Study process and developing imaginations

Holistic nature of spiritual science as a worldview

In contemporary mineral science, we find many different fields and subfields, and each is broken down in specializations.

In spiritual science, everything is interconnected with everything, and the multiple, different perspectives (or information dimensions) to approach a topic are an essential ingredient and requirement of the study process because this represents a key characteristic of the type of knowledge.

Therefore an open attitude and agile and flexible mind are required, as the approach to learning is non-linear or 'compartimented' and should intrinsically integrate what is fragmented - see Notes on the study process.

Your study is a soul process, you are actually developing or re-building for yourself a worldview in its totality. You are building a new spiritual scientific worldview foundation which encompasses everything your logical mind can take in scope of consideration.

Furthermore, educating yourself should not mean theoretical study, but also practice (see initation and initiation exercises) and combined praxis, learning a way of life. How do you live it, use it as a compass for your soul?

Developing imaginations

Imaginations are pictures in the mind that contain a multidimensional insight or realization about something, in a way that surpasses the limits of our intellectual thinking and rational understanding. A form of higher knowing or seeing.

Our thinking logic usually approaches any subject from a single dimension and then proceeds sequentially in a process of logic. Reality is much more complex. Therefore in spiritual science any subject is studied from various aspects and perspectives, in a way that does not seek for a simple definition but openly accepts all the perspectives offered as information about the true nature of that subject. More on this on: Notes on the study process#The multi-facetted approach

It is a faculty of our mind and consciousness, that we can have realizations at a higher level than our rational thinking. This relates to the clairvoyance at the astral level also called 'imagination', but this however has nothing to do with fantasy (though there is a stage of 'subjective imagination' first also). Rather the term is used to describe the language of images, pictures with higher or deeper content than an intellectual thought.

Rudolf Steiner gave various descriptions of this process, and examples of exercises, but the whole of spiritual science is actually intended for this. One beautiful description states that the knowledge contents comes to life and "germinates during meditation by those on the esoteric path, and sprouts of knowledge grow from them and much higher content will come from this" (excerpt taken from topic page on Seven secrets)

The work of studying spiritual science 'as a soul process' is to do this inner work, fed by not only reading and studying, but also contemplation, meditation, pondering .. living with questions. As a result, one slowly develops the faculty that images flash up whereby one 'sees' in ones mind and thereby 'knows', without actually having thought or received an explanation in our normal language. It is up to the person than to assimilate and integrate the 'vision' and translate in words or picture to try and communicate this insight. The use of metaphors, analogies, and imagery in general can be helpful in doing so, because in those cases too one conveys about higher qualities beyond the specifics of the image used - see Symbols.

Aspects

on the study process

on the holistic nature of spiritual science as a worldview and what it means for the student (see e.g. Soesman below); for context see also holistic education or holism

on developing imaginations

imaginations is used here as the start of the faculty of Imagination described on Stages of clairvoyance
a feature is the time dimension as key for the astral world, compared to space for the physical world, see Schema FMC00.679; one can intuit this e.g. from
- (a) the exercise of the backwards review of the day;
- (b) Goethe's theory of metamorphosis: the plant is the idea, across its various developmental stages and forms; so the etheric being the time-engine and the becoming is observed
- (c) quote: "diagrams often make captions where what is sequential in Time is dragged into a spatial picture. Our aim, however, is to transcend the spatial. We are striving to penetrate into the temporal and also into the super-temporal, into the element that leads beyond what is physically perceptible. The physically perceptible exists in its crudest form in the world of space and there, thought is led in a certain direction." (FMC study schemas#1922-12-17-GA219)
Rudolf Steiner gave various examples
- several meditations can be found in volume GA265, see the excellent example given below called 'Meditation for the Beginning of the Temple Legend' (see also more on Streams of Abel and Cain (and less on Temple legend))
- the most obvious example is: Gospel of John as an initiation document
- but also see: Seven secrets
Rudolf Steiner's teachings: are described in thoughts and images, and whereas people can read the words as intellectual or schematic thoughts, the goal should be strive to understand the words and thoughts that are described as living images in our soul that are more lucid and work deeper into the life of feeling and will. This has been elaborated on: Terminology#Note 1 - Language frames
- For example, Old Saturn described as a sphere of warmth may be read as an abstract thought or theoretical idea. But we can also contemplate our own inner experiences of warmth, bodily and soul warmth, and with our imagination then 'imagine away' our flesh and bones and imagine that only inner warmth remains. This is then an inner experiential state through which we relate to what is descried.
see also
- Enlivened images
- example, see Moral ideals#1908-06-07-GA098

Inspirational quotes

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

or

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Daskalos (in book HTS by Markides), quoting "what Father Yohannan [editor, see: Individuality of Christian Rosenkreutz] said in a previous lesson"

"Thoughts and beliefs are too weak as wings to help us attain great heights of knowledge"

Illustrations

Schema FMC00.703: illustrates the concept of language frames in spiritual science.

