Daily Archives: April 2, 2016

Part 1: A Reason Why? – The 1st in a 12 part series

Celestial Event, Insight, Lecture, Speaking with the Stars

sun spiral to flower

Encountering the Inner Layers of the Earth as a Rosicrucian/Christian Initiation, in relation to the Beatitudes and the 9-fold human being. (Part 1, an introduction)

My Anthroposophical research, which I use to deepen my inner development, strengthening my thinking, feeling & willing, & to which I work to apply in the creation of Festivals, has taken me into many territories touched on by Rudolf Steiner. In relation to the cycle of the year, this includes the realms of the ancient mysteries up through Rosicrucianism & deep onto the path of the “New Mysteries” where Spiritual Science lays the course for our Modern Initiation.  But up until 2 years ago I really hadn’t explored the theme of the ‘interior of the earth’; in part because it seemed so overwhelming.

Then when I started working with the Central Regional Council on our ‘Speaking with the Stars’ project, I began investigating cosmic/earthly events, such as the rare tetrad series of eclipses that occurred throughout 2014 & 2015. (the spiritual significance of an eclipse an overview)

This warranted my attention as festivals Coordinator, since the dates corresponded to Easter/Passover & Michaelmas/Sukkot (the Jewish harvest festival) for 2 years in a row!

In 2014 we experienced a Lunar Eclipse on April 15th – the 1st day of Passover; it was also Holy Tuesday. Those who follow the life of Christ during Holy Week know, that on Holy Tuesday the scene is the verbal sparring  with the high priests in the temple – Christ bends the Mars spirit to His purposes, & in the evening, an Apocalyptic future is revealed. (So much to ponder when you consider that on this day we also had the 1st of a series of 4 eclipses!)

Then in 2015, in light of the fact that the dates of Easter matched the dates of the original Mystery of Golgotha (April 5, 33AD); & specifically because we experienced a Full Lunar eclipse on April 4th – again the 1st day of Passover & also, Holy Saturday; described as Christ’s descent into the inner earth – well this seemed like a powerful indication that I should look into these realms in connection with what Steiner calls the ‘Christian Initiation.’ When I saw that the Solar Eclipse of the Harvest Moon, on the 1st day of Sukkot, Sept. 28, 2015, was on Michaelmas eve, I knew I would gather with other Michaelites to hold the light during these eclipses.

And so it is that I humbly present this essay as an overview, which is meant to tie together the seemingly diverse subjects of:

  1. The Interior of the Earth,
  2. A map of the Modern path of Initiation,
  3. The practical application of the occult meaning of The Sermon on the Mount,
  4. And a picture of the 7 & 9 fold Human Being.

To bring to light the trials & great rewards on this path. What is this modern path? How is it different from the ancient mystery schools?  Well for one thing, it holds the essence & mission of the Christ impulse at its core. Following the life of Christ, we can consciously work on each stage of our 7-fold nature, advancing the evolution of humanity to reveal & live into our 9-fold being.

Of the many things the disciple discovers on this path, we learn that the past, the present & the future- which is in a process of continuous change – are inscribed into the layers of the inner earth as a living chronicle, much like the akashic records. The Earth bears in her own special way, the soul-spiritual deposits from all epochs of world evolution – from Old Saturn on…

As the disciple traverses the path of initiation, making the descent through its layers, they encounter these past eras. Meeting noble achievements, as well as confronting stunted spiritual beings that have chosen to remain behind rather than ascend.

Rudolf Steiner in his commentary on the Apocalypse of St. John describes the goal of these adversarial beings as the formation of an anti-Jupiter evolution, a division within humanity described in the gospels as the goats & the lambs – what Steiner calls a ‘cinder ball of reversed spiritualization’ – The initiate must work to counteract this division.

So even if you don’t see yourself as consciously being on the path of initiation, with every inner & outer action we are collaborating with great spiritual beings, with the so-called dead, & with each other, in creating the karma of the world; responsible with all of humanity for what occurs.

St. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, through his unique Christian initiation as Lazarus, was the 1st to enter these realms. He took Christ’s teaching to heart & put them into practice.

One of these great teachings is The ‘Sermon on the Mount’ – an occult instruction that reveals that The Beatitudes are a remedy to the inner layers of the earth; a healing medicine that can be applied by us today to counteract the adversarial powers working against the highest goals of evolution.

Of course the ‘Great Work’ of initiation is done every day, thru our every thought, word, & deed, but every year at Easter-Tide we can experience a Cosmic recapitulation of the Christian Initiation, providing impedance for our work.

It is important to remember that Easter is a movable feast, determined by a cosmic alignment. 1st the Sun must enter into the sign of Spring, then it waits for the Moon to come into its vernal fullness, then the Planetary Beings, whose names correspond with the days of the week, come into play. We are meant to connect to the Solar forces, so when the first Sun-day after the Full Moon of Spring arrives, then it is time to keep the Easter festival.  This is intended to remind us of an event whose significance lies, not merely within the course of earth-evolution, but within the whole world-order into which humankind has been placed.

Rudolf Steiner gives the Christian Initiation 7 stages (the 7-fold human being)  The 8th & 9th stages, which can be achieved in future times, are defined by Steiner in his lectures on the Rosicrucian stream as part of the 9-fold Human; & are described as advancements of the 1st and 2nd stages.  #10 is, of course, its own category.

Tomorrow we will explore the 1st 3 stages.

Until soon – Blessings & Peace

~hag = Hazel Archer Ginsberg

 

 

 

 

Ostara and The April Fool, an imagination.

Insight, Meditation, Spring

Ostara winter

You are walking in a dense forest. The sky is overcast, and the woods are gloomy, although occasionally, a feeble ray of sunlight makes its way through the clouds and the trees. The branches of the trees are bare, although the tips are just beginning to bud. Old leaves from last year’s fall scurry about your feet as an occasional gust of wind blows them about. The ground is, for the most part bare, with occasional patches of snow in the shade. Hints of new green life make their way up through the snow and dead leaves.

As you walk, you notice a grove of beautiful white birches, the pale glint of their trunks and branches, a pleasant contrast in the otherwise dark woods. You walk towards the birch grove and then deep into it. When you are surrounded by the birches, you notice a large tree that looks as if it has been struck by lightning. It’s upper trunk has been split in two, the inner wood has been exposed to the air, dead leaves have blown their way into the nooks of the tree, in every way this tree looks as dead as it can be.

Suddenly you hear a whimsical whistle from behind the fallen lightning struck branches. Out pops “THE FOOL” in his colorful patch work coat, holding his knapsack up on a stick, a white rose in his hand, with a wolf cub snapping at his heels…

“OH DON’T MIND THE WOLF FAWNING ABOUT, HE KEEPS ME HONEST.
I SEE YOU WERE LAMENTING ABOUT THE TREE. DO YOU REALLY THINK IT’S DEAD (He laughs) REMEMBER, EVERY ENDING IS BUT A NEW BEGINNING. IT’S ALL ABOUT TRUST. BELIEF, IN THE ULTIMATE GOODNESS OF CREATION – THAT LIFE HAS A POINT. THAT DEATH IS TRANSFORMATION. THAT SUFFERING CAN BE PURPOSEFUL, WHEN WE BEGIN LIVING CONSCIOUSLY, IN THE HOPE OF A BRIGHT ETERNAL NOW.

