ENCYCLOPEDIA

[A]  [B]  [C-Ch]  [Ci-Cu]  [D]  [E-El]  [Em-Ey]  [F]  [G]  [H]  [I]  [J-L]  [M-Me]  [Mi-My]  [N-O]  [P-Q]  [R]  [S-Sn]  [So-Sy]  [T-V]  [W-Z]

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 G -

GA

Steiner's works in the original German are cataloged by "GA" number. "GA" is an abbreviation of "Gesamtausgabe," meaning total or complete works. English translations of Steiner's works usually carry GA numbers to indicate their German sources. (Here at Waldorf Watch, when referring to Steiner texts that I have accessed through online sources that do not give page numbers, I provide GA numbers.)

Gabriel - also see Anglo-Germanic Age; Archangels; cultural epochs; Moon; Time Archangels

a) In the Bible: an Archangel who appeared to Daniel and Zacharias, and who foretold the birth of Jesus.

b) In Islam: the Archangel who revealed the Koran to Muhammad.

c) According to Steiner: the Archangel of the Moon, who was Time Archangel during the second period of the Anglo-Germanic Age, from about 1500 to 1879 CE. A transcript shows Steiner summarizing the influences of Archangels on recent human evolution thus: "Oriphiel gets his forces from Saturn: he ruled until about 109 A.D. Anael (Ananiel) — Venus: ruled until about Constantine's time; catacombs, martyrs, great devotion. Zachariel — Jupiter: folk migrations, breakup of Visigoths. Raphael — Mercury: ca. 817–1171 A.D. Samael — Mars: crusades, bellicose religiosity. Gabriel — Moon: ca. 1525–1879 A.D." — R. Steiner, FROM THE CONTENTS OF ESOTERIC CLASSES (transcript, Rudolf Steiner Archive), GA 266.

Gabriel's recent period "was dominated by the rise of the nation-state and of natural science (both firmly rooted in the moon forces of heredity) ... Gabriel brought also the moon quality of occultism ... Behind the scenes, Gabriel...was invisibly adapting the physical [human] brain to enable a new and objective living thinking to be introduced in the next period. This already made possible at the beginning of the nineteenth century the flowering of German philosophy...but this was overwhelmed. Instead democracy, socialism and bureaucracy, based on the lowest common factor of mundane egoism, rose with elemental force." — R. Seddon, THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY AND THE EARTH AS FORESEEN BY RUDOLF STEINER (Temple Lodge Publishing, 2002), p. 18.

As one of the four Archangels who oversee the seasons of the year, Gabriel exerts particular influence in winter, Steiner taught; this influence is balanced by Gabriel's effects in midsummer. "We have learnt to know Gabriel as the Christmas Archangel. He is then the cosmic Spirit; we have to look up above to find him. During the summer Gabriel carries into man all that is effected by the plastic, formative forces of nourishment. At midsummer they are carried into man by the Gabriel forces, after Gabriel has descended from his cosmic activity during the winter to his human activity in summer, when his forces stream through the Earth and it is winter on the other side." — R. Steiner, THE FOUR SEASONS AND THE ARCHANGELS (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1968), lecture 5, GA 229.

•••

This is a schematic representation of the end of Gabriel's reign in November, 1879. The arch to the left represents Gabriel; that to the right represents Michael, who succeeded Gabriel. [1] The horizontal line separates the astral plane (above) from the physical plane (below). At the same time that Michael assumed authority, the demon Mammon (Ahriman) [2] became increasingly active, as is suggested by the figure below the horizontal line. [R.R. sketch, 2009, based on the one on p. 232 of Steiner's in ESOTERIC LESSONS 1904-1909 (SteinerBooks, 2007).] Also in 1879, Rudolf Steiner met the man who would give him occult initiation, or so he later claimed. [3]

[1] See "Michael".

[2] See "Ahriman" and "Evil Ones".

[3] See the entries for "historical narrative" and "Koguzki, Felix" in this encyclopedia.

Steiner referred to galaxies occasionally, just as he occasionally acknowledged other astronomical realities such as the existence of planets beyond Saturn or the truth that planets orbit the Sun. But for the most part, he denied the relevance of inconvenient scientific truths, essentially omitting them from his cosmology. [See "Higher Worlds" and "Deception".] He occasionally indicated that galaxies exert influences on human beings, although whether he understood that nature of galaxies is uncertain. "[I]t would be wrong to imagine that having passed through the portal of death we do not belong to any forces at all, for after death we are connected with the forces of the solar system and the other galaxies." — R. Steiner, THE SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND HUMANITY (Anthroposophic Press, 1992), lecture 3, GA 15. Galaxies are vast swarms of stars; an average galaxy contains millions or even billions of stars, and there are billions of galaxies in the observable universe. Steiner's cosmology, which may initially seem expansive, focuses primarily on the inner solar system, and is in fact dwarfed by astronomical reality.

The portal through which one passes when leaving the spirit realm to begin a new life on the physical plane of existence. "[M]an undergoes an important experience in the spiritual world before entering the physical world through conception and birth, and the effects of this experience are active in his coming life ... After passing through the gates of death human souls appear, on the whole, as the after-effects of what they have immediately experienced in earthly life. Now such souls meet those who are about to descend into a physical body ... This meeting between those souls who have just passed through the gate of death and those who are just about to enter the physical world through the gate of birth is an important event ... In a certain sense, its function is to give the descending souls some idea of what they will encounter here. It is from this meeting that the 'impulse' is derived that stamps the peculiar expression of melancholy [1] on the faces of children entering the world to-day. They do not want to enter the world of which they have learnt through this meeting. For they know how, in a sense, their 'spiritual plumage' [2] will be ruffled by what mankind, immersed in materialistic thoughts and feelings, views and deeds, is experiencing on the earth to-day. [3]" — R. Steiner, SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF TO-DAY (Rudolf Steiner Book Centre, 1932), GA 193.

