Hello, my name is Ridzerd van Dijk (born January 24, 1950) from The Netherlands. I started in January 2011 a WordPress weblog with quotes and fragments of Rudolf Steiner, in Dutch. I thought it is a good idea to bring also quotes in English, to reach more readers who are interested in Steiner and his work.
Greetings, Ridzerd (September 26, 2012)
Today (January 2022) there are already 2022 email followers. Thank you very much, everyone.
The great Rudolf Steiner Quotes Site 
Hi Ridzerd…
Regarding your question about good deeds…
I believe that what is being stressed by RS here is that the danger of performing good deeds without proper understanding of what it means to pursue spiritual development (via spiritual science / anthroposophy) (and thereby having a spiritual motivation behind such deeds), one might tend to do so (perform a good deed) from a quite egoistic center – even without knowing it. And we create karma that must be addressed whether or not we understand the underpinnings of karma.
My understanding of a “selfless” deed is one where any thought of self is entirely absent in the performing of that deed. Personally, and admittedly, I myself am very far from that ideal – but I am working as hard as I can on my development 😉
Hello Anthony,
Yes, I understand what you write, but in this quote it almost looks like we develop only by occult exercises and so on, but not with good deeds. But in my opinion everything in life can develop something. Even if good deeds have a harmful effect, we still develop something by the effort, the experiences and so on.
I see your point. And of course all of life is a lesson, we either learn and grow or fail to learn and wither. Thanks Ridzerd!
Hello Ridzerd,
I just wanted to comment on your “Contemplation” post.
I agree on all points, especially your conclusion. On just one of those points, regarding watching “cinema”, over 20 years ago my wife and I cancelled our cable television subscription, virtually cutting us off from the ease of being exposed to commercial television, news, etc. At the time the decision to do so was financial. As we have grown (old I might add lol) we have found it refreshing to have denied ourselves the exposure to such influences. However as a result I do have quite a library of DVD movies (I won’t stream movies), as I find value in this sort of media. Of late what I have found is that I use watching movies – and when listening to music (of any style) – to test or monitor myself. For instance, if there is a scene of violence, I gauge how I am reacting emotionally e.g. am I remaining uninfluenced? It may seem a silly thing, but I find that in addition to any enjoyment we may experience out of such things, there is always a spiritual benefit if one is attentive. It is the same thing in my opinion as avoiding difficult people. Being confronted with difficult situations provides us, as Steiner has so often stated in one way or another, opportunity for growth.
I too have addressed similar thoughts on my own blog. It is good to see that you are willing to share your thoughts with your readers. I personally find it edifying. Thank you!
Yes…thank you to Ridzerd for expressing this and to Anthony in your reply and sharing part of your journey. Ridzerd you are not alone in these observations, as you recognize. You summed it up nicely in the paragraph ending: “…because of these so-called adverse effects, one can actually develop a stronger force, much stronger than if these adverse effects were not there.” That is the purpose, at least it is what I see. Nothing in nature grows without meeting some kind of resistance, and so it is for our spiritual growth. It is how one lets any kind of “adverse effect” pour over us. Do we give it (our adversarial) strength or do we work on strengthening inner being, our I Am? Each of us matures spiritually at different speeds depending on our karmic history…there is no right or wrong in this, no judgment. Thank you, Ridzerd, for all that you do.
Thank you, Sarah. What a nice comparison is this: ‘Nothing in nature grows without meeting some kind of resistance, and so it is for our spiritual growth.’
Kind regards, Ridzerd
Thank you, Anthony, It’s nice that we agree so much with each other. I now also saw your own website. There was no link to your blog Read and Write in your email with your text, but there was a link in the email with your like. I haven’t read much of it yet, but it looks very nice and professional.
Kind regards, Ridzerd
Thank you for your kind comments regarding my website. I didn’t want to impose upon you or your readers by sharing the URL. However you may share it with whomever you wish. I don’t have comments turned on, which is why I refer to my posts as “articles”. And if you find anything “amiss” please let me know.
Dear Ridzerd,
Thanks for what you do. May I suggest that the title Crap Science be changed to Junk Science. Dreck is dirt, rubbish. Crap in English is literally slang for feces. Not a word Steiner would use.
Warmly,
Cindy
Dear Cindy,
Steiner uses the word ‘Dreckwissenschaft’ here and ‘Dreck’ is the German word for ‘crap’. He also speaks about faeces in this lecture, but not in this quote. I agree with you that Steiner almost never uses such words. But remember that he means here what not he himself but his enemies will say. And don’t forget that he is speaking here for the workers at the Goetheanum. Then he speaks differently than before an audience that very often consisted largely of older, dignified ladies.
Sincerely, Ridzerd
I tried to subscribe, and received an email that I was blocked because of too many subscriptions. WordPress sent me a link and there is only one other subscription I have. Can you help me”
I don’t know what is wrong. I never heard before that it is here not possible to subscribe.
Hi Ridzerd!
Just wanted to comment on your comment on today’s post (7 Nov 2023) where you say you don’t (completely) agree with the quote. For one, I agree with you – I am a retired software engineer with a degree in computer science and yet do understand the underpinnings of our ‘modern’ world and its problems. And I do have children and grandchildren 🙂 So on that note to be a bit critical of the quote from RS is valid. However there is two small words in the first sentence that would qualify the quote to be in the same vein of reason that you share: “can be”.
If the passage was translated accurately, I think the text addresses your concern.
