13 ways of looking at Anthroposophia: "A temple pure and beautiful enough to receive and consciously bear the holy of holies"

"The human being of the future will offer his entire pure and holy love to the Christ Being as a sacrificial offering. He will as a result be inwardly exalted. His soul will become beautiful, will receive the objective beauty of the cosmos. He will cultivate this love within himself as his highest aesthetic and ethical sensibility, as his most precious possession. He will never let this golden bud wither or go dry. He would not be able to do this anyway, as contact with the Saviour of the Sun and the Earth will be as natural to him as the present-day human breathes in the air. He will create an awareness for something which is anyway a fact without his being aware of it: Christ has united Himself with the Earth and as a result with mankind. Everything that goes to make up the external aspects of the human being in his physical existence can be traced back to the divine spirit which lives in the human being through the sacrifice of the Logos in descending onto and into the Earth. He will remodel his body from within out, turn it into a temple pure and beautiful enough to receive and consciously bear the holy of holies. But the light of the spirit must be experienced in a human body here on the Earth--in other words, while incarnated. To become human means developing awareness. Only in this way is it possible to offer up the sacrifice.

Only he who has received into his heart the appearance of Christ at the turning point of evolution and lives daily with this knowledge in his soul and spirit can develop a spirit organ for perceiving Him in the etheric world. Only he who stands in a valid relationship to the appearance of Christ at the turning-point of evolution--in other words, to the Logos in a human body--can develop a relationship to the etheric Christ. Otherwise it is of no help, however often someone goes to church or however many [anthroposophical] membership cards he carries around with him. He will never develop it. Whoever expects everything to be given him as a gift has not understood the Christ impulse. The gift is to give oneself actively and firmly, not half-heartedly and full of doubt but full of courage and devotion, without any expectation of gaining personal advantage from anyone as a result, but in order to help another person or all of mankind."


--Judith von Halle, "The Easter Event at the Time of Christ," in And If He Has Not Been Raised, pp. 143-44.

The Wounds on the Feet of the Resurrected Christ

"The wounds on the feet [of the Resurrection body of Christ] are connected (in a completely different way from the hands) with the ground on which they 'tread.' They wish to meet it with a respect and love which grows from the awareness that the human being owes his consciousness and his freely made commitment to Christ to the fact that he has emerged as an incarnated being out of the fertile soil of the Earth, and also that only by experiencing his karma on this physical Earth can he develop a relationship to Christ within his own self.

Here again is to be said, and this is at once the simplest and the most important message of the secret of Easter: Christ must be found in earthly life!--not after death. He can only be found after death if He has been known in earthly life. To explore the Resurrection in the spirit of Christ is to become familiar with Christ, whom we bear within us. This is the most direct way to an understanding of Christ after death."


--Judith von Halle, "The Easter Event at the Time of Christ," in And If He Has Not Been Raised, p. 143

The Goal of Yoga: Becoming Anthroposophia

"Since the day of the Resurrection specific influences can emanate from the points of the stigmata in humans--for every human, even those who do not bear the stigmata in a way that is visible to the senses. To the extent that we 'bring ourselves into the right relationship to Christ' we put on and attract the 'new Adam' (1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Romans 5:14) which bears these stigmata (the German verb anziehen means 'to put on, to clothe,' and 'to attract' like a magnet). We incorporate this Christ seed into us, bring it to flower, through the devotion of our spirit and soul to Him. And the more this new garment, the new temple of man, resembles this Resurrrection body the stronger the process becomes of unification of the human being with Christ. In his own individual way he is penetrated by the influence of this first phantom, which arose at that time from the grave. And for each one of us who 'brings himself into the right relationship with Christ' the corresponding points on the hands and the feet (the wound on the side as well) also acquire a highly important significance.

Because of the Resurrection, the human being can send his individual self, by means of the etheric body, out into the world from these points. At no other point on the body does the etheric body project so strongly into the outer world as the hands. If you look again more closely at the altar painting of Grünewald you can then recognize the fine rays projecting from the stigmata. They shine like small suns. The sense of touch for human beings, for all of us, is weak at those points where the stigmata are located. But if we relax and tune in to our perceptions we have more a sense that these points radiate into the etheric the transformed substance of our own individual self, just like the sun sends out its rays. The human being can move around in his surroundings by means of the points of the stigmata on the palms and the backs of his hands, through totally new etheric sense organs. These are not weak, passively functioning sense organs, they exert a powerful influence if you cultivate and develop them. They are the condensed substance of your individual self actively radiating and giving. This is a significant transformation in the spirit of the Christ impulse, as it involves the active participation of the will in shaping the outer world."


--Judith von Halle, "The Easter Event at the Time of Christ," in And If He Has Not Been Raised, p. 142

Romans 5: "We glory in tribulations"

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:12-58: "This mortal must put on immortality"

Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

The Ascension of Christ: The transmutation of space into cosmic time

"At the place where Christ goes to after the Resurrection, space does not exist. Coming from the Sun, Christ, the bringer of time, carries this Sun into the Earth. In the place from which time comes, however, time is not as it is for us, because it has no space to overcome. Space as we know it does not exist. Seen from our perspective, time there runs backwards. You experience this every night when in sleep you enter the spiritual world, or after death, when you first live though your experiences on Earth in reverse. If you encounter a spiritual entity beyond the threshold, then it is not as though you approach it, but as though it approaches you from the depths of the spiritual being of time.

