 Three
Streams in Human Evolution
The Connection of the
Luciferic-Ahrimanic Impulses with the Christ-Jahve Impulse
6 lectures by Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner covers an extraordinary
amount of detailed esoteric knowledge in this six-lecture series titled:
Three Streams in Human Evolution. The main theme is the
activities and relationships between the three fundamental directing
forces in human evolution, namely the Luciferic, which both inspires
and tempts humanity from the realm of the superconscious; the
Ahrimanic, which drives and deceives him from the subconscious; and
the original progressive Powers which strive to maintain the balance
between these two. He describes how over successive epochs of time,
the Luciferic and Ahrimanic Powers alternate in their cultural
predominance, and examines their relative influences in the Lemurian
epoch, the Atlantean period, and finally our own post-Atlantean
period.
He also examines their origins and how
their ‘out-of-stepness’ as Beings of one rank within the Higher
Spiritual Hierarchies, appearing within the stature and function of
a lower rank, results in their anomalous effects on human and world
evolution, but ironically how this contributes to our evolution as
free and true human beings in the long run.
Among so many other historical elements,
Steiner gives special focus on the span of years from the birth of
Jesus to the year 666 A.D., with the pivotal point 333 in the exact
middle. This year (333) was the exact midpoint of the 4th
post-Atlantean epoch (the Greco-Roman period), but it was also the
midpoint of the the entire post-Atlantean epoch, a period lasting
15,120 years. Steiner describes how an Ahrimanic impulse was
preparing to enter into human evolution through the middle-east
culture of Persia in the year 666 which would have thrown human
evolution so far off its intended course that further human
development would have been impossible.
This event, 333 years after this
critical midpoint, was countered by the Christ event which was begun
with the birth of Jesus 333 years prior to this point and which
culminated with the enactment of the Mystery of Golgotha.
This occult presentation of the dynamics
of Time balanced around significant midpoints is found elsewhere in
Steiner’s lectures and is also described here.
Much more is given including how these
events manifested historically and how their effects echo on through
the centuries and can be witnessed even in our own time.
A lecture series well worth reading and
re-reading.
6 lectures, Dornach, 4 – 13 Oct 1918, GA184
Rudolf Steiner Press
124pp; paperback
ISBN: 0 85440 720 0
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) called his spiritual philosophy
'anthroposophy', which he defined as 'the consciousness of one's
humanity', and the disciplined methods of studying this he termed
‘spiritual science’. As a highly developed clairvoyant and
spiritual initiate, he spoke from his direct cognition of the
spiritual world. However, he did not see his work as religious or
sectarian, but rather sought to found a universal 'science of the
spirit'.
His
many published works (written books and lectures) - which include
his research into the spiritual nature of the human being, the
evolution of the world and humanity, and methods of personal
development - invite readers to develop their own spiritual
faculties. He also provided indications for the renewal of
many human activities, including education - both general and
special - agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science,
philosophy, religion and the arts. He wrote some 30 books and
delivered over 6000 lectures across Europe, and in 1924 founded the
General Anthroposophical Society which today has branches throughout
the world.
Prompt
delivery within the United Kingdom and overseas.
Copyright © 2003 Skylark Books
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