A lecture by Carol Kelly  summarized from notes by Diana Haynes

The first Christian Communities after Christ, still had the glow of the Resurrected One all around them. They also came out of a “folk soul” or group consciousness, which allowed for a certain amount of common understanding. Even so, they were not without strife. Paul had to admonish them many times to strive for peace and harmony among one another.

From Acts 2: “And devoutly they tended the teachings of the apostles, the celebration of communion, the breaking of bread and the prayers. All souls were filled by the awareness of the nearness of God. Many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And all who found the faith practiced community in all things. They sold their belongings and shared the proceeds among each other, according to the needs of each individual. They determined to be together in the sanctuary day by day. They tended the breaking of the bead from house to house and received the gift with rejoicing and inwardness of heart. They praised God and carried the touch of the Spirit further to all people. And the Lord allowed the community to grow, day by day, of those who were touched by his healing power. “

Today we are far from this ideal. Today the ego and sense of the importance of our individuality reigns supreme to such an extent that our likes, dislikes and preferences are catered to by marketers with 66 different versions of coffee! We have to teach tolerance to children in school because they live in a world where adults can barely tolerate each other. Nation against nation and even families can’t stay together. So, I ask; Does the Consciousness Soul stand in opposition to Community? Do we have to give up our individuality today to achieve community; as the monks of the early Christian age did? What can we do, as ego individualities in freedom, to create community today? According to Rudolf Steiner, we must create “a culture of insightful, selflessness in freedom.”

The monastic life of early Christian times, required utter self denial, but through them the word of God and the sacraments were preserved. All educated culture, literacy, music, medicine, institutionalized mercy or hospitals and agriculture survived, because of the monks. And they gave us the saints. Then the monasteries were destroyed, the Industrial Revolution came along, science replaced God as the defining authority and we ended up with the modern world.

Today it is the individual who is recognized for greatness, for invention, for creativity and progress rewards individuality, specialization, independence. There are no rewards for living selflessly, except spiritually. “Today, you have to create the monastery within yourself with constant prayer.” (Quote from Mountain of Silence) Secular humanism has ascended over the devotional lifestyle and the Personal God has become pase‘. Intellectuals could not believe in what is not provable. The real world is defined as a world of fact, not fantasy or mere belief.

But the natural state of man should be as a heart, mindful of God. The heart is attached to God who lives within us. The heart functions through the grace of the Holy Spirit. Practicing the name of God in constant prayer is one way to create a mystical fortress that keeps the world from intruding upon our peace. Incessant prayer creates deep calm and acceptance of all.

Martin L Smith, Episcopal priest. ‘in God love ever flows between the Father Son and Spirit. Love is answered by Love and takes in the suffering of a whole universe. Our prayer is joining in the conversation already going on in God…. “In prayer we are never getting a conversation going with God. We are continuing a conversation, which God has begun. What follows is a persuasive invitation to meditative prayer.”

Can you listen to other voices singing in harmony while you are singing? Can you hear the conversation that God is having with us all the time, if we could really listen to him? It is He who unites us where we have become most separate. The difference between knowing and believing in Christ is that knowing is an experience of Christ permeating you – not as a thought, not as a concept, but as a living reality. Can we give up our will, to God’s will? Can we listen for God’s voice to guide us today, amidst the noise of our frantic world?

Why do we need community today? Simply, because wherever there are 2 or more gathered in my name, there am I! (Awakening to Community by Rudolf Steiner) A direct experience of the spirit world, not based on concept, but feeling; can only be found in true community. Fresh revelations of spirit, receiving new living impulses, are the basis of spiritual community. We need to be interested in the destiny of others. Practicing this surrender of self in giving our total attention to another, paves the way to insightful selflessness. Only so will the enlightened human being emerge and unite with others to cooperate in Christian community.

Scott Peck believed community should be based on authenticity, trust, safe boundaries and a commitment to love. Rainer Marie Rilke wrote the Book of Hours – Love Poems to God in which one poem tells us that: “We are too alone, yet not alone enough to make each hour holy”… (Where do we end and God begin?) “I want to unfold, let no place in me hold myself closed. For where I am closed, I am false. I want to stay clear in your presence.” Rilke

The world needs a miracle to turn back towards God. Yet God is also waiting for a miracle, for man to turn towards God! To be a Christ imbued individual is a signature in the world. We must be fully incarnated into our individuality to be Christ filled. That’s the irony, the enigma. We can’t go back and give up our self. We have to go through our self and the self of others, to find God.

In devotion is experienced living thinking – experienced as individuality. This is the Rise of Ethical Individualism. We can lose ourselves as we surrender ourselves in sacrificial love to hear the thoughts of another, which allows us to awaken in the other, in Community in Christ. So, yes, it is possible to have community in the Age of the Consciousness Soul, but only through Christ.