Recognizing and Honoring the Light of Awareness

I've enjoyed bits and pieces of Steiner over the last couple of years (since reading Gary Lachman's book and discussing Steiner off and on with a friend).  While much that he has to say leaves me puzzled, at best, I've read enough (generally speaking) to appreciate his genius.  My favorite quote is as follows:

"…thinking must never be regarded as merely a subjective activity. Thinking lies beyond subject and object. It produces these two concepts just as it produces all others. When, therefore, I, as thinking subject, refer a concept to an object, we must not regard this reference as something purely subjective. It is not the subject that makes the reference, but thinking. The subject does not think because it is a subject; rather it appears to itself as a subject because it can think. The activity exercised by thinking beings is thus not merely subjective. Rather is it something neither subjective nor objective, that transcends both these concepts. I ought never to say that my individual subject thinks, but much more that my individual subject lives by the grace of thinking“ (from Chapter 4 of “The Philosophy of Freedom”, "The World as Percept").

Not sure where I snagged that translation (it may or may not be the one used on this site), but I find that quotation very expressive of one aspect of my own philosophy which I have attempted to articulate in this short essay:

Recognizing and Honoring the Light of Awareness

I have joined this community based on my appreciation of that quotation alone.  I have a hard-copy of the book (translated by Michael Wilson), but have not really begun reading it yet.  I'm hoping that interacting with folks here will provide the impetus to begin reading it in earnest.  In the meantime, I would be interested to know how (to your mind) my use of this quotation tracks with its implication for Steiner's overall philosophy of freedom.  Thank you for any feedback you care to offer.

Wayne

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  • Hi Wayne, I have a page of pre-1900 spiritual quotes by Steiner from The Philosophy Of Freedom and a few other sources here, What We Believe, link found on the STUDY GUIDE page. After 1900 Steiner went another direction with Theosophy and Christology. If you want to learn more about Steiner's Christology there is a group at Spiritual Science Online that centers on that.

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