It is important for today’s anthroposophists to fully recognize and appreciate the significant fact that the General Anthroposophical Society (established in 1923/4) is the first publically-registered, esoteric Christian institution in world history. In the past there have certainly been other esoteric Christian associations, such as the Knights of the Holy Grail and the Fraternity of the Rose Cross, but these were super-secretive organizations purposely kept hidden from public knowledge and scrutiny.

As an esoteric Christian institution, it is to be entirely expected that spiritual opposition would be vehemently mounted against the General Anthroposophical Society. From the very beginning of Christianity, powerful forces of spiritual darkness have actively opposed the salvational mission of Christ-Jesus to humanity. In the case of anthroposophy, opposition over the years has included the arson-burning of the Johannes-Bau building in Dornach, the non-lethal poisoning of Rudolf Steiner and the Nazi persecutions of the Second World War. Spiritual opposition, however, can also be much more covert, insidious and invisible.

Throughout mankind’s prehistoric past, the various associations and groupings of people were established entirely by archangelic folk-spirits. During that time, there was no such thing as a “free association of people” who would gather together by their own independent initiative. It was archangelic folk-spirits who determined families, tribes, communities and kingdoms based exclusively on hereditary blood-ties. As human beings increasingly developed a strong, individualized sense of self (ego-awareness), the folk-spirits gradually withdrew their organizing astral influence.

Presently, many human beings enjoy the democratic right of “free association,” the unobstructed ability to form associations based on their own free volition. While this appears to be a significant positive advancement in a broad social sense, in a particular spiritual sense, free association can invoke disastrous and detrimental consequences.

To supersensible perception, when groups of people gather together today (large or small), a vacant astral space opens up that was once occupied by a folk-spirit. As Aristotle first noted: “Nature abhors a vacuum;” that is, where there is a void, natural forces will automatically attempt to fill it. In the case of empty astral space, if it is not permeated with a benevolent spirit-being, it will be correspondingly filled with a malevolent spirit-being.

To those familiar with this superphysical state of affairs, then, when groups of people gather together today, the participants must deliberately invoke a benevolent spirit-being to permeate the meeting space, otherwise a malevolent spirit-being will automatically move in. Even though the folk-spirits of the past no longer determine modern-day associations of people, they will, however, continue to permeate the astral meeting space when voluntarily invited to do so. This is the esoteric significance of Christ-Jesus’ biblical admonition: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20)

The astral dynamics of group associations clearly explains why most business corporations today are thoroughly pathological institutions: greedy, self-centred, power-hungry, profit-driven, destructive and ruthless. Since most corporations have been created with the sole purpose of making money, they are predictably permeated with a malevolent ahrimanic spirit-being.

When today’s anthroposophical groups come together, then, it is crucially important that the meeting space is permeated with a benevolent spirit-being―particularly Christ-Jesus or St. Michael―otherwise a malevolent spirit-being will automatically fill the space. Over the years, by repeatedly forgetting or ignoring the important necessity of invoking Christ-Jesus (“gathering in his name”) in their meeting spaces, anthroposophists have unknowingly enabled one particular nefarious spirit-being to gain firm entry into anthroposophy. That being, not surprisingly, is Lucifer.

Lucifer has used this communal ‘doorway’ to ideologically transform “spiritual science” into a “modern-day Mystery religion.” This of course is a regressive step backwards to the pagan past that is intended to thwart the true Christ-impulse of anthroposophy. Luciferic influencing is serpentinely accomplished primarily within the human psyche (rather than externally in the sense-world). Consequently, unwary anthroposophists who fall prey to luciferic influencing in group gatherings are unconscious and unaware of what is taking place. Unfortunately at this time, Lucifer is so pervasive within the anthroposophical community that he has essentially become for many a “false spirit of anthroposophy,” supplanting the true spirit of anthroposophy―Christ-Jesus.

As modern civilization has become increasingly secular and materialistic in the 21^st century, a second false spirit of anthroposophy is becoming more active and thereby more noticeable to wary initiates. Distinct from the Lucifer-spirit who seductively influences the human astral body through false imaginations (picture-images), this second false spirit works through the human “double”―the spectral figure formed from our accumulated evil.

This second false spirit of anthroposophy is, of course, Ahriman (Satan). While Lucifer whispers sweet falsehoods into our astral ears, Ahriman openly speaks lies through our subconscious spectral-double. Two ahrimanic lies that are often heard spoken in anthroposophical gatherings these days are: (1) crossing the threshold and obtaining clairvoyant perception is easily accomplished through meditation, and (2) we all have different views concerning supersensible facts that must be encouraged in group discussion.

To anyone familiar with Rudolf Steiner’s clairvoyant research on the future incarnation of Ahriman, these two familiar lies come as no surprise. In the fourth lecture on “Lucifer and Ahriman,” given on 15 November 1919, Steiner presented a clear warning:

When Ahriman incarnates in the West at the appointed time, he would establish a great occult school for the practice of magic arts of the greatest grandeur, and what otherwise can be acquired only by strenuous effort would be poured over humankind.
… by means of these stupendous magic arts he would be able to make great numbers of human beings into seers—but in such a way that the clairvoyance of each individual would be strictly differentiated. What one person would see, a second and a third would not see. Confusion would prevail and in spite of being made receptive to clairvoyant wisdom, people would inevitably fall into strife on account of the sheer diversity of their visions … Human beings would succumb to Ahriman simply through not having acquired by their own efforts what Ahriman is ready and able to give them. No more evil advice could be given than to say: “Stay just as you are! Ahriman will make all of you clairvoyant if you so desire.”

By convincing unwary anthroposophists to believe that clairvoyant perception is easily achieved and different for everyone, Ahriman can further prepare for his future incarnation in the West. Even more disturbing is the possibility that if enough future anthroposophists succumb to these two lies, Ahriman could actually use the General Anthroposophical Society as his “great occult school.”

Needless to say, since these two “false spirits of anthroposophy” have been clearly identified by wary Christian initiates, the benevolent spirit-beings who guide anthroposophy―including Christ-Jesus, St. Michael, Christian Rosenkreutz, Master Zarathas and Rudolf Steiner―are not about to let Lucifer and Ahriman hijack anthroposophy for their own corrupt and iniquitous ends.