Man erkennt und erlebt ihr Wesen erst in dieser anderen Art des Aufnehmens.
Das Goetheanum sollte als der notwendige Mittelpunkt des anthroposophischen Arbeitens und Wirkens angesehen werden; aber man sollte nicht aus dem Auge verlieren, daß in den Zweigen der anthroposophische Stoff, der erarbeitet worden ist, auch zur Geltung komme. Was am Goetheanum gewirkt wird, das kann im vollen lebendigen Sinne die ganze Anthroposophische Gesellschaft nach und nach haben, wenn möglichst viele Mitglieder aus dem Leben der Zweige heraus an das Goetheanum selbst herankommen und, soviel ihnen möglich ist, an seinem lebendigen Wirken teilnehmen. Das alles aber muß mit Innerlichkeit gestaltet werden; mit dem äußerlichen «Mitteilen» des Inhaltes von jeder Woche geht es nicht. Der Vorstand am Goetheanum wird Zeit brauchen und bei den Mitgliedern Verständnis finden müssen. Dann wird er im Sinne der Weihnachtstagung wirken können.
18. How the Guiding Principles are to be Applied
The guiding principles issued by the Goetheanum are intended to inspire members who wish to be active to organize the content of anthroposophical work in a uniform manner. If one approaches these sentences each week, one will find that they provide guidance for delving deeper into the existing material of the cycles and presenting it in a certain order at the branch meetings.
It would certainly be desirable if the lectures given in Dornach could be brought to the individual branches in all directions every week. However, one should also consider the complicated technical facilities that are necessary for this. The Executive Council at the Goetheanum will certainly strive to do everything possible in this direction and will continue to do so. But we have to reckon with the possibilities available. The intentions expressed at the Christmas Conference will be realized. But we need time.
For the time being, those branches have an advantage which have members who visit the Goetheanum, listen to the lectures, and can present their content at the branch meetings. And the branches should recognize that sending such members to the Goetheanum is a blessing. But one should also not underestimate the work that has already been done in the Anthroposophical Society and that is available in the printed cycles and lectures. Anyone who undertakes these cycles, remembers from the titles what material is contained in this or that one, and then approaches the guiding principles, will find that in one cycle they find one thing and in another another, which further elaborates on the guiding principle. By reading together what is written separately in the individual cycles, the points of view can be found from which the guiding principles can be discussed.
We act like real wasters in the Anthroposophical Society when we leave the printed cycles completely unused and always want to receive only “the latest” from the Goetheanum. It is easy to understand that gradually every possibility of printing the cycles would have to cease if they were not used extensively.
There is another point of view to consider. In disseminating the content of anthroposophy, conscientiousness and a sense of responsibility are of the utmost importance. What is said about the spiritual world must be presented in such a way that the images of spiritual facts and beings that are given are not subject to misunderstanding. Those who listen to a lecture at the Goetheanum can gain a direct impression. When they repeat the content, this impression can linger with them, and they are able to formulate things in such a way that they can be understood correctly. But if a second or third person becomes the mediator, the likelihood of inaccuracies creeping in becomes greater and greater. All these things should be considered.
And another point of view is probably the most important one. It is not a matter of listening to or reading the anthroposophical content only externally, but of absorbing it into the living soul. There is something essential in thinking and feeling further on what has been taken in. But this should be stimulated by the guiding principles in relation to the already existing printed cycles. If this point of view is not taken sufficiently into account, there will be a continuing failure to reveal the essence of anthroposophy through the Anthroposophical Society. People say, with apparent justification: what good is it to me to hear so much about spiritual worlds if I cannot see into such worlds myself? They do not take into account that this insight is promoted when the anthroposophical content is processed in the way suggested here. The lectures at the Goetheanum are given in such a way that their content can continue to live and work freely in the minds of the listeners. And so it is with the content of the cycles. There is no dead material for mere external communication; there is material that, when viewed from different perspectives, stimulates the vision of spiritual worlds. One should not think: I listen to the content of the lectures; I acquire knowledge of the spiritual world through meditation. That way, one will never make progress in the true sense. Both must work together in the soul. And thinking and feeling the anthroposophical content further is also a soul exercise. One lives one's way into the spiritual world by looking at it, if one proceeds with this content as described here.
The Anthroposophical Society pays far too little attention to the fact that anthroposophy should not be a gray theory, but true life. True life is its essence; and if it is turned into gray “theory,” then it is often not a better theory, but a worse one than others. But it only becomes theory when one makes it so, when one kills it. It is still far too little recognized that anthroposophy is not only a different worldview from others, but that it must also be received differently. Its essence can only be recognized and experienced in this different way of receiving it.
The Goetheanum should be regarded as the necessary center of anthroposophical work and activity; but one should not lose sight of the fact that the anthroposophical material that has been developed should also be put to good use in the branches. What is accomplished at the Goetheanum can gradually be experienced in its full, living sense by the entire Anthroposophical Society if as many members as possible approach the Goetheanum itself from the life of the branches and participate in its living work as much as they can. But all this must be shaped with inwardness; it will not work by merely “communicating” the content of each week externally. The Executive Council at the Goetheanum will need time and will have to find understanding among the members. Then it will be able to work in the spirit of the Christmas Conference.