The Sun Oasis

What is the origin of the term?

One evening Dr. Michael Birnthaler introduced a close circle of friends and colleagues to the idea of a so-called cultural oasis, which, to define it more precisely in terms of spirituality and its contentful meaning, is a kind of sun oasis. He recounted an episode in which Rudolf Steiner predicted the spiritual development of the future, how it could look and what forms it might take. Because of the dominance of materialism, in the future spirituality will have few opportunities in the public sphere. For this reason, people who want to live a high-calibre spirituality, and do not want to wear themselves out in current events, must connect with each other in a favourable way and through mutual interaction liberate potential for development.

I myself want to coin the name Sun Oasis out of an understanding of the inner effectiveness, and the potential creative development-processes that human beings carry within themselves. The sun is the planet that radiates out, while in contrast the moon, for example, is the great circular reflector for the sun’s rays. In a time of great confusion, as is this materialistic one, maximal, constant change can take place in the sense of outer measures. Human beings with their potential, however, are usually only tolerated within very conformist conditions. The human sun-forces ought to rise as spiritual creative forces through independent development of spirituality. When the sun is even screened in its material structure through geoengineering and human beings can no longer develop their forces of self-determination because they suffer so much under the stressful situations of dictatorial determination, they have a particular requirement to bring the sun to rise in their hearts.

What can a sun oasis be, or what form can it take? Firstly, it is to be understood as a place in which people with the same or similar aims meet, interact and conceive preparatory steps for further, future possibilities. According to this very simple and general definition, however, Klaus Schwab’s forum in Davos would also be a sun oasis. Nonetheless, that is certainly not an oasis in which the sun shines into the future, rather, in an attempt to define it, it is an abysmal, neptunian depth of moon, as it is not based on a well-founded, spiritual, philosophical, ecological and psychologically wise vision. The core concern in a sun oasis, and of every individual who works within it, must be based on a sufficiently well-founded and valid spirituality, which is not arbitrary and does not correspond to subjective, personal emotions, and at its centre it must liberate a discipline for meditation.

What is significant, however, is that on the one hand The Sun Oasis can be thought of as being in one place, yet if it is applied entirely to modern times it can be independent of location. It is carried through the people who meet with spirituality, with the same orientation and aims. A Demeter farm which is an independent business and can make all its decisions freely could, for example, represent such an oasis. Or even a hospital or a yoga school, which governs itself, with its team free from administrative dictates and official religious guidelines, could be an oasis in this sense.

A couple who take on the task of radiating out meditation can be an entity in the sense of a spiritual, silent source of strength. The problem today, with our materialistic time, that people can endlessly wear themselves out, and invest all their energy in questions of survival and resolving conflicts, should not only be reduced through the idea of the sun oasis, but even eliminated. However, the place in which people meet for spirituality and solidarity is not a place of escape but a secret source of strength, like a spring with revitalising water, where people live and serve refreshing water to visitors.

In Italy some people have founded a place which constitutes an ecological, spiritual project, radiates out a peaceful atmosphere for the surrounding area and also liberates thought-forces for the world in an over-arching way. Training courses and practical placements are offered there; it is a place in which many different motivations meet and interact. There is no electromagnetic  radiation in the whole area and so the atmosphere of the natural environment is very pure and wholesome. All sorts of animals, like green lizards, scuttle across the meadow, and people do not happen upon a wild habitat but find a shaped landscape and an architecture that have been astonishingly well looked after. Constructive rays of love and strength for the world, ensouled by the power of ideas, emerge from the Sun Oasis.

The spiritual substance of the Sun Oasis

Human independence, if it has really been worked at and achieved in a profound way, can have the best possible effect on the world. The free human being, who is founded as an individual and works in collaboration with others, emits great strength outwards. This strength is great because it is free. The oasis must therefore be as independent as the sun in the firmament. Skills and psychological qualities, profound character traits and moral stature, which a person has worked at, are forces full of light, bestowing warmth, which work not only in a narrow circle, for example amongst people who work in the cultural community, but illuminate both the cosmos and the earth. Thus the people in a sun oasis are a seed with fiery flames, that silently inspires the world with its sunny light and its sincere warmth.

