A world imbued with the sacred
I’m interested in the period of history when philosophy was emerging in Ancient Greece. People were living more on their feelings and passions. Their philosophy was physical – lung and heart based – not head based as it has since developed. Their world was interpenetrated by spiritual beings known through experiences – not just superstitions. It was a song culture, with poetry and music, and the poets held the wisdom. So now the challenge is – how to find a way of thinking with the world of thought, which is at the same time in touch with feeling.
Knowledge should be a direct knowing, from experience, Qualities, not quantities. Unaided by scientific instruments. The human being is the most exact instrument, if you can develop that instrument into an organ of deep perception – then you’ll see more. Steiner was developing himself as a spiritual instrument. But it’s not so easy to develop it, just have to keep working on it!
For example. there is a miracle in every plant – and it is so easy simply not to see it.
It makes one realize that today our consciousness is incredibly reduced. And we may look with condescension at the past, but we do so at our own peril. We don’t realize the extent to which we have become ignorant.
It’s not a going back, one cannot undo what has happened. There is also a huge value today in that we can think clearly and objectively, and have a freedom of choice (from the gods).”