(from I am I, to Not I but Christ in Me)
‘There is absolutely no point in taking the book of revelation as something about which commentaries can be written. The only meaningful thing to do is to learn through the book of revelation how to become an Apocalyptist oneself, and in becoming Apocalyptist to get to understand one own time so well that the impulses of that time become the impulses of one’s own work.
As a human being of the present time and as a priest one can enter into this by looking directly at the beginning of the Michael age in 1879, at the appearance of Christ in the first half of the 20th century and the threatening rise of Sorath and his adherents at the end of the 20th century.
As human beings who understand these things and know how to interpret the signs of the times, let us arrange our lives in accordance with these three mysteries of our time: the mystery of Michael, the mystery of Christ and the mystery of Sorath. If we do this, we shall work in the right way in the field to which our Karma has led us, and so will the priest in his priestly field.”
Rudolf Steiner
(Book of revelation and the work of the priest, Dornach, 12. September 1924)
Seminar – workshop Apocalyptic is a result of independent spiritual research and practise, which is still being developed and is growing together with each seminar. The approach or the way of getting into the knowledge of the seminar is new and is not bound by Anthroposophical society nor to anthroposophical lectures, of which the author of these lines and the leader of the seminar was attendee and listener for past three years.
The basic impulse comes from the book of Rudolf Steiner, The Book of Revelation and the work of the Priest, where there are 18 lectures of Rudolf Steiner, which he held from the time of 5th until 22nd September 1924 in Dornach and from his own findings, which the author of these lines experienced in his individual explorational spiritual work visiting island Patmos and Seminary of the Christian community in Canada.
The seminar consists of four separate parts that form together a whole. It is possible to attend only individual parts.
I. Direct experience of our own – earthly I
In our time getting to know our own Self already represents quite a challenge. In most people the I is immersed in animalistic instincts, promoted and generated with unstoppable power, mostly through modern screen technology (artificial motion picture and artificial sound).
Being awake or in full presence of our own Self has important influence on comprehending contents of seminar therefor on the first day various practical methods are being performed that enable knowing of our own, earthly Self which manifests in intuitive form of I am I.
“Man does not yet entirely base his life on the principle that his true being descends from the animal. But this view of existence will inevitably arise, with the result that men will also live like animals, will sink into animal impulses, animal passions. And in many things that need not be further characterised here, many things that in the great cities come to expression in orgies of dissolute sensuality, we can already perceive the lurid, hellish glare of the Spirits we call the Asuras.”
Rudolf Steiner
(THE DEED OF CHRIST and the Opposing Spiritual Powers Lucifer, Ahriman, Mephistopheles, Asuras, Berlin 22. March 1909)
II. The Mystery of Sorath – Exposing forces of darkness
Highlighting of forces that oppose man’s spiritual development represents important part of the seminar. Lucifer, Ariman, Asuras and their generator Sorath are the forces that bring chaos into the world, weaken the will, and divide people, whereas Christ impulse brings peace, strengthens the will, and unites people.
We can eradicate the forces of darkness by clearly seeing them and recognising their influence in ourselves, recognising signs of influence on other people and on the whole society. This is also the main goal of second part of the seminar.
“…Only by the removal of the hindering Spirits of Darkness from the spiritual realm could the minds and hearts of men be opened to receive from the twentieth century onward, the spiritual knowledge destined for them; only so was the flow of this spiritual knowledge possible. Wandering as they now do among men, these Spirits of Darkness make it their business to spread confusion; from their arena here, on Earth, they want to prevent the establishment of the right attitude in relation to the spiritual truths, they want to withhold from men the blessings which it is the purpose of the spiritual truths to bring.”
Rudolf Steiner
(Behind the Scenes of External Happenings, Zurich, 13. November 1917)
III. Michael mystery, Christ mystery, New Jupiter
Practise has shown that after finishing the second part and sleeping overnight the participants of the seminar have easier access to the content of Michael mystery and the mystery of the Christ, as the central cosmic event of human evolution and in some cases, they can sense the seeds of New Jupiter as the next phase of human’s evolution. The mentioned seeds represent clear differentiation between good and evil, true compassion and freeing from material world. All this and more we will try to highlight in this third part of the seminar.
First three parts are focused on cognitive comprehension of relationship between the true human being and the true world. There is a difference between individual who must learn certain spiritual truths and those who must only recall them in their memory. Steiner in his work nicely outlines this in a story. It goes about this: After a long time two friends meet again, who know each other for more than 30 years. They talk and the first addresses the second one, if he remembers an event 20 years ago, where both were present. The second friend tells him that he has no clue what he is talking about and that this event is completely erased from his memory. The first friend then starts to describe this event and while doing it, slowly it brings back to the second friend full memory of the event. Maybe it is appropriate to give to this the final Steiner quotation:
“I have said that those who stand with full intensity within the Anthroposophical Movement will return at the end of the century, and others will then unite with them, for by this means the salvation of the earth and earthly civilisation from destruction must eventually be settled. This is the mission of the Anthroposophical Movement, which weighs on the one hand so heavily upon one’s heart, while on the other hand it moves the heart, uplifts it with enthusiasm. This mission we must understand and see.”
Rudolf Steiner (Karmic Relationships – Esoteric Studies III, Dornach, 3. August 1924)
IV. Not I but Christ in me, Community in exile
In agony of the old world a new life is being born, a new world which draws inspiration for the future from endless sources of spiritual world. The impulses of spiritual world are present the whole time, patiently knocking on door of every single human being and in deep reverence to free will waiting for their response. From hereon man decides for himself.
In this part the cycle of walking the path with Christ will be presented, which every year starts with Advent and ends with Michaelmas. In-depth reading of the Bible will be presented together with the existing practices which enable knowing and preserving man as divine basic ground on earth.
“Let your soul be carried with my enormous strength.
I am with you.
I am in you.
I am for you.
I am your true I!”
Christ
Stay awake and brave!
Robert Lavtar
Director and co-founder of Antroposophical Institute Kukeč and leader of the seminar