I don’t mean to be critical of your view. I reread the quote after your postscript and this ‘popped out’ as I read it as second time. Thanks for being honest with you sentiments and keeping me/us on our toes!
All the best, -a
Hello Anthony,
Thank you, yes, maybe I misunderstand Steiner. I don’t think there are that many people, especially in technical professions, who understand the major world problems. I think you are an exception to that.
Because to really understand the world’s problems and their solutions, one must be an anthroposophist or otherwise have a lot of spiritual insight. And how many have that? Even anthroposophists often don’t. I myself have read anthroposophy for decades, but I still understand almost nothing. For example, the very terrible situation in Israel/Palestine, I know and understand nothing about it. And I think there are many people who don’t understand much about it, even though they are very developed in another area. That’s why ‘colossally stupid’ bothered me a bit. But I do understand your comment. I don’t experience it as criticism at all.
Sincerely,
Ridzerd
Dear friend, regarding your “noncomprehension”, I can warmly recommend the book by Sergei O. Prokofieff entitled “The Spiritual Origins of Eastern Europe and the Future Mysteries of the Holy Grail”, Temple Lodge 1993.
Written in 1989 some of its chapters are like a prophecy — what Europe, especially Eastern Europe, and the rest of the world as well, are presently experiencing: occult-politicam activities, as well as economic machination, on the part of western lodges and Jesuits (the action which were well coordinated: Ukraine/Russia, Israel/Palestine, Kosovo in southern Serbia, attacks on Republic Srpska in Bosnia…), all in the context of the period 2020–2030/33…
Most of that presently happening in Ukraine (Russians-Ukrainians-Beloruss are the same people) I had alreday experienced in 1990–93 living then in Sarajevo, in the heart of the South Slavs, when dissolution of Yugoslavia almost have been completed.
The same receipt they now use against Eastern Slavs!
P. S.
I am not an Anonymous — my name is Slobodan Žalica ;;)
Thank you, Slobodan. Very interesting.
I agree, and I believe Steiner said on many occasion, the only way to truly understand the world i.e. life is to first and foremost understand that there exists “behind” the realm of matter is the spiritual realm. Without that realization, even w/o a full understanding, one can never have a clear picture of what goes on in the world – especially in matters like those going on right now in the East. I appreciate Slobodan’s input on this.
As to having studied Anthroposophy for decades and still understanding almost nothing (to which I can whole-heartedly relate), chalk it up to “the more I learn, the less I know”. Which, in the case of Spiritual Science, we realize that there is no limit to the knowledge contained in the book of life. What I do understand, however, is that Life is pain and that pain serves the Divine Plan for humanity, however difficult it may be to move through in each of our personal lives and the lives of those we love and care about.
It might be that we do not need to understand the issues, but rather strive for the solution – the solution that begins within ourselves, that being developing divine love within through the embracing and seeking after of the Christ Impulse.
I really appreciate exchanges like this. Thank you both. -a
From your standpoint clearly enough, and absolutely true…
From another standpoint: without deep respect, and loyality, and devotion, and dediciation… towards spiritual teacher (in a “western” way, that is, out of freedom) nothing can work regarding our “understanding”…
Living examples are in front of us; just look at lives of great admirers of Rudolf Steiner, his great pupils… Most recent example is that of Sergei O. Prokoffieff who through his devotion for the master wrote his 55 incredible books, also held about 3.300 lectures almost on all continents.
I was with him several times, in his Vorstand office, had personal talks, exchange a lot of letters with him… and I also have been in contact with other (“western”) members of the Vorstand, had a talk with them… I saw the things…
Devotion, active love for Christ, Michael, Sophia-Anthroposophia… for Ch. Rosenkreutz… this is a key, out of my experience, for all of our “lack of understanding”…
P.S.
Presently I am working on Prokofieff’s book on “The Spiritual Origins of Eastern Europe…”, which is translation from English into SerboCroatian language.
Thanks, Anthony. It is indeed like you write: ‘the only way to truly understand the world i.e. life is to first and foremost understand that there exists “behind” the realm of matter the spiritual realm.’
Thank you, Slobodan. I read Prokofieff’s “May Human Beings Hear It!’ on the Christmas Conference and what I was most impressed with (besides the information contained therein) was his obvious passion for Anthroposophy i.e. what Steiner accomplished, providing so much valuable information and insight.
In my life, Anthroposophy has become “The Neverending Story”. Thank you again for your comments! -a
And I wish to tell you, my dear anthroposophical friends, the following…
Did you notice that Sergei Prokofieff in all of his books and lectures as well, never wrote or said: Steiner, dr Steiner… he always, out of his greatest possible devotion for his spiritual teacher, says his full name: Rudolf Steiner…
I made a donation to your library for Rudolf Steiner but I don’t want to use Paypal for anything. Please cancel my donation.
I don’t know nothing about donations. I never request for donations. As far as I know it is also not possible to give donations to my WordPress Rudolf Steiner site
What advertisements?? 🙂 We are bombarded with advertisements everyday everywhere that seek to distract us and, worse, convince us, to “look the other way.” However, in my experience now as an old man, I have learned that those of us who sincerely seek truth, by our nature, are able to ignore these darts of the enemy in our lives.
I fully agree with, and support, your reasons for maintaining a free account, Ridzerd.
I too have no plans to die in the near future – there is simply too much to learn, too much karma to work on!
Many blessings!