On the left are different angles of perspective (above), and types of clairvoyant cognition (middle) to point out that these offer different views on spiritual realities.

In the middle are represented various sources of information, from various cultural ages and cultures, with different languages used for various descriptions with different types of cognition.

In between, the filter or camera turret conveys the idea that one can switch language frame to get to know reality better, and the more consciously and effectively one can do that, the more closer one gets to being able to image what this spiritual reality is all about. An example is illustrated with Current Postatlantean epoch#Note 4 - About 'the great goodbye'

On the right the process is illustrated that starts with the intellectual study work, then systematically 'touring' multiple angles and perspectives by turning the turret, appreciating the different language frames and images, to finally use and integrate all the assimilated through contemplation and meditation to get the fruits of the soul work with the development of imaginative cognition. See also Schema FMC00.395 and Study process and developing imaginations.

illustrates the concept of language frames in spiritual science. On the left are different angles of perspective (above), and types of clairvoyant cognition (middle) to point out that these offer different views on spiritual realities. In the middle are represented various sources of information, from various cultural ages and cultures, with different languages used for various descriptions with different types of cognition. In between, the filter or camera turret conveys the idea that one can switch language frame to get to know reality better, and the more consciously and effectively one can do that, the more closer one gets to being able to image what this spiritual reality is all about. An example is illustrated with Current Postatlantean epoch#Note 4 - About 'the great goodbye' On the right the process is illustrated that starts with the intellectual study work, then systematically 'touring' multiple angles and perspectives by turning the turret, appreciating the different language frames and images, to finally use and integrate all the assimilated through contemplation and meditation to get the fruits of the soul work with the development of imaginative cognition. See also Schema FMC00.395 and Study process and developing imaginations.

Schema FMC00.395: is an old pencil drawing that makes the link between available study materials (see also Schema FMC00.040 on Navigating anthroposophical resources, and the study process in the mind and soul of the earnest student of spiritual science, and the technique to rise above the purely intellectual thinking to imaginative cognition.

Lecture coverage and references

On educating yourself in holistic spiritual science

1950 - statement by Rudolf Steiner to Mrs. Petersen as conveyed by Fred Poeppig

his book 'Rückblick' contains the following quote, not in the GA.

computer translation (see original in DE below)

Rudolf Steiner's oral statement to Mrs. Sybell-Petersen, conveyed by Adelheid Petersen in a lecture given in August 1950

The coming youth comes from completely different cosmic worlds than we do, that will increase. They will bring with them a tremendous ability to think, a virtuosity of thought. But this is the greatest temptation and at the same time the greatest Ahrimanic attack against anthroposophy. There will be the danger that through the tremendous ease of understanding the anthroposophical concepts the matter will get stuck in the thinking and a tremendous sense of well-being will develop in the thinking of anthroposophy; but one will not break through to training. The only thing that youth can get, that will steel it to withstand future events, is that it meets anthroposophy in training. Training is the foundation through which study alone can lead to a true goal.
If anthroposophy is taught as a science, it becomes harmful. Anthroposophy must never be mere theory; it must become immediate life. If it is allowed to be mere doctrine, it is killed and handed over to Ahriman, the Lord of Death.
But it is much more convenient for people today to think and adopt a few anthroposophical concepts than to discard a single habit. What anthroposophy makes of our souls is much more important than any amount of theoretical knowledge about spiritual scientific concepts.
[1] from "Rudolf Steiner on the coming youth".