[1] See "Temperaments". Here, Steiner indicates that children incarnation on Earth in the modern age tend toward melancholia.
[2] I.e., their spiritual raiment, their spiritual beauty.
[3] In Anthroposophical culture generally, the modern world is thought to be inferior (less spiritual) than previous ages. [See, e.g., "The Ancients".]

The portal through which one passes when leaving the physical plane of existence to begin a new life in the spirit realm. "[W]hen the human being passes through the gate of death, etheric body, astral body and Ego [1] are loosened from the physical body ... [L]et us think of the emergence of the threefold man from the physical body. This is a process which lasts for days, beginning when the human being passes through the gate of Death ... We must really try to grasp in its reality what is present as the first moment after the human individuality has passed through the gate of Death. The unlived-out karma [2] is freed from the individuality — the individuality can only live out his karma in a subsequent incarnation [3] — it is freed, and becomes cosmic: cosmic happenings are the result of it [4] ... [U]nlived-out karma is being expressed, karma that has taken over into the spiritual world and is like a wellspring in this death spectrum." — R. Steiner, THE PROBLEM OF DEATH (Rudolf Steiner Archive), lecture 2, 1915, GA 161.

[1] See the entries for these terms in this encyclopedia.

[2] I.e., unfulfilled karma, karma that has not yet been discharged. (Belief in karma is fundamental to Anthroposophy. [See "Karma".])

[3] I.e., we can work through our karmas only while we are incarnated on Earth. (An "individuality" is a unique human or spiritual being, having an "I" or spiritual ego. [See "Ego".])

[4] I.e., an individual's karma flows outward, becoming part of the shared experience of all spirits in the cosmos, thus affecting all of the cosmos.

The central, formal body of the Anthroposophical movement, headquartered in the Goetheanum [1], in Dornach, Switzerland. The General Society grew out of the original Anthroposophical Society. [2] In 1923, Rudolf Steiner reconstituted the Society as the General Society, at which point he for the first time assumed a formal leadership role. (Previously, he was the spiritual leader but not the titular leader of the Anthroposophical movement.) There are also national and regional Anthroposophical societies, all with ties to the General Society.

[1] See "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"

[2] See the entry in this encyclopedia for "Anthroposophical Society".

In addition to the ordinary meaning, in Anthroposophy "genius" refers to the active spiritual presence of a place, people, etc. This presiding spiritual being is usually beneficial, as opposed to the demon of that place, people, etc. According to Steiner, the genius of the Sun is Christ (who became the Regent of the Earth after his descent to human incarnation). [1] The genius of the Sun is opposed by Sorat, the demon of the Sun (i.e., the Antichrist). [2] ◊ "Christ, the Genius of the Sun, has since His descent to earth made His throne [here], as Regent of the earth." — R. Steiner, THE BIRTH OF A NEW AGRICULTURE (Temple Lodge, 1999), p. 17. ◊ "Sorat continues to work on and on against the forces coming from the Genius of the Sun ." — R. Steiner, THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2007), p. 111.

[1] See "Was He Christian?" and "Sun God".

[2] See "Evil Ones".

In discussing language, Steiner sometimes spoke of the "genius of language." This is the divine essence of language, the divine capacity for language; it is the spirit or god of language. “[T]he conscious and the unconscious are interwoven in the marvelous being called the genius of language that expresses itself through the totality of a folk, tribe, or people.” — R. Steiner, THE GENIUS OF LANGUAGE (Anthroposophic Press, 1995), p. 34. In expressing itself through multiple peoples, the "genius" may indeed be the multiple souls of those peoples; it maybe be a multi-part god, in which case referring to "geniuses" of language may sometimes be more apt. [1]

[1] See "Oh My Word". 

Steiner said that in geography classes, Waldorf teachers should somehow convey the truth that islands and continents float in the sea. ◊ "With the students, we should at least try to...make it clear that, for instance, an island like Great Britain swims in the sea and is held fast by the forces of the stars." — R. Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER (Anthroposophic Press, 1998), p. 607. ◊ “The continents swim and do not sit upon anything. They are held in position upon the earth by the constellations. When the constellations change, the continents change, also.” — R. Steiner, ibid., p. 618. Note that these statements were made during meetings with Waldorf faculty members.

Other unorthodox concepts may also find their way into geography studies at Waldorf schools. ◊ “By comparing the eastern coast of America with the western coast of Europe, taking into consideration the flora and fauna, a connection can be established leading to the idea of the lost continent, Atlantis. [1]” — R. Steiner, RUDOLF STEINER ON EDUCATION (Hawthorn Press, 1993), p. 97. ◊ "When you teach animal geography, you need to consider the zodiac. [2]" — R. Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, pp. 659-661. [See "Basement".]

[1] Anthroposophists believe that Atlantis existed. [See "Atlantis".] In addition to Atlantis, Anthroposophists believe in another lost continent: Lemuria. [See "Lemuria".] For an overview of the earliest stages of the development of the Earth, as related in Anthroposophy, see "Early Earth". For an indication of the ways related Anthroposophical concepts may be conveyed to Waldorf students, see "Out in the Open".

[2] Astrology underlies much of Anthroposophy and Waldorf education. [See "Astrology".]