Thank you, Anthony. I am glad that we fully agree and that you have also no plans to die in the near future.😀
Dear Ridzerd – I am not in the least worried about these advertisements! I have learned to ignore them to the point I don’t even see anymore. I greatly appreciate what you are doing. And yes…you better stick around for a long while! 🙂
Thank you, Sarah. There was someone on the Dutch Steiner site who no longer wanted to receive emails with quotes because of the advertising.
Luckily you are a much easier person. And many thanks for your daily likes.
I am working on another translation from GA 174b, which I will post a link to when it is complete:
Anthroposophy as a need of contemporary humanity. Education for independent judgment through spiritual science. Misunderstanding this fact. Non-reality thinking as a characteristic of our present. An argument by the mathematician Leo Königsberger as an example. The lack of factual examination of anthroposophy, and the playing over of this examination into the personal. A few examples of how anthroposophy was combated and exploited for personal reasons: Erich Bamler, Max Seiling, Max Heindl. Two measures that have become necessary.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you, Anthony, I will begin reading it tomorrow.
Hi Ridzerd.
I am currently translating a lecture not previously available from GA 255b of November 16, 1919. Here’s the synopsis:
The reason for the increasing hostilities against anthroposophy. The publication of an opposing brochure by the evangelical theologian Friedrich Traub. Untrue statements about Rudolf Steiner’s life. Incomprehension of his philosophical approach. The basic mistake of philosophizing in the 19th century. What prompted Steiner to criticize Confessional Christianity. The hair-raising logic of Traub in the presentation of Steiner’s theosophical content. The event of Golgotha as not just an earthly but a cosmic event. Inaccuracy and thoughtlessness as hallmarks of Traub’s criticism.
If you are interested I can upload it and provide you with a link.
Hello Anthony, yes I am interested to recieve that link of your translation. Thank you.
Concerning the Publication of a Pamphlet by an Evangelical Theologian
Click to access Pamphlet-by-an-Evangelical-Theologian.pdf
Hello my friend! Since you don’t have commenting “post-specific”… this is in response to today’s post titled “About anger and blood poisoning”.
First I must thank you. This particular post addresses a bevy of current issues I face in my current life. I am a stubborn man of 62 and too often need eye-opening-truth to wake me from my slumber (as Dr. Steiner so often pointed out).
Beyond the personal, I tracked down the source through your link and spent several hours translating the entire lecture. I am fairly sure you know this, but for any that do not – this lecture has much insight to share. I have read much of Dr. Steiner’s work (that has been translated into English, some not) over the years and yet each time I translate a lecture that is a part of one you have shared here that (so far) is not yet in English, I find new gems to add to my personal wealth (of understanding humanity and, more importantly, myself). So, once again, THANK YOU.
I’m not privy to how this works, but if anyone of your readers would like my translation (done with DeepL, Google, and myself -with images!) I would be privileged to do so (with your mediation, of course).
All the best, thank you again for this site!
Hello Anthony, thank you for all the compliments. Do I understand correctly that you have translated this whole lecture from German to English? If this is so, I would like to have that translation, because the lectures for workers at the Goetheanum are very interesting.
Kind regards, Ridzerd
You can download a PDF of the lecture here: https://kennethmdouglass.com/rslib/Man-and-Earth-in-North-and-South.pdf
Thank you very much, Anthony. I will read the whole lecture and hope to see a fragment that is nice to post on the Steiner quotes site
Dear Ridzerd my Facebook has been baldly hacked. I can’t get into my Fb hopefully a computer expert can fix it tomorrow. I thought I let you know because Larry will wonder what happened to me.
Best wishes
Margrit
Yes, dear Margrit, that is very sad. On FB are already several readers who wonfer what happened. I will try to copy some and let you know. I will also tell on FB about this.
Best wishes, Ridzerd
Thank you dear Ridzerd for your kindness not to have anyone’s email is bad idea. All my connections were on FB. Hopefully I will be back tomorrow albeit costing me a lot of money. The person who hacked me attached an email to my account. Fb did their best, my Fb has been restored but it won’t except the password they gave me.
So i live in hope that it will work out.
Blessings
Margrit
Hi Ridzert,
I think it would good, if you, when you use DeepL, included the german original text…
BTW, I have used DeepL for some years now, and if you are interested I have a complete german-english translation of http://fvn-rs.net/ and Lexikon Anthroposophie from http://www.steinerdatenbank.de/
Best regards
from DK
Hi Dennis, Yes I am interested in the complete german-english translation of http://fvn-rs.net
Where did you get that? I ask this because even the Rudolf Steiner Archive https://rsarchive.org/ has it not complete.
I downloaded the files from FNV-RS and Steinerdatenbank and used DeepL Pro to translate…
Hello DK and Ridzerd,
I too use DL but I also often compare translations to G**gle translate. I find that sometimes the translators translate certain (German) words quite differently. Not knowing any German, which do you find the more reliable? Thanks for any input. BTW, if it makes a difference, with DL I only use the free version, not “pro.”
Hi Anthony, I also use the free version of DeepL. I also use Google but it’s hard to say which one is the best. Sometimes I think DeepL is better, but other times Google is better again. But my own knowledge of German and English is also quite limited.
Kind regards, Ridzerd
Thanks. Good to know you share the same findings. When I see a conflict, I simply rely on instinct as to which word (or phrase) is more accurate.
RE G**gle translate vs. DeepL: I was just trying to discern a word (in German) typed incorrectly into DeepL. What I got back was the same “word.” When I copy and pasted the same “word” into G**gle, it translated it correctly i.e. it “fixed” my mistyped letter and gave me the word I expected.
