by Joop van Dam
The sixth exercise - Harmony
In the course of outlining the five exercises that have been dealt with, we haven’t discussed for how long one has to keep doing a given exercise for it to have a fruitful effect. In his book ‘How to gain insight into higher worlds’, Rudolf Steiner writes that the inner activity these exercises require, ultimately will lead to acquire qualities such as positivism, equanimity and the like. He also used to say, after explaining an exercise: ’And in the course of time that must become a habit’. It takes about a month to learn a new habit. Consequently, to begin with, each exercise can be practiced best over a period of four weeks.
Having discussed and practiced the five basic exercises, there is a sixth exercise. This consists of joining the previous exercises into a harmonious whole. You can focus on practicing two exercises for a while, for instance the third (the feeling exercise) and the fourth (positivity) which are interrelated. Alternatively you can take the first and the fifth, the thinking exercise and practicing equanimity and devote a month to this. In the course of time, the combinations can be expanded and that way the exercising gradually evolves into a comprehensive whole.
When you want to understand the sequence of the exercises, it helps if you look at how the exercises relate to time. Within long a first structure becomes visible. The first two exercises, those of thinking and willing, form a relationship with the past. The thinking exercises focus on utensils which are complete. They originated in the past; at some point in time somebody designed them. With your thinking you follow as it were the track back to the moment where they find their origin. The exercise of the will has a relationship with the past. You agreed beforehand with yourself on a moment when you would carry out the action. The exercise of the will is foremost an exercise which works with the element of time. You will notice that you will experience the different qualities of the day in a different manner. You connect yourself, in carrying out decisions you took in the past, with the current in time that flows from the past to the present. That is the time which can be calculated and controlled.
The feeling exercise, the third exercise, focuses on the present. Of the three forces of the soul, thinking, feeling and willing, it is our feeling that lives in the present. Feelings cannot be caught up with. They arise and grow in the actual situation – or not. The feeling exercise is connected to this: you have to catch the actual moment at which the encounter with the outer world, feelings arise and begin to develop. Catching that point in time is vested in taking control of unduly strong emotions, or in creating the inner space where tender feelings can grow. It is now or never with this exercise.
In practicing positivity we step into the future. Negative feelings which occur at the very moment they do and which you are aware of can challenge you to endure them for a little while, to tolerate them. In the given situation, you seek to endure and look for supplementary, complementary experiences. If you have found the positive element, it is possible to perceive the situation in a new way and embrace it. The extra effort has opened the way to the future; you can move on again.
Doing the positivity exercise and even more so with the exercise to develop having an open mind, help you enter into another time stream: the time that is coming towards you. The time flowing from out of the future originates in eternity; it is time that has no boundaries, time in which everything is still possible. Suddenly something unexpected happens, which ruins all the plans you’ve made. Now it matters that we look at the opportunities this new situation offers us. An illness, an appointment which is messed up due to a traffic jam, a surprising encounter, or some other external interference can mark the beginning of a new direction in our biography. At such a time it is crucial that you have the open-mindedness and the presence of mind needed to perceive the chances you are given and that you subsequently have the courage to head into a new direction; confident that when needed you will find the next directional sign on your way.
This way the five basic exercises are instruments which support you on your journey from the past, via the present, into the future. At the same time they create, when you combine the individual exercises into one, the capacity to connect the time coming from the past in a breathing relationship with the time which comes on your way with all the challenging opportunities this offers you.
The sixth exercise - Harmony
In the course of outlining the five exercises that have been dealt with, we haven’t discussed for how long one has to keep doing a given exercise for it to have a fruitful effect. In his book ‘How to gain insight into higher worlds’, Rudolf Steiner writes that the inner activity these exercises require, ultimately will lead to acquire qualities such as positivism, equanimity and the like. He also used to say, after explaining an exercise: ’And in the course of time that must become a habit’. It takes about a month to learn a new habit. Consequently, to begin with, each exercise can be practiced best over a period of four weeks.
Having discussed and practiced the five basic exercises, there is a sixth exercise. This consists of joining the previous exercises into a harmonious whole. You can focus on practicing two exercises for a while, for instance the third (the feeling exercise) and the fourth (positivity) which are interrelated. Alternatively you can take the first and the fifth, the thinking exercise and practicing equanimity and devote a month to this. In the course of time, the combinations can be expanded and that way the exercising gradually evolves into a comprehensive whole.
When you want to understand the sequence of the exercises, it helps if you look at how the exercises relate to time. Within long a first structure becomes visible. The first two exercises, those of thinking and willing, form a relationship with the past. The thinking exercises focus on utensils which are complete. They originated in the past; at some point in time somebody designed them. With your thinking you follow as it were the track back to the moment where they find their origin. The exercise of the will has a relationship with the past. You agreed beforehand with yourself on a moment when you would carry out the action. The exercise of the will is foremost an exercise which works with the element of time. You will notice that you will experience the different qualities of the day in a different manner. You connect yourself, in carrying out decisions you took in the past, with the current in time that flows from the past to the present. That is the time which can be calculated and controlled.
The feeling exercise, the third exercise, focuses on the present. Of the three forces of the soul, thinking, feeling and willing, it is our feeling that lives in the present. Feelings cannot be caught up with. They arise and grow in the actual situation – or not. The feeling exercise is connected to this: you have to catch the actual moment at which the encounter with the outer world, feelings arise and begin to develop. Catching that point in time is vested in taking control of unduly strong emotions, or in creating the inner space where tender feelings can grow. It is now or never with this exercise.
In practicing positivity we step into the future. Negative feelings which occur at the very moment they do and which you are aware of can challenge you to endure them for a little while, to tolerate them. In the given situation, you seek to endure and look for supplementary, complementary experiences. If you have found the positive element, it is possible to perceive the situation in a new way and embrace it. The extra effort has opened the way to the future; you can move on again.
Doing the positivity exercise and even more so with the exercise to develop having an open mind, help you enter into another time stream: the time that is coming towards you. The time flowing from out of the future originates in eternity; it is time that has no boundaries, time in which everything is still possible. Suddenly something unexpected happens, which ruins all the plans you’ve made. Now it matters that we look at the opportunities this new situation offers us. An illness, an appointment which is messed up due to a traffic jam, a surprising encounter, or some other external interference can mark the beginning of a new direction in our biography. At such a time it is crucial that you have the open-mindedness and the presence of mind needed to perceive the chances you are given and that you subsequently have the courage to head into a new direction; confident that when needed you will find the next directional sign on your way.
This way the five basic exercises are instruments which support you on your journey from the past, via the present, into the future. At the same time they create, when you combine the individual exercises into one, the capacity to connect the time coming from the past in a breathing relationship with the time which comes on your way with all the challenging opportunities this offers you.