Mündliche Äußerung Rudolf Steiners gegenüber Frau Sybell-Petersen, übermittelt von Adelheid Petersen in einem Vortrag, gehalten im August 1950

«Die kommende Jugend kommt aus ganz anderen kosmischen Welten her als wir, das wird sich steigern. Sie bringt eine ungeheure Denkfähigkeit, eine Virtuosität des Denkens mit. Das ist aber die größte Versuchung und zugleich der größte ahrimanische Angriff gegen die Anthroposophie. Da wird die Gefahr sein, daß durch die ungeheure Leichtigkeit der Auffassung der anthroposophischen Begriffe die Sache im Denken stecken bleibt und sich ein ungeheures Wohlgefühl im Denken der Anthroposophie entwickelt; aber man wird nicht durchstoßen zur Schulung. Das einzige, was die Jugend bekommen kann, was sie stählen wird, um die künftigen Ereignisse zu bestehen, das ist, daß sie der Anthroposophie in der Schulung begegnet. Die Schulung ist das Fundament, durch das das Studium allein zu einem wahren Ziel geführt werden kann.
Wenn Anthroposophie als Wissenschaft gelehrt wird, wird sie schädlich. Anthroposophie darf niemals bloß Theorie sein; sie muß unmittelbares Leben werden. Läßt man sie bloß Lehre sein, so tötet man sie und übergibt sie Ahriman, dem Herrn des Todes.
Es ist aber den Menschen heute viel bequemer zu denken und einige anthroposophische Begriffe sich anzueignen, als nur eine einzige Gewohnheit abzulegen. Was die Anthroposophie aus unseren Seelen macht, das ist viel wichtiger als noch so viel theoretisches Wissen über geisteswissenschaftliche Begriffe.
[1] from "Rudolf Steiner über die kommende Jugend".

1994 - Albert Soesman

explains on the first page of his book 'The twelve senses', about 'educating yourself in holistic spiritual science'

There are many ways to approach anthroposophy. The way I propose to do it is to take a particular subject as my starting point. You can start with anthroposophy in general and make your way from there into a specific subject, but, interestingly enough, you can also start with a certain subject and work your way up from this into anthroposophy as a whole, in as far as it is possible to arrive at a general outline of anthroposophy in a limited number of lectures. I hope your souls will succeed in following this reverse path — starting with something specific in order to end up with something general.
As was announced, the following will be based on the studies of Rudolf Steine, who once said that a study of the senses is actually the first chapter of anthroposophy. While that sounds simple enough, I will have to start by saying something first about that word `first'.
Usually, when you read an ordinary book, and you have read chapter 1, you are then finished with chapter 1. Next comes chapter 2, and subsequently chapter 3, etc. That is, in fact, how many books are written. But by no means all books are written like that. When you read The State by Plato, for instance, you will find something very peculiar about that book. Its structure is not: chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, etc.; instead, reading that book is like walking through an immense temple building, as it were. The whole book is structured like a Greek temple; it is not just a sequence you follow. And this is often also the case with the work of Rudolf Steiner. You have to get used to this at first — that in fact everything, to the last chapter, is already contained in chapter 1. And it is the same in chapter 2 — everything is already there.
This is also how it will be with my lectures. So you will have to bear with me. For some of you it will seem strange that I do not follow a logical sequence — that you have to learn to consider matters in a compositional fashion. You will have to have some patience, and be prepared to wait and see whenever I say something that seems unusual to you. You will have to let go of linear thinking to some extent.
I hope you will find that when something seems strange to you, the next thing may, in fact, balance it out. You will have to look upon these lectures as a piece of music. When you listen to music, you do not think: 'All right, here is the first tone, now where is the second, the third?'. Instead you simply wait until the entire piece is finished, and then you can say: 'That was terrible', or: 'Yes, it did something for me', or whatever. That is the sort of consideration I ask of you — to bear with me until the compositional element makes an appearance. I know I am asking a lot of your patience, but I hope that in the end you will find it worthwhile.

On developing imaginative cognition

Plato's seventh letter (341-344)

speaks beautifully about insights:

It is only when all these things, names and definitions, visual and other sensations are rubbed together and subjected to tests in which questions and answers are exchanged in good faith and without malice that finally, when human capacity is stretched to its limit, a spark of understanding and intelligence flashes out and illuminates the subject at issue.

and describes how such fruits of insight can only be the result of a dedicated way of life

.. not something that can be put into words like other branches of learning; only after long partnership in a common life devoted to this very thing does truth flash upon the soul, like a flame kindled by a leaping spark, and once it is born there it nourishes itself hereafter.

1911-10-31-GA132

The following quote from 1911-10-31-GA132 is specifically about the importance of building imaginations.