Hello Dennis, I always have the German link with the quotes. To see this, you can click on the GA number below the quote. Only very occasionally do I have an English quote whose GA number is not known. Then I won’t include it.
I sometimes translate quotes into English from Dutch or German. Then I use DeepL and Google. Because the texts are always quite short, I don’t need the complete Gesamtausgabe in translation. But thanks anyway.
Kind regards, Ridzerd
Dear Ridzerd,
Thank you for the work you do. Long time subscriber. May I make a suggestion? In https://rudolfsteinerquotes.wordpress.com/2023/07/01/opium/ DeepL (which I also use) has translated the German word Wohlgefühl as lust instead of well-being. Not sure why. But the word lust is certainly not only incorrect but misleading.
Thank you. I have corrected it now.
Just a personal comment – it is VERY encouraging to see others “focused” on the content of these quotes that Ridzerd provides. RS stated many times that this material needs to be disseminated “in our time”. Thanks again Ridzard for keeping us “on our toes”.
Thank you, Anthony. Suggestions for a better translation are always welcome
Hi Ridzerd. It has been a while…
With the new version of the RSArchive, there are many old links that are no longer valid. For today’s (Mar. 1, 2023) here is the working link to the resource:
https://rsarchive.org/Articles/TwoEssays/TwoEss_e02.html
Thank you Anthony, I have now posted the correct link. Strange, a few days ago when I scheduled this quote, the link still worked fine.
I didn’t know that some old links are no longer valid. I’ll keep a close eye on it.
Hi Ridzerd. Another impactful quote leading one down wonderful rabbit trails of treasure (Aug 22 – https://rudolfsteinerquotes.wordpress.com/2022/08/22/seriousness-of-life-3/). Just thought I’d share the English translation as long as I tracked it down. https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/ZS2871_index.html
Thank you, Anthony. I posted this quote the first time on March 10, 2015.
I think at that time this lecture was not yet in rsarchive. That’s why I asked Nesta Carsten-Krüger to translate it.
I will add now the rsarchive link to the quote.
Hey there Ridzerd!
Just checking in with an addition to the June 21, 2022 post. Here’s a link to an english version of the quote source: https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/19090211p01.html
Thanks again for your site!
Thank you, Anthony, I have now added the link to the quote.
Hello again good friend…
Thanks for the 08/25 post. My wife is very informed on the subject. I purchased the book the quote came from (published July ’21) and the book you featured. I might add that along with your featured book I purchased the following with it. Thought your readers might be interested as well. Thanks again for your efforts on this site!! ~Anthony
Thank you very much, Anthony. I added this book to the quote of August 25.
The advertisement you are running on your page contains falsehoods. Are you just making money off of Steiner’s words while you undermine the reputation of Waldorf Education?
No, I have nothing to do with the advertisements. They are added by WordPress. I get no money and I am not interested in money making. There were two Americans who offered to donate to me. I gave them the link of RS Archive, because there they ask for donations. The advertisements are mostly not visible for myself, so I don’t know what falsehood is there.
Dear Patricia,
Your anger is unbecoming. I pray you are not yourself a Waldorf educator. Please review RS’s Days of the Week exercises: https://www.rsarchive.org/DoW/
Thank you, Ridzerd for your work here. The daily quotes lead me down many wonderful rabbit trails 🙂
Thank you, Anthony.👍😀
Greetings Ridzerd,
Thank you for your work on this blog, sharing the deep thinking of Steiner with the internet 🙂
Thank you also, Serene. I am glad you like the quotes.👍❤️
Hello Ridzerd,
Thank you for your work on this site. Please disregard this request if you are too busy.
Some time ago, I read an extract from one of Steiner’s lectures here.
In it, he mentioned a young man he had met who was a writer, who was foregoing sleep in order to attain states of mind conducive to writing. Steiner then related the effect this would have on the astral & etheric bodies.
I have not been able to find the quote since.
If this seems familar to you, could you please identify the quote ?
Thank you & best wishes
Thank you for your interest in my Steiner quotes site. I must say it is not familiar to me what you write here. I do also not know what is the effect of foregoing sleep on astralðeric body. It is interesting. Are you also on Facebook? There are several anthroposophic groups with many readers. I myself post every day on the group Anthroposophy two Steiner quotes. But there are more groups. Maybe you can ask the questions on one of the groups. Maybe one of the readers knows it. If you don’t like to go on FB, then I can also ask it for you.
Best regards, Ridzerd
Thanks – no, I’m not on social media I’m afraid. I’m asking because at the time I read the quote here (it was perhaps between 2013 & 2015), I was also reading a book of Kafka’s diaries – he (Kafka) described going without sleep in order to achieve states of mind which he felt helped him write. It seemed to parallel what Steiner was talking about, & I was hoping to compare the Steiner quote with the diary entry to see if the writer he was refering to may have been Kafka (we know that they had a meeting).
If you know of any groups which might be able to identify the Steiner lecture, I would be very grateful; but only if it does not take up too much of your time.
Okay, I will ask soon in the FB group Anthroposohy (7500 members). When I have answers, I let you know on your e-mail adress.
I have been following this conversation and would like to know what you find on the subject. I have been doing some searching and cannot find anything. I’m not sure but the Rudolf Steiner Press Archive channel on YouTube might have something (?)
Thank you!
Hello Ik, I have sent you email but I got it back, could not be delivered.
I have on Facebook anthroposophy one answer on your question. If there are more I let you know.
I copy the answer here.
