Judson Archive

On the Mysteries

Since time began, people have asked themselves the eternal questions and searched for the answers that lay beyond the boundaries and confines of the outer world. Regardless of the path we take in pursuit of life's bigger questions, such as the mystery of birth and death, there are limits to what one can observe from a purely intellectual perspective.

Those who admit that a boundary exists, that something lies beyond it, and that it can be pierced seek a bridge or path to “pierce the veil”; a task which, in light of the Holy Grail, is associated with the name “Parsifal.” Dr. Rudolf Steiner, and others who have followed similar paths, broke through those limitations. Some of these leaders throughout history have shared their findings and paths with their world. It is the path to the world of the spirit that permeates all things.

It is a path of seeking, growth, experience, and knowing. This task is one of the mind and the heart. It is an art and science. The quest seeks out the causes and influences behind things - both natural and spiritual - in the cosmos, the world, and the human being. It acknowledges that all things manifest by way of a universal and eternal source that gave birth to, sustains, informs, and guides all living things. It is a task that observes all things and living beings, however insignificant they may appear on the surface, as having eternal and deeper significance. Some have referred to this path historically as the "philosopher's quest." Others, as the quest of the "initiate."

The philosopher's quest has many aspects, and the journey never ends. It acknowledges that higher stages of consciousness and perception are attainable and within reach of the human mind. Thus, a key aspect of the quest is to see beyond the "veil" of the outer world alone knowing that behind the physical and cosmic spheres, which contains countless mysteries, is something living, present, structured, and eternal.

Whatever the path may be to pierce these mysteries for someone, and each person's is unique, the quest to know, to feel, to see, and to be is a disposition that compels a seeker's heart and soul. It is the quest for the answers to the riddles of existence, transformation, and the mysteries of the human heart.

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"...he (Sir Isaac Newton) looked on the whole universe and all that is in it as a riddle, as a secret which could be read by applying pure thought to certain evidence, certain mystic clues which God had laid about the world to allow a sort of philosopher's treasure hunt to the esoteric brotherhood. He believed that these clues were to be found partly in the evidence of the heavens and in the constitution of elements…but also partly in certain papers and traditions handed down by the brethren in an unbroken chain back to the original cryptic revelation…by pure thought, by concentration of mind, the riddle, he believed, would be revealed to the initiate.

...he believed that by the same powers of his introspective imagination he would read the riddle of the Godhead, the riddle of past and future events divinely fore-ordained, the riddle of the elements and their constitution from an original undifferentiated first matter, the riddle of health and of immortality.” -John Maynard Keynes, abridged quote from “Newton, the Man”, written for the Royal Society, Newton Tercentenary Celebrations, 1946 and posthumously delivered at the celebrations by his brother Geoffrey Keynes.

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Each person and being in the cosmos has a unique history, or spiritual biography, and disposition when we are born thus defining one's circumstances, conditions, and mission for life. Each one of us is a unique blend of aptitudes, attitudes, inner obstacles, and talents which compel us in this direction or that. These conditions and dispositions reside in the depths of the soul and are carried within us through the activities and decisions of prior lifetimes. These decisions and outcomes become life-plans imbued within us prior to being born and a mission for life. However, the vast majority of us have little or no memory of those experiences, and plans, upon coming into life suffering from a form of amnesia.

-"Each soul enters with a mission. We all have a mission to perform." -Edgar Cayce reading 3003-1

This necessary form of forgetfulness is exacerbated by conditions that are both within and beyond our direct control. It is connected to the nature of each individual who brings their unique and accumulated karma, habits, dispositions, and relationships with them from prior lifetimes as well as the conditions of the current world environment. These conditions change over time as a part of a divine cosmic for humanity and all living things.

Some of us retain our memories, however dim, of our pre-life journey, and experiences from prior lifetimes which are interwoven with the purpose and goals of our lives. They emerge within us, and outside of us, in response to life events, decisions, and moments of destiny. Relationships appear before us renewed out of the ashes of our prior lifetimes transformed by the process of birth, life, and death. All of us retain these pre-life memories at the subconscious, or soul, level which remains hidden from the conscious self until they break through the surface or we find a path to reveal them.

