Dr. Thomas Steininger

Dear Elizabeth and Thomas,

i feel such a deep gratitude for having had the opportunity to experience your shared work! Full of presence, wisdom, experience and love. You were and you are such a big inspiration and support for me.
The two meditation retreats we spent together (in Italy and in Berlin) met me two times at an important junction in my live: the beginning of my relationship to Benjamin and the beginning of my motherhood for Inyan. Sitting together in this turning moments of live with you for more than a week in silence, opened a capacity in me that allowed me to meet this new chapters with a much deeper openess, trust and love. I will be forever grateful for this!

Dear Thomas,

your unique way of interviewing people for the Radio Evolve, that really brought the full light in the human to shine (often in a perpective and light that was even new to the interviewee him/herself) completely re-defined the word "interview" for me and deeply inspired me. Actually not just in the interviews, but also generally your very special openess with people, that was evoking beauty, active and passive at the same time.
Your life-long inquiry of the potential of what it really means and could mean to be fully human together will forever inspire me and I'll try my best to carry a little part of this heritage with me in my work!

I wish you all the best on your journey,
love,

Julia

It is a serious thing
just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in this broken world
- Mary Oliver

Tomas worked with presence, precision, and heart.
In our shared work he brought clarity, integrity, and a quiet strength that uplifted everyone around him.
His dedication continues to live as a gentle echo in all that he practised inter being dialogue with. The times we worked and practised togheter we listened for the pulse of life that quiet, evolutionary impulse calling us into deeper presence, higher complexity, and filed awareness.

“We are not in the field – we are the field.”
— Thomas Steininger

Dear Thomas,thank you for your unique way of inviting us time and again to explore together the deepest mysteries of being alive and, through your faithfulness to this comitment, to open up ever wider accesss to the deepest trust in the Sacredness of Life. Have a good journey whereever you are now.
Danke, Thomas. In deep love

Thomas war für mich ein wundervoller Mann, mit solch wachem Geist, einem tiefen Verständnis und großen Denken. Ich liebte seine Hingabe, sein Lächeln, seine Stimme. Er bleibt unvergesslich. Wie gut, dass er in so vielen Menschen weiterlebt. Danke Thomas!

Eine gute letzte Reise! Das wünsche ich einem Menschen, der mir eine wegweisende Erfahrung auf dem Pfad zu mir selbst hat zukommen lassen. Dies geschah als ich vor vielen Jahren an einer Einführung in den evolutionären Dialog in Hamburg teilgenommen hatte. Ich würde mich selbst als einen Mensch des Wortes bezeichnen und entäusserte mich in diesem Kreis auf gewohnte Weise (inklusive affirmativer Resonanz der Zuhörer). In die darauf folgende Stille sagte Thomas: "Merkt ihr, dass etwas jetzt anders ist?" Ich spürte deutlich, dass dies mit meiner gewohnten Art, zu sprechen, zu tun hatte, ohne dass er dies in irgendeiner Weise an mich adressiert oder meine Darstellung gar als falsch bezeichnet hätte. Das erlaubte mir einen entspannten Umgang mit der Gegebenheit und löste eine Welle transformativer Selbsterfahrung aus. Das "Andere" statt dem Gewohnten begann mich brennend zu interessieren. Damit hat er für mich wahrlich neue Räume der Wahrnehmung geöffnet und es folgten viele spannende Jahre mit der Dialogpraxis.
Danke dafür, Thomas!

[English below]

Heute fand ich eine Nachricht von Thomas vom März diesen Jahres mit einem Lied Milarepas, den Thomas in den letzten Jahren intensiv gelesen hat:

Aus meiner heutigen Praxis:

„Lied der Unerschütterlichen Wahrheit“

( Mirepa an Rechungpa)

> Höre gut zu, mein lieber Sohn Rechung,
das Ohr, das wirklich hört, ist nicht aus Fleisch.

Wenn du mit äußeren Ohren hörst,
hörst du Worte –
und Worte können täuschen.

Höre mit dem inneren Ohr –
dort, wo Stille spricht.

Dort klingt das Lied der Leerheit,
das niemals gesungen wurde
und doch alle Dinge durchdringt.

Es ist der Laut des ungebrochenen Geistes,
der Ton der ursprünglichen Natur.

Wenn du diesem Klang vertraust,
wirst du keinen Lehrer mehr brauchen –
denn die Lehre erklingt
aus deinem eigenen Herzen.

Rechung, mein Sohn,
lege deine Gelehrsamkeit beiseite
und lausche in die Weite
deiner eigenen stillen Natur.