Like other subjects studied in Waldorf schools, geology may be infused with occult beliefs. ◊ “We can show that the British isles have risen and sunk four times and thus follow the path of geology back to the concept of the ancient Atlantis ... [W]e should not be afraid to speak about the Atlantean land [1] with the children. We should not skip that ... The only thing is, you will need to disavow normal geology since the Atlantean catastrophe [2] occurred in the seventh or eighth millennium.” — R. Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, Foundations of Waldorf Education (Anthroposophic Press, 1998), p. 25. [See "Basement".] ◊ “The Fire Earth [3] is made essentially of feeling and will. It is sensitive to pain and would cry out if stepped on. It consists entirely of passions.” — R. Steiner, THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH: An Esoteric Study of the Subterranean Spheres (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2007), p. 31. ◊ “The human being experiences the earth, for instance, as the cosmic body upon which he moves about ... This whole way of experiencing things, this whole attitude towards the earth, is, however, completely alien to the gnomes [4]; they sink down everywhere, because for them the whole earth-body is primarily a hollow space through which they can pass ... For the gnomes it is a transparent globe, a hollow body.” — R. Steiner, MAN AS SYMPHONY OF THE CREATIVE WORD (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1970), lecture 9, GA 230. [See "Past and Future".] Whether occult beliefs of this sort are explicitly conveyed to students varies from one Waldorf teacher to another, and from one Waldorf school to another.

[1] I.e., Atlantis. [See "Atlantis".]

[2] I.e., the sinking of Atlantis.

[3] I.e., one of the interior layers of the Earth, according to Steiner.

[4] Steiner taught that gnomes are real. [See "Gnomes".]

geometry - also see clairvoyance; form drawing; mathematics

Steiner laid special stress on this branch of mathematics, crediting it with helping to awaken his own apprehension of supersensible realities. [1] Geometry leads to clairvoyance, he said. “Basic geometric concepts awaken clairvoyant abilities.” — R. Steiner, THE FOURTH DIMENSION: Sacred Geometry, Alchemy, and Mathematics (Anthroposophic Press, 2001), p. 92. [See "Mystic Math".] In general, math — like all others subjects — is given an esoteric spin in Waldorf schools, and the pictorial nature of geometry fits the Waldorf preference for imagined (pictured) knowledge. [2] Form drawing [3] is intended to lead toward high, spirit-revealing geometric constructions, often resembling mandalas.

•••

Geometry is accorded special significance in Waldorf schools. This book, volume two of a set, focuses on "freehand form drawing and basic geometric construction" for middle schoolers. [Ernst Schuberth, GEOMETRY LESSONS IN THE WALDORF SCHOOL (Association of Waldorf Schools, 2004).] 

[1] I.e., realities that lie beyond the reach of our senses: supernatural or extrasensory phenomena.

[2] See the entries in this encyclopedia for "imagination", "imaginations", and "pictorial activity".

[3] See the entry for "form drawing" in this encyclopedia.

[4] See "Mystic Lesson Books".

This was a philosophical movement that opposed the rational skepticism of Enlightenment philosophy; it harkened back to a more metaphysical vision. "Modern continental philosophy emerged in response to the skeptical challenges posed by the philosophies of the British empiricists, especially George Berkeley (1685–1753) and David Hume (1711–76) ... Both philosophers questioned the commonplace assumptions that there is a 'reality' distinct from the ideas or perceptions given in experience and that it is within the power of human reason to discern that reality’s true nature. The forceful skepticism to which they contributed, which became one of the most powerful philosophical currents of the Enlightenment, treated the scope of human knowledge as severely limited ... The philosophy of German idealism arose to challenge the Enlightenment’s skeptical, materialist, empiricist, and antimetaphysical worldview." — ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA ONLINE, June 30, 2015. German Idealism is often emphasized in Waldorf schools, where it is deemed a stage of spiritual progress leading to the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. [1] Steiner himself credited German Idealism with laying the groundwork for the sort of clairvoyant investigations he claimed to conduct. [2] "German idealism points to...a real development of those cognitive powers of man that behold the supersensible spiritual the way our senses behold the sense-perceptible material. [3]" — R. Steiner, "A Forgotten Stream in German Spiritual Life", THE RIDDLE OF MAN (Mercury Press, 1990), GA 20.

[1] See the entry in this encyclopedia for "Spiritual Revolution".
[2] See "Clairvoyance".
[3] I.e., Steiner claimed that German Idealists pointed toward the development of "cognitive powers" that can perceive the spirit realm (the realm beyond the reach of our ordinary powers, hence the "supersensible spiritual"). In a word, this is clairvoyance. (If the German Idealists were philosophers, Steiner departed from their track and became a mystic, an occultist. [See, e.g., "Occultism".])

According to Steiner, these are huge elemental beings [1] or primordial spiritual beings. "The Sun-Initiation [2] gave the Druid priest [3] the spiritual impulse, and as a result he had his science of Nature ... His science of Nature being a Moon-science [4], the Druid priest perceived how the elemental beings can grow and expand into gigantic size. [paragraph break] From this resulted his knowledge of the Jötuns, the giant-beings. [5] When he looked into the root-nature of a plant beneath the soil, where the Moon-forces were living [6], there he found the elemental being in its true bounds. But the beings were ever striving to go forth and grow outward gigantically. When the kind of elemental beings who lived beneficially in the root-nature, expanded into giants, they became the giants of the frost [7] ... And what worked in the growth of the leaves, this too could grow to giant size. Then it lived as a giant elemental being in the misty storms that swept over the Earth. [8]" — R. Steiner, MAN IN THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE, AND THE SUN-INITIATION OF THE DRUID PRIEST AND HIS MOON-SCIENCE (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1966), lecture 4, GA 228. [See "Beings".]

[1] I.e., huge nature spirits. [See "Neutered Nature".]

[2] I.e., acquisition of occult knowledge from the realm of the Sun.

[3] See the entry in this encyclopedia for "Druids".

[4] I.e., it developed under the influence of the Moon.

[5] Jötuns are the giants portrayed in Norse mythology, which Steiner said gives a true indication of human evolution. [See "The Gods".]

[6] Steiner taught that astrological forces of the Moon penetrate the soil of the Earth, where they nourish the roots of plants.

[7] One type of giant described in Norse myths consist of "frost giants" — beings that embody the forces of the frozen North.

[8] Another type of giant described in Norse myths — giants of mist and cloud.