This sending forth of the Archai gives a grand and powerful picture. And this picture placed before our souls is extremely impressive for certain imaginations, which can then lead us further and further into the realm of occult knowledge.
This is precisely what we have to attain; we must be able to transform the ideas we receive into imaginations, into pictures.
Even if the pictures are clumsily formed, even if they are anthropomorphic, even if the beings appear as winged angels, etc., that does not signify. The rest will be given to us later; and what they ought not to have will fall away. When we yield ourselves to these pictures we penetrate into imaginative perception.
If you take what I have just endeavoured to describe you will see that the soul will soon have recourse to all kinds of pictures unconnected with intellectual ideas.
These latter owe their existence to a much later period, so that we should not at first take such things intellectually. And you must comprehend what is meant when some minds describe things differently from the intellectualists; the intellectualist will never be able to understand such minds.
You see, precisely the most important thing for us is that we lift ourselves to what the ordinary intellect is unable to grasp.
Even though the ordinary intellect produces something as excellent as The History of Philosophy by Schwegler (for I have expressly called this a good book), it is still an example by which we must see how a splendid intellect is completely at a standstill before a spirit such as Jacob Boehme.

1912-08-28-GA138

describes something that may be experienced quite naturally - more info in the GA138 cycle as a whole.

In this loneliness one has to wait, patiently wait. Much depends on whether one is able to wait, whether one has acquired sufficient moral force to wait. Then comes something of which it may be said, “Yes, you are absolutely alone in infinity, but in you there arises something like pure memories that yet are no memories.” I say, “Like memories that are no memories” because all our memories in ordinary life are such that we can recall anything with which we once came into contact, anything we once experienced. But imagine that you stand there with all that is innermost in your soul, while images keep rising up within you that need to be related to something. But you have never previously experienced them! You know that these images are related to beings, but you have never met these beings. This surging up within you of an unknown world, which you realise you bear within you as pure image — this is the next experience on the path of initiation.

1917-01-20-GA174B

It is difficult to describe these things in words because our language has been coined for the external, physical plane, so we have to exert ourselves when applying it to supersensible conditions. You could say that everything to which we ordinarily apply our understanding lives coarsely, densely in our soul because our brain is always at our disposal and is trained to deal with ideas and concepts relating to the physical plane. But to explain things which do not relate to the physical plane we have to exert our soul to such an extent that, when we study spiritual science, our brain plays an ever-decreasing part.
When we experience difficulties in understanding what spiritual science gives us, this is only because our brain impedes our understanding. Our brain is adjusted and adapted to the coarse concepts of the physical plane and we have to exert ourselves to acquire the subtler concepts — subtler only in so far as human comprehension is concerned —of the spiritual world. This exertion is entirely healthy, it is certainly good, because with spiritual science we then live in our soul in a new way, quite different from that required by physical knowledge and understanding and ideas. We transport ourselves into a world of mobile, subtle pictures and ideas, and that is significant.
It is possible for all of you to be aware of the point at which you are sufficiently within the sphere where the etheric body more or less lives on its own, using the brain only in faint vibrations. lt is the point at which you begin to feel that you no longer have to exert yourself to think the thoughts given by spiritual science, in the way in which you have to exert yourself to think everyday thoughts.
You know very well that you yourself make the thoughts which you think about everyday matters on the physical plane; you develop the concepts in accordance with the daily requirements and conditions of life, in accordance with sympathies and antipathies and with whatever is prepared by your senses and by your brain-bound understanding.

With spiritual science, however, once you really enter into it, you will begin to sense: I have not thought all this myself; it has already been thought before I think it; it is floating there as a thought and merely enters into me. When you begin to feel: This is floating in the objective thinking of the universe and merely enters into me — then you will have won a great deal. You will have experienced a relationship to that delicate etheric, floating and weaving world in which your soul lives. After that it is really only a matter of time, though it might be quite a long time, before you gradually enter that sphere which we share with those among the dead with whom we are karmically linked.

19XX-GA265

in context of 'Meditation for the Beginning of the Temple Legend' (see also more on Streams of Abel and Cain (and less on Temple legend)), specifically: Streams of Abel and Cain#19XX-GA265 meditation

The original processes sketched here for imaginative knowledge live on within the human being. They cannot be fully explained in abstract terms because these are rough and incomplete in relation to the complexity of the real processes.
But as the presentation is given here, it can be vividly brought to life in the soul. Then the pictures work in the soul.
And since the soul contains the elements that give the truth, the images gradually awaken the living intuition.
In this way one gains direct knowledge of what has happened.
It is good to take the given images as a basis for joint discussion at F.M. meetings:

The group then first familiarizes itself with the images.

In the meantime, until the next meeting, each member meditates on the images.

Then, in the next meeting, the results gained through meditation are shared and discussed. In this way one can gain a more exact and extended insight into the content of the images.

With this extension one then meditates again in the meantime until the next meeting.

This process is continued. One will only gain a satisfactory result after a larger series of meetings.

