When discussing spiritual development, we all agree that improving morality is a prerequisite for esoteric knowledge. However, in practice, we are often tempted to believe we are the exception while criticising immorality in others. Weaponising spiritual knowledge to point the finger is the worst outcome of this temptation. Alternatively, if we genuinely choose to begin improving ourselves morally, we may not always know where to start. As a biography work practitioner specialising in the darker aspects of human nature, I have seen that few people, even long-time Anthroposophists, possess clear notions about Lucifer and Ahriman. They often cannot distinguish between Luciferic and Ahrimanic tendencies within their own souls, how these manifest in daily life, or how to address them. For this reason, I decided to offer some relatable examples in a series of upcoming posts to assist our community and anyone interested in esoteric development in taking even a small step towards self-knowledge.

For today’s example, let’s consider a situation most of us are familiar with or have experienced ourselves. Suppose a dear friend comes to us one day and shares something about themselves that we haven’t heard before — something they’ve been going through for a long time and they haven’t told anyone else. The only reason they’re sharing it now is that they are desperate. The specific details of the situation are not crucial; we can imagine scenarios such as an abusive spouse, a mortgage overdue, a forced evacuation, addiction, a calamity, a chronic painful disease, confrontation with poverty and death, or similar hardships. For our exercise, we need to portray a good friend revealing a long-standing suffering we had no idea they endured, and seeking our humanity by sharing their story.

I will give you an example of a common (predominantly) Luciferic reaction and a common (predominantly) Ahrimanic reaction that might occur in us when we hear the news. They are not extreme reactions; they are normal human responses that each of us has likely experienced. We have all done this in the course of our lives, either the first, the second, or both. However, on an esoteric path, one must confront these small immoralities within ourselves with awareness, as they might prevent passing the Guardian of the Threshold.

An example of a common Luciferic reaction to someone sharing a difficult situation is “Oh, you poor thing…” followed by an array of possible solutions to fix the issue: “Have you tried this, that and the other?”, or even worse, “You know what you should do?”. In psychology, this is called premature problem-solving, and it is recognised as a form of emotional invalidation.

Let’s analyse the reaction and understand why this is Luciferic. We start by asking: “If my friend, a person who stirs within me feelings of love and joy, who was there with me for better or worse, whom I know and trust, spends days and nights, months, and years in a situation, and they can’t find a solution for themselves, what is it in me that makes me believe I possess infinite wisdom and spiritual power to immediately eradicate my friend’s suffering by finding a solution so brilliant, yet so quick, that it enlightens my mind faster than thunder?” Once we put it this way, we immediately realise: It is Lucifer.

Lucifer, as an archetype, doesn’t comprehend suffering. He created his own paradise, where he abolished suffering and pain. For Lucifer, Christ’s deeds of becoming human, suffering, and dying crucified among criminals are completely puzzling. A Luciferic being will mock suffering, ignore it, or attempt to “fix” it. They will always seek comfort and happiness. Lucifer is simply cold and unempathetic when it comes to other people’s suffering. Therefore, just like that, in less than three seconds, a Luciferic being within us, the microcosmic representative of Lucifer, denies our friends’ suffering, along with the experience, potential wisdom, and spiritual gifts that come from it. It is simply “uncomfortable.”

Another thing that Lucifer excels at is teaching and preaching. For a long time, Lucifer has been humanity’s most luminous teacher. Lucifer possesses many extraordinary gifts, and one of them is his remarkable wisdom. Luciferic beings share, of course, their source’s wisdom, but they are also irritating when they offer it to others. A Luciferic being will immediately try to teach everyone, forcing them into a discipleship they didn’t sign up for. Luciferically inclined people are inspired, creative, and physically attractive, and they will always look for a stage, sometimes even when the theatre is closed. They immediately position themselves above everyone else, offer ideas and unsolicited advice, and take offence if others don’t follow it. “No one listens to me; if only people would listen to me. “… This is just the surface of an apparently innocent Luciferic reaction.

If you notice any of these reactions in yourself when someone is sharing their suffering, the first thing to start with in correcting it is to reconnect to your humanity, to your human vulnerability. Asking, “How can I help?” instead of giving insensitive advice is the first step. Second, listen and stay with the uncomfortable feelings your friend’s story stirred up in you. Later, when you are alone, you can recall a difficult moment in your life. How did the people around you react to your suffering? What did you need from them then, above everything? What was useful from what was offered to you?

