UNIFYING PRINCIPLES AND INFLUENCES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMANITY

Tomas Avramov, 8.-11.9. 2022, on FB 12.9.2022

UNIFYING PRINCIPLES AND INFLUENCES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMANITY AND WHAT APPEAR TO BE CONTRADICTIONS (ALSO IN RELATION TO THE CURRENT SITUATION IN THE WORLD)

Just a small warning - in the following text only certain examples, certain phenomena are found, it is not intended to cover a wider range of phenomena, characteristics, illustrative examples, but for the meaning of the text the ones given here should suffice.

How does the spiritual guidance of humanity actually work? How do bodhisattvas and masters work together? And how does what is expressed in the words that "over every force of evil there is always a higher force of good" actually take place? In order that these statements do not remain on the theoretical plane, it is necessary to use illustrative examples that can help to show the concreteness and truth of such statements. This is also very necessary for a healthy and peace-loving view of developments and events in the world.

For example, are the West (meaning Western Anglo-American culture with its spread, put as simply as possible), Central Europe (meaning Central European culture with its German and West Slavic element) and the East (here meaning the eastern regions of Europe from approximately the Polish, Slovakian borders eastwards) unifiable? If each of these areas carries both good influences and evil influences, and if it is true that a greater force of good watches over every force of evil, is it possible that these areas are not unified? And alternatively, in what area and perspective are they already unified today, where and how are the unifying currents and influences working?

And one more question... Who is represented by the "spiritual leadership of humanity"? Who is it? Besides the obvious fact that the spiritual leadership of humanity is a matter of the Christ-being and the hierarchies associated with Him, certain human individualities are also part of this leadership, as one of the spiritual hierarchies. There is not space here to discuss how far these individualities are human and how far they are part of other, "higher" hierarchies, but that is not so much the point, since in the end all these hierarchies are interconnected, cooperating and united, sanctimoniously united. These individualities are thus known and named as "masters", bodhisattvas, buddhas, initiates. In order to understand the meaning, laws and apparent contradictions of humanity's evolution, it is necessary to recognize the influence and impulses coming through these initiates and their cooperation with each other.

In this way, and thanks to the methods and means of spiritual science, we know that at the time of the end of the Middle Ages (or also at the time of the beginning of the development of the conscious soul), one of the fundamental impulses for the development of humanity and, more specifically, for the development of Central European culture came through the individuality of Christian Rosenkreutz. This impulse bore and bears fruit in many artistic, scientific, spiritual and social manifestations, whether it was alchemy, the music of the classical period, some representatives of German philosophy or literature, geotheanism, the social tendencies manifested in the French Revolution or even the anthroposophical school of Rudolf Steiner, where the spiritual influence of the individuality of Ch. Rosenkreutz is one of the distinctive elements. In addition to Rosicrucianism, there was a spiritually related movement of the Templars in the Middle Ages, which was, however, suppressed in a bloody manner. However, esoterically related to Templarism is Freemasonry, which originated especially in Scotland and was promoted by King James I of England as one of the important influences and stimuli in European history.

And now we come to an important point. The impulse of Freemasonry and the action of King James I. are taken from a certain point of view as going against the Rosicrucian impulse. Indeed, by outward observation, we may say that the policy and action of King James I. helped to suppress to some extent the reforming tendencies in Christianity and society in the Middle Ages. Europe, and led to the fact that Rosicrucianism could not manifest itself more openly and influentially (although this hiddenness was present in the Rosicrucian movement as if "in itself", more on that later). So here we have seemingly opposing stimuli at once.

But what about the personality of James I? According to Rudolf Steiner, he was the personality of a hidden initiate of quite extraordinary quality, an initiate who esoterically influenced other individualities and inspired them in their works. These other individualities were themselves different, each acting in a different way - namely Francis Bacon (actually the founder of modern science, of empiricism, the one whose influence R. Steiner characterized by saying "it is extraordinary to observe how much Ahrimanic demonism was introduced into European culture through the influence and work of F. Bacon"), William Shakespeare (whose work has had an influence on European thought similar even to that of Platonism and Aristotelianism, containing archetypal ways of thinking and working with emotion, ideas, etc., which are characteristic of the epoch of the conscious soul, which have become the property of the spiritual life of European and also of world civilisation), then there was the German mystic and shoemaker Jakob Böhme (in whose work the sanctimonious, initiatory inspiration is quite evident and where he can clearly describe experiences from the spiritual worlds), and then there was the German Jesuit (!) Jacob Balde.

These personalities were under the direct esoteric influence and inspiration of the individuality of King James I, who himself acted quite covertly, even rather unspiritually. At the same time, R. Steiner added a mention of him, that his influence is vital for English (and consequently Anglo-American) culture, that only this influence can save Anglo-American humanity and therefore his influence must be maintained in this humanity (otherwise it would perish, thus humanity would perish, which is the supreme representative and carrier of the impulse of the awakening of the conscious soul). This is indeed something significant. Before we come to the individuality incarnate or active in James I, I will try to sketch a picture.