OK, I KNOW, AT FIRST GLANCE THINGS SEEM DARK, AND YES, IF YOU LOOK AT THE EVIL OF GREED AND WAR IN THE WORLD, AT THE LOSS OF YOUNG LIVES, THE FAILURE OF PRINCIPLE, BELIEVING IN PEACE, HAVING HOPE & TRUSTING, CAN LOOK PRETTY (clears his throat) FOOLISH. BUT BELIEVE ANYWAY!!! THAT’S MY MOTTO. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO RISK, TO JUMP INTO THE ABYSS OF BELIEF, TO GO AGAINST EVERYTHING SOCIETY SAYS IS SENSELESS. IT MEANS TRUSTING THE HIGHER GOOD. THE INNER FORCES. WHICH ARE AT THE HEART OF GREAT EVOLUTIONARY ENDEAVORS.
RISK LOOKING LIKE A FOOL. LIVE IN THE MOMENT, OF HOPE FULFILLED.
BE PEACE & PEACE WILL PREVAIL.

HEY WHAT’S THAT OVER THERE…(laughs,) MADE YOU LOOK…

And with that “THE FOOL” is gone. Make sure your shoe laces aren’t tied together as you walk closer to the tree.

You are surprised to see a bright light outlining the figure of a woman. She is clad in brilliant greens and sunny yellows. She holds a large golden basket. Her gaze is steady, her eyes make you think of clear streams running in the middle of old forests, her skin reminds you of the first fair flower of spring, and her hair is long and unbound. At her feet sits a small brown rabbit nuzzling the hem of her skirt. She gestures, indicating that you should come forward. You walk towards her. She points at her covered basket, and lifts the cloth. Inside, you see an astounding array of pastel eggs, all colors, all patterns. You can think of nothing better than to pick one of these beautiful eggs, and have it for your very own. Your hand reaches out, and she shakes her head. You realize that while she wants you to have an egg, she wants you to pick it sight unseen. So, you close your eyes, reach out your hand, and reach into the basket. Eyes still closed, you draw your hand back, holding an egg. You open your eyes, and look upon your egg. What does it look like?

Think to yourself what the decoration on the egg means, and why Ostara, The Goddess of The Spring Resurrection wants you to have this particular gift for the coming season.

After you have looked at your egg, you raise your head to thank the Goddess, but she is gone. You look about for her in vain. You wonder if it has all been a dream. The reality of your heart tells you otherwise, and you know you have received the blessing of the Green Goddess.

As your attention moves from yourself to the forest, you realize that the trees now have tiny, but beautifully formed green leaves at the end of their branches. And you notice that the birch tree struck by lightning, the one that looked dead, now has green shoots rising from its split trunk. As you make your way out of the birch grove, it seems that the clouds have lightened, and even as you think this, the sun comes out. Small, barely formed flowers lightly scent the forest floor, birds are singing, and the rich smell of moist earth fills your nose.

Softly at first you hear that care-free whistling coming from what seems like everywhere. As you mount the crest, you see “THE FOOL” once again. He’s playing catch with the wolf, precariously close to the edge of the precipice. He calls out to you…

“A MONK WAS OUT WALKING IN THE MOUNTAINS OF ANCIENT JAPAN.
HE ENCOUNTERS A WILD TIGER. AND AS HE IS FLEEING, HE SLIPS OVER A CLIFF, BUT MANAGES TO GRAB HOLD OF A GNARLED ROOT AT THE EDGE. HE LOOKS DOWN, & SEES SHARDS OF BROKEN ROCKS FAR BELOW. HE LOOKS UP & SEES THE WILD CAT, SNARLING AT HIM IN HUNGER. AS HE LOOKS AROUND, HE ALSO SEES BESIDE HIM A BUSH WITH A SINGLE BRIGHT, SUCCULENT BERRY ON IT. HE LOOKS UP. HE LOOKS DOWN.
HE SMILES, & PLUCKS THE BERRY, & POPS IT INTO HIS MOUTH…
HOW SWEET IT TASTES!”
(He begins to whistle, letting it swell & then fade out)

This is the way of the wise fool. He knows that a life lived in trust is sweet. Take this Zen teaching into your heart, into your mind, into your body.

As you make your way out of the forest, you wonder how you could have found this green growing place gloomy, it seems so alive, and pleasant to walk through, full of hope and positive forces, which you can call on anytime, to influence your choices, as you take the leap, into the joys of Spring.

by Hazel Archer Ginsberg