Most of the time in these situations, people don’t need outsourced smart solutions. They need encouragement to find the courage to walk through the experience. They need support and compassion. “You are not alone in this, my friend. I am with you every step of the way. I got you.” In situations like this, we can become representatives of Christ instead of becoming representatives of Lucifer or Ahriman.

To the other pole, a common Ahrimanic reaction in our example is to slightly panic and fear at the hearing of the uncomfortable situation, followed by a quick mental calculation and evaluation of self-discomfort, with the result of telling our friend, even before they finish their story, a little lie: “You could have stayed with us for a few days, but unfortunately we are out of town/the children are sick/my in-laws are visiting.” This reaction occurs when the Ahrimanic beings of one’s Double mobilise in calculating and “pricing” what the friend’s situation or the mere narration of the situation means financially or just emotionally for us. We may not have been good at maths or economics in school, but the Ahrimanic beings in us are great economists and risk evaluators. In less than a second, the Ahrimanic Double has already calculated how much offering help would “cost” us in money and comfort and decided it’s not worth it; or they might assess that the whole situation is just a huge discomfort.

Ahriman, as an archetype, is the head of the World Bank. Of course, I mean this metaphorically, but here is the truth in it: Ahriman (Satan) is the one who tempted Christ in the desert to turn the stones (matter) into bread (life). We know from Rudolf Steiner’s comments on the Gospels that the entire scene refers to the use of money through which Ahriman infiltrated himself as an intermediary of life. As a high spiritual being newly descended to Earth, Christ didn’t know anything about it, and His surprise at what Ahriman was showing Him created a small debt for humanity to Ahriman. Only humans can reverse the process and unbind the life Ahriman has bound into materialism (stones) through money.

Returning to our example, stinginess as an Ahrimanic trait of the soul can’t be solved in one day, but there are solutions. I can offer you what I practice myself whenever I feel a certain “uneasiness” about offering money: When you are asked for donations and don’t feel like giving any, even if you clearly see the need, instead of creating excuses for yourself in your mind, just force yourself to give a small amount anyway. I know it’s hard, but just give something symbolic whenever you decide you won’t participate. Rule above yourself, and force your egotism a bit further. And when you want to offer a small donation to someone, and you are happy with the amount you decided to offer, force yourself to offer a bit more than you were initially comfortable offering.

This practice has miraculous forces. Initially, you feel you’ll cry for the money you gave away, but once they are out there, you won’t even notice them. What happens instead is that you liberate yourself, piece by piece, from the Ahrimanic prison of karmic debt, and it’s worth every penny. One day, you might even observe how all the money you offered just finds a mysterious way back to you: it will come back like lost animals when you don’t expect them. At the Christmas Conference, after defending the 12 schillings, Rudolf Steiner offered the image: one hand raised high to the ideal, and the other deep in the pocket.

Ahriman is the father of lies, although he doesn’t always lie. For an Ahrimanic being, what is important is to realise its purpose by all means. If telling the truth does it, Ahriman will tell the truth. He will, of course, mock a lot, but he will say it if nothing stands in his way. If twisting the truth helps, he will tell half-truths. But he can also create an infinity of beings of lie. We are surrounded by beings of lie; it’s the substance from which Maya is created. Every little insincerity we tell ourselves, or others, puts a heavy stone against our spiritual development.

As you can see, only in this last example are there three distinct types of Ahrimanic beings: beings of fear, of avarice and of lie.

The way to deal with Ahriman morally is having a good reason, the right thinking. First, it is essential not to make judgements and suppositions before the facts. In our example, the whole situation was triggered by a wrong supposition: “what if they ask for money/a place to stay, etc.”, or “what if the norms of friendship require me to step up as a friend, thus losing my comfort”. This wrong thought immediately triggered fear (fear of losing comfort, time, or resources, fear of the situation, an unconscious fear for one’s own survival, etc.), which led to an Ahrimanic mobilisation. We learn that a simple mistake in our thinking opens the door for an Ahrimanic army.

None of these reactions that hit close to home makes anyone a bad person. Not even a medieval Catholic Church would punish anyone for so little. But on the esoteric path, it is important to make such observations.

Let me know in the comments if this example was helpful and what you would like to read next.

I recognise you

I AM

Alexandra Vasilache