We are in the epoch of the conscious soul, when an important carrier of the activity of this soul is Western European, especially British and then (and partly) American humanity. This legitimately makes this humanity something of a model, an attractive example, and, given the interconnectedness of the world in recent centuries, an example that is almost universal. Although other cultures and peoples of the world define themselves against it, although they regard it as hostile in every way, they always take something from this example of Anglo-American culture. This is something to be taken as a necessity. If Anglo-American culture is a certain example, then surely the influence of the insider who worked in the person of James I must be included in this example, which is obvious even in relation to the personalities inspired by him - the influence of Bacon, Shakespeare is clearly observable, the influence of Böhme somewhat less so, but this is also understandable in view of his work in Central Europe, where he encountered Rosicrucian influences.

One of the distinctive impulses of James I is the spread of Freemasonry, in which it is relatively easy to trace its transformation and its "decline", when it gradually becomes a tool used to strengthen power, when, due to the excessive selfishness and individualism of those involved, it becomes a convenient means of fulfilling their ambitions and desires.

This is a phenomenon which, one might say, is the rule, which is observable in perhaps all spiritual movements and impulses. But in an impulse of such importance as that which came through James I., its shadow also becomes significant. The shadow of the "Jacobean" impulse is all that which R. Steiner calls the action of the Western Jesuit-materialist lodges, and which is found especially in the economic-political sphere, but also in the cultural-educational sphere, of Western, Anglo-American society, and from there it is spread further into the world.

It must be remembered, then, that the impetus for much of this, both the positive that Western culture has brought and is bringing, and the negative, is given by the spiritual leadership of humanity through James I, and that here we find a concrete example of the spiritual-scientific truth that says "above every force of evil there is always a greater force of good."

Even the spread of "Ahrimanic demonism" is triggered and overseen by the spiritual leadership of humanity, as it is simply necessary for the comprehensive development of humanity to undergo the experience of materialism, to explore in an empirical, materialistic way the world around them, as this has an awakening effect on the conscious soul and its other faculties. Added to this is the fact that even Ahrimanic beings are gradually being called to change and to be produced, to be saved, to which these described facts contribute.

In addition to the Western European impulses, we have in recent centuries significant Central European impulses, as already mentioned, especially those in the Rosicrucian spirit, which sometimes seem to oppose the Western European impulses.

Why is this so?

Here we have to turn to the really high wisdom with which humanity is guided, the wisdom which reckons that the different spaces of the earth have their action, their emanations, that people are born there with such and such karma, with such and such tendencies and abilities, that other abilities will develop there and others will not develop so easily. All this and much else plays a part in the fact that it must be reckoned that the majority of humanity, even the Central European one, will not be able at first to absorb, process and develop the Rosicrucian impulses, for example. Rosicrucian impulses were in their time incomprehensible for Western humanity (of course there are always exceptions) and also for Central European humanity they were difficult. The spiritual leadership of mankind knew that karma was constructed in such a way that Rosicrucianism would have to work rather covertly and its impulses would only manifest themselves over the centuries, that even in Central Europe the Western European impulses would temporarily "win" (whether in the form of the political-social and philosophical ideas of the West or in the form of Jesuit-influenced Catholicism), equally, it knew that it would be almost impossible for the individualistically oriented people of the West to accept Rosicrucian impulses, that it would be necessary to work with their real tendencies and abilities, which was more in line with the impulse coming from, e.g. In Freemasonry.

The spiritual world, the spiritual guidance of mankind, always stimulates on several levels, in several directions, impulses coming from it which are more for the distant future (which is an example also of the very impulse and action of Christ), and then again others which are directed more towards the present and the nearer future.

All of these impulses are necessary and esoterically connected, individually directed to serve the transformation and spiritualization of differently oriented people, societies, with the intention that everyone has the opportunity for spiritual growth.

The diversity of spiritual impulses is thus an expression of universal love. And when we consider the personality of King James I, for example, in view of the fact that he was such an extraordinary spiritual individual, we can perhaps imagine the degree of suffering that such a bodhisattva must have undergone in his worldly royal life. Such suffering and such a life are surely something akin to crucifixion.

And what individuality or individualities are behind the outer personality of James I? There are two spiritual individualities which are esoterically connected with the development of the West, are connected with the development of the whole of humanity, and are not necessarily active only in the West, but have a special position in relation to the West. One such individuality is a being for whom there are several esoteric or mythological names, one of which is Skythianos. Skythianos is characterized by R. Steiner as one of the greatest initiates of humanity, who has been consciously working from the earliest days of mankind in the spirit of its healthy development, and it was also he who kept the "fire" of the Atlantean mysteries burning at the demise of Atlantis and later in the Hibernian mysteries (which were later the westernmost outgrowth of the newly emerging post-Atlantean civilization and took place in what is now Ireland and Scotland).