These Theosophical terms tended to fall from Steiner's vocabulary after he split from Theosophy. [1] In general, we can think of globes as stages of form [2], although in Theosophy the term is elastic. Here is the beginning of the definition of "globe" given in the ENCYCLOPEDIC THEOSOPHICAL GLOSSARY (Theosophical University Press, 1999): "In theosophy, a unit in the constitution of every planet or sun, each of which is composed of several globes, in their entirety referred to as a planetary or solar chain. Furthermore, moons, nebulae, and comets also have a seven or twelvefold constitution, even as has man, who is a copy in the small of the universe. These globes are analogous to the monadic centers in the human constitution. The seven manifested globes on the four lower cosmic planes for purposes of convenience are enumerated as A, B, C, D, E, F, G; but reference is sometimes made more mystically to the globes from 'A to Z,' plainly hinting at all the globes of the chain. When considering seven cosmic planes, twelve globes are given. These globes are related to the seven (or twelve) sacred planets and to the twelve zodiacal constellations...." [See "Stages".]

[1] See "What a Guy".
[2] Stages of form are subdivisions of conditions of life, which in turn are subdivisions of conditions of consciousness [See the entries in this encyclopedia for these terms. Also see "Matters of Form" .]

According to Steiner, these are nature spirits [1] dwelling within the Earth; at least some of them are known as goblins. Steiner taught that such beings are real but invisible to ordinary vision. "A gnome is only visible to someone who can see on the astral plane [2], but miners frequently possess such an astral vision [3]; they know that gnomes are realities.” — R. Steiner, FOUNDATIONS OF ESOTERICISM (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1982), lecture 27, GA 93a. 

Waldorf classrooms often have gnome dolls or statuettes, and the children are often led to believe that gnomes are real. Some parents report that Waldorf teachers use gnome figures to insinuate Anthroposophical religious beliefs into class in an apparently cute and harmless manner. [See "Neutered Nature" and "Gnomes".]

•••

Waldorf students are often directed to create drawings of gnomes (sometimes copying images created by their teachers). The results are strikingly uniform. The upper picture shown here was created by a young Waldorf student in France. The lower picture was created by an American Waldorf student. (Steiner said that miners often see gnomes. In the lower picture, gnomes are shown working in a mine.) Whether the students are led to believe that gnomes are real varies from school to school and from teacher to teacher. All the teachers who believe Steiner consider gnomes to be real — not as little men in pointy hats but as invisible presences.

[1] See "Neutered Nature".

[2] I.e., the soul world. [See "Higher Worlds".] Such "seeing" is the use of clairvoyance.

[3]I.e., clairvoyance.

a) Upper-case G: Gnosticism: Heretical Christian movement of the 2nd Century CE. ◊ "Even the external scholarship [1] of today has come to recognise that in this period of transition at the beginning of our era some religious-philosophic geniuses lived. And they can best be encountered by looking at Gnosticism. The Gnosis [2] is known in the most varied ways. Externally, remarkably little is really known about it, but from the available documents one can still get an impression of its endless depth.” — R. Steiner, CHRIST AND THE SPIRITUAL WORLD (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1963), lecture 1, GA 149. ◊ “In the early years of Christianity it was those in whom something of the old spiritual perception [3] still lingered, who were best adapted to understand the cosmic significance of the life and death of Christ. Gnosticism had done its work [5] before it was rejected by the Church.” — O. Barfield, “Introducing Rudolf Steiner” (TOWARDS, Fall-Winter, 1983).

 

b) Lower-case g: gnosticism: Occultism stressing secret or “mystery” knowledge (salvation comes not truth faith or good works but through initiation into occult mysteries). Anthroposophy is gnostic in this second sense. Steiner saw value in the teachings of the 2nd Century Gnostics, but he claimed to supercede those teachings. His "exact clairvoyance" [4] provided occult knowledge unavailable to earlier seers.

c) When enumerating possible world outlooks (soul moods that he associated with the seven "planets" of astrology), Steiner designated gnosticism as the first of seven. "A man can be so attuned in his soul...that the soul-mood expressed in the whole configuration of his world-outlook can be designated as Gnosis. A man is a Gnostic when his disposition is such that he gets to know the things of the world not through the senses, but through certain cognitional forces in the soul itself." — R. Steiner, HUMAN AND COSMIC THOUGHT (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1991), p. 47. Steiner located gnosticism under the influence of Saturn. 

[1] I.e., scholarship that knows only external realities (mainstream scholarship resulting from the use of the physical brain, as compared to esoteric scholarship that penetrates spiritual mysteries through the use of clairvoyance). 

[2] I.e., the occult knowledge possessed by the Gnostics. [See "Gnosis" and the entry for "gnosis", above.]

[3] I.e., the old nature clairvoyance. [See the entry in this encyclopedia for "atavistic clairvoyance".

[4] See "Exactly".

[5] I.e., it had injected a new stream of occult wisdom into human evolution. Anthroposophists believe the beneficial influences of Gnosticism and other spiritual movements is found today not the "the Church" but in Anthroposophy.

In Anthroposophy: gnomes (or the more naughty gnomes); amoral nature spirits dwelling in the earth. Steiner taught that such beings actually exist. “There are beings that can be seen with clairvoyant vision at many spots in the depths of the earth ... If you dig into the metallic or stony ground you find beings which manifest at first in remarkable fashion — it is as if something were to scatter us. They seem able to crouch close together in vast numbers, and when the earth is laid open they appear to burst asunder ... Many names have been given to them, such as goblins, gnomes and so forth ... What one calls moral responsibility in man is entirely lacking in them ... Their nature prompts them to play all sorts of tricks on man....” — R. Steiner, NATURE SPIRITS (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1995), pp. 62-63. [See "Gnomes".]