.
This is one of the ways – and a very sure one – to approach imaginative knowledge. This has been attained when the images have become so identified with the inner activity of the soul that one perceives these images in the soul as an inner element of life and knowledge.
One should actually begin with this small piece of the Temple Legend and thus initiate the imaginative process of knowledge.

Luigi Morelli

in Chapter 8 of Aristotelians and Platonists, describes the process of developing imaginations by Rudolf Hauschka with the example of Hauschka’s portrayal of the alkalis (sodium, potassium, lithium, rubidium, cesium, etc.). In summary he comes to four steps for the coming to an image to capture an essence:

Description of physical properties.
Transitioning from properties to qualities.
Building up of an imagination.
Completing the imagination and linking it to a cosmic archetype.

Discussion

Note 1 - Developing the faculty of imagination

- - draft (quick first shot, not edited, to be worked) - -

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Imagination is the first of different stages of clairvoyance that uses the astral senses in the astral world.

In Franz Bardon's IIH as well as in Rudolf Steiner's teachings on initiation, concentration exercises are used to de-couple from the main physical senses and develop the astral senses. See more info on Initiation exercises#Concentration

The principle consists in mental 'visualization' of images, smells, sounds without these being there as impulses for the physical senses, hence the word 'imagination'. By concentrating for example on the visualization of any mundane object (eg a pencil, fork, ..) that one holds in mind without any distractions for say ten minutes, one trains the muscles of the astral senses. The image comes to live as if real before our mental eye. In IIH, this is then extended first the different senses, not just visual but also sounds, smells, etc., and secondly not just in meditate mode with closes eyes but combined with waking consciousness.

Rudolf Steiner gives many examples of using other concepts to be subject of the mental focus , eg the rose cross meditation going into the symbolic meaning of the wood, the roses etc in meditation.

Another example is the Gospel of John, see the explanations under: Gospel of John as an initiation document#Words of practice

The content of all biblical texts that belong to the above meditation must as far as possible be transformed into an image and conceived pictorially. My lectures contain the building blocks of esoteric Christian tradition, which can guide the soul in transforming biblical words into authentic images.

And yet another example is given here: Book of Revelation#1903-12-24-GA088 letter

The four sentences above are what one calls living sentences, that is: they germinate during meditation, and sprouts of knowledge grow from them.

More closely to the students of spiritual science, if one combines the study beyond the intellectual with contemplation and meditation, living with questions and content matter in one's heart and soul, and contemplating in an integrative way multiple perspectives on one subject, one also surpasses the literal or theoretical meaning and rises above that to an imaginative level of grasping or starting to grasp, based on soft fleety images that one starts to feel arise naturally as a form of fragile embryonal insight. One can sense this is about the same thing, detaching the intellectual conceptual thinking and rising from those fixed or frozen thought forms to the more fluid imaginative astral forms.

Note 2 - Illustrative imagery

Some illustrations on the site are scans of simple rough sketches of a few lines, 'scribblings' without much meaning. They were uploaded as examples of such images in the mind, together with the slightly worked out digital versions of the Schema.

Examples

Here are five examples:

Schema FMC00.238A and FMC00.238 on I-less human beings
Schema FMC00.438A and FMC00.438 on Overlapping evolutionary periods
Schema FMC00.427 and FMC00.427A on Evil
- is another example of a simple sketch jotted down after the picture arose, as a composite of all aspects and perspectives studied. A tentative to allow people to use this for study was made with the first enriched version Schema FMC00.427A, which still only shows very little, relatively speaking.
- the proposal is that a student can study the related topic pages on this wiki, and study all relevant lectures, meditate on the whole to stitch everything together into a mental image in one's mind .. and then come back and realize what is meant with the simple capture FMC00.427. One can then see how FMC00.427 is a pyramidion, top of a pyramid, that one can 'underbuild' with much layers and levels below. It represents a very simple statement, but one that does not make sense the underlying study and insight is not available.
Schema FMC00.190A on Planets hosting beings at various stages of evolution
- as connecting the dots for FMC00.190 on Earth's seven epochs
Schema FMC00.077 with variants A and B on Creation of solar system came on Eastern, it relates ao to Schema FMC00.400 on Cosmic breath of Brahma and IAO. To explore its basis (read as: material to meditate upon) see Schema FMC00.276 on Overview of solar system evolution and Schema FMC00.413 on Old Saturn.

