A Big Shift
We are in the biggest social shift, still in its early stages, since the 16th century.
The science, politics and sociology of covid is an inseparable a part of that shift. We are experiencing a substantial change in the “chemistry” of humanity and what it means to be human. Two thousand years ago the single most fundamental event in humanity’s evolution and development occurred – the event of Golgotha. Prior to that event, humanity was developing in a downward trajectory deeper and deeper into materialism in order to gain its full freedom and to experience in full measure, through its physical senses, the hardened physical plane.
What this means is this: In the beginning, humanity was led by Spiritual Hierarchies through its experience on Earth, in the physical plane. Put simply, the Spiritual Hierarchies “held the hand of humanity” – doing most of its thinking, leading humanity through its journeys of subsequent lifetimes. Post the event of Golgotha, humanity has been, albeit slowly, developing on an upward trajectory back to its origins in the higher spiritual realms. On this upward track it takes with it all it has learned through its sense experiences and the struggle to choose, through its full freedom, “good” over “evil” or, what is beneficial to this upward journey over what would eventually have “fastened” it to the physical plane through beliefs and desires that it has chosen rather than striving to reignite the “lost” connection with the Spiritual Hierarchies. At this point in time, our time, humanity stands at its greatest ability to choose. To put it more succinctly, humanity is experiencing the full measure of its freedom than ever before in history. From the Spiritual point of view, this means that the human being is completely disconnected from any direct spiritual help whatsoever. Humanity is now left on its own. No Spiritual Hierarchy, or what most people simply refer to as “God,” is not “coming to save us.” That is exactly what God did in the person of Jesus and the Being of Christ at the event of Golgotha. This is all very plain in the Bible – if one has eyes to see and ears to hear.
What are we to make of our situation, then? Are we alone, abandoned by God and the Spiritual Hierarchies to suffer a demise for which we did not bargain, for which we did not choose? Ah, but there is the rub, isn’t it? We are fully free to choose, we are in full command of our destiny. We have, in fact, made choices down through the ages – even in our own time – that has led to where we are now. However – we are not alone. We simply are either blind or refuse to see the help that has been provided. But what the common person wants – for God to swoop down and “save” us – would mean quite plainly that we would lose that freedom, something “not in the cards” for humanity’s development, its intended evolution destined by our Creator. This will not ever happen my friend. From where, then, does the help come? And in what form has this help been offered?
This is where readers will drop off, if they have not already. But that is their choice, right? I have no problem with that. Truth is the most difficult thing for the human mind to wrestle with. This help of which I speak came to us quite painfully from the cross at Golgotha. It was a highly mystical event; an event that humanity long before its altruistic clairvoyance was lost through its journey downward to the “hardened” Earth would have understood much easier than it can today. Nonetheless, it is still possible – through the freedom to choose to want to know the truth of things, of life. What, exactly, was that event? You might think I am going to say “Jesus dying on the cross.” But what does that really mean? Dogma would say “He died for our sins.” Whatever does THAT mean? Yes, Christ dying on the cross led to the event of which I speak. It is difficult to understand in all of its beauty and wonderment; in its seemingly far-fetched concept. But here it is: When Jesus’ – as the Christ – blood fell to the Earth, the Earth responded with earthquakes and darkened skies. Why? Because God was “mad?” No. At that moment Christ became the “Earth Spirit.” The Earth became His body and blood of which we all partake when we take in nourishment provided by the Earth. You see, science has told us – and we have believed (“materialized”) science for too long – that the Earth is a hardened rock with a hot magma core. In fact, the Earth is a living organism like you, me, the animals and plants. I don’t have the time or space here to go into all of that. When Christ became the Earth Spirit, His Impulse (or influence, or power – call it whatever works for you) entered into humanity. That Impulse now resides in each one of us (The Kingdom of God is within you). But with the freedom we possess that not even God will override we must choose to use this “power.” This answers the questions of “from where” and “what form.” But how do we tap into that power and what does it cost us? Freedom isn’t free, right? Isn’t that what the military preaches? They are quite correct on that point. But here we are talking about a different, higher and more important form of freedom.
Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split
How do we “tap into” this power? First we must desire it. I don’t mean in the sense of adding it to all the material desires you have acquired in your life, your creature comforts, your ballgames, your career, your prestigious position, your wealth. And since I wrote it like that, I’ll just say that it just might cost you all of these things. What, then, do I mean by desire if different from desiring my favorite TV show? I can only explain it this way: If you were held down under water by another such that there was no way you could get back to the surface except they release you, what is it, while being held under, that you would desire more than anything else? Would it be your car? Your chocolates? Your comfy bed? Your cute little kitten? You wad of cash? Where exactly would your desire focus in those moments? And would that desire, necessarily, negate all of these other trite desires? No, it wouldn’t, would it? So what is it you would desire while being held under water? To breathe of course! You would desire air. THIS is the “type” of desire, the depth of desire, that is required to really tap into the Christ Impulse within you. Make no mistake, It is there, I promise you that. So don’t cop out on yourself and deny it. “Woe is me” won’t work here. You have no excuse but only a choice – to want to acquire this “power” or not. At this point you might ask a few questions like “How will it benefit me?” or “What will it cost me?” or some such.