People have worshipped many gods of the Sun or gods of light. According to Steiner, the true Sun God or God of Light is Christ. The gods of light worshipped in various pre-Christian faiths have either been Christ as perceived at that time by those people, or other gods associated with the Sun and light, Steiner said. In Norse myths, the god of light is Baldur, who may be seen as a Christ figure. Similarly, the Zoroastrian faith includes a god of light: "In post-Atlantean time [1] the life of man between birth and death has had its influence...on the body-free condition after death. [2] The more man turned his interest to the physical world, the greater was the possibility for Ahriman [3] to find his way into the soul during earthly life, and then maintain his power over it after death ... The danger was [great] for the ancient Persian people, who in the time between birth and death had turned their gaze with interest upon the physical world. They would all too readily have fallen a prey to the snares of Ahriman, had not Zarathustra [4], with his teaching of the God of Light, impressed it so earnestly upon them that behind the world of the physical senses is the world of the Spirits of Light. [5]" — R. Steiner, OCCULT SCIENCE - AN OUTLINE (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1969), pp. 212-213.

[1] We currently live in the Post-Atlantean age or epoch, Steiner taught: the period that began with the destruction of Atlantis. [See "Atlantis".].
[2] I.e., the way we live during each of our Earthly lives affects our condition during our intervening lives in the spirit realm.
[3] In Zorastrianism, Ahriman is the devil, the opponent of Ahura Mazda, the God of Light. In Anthroposophy, Ahriman is a great demon, one of the chief opponents of human evolution. [See "Ahriman".]
[4] The Persian prophet Zoroaster, founder of Zorastrianism.
[5] There are many Spirits of Light. There chief, the God of Light, is Christ, according to Steiner. [See "Sun God".]

c) In Anthroposophy: the ground of being; the creative force behind all creation. Essential but nebulous, the Godhead may be conceived as divine will (which is or can be reflected in human will); it is not a god, as such, but the divine intentionality that animates the gods. Thus, in a sense, it is coextensive with the divine cosmic plan. The Godhead is sometimes equated with the Holy Trinity, although in the polytheistic vision of Anthroposophy the Trinity must be seen as a collegial union of three separate gods, and for accuracy we should say that the Trinity is the highest expression of the transcendent Godhead. [See "God" and "All".]

According to Steiner, humans have perceived the Godhead in many ways. Atlanteans [1] had the most direct comprehension of the Godhead as an omnipresent reality. "When he [i.e., the Atlantean] touched a leaf, or saw a flash of lightning, he was aware that part of the Godhead was displayed before him; it was as if he were touching the garment of the Divine. Just as we make contact with some element in a man's soul when we shake hands with him, so the Atlantean, when he took hold of a form in nature, felt that he was touching the body of the Godhead. He lived in a religious feeling quite different from our own." — R. Steiner, AT THE GATES OF SPIRITUAL SCIENCE (Rudolf Steiner Publishing Co., 1986), lecture 11, GA 95.

Steiner taught that the Atlantean's living awareness of the Godhead is reflected, at a less vibrant level, by "Christian" or especially "esoteric Christian" awareness: “[A] Christian sees a mirror image of the Godhead, of divine will, in every single thing in the world. The universe contains the sacrificed Godhead [2], and this reflected image of the Godhead was called in esoteric Christianity ‘the kingdom’. What the kingdom meant to them [3] was the divine will raying back to them multiplied a million times. The kingdom was the creative power of Atma [4], the living force of Buddhi [5] in us, the creative force working in the outside world.” — R. Steiner, THE LORD'S PRAYER (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2007), p. 64. This account, drawing from Hinduism (Atma, Buddhi) clearly separates the Anthroposophical vision from orthodox Christianity.

Good gods are benevolent and selfless; they help humanity to evolve. Evil gods oppose the divine cosmic plan and they seek to derail human evolution. Steiner identified some of the evil gods as Spirits of Adversity, Spirits of Darkness, Spirits of Hindrance, Spirits of Obstruction, Spirits of Temptation, and so forth.

Normal gods evolve at the proper rate. Abnormal gods lag behind their peers — they remain at a level they normally would have risen beyond (thus an abnormal Archon may, for example, stay at the rank of Archangel). Sometimes they do this with good intentions, such as intending to provide special assistance to mankind.

For more on these matters, see "Polytheism", "Evil Ones", "The Gods", and "Tenth Hierarchy". For more on particular types of gods, see especially the R-S section of this encyclopedia. For information on individual gods, look for them by individual name: Brahma, Odin, etc.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von (1749-1832) - also see Goethean "science"; Goetheanum

German poet, novelist, playwright, philosopher. Steiner edited Goethe's "scientific" writings and affirmed them, arguing for example that Goethe was right and Newton was wrong about the nature of light. [See "Goethe".] Steiner named the Anthroposophical headquarters the Goetheanum, in honor of Goethe. (Note, however, that there is a considerable difference between many of Steiner's teachings and Goethe's.)

Goethean "science" - also see Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von; cf. science

Observation of nature in a manner predisposed to "see" spirit within. Critics call it subjective: projecting one's beliefs rather than maintaining objectivity. Goethe's approach has been disavowed by modern science, but it is affirmed by Steiner and his followers, including Waldorf teachers generally. [See "Goethe" and "Steiner's 'Science'".]

              

The Goetheanum - also see Anthroposophy; Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von; Steiner, Rudolf

The worldwide Anthroposophical headquarters, in Switzerland. Essentially a cathedral, the Goetheanum — named for Goethe — is the site of various Anthroposophical religious activities and observances. The main hall has a large pipe organ, a mystical ceiling mural, pillars adorned with occult/astrological symbols, and colored glass windows bearing occult/religious imagery. The building houses a monumental statue of Christ, Ahriman, and Lucifer sculpted under Steiner's direction.

In naming his headquarters for Goethe, Steiner brushed a coat of respectability over the occult purposes of Anthroposophy. There are connections between Steiner's teachings and Goethe's, but also significant differences. Admirers of Goethe do not, generally, subscribe to Anthroposophy. 