Personal note

When one receives an imaginative insight, the 'light goes on' and one feels it in the heart and also somewhere in the back of your mind. But then immediately one is also aware of the problem. Now how to convey 'what this was'? Because one is consciously aware of the gap with other people, the so many things that are in our soul and that we come to 'know', and then what happened when so many of these pieces, even without being complete, still showed the picture of what it was all about, how it really was and is. As described this is far from an intellectual process, but immediately afterwards one tries to lay out the puzzle pieces so as to be able to show others. Yet the light that went on, and what one saw, one cannot share. Not this way.

What one can try to do is to make a simple sketch and describe it's higher meaning. The process is a bit like creating a sigil in magic: the drawing is symbolic and it will be filled with meaning that is added to it mentally and through descriptions. The descriptions use building blocks of meaning, and these are what this site is about: to develop such a systematic reference framework of building blocks that can be used and referenced as building blocks of meaning. This way one can lay blocks upon eachother and 'move up' towards the meaning intended to convey by the sketch of FMC Schema.

For more info, see also:

D00.003 - Systemic aspects of the study process#Discussion
for an introduction on sigils, see eg the work of Austin Osman Spare (1886-1956). Note that in magic the sigil is a symbol that is used to work imaginatively with one's emotional and mental powers (of feeling/desire and will). One can potentially see a similar process when a student uses a Schema to meditate and really study in depth, living with questions and a desire and will for gaining an understanding, to get to the higher knowledge that is in the Schema. The link made here may potentially be too far fetched for some people (as it does not have to be taken or interpreted literally - as in the context of magical practice) nevertheless one can see the idea of analogy.

Note 3 - Some case examples for study

If you have arrived here, you have reached the core of what this site is all about.

The problem

Fragmentation of information is normal and unavoidable on any structured site, or content management system or knowledge representation. This means that we are faces with knowledge that may be structured but is still scattered across topic pages and sections. For it to come to value and get meaning, we need to add something.

The solution to that problem is to use the integrative higher faculties of our consciousness soul. But for this we have to step up from plain reading and intellectual processing. What we can do on this site is provide a system to support this process. Even though it assumes and requires disciple to benefit from it.

An approach offered

The 'Discussion' section of certain topic pages (only some) contain notes that group various quotes and schemas, so as to support and guide the earnest student to study the various relevant topic pages, and then focus on the concatenated excerpts, holding these in one's mind for meditation and contemplation, in order to build an imaginative insight. This work is fully upto you, reader, as an earnest student of spiritual science.

The goal of this site is to support you in going beyond sequential reading and web browsing, hopping around content. The idea is that you can study a topic with dedication and concentrated efforts, and then use what is offered here as a 'bundle' for your meditation. To use the power of your consciousness soul, rather than your rational intellectual faculty. You will see, if you try this, that the content comes to lives at a higher level. As Rudolf Steiner writes so nicely, your soul work on the quotes and schemas germinates during meditation like seeds, and sprouts of knowledge grow from them. But what is key is that this has to be embedded in and supported by an habitual practice of meditation.

This is also why various complementary perspectives are offered, so as to not 'get stuck' in a linear or one-dimensional description. For more info, see Notes on the study process.

In what follows, we make the distinction between 'topic' and 'lesson':

a topic maps to a wiki topic page on this website, so it's a logical unit of scope
a lesson/narrative consists of a conglomerate of topics, with highlights of specific quotes and/or schemas to lay connections and highlighted interdependencies. It adds a sequence and/or reasoning logic or process to the various bits and pieces. Normally this is how a lesson or lecture is given in linear storytelling. In this case this format is not given (not yet, it may be added later). Rather, it is left as base material for the student. Like a bundle package with all the ingredients to cook a meal, but all the preparation and cooking is still yours. In the future, the lessons may be added as movie format. Experiments were done already years go, screen recordings with voice over while browsing and explaining schemas and connecting quotes, as a 'guided tour' but with the value of having an additional explanatory voice commentary.

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Please note that one lesson/narrative or logical thread is not necessarily sufficient to develop a full grasp.

You will remark that the site has multiple places where commentaries are made in the Discussion area. This can seem confusing: where to find a certain insight or conclusion then? However it is a deliberate choice and approach to leave the perspectives (not 'scattered', but better) 'distributed' on the topic pages. The idea is to interconnect these various commentaries, so together they form the base material of the guided tours or explorations offered in the lessons. That last ambition is still under development, but some preliminary examples are given below.

Narratives

Narratives are added as a Note in the Discussion section of a topic page. Narratives are a way to 'bind' detailed elements of a puzzle scattered over topics, multiple aspects, schemas .. into a readable storyline.

