As the end of the cycle approaches, the energies intensify and accelerate. The tensions of oppositional forces are expressed both in the world and in us, through the dualities due to political/religious/social systems and ideologies. But focusing only on its apparent conflict games amounts to remaining hypnotized by the shadows projected on the wall, to engaging in mechanical reactions to fight against illusions.
Save the world or solve the problems, hope for a savior (political, spiritual, technological), accuse others of being responsible… these approaches most of the time reinforce the problems they think they are fighting, they feed the projections by ignoring the subtle causes. What is asked of us in these moments is not necessarily to modify governance or find external solutions. What is required is to face our inner shadows and harmonize with the divine forces at work. Otherwise, we will get lost, unable to keep up with the evolving powers. Caught in material and egoic games of fear and survival, we must perceive life lessons, self-knowledge and divine cycles as superior.
Cycle changes have already occurred. But this transition requires a verticalization, a spiritualization. The release path is vertical. The old disappears and descends, the New is in phase with the new divine forces at work. The old must die so that the New can grow. The shadows, the memories of trauma resurface so that they can finally be made aware and liberated. Symbolic death implies a rebirth of the true being, in phase with the new celestial forces. This is the second birth.
The task is to transform ourselves internally in order to be able to subsequently transform the external world. These stages of internal change are inevitable, and the pitfalls are numerous. It is tempting to want to avoid this process of inner rebirth, or to pretend. Because the situation can only get worse if we refuse the spiritual initiatory process. Spirituality must be both rooted and vertical, anchored in the teachings of the ancients and open to innovation and the future.
“We have entered a period of transition whose purpose is to give us entry to the Cycle of the Holy Spirit. During this period, Faith will be progressively replaced by Knowledge, and Hope will end in Accomplishment The transition from one state to another is not affected without conscious efforts, hard work, and a struggle. For the one who today decides to engage himself on the path leading to the Way should in principle become another [spiritualized] man… We have emphasized the fact that the beginning of the twentieth century coincided with the beginning of the Time of Transition between the Cycle of the Son, which is now coming to an end, and that of the Holy Spirit, which is just beginning. The grave responsibility falls on contemporary man for the outcome of this period. In case of failure, we cannot hope that the world will return to the status quo ante. The Era of the Holy Spirit has two faces — one of Paradise regained and the other a Deluge of Fire. We must not forget that God is also a Devouring Fire; in case of failure, the situation will rapidly lead to an eschatological cataclysm. This requires courage and humility. With the approach of the era of the Holy Spirit, everything must be gradually brought to the light of day, not only the secrets of the laboratory but the deepest meanings of esotericism. The same must happen with illusions, errors, and lies, which must also be revealed so that they can later be rectified. This process is already happening. It is this which to a large extent explains the political and social difficulties which characterize our time of transition. Yet only a few people know how to interpret the signs of our times. The world is suffering from a lack of harmony which gets deeper on every plane, and this is a serious danger to the moral and spiritual recovery of humanity. It also involves a serious risk of failure in the last stage of this Time of Transition that we are now entering. If this risk is not overcome, the Deluge of Fire awaits us. We will have to make an immense effort to ward off this fate, and we have very little time in which to do it. Man has only himself to blame for the greatness of the effort needed: this is a result of his obstinate refusal to heed the warnings that have been addressed to him time and again by the Divine Voice, just as he continues today to blind himself to the fact that the Deluge of Fire is being made ready; that it is now technically feasible and – it must be said – morally possible. This final cataclysm, towards which humanity is advancing so blindly, can only be avoided by the conscious super-efforts of the spiritual elite, especially by young and enthusiastic elements of the present generation and those which follow it, whose esoteric predispositions will make them fit to assume key positions in all races and in all nations. Neither the most marvelous technical progress nor a greater refinement of the intellectual faculties will be enough to enable us to remedy this state of affairs, which is still deteriorating. The remainder of the Time of transition offers the last chance for humanity to reestablish the threatened equilibrium and so avoid a general cataclysm. Before the Earth can enter the Era of the Holy Spirit, the Time of Transition must reach a successful outcome, and this outcome will, in turn, depend on a positive answer to a whole group of problems which will be solved by the appearance of the New [spiritualized] Man.” –
Boris Mouravieff, Gnosis I – III
“Everything depends upon insight into the Spirit that is lying hidden in European and American culture — the Spirit from which men flee, which for the sake of ease they would fain avoid, but which alone can set the feet of humanity on the path of ascent. People like to put their heads in the sand, saying that things will improve of themselves. No, they will not. The hour of a great decision has struck. Either men will resolve to bring forth the spirituality of which I have spoken, or the decline of the West is inevitable. Hopes and fatalistic longings for things to right themselves are of no avail. Once and forever, man has passed into the epoch when he must manipulate his powers out of his own free will. In other words: it is for men themselves to decide for or against spirituality. If the decision is positive, progress will be possible; if not, the doom of the West is sealed and in the wake of dire catastrophes the further evolution of humanity will take a course undreamed of today. Those who would strive for true insight into these matters should not, nay dare not, neglect the study of the life of soul in mankind at large, and in the different peoples, especially of East and West.”
Rudolf Steiner
“At the moment we are at a decisive turning-point in the history of the earth, once again. From every side, I am asked, “What is going to happen?” Everywhere there is anguish, expectation, fear. “What is going to happen?” There is only one reply: “If only man could consent to be spiritualized.”expands exponentially, fueled by the friction of seemingly opposing forces working through us and And perhaps it would be enough if some individuals became pure gold, for this would be enough to change the course of events. We are faced with this necessity in a very urgent way. This courage, this heroism which the Divine wants of us, why not use it to fight against one’s own difficulties, one’s own imperfections, one’s own obscurities? Why not heroically face the furnace of inner purification so that it does not become necessary to pass once more through one of those terrible, gigantic destructions which plunge an entire civilization into darkness? This is the problem before us. It is for each one to solve it in his own way.” –
The Mother Mirra Alfassa