The current Goetheanum, built of concrete, replaced the original Anthroposophical headquarters, a wooden structure that was destroyed by fire. Anthroposophists claimed that the fire was set by their enemies — an act of arson — but no proof was ever found. [For more on the Goetheanum, see "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"]

•••

The second Goetheanum.

The first was destroyed by fire.

[R. R., 2013, based on image

on p. 10 of GOETHEANUM (Philosophical-Anthroposophical Press, 1961).]

Golden Age - see Krita Yuga

Golgotha - also see Christ; etherisation of blood; Jesus; Mystery of Golgotha

Golgotha is Calvary, the site of Christ's Crucifixion. In Steiner's teachings, the Mystery of Golgotha is the enigmatic but redemptive union of a god, Christ, with a man, Jesus, and its occult effects on us. [See "Prototype".] "His phrase 'the mystery of Golgotha' refers to the redemptive, world-transforming presence of the Christ in Jesus." — R. McDermott, THE NEW ESSENTIAL STEINER (Lindisfarne, Anthroposophic Press, 2009),  p. 40.

Gondwana (Gondwanaland) - also see Lemuria

A primeval landmass that may have stretched from South America to Australia before it began to break apart approximately 180 million years ago. Steiner's followers sometimes identify Gondwana (also called Gondwanaland) with Lemuria, although little or no support for this can be found in science or in Steiner's own teachings. “Lemuria is the traditional name for one of the primal continents which present-day science calls Gondwanaland. It covered a region stretching from South America via Africa, Arabia, India to Australia.” — B. Urieli, MALE AND FEMALE (Temple Lodge Publishing, 2001), note 1, p. 81.

Steiner sometimes indicated that all gods are, ultimately, good: all contribute to human spiritual evolution. Thus, even the arch-demons Lucifer and Ahriman may be deemed good gods. "[W]e cannot say that there are good gods on the one hand and the evil gods Ahriman and Lucifer on the other. We must not assume that a trial should be held in the universe...and sentence Lucifer and Ahriman to be locked up once and for all, so that only the good gods can get to work ... The opposing forces ["evil gods"] were created by the good gods themselves...so that they would be able to bring to bear their full force for the development I have described [i.e., human betterment]." — R. Steiner, THE UNIVERSAL HUMAN (Anthroposophic Press, 1990), lecture 4, GA 165.
The oppositional or "evil" gods, then, contribute in their way to the fulfillment of the divine cosmic plan.

However, on other occasions Steiner indicated that the distinction between good and evil gods is meaningful. For instance, “[W]e are watching the battle waged by the good gods against the evil gods." — R. Steiner, KARMIC RELATIONSHIPS, Vol. 2 (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1956), p. 251. Or, again, "[There] was a time when men were still unfree and must needs follow the Will of the good and the evil Gods." — R. Steiner, WORLD HISTORY (Riudolf Steiner Press, 1977), lecture 8, GA 233. Whether some gods may be deemed good and others evil depends, in the end, on the question whether evil actually exists. Steiner vacillated on this subject. [See, e.g., the entry, above, on "good and evil".] It is correct to say, nonetheless, that Steiner generally taught that most gods are good, and the forces of good, while not absolutely assured of ultimate success in their benevolent intentions, are more than likely to prevail as evolution proceeds.

We create out own individual karma's, Steiner taught. [5] The key decision, which lies within each soul's power, is whether to take the white path or the black path. After we die, we meet the Guardians of the Threshold. [6] Individuals who have chosen wrongly will then hear these terrible words: "The purified world will develop above and beyond thee, and thou shalt be excluded from it. Thus thou wouldst tread the black path, while the others from whom thou didst sever thyself [7] tread the white path." — R. Steiner, KNOWLEDGE OF THE HIGHER WORLDS AND ITS ATTAINMENT (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1994), p. 152. Good souls avoid this dreadful pronouncement.

[1] See the entry in this encyclopedia for "white path". Also see "White-Black" and "Freedom".

[2] See the entry in this encyclopedia for "divine cosmic plan".

[3] I.e., the individual within a group.

[4] I.e., individuals determine their own fates, freeing themselves from the "generic" qualities of the groups to which they belong.

[5] See "Karma".

[6] See "Guardians".

[7] Here, separating oneself from the group is a dreadful mistake. If the group is on the correct path, one must adhere to the group.

Prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving are often recited in Waldorf schools before meals and snacks. In many cases, the phrasing of these prayers seems secular or merely metaphorical — nature, the Sun, and the Earth are addressed, not God. This may make the graces seem unobjectionably sweet and nondenominational. Parents of Waldorf students should realize, however, that such graces usually have specific theological meaning within an Anthroposophical context. Here is an example:

In Anthroposophical belief, celestial spheres are the abodes of gods. The Sun is the original home of the Sun God, Christ. [1] The Earth is embodied as the Earth Goddess [2] or Mother Earth. [3] Thus, according to the underlying Waldorf belief system, a simple grace like this is actually a prayer of thanks directed to the Sun God and Earth Goddess. Prayers addressed to such divinities, or to personified celestial spheres, are effectively pagan [4] and help usher the Waldorf students who are taught such prayers toward eventual embrace of Anthroposophy. [5]

[1] See "Sun God" and "Was He Christian?"

[2] See "Goddess".

[3] See the entry in this encyclopedia for "Mother Earth". (Note that, according to Anthroposophical belief, after the Sun God descended to Earth and, in the body of Jesus, was crucified, the essence of the Sun God flowed into the Earth. In that sense, the prayer effectively thanks the Sun God — embodied in both the Sun and Earth — twice.)

[4] See "Pagan".

[5] See, e.g., "Indoctrination"

Graeco-Roman Age - see Greco-Roman Age.

