Notes from Tuesday's Anthroposophy Lecture

The Fourfold Human Being

-We're all the same, but all different

humanity-race-nation-family-self
-we often make judgements based on the first four, stopping before we know the person's self

1. Heredity
-appearance
-abilities
2. Conditioning
-influence from parents/environment/social class/education
3. Reincarnation
-your spirit body comes in and out of the world

Mineral: no cyclical rhythm, inorganic

Plant: cyclical, organic, evolving

Animal: parent/child relationship, evolution, cyclical

Human: has roots in non-material place, evolves by making something out of life on earth and using it in next life (Karma)

4. Zodiac
-animal circle
-the "I" is outside the animal, "looking down" so to speak, the ego never comes to earth, so animals are pure, unburdened. But every animal has personality, preferences, character, and are certainly not inferior to humans (perhaps they're better, we can envy them in some respects)

Questions: can cows reincarnate? Can a palm tree? Where is the line?

I LOVE ANTHROPOSOPHY. But I'm chewin' on it, don't worry.