Rudolf Steiner and the Rosy Cross.

 Many people know of Rudolf Steiner as the founder‚ of
Anthroposophy and its related child developmental and educational
theories, practice and development. With others he is more familiar as the
developer of Bio-dynamics - a magical agricultural process incorporating
many occult theories including  sidereal astrology.
  It has been said that Steiner was a high initiate of O.T.O. This
would have been at a time when entry into the O.T.O. was at the VIIº
level, with the prerequisite of holding a 33º Masonic initiation.
Possibly, much of Steiners Rosicrucian ritual experience would have come
via the 18º of Masonry.
 Some dispute Steiners connection with the O.T.O. and, if
acknowledged, others seem not to give this any importance and seem to
think he developed a more modern appropriate form and expression of the
mysteries.
 Although Steiner was not a declared Thelemite you can see the
light of New Aeonic expression dawning in his writing, also you can
detect, perhaps, a cautious approach of keeping within the bounds of
Christian mysticism in later translations and editing of his work. The
whole framework of Steiners system is focused on Christian mysticism, and
this he certainly did develop into a more modern appropriate form and
expression of  these  mysteries.
 Steiner says (in The Theosophy of the Rosicrucian‚), "The most
recent way of attaining wisdom is the Rosicrucian path....This path does
not point man to the past but to the future, to those conditions which he
will live through..... through definite methods the pupil is taught to
develop in himself the wisdom which exists in germ in every human
being.....it is a Christian path adapted to modern conditions, and lies
between the actual Christian path and the Yoga path."

 This casts interesting light on the development of the western‚
traditions Steiner was initiated into and is an expression of the various
influences that came about in western traditions of his time (such as one
can see the influence of Buddhism on the early Gnostics).
 He traces the development of this path before the time of
Christianity and states that it took on special form through the initiate,
Dionysius the Areopagite and the esoteric school of Paul of Athens.
 Steiner says that the two paths of esoteric training particularly
fitted to the west are Christian and Rosicrucian training. It is
interesting to note that he  considers the Christian path for those who
believe in the personality of Jesus Christ, while the Rosicrucian path is
more fitted to the modern man regardless of what occupation or sphere of
life the individual is placed. By looking briefly at Steiners system we
can see that it is not too different from ours, once the overt Christian
symbolism is removed and a few rearrangements are made in the progression.
 Steiner lists the first 7 stages as the Christian path and the
next 7 as the Rosicrucian path.
1. The Washing of the Feet. (As with Christ and the 12 apostles). I see
this as purification of the feet which are to travel a new path and,
generally, Baptism in the E.G.C. or Lustration in the Iº.
2. The Scourging. Steiner comments; „One deepens oneself in the following:
How would it fare with you if the sufferings and blows of life broke in on
you from every side? You should stand upright, you should make yourself
strong to meet all sorrows that life offers, and should bear them. As a
lesson in life I equate this to our IIº, which represents life and how to
deal with the situation of incarnation, living through it and beyond it. A
similar idea is expressed in many traditions, e.g. Libra Librae, „Thou
then that has trials and troubles, rejoice because of them, for in them is
Strength, and by their means is a pathway opened unto that Light....how,
were thy trials not many couldst thy purge thy soul from the dross of
earth?....hath it not ever been so with the Sages and Heirophants of the
past? They have been persecuted and reviled, they have been tormented of
men; yet through this also has their Glory increased....
 „Rejoice therefore, O Initiate, for the greater thy trial, the
greater thy Triumph.
3. The Crowning of Thorns.  Steiner sees this as the process in 2 above
but instead of just the body suffering it is the actual spiritual being
that is subject to scorn and derision. Certain stories of Sufi saints
demonstrate this  point . I see this point 3 as bridging the IIº and IIIº.
Steiner says one sees themselves astrally as crowned with thorns and
physically feels a „sensible external pain on the head‰. - See Beastly‚
(Magazine - OTO inc.) Vol. III, No. 1 (Aug. 1992) p.47, diagram; El -
Hallaj depicted as Jesus‚. The saint is shown crucified on the cross with
a crown of thorns, inscribed with a verse of  Jalal Rumi (Jalal-ud-Din
Rumi, 13th century Sufi mystic and poet) „Each time that an iniquitous
judge lifts a pen, there is a Mansur who dies on the gibbet.
 Also, consider Rumi‚s verse -‚The Prophets are us.‚ (Fourth
Movement . On the Path - Ordeal and Revelation.) „No human being can deny
her deepest self. This is why the Prophets and saints and holy beings say
to the community: We are you, and you are us; there is never any
separation between us.‚
 „Such words challenge us. For if we really are the prophets, then
what excuse do we have to go on acting like jackals and vipers? If we
really are them (which is what they have discovered in the glory of vision
and in the abyss of humility), then we must change everything.