Grail - see Grail stream; Holy Grail.

Grail stream - also see ancients; Holy Grail; mystery streams

"One of the four mystery streams [1] on which anthroposophy is based. From a European perspective the Grail stream originated in the East ... Religious and esoteric content from ancient India, ancient Persia and the ancient Graeco-Roman period gave shape to this mystery stream ... [A]nthroposophy can be called the science of the Grail. [2]" — H. van Oort, ANTHROPOSOPHY A-Z (Sophia Books, Rudolf Steiner Press, 2011), pp. 51-52.

[1] I.e., occult, spiritual traditions and they spiritual forces that flow through them. They culminate in Anthroposophy, Steiner taught. [See the entry for "mystery streams" in this encyclopedia.]

[2] The Holy Grail, Steiner taught, is occult wisdom. This is what we seek, he said, and he claimed that he delivered it. His "science" (spiritual science, occult science) thus may also be called "the science of the Grail." [See the entry in this encyclopedia for "Holy Grail"]

gravity - also see physics; planets; science

a) In physics, the universal force of attraction; curved space-time.

b) According to Steiner, a local effect found only on solid planets; hence, in a sense, "gravity" is only a word. ◊ "Gravity is...perceived only by those beings that live on a solid planet ... Beings who could live on a fluid planet would know nothing of gravity ... And beings who live on a gaseous planet would regard as normal something that would be the opposite of gravity ... [B]eings dwelling on a gaseous planet instead of seeing bodies falling towards the planet would see them always flying off ... Gravity begins when we find ourselves on a solid planet.” — R. Steiner, SCIENCE (Rudolf Steiner Press 2003), pp. 136-137. ◊ “The best would be if you considered gravity only as a word.” — R. Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER (Anthroposophic Press, 1998), p. 29. [See "Steiner's Blunders".] When Waldorf science teachers discuss gravity with their students, they do so only to deflect criticism: “[G]ravity is really meaningless ... But we cannot avoid speaking of gravity; we must mention it ... Just imagine what would happen if a fifteen-year-old boy knew nothing of gravity; there would be a terrible fuss.” — R. Steiner, PRACTICAL ADVICE TO TEACHERS, Foundations of Waldorf Education (Anthroposophic Press, 2000), pp. 116-117.

Steiner's repudiation of the concept of universal gravitation stemmed from his rejection of Isaac Newton's teachings and, by extension, his rejection of modern science: Steiner deplored explanations of reality that are mechanistic or physical — i.e., those that do not center on spiritual forces and entities.

great chain of being - also see gods; divine cosmic plan; evolution; hierarchies

The concept, found among ancient Greek philosophers and even earlier, that the universe is structured hierarchically, extending from the lowest to the highest beings. In Medieval Christian teachings, the chain denoted levels of sinfulness and virtue, extending from the infernal regions upward to the angelic hosts and, ultimately, the throne of God. Steiner adapted the concept in describing spiritual hierarchies and kingdoms of nature. [See "Rankings".]

•••

The great chain of being, extending from hell at the bottom, through the physical universe, to heaven at the top. [RHETORICA CHRISTIANA, 1579; colors added.]

The Greco-Roman Age was the fourth of seven cultural epochs during our current great epoch, the Post-Atlantean Epoch (the period since the sinking of Atlantis), according to Rudolf Steiner.

Folklore collected by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, published between 1812 and 1857. Rudolf Steiner said that all fairy tales are clairvoyant reports of spiritual truths, and he placed special importance on the work of the Grimm brothers, whose work was divinely inspired, he said. "[A] higher guidance inspired the brothers Grimm to collect fairy tales." — R. Steiner, THE MYSTERY OF DEATH, lecture 10. The guidance may have come especially during the 12th and 13th Centuries, received by Rosicrucian initiates — the gods transmitted pictorial or symbolic representations of spiritual events to these recipients, Steiner indicated. The brothers Grimm later collected and published the initiates' inspired spiritual accounts. Waldorf faculties often rely heavily on the Grimm collections. "[T]he Brothers Grimm [were] the only source [of fairy tales] approved by Anthroposophists." — Former Waldorf student and teacher G. Perra. [See "He Went to Waldorf".]

The Group - also see Ahriman; Christ; Goetheanum; Lucifer; Prototype; The Representative of Humanity; rock being

One of the names used for the statue of Christ, Ahriman, and Lucifer attributed to Steiner. The statue, which stands in the Goetheanum, is also called The Representative of Humanity (referring to Christ Jesus as mankind's exemplar). [See "Prototype". For more on the Goetheanum — the Anthroposophical headquarters — see "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"]

•••

The large figure is Christ, who stands between Ahriman (bottom) and Lucifer (hidden, behind Christ). To Christ's right are two smaller images of Ahriman and Lucifer, and in the top corner above these is a "rock being" — an elemental being or nature spirit who has a detached, bemused expression. [R.R., 2009.]

Group souls are the progeny of the Second Hierarchy, the middle grouping of gods. [5] "[T]he offspring of the Third Hierarchy are the nature-spirits, while the offspring of the Second Hierarchy are the Group-souls ... [T]he Spirits of the Rotation of Time [are] the offspring of the beings of the First Hierarchy. [6]" — R. Steiner, THE SPIRITUAL BEINGS IN THE HEAVENLY BODIES AND IN THE KINGDOMS OF NATURE (Steiner Book Center, 1981), lecture 2, GA 136.

[1] I.e., the higher a biological species stands on the scale of evolution, the more nearly it approaches a human-like condition. Very high animals are subhuman, but they approach the status of human beings, who have individuals egos and individual karmas (destinies).

[2] Whereas humans have individual karmas, animals have group karmas. (That is, the destiny of the species determines the life of each member of the species.)

[3] I.e., the continued existence of human group souls shows up in the physical and spiritual similarities between people who share a group soul.

[4] I.e, different nations, races, etc.

