save the bees, save love

Rudolf Steiner, (1861-1925), was a highly trained scientist and respected philosopher. Long before many of his contemporaries and those who came after him, Steiner came to the conclusion that western civilization would increasingly bring destruction to itself and the earth if it did not begin to incorporate an objective understanding of the spiritual world and its interrelationship with the physical world.  Steiner often referred to the spiritual world as the supersensible realm. He saw the supersensible realm as equally essential to life, for all beings, nature and the cosmos of outer space as any material realms.

Steiner’s spiritual scientific methods and insights have given birth to practical holistic innovations in many fields including education, banking, medicine, psychology, the arts and, not least, agriculture.

In 1923, Steiner predicted that if humanity continued to cultivate the honeybees by artificial means, we would, within eighty years, witness the mass disappearance of the bees.  He warned against both meddling with the natural process of hive society and artificially manipulation of queen bees.

Since then, mankind has developed a wealth of artificial means to interfere with the natural activities of bees.  And the bees are disappearing.
Perhaps Steiner was right that beekeepers should acquire a metaphysical understanding of bees and the complex masterpiece of the hive.
Mystery lives in the hive, and within the golden elixir that is honey, mystery we have yet to, or may never, discover.  Steiner indicated that bee hives, the elixir of honey and the unceasing dedication of bees througout their short life to serving the rest of creation creates one of the purest forms of love in this universe.  Bees personify love. Honey personifies love. All humans should eat some good, raw, organic honey every day to feed our beings love elixir.

Steiner's spiritual ecology suggests that the first step in addressing an issue pertaining to the realm of nature is to deepen our understanding of the overall synergy of the particular eco-community in question.

Maybe then we will be able to save the bees.

I invite anyone still reading to spend at least a few moments contemplating a bee hive. It would be nice to be near a bee hive but, as Steiner indicated in many of his exercises for our develoment, it is just as useful to sense into natural phenomena with our thinking, feeling and willing.

I can feel the hum and love of a bee hive as I write.