MysTech Newsletter, July 2022

There’s an elephant in the room. Many are aware of its presence, but like blind men capable of understanding the elephant only through limited sense, the true nature and totality of this entity, including the reason it’s in the room, escapes the masses. Arguably, the majority of people strive to do good in the world, but we might consider our efforts to be in vain were we to discover the world as we know it is an illusion – an illusion which in spite of our good intentions, is creating hell on Earth. Steiner identified three essential Spirits lending shape to the evolution of the human being – Lucifer, Christ, and Ahriman. Understanding these three entities is crucial if we wish to gain the full capacity of sight which will allow us to see past the illusion and behold the elephant in the room.

Matter is Latter

Understanding that spirit exists before matter is the basis to decoding the illusion. Another way of saying this: matter, or the perception of matter, is preceded by thought or consciousness. Cutting-edge science is on the cusp of identifying this phenomenon in disciplines such as quantum mechanics and epigenetics. A popular example in quantum mechanics is an experiment which illuminated the effect an observing scientist has upon the behavior of electrons – the greater amount of observation, or concentration given by the observer to the electrons, the greater the impact upon the behavior of the electrons.(1) Another way of realizing how consciousness precedes matter is demonstrated through Wi-Fi technology. All around us in the modern world vast amounts of data are accessible via the internet. However, we are unable to perceive this information without the use of a “receiver”, in our case a smartphone or computer. This may seem an abstraction, but think about the fact that before the internet can be experienced with eyes and ears, it permeates the space around us with seemingly no effect upon reality. Considering the visible spectrum is estimated to be less than one thousandth of one percent of the known electromagnetic spectrum,(2) which is an exaggeration when the electromagnetic spectrum is hypothetically infinite, what else could be found in the seemingly empty space currently unperceivable to our five-senses or present technology?

Regardless of our ability to physically experience something, phenomena beyond the capacity of our senses exists, and the determining factor of what is perceived or experienced materially is the structure of the receiver/perceiver. The structure, I contend, is analogous to consciousness. Think for a moment about the perception of a bee. Does a bee perceive the physical manifestation of a mountain or the moon in the same way as a human? The material/physical expression of the world and therefore the experience of it will vary depending upon the consciousness of the perceiver, which in large part is determined by biological structures. For humans, however, it can also be demonstrated that culture, environment, and technological structures, among others, also lend shape to our consciousness, thereby affecting what we’re able to perceive, and perhaps more significantly what we’re not able to perceive.

American biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton has done ground-breaking work in the realm of epigenetics where he has demonstrated how the behavior of cellular life and gene-expression is not solely determined by heredity. While genes are certainly passed down from parents to child, new evidence indicates that thought and environmental input influence how and what inherited genes are ultimately expressed or suppressed, and effectively have a greater determination of health than the genes themselves.(3) Many scientists, doctors, and researchers have contributed knowledge and evidence to demonstrate how sound, energy, and thought (which one could argue are interchangeable terms) lie at the root of physical expression of the human body and can be used to promote healing or disease. In fact, working with currents of energy throughout the body is the basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which, while estimated to have been practiced for at least 3,000 years, is only now gaining acceptance in the western world through successful application of acupuncture and other TCM energy techniques. Meanwhile, modern medical practice has conceded that the effects of negative emotional stress wreak havoc on the physical body and overall health.(4) The influences of mind, thought, and emotion upon our physical bodies, specifically how they precede physical expression, are beginning to gain mainstream recognition.

Realizing how consciousness affects our own physical manifestation in addition to the way one perceives the physical world will go a long way to help decipher the information Steiner relays regarding Lucifer, Christ, and Ahriman. In Steiner’s presentation of these entities, we are given a description of conscious forces existing beyond human physical perception yet working upon us to shape and affect our consciousness. Lucifer and Ahriman can be recognized as opposite forces exerting themselves upon the human being. In fact, Steiner describes the two as working upon us from left and right, top and bottom, front and back, respectively.(5) Our physical composition reflects this duality – consider how we can be divided down our midline, the left and right a mirror of each other. The human exists in the balance of these forces and it is through harnessing the Christ impulse that we prevent ourselves from inner collapse and takeover by these entities. The Christ impulse can be understood when one strives to know the True Self, the “I”, the Ego. Furthermore, Steiner helps explain the heart-based responsibility one has to all of humanity as demonstrated by Christ – one should come to realize how their personal strivings belong to humanity at large and as such seek to participate in the world by sharing the gifts one cultivates.

