Twin Roads to the New Millennium: The Christmas Conference and the Karma of the Anthroposophical Society

by Hans Peter Van Manen

Overview

First published in the run-up to the new millennium, van Manen's seminal study remains a unique and important source for understanding the spiritual and karmic background to the Anthroposophical Movement and Society, as founded around the work of the twentieth-century seer and scientist Rudolf Steiner. In his lectures on karma given in 1924, Steiner spoke of the principal Aristotelian and Platonic traditions - and the movements based on their thinking. Van Manen studies the streams of destiny connected to these groups, and elaborates upon Steiner s presentations - also tackling the apparent contradictions in the Karmic Relationships lecture series. The author discusses the background to these groupings of destiny, beginning with the cosmic Michael School in the life before birth. He throws light on many different esoteric aspects connected to anthroposophy, including the archetypal representations of thinking arising from the Middle Ages; the Arthurian and Grail movements; the mystery of 'Old' and 'Young' souls; the individuals identified as 'Seekers for Christ1 and 'Servants of Michael, and the 'Shepherds' and 'Kings'. We are led to the point at which the two principal groups of souls incarnate and meet together on earth for the first time ever - an event which is to take place within the contemporary anthroposophical movement. In an inspiring conclusion, the author presents his thoughts on a great Whitsun happening at the end of the twentieth century and expounds on the tasks of the new millennium and the future of anthroposophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781855844018
Publisher:	Rudolf Steiner Press
Publication date:	08/28/2014
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	215
Product dimensions:	6.17(w) x 9.41(h) x 0.77(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword v

Part 1 The Past

1 'Awareness of Interwoven Relationships' A Legacy of the History of the Anthroposophical Movement 1

2 The Forming of the Michael Stream in the Life before Birth 10

3 Decisions of Destiny in Late Antiquity 15

Heresy and Spiritual Longing 15

Pagan Enthusiasm 21

Postscript 28

4 The Archetypes of the Two Streams in the Middle Ages 30

5 Antiquity and the Middle Ages in the Arnhem Lectures 43

6 Arthur Stream and Grail Stream 55

7 Seekers for Christ, Servants of Michael 65

8 The Inheritance of the Mysteries. Renunciation and Enthusiasm 69

Interlude

9 Historical Personalities 75

Julian the Apostate 75

The Novalis Individuality and the Secret of Being 'Old' or 'Young' in Soul 82

Vladimir Soloviev 89

Part 2 The Twentieth Century

10 The Generations around Rudolf Steiner 95

The First Two Decades 95

The Young 109

11 The Christmas Conference 120

12 After 1925 137

13 Shepherds and Kings

The Archetypal Picture of the Turning Point of Time 153

14 Kingly Wisdom Renewed and the Future of Platonism Aristotelian, Platonic and Individual Aspects 167

15 On the Threshold of the New Millennium 178

Notes 201