TODAY Mars goes retrograde until June 29th, 2016
The birthday of Thomas Vaughan, 1621 –Welsh philosopher, remembered for his writings in the area of natural magic. We know him as the author of Anthroposophia Theomagica, a magico-mystical work. Vaughan sought to apply his alchemical skills to preparing medicines in the manner recommended by Paracelsus. He was a self-described member of the “Society of Unknown Philosophers”, & was responsible for translating into English in 1652 the Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis.
Today in 1787 Goethe had his 1st experience of the archetypal plant in Palermo.
Death-day of Proclus, Neo-Platonist philosopher, 485AD
Benjamin Franklin died on April 17, 1790 at the age of 84. Over 20,000 people attended the funeral of the man who was called, “the harmonious human multitude.”
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Why Reverse Ritual? some thoughts by Hazel Archer Ginsberg (Part 3 of 7)
When we put our spiritual scientific research into practice with the 6 basic exercises etc…& begin to filter our cognition thru imagination, inspiration, & intuition, our thoughts become ‘entities’ that enliven the dead & dying matter surrounding us. This is a communion experience, which leads to a spiritualization of nature herself.
Communion also opens us to the path of karma that we share with our fellow human beings, awakening us to what is veiled in our encounters, so we can participate consciously. We must ask: Why is this meeting taking place? What does this sympathy or antipathy mean in my life? Thru communion we can become collaborators in this realm.
In explaining the stage of Transubstantiation or transformation, Steiner gives these verses which he named: “Spiritual Communion”
“In Earth-activity draws near to me,
Given to me in substance-image,
The Heavenly Being of the Stars:
In WILLING I see them transformed with love!
In watery life stream into me,
Forming me through with power of substance-force,
The Heavenly Deeds of the Stars:
In FEELING I see them transformed with Wisdom.” *1
Steiner tells us that the “Cosmic Ritual” brings about a transformation in our physical & etheric bodies thru our willing & feeling.
Everything that is mirrored in our being is related to the resting stars, which stand in the signs of the zodiac. We are connected in our physical organism with these constellations in space.
The etheric organism lives in the fluids of the body. Thru them we are connected with the deeds of the stars. These deeds are the movement of the planets.
The experience of the connection of the earthly with the fixed stars & the watery with the wandering stars can become the equivalent of receiving the bread & wine that has been Transubstantiated.
The above mantra points to the earthly & watery life in our physical organism & how, thru the effect of the Reverse Ritual they can be transformed into Love & Wisdom.
He goes on to touch on the next stage of Offering, by saying: “When knowing human beings summon up powers of will & feeling, they become sacrificial beings. The fundamental relationship of the human being to the world rises from knowledge, to Cosmic Ritual. The first beginning of what must come to pass if anthroposophy is to fulfill its mission in the world is that the human being’s whole relationship to the world must be recognized to be one of Cosmic Ritual.” *1
It’s interesting to picture that as these words were being spoken, on that fateful NYE in 1922, the torch had already been thrown into the roof of the south wing of the White Hall in the 1st Goetheanum.
On that New Year’s Eve, the building burned to the ground – The offering was given.
One of the hardest sacrifices the Anthroposophical Society had to make – Due to the fact that the members were not able to make a sufficient inner offering , an outer offering was required.
Since then, the Goetheanum burns as a sacrificial flame within our hearts, as a reminder to make the Reverse Ritual our own.
*1. Spiritual Knowledge is a True Communion: The Beginning of a Cosmic Ritual Suitable for the Present Age Dornach, New Year’s Eve, 1922-23 GA 219 (The fire that destroyed the 1st Goetheanum was discovered 1 hour after this lecture ended)
We continue this thread tomorrow
Until soon
Blessings & Peace –
~hag = Hazel Archer Ginsberg