Let there be Light

Many descendants of Judeo-Christian belief systems are familiar with the theme of Good and Evil and some are aware of an Angel who was cast out of Heaven named Lucifer. Over time, this entity has been ascribed a variety of evil values and deeds – today many relate Lucifer to Satan or the Devil, among other names. However, to gain a better understanding of how Steiner presents this entity as a working force upon humanity we are well to consider Lucifer in a different light. In the Greek legend of Prometheus, Zeus had condemned humanity to suffer in ignorance without fire after he destroyed their prior civilization. Prometheus, a demi-god, defied the orders of the Father God and shared with humanity fire and intellect so as to improve their lot on Earth. Esoteric researchers, including Steiner, have identified Prometheus as conveying the story of Lucifer. In fact, the name Lucifer means “light bearer” or “shining one”.(6) The original intention of this being was to help humanity. This is a very key concept to come to terms with when contemplating the work of Steiner – nothing is inherently bad or evil, rather context and perception are the determining factors. Lucifer is to be understood as bringing to humanity the roots of imagination, intellect, and Selfhood or inner light, to name just a few aspects of consciousness accredited to this being. Another significant ability brought to humanity by Lucifer, according to Steiner, is the Will – our inspiration to take action in the world. Where these forces or abilities become negative or evil is determined by us, the human being.

Lucifer is considered to be seductive, a spirit of temptation that ultimately seeks to pull humanity away from evolving a consciousness that considers and serves the higher good for all of humanity instead of self-serving base desires. Once an individual human seeks self-aggrandizing over the well-being of another, it can be said they are tending toward the luciferic. Hallucinations and fantastical ideas are also accredited to luciferic influence – the dangers of losing oneself to inner delusions should be apparent. However, we can also see the benefit of having imagination and spiritual knowledge or mystical inclination – through these cognitive abilities we have gained connection to and understanding of the mysteries of the cosmos. It is only in the extreme expression of luciferic properties, such as perception limited to fantasy and purely selfish willing at the expense of others, that they become evil or destructive.

According to esoteric insight relayed by Steiner, Lucifer was most influential upon humanity in ancient times and the luciferic effect can be gleaned by contemplating pagan or Greek culture. In order to do this appropriately, Steiner points out how we must understand that the consciousness of people at this time was quite different from what we currently experience. In ancient times, humanity felt themselves one with the cosmos. They attributed any call to action or idea not as being generated by their own being or thinking, but rather on account of the Gods. For instance, the act of revenge to be taken against an enemy was not motivated by personal thinking and rationale but experienced as the will of the Gods – there was no awareness of personal responsibility or self-actualization of choice. We can come to this understanding through the myths and literature of their day in addition to esoteric and clairvoyant readings offered by the likes of Steiner. Lucifer is credited with imparting to humanity knowledge of the spiritual world and wisdom regarding the workings of the cosmos. This laid the foundation for humanity to begin to differentiate themselves from the cosmos – it was the beginning of independence from the Gods. The ability to “know” the spiritual world provided humanity with profound insight into universal truths, much of which has been lost to our current perception of reality – in general, we no longer “see” beyond the veil of the physical world as our ancestors did. To this day we do not have a clear understanding of how the ancients accomplished feats such as the Great Pyramid or Göbekli Tepe, a 12,000 year old megalithic site recently discovered after being deliberately buried underground around 4,000 years ago.(7) The answers to how our ancestors achieved such monumental accomplishments are likely to be found within luciferic wisdom.

Historically speaking, both within the Bible and according to Steiner’s clairvoyant perception, humanity was presented with a choice to pursue a strictly luciferic path, which if chosen would have led to the end of human evolution upon the Earth. According to Steiner, what made luciferic consciousness dangerous in ancient times was man’s lack of capacity for morals. The deeds of man occurred without moral contemplation, in other words, self-deifying was sought at the expense of humanity as a whole. However, humanity ultimately resisted the temptation to remain purely luciferic and instead, while retaining the gifts of consciousness afforded by Lucifer, acquired the sense of morals necessary to remain on the path of becoming more fully human.