[5] Hierarchies are groupings of gods. [For an overview of the Hierarchies, se

e "Polytheism".]

[6] See the entries in this encyclopedia for "nature spirits" and "Spirits of the Rotation of Time".

guardian angels - also see Angels; Archangels

Steiner taught that we all have ties to angels who watch over us. Each angel (a god one level higher than humanity [1]) has responsibility for guarding one human being. For this reason, Waldorf teachers sometimes feel little need to protect the children in their care — the angels will do it. Waldorf teachers likewise rely on their own guardian angels, and they believe that as a group ("the college of teachers") the leading members of a Waldorf faculty enlist the aid of archangels, who are thus seen as higher guardian angels. "[Steiner] spoke of the teacher's guardian angel who stands behind him, giving strength and the power of imagination. [2] As a collective body, working together, the college [of teachers] attracts the attention of the next rank, the archangels [3], who help unite the members and give courage and inspiration. [4]" — R. Wilkinson, THE SPIRITUAL BASIS OF STEINER EDUCATION (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1996), p. 122. [See "Serving the Gods".]

[1] See the entry in this encyclopedia for "Angels". Also see "Polytheism".

[2] In Anthroposophical belief, imagination is a precursor to, or initial stage of, clairvoyance. [See the entry for "imagination" in this encyclopedia.] Many Waldorf teachers consider themselves clairvoyant.

[3] I.e., the next rank of gods, Archangels — who stand two levels above humanity. [See the entry in this encyclopedia for "Archangels". Also see "Polytheism".]

[4] See the entry for "inspiration" in this encyclopedia.

THE GUARDIAN OF THE THRESHOLD - also see Guardian(s) of the Threshold

A mystery play by Rudolf Steiner. [See "Plays" and "Guardians".]

•••

Scene from THE GUARDIAN OF THE THRESHOLD.

[R. R. sketch based on a production 

staged at the Goetheanum.]

Guardian(s) of the Threshold - also see Christ; doppelgänger; double; spirit realm; threshold; veils

a) A concept that apparently originated in a work of fiction: ZANONI, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton. The Guardian of the Threshold patrols the perimeter to the spirit realm, denying access to the unworthy. A dead soul must confront this spirit before entering the higher spiritual regions.

b) According to Steiner, two such guardians really exist: the lesser and the greater Guardian. Dead souls and also spiritual aspirants confront these spirits when they approach the higher worlds. “The important experiences marking the [esoteric] student's ascent into the higher worlds include his meeting with the Guardian of the Threshold. Strictly speaking, there are two Guardians: a lesser and a greater. The student meets the lesser Guardian when the threads connecting willing, feeling, and thinking [1] within the finer astral and etheric bodies [2] begin to loosen ... The greater Guardian is encountered when this sundering of the connections extends to the physical parts of the body, that is, at first to the brain. [3] The lesser Guardian is a sovereign being ... [He is a] truly terrible spectral being. [4]” — R. Steiner, KNOWLEDGE OF THE HIGHER WORLDS AND ITS ATTAINMENT (Anthroposophic Press, 1947), chapter 10, GA 10. [See "Guardians".]

"[T]here are two guardians of the threshold: the lesser guardian and the greater guardian. The lesser guardian reveals itself as a being created by man himself during previous incarnations ... Through this being man can meet, recognize and understand his own karma ... The concept of the 'doppelgänger' (double) [5] approximately coincides with the lesser guardian ... The next step on [one's] spiritual journey is the encounter with the greater guardian who urges man to deploy on earth all his acquired knowledge and capacities to benefit his fellow creatures ... [Otherwise] the greater guardian must bar his way into the spiritual realism. The greater guardian is identified as Christ." — H. van Oort, ANTHROPOSOPHY A-Z (Sophia Books, Rudolf Steiner Press, 2011), pp. 52-53.

[1] I.e., the three essential inner human activities.

[2] I.e., the first and second of our three invisible bodies. [See "Incarnation".]

[3] I.e., we meet the greater Guardian when we separate ourselves from our physical bodies, in particular our physical brains. (Steiner often preached against reliance on the brain. [See "Steiner's Specific".])

[4] Steiner taught that the great Guardian, on the other hand, turns out to be Christ. [See "Guardians".]

[5] See the entries in this encyclopedia for "doppelgänger" and "double".

The Guiding Lodge - see The Lodge of Twelve

guru - also see leaders; masters

A concept derived from Hinduism and Buddhism: A guru is a spiritual guide and teacher. Steiner said we each need one. For Anthroposophists, Steiner himself is in effect the guru-from-the-grave. [See "Guru".] But Anthroposophists often also select living personal gurus from the ranks of fellow Anthroposophists. [See, e.g., "His Education".]

Steiner taught that there are basically three paths leading to spiritual wisdom. [1] On the Eastern or Yoga path [2] , the aspirant is largely subservient to a guru, a master. On the Christian or Gnostic path [3], one's guru is a guide, leading one to Christ, who then becomes one's ultimate guru. On the Rosicrucian path (as defined by Steiner: in essence, the path of Anthroposophy [4]) , one must depend chiefly on oneself; one's guru is merely an adviser, not a controlling leader.  Steiner taught that only the "Rosicrucian" path is correct for modern humans. [5] 

[1] Steiner differentiated the correct path, Rosicrucianism/Anthroposophy, from the Christian path. Although Christ is an important figure in Anthroposophy, the doctrines of Anthroposophy are, in many cases, inconsistent with Christian teachings. [See "Was He Christian?"]

[2] See "Yoga".

[3] See "Gnosis".

[4] See "Rosy Cross".

[5] Along this path, Anthroposophists in practice look upon Steiner himself as the great guru. The independence or freedom Steiner discussed is in fact extremely limited. One can choose truth or falsehood, goodness or evil. Only one of the two options is correct, obviously. [See "Freedom".]