Today I found a message from Thomas from March of this year with a song by Milarepa, whom Thomas has been reading intensively in recent years:

From my practice today:

“Song of Unshakeable Truth”

(Mirepa to Rechungpa)

> Listen carefully, my dear son Rechung,
the ear that truly hears is not made of flesh.

When you listen with your outer ears,
you hear words—
and words can deceive.

Listen with your inner ear—
where silence speaks.

There you will hear the song of emptiness,
which has never been sung
and yet permeates all things.

It is the sound of the unbroken spirit,
the tone of original nature.

If you trust this sound,
you will no longer need a teacher—
for the teaching resounds
from your own heart.

Rechung, my son,
put your scholarship aside
and listen to the vastness
of your own silent nature.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

For the Reception after the Ceremony in Honor of Thomas I created a Slide Show with images of Thomas' Life with some of his favorite Music from the last years of his Life. You can see it here:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jfjfaglwxzwmgqqn0vo8h/Video-2025-10-30_10-46-6.mp4?rlkey=zruffdsuo788hgg2eavbnsru0&dl=0

Music:
1 Hubert von Goisern: Juchitzer
2 Jai Uttal: Dust and Tears
3 Hubert von Goisern: Heast es net
4 Max Richer: In the Nature of Daylight

Thomas, my dear friend, mentor and brother on the spiritual journey, has left his physical body, but for me he will always be present in my heart and soul.
I have worked closely with him for 8 years in Frankfurt, together with a circle of friends, we started a hub for meditation and the work, which we at the time called "the higher we" and Thomas later called the "interbeing". Thomas opened my mind to philosophical inquiry. He always encouraged me to trust my own depth and spiritual heart. He invited me to be his sparring partner in Radio Evolve and believed in my capacity to hold the dialogue with him in this public forum alive. He gave me the opportunity to dive into deep spiritual inquiry and create a field of emerging dialogue, no matter how afraid I was of not matching his incredible ability to open a space for something to emerge between us. I learned so much from him. It was a total privilege to work with him, inspired by his always forward thinking ideas and his vision of a new way of coming together.
Our way parted, I moved to India, but we stayed friends and I could visit him regularly on my yearly trip to Frankfurt. When I saw him last in August, he could not speak anymore and this was the most painful to see. For a man, who's life was all about the use of language, this was the hardest to bear. But he took even this with so much dignity and grace.
Thomas, I love you and miss you a lot, and I wish you to fly free in the knowledge that your spirit will stay on in me and many of our dear friends.

When I saw the beginning of this page, I was shocked to learn that Thomas was a few months younger than my younger brother. I had no idea. He always seemed so wise, like an elder teacher. I am probably not alone in that I never had the honor of meeting Thomas in person, but his depth of presence and his gentle, compassionate spirit was obvious as it shone through the internet ethers. I am deeply grateful for "coming upon" this work in 2020 and for opening a whole new way to experience the world. I have grown through his and Elizabeth's guidance in the practice of sensing and contacting Interbeing, which has impacted the way that I show up in the world. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you - Thomas, Elizabeth, and all of you who are committed to carrying on the work that was so important to him. I bow to you all. 🙏🏼💜

[English below]