This new impulse toward moral reflection is accredited to the Christ. Interestingly, stories exist all over the world about an Immaculate Conception and subsequent birth of the Son of God who later sacrifices himself for the saving of humanity. The Egyptian story of Isis and Osiris, the Persian’s Mithras, the Hindu’s Krishna, and the Mayan’s Kauil are clear examples. The message is not to be found in the particular details and physical expression of the Christ figure, but rather in the essence of Christ’s consciousness and actions. It is through the act of self-sacrifice as portrayed by Jesus or the Christ that humanity obtains higher consciousness and moves beyond the realm of the self-serving Lucifer. Christ represents Love, not strictly love of the Self or love for the mysteries, but Love of all humanity and the Earth. He illuminates the blessings of earthly, material life while reminding us of our spiritual basis and permanence. In this we see how Christ represents the balancing of spiritual and physical existence. The temptation of Lucifer serves to draw us away from the seemingly mundane aspects of physical life on Earth, promising a fantastical, glittering, and illusory existence beyond the realities of Earth. While humanity at large has resisted this temptation, the Christ reveals another challenge lying in wait – in contrast to spiritual seduction, we are now faced with the seduction of the material realm.

Living in a Material World

In many of Steiner’s lectures he warns of the increasing effect inflicted upon humanity by the entity he refers to as Ahriman. Ahriman is not necessarily a new being, but as the pendulum has swung from left through center, we are quickly approaching the extreme manifestation of the right-sided force identified earlier. As noted, it is when these forces take unbalanced expression that evil has the opportunity to rear its head. While Lucifer can be identified with the extreme expression of spiritualism to the detriment of material life, Ahriman brings to us extreme materialism devoid of spirit.

The ahrimanic impulse makes itself evident in the 15th century minds of Western thinkers such as René Descartes and Francis Bacon; both contributed heavily to the perception of the world and the universe as machine, devoid of spiritual substance or consciousness. Looking back to this historical time period we can see that human thinking, specifically that of westerners, has increasingly dissociated from concern about the laws of the Gods or the spiritual realm while becoming more focused upon the natural, physical laws of Earth and by extrapolation the universe. Ahrimanic influence is intertwined with perceptions of the world as offered through science. The ideas expressed through the likes of Descartes, Bacon, and Isaac Newton were revolutionary – to this day we can credit our modern understanding of the body, the laws of the universe, even economics to this style of thinking. Most significant to this way of perceiving the world is its narrow focus upon the physical – observation and its subsequent body of knowledge is valid only if obtained and demonstrated through the five physical senses with great reliance upon external sight. No longer was man an integral part of the cosmos, a droplet in the ocean of spiritual existence, he had become an independent observer of the world. This independent perception however became colored by the forces of Ahriman which reduced existence to a purely physical dimension – the cosmos had been transformed from the land of the gods into an inert material substance now at the mercy of man and his thoughts.

Near the end of WWI, Steiner presented several lectures regarding Ahriman, warning of his presence in the consciousness of modern man. Ahriman’s increasing influence upon humanity has been evident for hundreds of years, but Steiner predicts an upcoming climax to this crescendo. Just as in the time of Lucifer, we are facing a pivotal moment in the evolution of humanity. Our task is to identify the nature of the force of Ahriman, realize how our perception and experience of the world is shaped by it and most importantly how it, in its unchecked expression, will contribute to our downfall. We are indeed in prophetic times – not only the Bible makes mention of an apocalyptic time matching in description to this day and age, but myths from around the world speak of an impending epoch of destruction. Furthermore, many clairvoyant seers including Steiner relay the gravity of the situation in which we find ourselves.

As described before, physical reality is preceded by consciousness. Undeniably, the state of the physical world is in turmoil – evidence of earthly destruction is everywhere and the tenor of the political realm is downright sinister. If we seek solutions to our plight in the physical realm, we are missing the point. We must look into our consciousness, examine our perception of reality, and see beyond the physical into the realm of the spirit as did our ancestors. Here we will see the lurking forces of Ahriman and Lucifer. Until we become aware of, and indeed remember, how unseen forces shape our perception of what is real, we will fall victim to a destructive illusion. As aptly stated by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, “No one is more of a slave than he who thinks himself free without being so.”

Ahrimanic impulses contribute to the perception of a world devoid of spirit, a world which exists in superficial, quantitative value alone. While Lucifer sought to draw us away from material existence, Ahriman seeks to recreate the natural living world into a cold, controlled, mechanical reproduction. Sound familiar? Steiner attempted to describe the impending manifestation of Ahriman into our physical realm: This entity would be experienced by us in the material plane and offer gifts of expanded cognitive abilities bordering on the clairvoyant. If humanity is to fall for the trap, we will see the end of humanity itself. What Steiner did not have the language to describe in his time is the technology of our present day, and most specifically, artificial intelligence.