The second initiate also associated with Western humanity (though not exclusively) is the bodhisattva Maitreya, who is also referred to in Buddhist tradition as the bodhisattva of the West.

Moreover, there is a close relationship between these two individualities, a very close relationship (which it is not possible to characterize in detail given the limitations of this text).

And both of these individualities can be found in the action of James I. One can speak directly of the incarnation of one of them in the person of James I. It is the individuality of the Bodhisattva Maitreya and at the same time the action of both of these individualities (this is evident from contemporary spiritual science research).

This is said here to understand the reality of the work and cooperation of the initiates, the initiates of the boddhisattva lodge, working together in the spirit of Christ. In one territory the impulses of Christian Rosenkreutz, also one of the most prominent initiates, are manifested; in another territory the impulses of Maitreya and Skythian are manifested, and these impulses necessarily work on a higher level in common interest and purpose.

However, after their manifestation, various changes or distortions take place, and especially in the outward manifestations they begin to oppose each other. And then situations arise where many find these and those positives or negatives in the West, others find these and those positives or negatives in Central or Eastern Europe and find it difficult to find understanding and comprehension among themselves.

For this reason, the above-mentioned individualities and their cooperation have been specifically pointed out here, in order to see that the source of diversity and potential unity is one, that therefore the potential unity for people is already real in the source of action, in the spiritual leadership of humanity. Perhaps the potential reader can reflect on the far-reaching and powerfulness of the suggestions from the boddhisattvas, their multifaceted nature and hence the consequent necessity of their long-term and gradual processing by humanity.

One more essential addition. From spiritual-scientific knowledge it can be known that humanity is gradually becoming more mature, as it were, the more westernized it is; there is an ageing in its general view. We can also characterize aging as the ability to give, to sacrifice, to give something up, and we can also say that healthy aging, on the basis of wisdom, does not prevent connecting, connecting, just in the sense that if we have to sacrifice something, we have to sacrifice to somebody..., if we want to share, we have to have somebody to share with.

These are the healthiest tendencies that can be observed in hints in Western cultures (despite the prevailing tendencies towards individualism). If, therefore, the development will take place in the sense that the main spiritual impulses will gradually pass through Central Europe to the East, we must expect that this development will be enriched by what Western humanity has acquired in its development.

It must also be borne in mind that the impulses in Central Europe, for example, were in their time more esoteric, whereas the impulses in the West have been progressively more exoteric. They have also been directed towards materialism, towards a focus on the material world, on its sensory experience, which of course in the very long run also serves the need for the transformation and upliftment of the whole being of the Earth, and from this perspective the exoteric and the esoteric serve the same purpose and unite.

Therefore, even the impulses given in the West may appear more general and universal on the one hand, more mundane on the other, yet they are as profound and powerful in their essence as those of, say, the East (including, for example, Indian or Rosicrucian impulses).

For this reason, too, it is very necessary that at least individuals who are engaged in spiritual science, anthroposophy, serious and genuine Christianity, or any other initiatory current, carry in their consciousness this real unity of impulses from the spiritual guidance of humanity, and thus find in themselves strength, stability, insight and impartiality even in the face of contemporary events.

In conclusion, I would like to mention some more facts. If one were to build on the sayings and insights of R. Steiner (along with others, but for the sake of simplicity and brevity, R. Steiner will suffice), one would seriously consider the work of the aforementioned initiates even in modern times. If we were to stop at just three, R. Steiner said of the individuality of Christian Rosenkreutz that he was currently in incarnation (i.e., at the time of R. Steiner's life), and of the boddhisattva Maitreya he said that we would "live to see his open appearance and action" in the second half of the 1930s (i.e., the same period when the manifestation of Christ on the etheric plane was to gradually begin). And of the individuality of Mani, whom he characterized as the most important initiate of our time, R. Steiner spoke more than once, setting the time of his action in the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, while the possibilities of his manifestation to the people were to be significantly conditioned by the course of the 20th century and the success of the general acceptance of the spiritual impulses of the Michael period.

Initiates and other people faithful to the ideals of the initiates, to the ideals of Christ, are thus working, cooperating, again giving new impulses, the complexity and interconnectedness of which can be glimpsed if we can rise above one given impulse and see it in the context of others. In fact, Rudolf Steiner also worked in this sense and was able to show the interconnectedness and connections between the various spiritual currents and impulses.

This unification and interconnection is also one of the basic features of the action of the individuality of Manichaeism, when it is not, of course, a shallow and cheap connection of all kinds, when, on the contrary, in certain areas it is a clear separation of the wheat from the chaff, when it is a matter of filling new bellows with new wine, when the old bellows are bursting, but when living unifying principles and knowledge of the realities of the spiritual world also provide the real foundations of unity.

The reality and consciousness of this unity will help to overcome the difficulties of the present and the future.

This text is written in the hope that an awareness of the work of the initiates and of the fraternity that exists and lives among them will give enthusiasm and strength to follow and personally fulfill their example.