This illustration by Scriven Bolton accompanied a 1921 Popular Science Monthly article about how 7P/Pons-Winnecke was originally thought to be on a collision course with Earth that year. Calculations by astronomer E. E. Barnard showed otherwise. Public domain
Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke graces the early morning sky.
French astronomer Jean Louis Pons discovered this comet in June 1819, which was then rediscovered in March 1858 by German astronomer Friedrich Winnecke. Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke belongs to the Jupiter family of comets, returning every 6.4 years. TODAY 27 May 2021 it reaches Perihelion – watch it on Sky Live. Catch this comet from May through August as it wings southeast across the morning sky from Aquila to Phoenix.
Chris Marriott’s SkyMap
“Rudolf Steiner points out that the nature of the nucleus of the comet is quite different from that of the tail. The nucleus attracts/collects harmful, astral substance which densifies around the nucleus as it progresses further into our physical universe, taking on material form, then carries this harmful astral substance out of our planetary system. This substance is transformed by the comet and that which streams out in the tail is of a different composition as a result. This comet tail, according to astronomy, can be millions of miles long. For example, the Halley’s comet tail plumed 150 million miles long, as far out from the Sun as the orbit of Mars. The unpredictable and erratic nature of the comet also applies to the tail. If the comet behaved according to physical laws of gravity, it would follow that the tail would sweep behind the comet in the direction flowing from its trajectory, much like for example how the wake of a boat or flow of air follows the nucleus creating it. However, the tail of the comet always points away from the Sun towards the cosmic periphery rather than streaming behind the nucleus following its direction. That which becomes material through attraction to the comet as it sweeps more and more into the physical solar system on its path towards the sun, is burned away as densified negative astral substance and carried out of the solar system. If a comet fragments and decomposes, it has achieved its purpose.
Steiner speaks of how what remains of the fragments and the transformed particles in the tail actually then become the substance of the meteors with their iron, which we experience in the meteor showers. In fact, even modern astronomy confirms that the meteor showers are experienced annually when the Earth passes through the remnants of a comet from an earlier time. So what is this “astral” substance that is attracted to the spiritual force center, materializes and then burns away transformed into the tail and carried out of our solar system? We know from spiritual science that in all levels of cosmic consciousness, of cosmic being, there are also regressive beings who work as a resistance to the forward movement of evolution.
Petra Kasika
We also are especially aware that humanity creates destructive and harmful astral forces out of materialism, passions, wars, desires, etc. which also stream out into the cosmos from the Earth, particularly at times of solar eclipses. Thus it is necessary that these darkening and stormy astral impulses be swept out of the cosmos in order to allow for the progress of evolution. If you consider human life on earth you will admit that…there arise a number of astral beings, of astral forms, which are actually harmful, hindering to life. From humans themselves stream forth continually, erroneous, base, evil thoughts; these…pass out into the astral world… Everything of a cometary or meteoric nature is ever striving to collect round itself all the harmful astral products, and to remove them out of the planetary system. (Steiner, Helsingfors lectures)
Estella Laponti
Thus the spiritual force center forms the nucleus of attraction, drawing to itself the harmful astrality in the cosmos, where it collects and densifies, even becoming mineral, and then is transformed and carried out of the planetary universe into the “nothingness” of the higher spiritual realms as the comet then disappears having completed its task. Even modern astronomy calls the appearance of comets, an “apparition”. ~Jonathan Hilton, astrosophy.com
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY (Rudolf Steiner’s orginal Calendar of the Soul, The Present Age magazine, Wikipedia)
John Russo
27 May 2021
Mateo Cerezo
Birthday of Mary Magdalene – “…Mary Magdalene focuses on the inner worlds of initiation. We imagine that, not through outer pomp and pageantry, but through gnosis or direct knowing, she seeks union with the Divine. Hers is the path of the sacred marriage, accomplished within.” ~ from the preface of ‘The Gospel of Mary Magdalene’ by Jean-Yves Leloup, David Tresemer, PhD, and Laura-Lee Cannon.
The Barque of Dante by Eugène Delacroix
1265 – Birthday of Dante (thought to be reincarnated as King John of Saxony. Beyond his political work, John was busy with literature. Under the pseudonym Philalethes he translated to German Dante’s Divine Comedy)
1564 – Deathday of John Calvin an influential French theologian & pastor during the Protestant Reformation, called Calvinism, influenced by the Augustinian tradition. The aim of Calvin’s political theory was to safeguard the rights and freedoms of ordinary people.
1840 – Deathday of Paganini an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, & composer – the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time.