 „Why have the true prophets again and again been reviled,
slandered, betrayed, even killed? Because the true prophets reveal to us
exactly what we could be, if we only worked and prayed and struggled
humbly and passionately enough. They offer no easy solutions, no false
consolations, no flatteries, no fake miracles, no all-purpose panaceas.
This we cannot bear, because we cannot bear truth, and so we mock and kill
them....... blessed are they who can listen to the Good News about
themselves and die to enact it in this life.
4. The Crucifixion. Obviously we are now in the IIIº which relates to
death. Steiner talks about how man identifies his body with his ego and
how this concept must be destroyed at this stage and if not can virtually
be a block to continue onwards. I believe without this realisation we
cannot really graduate through the IIIº to the lessons of the IVº. Steiner
says of this body/ego identification that; „....one must accustom himself
to carry his body through the world as if it were a foreign object.
Compare with Liber Yod, The Second Method. „Let the Hermit be seated in
his asana, robed, let him meditate in turn upon every several part of his
body until that part is so unreal to him that he no longer includes it in
his comprehension of himself.....and this practise should be carried out
not only at the time of meditation, but during the days work. (Liber ABA
p.644)
5. The Mystic Death. Steiner describes this as the descent to hell and
says each one must live through it and triumph through it. This is part of
the death cycle again and Eliphas Levi‚s  translation of the Hymn of
Honorius comes to mind; „.........For to the abyss of hell I plunge
without affright: On them will I impose my will, the law of light. After
this descent and experience Steiner includes in this fifth stage;
The Rending of the Veil. Here one can get confused comparing the two
systems but it must be remembered that there are but 3 degrees in the Man
of Earth and IVº  and P.I. initiation are pendants to the IIIº. The
illusions, transitions and energy fields continue for some  time  after
death and it is not until P.I. (equated with Annihilation) that the
process is heading towards its conclusion. Members of Vº  will see
comparisons to this stage 5.
6. Burial and Resurrection.  Again this can compare to the IIIº / IVº
cycle.
7. Ascension. This is easily equated to the previous stage of Rending the
Veil and the IVº (being termed Exaltation). Also one ascends from the
plane of Oasis initiation to Lodge initiation. Steiner says of this stage
that „One must have a soul that is no longer dependent on thinking through
the instrument of the brain. (see IVº and P.I. chakra attributions of
Ajna and Sahasrara)
 Steiner says the above is the Christian path and not really suited
to modern day man, then describes the Rosicrucian path which is more
suitable. The O.T.O. would see the previous steps as essential (as in its
Man of Earth Triad , 0º - P.I.) prerequisites to the Rosicrucian path
(2nd. Triad -The Lovers beginning with Vº Sovereign Prince/Princess Rose
Croix. Also in Masonry, one cannot achieve 18º Masonic initiation unless
one has passed through the Blue Lodge- the first 3 Masonic degrees).
 Steiner in describing his 7 step Rosicrucian path constantly
refers to his book Lucifer - Gnosis‚ (later published as Knowledge of
the Higher Worlds‚ - Blavatsky also suffered such censorship‚ under the
hand of later Theosophical editors), and points out that these 7 steps are
not consecutive but are a question of the pupils own individuality and
much of it „cannot be made public. O.T.O. appreciates the individuality
of each ones own ŒRosy Cross‚ and the secrecy, however we can refer to our
published constitution for comparison.
 Steiners 7 steps of the Rosicrucian path;
1. Study. This is of course relevant to every O.T.O. degree, but see
specifically the Vº members appointed to the Senate, Electoral College
members must possess; „...a profound general knowledge of history and the
art of government, with some attention  to philosophy in general.
2. Imaginative Knowledge. (see Constitution again „.....They must give
evidence of first rate ability in
1.Some branch of athletics.
2. Some branch of learning. i.e. one chooses oneself. There is much in the
OTO curriculum to equate to this as well, consider Liber  O, Part V, Point
2; „...let him imagine his own figure...standing near to or in front of
him. Point 3; „Let him transfer the seat of his consciousness to that
imagined figur Point 4; „Let him cause that imagined figure to rise in
the air. Point 12; „Finally let the student cause his imagined body in
which he supposes himself to have been travelling to coincide with the
physical." {emphasis added}).
3. Inspired knowledge, or Reading the Occult Script. See Constitution
VIIIº - „Its members being fully instructed in the Principles of the Order
save in one point only (Reading the Occult Script) „devote themselves to
the understanding of what they have learned in their initiation.
(Inspired Knowledge).
