Golden rule

From AnthroWiki

Rudolf Steiner states very forcefully the following golden rule which must underlie all spiritual training:

„And this golden rule is: if you try to make one step forward in the knowledge of secret truths, make at the same time three forward in the perfection of your character for the good.“ (Lit.:GA 10, p. 65)

This rule is to be strictly observed, for every spiritual training necessarily strengthens all the powers of the soul, even the negative ones, which may thereby grow from comparatively harmless trifles to very alarming phenomena:

„Already through the slight development of the astral body, which the theosophical teaching brought about as an elementary doctrine, when it began to become known, quite strange phenomena occurred. For example, a disciple who was a cashier ran away with money; people who used to be peaceful became quarrelsome. This is connected with the fact that with the little occult development which flows from the theosophical concepts, the bad sides of the character are forced out, if nothing else happens.“ (Lit.:GA 98, p. 31)

Literature
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.
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