Today’s leading entrepreneurs and innovators such as Ray Kurzweil, Elon Musk, and Regina Dugan, imagine a future where man is supplemented by artificially intelligent machinery. Behind the scenes of mainstream knowledge, huge strides have been made in the realm of technology and we are well on our way to a transhumanist existence. We are offered the benefits of security, convenience, and knowledge through our technological devices which are becoming smaller and more wearable by the day. Indeed, many humans have already accepted microchipping by their employer for the simple convenience of purchasing food in the cafeteria.(8)  The technologists of today not only want to sell us technological conveniences, but they are convinced that the human mind, here on account of the physical evolution of matter alone, is inferior to the intelligence capable by machinery – humans can look forward to literally becoming integrated with a computer in order to access superior thinking and virtual reality, among other seemingly superhuman powers.(9)

While this may seem a great idea to some, when we realize that the thinking and innovations of today result from a consciousness completely empty of spirit or awareness of consciousness beyond the five-senses, we can see that the world we are being offered is a trap, an illusion where the totality of the world exists in the material dimension alone, thoughts generated from the non-living are superior to the creative capacities of the human, and relationships are meaningless if not non-existent. They key to our salvation may lie in remembering material is secondary to consciousness. Technology can only exist within the material plane and is incapable of embodying or recreating life. Only life can create life – life is much more than the stacking of material building blocks. The hijacking of the human body by artificial intelligence is the extreme manifestation of Ahriman, and indeed we could hardly consider ourselves human with thoughts not of our own making.

What has been described here is the hell upon earth awaiting us should we be incapable of identifying ahrimanic thinking and its destructive effects. While the idea of becoming fused with machine may be repulsive and a clear boundary not to cross, becoming sensitive to the less extreme manifestations of ahrimanic thought will help guide us toward the balancing of the scale. Any time we participate in thinking that does not involve creative reflection by the Self or Ego, we are under the influence of Ahriman. This may be a very difficult concept to grasp considering how deep we are in the well. In order to break free of the isolating clutch of the ahrimanic impulse, we must put our Self back into the equation of our observations. We do not exist out of relationship to the world – we are mutually shaped by and give shape to the world through our perception and participation. The world as we know it does not exist without us. The material realm that we perceive with our five-senses is the unique expression of our thoughts. A world based upon ahrimanic thought will be a world in which nature becomes obsolete and is supplanted by machine, as conveyed in futuristic movies such as Blade Runner or The Matrix. Should we awake from our slumber and desire a different reality, one in which we are balanced and in relationship with nature and the cosmos, we must consciously seek and take hold of our individual thoughts, our creativity, and actively bring them into the light of the world.

Moving Beyond the Illusion

The beauty of Steiner’s presentation of Lucifer, Christ, and Ahriman is it supplies yet another lens through which to observe the three-fold reality of the human being. So often we find ourselves stuck within dualistic thinking which creates artificial divisions between ourselves and the world. When locked within the dynamics of polarity, black and white, right and wrong, male and female, our understanding and experience of the world becomes severely limited. When we take the third path and realize that we exist within the balance of polarity, we place ourselves back in the seat of personal power. Becoming a true observer, inviting both a material and spiritual perspective within, might be the single most important action we can take in these times.

As we begin to relook at what is happening in our world through spiritual eyes, we may find that much of what we hold dear is in fact part of the illusion – our identity, status, material comforts, even our concept of what is real. We must be willing to let go of that which is not in service to humanity and the higher Self, to wrestle our consciousness and thoughts from the grip of lower forces. We are led to believe that we live in a world of chaos where events and happenings are separate and unconnected to anything or anyone, a world where we have no individual power or influence – our greatest hope is for a convenient, comfortable life absent of the stresses of individual thought or creation. We have been shaped into empty consumers; our thinking compartmentalized, determined and sold to us by the efficient, mechanistic institutions of our day. In order to see the elephant in the room, the force that is shaping us into a lifeless clone of humanity, we must awaken to a reality that lies beyond our five-sense perception. Steiner has much to offer us in this respect. Now more than ever could we benefit from the insight he brings through the practice of what he refers to as spiritual science. Instead of placing ourselves at the mercy of the never-ceasing torrents of polarity that by their nature will pummel us into unconsciousness, we must realize our rightful place as the eye of the hurricane. We are the creators of this realm, the forces of Lucifer and Ahriman to be held in check by the power of divine human consciousness.