This "trust meditation" is one of several translations of several versions that are in circulation. The editors at the Rudolf Steiner Archive, however, have pointed out that none of these versions were ever given as such by Rudolf Steiner. They were created by unknown persons by patching together and modifying various passages from Steiner's lectures (or possibly from elsewhere). The first six lines in the above version, for example, are an abbreviated passage from Steiner's lecture "Cognition and Immortality" (Bremen, Nov. 27, 1910), which has been published only in the Archive newsletter (Beitrahygfrge zur Rudolf Steiner Gesamtausgabe, #98, p. 10). The remaining lines come from the end of Emanuel Zeylmans' biography
of his father, "Willem Zeylmans van Emmichoven. Ein Pionier der Anthroposophie" (Arlesheim 1979, p. 358). The son relates that at his father's death he found a slip of paper in his father's wallet with these lines, which supposedly came from Rudolf Steiner. Although this is entirely possible (Willem was a friend of Steiner's and became the General Secretary of the Dutch Anthroposophical Society), the editors at the RudolfSteiner Archive have not been able to independently verify the source of these words.
The foregoing facts do not necessarily affect the truth of the whole "verse," but readers should be aware that it was not given as such by Rudolf Steiner and that it therefore probably does not have the occult power inherent in Steiner's other meditative verses.
[excerpt two]
I think the reference everyone is looking for is 27th November 1919. [Steiner did not say this on Nov. 27, 1919]
Where Steiner allegedly said: (in an amalgam of out of context passages.)
"....First, however, everything that remains of the old will have to be reduced to nothingness. The clouds will have to gather round the human being, and he will have to find his freedom - find his own power, his own strength out of this nothingness. Outer material need will change into soul need, and out of this deep need of the soul will vision be born.
We must tear up by the roots every trace of fear and shrinking in face of what the future threatens to bring to human beings. All our feeling about the future must be permeated with calm and confidence. Absolute equanimity in face of whatever the future may bring - that is what man has to acquire, knowing as he does that everything that happens, happens under an all-wise cosmic guidance.
Our part is to do what is right in each moment as it comes - and to leave the rest to the future, That indeed is the lesson we have to learn in our time, to base our lives on simple trust. without any security of existence, to have trust in the ever-present help of the spiritual world. That is the only way for us if our courage is not to fail. Let us then set to work to discipline our will....."
(based on a translation by Mary Adams)
[exerpt three]
Steiner did not say this on Nov. 27, 1919; this is another amalgam of out of context passages. In this amalgam the first paragraph is extracted from the end of Steiner's lecture of Oct. 30, 1920 (GA 200, p. 120), which is published in English as lecture 6 of "The New Spirituality". The second paragraph is a different translation of the first paragraph of the "trust meditation" that I commented on earlier (the date is Nov. 27, 1910, not 1919). I don't know where the first sentence of the third paragraph comes from. The remainder of the last paragraph is a different (and incomplete) translation of the material from Emmichoven.
Daniel Hindes:
A little note about the following verse, which is very popular lately. It is attributed to Steiner, but it is not one of his verses. According to the editors at Steiner's archive in Dornach It appears to have originated among Dutch anthroposophists during WWII (this information is contained in GA40a). The first part is a versification of a paragraph from a 1911 lecture. The second part is demonstrably pseudoepigraphical (more on that below).
From the Steiner Lecture:
ATTRIBUTED TO RUDOLF STEINER:
We must eradicate from the soul
all fear and terror of what
comes towards man
out of the future.
We must acquire serenity
in all feelings and sensations
about the future.
We must look forward
with absolute equanimity
to everything that may come.
And we must think only that
whatever comes is given to us
by a world-directive
full of wisdom.
The part that is pseudoepigraphical:
It is part of what we
must learn in this age,
namely, to live out of pure
trust, without any security
in existence.
Trust in the ever present
help of the spiritual world.
Truly, nothing else will do
if our courage is not to fail us.
And let us seek the awakening
from within ourselves,
every morning
and every evening.
