Our attitude towards those who passed through the threshold of death must be the same as towards those who still live here on earth. Indeed, we should not hesitate, to say: Those who still live in the physical body are handicapped in many ways, so that they cannot live a full spiritual life, they cannot live it to the full. How many handicaps can be observed in people during their physical life on earth, when it is a question of recognising the truly great tasks of evolution — and still more, when it is a question of FULFILLING THEM! We may rely far more on the dead. […]
In the dead we have our best and most important helpers and you will not misunderstand me when I say: In our spiritual work we may rely far more upon the dead than upon the living.
But in order to be able to say this, we should stand in a living way within that which our spiritual movement can give us. I rely on the fact that those who crossed the threshold of death are — particularly in the external field — our most important helpers in the spiritualization of human civilisation in the future, for they look back upon death, and death will be their great teacher. Many people to-day need stronger teachers than those whom life can give them.
Source: Rudolf Steiner – GA 159 – The Subconscious Forces – Vienna, 9th May 1915
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