looking forward

with Absolute Equanimity

A verse for our times

We must eradicate from the soul
All fear and terror of what comes towards us out of the future.

We must acquire serenity
In all feelings and sensations about the future.

We must look forward with absolute equanimity
To everything that may come.

And we must think only that whatever comes
Is given to us by a world-directive full of wisdom.

It is part of what we must learn in this age,
namely, to live out of pure trust,
Without any security in existence.

Trust in the ever present help
Of the spiritual world.

Truly, nothing else will do
If our courage is not to fail us.

And let us seek the awakening from within ourselves
Every morning and every evening.

—Rudolf Steiner

Image: Kindra Nikole

I am an Earth-centered anthroposophist. Cosmically striving. Because of this, I read a lot of lectures by Steiner. I incorporate his insights into my life. In my work with kids and their parents. Education is one of many systems that he re-newed, enlivened, transformed during the early 1900’s. From out of this was born Waldorf. Different folks look at it in different ways. At its core is a philosophical -spiritual -scientific system called Anthroposophy: knowledge of the nature of human beings -from anthropo + Sophia Wisdom. I dig it. I actually geek out on Steiner’s lectures. Currently exploring his occult lectures on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

Rudolf Steiner was a mystic, a mathematician, a scientist -Croatian —living in Germany during a time in which Fascism was Rising like a plague. He lived during a time when many folks had a very Cartesian point of view on the world. Materialism mattered to many -seeing the world of the material only -discounting anything beyond this as fluff. He lived during a time in which there was also a renaissance of occult study and spiritualism. Where the Spiritual world mattered and folks wanted to explore it in different ways. His path for many was a path of spiritual science -exploring the world of spirit through a scientific orientation. There were (and still are) daily practices, meditations, aspects of the self to strengthen in order to see more clearly. To strive towards this word I love, but this word which is often so out of reach equanimity in thought, word, deed, heart.

For me, Anthroposophy is a map. To the many questions and longings I have had and continue to have on my journey of becoming. I know without a doubt that I am more than a mineral body/physical body. I also have an etheric body, which is different than my physical/bones/mineral body. Etheric body is my life force -that which keeps my heart beating, my lungs working. I’m tethered to it and my physical body when I sleep, or I would be dead. I also have an astral body -a complex part of myself which is sympathetic/antipathetic to things. My emotions. My dreaming body. My soul body. And then there is my mental body/ego body -Ego in the highest sense but of course with its shadow aspects. All of these things make me a human being.

Being human is more than simply being a body. There is a vast and mysterious, known/unknown world of spirit and there are MANY different systems which teach us how to navigate this, integrate this, read this, understand this, walk with this in our day to day lives.

If I only saw the world through the lens of materialism, I would be terrified, hardened, cold, disconnected, isolated and more. Seeing the world as multifaceted -with a vast unknown spiritual wisdom orchestrating along side all the things I could name as EVIL, gives me greater commitment to being here -gives me greater faith -gives me greater strength.

In today’s Substack, brought to you from my little nook at the Trident Bookstore/Coffeeshop in Boulder, CO, I am leading with the verse that Steiner wrote 100 years ago -but which came out of the rising terror of fascism and change sweeping over Germany at the time of his life 100 years ago. 100 years ago, we saw WW2 and Fascism. We also saw a slow, steady uprising of change makers (perhaps gathered in secret, perhaps hidden from view) of which Steiner was an integral guide. He saw into the spiritual world unlike any other teacher/mentor guide I have studied. He read the Akashic library. He saw into the future. This might sound like a big claim of a human being. I have studied his life and works for over a decade, I have implemented his teachings and inspirations into my practice for that amount of time too, and I feel strongly that there is grounded, applicable, practical wisdom to apply to our own lives through the spiritual lens of Anthroposophy. To me, this verse sums up where we are currently standing at this crossroads of our own lives. It feels to me that many of us are standing at a threshold —seeing the dangerous changes sweeping through (politically, environmentally, and more) not only the US but everywhere. We are all seeing more and more of the world’s darkness come into view. It’s harder to see the beauty and the light on some days (I assure you it is there) but it is quite easy to see a steady stream of near-apocalyptic stories every single day.