It can be compared to a guided walk, complementary to self-driven navigation and exploration:

Narratives have the limits of sequential storytelling, in that the guide or writer chooses focus points, whereby every point is a filter and choice of what to tell and what not, as one cannot continuously branch off. In self-driven navigation one can freely 'hop around' on the site, driven by one's own attention and thoughts.
the advantage is that it is consciously designed 'train of thoughts' with the goal of bringing insight, the reader trusts to 'follow' the writer, guide, storyteller as a pathway and structure is followed with the purpose of making the learning process rewarding for the reader/student.

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See further and more on: Developing narratives

Note 4 - Other perspectives on the faculty of imagination

In anthroposophical spiritual science, imagination is a stage of ('astral') consciousness beyond contemporary mainstream (physical 'mineral' or) waking consciousness, it is the next faculty that is and will be developing in humanity. See more on Stages of clairvoyance where it is described extensively. It can be developed with initiation exercises and the study of spiritual science.

However many authors spoke about a higher faculty then waking consciousness, also from a non spiritual scientific perspective. Some came from philosophy, religion, theology, others from psychology. Below are some examples.

Henry Corbin (1903-1978) introduced the concept and term 'imaginal' as the basis for a worldview (Weltanschauung). The term is derived from the latin 'mundus imaginalis' and maps to various Persian/Arabic terms denoting the world of images and archetypal ideas. For Corbin this was a "a precise order of reality, corresponding to a precise mode of perception".
- See oa:
  - Henri Corbin: 'Alone with the Alone: Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn 'Arabi' (1958, in EN 1969, 1998)
  - Ali Shariat: Henry Corbin and the Imaginal: a look at the concept and function of creative imagination in Iranian philosophy. (paper, 2016)
Arnold Mindell (1940-) uses the terms Consensus Reality, Dreamland, Essence for denoting three different worlds, whereby 'Consensus Reality' is the experiential world where we agree by consensus of its reality based on our sensory experience and faculty of intellectual thinking. It is measurable, shared. Dreamland is a more imaginative world (incl. dreams, visions, etc), also found in the aboriginal culture. 'Essence' is an underlying (spiritual) archetypal reality. These principles are also used in systemic coaching such as ORSC (Path module), activating levels below our reality experience (dreaming, original myth)
- See ao:
  - Arnold Mindell: 'Dreaming while awake' (2002)
Carl Jung (1875- 1961) developed the technique of 'active imagination' to translate or map the contents of one's sub-conscious into images, narratives, or personified as separate entities. Note the wikipedia page for active imagination also links to Steiner and Corbin.

Note 5 - On seriousness

2024-08 - excerpts from a forum post thread

Anthroposophy is a serious business.
This statement isn't some moral assertion or an appeal to treat anthroposophy seriously.
The seriousness of anthroposophy is similar to something which the student of medicine may experience, when he/she starts to realise that his chosen profession is a really serious business. Which means that as a doctor he is going to deal with the matters of life and death, that he will be responsible for human lives. If he wants to become a surgeon, he will realise that the smallest mistake may decide about patient's life. Some quack doctors may think that this isn't serious, that they are themselves the smartest doctors after reading some "weekend course of medicine". But the real student of medicine knows how long it takes to study, to learn the detailed anatomy of human body, how many years of hard work, sacrifices, how many books to read, how many sciences, detailed informations to memorise, how many years of practice it all takes.
Certain analogy may be applied to anthroposophy. Someone who really knows it, who studied genuinely Steiner's teachings for decades, not just reading few books, but studying it in details, meditating, thinking over every detail, may realise, how serious these teachings are. That they concern life and death. This is about most existential things, suffering, sacrifices, hard work, life lasting trials. This is not about hovering in spiritual clouds really, but being close to Earth, working in dense material substance in humbleness and self-denial. This is about following Christ, who came on Earth for suffering and sacrifice. And somebody who starts a genuine study of anthroposophy, realises at once, what this is about and what kind of reality is to be confronted, what kind of powers are to be dealt with. One also confronts at once the opposing powers and realises, what kind of beings they are, how they really work in one's life.
The difference with medicine or other sciences is that today there are no real schools or academies of anthroposophy. No professors or authorities, no classes, no courses. If there are self-annointed academies or classes or self-proclaimef teachers of anthroposophy, they are not real. Rudolf Steiner, leaving this world, left no initiates who could be true teachers of anthroposophy. The Mysteries are closed down, no ears were found to hear the word of spirit. It is so because we live in times now, when there cannot be any true spiritual teachers and initiates. This is not their time, this is the time of completely different kind of beings. We live exactly in such times.
One might ask, if there are no teachers, what gives you right to teach such things, what kind of initiate are you? The answer is: there are no initiates today and I'm certainly not the one.
The path of anthroposophy starts from the most basic level, from the genuine, arduous study. I have the highest respect for those who study systematically, by themselves or in the small groups, who even in this group systematically quote Rudolf Steiner's teachings.