1907 – Bubonic plague breaks out in San Francisco
1907 – Birthday of Rachel Carson, American biologist, environmentalist, and author
1933 – The Century of Progress World’s Fair opens in Chicago
Talia Stanton
~I follow the path to the Sun Moment by moment, season to season But to travel East is to grieve in darkness. I find my star radiating from the Earth Heart Shining in the rainbow clouds Working in my skin. And so I reflect with the Moon, cycle by cycle Toting fertile moisture in the mix My skeleton filling with the resurrection Knowing I shall not fall to forgetfulness. ~hag
Sophia Community Circle – WEDNESDAY 2 JUNE 2021
We are She – She are We – Embodying Love in Wisdom with Hazel & Ultra-Violet Archer
9:30 am PT / 10:30 am MT / 11:30 am CT / 12:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm GMT / 6:30 pm CET
~I call the Doves to come & nest in my hair So that I may spit fire from my head. All the while my heart beats like a bee tongue among the new roses. As I await the Avatar Winds of Sophia I warm my will & open To receive Wisdom into my bones ~hag
Prepearing for Whitsun Contemplation
At the Turning Point of Time the ego or “I” of Zarathustra had to leave the body of Jesus right before the Baptism, to allow the Christ Being to enter; appearing 1st like a dove above the head of John the Baptist as the voice of the father god was heard. Only the “I” of the Nathan Jesus, which was pure, could bear the Christ, & only for 3 years.
Knowing this we may ask: How can The Christ live in us without driving out our “I” or completely extinguishing our individuality with its cosmic forces?
We are able to strive to live into the ideal of ‘Not I, but Christ in me’, only because Christ sent the Holy Spirit, which enables the human “I” to receive the Christ Being fully. Rudolf Steiner tells us: “Christ wanted to dwell amongst humankind, but He did not want to obscure the emerging ego-consciousness of human beings. He had done this once in Jesus, in whom from the Baptism onwards a consciousness of the Son lived in place of his ego-consciousness. But this was not something that was to take place in people of future times. In the case of such people the ego was to be able to rise up in full consciousness, and yet the Christ could dwell with them…so Christ sent that divine being who does not extinguish ego-consciousness, that humanity might be able to retain their ego-consciousness and have the Christ dwell within them.” (GA 214, 30 July 1922)
In the ‘Farewell Discourses’ from St. John’s Gospel, Christ Himself characterizes this coming of the Spirit of Truth: “But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit Whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and awaken your memory of all that I have said to you” (John 14:26)
In the 5th Gospel, Steiner talks about how for 40 days after the Resurrection, The Christ was able to provide secret teachings to the disciples about the mysteries of the spiritual world, together with its significance not only for the evolution of the human & earthly world, but also for the world of the gods. But that the disciples were in a sort of mystic state of mind, not fully conscious.
The ‘Farewell Discourses’, also tells us that the Holy Spirit comes to reach right into the inner being of the disciples in order to dwell there as Wisdom, leading to a clear & conscious understanding of these essential secrets of the Mystery of Golgotha.
Jen Norton
And so it is that this promise comes to fulfillment 50 days after the Resurrection, on that 1st Whitsun morning, amidst the surging winds, that the disciples might become apostles, taking up their individual tasks; speaking from the heart -the language that all may understand.
Venta Carlson
As spirit-pupils in the School of Spiritual Science striving to make the content of the Michael School alive within us, bringing us to the Cosmic Realm of the Holy Spirit of Truth, the source of the Paraclete; we can achieve a reality where a renewed Whitsun is possible, now & in the times to come.
~hag
(Join our Whitsun ecclesia 23 May 2021, see zoom details below)
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY (resourses include The original Calendar of the Soul by Rudolf Steiner, Anthrowiki, Wikipedia, Skyandtelescope.org)
World Bee Day – Birthday in 1734 of Anton Janša, the pioneer of beekeeping.The purpose of this international day is to acknowledge the role of bees & other pollinators for our ecosytem
325 – The First Council of Nicaea is formally opened, starting the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church. Its main accomplishments were settlement of the Christological issue of the divine nature of God the Son & His relationship to God the Father, the construction of the first part of the Nicene Creed, & establishing uniform observance of the date of Easter, & the promulgation of early canon law.
1497 – John Cabot sets sail from Bristol, England, on his ship Matthew looking for a route to the west.
1498 – Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discovers the sea route to India when he arrives at Calicuta India.
1570 – Cartographer Abraham Ortelius issues Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas
1609 – Shakespeare’s sonnets are illicitly published in London, by Thomas Thorpe.
1631 – The city of Magdeburg in Germany is seized by forces of the Holy Roman Empire & most of its inhabitants massacred, in one of the bloodiest incidents of the Thirty Years’ War.
1645 – Yangzhou massacre: the 10-day massacre of 900,000 residents of the city of Yangzhou, part of the Transition from Ming to Qing.
1802 – By the Law of 20 May 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte reinstates slavery in the French colonies, revoking its abolition in the French Revolution.
