The Quotes of Rudolf Steiner

Born: 2/25/1861 12:00:00 AM Died: 3/30/1925 12:00:00 AM

Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility—these three forces are the very nerve of education.

Whoever seeks higher knowledge must create it for himself. He must instill it into his soul. It cannot be done by study; it can only be done through life. Whoever, therefore, wishes to become a student of higher knowledge must assiduously cultivate this inner life of devotion. Everywhere in his environment and his experiences he must seek motives of admiration and homage. If I meet a man and blame him for his shortcomings, I rob myself of power to attain higher knowledge; but if I try to enter lovingly into his merits, I gather such power. The student must continually be intent upon following this advice. The spiritually experienced know how much they owe to the circumstance that in face of all things they ever again turn to the good, and withhold adverse judgement. But this must not remain an external rule of life; rather it must take possession of our innermost soul.

All knowledge pursued merely for the enrichment of personal learning and the accumulation of personal treasure leads you away from the path; but all knowledge pursued for growth to ripeness within the process of human ennoblement and cosmic development brings you a step forward.

Freemasonry, as a tradition, is built on the spoken word. It is a mystic tradition that has been passed down from lip to hear across the centuries. It acknowledges the power of language to transform the mind of the individual and even the course of history itself. Throughout history, great changes in civilizations and the rise and fall of empires have depended on a few words, spoken into the right ear at the right time. Freemasonry places great importance on remembering the thoughts of our ancestors. It is from these thoughts that we can learn how to navigate the maze of life and avoid the pitfalls that have entrapped the unfortunate. The Masons below have all contributed to the wisdom of the world and we have selected a small portion of their knowledge to be shared here to inspire, uplift and educate.