Materialism and Spiritualism: a cleavage reconciled

Reviewing a series of lectures by Rudolf Steiner titled True and False Paths in Spiritual Investigation, it reminded me in so many ways of the dichotomy between what is at times referred to as faith and reason (as a friend also reminded me), and of how this materialism versus spiritualism also finds its reconcialiation as the two become appropriately internalised and equally valued.

Reflecting on this, an internet search yielded this wonderful opening paragraph:

• There are two false paths: the path of materialism and the path of spiritualism. In the former, the material world is considered to be the only reality and all else is illusion; in the latter the spiritual world is considered to be the only reality and all else is illusion. Each of these approaches to reality is like a chariot driver powering his chariot with only one horse. The materialist driver places one horse on the left and moves in counter-clockwise circles. The spiritualist driver places one horse on the right and moves in clockwise circles. Each one is like a dog chasing its own tail. They use up a lot of energy to stay in the same place and make no progress. Only if humanity harnesses two horses to its chariot will any progress be made straight away. The two horses are materialistic investigation and spiritual investigation -- harnessed in the right way, these two will move forward the chariot of humankind into a future that is worth having.
  
  'For reality can be apprehended only by the person who is able to reinforce the remarkable discoveries which the natural and historical sciences have added to our stock of knowledge in recent times with insight derived from the spiritual world.'
  
  True & False Paths in Spiritual Investigation, p 23

Obviously the image of the Chariot is here depicted... but the whole sequence, from the first card with the Magician/Basteleur to the end of the 'lower' series with the Hermit can in fact be viewed as this very struggle in the dichotomy.

The Magician/Basteleur depicts precisely the state in which materialistic science must proceed - describing all it cannot account for as illusory. This contrasts with the next card, in which the revelatory spiritual attributes, whether formally transcribed in sacred text or orally transmitted, make of the material world but itself illusory. This is somewhat reconciled in the Empress - especially as mother of the land, but without the understanding of conscious thought which arises yet again in extreme form in the Emperor, ruler over the material realms at his disposal. Contradicting, and with their backs turned to each other, the Pope follows, who again speaks the words of Spiritual striving - often at the cost of due recognition of the material realm.

Finally, the individual is faced with that choice. Having seen the beauty in each, will the Lover choose one over the other... or, far more difficultly, allow each its scope, becoming a Charioteer drawn by the two reconciling impulses...

As such, Justice manifests, with both the ecclecsiastical spiritual Sword and the balance of presenting each and every minute point, setting it on its proper scale. Later, this can be internalised in true repose, with the elderly being able to shed light on both the spiritual and the material quest...

Thank you for that jmd. Although it's late & I'm incapable of producing intelligent commentary, I do feel enriched for having read your paragraphs. This is a subject that I've been thinking about quite a bit lately--'material & spiritual as one'--a phrase that just popped off the page of Rachel Pollack's book on Haindl several months ago, & that's been pursuing me ever since. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one!

You wrote: "Later, this [balance] can be internalized in true repose, with the elderly being able to shed light on both the spiritual and the material quest." --The T. of the Old Path Hermit in my opinion is a wonderful expression of this. --With, you know, Virgin of Guadalupe overtones (another wonderful expression, of the same thing, I think.)

This is really amazing, Jean-Michel. Your explanation amends the well-known teaching metaphor used in the Gurdjieff tradition by at least one horse! What an additional perspective. Thanks!

→ The Horse, The Carriage, and the Driver

The Chariot is a powerful image in many decks..... it is a powerful concept.... for those beasties, those horse could literally tear the chariot apart!

In the Thoth deck, the 'driver' holds the wheel of fortune...and, he is in a meditative state. I love that image because it emphasizes the importance of the spiritual within/among/creating the material....... Much like the practice of Akido.... being mindful while participating in 'reality'......

The two worlds really cannot exist separately.... THAT is the illusion!! It cannot be either/or.... it is only a matter of AWARENESS.........

Mindfulness is merely the practice of realizing that!

As such, Justice manifests, with both the ecclecsiastical spiritual Sword and the balance of presenting each and every minute point, setting it on its proper scale. Later, this can be internalised in true repose, with the elderly being able to shed light on both the spiritual and the material quest...

Click to expand...

And of course once you've balanced the Spiritual and Material through the first nine cards you have the infinitely spinning Wheel of Fortune...

Thanks for that very intuitive way of looking at the Major Arcana, jmd.

I would suggest that the next eleven cards continue with a "mental/internal" version of that same dichotomy??

The next series, from XI to XVIIII, precisely, in my view, represents the inner aspects of the outer one represented by the first nine.

In fact, I view the X-th (Wheel) as indicating a turn to the inner, followed by X-I until X-VIIII showing the corresponding inner development which, correspondingly, I through to VIIII illustrates, which is followed by XX, a re-turn to the outer, followed by the integrated full human being (XX-I), which shows its face to the external world as a Fool...

A number of other threads have touched on this, by the way:

• Tarot's Internal Structure, The Sun: [...], Personal paths

I of course so much (personally) agree that the various 'worlds' are not separate...

And I certainly had not made any connections with Gurdieff, so thank you

OOOOOOOO, i like that concept, jmd, and thank you for the threads to peruse.....

And it is wondrous and not accidental, that the Fool is a zero.... for, to me, as Diana enlightened me.... is pure Mindfulness.... for me, the Fool, is the goal...... (the perfect blend of material and spiritual..... Balance....)