Creating a Listening Space

by Maria ver Eecke

Christine Gruwez has written on the contemporary relevance of Manichaeism and she travels the world working with this theme in training centers and anthroposophical groups. Christine recently gave a workshop at Threefold Educational Center in Chestnut Ridge, NY. Beyond the presentation of Mani’s life and work and Manichean art was the remarkable manner in which Christine fosters a group process of holding questions. We are each invited to “place a question in the basket,” to voice a question and place it in the center of the circle. This is done out of a moment of “silence”—an active listening space which opens on the realm of inspiration. Then Christine leads us into an imagination out of the wisdom of anthroposophy.

Mani, prophet, artist, founder of communities and the gnostic stream Manichaeism, lived (216-274 A.D.) in the land of the ancient Persians (now Iran and Iraq). Rudolf Steiner describes this stream as important for the Cathars, the Templars, and modern-day Freemasonry. The Journal for Anthroposophy published a booklet, Mani and Service (Number 78, Spring 2008), as the act of selfless service has its roots in and flows out of the spiritual stream of Mani. One can find many references to Mani and Manichaeism in Steiner’s work, for example: “Mani is the one who prepares that stage in man’s soul development when he will seek for his own soulspirit light.” (Rudolf Steiner, Temple Legend, Lecture 6: Manichaeism, Berlin, November 11, 1904, GA93)

During the first session, one’s question had the weightiness of a burning life question. By the second or third session, the questions were more about understanding ideas and concepts of Manichaeism, through related anthroposophical content. Christine seemed to intuit when to share the Manichaean path of initiation, as relevant for our times, or the Creation Story, as told through Mani, and she gives us just enough time to process this, usually with more questions. This Socratic method of working together is quite liberating; one learns to value the act of questioning rather than relaxing into the comforting, satisfying ‘know-it-all’ mood of having the answers. Throughout life, holding a question allows the spirit to speak and, over time, the answers come on many different levels.

Christine has followed the history of Mani and his communities throughout the Far and Near East, from the Balkans to North Africa, Iran, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, along the Silk Road to Japan. Her book, Walking with Your Time: A Manichaean Journey, addresses the question of good and evil in our time. Her latest book, Meditations on Powerlessness, is being translated into English. Since 2012, Christine has been a member of the Council of the Anthroposophical Society in Belgium.

Walking with Your Time: A Manichaean Journey is available at www.lulu.com.