How We See One Another
While we walk this Earth, striving to live our life, it seems difficult, almost impossible, to bring under control those passions that are destructive. In this time of utter evil enveloping every aspect of our lives, it is becoming even easier to put up walls and place ourselves automatically on the defensive. Now, perhaps more than ever, we put ourselves above others, even family members we once had an innate allegiance to, a deep love for. It seems we look around us and instantaneously judge the people around us. It is time we stopped and learned to first love others – as we wish to be loved.
Following is an excerpt from a lecture given by Rudolf Steiner in 1916. The lecture concerns how the dead relate to the living. Yes, the dead are among us, for “death” is an illusion of sorts. We have been trained for so long to believe that once we are dead to the physical world, that is it – either we no longer exist at all, or we are whisked off to either Heaven or hell. This is simply not the case. Death, as we might normally conceive of it, is a “change,” not an end. It is the leave-taking of our physical life on Earth, and our entrance back to the real reality – the Spiritual realm. What do I mean by “real reality?” Simply that everything, including physical life on planet Earth, is Spiritual.
In the excerpt below, it is implied that perhaps maybe we should view one another – the “living” viewing the “living” – as the dead view us. Let’s read…
As to the way in which the dead person sees the human beings who are here on earth, there is one thing of outstanding importance. Let us not imagine that the dead has not a keen and living interest in the world of human beings. He has, indeed, for the world of human beings belongs to the whole cosmos. Our own life belongs to the cosmos. And just as we, even in the physical world, interest ourselves in the subordinate kingdoms, so do the dead interest themselves intensely in the human world, and send their active impulses into the human world. For the dead work through the living into this world. We have only just given an example of the way in which they go on working soon after their passage through the Gate of Death.
But the dead sees one thing above all, and that most clearly. Suppose, for example, that he sees a human being here following impulses of hatred — hating this person or that, and with a merely personal intensity or purpose. This the dead sees. At the same time, however, according to the whole manner of his vision and all that he is then able to know, he will observe quite clearly, in such a case, the part which Ahriman is playing. He sees how Ahriman impels the person to hatred. The dead actually sees Ahriman working upon the human being. On the other hand, if a person on earth is vain, he sees Lucifer working at him. That is the essential point. It is in connection with the world of Ahriman and Lucifer that the dead human being sees the human beings who are here on earth. Consequently, what generally colours our judgement of people is quite eliminated for the dead. We see this or that human being, whom in one sense or another we must condemn. Whatever we find blameworthy in him, we put it down to him. The dead does not put it down directly to the human being. He sees how the person is misled by Lucifer or Ahriman. This brings about a toning-down, so to speak, of the sharply differentiated feelings which in our physical and earthly life we generally have towards this or that human being. To a far greater extent, a kind of universal human love arises in the dead. This does not mean that he cannot criticize — that is to say, cannot rightly see what is evil in evil. He sees it well enough, but he is able to refer it to its origin — to its real inner connections.
Source: Rudolf Steiner – GA 168 – On the Connection of the Living and the Dead – Berne, 9 November 1916
Dante and Beatrice gaze upon the highest heavens; from Gustave Doré’s illustrations to the Divine Comedy.
The implication here is, in my opinion, that we must enforce upon ourselves, as individuals, the practice of seeing the Spiritual behind the physical – especially in the realm of our relationships with one another. The dead look upon us and see the forces at work that seek to prevent us from being what we are meant to become, what we are meant to strive for – free moral beings. Whether it is the Ahrimanic forces or Luciferic, the dead recognize the Truth behind our hate and our vanity. It is time we began to pierce the veil of our own ignorance of higher things and look with (Spiritual) eyes and see the Truth.
One other thought that struck me when I read the above. Applied to us, the living, this could be considered the mechanics of forgiveness. If we admit that we are weak against these adversaries, perhaps we can begin down the road of healing and become Spiritually strong to vanquish these dragons. I’ll leave you with the Michael Prayer.
Fall of the Spirits of Darkness
Michael!
Lend my Your sword; that I may be armed to vanquish the dragon within me.
Fill me with Your strength; that I may bring into confusion the spirits that wish to paralyze me.
Work in me; that the Light may irradiate my I and lead me to deeds worthy of Thee.
Michael!