Dear Friends in Anthroposophy,

It is with some reluctance that I take up this next task, and were it not for the love I feel for Rudolf Steiner and his legacy, I’d not bother.  His work was meant for modern humanity, and the clear fact is that the activities of the General Anthroposophical Society in the 20th Century failed to deliver on that promise.  Steiner’s The Philosophy of Freedom is still unknown in the modern University (and among the members and friends as a followed practice).   Goethean Science is not recognized even by the Goethe Institute, nor widely studied in the Anthroposophical Society.   And, the membership, in terms of numbers, remains tragically small and stagnant.

The problem - such as there can be described a problem - is that the impulse to Anthroposophy is still incarnating.   It is “in process”, and we mis-conceive this impulse if we think that with Steiner the whole “process” was brought to a state of finish.  Others must participate in this work which from the beginning was to require centuries to unfold (Steiner said something on the order of 400 years).

One dominate aspect of this “process” is the joining of the scientific impulse to the spiritual or religious impulse in mankind.  In a way, the culture of the Anthroposophical Society lost the needed clarity of insight concerning this goal - and Anthroposophy in most souls in the 20th Century became more like a philosophical point of view or like a religious teaching, than a scientific practice.

As a result of the tragedy that is unfolding if things continue this way, a certain kind of incapacity arises in the Centers of anthroposophical practice, such as Dornach and the Councils in America, as well as in the general membership, - an incapacity to actually understand and teach Real (true and scientific) Anthroposophy.   As a consequence I have chosen to vigorously confront the leadership and the membership, and to assert that I can do something they cannot.   While it is a kind of cliche, it is also a truth: If you want to see something done well, do it yourself.  Not satisfied by how main stream anthroposophists represent Anthroposophy, I now choose to represent it myself.  

This will seem like I claim to do it better, but the situation is more nuanced and people need to be reluctant to make quick and easy judgments.   Further, I insist that this work in which I am engaged  be judged on its merits.  If people want to suggest I am failing in this, they need to engage me on the level of knowledge, experience and logical thought about the themes described  below.   Merely saying I don’t know what I am talking about is in fact a confession of the lack of a capacity to actually engage in a discussion of what is or is not true.  And that - what is or is not true - is the only discussion worthy of being called: anthroposophical.

So that certain matters are more clear, in my work will be found the following themes as additions to the groundwork which Steiner set out, and upon which we are invited to build additional spiritual knowledge for humanity (this is work, unfortunately, not coming out of Dornach or the Councils in America, although for decades I offered this work at every opportunity possible):

1) deeper studies of the Shadow or the Double, much needed for example for the further advancement of anthroposophical medicine and other related work (including knowledge of the present and ongoing incarnation of Ahriman - he’s here folks, time to wake up);

2) the basic concepts of a new (spiritual) social science, working from a Goetheanism of the social toward a pure thinking concerning both macro and micro social realities - especially concerning the Dying into Becoming that is ongoing in our time in Western Civilization and the significance of this macro event for appreciating the meaning of the present day world-wide tsunami of history;

3) the significance, from a Christological point of view, of recognizing Steiner as the John the  Baptist figure (the announcer) of the Second Coming (and the voice crying in the wilderness of scientific materialism), and as well the coming into being of a Second Eucharist as part of the Events of the Second Coming;

4) work concerning the future potential of the impulse to Anthroposophy as it attains further incarnation, and becomes capable of doing more than just what the daughter movements (Waldorf, Biodynamics etc) provide - Anthroposophy is meant to refresh all aspects of human knowledge including - eventually - even the political; most anthroposophists have no idea what is available to pure thinking, trained according to The Philosophy of Freedom, when it puts to itself certain kinds of questions.

5) knowledge of and an understanding of the return of the Divine Feminine Mysteries, in particular the significance of an ongoing Redemption of Eros, as well as the general social significance of a change from the patriarchal impulse for dominion over and its replacement by a new matriarchal impulse toward communion with;

6) research concerning an appreciation of the true role of American Culture as it moves forward advancing Civilization; and, what Steiner meant by pointing out that English speakers are instinctively in the Consciousness Soul in the Life of Rights, and that Americans are natural anthroposophists - with examples;

7) the building of bridges between the Steam of the Shepherds and the Kings for the advancement and ultimate ongoing metamorphosis of Christianity, all in accord with the 1000 years rhythm first noticed when these streams meet for at time at Chartres a thousand years ago.  At the beginning of the 21st Century, we are involved in another iteration of this 1000 year rhythm impulse to heal the no longer necessary split between Faith (Shepherds) and Gnosis (Kings) - see the Foundation Stone Meditation;

8) the scientific impulse includes critical thinking, which is an examination of all thought for its potential for logical errors and/or a disconnect between that and experience - the works of Rudolf Steiner have to be included in such an examination.  We must do critical thinking about each others work (within the Society) and we must also do critical thinking about Steiner’s work.  Otherwise, the rational and scientific world is entirely justified in ignoring us.  Our advantage, as it were (should we face it), is that we can know the difference between what we think and how we think.  People focused on Steiner said, are focused on what we think.  People focused on GA 2,3, and 4 (A Theory of Knowledge implicit in Goethe’s World Conception; Truth and Knowledge; and, The Philosophy of Freedom) are focused on how - the will involved in the Way we think.

9) and last but not least, research on the relationship between the impulse to Anthroposophy and the Prophecies of the Hopi Indians concerning the coming of the True White Brother at a time of deep world-wide crisis - the time in which we live is involved in many prophetic works (including prophecies of the Second Coming) and all of this gives us a sense of the yet unknown meaning of the ongoing incarnation of the impulse to Anthroposophy.

Here is the link to the beginnings of my work challenging the capacity of Dornach and the Councils in America to represent these truths in a scientific fashion: Real Anthroposophy: http://www.youtube.com/user/joel232001#p/c/A20F33D25732B7FC .  I have placed this work on YouTube because that is the most public place possible (and where the future hangs out), and in order to represent the true legacy of Steiner’s work.  Of course, references are made there both to my website (Shapes in the Fire http://ipwebdev.com/hermit/index.html ) and my bookstore (Joel Wendt’s Theory of Everything Emporium http://stores.lulu.com/joelwendt ), as well as many other sources.

As serious as this is, it must be recognized right at the start that I am not, nor do I claim to be, an Initiate.  Rather, I am a Fool, and often the role of the Fool is to say things in public (such as within the Anthroposophical Society) that need very much to be said, but which are not going to be liked.   The King (Rudolf Steiner) is dead.  His former Court, Dornach and the Councils in America, have fallen asleep under the influence of the Shadow, regarding which they refuse to admit it actually exists and influences us today (which is why there has been no further research until now).  So I go on YouTube and prance and shout and exhort and make fun, and through such means hope very much to illuminate that which yet lies in darkness.

All the same there is one serious question, that has to take various forms: How hard are we willing to work to try to bring science and spirit into an artistically useful cooperation for the benefit, not of ourselves, but of others?  How radical are we willing to be?  How much risk are we going to take?   Are we willing to make fools of ourselves?

In loving community,

Joel A. Wendt, July 2010.