I’m unsure if this is what you are looking for, and I can’t recall in which lecture you will find it, but I do remember reading Steiner tell a story about a poet friend of his- who for artistic inspiration tried to work at nights, and Steiner joked that whenever he crossed paths with this friend in the evenings, he was not found writing poetry!
(Implying he was found drinking in a bar)
Anthony, I post the answers to Ik, you can read them there.
Thank you Ridzerd!
That answer fits with what I have been reading lately about Steiner and his sense of humor (just bits and pieces among larger topics of course). I appreciate you letting me know!
Hi Ridzerd.
Your work on this site is very much appreciated. I clicked on a “related” link at the bottom of today’s quote: https://rudolfsteinerquotes.wordpress.com/2021/04/25/there-is-no-development-without-suffering-2/
You indicate that the book the quote is from is not available on the RSArchive site. While this is true for the 2008 edition, the 1909 edition is available (under a slightly different title). I thought maybe readers might benefit 🙂
https://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA110/English/APC1928/SpiHie_index.html
Thanks again for your site!
All the best,
-anthony
Thank you very much, Anthony. I have added the link now.
Best regards,
Ridzerd
Hi. I recently posted my email on this blog. I cannot find comments on the entries, they are only active here. Thanks for keeping this site current.
Hello, you mean comments on the quotes? I have closed the option for comments. It is too much for me to answer many comments, because it takes time and my English is not so good.
Yes, I was referring to the absence of an option to comment on each entry. My English is not good either. I understand your point. I have managed, as you do here, sites on the Internet. One way to proceed, simple and healthy enough to allow or deny comments, is to propose rules. Well, this is just a suggestion.
You’re right, but it’s a bit too much for me. I also have a Dutch Steiner quotes site and there the possibility for reactions is open. But I also share two quotes every day on the FB group Anthroposophy and also on my FB page Rudolf Steiner-Anthropoosophy. It is also possible to react there.
Dear Ridzerd,
I am grateful for the work you do, and the regular contributions you bring from Steiner’s work.
I do want to say that I recommend caution in what you share.
The recent :
“About pregnancy, hydrocephalus and acrocephaly”
for example, could instill guilt, shame, anger, and resentment.
Without a full Anthroposophical background, such comments could even close the doors of open minds to the work and possibilities that Steiner’s work offers.
Sincerely,
Jaimen McMillan
Yes, Jaimen, I agree with you. I always try to be careful with what I post. I also always hope that readers read the links below the quotes so that they know the context as well. But we cannot escape the fact that many truths are uncomfortable. The inconvenient truth, so to speak. This quote, too, can make some people feel guilty or maybe even angry. But on the other hand, this quote seems so important to me, which is why I posted it anyway.
Hello Ridzerd van Dijk,
can you contact me?
Regarding translations and use of quotes…
Anth. society in Sweden:
Joel
kontakt@antroposofi.nu
Hello Ridzerd – I was looking for the piece attributed to Rudolf Steiner that begins “We must eradicate from the soul all fear and terror” and couldn’t find it on your site doing the ‘search’ Could you direct me to this? Thank you
Hello Brenda, this one is not on my site, but I found it anyway.
We must eradicate from the soul
All fear and terror of what comes towards man out of the future.
We must acquire serenity
In all feelings and sensations about the future.
We must look forward with absolute equanimity
To everything that may come.
And we must think only that whatever comes
Is given to us by a world-directive full of wisdom.
It is part of what we must learn in this age,
namely, to live out of pure trust,
Without any security in existence.
Trust in the ever present help
Of the spiritual world.
Truly, nothing else will do
If our courage is not to fail us.
And let us seek the awakening from within ourselves
Every morning and every evening.
thank you
Thank you, dear Ridzerd… but, please — GA!
Sorry, I have searched a lot in the German GA but I could not find this. I did find a text that has some resemblance. however, this is not in the GA but in the Beitrage BE 98-1987 page 10 27 nov. 1910 Bremen.
In German is it: Wir müssen mit der Wurzel aus der Seele ausrotten Furcht und Grauen vordem, was aus der Zukunft herandringt an den Menschen. Wie bangt und äng-stigt sich der Mensch heute vor allem, was in der Zukunft liegt und besondersvor der Todesstunde. Gelassenheit in bezug auf alle Gefühle und Empfindun-gen gegenüber der Zukunft muß sich der Mensch aneignen, mit absolutemGleichmut entgegensehen allem, was da kommen mag, und nur denken, daß[das], was auch kommen mag, durch die weisheitsvolle Weltenfuhrung uns zu-kommt. Dies muß immer wieder und wieder vor die Seele gestellt werden. Dasfuhrt dazu, wie ein Geschenk zu empfangen die rückschauenden Kräfte fürvergangene Erdenleben.
Translated with Google it is: We have to root out the fear and horror of what comes from the future to people. How do people fear and fear today what lies in the future and especially before the hour of death. Serenity with regard to all feelings and feelings towards the future, man has to learn to accept with absolute indifference all that may come and only think that [whatever] may come to us through the wisdom of the world. is coming. This must be put in front of the soul again and again. As a gift, this leads to the retrospective powers for past earth lives.
Sorry if this gets long but this quote is an important one, despite me dipping in and out of it since 2014 when I first read it. So, thank you Brenda, Ridzerd and then Slobodan Žalica for asking ‘GA number’.
It seems it is a puzzle from where it comes from. So… I don’t have the answer, I still learn german but maybe the following will help or add to the line up of people at the bottom of the garden!