Gifts, obstacles, and challenges exist for everyone. They can be overcome with awareness, practice, education, and determination. Gifts which have been highly developed (for example in a prodigy) can be utilized and further developed. Some may be beginning the practice of some art for the first time. Nothing is lost and everything continues. It is a universal axiom that one who seeks eventually finds.

The journey into the discovery of the human soul and spirit includes the past, present, and future of each individual and all of humanity. It is a task that each of us undertakes when we are born regardless of our awareness of it. Anthroposophy, or initiation wisdom, seeks the answers and observes that the world and every living thing within it are on a plan of spiritual evolution that began eons ago. This moment is just one moment of destiny; there were countless moments in the past which led to this moment, and there shall be many more moments in the future.

There is a knowable cause for everything in the world including one's form, the structure of the world, aptitudes, dispositions, and the significant turning points and moments of our lives. These turning points compel one to grow beyond oneself, fulfill our life missions, balance our karma, and change. It is human destiny to grow and transform and these moments will come for everyone.

Dr. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), founder of "Anthroposophy" ("Anthro" = human being; "Sophia" = Wisdom) observed that there are reasons, both personal and environmental, that cause amnesia of the past upon being reborn; an event which the Greeks referred to in the ancient world as the soul crosses the "River of Lethe" or the "River Lesmosyne." This is the River of Forgetfulness that many souls were required to drink from, in spiritual terms, prior to being reborn having not earned the right or developed the ability to remember their past lives. Some looked upon that form of spiritual forgetfulness as a blessing, others as a curse.

These facts, and other aspects of existence, were taught in ancient academies, or "Mystery Centers" as they are referred to Anthroposophical texts, which have long since faded into history. A path was conveyed at these centers of learning where student could bridge the gap of spiritual amnesia and reach the eternal within in a structured and conscious way. These ancient academies were the equivalent of modern universities - although there are certain differences - for individuals who pursued the most challenging of tasks in spiritual initiation. The ancient Greeks referred to the eternal truths and riddles of existence, which were often demonstrated to the public through drama and plays, as the "Mysteries."

Education, in the traditional sense, was emphasized alongside strict self-discipline and spiritual training which gradually led to expedited inner spiritual changes and the raising, and expanding, of one's consciousness in a structured and mature way. Medicine, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and all aspects of human life were studied and mastered at Mystery Centers. Behind and within all studies, however, was the striving of an objective vision and direct bridge to the spiritual worlds. These spheres or planes, which are invisible to physical sight, is the "home" from which we all living things came before birth and shall return to when we die.

The Mystery Centers housed and transformed candidates who, upon admission, were referred to in modern vernacular as probates, neophytes, candidates, chelas, or acolytes. Each was unique. Those who were admitted were carefully prepared over the course of many years for the lofty goal of spiritual initiation. If they passed through the trials successfully over the course of many years, they emerged as "spiritual initiates" or "initiates" who became bridges and messengers to the spiritual spheres which were hidden from the perception of most human beings.

Initiation was attained only after careful preparation and rigorous testing. This loftiest of quests came with considerable risk as the candidate gradually expanded his or her awareness beyond the confines and limitations of physical consciousness. On the path to and beyond the threshold lay mighty and subtle illusions and revelations.

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" Let us ask: What is an initiate? In all ages of the post-Atlantean human evolution, an initiate has been a person who could lift himself above the outer physical sense-world and have his own personal experiences in the spiritual worlds, a person who could experience the spiritual worlds just as the ordinary human being experiences the physical sense-world through the outer senses, eyes, ears, etc. Such an initiate becomes then a witness of those worlds and their truths. That is one aspect.

