Ahrimanic Influences of Gondhishapur and the Three Tablets

GA 266III — 16 April 1922, London

Esoteric Lesson

In London, on Sunday morning, April 16, 1922, Dr. Steiner held an esoteric lecture. (All those who had received personal meditations from Rudolf Steiner were admitted.) The lecture took place in the branch room of the Zarathustra Group, founded by Mr. Heywood-Smith and led for many years by Mrs. Drury-Lavin, at 47 Radcliffe Square, London SW. Rudolf Steiner had given his lectures on Michael and the new Christ event in the same room on May 1 and 2, 1913.

In this esoteric lesson, Rudolf Steiner spoke very seriously about the school of Gondhishapur and the strong Ahrimanic influence associated with it that is affecting our time. The lecture culminated in the first and third of the “three tablets” [see pp. 499-505], which were spoken in some of the last class lessons (until the beginning of August 1924) in Dornach (O man, know thyself and the answer that man himself speaks. The E.D.N., 1.C.M., P.S.S.R. was woven into this answer). Those present were allowed to copy down the meditation sayings afterwards and keep them.