Ridzerd you mention Booklet 98 – is this it do you think? >>>> https://www.steinerverlag.com/de/beitraege-zur-rudolf-steiner-gesamtausgabe/beitraege-heft-098
Due to the current situation with the so called Coronavirus, I decided to re read two small booklets I’ve had for a while ‘from the work of Rudolf Steiner’. They are:
1. on Epidemics spiritual perspectives (66 pages) https://www.rudolfsteinerpress.com/viewbook.php?isbn_in=9781855842625 oder https://www.steinerverlag.com/de/spirituelle-perspektiven/stichwort-epidemien
2. on Fear spiritual perspectives (72 pages) https://www.rudolfsteinerpress.com/viewbook.php?isbn_in=9781855842632 oder https://www.steinerverlag.com/de/spirituelle-perspektiven/stichwort-angst
I have the english version of the two booklets mentioned above. Both these books take bits out of quite a few of Steiner’s ‘works’. So despite me getting a lot from them, one needs to remember they are not a full lecture/Vortrag. BUT, the references at the back of the book are good, as in with ‘GA’ numbers etc. I have read the on Epidemics three times now and still learning something. It is enough to give me a ‘taste’ of why/what/how Steiner saw bacteria and disease and then to read more there are the references.
So back to the quote, the meditation piece, work piece.
In the booklet ‘on Fear’ , section 3 – Fear of the Future and Trust in Destiny, the first paragraph says:
We must eradicate root and branch any fear and dread in our soul concerning the future that is coming towards us.
How full of fear and alarm people are today in facing anything that lies in the future, but especially in face the hour of their own death! We must develop composure with regard to all the feelings and sensations we have about the future; we must anticipate with absolute equanimity whatever may be coming towards us, thinking only that whatever it may be will be brought to us by the wisdom-filled guidance of the universe.
Over and over again we must place this before out soul.
This will lead to our being able to receive like a gift the powers that allow us to look back into past lives on the earth.
Nice!
The reference is as Ridzerd quoted earlier re the Booklet 98 and in the back of the book is written exactly: Lecture in Bremen, 27 November 1910, Beiträge zur Rudolf Steiner Gesamtausgabe, Booklet 98.
So, for the researchers. The Section 3, quotes: Booklet 98, GA130, GA193, GA210, GA59 & GA60
As an english speaker and in my searches for ‘where did that come from’, I came across the following lectures in german:
GA 261 Unsere Toten. Ansprachen, Gedenkworte und Meditationssprüche 1906-1924 so just by the last word we see ‘meditation sentences’ !!
GA 268 DE Mantrische Sprüche Seelenübungen II we see again some ideas for matras and soul exercises. This has a little of the “Ich trage Ruhe in mir…” or I carry peace within me…”
both of these I cannot find on the Rudolf Steiner archive site that is maintained by Jimmy Stewart…… !!!
but if one, sometimes, follows Ridzerds’ links from the quotes he gives us, then if you feel adventurous you could try translating the german into english ….
A very dear friend of mine in Sydney was the one who introduced me to the verse: We must eradicate from the soul All fear and terror of what comes towards man out of the future.
One day she suggested that I make it more personal: “I must eradicate from my soul All fear and terror of what comes towards me out of the future.” etc.
I can only say it brought a huge difference within me.
This was maybe a bit long but sometimes these wonderful verses are well worth knowing or following up on.
Thank you, James, for the great amount of information. The link to Beitrage 98 that you mention is from a paper book, but I have the text from the internet. It is from the Beitraege in http://fvn-rs.net/ There you can click on PDF and then Beitraege and then scroll to BE-098-1987.pdf
Click to access BE-098-1987.pdf
Thank you Ridzerd in pointing me to the http://fvn-rs.net/PDF/ I use that site and hadn’t noticed the Beiträge…
Thank you.
Thank you Ridzerd, for the timely reminder. For my own benefit I have found a quick, clear shortcut of this powerful wisdom in these formulae
( + × + = + ) and ( – × – = + )!, or also as (+×+)(-×-)=+,
pure, simple logic, ‘÷)’….
On another topic, I’d like to ask you about an old entry, if it might be possible to repeat the quote. There RS deals with ‘the difficulties of being a man’.
It appeared here few years ago, or many months ago, but I missed saving the reference to it.
Ivonna Karlikova, you mean the quote about the male an female brain? That is this one.
Thank you
Hello Ridzerd, firstly, thank you for the Rudolf Steiner quotes site. I really enjoy receiving the updates and I like it when I find little gems to keep.
One of these gems is named: The Mask Jealousy Puts On from February 14, 2017 and found here: https://rudolfsteinerquotes.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/the-mask-jealousy-puts-on-2/
I have been working with this since January 2020 and trying to understand what Rudolf Steiner is meaning. My mother tongue is English and I learn German. Would you consider looking into and maybe changing the word ‘jealous’ over to ‘envy’?
I looked at the original german and lecture uses the word ‘Neid’ and of course my translator mentioned ‘jealous’ but when I was speaking about this today, a german speaker, he blurted out that it meant ‘envy’. I noticed this in my research into this lecture and I would agree that the word ‘envy’ applies more so. I have to admit that in looking at all this I am now learning the difference between jealousy and envy. What I found is that jealousy is more when we possess something/someone and that is threatened by a third person whereas envy is when we lack a desired attribute held by someone else.
I am interested in what you or others think of this.
Thank you kindly,
Hello James. Thank you for your interest and response. I have to say my English is not good enough to judge which word is best here. You might be right that envy is better than jealousy in this case. But I still hesitate to change the word, because I write under the quote that I copied it from a book. Then I can’t just change it, because then the reference to the book is no longer correct.