I can’t keep up with the amount of chaos and strife, suffering and anxiety, terror and unpredictability the world is navigating. It’s always been a part of our human threads, but it is so amplified right now. Since January, I feel I’ve been journeying inside the Tower card from the Tarot -witnessing the rug get pulled out from under me, my community, the land where I work, the greater world at large.

Image: Kim Krans Wild Unknown Tarot

Typically, the Tower card shows a Medieval looking Tower, struck by lightning, alight on fire, bricks beginning to fall, and two humans being thrown from the windows. The tower is unpredictable, shocking, pull the rug out from under us CHANGE with all caps. I think this version of the mighty redwood tree illustrates the symbolic feeling of the card. One catalytic strike and POW life is not the same as it was a minute ago.

So what do we do? What are you doing to stay grounded -to stay rooted in the truth of your own human being-ness but also connecting more deeply to the truth of the spiritual world? Are you feeling equanimity because of and despite the changes barreling through? Do you have a disciplined, grounded practice? Are you doing it? Chop wood, carry water. What grounds you, supports you, nourishes you during times of change? how is your physical body navigating the changes happening to you and to your community if you too, are in a state of transition? How is your life force body? How is your emotional body? How is your mental body? What is there —beyond you —trying to reach to you from across the bridge between the worlds -spiritual wisdom, truth, insight, messages, to support you on your path right now, to guide you more deeply into Self, into relationship to the beyond just human world. In a grounded, balanced way?

What is EQUANIMITY for you? Equanimity —from Latin —aequus, meaning ‘even level” and “animus” meaning “mind” “spirit”. It is characterized by the ability to remain calm, composed, open and non reactive in the face of challenging or distressing situations.

Some simple things to build more equanimity:

1. drink lots of water.

2. exercise

3. meditate on a mundane object 5 minutes a day -for a month -close your eyes -picture in your mind a pencil, or a spoon, and one by one with your thoughts, build a picture of it. for five minutes a day, for 30 days. It will CHANGE your thinking.

Try it as an experiment. 5 minutes is no big deal. How many 5 minutes do you waste in your life? I waste many! Commit to something mundane on your spiritual path -you don’t have to have another Ayahuasca trip to transform. In fact, doing the mundane spiritual practices has SO MUCH to offer to us at this time. The long, slow, arduous daily practices make time. Like having a sit spot for more than a year -where you sit in the same spot in nature, day after day, through the changing seasons, noticing, sensing. 5, 10, 15 minutes a day. Even that practice over time will change your life.

30 days later, transform your will with a 30 day activity in which you do a strange, unimportant task the same time each day. For example -take all the books off your bookshelf in the morning at 6 am. Put them back at 6pm. This too will transform your life.

Maybe you have a habit to quit. I just quit sugar, wheat, coffee and started running round the lake. I took social media off my phone. You don’t have to take the sword to everything in your life -I was ready for a massive change and these changes are feeling AMAZING in my body, mind, spirit, soul.

You can do it. However small or big. We are small but mighty. We have power within us that is part of us but is also beyond us. Call it God, Mucka Wucka, Creator, Allah….there is a source beyond you, beyond me, beyond us, beyond the material that has a wisdom and direction all its own. Trust it.

Read the above verse for our times every night and every morning.

Fake it till you make it.

You can also reach out for a spiritual/intuitive Tarot reading. I’m only available Friday's and Saturdays. Some days after 2pm Mountain. Carve a little time for the Self, for the Soul -to listen for the wisdom of the Self, the Soul, reflected back to you through symbols, archetypes, messages. Reducing my rates $75 - $225/reading USD sliding Scale.

Message me by replying to this newsletter if you want to schedule. It’s simple. Let’s make direct contact. I’m here for you. I’m also in the vast unknown with you.

There is more chaos to come. There is more mystery unfolding.

We’ve got this. Really. One step at a time. In vulnerability. In strength.

In faith, in love, in trust—

Stasha

Image: Katerina Plotnikova