But there is also something else very essential which every initiate acquires as a very special characteristic during his initiation, that is, he lifts himself above the feelings and sensations which are not only justified but also very necessary within the physical world, but which cannot, however, exist in the same way in the spiritual world." -Rudolf Steiner, Lecture XI, Christian Initiation, The Gospel of John, https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA103/English/AP1962/19080530p01.html

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In the distant past, the methods, knowledge, and mysteries of initiation were kept a strict secret. In many cultures, such as Greece, revealing the inner secrets of the Mysteries was punishable by imprisonment and even death. Today, the path of initiation has been brought forth publicly as a part of the cosmic-world mission for humanity.

A modern initiate, Dr. Rudolf Steiner, was one of those genuine leaders of the modern age who wrote and lectured widely on the nuances and hidden aspects of the world, life, cosmos, and initiation that were once revealed in those ancient academies that existed across the world in various forms at different points of history. Human and world truths, such as karma, were taught at these academies and are as valid today as they were then. As Dr. Steiner lectured on and wrote about extensively, however, there have been changes in the world, the cosmos, and the human being since ancient times and the old methods of initiation are inadequate to the meet the needs of modern humanity.

A path was revealed to the candidates at these small academies, each of which had a unique cultural character across the world, where they could cultivate and develop a mature and genuine perceptive ability and expanded faculty that allowed them to perceive and consciously interact with the spiritual world. They were the heroes of old; hierophants, divine messengers, mediators, priest-kings, advisors and councilors, physicians, musicians, artists, teachers, poets, and bards. Their tales and journeys have been carried forward in the myths, sacred traditions, and religions. The 12 Trials of Hercules, for example, convey the inner challenges and victories of one of the leading initiates of ancient Greece.

Admittance into these academies was a challenge and most who applied and/or were admitted frequently failed examinations and rigorous fitness tests; both spiritual, karmic, and intellectual. The knowledge accumulated by the student, or neophyte, was both scientific and spiritually founded. Inner, higher states of consciousness were developed and moral qualities of the candidate were tested. Developing an objective bridge to higher consciousness within was carefully cultivated in the human being.

The path of initiation revealed, observed, and transformed the hidden parts of the self. The living and residual spiritual footprints of the past appeared before the candidates - just like today in all people but in greater intensity and clarity - in dreams, visions, and deep states of meditation. These aspects lay deep in the life of the soul and had to be opened, confronted, and deliberately transformed. This path enabled a student to attain deep insights into the processes, beings, and hidden realities of the spiritual and physical worlds. Service, renunciation, and commitment were, and are, the pillars of this journey; the promise to serve a larger and higher task for the world.

Some of these difficult struggles survive through the ancient myths; for example, in Jason and the Argonauts, The 12 Trials of Hercules, and The Odyssey. The mysteries were also presented publicly through Greek drama and plays. Examples of ancient Mystery Centers in Greece include Eleusis, Ephesus, Delphi, and Samothrace. Ephesus in the ancient world was a peaceful area on the coast of modern day Turkey once populated by initiates, priests, thinkers, artists, poets, writers, and philosophers. The mysteries inform us that the Mother of Jesus spent the final years of her life in Ephesus.

In ancient Greece, the mysteries were carried forward by sages and philosophers including Orpheus, Heracles, Heraclitus, Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras, and Aristotle. According to Dr. Rudolf Steiner, Pythagoras was trained through the Egyptian and Chaldean Mysteries and was the first non-Egyptian to do so. Part of Pythagoras' path was to achieve an objective perception and clarity of things through mathematics - a path to true objectivity - that led to higher wisdom. Plato followed and taught a structured path of initiation which carried forward through his students including Aristotle. -Rudolf Steiner, Rosicrucian Esotericism, GA 109, 10. On Karma, Reincarnation and Initiation, Budapest, June 12, 1909. https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA109/English/AP1978/19090612p01.html

Some who passed through these mystery centers shared their knowledge with the world as a part of a public mission. According to Dr. Rudolf Steiner the great and well-known teachers known today of Hermes, Moses, Zarathustra and Buddha achieved higher stages of initiation. In the age of the Bible, initiate-leaders participate in Jesus' mission - the Redeemer of Humanity - including Lazarus-John. These leaders appear repeatedly throughout world history to lead humanity forward.

