The Awakening of the Etheric Heart: From Imagination to Inspiration

ONLINE PRESENTATION BY CHRISTINE GRUWEZ

To develop the etheric heart as a new perception organ, we are learning how to think without the support of the sense-world: sense-free thinking. By practicing this, we are within ourselves, coming to the source of our own spiritual activity. This is the step of imagination where we are at the core of our being after receiving the gift of “forming the etheric and the astral heart” from the gods (CW 212, 26 February 1922).
Around this source as a center, gradually a periphery unfolds. This periphery is called by Rudolf Steiner: “a spiritual external world” (CW 212, 6 May 1922). We are in us at the core of our being surrounded by a totally new external world. Learning to listen to what from this periphery speaks to us, is the step of inspiration in the process of awakening the etheric heart.

With this step, a dialogue between the human being and the new spiritual external world has started: “the substance of the whole cosmos was gathered up as an essence in the heart, and now it tends to return to the cosmos once more; the human being expands to the cosmos” (CW 212, 26 February 1922).
Together we will reflect on this mystery about our becoming human, a mystery that invites us to participate and contribute to it.

Suggested Reading: In addition to the two references in the synopsis, the following meditation that was given to Ita Wegman by Rudolf Steiner on 26 February 1925, at his 63rd birthday:

“Hearts interpret Karma:
When hearts learn
To read the Word,
Which creates in
Human Life;
When hearts learn
To speak the Word,
Which creates in
The Human Being.”