Decision against war

Originally posted in German on 8th June 2025

by Heinz Grill

Essentially, diligence and the right development of spiritual disciplines form the best and surest protection against all the degeneration that becomes apparent in both struggles between nations and armed conflicts. The capacity that individuals develop for a conscious rise in their morality and their human, spiritual, and also even physical qualities radiates peacefully out into world creation. Those souls who devote themselves to development with determination and with the greatest endeavour for truth shine out into the world like a small, fine light of sensitive gentleness.

The question as to why war exists is not easy to answer. It is not without reason that the most varied spiritual streams and spiritual disciplines speak about the fact that the times influenced by mars must be over and the strong violence with weapons is no longer in keeping with the times. Nevertheless, violent actions in various countries are becoming increasingly prevalent and appear to be supported by the world. The political engagement with war mongering seems irrational and no longer comprehensible.¹⁾ In Greek mythology, Alecto is one of three Furies who, on behalf of the Olympian deities, with all kinds of intrigues, incites nations to go to war, especially when people neglect their spiritual duty. The Furies fulfil the task of restoring divine order when it has been violated.

Self-reflection with critical and concrete analysis is important for spiritual science. It is true that a lacking or completely misdirected development of mankind leads to great troubles in the overall world situation. The question can be asked, if it is not that people need the misfortune of others in order to sanctimoniously justify their prosperity to themselves and to compensate for their own omissions in terms of real moral behaviour?

Furthermore, the general world situation can be questioned: Who or which nations, economies, or authorities gain from war and from the diversion of all kinds of conflict?²⁾ According to legend, the Roman philosopher, lawyer and politician Cicero was the first to ask the question as to cui bono? i.e. who is the beneficiary of an event? With these probing questions, individual and general, it is relatively easily to recognise that wars must always occur when certain countries have reached the end of their culture, when economic hardships are intended to distract from their own crises and other people far away are made responsible for them.

Just as it is collective, with closer observation it also appears individual. A spiritual stream observes the streams in the world but it does not start with judgement of others or a collective, instead, it begins, in great interest, with personal self-reflection, developing as a result to the greatest possible work with the consciousness in the sense of building up a personal morality. The decision against war lies in the ability to purify the instinctive will.

Peace can be prayed for or good conditions can be meditated for. Or doves of peace can be sent out. But how far do individuals enter into a judgement of themselves and examine their motives, which lie deep beneath the surface? Is it not often people’s own fears that give the motivation to pray for peace, so that people do not even come close to realising the reality and suffering of others? As long as people live in the nice, comfortable and unattacked Western world, they can make some unsound judgements about others.

The best contribution to peace work lies in self-awareness, which banishes all antimoral thoughts and turns towards clear aims with meaning and significance. Psychopathic structures with varying degrees of manifestation mean nothing other than that individuals lie their way through life at the expense of the energy of others. It is precisely those, who point their fingers at the villain, who most need to establish this radical self-criticism within themselves as the first building blocks for peace, because these people do not send peace out into the world, but true feelings of hunger in the soul and these ignite growing conflict. When someone expresses, for example, that they are anticipating a big economic crash, because they can then manifest their own economic system, they are waiting for collapses and secretly even for war. Those forces, that deeply manifest egoism in mankind and unconsciously direct its will, are, if they are not sufficiently purified, forces that drive war. In addition to this self-reflection, individuals can bring to mind what sacrifices they are prepared to make for healthy development. Do they wait and see or do they carry out a task that brings in a meaningful and positive contribution to the world? When people retire, they are able to rest. However, is this comfortable indifference beneficial for people when the world is exploding? What are the tasks and achievements that people can contribute positively to creation? When followers of the Sri-Chimnoy movement run marathons and dedicate them to peace, they bring a first elementary balance to the polarities through this discipline. These maybe small sacrifices, but they at least place egoism in a smaller niche of existence. Every development that a sacrifice brings about by increasing consciousness and human qualities, gifts a millimetre of peace. Therefore, for example, more can be done for affected countries by people practicing in the utmost sincerity, honesty and fearless self-criticism, than when people outwardly brandish accusatory slogans or vainly claim themselves to be the good ones while pointing their fingers at the bad in the world. If only a small part of humanity were to correct their own psychopathologies, in the stillness of the conditions of the life forces, a better balance in the dialogue with the various nations could emerge. The causes that contribute to war are deeply ingrained in the human soul through the traumas suffered and lacking development and now continue to lead to further misfortune. It is best to refrain from any kind of complaining and particularly the very artificial victimisation, because in its true essence it contains an accusation against others. It is favourable to develop one’s own abilities and the conscious and best possible qualities of the soul, far beyond the oppressive ego, so that in the ascent of a healthy human activity these can radiate silently into the world and with this give a more favourable outlook.

Photo: Julien Then, Wikimedia Commons

Drawing: Konstanze Reiner-Friedl

Drawing: Josefo

Photo: Bhashwar Hart