Rudolf Steiner on Brotherhood

We will only fully comprehend Theosophy—the idea of brotherhood—when we can sit together amiably in a group where there is the greatest variety of thoughts....That is just the strong point of theosophists—to remain on a basis of fellowship, even when they hold different opinions.

—The Original Impulse Behind the Theosophical Movement: the Brotherhood Idea, Berlin, January 29, 1906, H &C, p. 355

Theosophy should not be a dogma, but an expression of love. People should help each other—that is, put love before opinions—and that will introduce a common spirit into human evolution. That is a practical side of what must be developed in the theosophical movement.

—Why is There a Theosophical Movement Today?, Leipzig, April 25th, 1906, History and Contents of the First Section of the Esoteric School, p. 270

"Theosophy per se, nor yet its humble unworthy vehicle, the Theosophical Society, has anything whatever to do with any personality or personalities! For real Theosophy IS ALTRUISM, and we cannot repeat it too often. It is brotherly love, mutual help, unswerving devotion to Truth. If once men do but realize that in these alone can true happiness be found, and never in wealth, possessions, or any selfish gratification, then the dark clouds will roll away, and a new humanity will be born upon earth. As all work for one and the same object, namely, the disenthralment of human thought, the elimination of superstitions, and the discovery of truth, all are equally welcome."

— H.P. Blavatsky

Zarathustra

As known in Anthroposophy, the great leader of the Persian Cultural Epoch was Zarathustra. There were many Zarathustras which followed the original in disciplic succession, so confusion can arise over this.

He who was Zarathustra, is still to be highly regarded in our current Western spirituality- now know as the Master Jesus. Together with the Master Christian Rosencreutz, they make up the two great teachers of this time.

Of course the religion still exists in the fire worshiping Parsis (Arabic for "Persia"). The Parsis still carry beautiful traditions of fire worshiping, like carrying a candle around the house as a blessing and purification every day. It was one of the first religions to understand that "cleanliness is next to Godliness".

It had to be Zarathustra, who long before witnessed the descending Christ Spirit, who then took such a crucial role in the Incarnation.

Below is the prophecy from the Avesta of the Saviour of the future Astvatorota/ Astvat-ereta/arata- Saoshyant:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saoshyant

"the mighty, royal, promising-bearing
Sun-ether-ayra, God-created,
Who will pass over into the resplendent Saviour
And the others, his Apostles;
Who carries the world onwards,
And overcomes old age, death, corruption and sloth,
Who helps to eternal life,
To eternal fructification,
To freedom of the will, (to mastery of the will)
When the dead rise again,
When the living Conqueror of death appears
And through the will the world is brought forward.

- Quoted by F.W. Zeylmans von Emmichoven

"Second Coming" Prophecies

Dear Friends,
Here are some of the "Second Coming" prophecies made by Valentin Tomberg in 1933, quoted by Robert Powell in his Hermetic Astrology.

"shame - in an elemental and powerful form - will take hold of human beings. The human being will become conscious of all his shortcomings, and no one else will be able to comfort him. Human beings will then go out to seek comfort from nature. One will be able to see someone going up to a tree and embracing it - seeking comfort from it - and, standing thus, how he will weep bitterly.

"And people will then be right in seeking comfort from dumb creatures, for creatures (the beings of nature) will become transformed through the presence of Christ. At present nature has lost all hope of being redeemed, but will be filled anew with hope through the breath of the presence of Christ. Nature will become good, and will again radiate trust and kindness towards man, instead of fear and mistrust as is the case now. Wonderful changes will take place in nature. Springtimes will come which will be different from all other springtimes - with goodness which will be felt in the air and in the breath, in the breathing of the ground, in the buds and green leaves. These springtimes will be filled with a blessing that nature has never experienced before.

"Towards autumn nature will bestow her fruits in generous abundance- the sap will be life-giving and seeds will be ripe and full. For Christ will be there for nature. His presence will work in such a way that- even if it takes place only for a moment - all struggle, hate and fear will withdraw from nature.

