Rudolf Steiner and Peter Deunov

This is a fascinating and brilliant book on the parallel lives of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) and Peter Deunov (1864-1944) as esoteric Christ-centred mystics and cultural reformers. The author is a Dutch cultural historian fluent in many European languages, including Bulgarian. The three parts are devoted to their biographies, the development of their spiritual schools, and a broader consideration of the significance of the anthroposophical movement and the White Brotherhood. I am more familiar with Deunov, although a mentor Norman Cockburn gave me the complete works of Steiner in the 1970s – along with those of Jung and Swedenborg. The most important common theme running through the book is the co-operation of head and heart, where the author argues that Deunov’s path is from heart to head, while anthroposophy goes from head to heart. It is clear to me that cultural renaissance must involve the wisdom of the heart in order to restore the imbalance in our culture – and it was for this reason that Deunov called himself a prophet of a culture of love and emphasised the role of women in this respect – even in bringing an end to war.

It is interesting to note that both men experienced serious illnesses around the age of 20, something that also happened to Goethe – whose scientific works Steiner famously edited - and this proved to be a spiritual turning point. John Barnes remarks (Goethe and the Power of Rhythm) that ‘it was a breakthrough to deeper spiritual sources of his being.’ (p. 19) The biographies are full of informative detail and contemporary photos – both men felt forces and energies working within them and experienced significant initiations. Deunov felt the Spirit of Truth operating through him, while Steiner was more attuned to the archangel Michael and Christian Rosenkreutz and spoke about the possibility of receiving an imprint of the Jesus-I. I was interested to read about the influence of Nietzsche on Steiner’s ethical individualism, although he also thought that Nietzsche’s last works were expressions of the spirit of darkness, Ahriman, who is associated with our entrapment in mechanistic materialism. Deunov’s second significant initiation in 1897 happened in the company of his father – an Orthodox priest – who perceived Christ in a bright light around his son. The powerful 1899 Testimonies (pp. 57-8) were new to me, and in the same year Deunov received The Good Prayer, ‘dictated to him by the Holy Spirit.’ This is a prayer I say every day.

The creation of their spiritual schools followed very different processes, with Steiner affiliated to the Theosophical Society until he broke away to form Anthroposophy. Steiner developed distinctive series on different themes, while Deunov’s approach was more spontaneous, although he had a number of different schools operating, one meeting at 5 AM during the winter. Both men were also attacked by orthodoxy, and the destruction by fire of Steiner’s Goetheanum at the end of 1922 was a huge drain on his health as his ‘life forces were connected to this building.’ This seems to be a contributory factor to his early death in 1925. In 1910, Deunov began to elaborate his symbol of the pentagram – love, wisdom, truth, justice and goodness – which was later manifest as the final part of his Paneurhythmy sacred dance. The First Balkan then World Wars had a significant disruptive effect, but the spiritual work continued, even if complicated by personal relationships between some followers. Deunov had a conversation with the Prime Minister in 1922, and they both agreed that the Church needed reform and did not appeal to younger people. Around this time, he began to take his followers into the mountains, and in 1929 the first Summer Camp in the Seven Lakes region of the Rila Mountains took place.

At one point, Deunov had plans to become a Methodist minister, and even studied to this end in the United States. This had an influence on him developing many different methods for spiritual unfoldment, and also for improving health. An accomplished violinist, he composed over 200 songs, as well as the music for the Paneurhythmy. Steiner was aware of Deunov, and advised his own student Boyan Boev to return to Bulgaria, where he became one of Deunov’s closest disciples, transcribing many lectures. Both schools were practical and esoteric, providing templates for cultural renewal, a process that is still ongoing in a transition towards the Age of Light.

Harrie covers seven common key themes: ‘the development of the cosmos, involution and evolution, the return of Christ, the development of consciousness, the new culture of community, the connection of head and heart, the paths of schooling.’ (p. 149) This provides many significant insights into the teachings, which are highly relevant to our time. Deunov stated that advanced spirits will either come as a blessing that renovates the contemporary order or, if this is not possible, ‘they will come with a catastrophe that destroys everything from the foundations, after which the building will begin completely anew. You must not be afraid of this possibility.’ (p. 163) Steiner also gave lectures in 1921 on the spirits of light and darkness, where he explained that human evolution is cyclical, requiring destruction before rebirth. It seems to me that we are now living through this period where we must come to serve the whole, the common good. (p. 171) We are even now acquiring a stronger sense of interconnectedness – of the One Life and the One Mind.

Community is an important theme in the new social order, providing a practical context for common inner and outer work on our capacities for thinking and feeling, leading to refinement of the personality primarily through the energies of Light and Love. With his detailed knowledge of both traditions, Harrie has written an inspiring and hugely informative book that invites us to evolve our true humanity at a time when the seductions of transhumanism threaten to annihilate it. It is critical for us to remain connected with the spiritual worlds, and both of these teachers provide significant guidance in this respect.