Now Christ, the Sun-Time Being, has through His connection with the Earth brought His time to the Earth. In the Mystery of Golgotha, therefore, you have a certain interpenetration of both principles of space and time. Subject to the laws of the Earth, conceived, incarnated and died, the divine being wanders through space. However, this God carries His cosmic time, the backwards flowing, spaceless time, with Him in all these processes. That is why that happens which I have mentioned previously: the inversion of the 'sequence of events' in Christ's life.

The phantom body [of Christ] now merges through the Ascension into the sphere surrounding the Earth, where it replicates itself. Here lies an important and wondrous Mystery, because for the first time through the passage of God through earthly, material death and through the subsequent Resurrection, the spiritual archetype of the physical body was able to overcome this death, this imprisonment in space. You could say: the spiritual essence of this physical human body was able to merge into cosmic time from the dimension of space, just as the salt crystal merges into a liquid. As a result, the spiritual expression of the physical body became free. It was the counter image to the old, first Adam, which became embedded into space as it sank down to Earth. This is why Paul speaks especially of the 'second' or 'new' Adam, as he was aware precisely of this difference (1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Romans 5:14)."

--Judith von Halle, "The Whitsun Event at the Time of Christ," in And If He Has Not Been Raised, pp. 164-65

Christ Triumphant

"If you encounter a spiritual entity beyond the threshold, then it is not as though you approach it, but as though it approaches you from the depths of the spiritual being of time."--Judith von Halle

13 ways of looking at Anthroposophia: In des Geistes Weltgedanken erwachet die Seele

"The moment at which Christ rises forth from the grave in His radiant Resurrection body is the all-important moment for the future evolution of mankind. But it is not just a decisive moment for humanity but is also an act of intervention of unique significance in the world of the Gods. That which the council of the Gods had once decided was implemented fully at this moment. The Gods planned a preliminary catharsis--the plan was to create for humans a balance to the influences coming from Lucifer and Ahriman--by Jesus Christ dying a human death. The Gods did not know this death on the Earth. This preliminary catharsis is expressed in the words of Jesus Christ on the Cross: 'It is finished' (John 19:30). But then the spiritual Sun had also penetrated into Ahriman's depths and by itself restored the spiritual body of the human being. This God appeared as a shining conqueror, a victor in the name of love. Whoever sees Him in this form can never doubt anymore, and this experience of His presence is not just for the one incarnation but also for all following incarnations--a sense of certainty, clearer, purer, and stronger than all the physically provable things of the earthly world of the senses, which anyway disintegrate at death, like the material body itself, along with the earthly thoughts based on the physical brain. Spiritual thoughts, however, never disintegrate: 'spirit memory'--'spirit thought'--'spirit vision' (words from The Foundation Stone Meditation). They are drawn into the eternal nature of the human Higher Self and are active at the side of the hierarchies in the development of the new man.
The best way to create a mental image of this moment of the Resurrection is to meditate on the painting by Matthias Grünewald. A meditation on this picture has such a strong effect because it contains details that could only have been painted by an initiate. Even if someone does not intellectually understand everything, his soul, his divinity, of which he is unconscious, is aware of the moving truth in this work of art."

--Judith von Halle, And If He Has Not Been Raised . . ., pp. 130-31

13 ways of looking at the Holy Grail

"Wisdom is crystallized pain."--Rudolf Steiner

13 ways of looking at Anthroposophia

"The human being himself must create an organ so that he can bear suffering."--Rudolf Steiner

Where does karma come from?

"With the earthly concept of time the human being believes that something happening here or there can have an effect only in relation to what follows afterwards. However, in the spiritual world it is so, that something happening reveals itself beforehand in its effects, that in its effects it is already present beforehand. Where does the blessing of karma come from? From what in our development on the Earth has this blessing that karma exists arisen? Karma comes from no other force in the whole of evolution than from Christ."
--Rudolf Steiner, from a lecture given March 22, 1909

"Optical illusion is visual truth"--Goethe

86 optical illusions and visual phenomena:
http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/

A poem by Johann Gottlieb Fichte

Nothing is but God, and God is nothing but life.
You know it; you and I know it together.
But how would knowing be there
If it were not knowing of God's life?

"How gladly would I surrender myself to this!
Yet where do I find it? Somehow it flows
Into knowing, then transforms itself into seeming,
Mingling with it, surrounded by its sheaths."

Quite clearly the sheath rises up before you:
It is your I; what is destructible dies,
And henceforth only God lives in your striving.

See through what survives this striving;
Then the sheath becomes visible to you as sheath,
And unveiled you see divine life.

"Stanzas applied spiritually to Christ and the soul" by St. John of the Cross

A lone young shepherd lived in pain
withdrawn from pleasure and contentment,
his thoughts fixed on a shepherd-girl
his heart an open wound with love.

He weeps, but not from the wound of love—
there is no pain in such affliction,
even though the heart is pierced—
he weeps in knowing he's been forgotten.

That one thought: His shining one
has forgotten him—is such great pain
that he bows to brutal handling in a foreign land,
his heart an open wound with love.

The shepherd says: I pity the one
who draws herself back from my love,
and does not seek the joy of my presence,
though my heart is an open wound with love for her.

After a long time he climbed a tree,
and spread his shining arms,
and hung by them, and died,
his heart an open wound with love.

"Be strong and take heart"

Psalm 31

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.

Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.

Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
I trust in the LORD.

I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.

You have not handed me over to the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.

Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.

My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my iniquity
and my bones grow weak.

Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.

I am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.

For I hear the slander of many;
there is terror on every side;
they conspire against me
and plot to take my life.

But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."

My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.

Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.

Let me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and lie silent in the grave.

Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.

In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.

Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.

 In my alarm I said,
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.

Love the LORD, all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.

Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.