The Anthroposophical Society as a Michael Community

Book excerpt: "What lies spiritually and cosmically at the foundation of a community like the Anthroposophical Society? In wrestling with this question, I have come to the inner conviction that it is justified to speak of the Anthroposophical Society as a Michael community." -- Paul Mackay How can one understand Rudolf Steiner's use of the word we in the last part of the Foundation Stone Meditation: "What we found from our hearts and direct from our heads with focused will"? What is the meaning of "we" here? In the first part of this original and inspiring work, Paul Mackay takes this question as a point of departure, developing a unique approach to working with the seven rhythms of the Meditation. Based on personal experiences, he concludes that the rhythms express the members of the human makeup. We in the fifth rhythm has the quality of "spirit-self." The second part of the book considers the same we from a karmic perspective, with reference to Steiner's lectures on karmic relationships, events in the fourth and ninth centuries, the mystery of death and evil, and the restoration of karmic truth. "What's the use of telling people over and over that we're not a sect if we act like a sect? You see, something that needs to be well understood, especially by the members of the Anthroposophical Society, is what any society in our modern age requires. A society must not be a sect in any way. If the Anthroposophical Society is to stand on firm ground, the word 'we' can really never play a role in regard to opinion. Again and again, anthroposophists are heard saying to the rest of the world: 'We [the Society] think this or that. This or that is going on with us. We want this or that.' In earlier times, societies could present a face of conformity to the world. Now this is no longer possible. Within a contemporary society, each individual must really be a free human being. Only individuals have views, thoughts, and opinions." -- Rudolf Steiner (1923)