Kind regards, Ridzerd
ok. Thank you Ridzerd for your reply.
Thank you for this site. I look forward to each day’s quote.
Thank you very much, Ken, I am happy that you like it.
Hi Ridzerd
Thanks for your blogging in English!
I’m busy modelling a clay portrait of Rudolf Steiner in preparation for an Australian conference of all Steiner Schools in order to celebrate 100 years since the founding of Steiner Waldorf Schools…
Now I’m wondering if you know of or have any pertinent quotes about teachers or wholistic learning etc from the great man that I could use to write on the plinth?
I did make a portrait of him celebrating the founding of the Anthroposophical Society which the society bought – it had the quote:
“Teachers are the Sculptors of the Soul”
I am a teacher and a sculptor teaching visual art at Cape Byron Steiner School.
Thanks for your consideration
Hello Denis, I must say that it is difficult to find a good quote to write on the plinth of your clay portrait. I found something, but I’m afraid this is too long. The quote that you mention in your mail is a very nice quote.
The quote that might be something is the following, but as I said: probably too long.
“A teacher who has never studied modeling really understands nothing about the development of the child.”
This quote is in the following link: https://wn.rsarchive.org/GA/GA0310/19240724a01.html
Sorry I can’t help you further.
Regards,
Ridzerd
The link from your email is broken.
I don’t know what you mean. I have no email on this site.
Did you know that there is an unacceptable advertisement for guns for hunting of animals on your site?
No, Jean I did not know that. Of course I am not happy with this. If I want to have the advertisements off the site, I have to take a paid subscription and I prefer not to do that. Because if I die (of course I hope not, but I am 69 and you never know), I will not pay anymore and WordPress will of course delete then the site. And I’d like the site to stay if I were no longer there. But thanks for telling me about this advertisement..
Ridzerd – perhaps a family member or a trusted friend could keep up the payments on a WP subscription until, hopefully, someone could download all content to a private site? (And by private, I simply mean a website in which the content is actually owned by the individual. WP.com owns all of your content now, regardless of whether you pay them or not.) Of course I certainly hope you have many more productive years, but yes, we all carry finite physical bodies. I ignore the ads, but ones like that mentioned are certainly disconcerting.
Thank you, Sarah, for thinking along with me. To keep the payments to WordPress, I should have to ask my daughter or a brother or sister, but I don’t like to bother anyone with it. And for a private site I don’t know who that could be. And perhaps most of the private sites are not visited much. That’s why I rather leave the site like it is. I think that almost all visitors of the Steiner quotes site ignore the advertisements or are not at all interested in guns for hunting.
But it is indeed like you say disconcerting that such advertisements are included.
The ads on your site are probably served up to the viewer based on cookies and location, so it’s possible she was getting gun ads for some demographic related reason, and different people get different ads. I personally use an ad-blocker (uBlock Origin) and don’t see ads on this website.
Yes, indeed, Shiloh. It is a good tip to use an ad-blocker. I myself use ADBLOCK PLUS.
Thank you for this moving exposé Slobodan.. you are so right about the many dangers we face and the necessity of being aware to these dangers.
it is so sad that, to quote Goethe: “Life is short but art is long”; so much to learn, but so little time.
One thing to bring us comfort however is that no chemtrails can ever separate us from Christ’s love, nor separate Him from ours. as, since Golgotha, Christ lives with us and has taken Earth as his body:
” As truly as your soul and spirit dwell within your physical body,
do also the soul and spirit of the Earth dwell within the body of the Earth
— that earthly body which consists of stones, plants, and animals and upon which you tread.
This soul and spirit, this Earth Spirit, is the Christ. Christ is the Spirit of the Earth.
(Rudolf Steiner: Gospel of John: Lecture VII: The Mystery of Golgotha)”
The bible also states the same:
53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
St John 6
Another encouraging note is that a great initiate like Steiner would be very much at home in the spiritual world, and able to help from there, perhaps more intensely than he ever could while on Earth, although in different ways.
Finally, very much aware of the dangers we face in Lucifer and Ahriman, and which you mention, Saint Paul has the solution. He beseeches us to put on the full amor of God:
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
You are right! Christ is with us. And His right hand mighty Archangel Micha-el as well!
I witnessed His presence in the nature during decades of my mountain climbing “work” in the mountains! I was especially fascinated with the mystery of the rocks (minerals).
And I remember Rudolf Steiner’s words, I paraphrase, that at present level of evolution the humans cannot make any significant damage to the environment whatever they do!
There are guardians of the Earth’s nature; I believe that some elemental beings, who are in service of the Christ, are protecting us.
Thank you for the service you are providing to Anthroposophy.
However, I was shocked when I read this excerpt – January 23, 2018 – Steiner saying not to engage in too much thinking!!!??. I have the book ( “From Comets to Cocaine – Answers to Questions” and the excerpt you quote is on pages 205-206) and the interpretation is very different. Where your posting uses the word ‘thinking’ the book uses ‘speculation’ which makes perfect sense.
This is very misleading and dangerous to Steiner’s cause. More care should be taken and consideration of Steiner’s thought is indispensable when quoting him because with the English versions we are always dealing with translations, which at times are extremely bad.
A previous edition was called “Health and Illness”.
Liliana, I have compared this English quotation with the original German and it agrees well with each other. Steiner does not say that we should not think at all, he only says that we should not think too much. We must not always brood on one thought, but look at the facts and the interconnections. In my opinion this translation is very good in accordance with the words of Steiner.