"Extraordinary changes will become noticeable in the atmosphere. There will be regions where the air will be such that many people will be cured -cured of their illnesses through the air they breath in.. Changes in the behavior of children will manifest themselves in surprising and mysterious ways. Thus, it will happen that a circle of children playing will become quite still and will stand there motionless and in deep silence for a while... Even if communism still exists in Russia, remarkable occurrences in the school-life of communist Russia will take place. There large groups of children will suddenly experience something, concerning which they won't know what to say, but which will place them in a reverent and devout mood.

"Christ will move from the West to the East in wave-like lines. He will begin in America and will continue through Europe to the north-east of Europe. From there he will continue eastwards as far as China, where the resistance is strongest. His coming is not for all regions of the Earth simultaneously, but progresses step by step. Thereby each further step of his movement will signify a stronger force, a growth in the transmission of the Christ-Power. Only after traversing the whole of the Earth in this way will he appear to individuals in different parts of the world. Clairvoyant occultists will see him earlier, where he will be present only in the kingdoms of nature, but for many others the first experience of him will be in the human kingdom, after his expansion throughout nature is accomplished."

Rudolf Steiner's Estrangement from His Body

Rudolf Steiner's failing health must be viewed in the context of the increasing alienation of his physical body to the spiritual parts of his being. This led to various health problems and pain.

There was the apparent poisoning (or was it really just allergic reaction to the food or drink he was ingesting at the time, going by his comments given in a lecture soon after- "all food can become poisonous") on January 1st 1924.

From a couple of letters to Marie Steiner:

"And I have to avoid everything 'destructive'. I can see how easily I can be set back when something disruptive occurs, particularly with regard to the gastric system. "

"As you know, I have become very estranged from my physical body since January 1923. That is why an increasing amount of nursing is necessary."
- 26th October 1924

"Wegman and Noll are kept pretty busy with my 'treatment'. I have to suffer a lot with the pain of the treatment and feel how much I am unsuited to spending time on my own care in this way."

"M.d.M., I told you some time ago how, since January 1923, the link between the higher parts of my being and my physical body was no longer complete; living in the spirit I lost, as it were, the immediate connection with my physical organization. Not with the physical world. On the contrary: my ability to make a healthy assessment of the latter grew stronger and also more comprehensive. But precisely because everything in the spiritual realm continued unhindered, also as regards the physical world, the hostile forces are making an assault on my physical body."

- 15th October 1924

Earlier Uses of the Word "Anthroposophy"

The term was used in a Latin book which appeared in Basel Switzerland, in 1575: Arbatel de magia veterum. it is defined there as the "knowledge of natural things" and the "wisdom in humane things". This may be the earliest reference. 

Thomas Vaughan, the twin brother of Henry Vaughan, used the term in his Anthroposophia Theomagica in the 17th century.

"The brothers were born at Newton in Breconshire in 1621. In his years in London Vaughan devoted himself to alchemical experiment and theory. He published a series of treatises, the first three of which appeared in 1650. These were Anthroposophia Theomagica: or a Discourse of the Nature of Man and his State after Death; Grounded on his Creator's Proto-Chemistry and verified by a practical Examination of Principles in the Great World, Anima Magica Abscondita: or a Discourse of the universal Spirit of Nature and Magia Adamica: or the Antiquitie of Magic.

All three were published under the name of Eugenius Philalethes, as were Lumen de Lumine: or a New Magical Light, which appeared in 1651, and Euphrates: or the Waters of the East, published in 1655. In 1652 there had been published Aula Lucis: or The House of Light, attributed to one S.N., but identified by Henry Vaughan as one of his brother's works (S and N being the final letters of Thomas Vaughan's Christian name and surname)."

Rudolf Steiner used the term in 1902-3 in a lecture cycle From Zarathustra to Nietzsche. History of Human Evolution Based on the World conception of the Orient up to the Present or Anthroposophy- no manuscript of these lectures is available.