update 19-8-2016 John Harris (JvH fan)

John Harris

19 augustus

Motivation and Perception

JvH is a humble individual who values her privacy, and this privacy will be honored.. However she has become a public figure and as thus, a subject of speculation, especially given the 'psychic' phenomenology of the stigmata and her link to Anthroposophy. A natural question regards her motivation in 'going public', initially in a series of lectures, followed by the book 'Raised' which details her experiences and revelations. "The specific reason for the first lectures was the stigmatization of Judith von Halle occurring at Passiontide 2004....There are basically two prevailing tendencies when a judgement is made in relation to the phenomena of stigmatization. The facts are simply either denied or described as a sheer miracle.Here the attempt will be made on the basis of the spiritual-scientific knowledge of Rudolf Steiner to come at least to a preliminary understanding of the inexhaustable depths of this phenomena and and its decisive influence on the course of destiny...
Also"....the events of the life of Christ-the turning point in world history-experienced as a consequence of the stigmatization are described and explored by means of spiritual-scientific knowledge.Tied to this is the hope, and this is also an important reason for publication in book form, that these lectures may stimulate the reader to reflect patiently and repeatedly upon the Mystery of Golgotha, and to enter into an ever more close relationship to the Christ impulse." (Peter Tradwosky)

JvH comments further on her choice to deliver and publish her lectures..."The answer is not easy to give and it was a long, inner journey before coming to the decision to publish.....

.."many people who had heard or would have liked to have heard the lectures approached me with the request for a transcript. In addition, over time another aspect emerged:speculation and rumor-mongering, due primarily to inadequate awareness, arose as the news of my fate spread through the Anthroposophical movement and resulted, to some extent to my person being identified with the occurrence of the stigmatization...

...."The hope I have above all...is that consideration may be given to that which I place at the heart of my efforts to achieve through psychic and spiritual contemplation of the most decisive and fateful event.in the development of mankind a living and truthful relationship to the contemporary Christ. This alone is capable of being each single individual's most precious treasure and will be the quiet source of all selfless love and sympathy....

...."After several months of hiding the Stigmatization as well as a period of inner conflict and struggle over how to deal with the events in a dignified way, the decision was made to hold an internal presentation within the membership..."(JvH)

The first lectures provided explanation of both empiric and spiritual scientific understanding of stigmata as well as reference to Steiner's lecture cycle 'From Jesus to Christ'(Ga 131)

"But....Underlying the details...was another kind of psychic and spiritual experience than the direct perceptions of thr life of Christ.The other kind of spiritual experience encompases potentially every area imaginable. It is not connected to the phenomena of the stigmatizations, but was already present before it. It can be described as a psychic and spiritual awareness beyond the threshold to the spiritual world....

"There are two reasons though why I have now decided to say something about this spiritual awareness....some individuals had apparently had difficulties determining which statements originated from Rudolf Steiner and which ones from me. The confusion increased as these individuals sought vainly in Rudolf Steiner's Complete Works for details about the subjects dealt with."(JvH)

Careful reading clearly reveals distinctions between their separate spiritual research, and these distinctions are indicative of the depth of her spiritual perceptions, perhaps the only Rosicrucian initiate approaching Steiner's level of insight."The necessity demanded by Rudolf Steiner of speaking about truths one has lived through, the spiritual knowledge connected with them, and of describing them as well as possible was for me also a necessity.....
...The authentic experience of the events of the life of Christ caused by receiving the stigmata is radically different in its entire nature from the esoteric knowledge...which is only possible for someone living after the development of anthroposophical spiritual science....

...that which can be called the path of spiritual science was central to my life long before receiving the stigmata....I was already aware in a quite natural way of the cosmic home where my being arose...."
JvH, Berlin 2005

Future discussion will be posted on 'Steiner, von Halle and Stigmata