Thomas war durchdrungen von einer tiefen Liebe zu den neuen Horizonten unseres Menschseins. Zum Möglichen, zum Schöpferischen, zum Noch-Nicht-Gewordenen, dem Wahren, Schönen und Guten, das sich in und zwischen uns noch ereignen kann.
Ich werde mich immer daran erinnern, wie er in unseren Redaktionsgesprächen in evolve, bei unseren vielen Dialogen, bei unseren Retreats und verschiedenen Netzwerktreffen darauf drang, tiefer zu schauen, weiter zu denken, offener zu spüren, uns selbst im Lichte des Göttlichen als dem großen Geheimnis neu zu erfahren. Der heilige Raum zwischen Menschen war für ihn der Leitstern, das Interbeing, das wir in den Emergent Dialogues lebendig erfahren. Diese Liebe, diese Erfahrung mit Thomas so teilen zu können, ist eines der größten Geschenke meines Lebens.
Für mich und viele andere konnte Thomas die Lebendigkeit im Zwischenmenschlichen, die schöpferische Liebe, und den tiefen Sinn aus dem Herzen des Seins, der sich darin zeigen kann, so kraftvoll vermitteln.
Auch den letzten Weg der Krankheit nahm Thomas mit unglaublicher Seelenstärke und Verletzlichkeit an, in einem tiefen Lebensvertrauen, jenseits davon, dass etwas „gut wird“.
Während ich dies schreibe, kommt mir eine Erfahrung in den Sinn vor einigen Wochen kurz vor unserem evolve Sommerfest, als Thomas nur mehr im Rollstuhl sitzen und nicht mehr sprechen konnte. Wir fuhren mit dem Rollstuhl durch Niederursel und er zeigte mir versteckte Winkel der Wildnis am Urselbach, die er noch einmal besuchen wollte. Manchmal über Wege, die für einen Rollstuhl nicht geeignet schienen, aber Thomas deutete mit dem Arm die Richtung und wir konnten selbst unwegsame Orte erreichen. Einmal fuhren wir zum Wissenschaftsgarten auf dem Riedberg, den er sehr liebte. Es ist eine ziemliche Steigung, und nach dem ich Thomas dort hochgeschoben hatte und erstmal durchatmen musste, lächelte er und deutete mir sein „Daumen hoch“, mit dem er in der letzten Zeit oft kommunizierte. Im Wissenschaftsgarten fuhren wir durch all die vielen blühenden Pflanzen, ab und zu probierten wir eine Tomate oder Beere. Als wir am Ausgang waren, deutete Thomas auf eine Ablage, auf der Blumentöpfe standen, die man gegen eine Spende mitnehmen konnte. Er deutete auf einen kleinen Strauch mit wunderschönen blauen Blumen und wir nahmen die Pflanze mit, sie stand auf Thomas‘ Schoß als wir zurück zum evolve Center fuhren. Dort angekommen, zeigte mir Thomas, dass sie vor dem Tor stehen solle, für das Sommerfest, das am kommenden Tag stattfand.
Danke für dieses Erlebnis und so viele wunderbare, stärkende, herausfordernde, freudvolle Momente.
Thomas ist gegangen und wird immer da sein. Was ich von ihm lernen durfte, mit ihm gestalten konnte, durch ihn erkennen konnte, ist lebendig in mir und uns, die wir seine Arbeit weiterführen.
Auf zu neuen Abenteuern, du große Seele.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas was imbued with a deep love for the new horizons of our humanness. For the possible, the creative potential, the not-yet-realized, the true, beautiful, and good that can still happen in and between us.
I will always remember how, in our editorial meetings at evolve, in our many dialogues, at our retreats and various network meetings, he urged us to look deeper, think further, sense more openly, and experience ourselves anew in the light of the divine as the great mystery. The sacred space between people was his guiding star, the Interbeing that we experience vividly in the Emergent Dialogues. Being able to share this love, this experience with Thomas, is one of the greatest gifts of my life.
For me and many others, Thomas was able to convey so powerfully the vitality of the space between people, the creative love, and the deep meaning from the heart of being that can manifest itself in this space of Interbeing.
Thomas also accepted the final stage of his illness with incredible strength of spirit and vulnerability, with a deep trust in life, beyond the belief that “everything will be fine.”
As I write this, I am reminded of an experience a few weeks ago, shortly before our evolve summer party, when Thomas was confined to a wheelchair and could no longer speak. We drove through Niederursel in his wheelchair, and he showed me hidden corners of the wilderness along the Urselbach stream that he wanted to visit one last time. Sometimes we took paths that didn't seem suitable for a wheelchair, but Thomas pointed the way with his arm, and we were able to reach even the most inaccessible places. Once we drove to the science garden on the Riedberg, which he loved very much. It's quite a steep slope, and after I had pushed Thomas up there and had to catch my breath, he smiled and gave me his “thumbs up,” which he had been using a lot to communicate lately. In the science garden, we drove through all the many flowering plants, occasionally tasting a tomato or berry. When we reached the exit, Thomas pointed to a shelf with flowerpots that you could take home for a donation. He pointed to a small shrub with beautiful blue flowers, and we took the plant with us. It sat on Thomas' lap as we drove back to the evolve Center. Once there, Thomas showed me that it should stand in front of the gate for the summer party coming up on the following day.
Thank you for this experience and so many wonderful, empowering, challenging, joyful moments.
Thomas has left us, but he will always be with us. What I was able to learn from him, create with him, and recognize through him lives on in me and in those of us who continue his work.
On to new adventures, you great soul.

Thomas to me was always a deep Inspiration when it comes to not only valuing the unfolding of the present moment but also to be aware of that life wants to get further. It's this creative tension between appreciation of what is and cultivating the sense for that life never stops. This feeling of always being on the move has become deeply ingrained in my heart thanks to Thomas' presence in and for our Interbeing work. The following poem (in engl. at the end) by Hermann Hesse deeply expresses this inner attitude for me. Thank you, Thomas.

