About Coros Institute
Coros Institute is dedicated to creating dialogues between individuals or organizations committed to social change. The dialogues bring together persons from many walks of life who share the view that inner development is of great benefit for the general culture. The work of the Coros Institute is inspired by the teachings of Austrian philosopher, scientist and educator Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) who founded the worldview known as Anthroposophy.
Coros Institute has the following aims:
- To provide forums to stimulate dialogue with individuals and organizations actively incorporating spiritual values into work in the fields of art, social science, science or business.
- To provide education that encourages personal transformation.
- To foster scientific, social or artistic research based on spiritual values arising from the contemplative life.
The dialogues are open to the general public. The general format is that outstanding representatives in various fields present topics of interest and then interact with the participants in various experimental modes of dialogue.
Coros Institute sponsored educational services include collaboration with other section 501(c)(3) organizations, for-profit organizations, or individuals that are engaged in particular realms of research either in science, the arts, or business that incorporate spiritual values in their work. The purpose of these forums is to offer participants, who share common interests, experiences which can lead to personal renewal and spiritual insights within a particular field of activity.
Coros Institute fosters social, scientific or artistic research based on spiritual values focusing on areas that fall outside the realms of traditional disciplines, most especially inter-disciplinary research which arises from spiritual insights.
Coros Institute supports the publication and dissemination of relevant educational materials and research papers. Authors and contributors need not be affiliated. These informational materials include such publications as a research based newsletter and online publications.
WHAT IS “COROS”
Coros is an alchemical term meaning “cor” heart and “ros” a drop of dew. The Coros Institute logo depicts a drop of dew flowing from an inverted heart crowned with flames. This heart dew in alchemical terms is a potent force for change between individuals and in the process of self-transformation.
In sharing an inner feeling or vision with another the heart can be imagined as being right side up. When one person selflessly listens and then asks questions with a deep interest in the other, the questioner’s heart can be imagined as turning upside down. Alchemically speaking, the hearts of those engaged in the dialogue are set on fire.
When a heart is aflame with the vision of another a kind of steam or heat forms around the heart that the alchemists called the steam widow. It is a widow because the steam rises off of the heart and goes into a realm beyond the logical mind. It is steam because it is a quickening of the natural moist heat of the heart into stronger activity. The stronger activity is brought on by a higher form of will generated by asking questions about another’s vision.
When the activity of the dialogue is ended, the heat produced goes into the sleep world and mingles with the dreaming activity of each person. In the morning a kind of celestial dew descends on each heart as a condensate of the interest and enthusiasm of each person that arose in the questioning process the day before. New insights are available that could not be developed by the individuals working separately. These new insights refresh and enliven the process of questioning and quicken the understanding. The insights are then known as the dew of the heart to alchemists.