 Steiner also includes practices in this point called Breath
Regulation the comparison with pranayama is clear yet he also talks of  a
process which has higher degree applications ( as formed by conclusion or
observing the Gnostic Mass) that is, that this process; „is to form that
organ that can within himself effect the transformation of carbon into
oxygen....and hence his body will be more plant like, then he can turn
towards the holy love lance. (Theosophy of the Rosicrucian p.164)
 Points
4. Preparation of the Philosophers Stone.
5. Correspondence between Macrocosm and Microcosm.
and
6. Living into the Macrocosm.
Can be seen as some of the higher degree mysteries included under the work
of the O.T.O.
7. Divine Bliss. Could equate to the IXº and as Steiner says  those at
this stage have attained the Summit of the Rosicrucian path. We can see
that the descriptions of the the IXº compare to the classical account of
the Rosicrucian; „ (The IXº members)......from the nature of their
initiation, they must veil their glory in a cloud of darkness. They move
unseen and unrecognised among the youngest of us, subtly and loftily
leading us into holy ineffable mysteries of True Light.
 Also the 5th and 6th point above includes various meditations and
activations of the Chakras. Those who have experienced Man of Earth
initiations and particularly K.E.W. initiation will see that O.T.O.
incorporates this practice as well.
 To begin summing up, Steiner says that Point 7 - Divine Bliss
comes when one reaches Point 6 and „voluntarily performs all his deeds in
accordance with the will of the whole Cosmos To me that is pretty close
to „Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the Law, love
under will.
 Perhaps we are best to describe this path as the Rosicrucian
Mystery, for how ever we understand it, as Steiner did, or as an
historical movement whose members moving unseen, dressed in the garb of
the country they travelled in, devoted to alleviating human suffering, or
a spiritual impulse behind the Age of Enlightenment, or a mystery which
resides within certain occult schools, I believe it is a manifestation of
that order that „......exists, unknown to the great crowd , a very ancient
order of sages, whose object is the amelioration and spiritual elevation
of mankind by means of conquering error and aiding men and women in their
efforts of attaining the power of recognising the truth. This Order has
existed  already in the most remote times, and it has manifested its
activity secretly and openly in the world under different names and in
various forms ; it has caused social and political  revolutions and proved
to be the rock of salvation in times of danger and misfortune. It has
always upheld the banner of freedom against tyranny in whatever shape this
has appeared, whether as clerical or political or social despotism, or
oppression of any kind.....
 To gain entrance to the ŒHoly College‚ may seem almost impossible
to attain, given the degree of dedication and training required, but why
not set ones sights on high, why not believe that  we can achieve it? For
finding inspiration in the words of Rumi, I am encouraged  to undertake a
great adventure.
Jala-ud-Din Rumi, Fourth Movement (On the Path- Ordeal and Revelation) -
 Be at Least as Clever as a Dog.‚
 „You cannot see a sword when it is hidden in its scabbard. If you
want to become a Sword of the Faith - a human being who fights for truth
and justice, whose life mirrors divine beauty and righteousness- then you
must first fight with yourself, and work implacably to refine and ennoble
your own character. Begin with yourself‚, says the Koran.
 „Before you can advise others you must learn how to advise
yourself. Say to yourself as I do, I have arms, legs, a mouth and hands
just like Mohammed or Bayazid or Al-Hallaj, just like all those saints and
prophets and holy beings who have come into the stable ecstasy of the
Presence - why did the Presence reveal Itself to them and not me? Why
should I not also come into Its Glory? Why should they be the only one to
pass through the Door? Didn‚t they begin just as I have?
 „And when you let the full outrageous challenge of these words
penetrate your dullness - the challenge of divine grace is always holding
out to everyone who works and suffers enough - then you will start to
fight and box with yourself day and night.....

 „There are ten people outside a house. Nine are invited in; the
tenth is left outside. Wouldn‚t this person lament, What have I done to
be left out? Where my manners awful? Have I done something I am not aware
of ?‚ The last thing to do would be to accept exclusion with a corrupt
resignation masquerading as humility. The last thing you should say to
yourself is: I cannot enter because it is God‚s will that I should not
come in. If he wanted me to come into his House he would have shown me the
way and opened the Door.‚ This is rubbish, and amounts to insulting God.
When you talk like this to yourself, you become the sword against God and
not the sword for God.
 „A dog is cleverer than you. When a dog is starving, doesn‚t it
come up to you wagging its tail and begging a bit of bread? Are you less
than a dog? A dog isn't content to sleep in ashes and moan, Well, if he
wants me to, he will give me bread.‚  It accosts you and barks and wags
its tail. Why don't you just wag your tail and ask what you want from
God?.....
 „So ask God, demand what you need and want; you will find you
cannot  ask in vain. Do Our Father and Mother not say to us tenderly in
the Koran: ŒCall upon me, and I will answer you ?
 And finally, from Libra Librae:
 „Ask, and ye shall have! Seek, and ye shall find! Knock, and it
shall be opened unto you!

Fr. Corvus