Through the active pursuit of the Mysteries, or riddles of things, one can find answers to the mystery of birth and death, illness and health, and insights on the processes at work in the world that characterize the events of history, karma, the human being, substances, and the universe. We are all a part of one global community. The earth and all who live upon it are connected and related to one another regardless of nationality, culture, creed, gender, etc. The true language of the spirit works throughout the world regardless of language or culture.

Mystery Centers could be found across the landscape of the ancient world in Chaldea, Assyria, Egypt, Persia, India, China, Greece, Rome, and Europe. Each academy was unique to their geography, clothed in the expression of the culture in which they lived. Some were remained hidden from public view. A Mystery Center was established in Alexandria, Egypt (which was the equivalent of a modern-day university although there were definite differences) in about 330BC by Alexander the Great later called the "Serapeum" which was connected to the Library of Alexandria and flourished until it was destroyed in a city-wide riot in the 5th century AD. The Hibernian Mysteries lived within the cultural impulse of the Celts and Druids and flowed through Ireland, Scotland, England, and Europe. The Nordic Mysteries, which also flowed through the Druids, emerged out of Northern Europe.

Candidates were assessed based on much more than just aptitude and intellectual ability. They were also assessed based on their unique karma, dispositions, and preparedness in spiritual terms. At these ancient academies, a genuine path of discovery was opened and a student was carefully prepared to receive higher knowledge and wisdom. Over time, the character and structure of Mystery Centers changed as human consciousness evolved; they arose and changed as the world transformed. These centers of learning and transformation inspired and led change in the world. As the bridges between the divine and humanity, the initiates who worked through these ancient Mystery Centers were - and are - instrumental in human and world development.

The deeper mysteries and aspects of human existence were communicated through two paths; the lesser and greater truths. The lesser mysteries were presented to the public in such a way that they could understand through symbolism, social, and moral laws. The "greater" mysteries were disclosed only for those qualified; the initiates and their disciples. Higher knowledge and the deeper facts of existence were not revealed to the public out of a legitimate fear of abuse and corruption. The memory of the Atlantean debacle, when the mysteries were betrayed through the misuse of sacred wisdom which led to widespread corruption and catastrophes, could not be repeated.

Students were taught how to perceive, and communicate through, the spiritual worlds objectively. Within this knowledge and a method of attaining an expansion of the soul, however, were living spiritual forces that were imbued within the candidate that could be used for great benefit or great harm to others. Initiation, once attained, permeated a person, either man and woman, with forces of healing, perception, and influence that could only be bestowed upon one worthy of receiving it having been purged of their lower aspects. Moral training was emphasized as was strict discipline of thought and feeling.

Thinking and how to perceive the secrets of the soul, through latent faculties which had to be cultivated, were taught and practiced. One would find classrooms and areas for instruction at these academies like any school or university. Teaching was traditional where scientific and mathematical facts were conveyed by way of traditional means as well as the art of expanding one's latent and hidden powers of spiritual, or psychic, perception. During the later Greek period, an emphasis on logic, perception, and thinking was emphasized as was taught and documented by Plato and Aristotle.

In ancient Egypt, training in the Mystery Centers was overseen and facilitated as a state-sponsored program. Spiritual initiations, the substance of which was described by Dr. Rudolf Steiner, Edgar Cayce, Elizabeth Haich (author of the book "Initiation"), and other writers in the 20th century, were carried out in temples throughout Egypt which were connected to the Great Pyramids and served not as tombs for kings but as buildings constructed for the purpose of guiding candidates through the stages of initiation which culminated in a 3 ½ day "Temple Sleep" period. The pyramids were adopted for use as tombs only much later by the Egyptian Pharaohs after the mysteries had fallen into the past. Many candidates for spiritual initiation passed through transformative experiences in the Great Pyramid and other smaller temples in Egypt, such as Saqqara, at different points in history.

