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The term '''members''' ({{DeS|''[[a:Wesensglieder|Wesensglieder]]''}}) refers in [[anthroposophy]] and [[theosophy]] to all the independently appearing elements which in their totality make up the essence of the human being. The human being is not exhausted in the sensually visible material body, but also has higher bodily, soul and spiritual members which can only be experienced supersensually. What thus appears as a multiplicity, however, forms a unity for higher cognition.
As '''members''' or '''essential members''' ({{DeS|''[[a:Wesensglieder|Wesensglieder]]''}}) are called in [[anthroposophy]] and [[theosophy]] all the independently appearing elements which in their totality make up the [[essence]] of the [[human being]]. The human being is not exhausted in the sensually visible material body, but also has higher bodily, soul and spiritual members which can only be experienced supersensually. What thus appears as a multiplicity, however, forms a unity for higher cognition.


{{GZ|That in higher reality there is a unity, what for human experience separates itself as a multiplicity of seven members<ref>Depending on the point of view, the essence of the human being can also be meaningfully broken down into a different number of essence members.</ref>, remains thereby unchallenged. But this is precisely what higher knowledge is there for: to show the unity in everything that appears to man as a multiplicity in immediate experience because of his physical and spiritual organisation.|7|112}}
{{GZ|That in higher reality there is a unity, what for human experience separates itself as a multiplicity of seven members<ref>Depending on the point of view, the essence of the human being can also be meaningfully broken down into a different number of essence members.</ref>, remains thereby unchallenged. But this is precisely what higher knowledge is there for: to show the unity in everything that appears to man as a multiplicity in immediate experience because of his physical and spiritual organisation.|7|112}}

Revision as of 16:49, 20 February 2021

As members or essential members (German: Wesensglieder) are called in anthroposophy and theosophy all the independently appearing elements which in their totality make up the essence of the human being. The human being is not exhausted in the sensually visible material body, but also has higher bodily, soul and spiritual members which can only be experienced supersensually. What thus appears as a multiplicity, however, forms a unity for higher cognition.

„That in higher reality there is a unity, what for human experience separates itself as a multiplicity of seven members[1], remains thereby unchallenged. But this is precisely what higher knowledge is there for: to show the unity in everything that appears to man as a multiplicity in immediate experience because of his physical and spiritual organisation.“ (Lit.:GA 7, p. 112)

In a similar way to the human being, higher spiritual beings also have corresponding members of their being.

The members of the being at a glance

Rudolf Steiner's work gives the following classification of the members of the human being incarnated on earth:

The I-bearer, which is formed by the I, is the spiritual centre of the earthly embodied human being, the focal point for the immortal I, which intervenes in the body through incarnation in order to work on the transformation of its bodily shells (physical body, etheric body and astral body) and thereby develops itself further.

„It has emerged from the preceding considerations that the beingness of man is built up from the four members: Physical body, life body, astral body and I-bearer. The "I" works within the other three members and transforms them. Through such transformation, the following arise on a lower level: the sentient soul, the intellectual soul and the consciousness soul. On a higher level of human existence the following are formed: spirit self, life spirit and spirit man. These members of human nature now stand in the most manifold relations to the whole universe and their development is connected with the development of this universe.“ (Lit.:GA 13, p. 137)

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.

References

  1. ↑ Depending on the point of view, the essence of the human being can also be meaningfully broken down into a different number of essence members.
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