Rudolph Steiner - how to know higher worlds

[ellespirit]

Hi, I'm just reading his book and he states:

"It is absolutely necessary that the student should experience this spiritual aspect of his own inner self before progressing to higher spheres; for his own self constitutes that psycho-spiritual element of which he is the best judge. If he has thoroughly realized the nature of his own personality in the physical world, and if the image of his personality first appears to him in a higher world, he is then able to compare the one with the other. He can refer the higher to something already known to him, so that his point of departure is on firm ground. Whereas, no matter how many other spiritual beings appeared to him, he would find himself unable to discover their nature and qualities, and would soon feel the ground giving way beneath him. Thus is cannot be too often repeated that the only safe entrance into the higher worlds is at the end of a path leading through a genuine knowledge and estimate of one's own nature."

Has anyone encountered this? So is he saying you meet your own personality. Well what does that look like? Does it look like you!

[inavalan]

I read a few of Steiner's books a few years ago, and I remember finding them interesting, and enjoyable. In the mean time my beliefs changed and I'd probably not have that much interest in Steiner's views. He describes "higher spheres" to be too anthropomorphic. I believe that the physical likeness comes from our bias as physical beings. In altered states of consciousness we "see" what we believe to be. Actually it seems that even in physical we "see" what we believe to be, like my wife and I ... :)

[Rah nam]

Originally Posted by ellespirit

Hi, I'm just reading his book and he states:

"It is absolutely necessary that the student should experience this spiritual aspect of his own inner self before progressing to higher spheres; for his own self constitutes that psycho-spiritual element of which he is the best judge. If he has thoroughly realized the nature of his own personality in the physical world, and if the image of his personality first appears to him in a higher world, he is then able to compare the one with the other. He can refer the higher to something already known to him, so that his point of departure is on firm ground. Whereas, no matter how many other spiritual beings appeared to him, he would find himself unable to discover their nature and qualities, and would soon feel the ground giving way beneath him. Thus is cannot be too often repeated that the only safe entrance into the higher worlds is at the end of a path leading through a genuine knowledge and estimate of one's own nature."

Has anyone encountered this? So is he saying you meet your own personality. Well what does that look like? Does it look like you!

Not sure what Steiner means by: his spiritual aspect of his own inner self.
It is certain, before we ascend to the next higher plain, as it could be called, we will always confront, meet up with a higher aspect of our Self, what ever that may be.
I have to say, I am not here to ascend, still there are similar processes I needed to go through. When I started to extend my energies,out though the top of my head toward, what I call source, I saw a figure in the distance.
Over the next few days this figure came closer until it was standing right on top of my head. The figure was bare feet, a simple rob and long hear.

(as I later found out, it was, what I call my divine self, the purest form of my Self outside of source)
During the practice I brought the energy of this figure inside my body and later released it again. A great experience, until one day the figure came and sat opposite of me. We sat there for a moment, then the figure came across and merged with mine. After some time I thought, I have to release it now as usual, but it never came out.

Some time later I read a similar account, just in a different setting, and he called it, soul merger.
Technically, it is not the soul that is merging, but it comes very close.

Originally Posted by ellespirit

Hi, I'm just reading his book and he states:

"It is absolutely necessary that the student should experience this spiritual aspect of his own inner self before progressing to higher spheres; for his own self constitutes that psycho-spiritual element of which he is the best judge. If he has thoroughly realized the nature of his own personality in the physical world, and if the image of his personality first appears to him in a higher world, he is then able to compare the one with the other. He can refer the higher to something already known to him, so that his point of departure is on firm ground. Whereas, no matter how many other spiritual beings appeared to him, he would find himself unable to discover their nature and qualities, and would soon feel the ground giving way beneath him. Thus is cannot be too often repeated that the only safe entrance into the higher worlds is at the end of a path leading through a genuine knowledge and estimate of one's own nature."

Has anyone encountered this? So is he saying you meet your own personality. Well what does that look like? Does it look like you!

It's about the progress toward Selfhood, the real Self, not the rather malleable front that we think we are and project.

Perhaps further on in his writing he explains / exemplifies ways of getting there, ways of dealing with encounters in one's shadows. But as things stand it's a bit like asking a politician:
"How do I do that, then? How do I get there?"
"Don't bother me with detail, I just make policy!"

Because, after all, this is the/our path(s). They are our own. We have to find our way.

☼

[ellespirit]

Very insightful perspectives thank you all.

Originally Posted by ellespirit

Hi, I'm just reading his book and he states:

"It is absolutely necessary that the student should experience this spiritual aspect of his own inner self before progressing to higher spheres; for his own self constitutes that psycho-spiritual element of which he is the best judge. If he has thoroughly realized the nature of his own personality in the physical world, and if the image of his personality first appears to him in a higher world, he is then able to compare the one with the other. He can refer the higher to something already known to him, so that his point of departure is on firm ground. Whereas, no matter how many other spiritual beings appeared to him, he would find himself unable to discover their nature and qualities, and would soon feel the ground giving way beneath him. Thus is cannot be too often repeated that the only safe entrance into the higher worlds is at the end of a path leading through a genuine knowledge and estimate of one's own nature."

Has anyone encountered this? So is he saying you meet your own personality. Well what does that look like? Does it look like you!

Back in the that time period, people like Alice Bailey and others wrote about how the soul and personality will integrate around the last reincarnations on Earth. After that, one moves on to higher worlds, not of this earth. Something like that anyways. Bartholomew here on SF would be a good person to reach out to about this.

[iamthat]

The Alice Bailey teachings consider the human as a triplicity:

Monad (Spirit or Being)
Soul (Consciousness)
Personality (the mental and emotional vehicles expressing through physical form).

We identify with personality for countless incarnations. The spiritual journey begins when we first make conscious connection with the Soul. On the path of discipleship our identification fluctuates between Soul and personality. On the path of Initiation, Soul and personality begin to blend, so we become Consciousness expressing through physical form. We also make our first conscious contact with the Monad. These initiations are concerned with form so they need to be taken in physical incarnation.

The higher initiations allow the Monad to blend with the previously blended Soul/personality, so we identify with Being expressing itself through Consciousness. These initiations are not concerned with form so physical incarnation is not necessary.

Peace.

[EnlightenedPursuits]

Very wise words on self reflection.

Quite often we try to put on the best possible mask of ourselves on and put make-up on our blemishes, but if we were actually to do some "soul searching" we might be reluctant because we might find something indeed quite ugly and unbecoming.

The goal should be to face up to who we truly are, and only from there can we begin to change who we were into a better person in the future.