By simply desiring to know this Impulse within you in the way described above – to desire it as the single most important aspect of your being – you will begin to learn. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” In short, you will learn the Truth and knowing that Truth will set you free – free from the mental anguish, free from all the fear, free from the bonds that threaten to adhere you to this physical realm. It has been said that we are our own worst enemy. In the sense that we have the free will to choose “good” and/or “evil” that is very true. But it is not fully accurate. We do, in fact, have an adversary. Without going down that long road here, suffice it to say, that adversary is as close to us as the Christ Impulse within us. This fact is characterized by the image of the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other, both vying for your attention and subjugation.
So how does all of this “solve” the hell that we are on the fringe of and headed toward in the current state of the world? Well, to be frank, it doesn’t. That’s because humanity is not “done” developing, evolving. For one, technology is a definitive part of that development, our evolution. But in the current state of things we have chosen to use technology in the worst way – the worst way for our proper development. Why? Because we have forsaken any idea of the Spiritual, which means we have forsaken the Christ Impulse within. But how could we have ever known it was there if no one told us? Well, for one, I’m telling you now. And there have been others down through the ages that have told you/us. But on the grander scheme of things, you have a conscience – or at least I hope you do. Remember “let your conscience be your guide?” Remember from where and when that entered the mainstream of human thought? Through Disney (a corrupt institution) and its Jiminy Cricket. This is a simple example, but it serves the purpose of illustrating the way in which our adversary messes with our thoughts, our minds. How? In this example one’s conscience is removed from within and displayed as something outside – in the form of a cricket. This is how the adversary works – by systematically getting human beings to look outside themselves for truth, for their reality, for “freedom”. When the whole time the entire Kingdom of God is within us, the Truth is within us. But I digress.
Let’s talk a minute on the idea of groupthink. It’s a reality. It is a powerful influence. But a group is composes of individuals. The thinking as a group, as a composite organism, has its beginning in each individual choosing to believe the same thing, to put their energies into a common goal or purpose. And, currently, humanity for the most part does not believe in Spiritual realities and how interrelated the Spiritual realm and the physical realm really are. As above so below. As below so above. It’s a fact of our existence we have chosen to ignore and instead we place all of our trust in material science – and/or the material church. But we have forgotten that modern science began through those who were very spiritual individuals. Gradually science was divorced from the Spiritual. However, hope is never lost. The two will one day become joined again. Again I digress. How do we fix the proverbial shit flying all around us now? It begins with how we, as individuals, think, what we determine is important. Then, gradually, “groupthink” will begin to take over and become the power through which positive change can come. But not until then.
It is ONLY through a deep, true, real Spiritual yearning that humanity’s woes will be healed. This is the only way any real change will come. This is how God helps us. For once we begin a true effort to seek Him within, He will help (…while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him…). If we CHOOSE a truly Spiritual life over a poisonous material existence, God can help us – but only then. Not before. We are alone (in our freedom) and no one is coming to save us (because the power to do so already resides within us, has already been provided to and for us).
I did not set out to write this post this morning. I simply sat down to jot down a thought. But I cannot ignore Inspiration when it comes. I sincerely hope what I’ve written here matters to you. It’s my sincere hope it does…
After I posted the above this morning, I was researching a book due out for publication in October. As with most of Rudolf Steiner’s works, much of it can be found on the Rudolf Steiner Archive. I often use the resource to get a feel for the material (lectures of RS) in the book prior to purchasing a copy. The book is titled “The Karma of Materialism.” This quote is from the end of chapter 3. I pray it better illustrates than I have attempted her the importance of seeking the Christ Impulse, now more than when Steiner spoke these words in 1917.
Nothing in the way of joy, happiness, blessedness has come about except through pain. To refuse pain and opposition is to refuse beauty, greatness and goodness. Here one enters a domain where one can no longer think as one pleases; here one is subject to what in the Mysteries was called “iron necessity.” True as it is that great harmony exists in the world, true as it is that the present harmony had of necessity to arise through pain, it is equally true that the Christ impulse cannot be attained through painless, sensuous feelings of well-being such as those conveyed by the idea of being “in tune with the infinite.” The Christ impulse can only be reached by courageously facing the conflict that plays itself out in our intellect — or in our consciousness in general — between the Christ impulse and the ahrimanic impulse. It is a conflict we cannot lightheartedly distance ourselves from by saying “without harmony we remain unfulfilled; in order to attain the Christ impulse we must rise above the conflict in our understanding.” This can be seen quite concretely in the most diverse instances. For example someone may strive to understand the world through natural science; as a consequence he fails to find the Christ impulse. He may later learn to understand the world through spiritual science and as a consequence he now does find the Christ impulse. In such a case it is essential to recognize that one is faced with a contradiction, but in the very contradiction there is also agreement. Contrary to the belief of many it is not a question of adhering solely to one or the other science, nor can one be substituted for the other. Rather could they be compared with the right and left ear; both are necessary for proper hearing for the very reason that the hearing in one ear does not coincide with that of the other ear. What matters is not whether two things can be made to agree but in what sense there is harmony between them.