If admitted, and over the course of many years, candidates for initiation were exposed to the deepest seeds and impulses of their souls built upon the deeds, thoughts, and feelings of prior lifetimes. This rite of passage - which was a dangerous exercise - was achieved through moral self discipline and transformation that was achieved gradually through deep states of meditation and concentration.

Most people in the world – albeit then or today - are/were not conscious of one's residual imprints which remain concealed in the subconscious until they are compelled to the surface. Until that moment, they manifest as peculiarities, impulses, forms, situations, habits, and dispositions. Dr. Carl Jung in the 20th century referred to the shadows of the soul as "neuroses." Others have utilized the term "doppelganger" to describe the shadow that follows one from prior lifetimes. The candidates for initiation had to confront and overcome these hindrances, based on one's prior deeds and became living parts of the human being, most of which had long since been forgotten to the passage of time yet remained as traits of the human soul.

Sometimes, as in the Egyptian Mysteries, these “imprints" manifested as living phantoms of a grotesque nature that appeared before the candidate as a living image as they passed through their initiation experience which occurred in an expanded state of consciousness. These residual constructs, which follow a person from one lifetime to the next until they are transformed and purged, were confronted by the candidate of the initiation in the grotto of the Great Pyramid through a transcendental experience. The true purpose of the Grotto today is unknown to scholars. Observing the "dragon" of one's lower nature was, and is, a painful experience. It is brought to life as a vision built upon the deeds of the past created by every thought - however small - feeling, and experience that had been accrued over the course of one’s entire existence since the beginning of time.

The spiritual art and symbolism of the Egyptians, which reflected deeper spiritual truths, were publicly observable through the imagery of the Gods and their diverse relationships including Osiris, Isis, and Horus. The Ankh is a symbol of the Sun Mysteries (a cross with a sun on the top) which culminated in the birth of Christ-Jesus and the Event of Golgotha in 33AD; a fact revealed to the initiates at Mystery Centers long before the event occurred. Mystery Centers receded during the Roman period and eventually faded from history by the Middle Ages. Societies and groups replaced these academies, such as the Essenes, who were carriers of initiation and lived in isolated and close-knit communities.

Candidates for initiation at these academies progressed if, and only if, they reached higher stages of transformation over the course of many years. Students were guided as far as they could progress given their unique dispositions and limitations. Candidates were frequently, but not always, selected and trained from birth. They were given regular benchmarks to achieve; some failed and were compelled to return to the outer world taking with them what they had learned preparing to continue their journey in future lifetimes.

Just like today, each student possessed unique limitations, aptitudes, a quality of the will, and imagination. Some of the names of spiritual initiates have been passed down through history and religions and well-known to the world. For example, Dr. Steiner observed that each of the 12 Apostles who accompanied Jesus during the three years after the Baptism on the River Jordan had attained some degree of spiritual initiation and discussed the importance of the mission of the great initiate Lazarus-John at length. -Refer to Dr. Steiner's lecture series The Gospel of John (there are 3 different lecture series with the same title), The Gospel of Matthew, The Gospel of Luke, and The Gospel of Mark which can be read for free at www.rsarchive.com and some lectures can also be found on www.rudolfsteineraudio.com.

Today, the Mysteries are pursued across the world wherever a mystery exists and can be rediscovered through the works and activities of those individuals who, as teachers or seekers, have pursued such paths. In the 20th century, at least one genuine initiate emerged in Dr. Rudolf Steiner who shared facts, processes, a path, and details of the spiritual worlds and the deeper insights into humanity and the universe. Others, such as the "Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce, who had attained a high degree of initiation in at least one a prior lifetime in ancient Egypt, brought forth insights through a unique and expanded spiritual faculty of perception. Others have come forward and made unique contributions of awakening humanity to the reality of the hidden spiritual aspects of the human being and the world.

Thanks to those who laid out a valid path for piercing the mysteries behind things, of which the pursuit of insights through the physical sciences is a vital aspect, a seeker can overcome our spiritual amnesia and personal challenges. A seeker can gradually rebuild a bridge to the spiritual worlds, humanity, and the universe attained scientifically; not superstition.