Some basic hermaneutics can establish that the second half is not from Steiner. While the theme of the first four verses re-occurs repeatedly in slightly different formulations in lectures from the period 1910-1911 -especially in lectures where he is explaining anthroposophy to the public - the second half does not match in phrasing or in theme to anything in the Complete Works. For instance, you will not find a single instance of the phrase "pure trust" anywhere in Steiner's work. Nor any references to failing courage. Living in trust is not a concept you'll find in Steiner's work, and is arguably antithetical to much of Steiner's western path. And even seeking awakening from within is a novel formulation. Arguably this is the anthroposophical path, but you won't find Steiner describing it in those terms anywhere.
This is not to say that the verse has not given much comfort to many in times of uncertainty. But I feel compelled to point out its murky origins.
"....First, however, everything that remains of the old will have to be reduced to nothingness. The clouds will have to gather round the human being, and he will have to find his freedom - find his own power, his own strength out of this nothingness. Outer material need will change into soul need, and out of this deep need of the soul will vision be born.
We must tear up by the roots every trace of fear and shrinking in face of what the future threatens to bring to human beings. All our feeling about the future must be permeated with calm and confidence. Absolute equanimity in face of whatever the future may bring - that is what man has to acquire, knowing as he does that everything that happens, happens under an all-wise cosmic guidance.
Our part is to do what is right in each moment as it comes - and to leave the rest to the future, That indeed is the lesson we have to learn in our time, to base our lives on simple trust. without any security of existence, to have trust in the ever-present help of the spiritual world. That is the only way for us if our courage is not to fail. Let us then set to work to discipline our will....."
(based on a translation by Mary Adams)
[exerpt three]
Steiner did not say this on Nov. 27, 1919; this is another amalgam of out of context passages. In this amalgam the first paragraph is extracted from the end of Steiner's lecture of Oct. 30, 1920 (GA 200, p. 120), which is published in English as lecture 6 of "The New Spirituality". The second paragraph is a different translation of the first paragraph of the "trust meditation" that I commented on earlier (the date is Nov. 27, 1910, not 1919). I don't know where the first sentence of the third paragraph comes from. The remainder of the last paragraph is a different (and incomplete) translation of the material from Emmichoven.
Daniel Hindes:
A little note about the following verse, which is very popular lately. It is attributed to Steiner, but it is not one of his verses. According to the editors at Steiner's archive in Dornach It appears to have originated among Dutch anthroposophists during WWII (this information is contained in GA40a). The first part is a versification of a paragraph from a 1911 lecture. The second part is demonstrably pseudoepigraphical (more on that below).
From the Steiner Lecture:
ATTRIBUTED TO RUDOLF STEINER:
We must eradicate from the soul
all fear and terror of what
comes towards man
out of the future.
We must acquire serenity
in all feelings and sensations
about the future.
We must look forward
with absolute equanimity
to everything that may come.
And we must think only that
whatever comes is given to us
by a world-directive
full of wisdom.
The part that is pseudoepigraphical:
It is part of what we
must learn in this age,
namely, to live out of pure
trust, without any security
in existence.
Trust in the ever present
help of the spiritual world.
Truly, nothing else will do
if our courage is not to fail us.
And let us seek the awakening
from within ourselves,
every morning
and every evening.
Some basic hermaneutics can establish that the second half is not from Steiner. While the theme of the first four verses re-occurs repeatedly in slightly different formulations in lectures from the period 1910-1911 -especially in lectures where he is explaining anthroposophy to the public - the second half does not match in phrasing or in theme to anything in the Complete Works. For instance, you will not find a single instance of the phrase "pure trust" anywhere in Steiner's work. Nor any references to failing courage. Living in trust is not a concept you'll find in Steiner's work, and is arguably antithetical to much of Steiner's western path. And even seeking awakening from within is a novel formulation. Arguably this is the anthroposophical path, but you won't find Steiner describing it in those terms anywhere.
This is not to say that the verse has not given much comfort to many in times of uncertainty. But I feel compelled to point out its murky origins.
https://www.mail-archive.com/bdnow@envirolink.org/msg04857.html