They feel deeply, that this is the right path, that they are in the right place, and that on the level they are, they have the allowance of spiritual world to study with patience and to proclaim Steiner's teachings as they are.

They do not try to replace anthroposophy with their own life wisdom, amateur philosophy or all kinds of speculations.

They do not try to remove Rudolf Steiner's teachings and place something else instead, their own teachings preferably.

They do not try to impose their institutional authority on anybody, as "teachers" annointed by some officials.

I know here are few such genuine and faithful Rudolf Steiner students. I have the highest respect and sympathy for you, guys.
Nevertheless, during the study comes the moment, when the student rises to the level of a very specific, existential understanding. This is the level when one realises the grave and serious character of things he/she studies.
This is also the time when imaginations are advanced and first inspirations from the spiritual world appear and also first trials. This is an advanced level in the times we live in. I myself am allowed by spiritual worlds to share my own inspirations. This is due to the spiritual principle, that one cannot hide inspirations given by spiritual worlds, they need to be shared.
And this "faculty" is independent from any institutional recognition, outer acknowledgement, being known, famous etc. This is the role, function coming directly from the existential dimension of anthroposophy.

and responses

We can in a sense, know it all, and yet, for some reason, the knowledge does not enter deep down into us and effect an obvious transformation! Perhaps it is the inertia of our dense karma and acts as some kind of firewall upon which the rich truths and understandings of Dr. Steiner bounce off. And how much of that might even be for our own safety!
So much of the basic decencies of human nature, it seems to me, have been atrophied in us (me).
Devotion? True prayer? Reverence? Compassion? Tolerance? How much can I say these live in me existentially anymore?
And yet, when precisely in the moment of my life when I would have dived down deep into abject, vapid materialism, along comes a Great Master speaking the language of the times yet transcending those times as well. And some vestige of humanity I seem to have heard him, reached for him...and tries its best now to hold him in my arms.
So very very much to take in, so very very much to understand.
Gradually the head turns a bit, the heart opens a bit, the eyes see again a bit and the evidence of grace dawns in one's dark depths!
I can begin now to take sure steps toward the light through the work of Rudolf Steiner. I don't know why I feel such certainty in what flows from him for I am not one to entertain belief of any kind. I suppose it is the objective, scientifically shaped way the concepts are presented that leaves me free to work with them, not yet knowing if they are true (there's that firewall again). The impossibly massive richness of it makes me laugh when I feel people thinking that they know it all now and can move on to the next thing. Personally, I am hoping for between 2 and 5 percent of it to sink in before I die and counting it a pretty good incarnation!

Considering the clever manipulative resistance frequency and processed food and childhood vaccinations and the hormonal levels of pornography at the tip of the finger and rock and roll noise at high levels and societies distractive mind control and the message of fear on every street corner. I would say how is it possible we are still here seeking truth. I would think we are doing quite well considering the odds. Failure is a good thing when the main task is to develop wisdom and understanding. Personally I am content to know my hierarchy instructors valued what was needed most. I appreciate the sacrifice and patience of higher worlds. every millimeter of deepened understanding is a milestone given the context you describe.

Related pages

on developing imaginative cognition

and

and practically also

References and further reading

Erhard Fucke: 'Das anthroposophische Studium - Seine Bedeutung für den Schulungsweg' (1981)
Alan Howard: 'The Study of Anthroposophy as an Aspect of the Free Spiritual Life' (1984)
Christof Lindenau:
- 'Towards a spiritual practice of thinking: A guide for the study of anthroposophy' (EN, in DE as 'Der übende Mensch - Anthroposophie-Studium als Ausgangspunkt moderner Geistesforschung')
- Im Grenzgang zu erringen: Zur Übungs- und Arbeitsweise geistiger Forschung
- Staunen, Mitgefühl, Gewissen: Zur Anthroposophie als einer Versuchsmethode des Allgemein-Menschlichen
- Freiheit erüben: Meditation in der Erkenntnispraxis der Anthroposophie (1993)
Dennis Klocek: 'Seeking Spirit Vision: Essays on Developing Imagination' (2018)