From a metaphysical perspective, the sun wants to become entirely earth, so that the individual human being, as a representative of light, must no longer consent to segregation, division or debasement. The sun of the cosmos is unified in human beings and forms their hearts.

Human beings grow to thriving uniqueness, to love and individual strength. They carry the oasis, the chosen place of spirituality. For who other than the single individual should sustain and be responsible for spirituality?

Every culture begins not immediately with outer actions, but grows in the silence of the human soul. Thoughts and feelings, with a high moral value that embraces the future, form the root-force for all development. The strength for the future lives in the individual and is raised up in the community in close personal relationships, but it is like a kind of manuscript that has not yet been made entirely accessible to the public at large. In communal dialogue and actions, bold thoughts and the best ideas flourish into ideals, and these spread out in a kind of arbour of sun before they can be absorbed into the broad population. They are the emergent seeds for culture, altruism, tolerance and an upright attitude.

Human qualities require learning and sacrifice

A sense of community and complete self-reliance, when they meet sensitively in the heart, resurrect many peacemakers in the world. Souls who dedicate themselves to an entire ideal without exception can effect great things because they do not only propagate peace, they think it, they feel it in their interaction with others and they complete high and highest deeds.

The sun oasis is a source of strength for inspiration, not only for those living within it but for many external people who suddenly, for no apparent reason, feel called to actions of a high ethical standing. It is a gift, which flourishes in the sun oasis through thoughts and meditation, and this is carried into a worldly situation. As if by magic, negative political situations can suddenly be transformed, and healing can occur that would have been impossible.

The meditation-force of the sun oasis awakens the human potentialities for good without outward communication. The archangel silently spreads the most outstanding thought-ideals throughout the world.

Thought is sun-force. Through the mutual coordination of the individual contributors to the sun oasis, the thought shines with that sovereignty that corresponds to freedom in the best sense. When an ideal is free and is wanted, shared with others and thought for the world, free from economic constraints and vain indulgence, with the readiness to put in effort, there is no doubt. The thought that is true and has been thought will one day prevail.

Discipline and sacrifice

And a brief word regarding the very frowned upon term ‘sacrifice’ must not be omitted: All those contributing to the sun oasis want as the highest aim, without reservation or hesitation, the resurrection of human beings, their best ideals and finest values. People must sacrifice themselves in their petty ego for this idea. The duty towards development requires work every day, every hour. Those who claim the sun oasis for themselves as a selfish place of escaping the world should feel contemptible.

The discipline of development is beautiful. It carries in it that magic that in dark days resurrects radiating joy. What is beauty?

Beauty is the faithful companion on the human being’s path of soul-spiritual development.¹⁾The sun radiates light while the moon reflects this same light. The human brain can reflect thoughts. Therefore the brain is a moon organ. The sun, however, is the source of creation. It is the direct dimension of the spirit. The moon could be described as the mathematician who thinks with wisdom, but the sun is the direct source that creates wisdom.²⁾Comparing the old and the new testament, it can be noticed that Moses brought laws, and the prophets declared the Christ. Christ himself, however, directly brought radiating love and, as it says in many testaments, the fulfilment of the law. He is the sun that comes for the earth. That is why in anthroposophy Christ is connected with the Sun-Spirit.³⁾ Just as there is a Sun-Spirit, there is also a Sun-Demon. A Christian-spiritual activity is carried through the ages by various particular personalities. Equally there are people who work in such a demonic and fanatical way that they suppress all the good impulses that want to arise in humanity and make devastating decisions that oppose development. Today, in a time of irrationality, they are powerfully at work and can be seen in some typical personality structures.⁴⁾ The sun oasis should not be confused with the term ‘cultural oasis’, which emerged in the time of coronavirus. In general, cultural oases are described as places where people can gather and meet, for example in the fresh air because of the problem at that time. However, there is little that is binding in the way that they are organised. To move from a cultural oasis to a sun oasis it is necessary to learn to concentrate and develop a greater responsibility in a specific sense through meditation and to direct thoughts towards the world.