Riddle of America, The - Waldorf Research Institute

Anthroposophy and the Spirit of AmericabyRick SpauldingMagda Lissau, Kurt Nelson, and I wrote an article for the Journal forAnthroposophy that was published in the Spring 1998 issue. The purpose ofthis article on Edgar Cayce was stated in the subtitle, “A Possible Aspectof Michael’s Activity in America.” Part III of our article on Cayce’s StudyGroup Readings attempted to relate the series of meditative exercises called“affirmations” given through Edgar Cayce to the path to the Christ presentedby Sergei Prokofiev in his book, The Occult Significance of Forgiveness. Thatthe Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E., the group formedto study and disseminate Cayce’s readings) may have within it study groupsfollowing a path to the Christ that is guarded by Michael himself wouldseem to be of interest to Anthroposophists. For some time, the questionof how to adapt Anthroposophy to America has concerned the leadingAnthroposophists of this country. In A.R.E., a possible ally, one completelyAmerican in its origin and development, can be discerned.Since writing the Cayce article, we have been working on a book, TheGuiding Spirit of America. Unlike the Cayce article, which employed Anthroposophicalterminology in order to explain the meaning of Cayce’s extraordinarypsychic gifts and the stages of the path of initiation given through him,this book avoids such terminology. It was written for the general public, notjust for Anthroposophists. We do feel, however, that the subject of this bookhas a specific implication for Anthroposophists and for the development ofAnthroposophy in America. In fact, it is probably true that no one other thanan Anthroposophist could recognize the significance of the subtitle of ourbook, “Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.” Though the idea that a character in afairy tale could unveil the mission of the spirit of America is certainly not335