Path of Development

Each of the following are intertwined in terms of their respective development, and each, in essence, leads to the development of the others mentioned.

Reverence and discernment - Ajna

Be reverent, and distinguish the essential from the inessential.

This aspect first and foremost establishes a disposition to be in awe before our fellow human beings and our world. It also encourages the development of careful penetrating observation which allows for the intermingling of appropriate concepts to unveil.

 

Eight-fold path and valuing truth - Vishuddha

Develop the eight characteristics presented in Buddhism (the 'eight-fold path').

Seeking truth and understanding, developing thoughtful intent and aspirations, appropriate and care-filled speech, love-filled action, sensitive livelihood, balanced effort, mindful contemplation, and meditative concentration.

 

Developing the twelve-petalled Heart - Anahata

Control thoughts and actions, and persevere; Be tolerant, impartial and maintain equanimity.

Controlling the sequence of thoughts flowing through oneself, controlling one's actions, and the perseverence through difficulties, leads to characterological dispositions from oneself into the world; Tolerance, impartiality and equanimity become characterological dispositions of oneself in open-arm receptivity of the world.

 

Awakening to the Spirit

Develop a genuine Love for inner freedom.

Engaging in light of truth and love of action for its own sake leads to the development of a new spiritual chamber whereby inner freedom may find its unfoldment.

Spiritual development exercises

Basic exercises

At the opening of each day, a brief meditation.

At the close of each day, a brief meditation that simply observes the day's development, beginning from the most recent backwards in time until the waking moment has been reached.

Key exercises

These are adapted principally from Rudolf Steiner's Knowledge of the Higher Worlds (also translated as How to Know Higher Worlds).

a) Take a pencil (or other simple implement) and meditate on it over a period of six months. Its composition, its construction, whence its materials were obtained, its design, its origin, its uses, its relation to other items, its connection to human civilisation, its value, its change over time (including its eventual decay). Here, both the specific item itself, and its class (ie, pencils of the same type) are included in one's reflections.

Both focus and relaxed observation are important.

b) Take a seed (of a known plant - such as an apple seed) and medidate on it for a period of six months. Its living quality, its transformation or metamorphosis, its relation to Earth and Sun, to the spiritual hierarchies, its animal and human connections.

Both active yet precise imagination are here important.

c) Observe the rising Sun and its living connection to growth. Observe the rising Moon and its living connection to decay.

d) Listen to the distinctions in the sounds of a wind instrument (flute, clarinet, saxophone, or recorder, for example); a string instrument (lyre, violin, guitar or piano, for example); a bell (or gong - something in which the whole is struck and vibrates); and to a drum (or standard loudspeaker, basically a vibrating stertched skin).

Then compare these to the sounds from living creatures (birds, frogs, cows, crickets, etc.).

e) Observe in yourself the different qualities of health, motion, balance, smell, taste, sight, warmth, hearing, and the distinctions between the tonal qualities of language and the ideas there carried. What is distinct in meeting another human being to 'meeting' with a cat, dog, cow or other animal. Finally, whence is the limit of your own body when felt from the inside.

Self-development resources

Books on self development

Steiner, Rudolf Knowledge of the Higher Worlds

Tomberg, Valentin Inner Development

Das, Surya Awakening the Buddha Within

Wolf, Laibl Practical Kabbalah

for other Anthroposophical pages within this site:

> Spiritual Science index (on the home page)