Thank you for your clarification. I do not speak German so I cannot express my opinion on the translation you posted but the one given in the book I mentioned, the passage reads:
“When people study, however, the first principle should be to avoid too much speculative thinking. This might sound strange, but you will understand what I mean. Man does not become especially intelligent through speculation. As a rule, if he ponders over something that he has observed, nothing particularly clever will result. If one wishes to understand the phenomena of the world, therefore, one should not rely too much on speculation; one’s speculation is not at all the important thing. Should the facts call for it, one should think, but one’s main attention should not be directed towards brooding over something one has observed as a means of figuring it out. Instead, other facts should be looked at, compared with the problem at hand, and a connection sought between them. The more one connects various facts, the more one learns to understand nature. People who have only brooded over nature have really not discovered anything more weighty than what they knew in the first place.
When a person becomes a materialist, he speaks materialistically about nature, because that is where he is coming from. He does not discover anything new. When a man speaks idealistically about nature, he does so because he is already an idealist. In almost all instances, it can be proven that through speculation people discover only what is made evident to them through what they already are. Correct thinking only results when one simply allows the facts to guide them.”
Having worked as translator/interpreter myself for many years, I know that words carry more than their literal meaning, so I can understand how two different people could have used different English words to translate German ones. It’s up to the reader to decide which translation ‘fits’ better with Steiner’s overall teachings about ‘thinking’.
Thanks again and best wishes for your work.
Liliana, I think the translation from your book is very good at all, only the word speculation is not the good word in my opinion. Every time your translation uses the word ‘speculation, Steiner has the word ‘denken’ or ‘nachdenken’. He also uses the word ‘brüten’ or ‘nachbrüten’, which is in your book ‘brood’ or ‘brooding’ or ‘ponders’, and that is very good I think.
But it is as you say: It’s up to the reader to decide which translation ‘fits’ better with Steiner’s overall teachings about ‘thinking’.
Best regards, Ridzerd
Dear Ridzert,
Rally a great anthroposophical site of yours. I was especially delighted upon recent quote by Rudolf Steiner about copyrights.
May I make a proposal — just to change the frontispiece, picture with Chemtrails!!
Very best wishes!
Thank you very much. In am glad that you like these quotes. I have changed the frontpicture before, I still like this one
But thanks anyway. Best wishes. Ridzerd
I like the picture you have here now Ridzerd, calming and peaceful…need a bit of that in our lives. 🙂
Yes indeed, Sarah. very peaceful and calming. Best wishes to you.
There are many similar pictures — I personally made a lot of them in the mountains — but with clear blue sky, or with natural clouds (I also worked for many years as a weatherman at high mountain weather station, and am very familiar with the weather phenomenon). On the image above there are two lines of so-called Chemtrails having been sprayed from NATO aircrafts… it seems like the Web of Big Brother or Satana-el… Hopefully you can understand me… Best!
Sorry, Mr. Freeman, I don’t understand it so good.
” “Déformation professionnelle” is a tendency to look at things
from the point of view of one’s own profession rather than from a broader perspective.”
Although this is quite useful at times, I fear that, at least in our case, concentrating on the skin might make us miss the life-giving pulp…
This said, the “chemtrails” you kindly brought to attention -whether undisputed reality or conspiracy theory- have, strangely enough, enriched that picture for me!
Goethe asked “What is the most difficult thing?”, and replied “It is to see what is right in front of your nose!”
Many anthroposophists, especially in the west, are plain materialistic conformists; many are secretly dreaming their American dream which is called “Three Big” (house, car, boat).
But Goethe also said, that we should be able not to watch at details only; we should (as anthroposophists) pay attention to actual (concrete) details!
Chemtrails, chemclouds, manipulations with Earth’s weather (biosphere), so-called geo-engineering for military purpose (American plan to master the weather till 2025) is a sign of imminent appearance of unlawful prince of this world — Ahriman.
They (American military aircraft tankers plus the same all on disposal (hundreds!) aircrafts of their European NATO vassals) are spraying the sky above all countries which signed so-called Partnership for peace with NATO.
Just look at the sky above your head!
Through this (illegal) activity they cover the Sun (Christ), my dear friends! Even they produce a false image of “the second Sun” in the sky! There are many documents about that. This is a purely occult agenda in this military project.
Recently a group of people in Croatia took to court their government due to chemtrails in the sky! But mainstream media are silent; they afraid… dread is diffused everywhere, but especially within human minds with tendency to paralyze their I’s. It is activity of Ahriman.
We should pay attention to the words by Bernard Lievegoed, that a real chaos (coming from America) will happen between 2020 and 2030. Who lived 30 years on Earth? Ahriman’s great enemy!
Terry Boardman (www.threeman.org) also wrote a great deal about Ahriman’s incarnation in the U.S.
Year 2023 could be also of decisive meaning: 100 years after the burning of the first Goetheanum. Look at constellation of numbers — but Rudolf Steiner is not with us now, just to take another direction, through his noble Manichaean deed, of evil development.
Dear Ridzerd,
I am thinking about doing a similar service for another ‘group’, I was wondering if you have a particular method for selecting the quotes.
Thank you
Jonathan
Dear Jonathan, No I don’t have any method or system for selecting the quotes. I choose them completely randomly. I read almost every day in books or lectures from Steiner. And fom there I choose quotes. Sometimes others send me also a quote.
Best regards, Ridzerd