When combined with healthy meditation, study, practice, and prayer, a path can be pursued. In fact, simply contemplating riddles of the spirit - such as facts revealed through near death experiences or the writings and wisdom conveyed by initiation - will open doors and portals of awareness within the human being. What we think about and strive for in our hearts and minds we eventually become. The universe will open to us; God is inside every living thing and the cosmos.

And, just like the Mystery Centers of old, the seeker's path today is a long, individual, and rewarding process of scientific, personal, and spiritual discovery. Each person who pursues the path of discovery inevitably seeks to become more than what we are. If one remains loyal to a pledge and path of helping others, and earnestly seeks the answers in the right spirit, the origins and causes of things can be found and we can become useful co-workers in the Great Plan; a path that is an art and a science.

Eventually, the thresholds of knowledge will expand with the matured and awakened powers of the mind and the spirit as one moves gradually, step by step, into the future...

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The New Mysteries

Those who attained spiritual initiation gradually over the course of time achieved a genuine and piercing vision into the spiritual worlds, the mystery of the human being, and the universe. The mature and guided transformation of consciousness led one to the revelations of the past, the present, and the future. One was able to read from the "Akashic Records" - the permanent cosmic record of all things - in a clear way. One of those revelations, which was a central aspect of initiation, was the gradual approach of the Christ (who was called by many names across the world including Ahura Mazdao in Zoroastrianism) - the God of the Sun - to the Earth as the fulfillment of an ancient promise and the central aspect of a cosmic redemptive plan for the world.

They learned that the central evolutionary point of human history was the Christ Event at Golgotha. Through a cosmic one-time event, a God - the God of the Sun and Light - was destined to incarnate in the world inside a human being who was the most highly developed initiate throughout human history. Dr. Steiner lectured on the mystery of the cosmic event which now permeates every atom on the planet and unfolds for humanity gradually over time and contains many mysteries.

After imbuing His forces into the world, He eternally carries a vital and divine mission for all of humanity as we evolve gradually over time. Without His direct intervention, humanity would not have been able to complete its evolution properly. This event changed the world, and the cosmos, forever enabling and allowing humanity to fulfill its path of transformation.

The Christ mission - a global and cosmic mission for every being and atom on the planet - is supported by a vast array of angels, captains, messengers, and coworkers of all levels of attainment and activity, which shall continue forever.

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There is a plan and a path for everyone, however unique we may be, from the highest levels of consciousness to the lowest. All living beings, however large or small, are an essential and irreplaceable part of a world and cosmic family. Each of us has an important part to play in the ongoing destiny of the world. Every living being, whether one is aware of it or not at any given moment, is a vital, irreplaceable, and integrated part of a cosmic plan of human and world evolution that is the foundation for the transformation of the human being.

Thus it is, that the purpose of Anthroposophy, and really any striving for deeper knowledge... "embraces a spiritual view of the human being and the cosmos, but its emphasis is on knowing, not faith. It is a path in which the human heart, and especially our capacity for thinking, are essential...only if we come to experience the spirit in ourselves, can we know the cosmic spirit. Through this study and path, humanity (Anthropos) has the inherent wisdom (sophia) to transform both itself and the world." - From an informational pamphlet on Anthroposophy.

Regardless of what part of the world one lives, or whatever culture, language, or creed, the quest to "pierce the veil" is open to all if a person commits to pursue the riddles of the world and the spirit with an open and gentle heart, a keen and faithful mind, steadfastness, and an objective disposition...

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"From ancient, holy sacrificial sites

The healing art once flowed

Into the works of humankind.

Remember your revelation:

Say it at the new healing site.

And if human souls

Carried by the spirit

Hear your call to the Mysteries

They shall work

To bring forth healing

In the weaving of human life.

I will seek the power of spirit-ears

In a loving heart

To hear the call."

- Rudolf Steiner, Mantric Sayings Meditations 1903-1925), P 298.

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On the Mysteries

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