Mysteries

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Triptolemos between Demeter (left), who hands him ears of grain, and Persephone (right) blessing him (votive relief from Eleusis, c. 440-430 BC, National Archaeological Museum)

The mysteries (from Greek: μυστήριον mysterion, which goes back to μύειν myein "to conclude") or mystery cults of the post-Atlantean period, which were cultivated at various mystery sites or mystery schools, served primarily to prepare the following cultural epochs. The teachings and rites were kept strictly secret, they were esōterikós (ἐσωτερικός), i.e. "internal", only "belonging to the inner realm"; betrayal of mysteries was usually punishable by death.

The Mysteries as Preparation for Future Cultural Epochs

One of the tasks of the Mysteries was to prepare, through the initiation of individual suitable spiritual disciples, abilities which in later cultural epochs, though then in a different way, would already be available to much broader sections of the population as a natural disposition.

„The first post-Atlantean cultural period, the ancient Indian, had to prepare in its womb the Urpersian, the ancient Persian in turn the Egyptian-Chaldean, and so on. And our fifth post-Atlantean cultural period must prepare the sixth cultural period of the next time. It has often been said that it is our spiritual-scientific task, through what we acquire, not only to gain spiritual material for our individual souls, which is quite right, but not the only thing - this is allotted to us for the eternal life of our souls - but it is also our task to prepare that which the sixth cultural period is then to have for its content, for its special external work. This is how it was in each of the individual post-Atlantean cultural periods. And those places in which that was always prepared which was the significant exterior for the next cultural period were the mystery places.“ (Lit.:GA 159, p. 301)

The Mysteries as the Source of Art, Science and Piety

In the ancient world, the Mysteries were the source of all art, science and piety, although at that time they were still linked into an inseparable unity.

„The mystery is the very birthplace of art. The mysteries were real, alive in the astral space. There one had a synthesis of truth, beauty and piety. To a great extent this was the case in the Egyptian Mysteries and those in Asia, also in the Mysteries of Greece, especially in the Eleusinian Mysteries. There the disciples really saw how the spiritual powers descended into the various forms of existence. At that time there was no other science than that which was seen. There was no other piety than that which rose in the soul when one contemplated the Mysteries. Nor was there any other beauty than that which one beheld when the gods descended.“ (Lit.:GA 96, p. 161f)

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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