Stufen
Hermann Hesse

Wie jede Blüte welkt und jede Jugend
Dem Alter weicht, blüht jede Lebensstufe,
Blüht jede Weisheit auch und jede Tugend
Zu ihrer Zeit und darf nicht ewig dauern.
Es muß das Herz bei jedem Lebensrufe
Bereit zum Abschied sein und Neubeginne,
Um sich in Tapferkeit und ohne Trauern
In andre, neue Bindungen zu geben.
Und jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne,
Der uns beschützt und der uns hilft, zu leben.
Wir sollen heiter Raum um Raum durchschreiten,
An keinem wie an einer Heimat hängen,
Der Weltgeist will nicht fesseln uns und engen,
Er will uns Stuf´ um Stufe heben, weiten.
Kaum sind wir heimisch einem Lebenskreise
Und traulich eingewohnt, so droht Erschlaffen;
Nur wer bereit zu Aufbruch ist und Reise,
Mag lähmender Gewöhnung sich entraffen.
Es wird vielleicht auch noch die Todesstunde
Uns neuen Räumen jung entgegen senden,
Des Lebens Ruf an uns wird niemals enden,
Wohlan denn, Herz, nimm Abschied und gesunde!

 
Stages
Hermann Hesse

As every blossom withers and every youth
Gives way to age, every stage of life blossoms,
Every wisdom blossoms too, and every virtue,
In its own time, and cannot last forever.
With every call of life, the heart must be ready
To say farewell and make new beginnings,
To enter into new bonds with courage and without sorrow.
Into other, new bonds.
And every beginning has an inherent magic,
Which protects us and helps us to live.
We should cheerfully pass through room after room,
Not clinging to any as if it were home,
The world spirit does not want to bind and constrain us,
It wants to lift us up, step by step, and expand us.
No sooner are we at home in one circle of life
And comfortably settled in, than lassitude threatens;
Only those who are ready to set out and travel
Can escape the paralysis of habit.
Perhaps even the hour of death
Will send us forth to new spaces, young and fresh,
Life's call to us will never end,
So come, heart, say farewell and be well!

Last summer Thomas and Elizabeth introduced an international bunch of 13 young people (aged 23-30) to the practice of Interbeing Dialogue. This work left a deep and lasting impression on many of the participants - some have said that this 3 day introduction changed their life. As the co-ordinator of this project I was thrilled that Thomas and Elizabeth joined. The ‘behind the scenes’ conversations that we shared over these days in both formal and informal moments are some of the most precious learning experiences of my life - full of patient wisdom, big hearted generosity, deep joy and a lot of fun (in two of the images you can see Thomas and Elizabeth playing around with Inga before the students arrived).

On Friday, 24. October at 12noon, we gathered at the spectacular Bauhaus church in Niederursel, where Thomas has lived in our small center for about 15 years. The urn with Thomas's ashes was placed front and center beneath the picture of the great mountain, Kailash. Thomas had developed a unique practice centered on Kailash over the last two years. The service was filled with Thomas's favorite music--from Alpine yodeling to Beethoven's Dankesang to Jai Uttal's Psalm. The service, led by Marlene Potthoff, had at the center a dialogue between Thomas's dear friends and conspirators, Mike Kauschke and Jens Heisterkamp, punctuated with profound contributions from fellow Emergent Dialogue practitioners, Maria Brandau, Gilla Fischer, Nadja Rosmann, and Maria Zacherl. Thomas's presence was alive between us.

I am that rocky mountain
smiling silently upon you.

I am those dark green trees
waving arms of love at you.

I am those soft meadows
inviting the lover in you.

I am the crystal clear river
pouring out my being at you.

I am the fresh mountain air
whispering the song of love to you.

I am the glorious full moon
embracing you with thousand arms.

I am the love unquenchable,
I am with you in thousand forms.

Vimala Thakar.

Love you, my friend. Renata

As I reflect on the times I've had with Thomas over the last 15 years that I've known him I'm realizing each of these times were among the very best times of my life. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for Thomas. And I pray that I can continue to seek and move deeper into what he has always pointed me towards.

Last summer I had the extreme privilege of joining Thomas and other dear souls at a place I know is so near to Thomas' heart, Europakloster Gut Aich in the Austrian Alps. The first time I met Thomas he was my group leader on a retreat in the mountains. This last time I saw Thomas he was my group leader on a retreat in the mountains. I know the mountains meant so much to him so I wanted to share a few pictures from our time at Gut Aich.

It was a perfect week with these beautiful inter-beings. Words cannot describe the magic we all experienced there together.