1813 – Napoleon Bonaparte leads his French troops into the Battle of Bautzen in Saxony, Germany, against the combined armies of Russia and Prussia. The battle ends the next day with a French victory
1859 – Birthday of Eliza von Moltke – wife of Helmuth Johannes Ludwig von Moltke, Chief of the Great General Staff in command of the 1st Division of the Guard Corps for the Kaiser at the start of the world war. Eliza was a student o Rudolf Steiner & cured herself from a strangle disease thru meditations given by Steiner. She wrote the’ “Post-mortem-Mitteilungen” after her husband commander Molke died from taking on the war guilt falsely heaped on him. The two volumes of these after death communications shed illuminating light on the events immediately before & during the First World War and on the person of the emperor. These communications were later published as: Light for the New Millennium: Rudolf Steiner’s Association with Helmuth & Eliza von Moltke –
“This collection of previously unpublished letters and documents deals with themes that are of tremendous significance for our time: the approaching new millennium; karma and reincarnation; life after death; the workings of evil; the destiny of Europe; and the hidden causes of the First World War. It also tells the story of the meeting of two great men: Rudolf Steiner and Helmuth von Moltke (1848-1916), Chief of the general staff of the German army during the outbreak of the First World War, who was dismissed from his post in 1914 following disagreements with the Kaiser.
Moltke first came into contact with Steiner through his wife Eliza, who was one of Steiner’s esoteric pupils. Steiner’s connection to Moltke included personal meetings, letters, and clairvoyant messages after the General’s death. These communications are reproduced here in full, along with a key interview with Rudolf Steiner…” ~Amazon books
1862 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signs the Homestead Act into law
1883 – Krakatoa begins to erupt; the volcano explodes three months later, killing more than 36,000 people.
1891 –The first public display of Thomas Edison’s prototype kinetoscope.
1902 – Cuba gains independence from the United States.
1940 –The first prisoners arrive at a new concentration camp at Auschwitz.
1956 – In Operation Redwing, the first United States airborne hydrogen bomb is dropped over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean
1983 – First publications of the discovery of the HIV virus that causes AIDS in the journal Science by Luc Montagnier.
1989 – The Chinese authorities declare martial law in the face of pro-democracy demonstrations, setting the scene for the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Sangraal: A Pentecost Pilgrimage & Whitsun Festival with the Central Regional Council an experiential ‘Pageant’ written by Hazel Archer, taking us on a Quest from The Cauldron of Ceridwen, to The Holy Grail, & into The Sacred Vessel of the Sophia.
with Special Guests: Mary Mertz, Camille Vettraino. Eurythmy with Elizabeth Carlson, & Music with Ultra-Violet Archer
Join us on Whitsunday 23 May2021, at 11 am PT / 12 noon MT / 1 pm – 2:30 pm CT / 2 pm ET / 8 pm CET
Bio – Elizabeth Carlson – I was born and grew up in upstate [Woodstock] New York. I completed the eurythmy training at Eurythmy School Zuccoli in Dornach, age 24, and studied again later at Eurythmeum Stuttgart for two years. I have worked in Waldorf education since, in eurythmy, (in USA, SA and UK) for 16 yrs, in Early Years for five years, and intermittently in care for the elderly and learning disabled. I completed an MA in eurythmy (education) with Alanus University (Germany, but in the UK) in 2016. I have lived in the UK, presently in Cardiff, Wales, since 1992. My son is 26.
After working with Karma & Reincarnation for 3 years the CRC has chosen a new Theme: ‘The Mysteries of the Holy Grail, from Arthur and Parzival to Modern Initiation’
We are She – She are We – Embodying Love in Wisdom with Hazel & Ultra-Violet Archer
9:30 am PT / 10:30 am MT / 11:30 am CT / 12:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm GMT / 6:30 pm CET
Invitation to a Summer Practice and Research Group
You are invited to join with a group of friends as we explore Rudolf Steiner’s 6 Essential Exercises alongside the Eightfold / Daily Exercise Path.
We will have a daily 15-minute Zoom meeting for 6 weeks. Beginning on Saturday June 12, 2021 and ending on July 24, 2021. This group will meet every day for 42 days, for 15 minutes each day.
9 am ET / 10 am MT / 11 amCT / 12 ET / 5 pm BST / 6 pm CET
The schedule each day (based on Eastern Time (ET) Please check your time zone):
12:00 Thought of the Day for the Six Basic Exercise (changes weekly)
12:05 5-minute Individual Practice Space
12:10 Thought of the Day for the Daily Exercises (8FoldPath)
12:15 Close the space
Everyone is invited to participate. Come when you can and will. Free of charge.
We intend to stay as close to time as possible. Saturdays after the close of the call, there will be an optional conversation space hosted by Elderberries. Visit our padlet for updates: https://padlet.com/programs4/6BE
This is a practice group AND a research group. We are experimenting with weaving our attention with weekly rhythm of the 6BE and the daily rhythm of Eightfold Path/ Daily Exercises. You are encouraged to bring a journal to make notes and keep track of your progress.
Week One: Clear Thinking
Week Two: Control of Will
Week Three: Equanimity
Week Four: Positivity
Week Five: Open Mindedness
Week Six: Harmony
Saturdays: Right Opinion
Sundays: Right Judgement
Mondays: Right Word
Tuesdays: Right Deed
Wednesdays: Right Standpoint
Thursdays: To Become Habit
Fridays: Right Memory
Thinking artistically is fun!
One playful way to think of this group is that we will cultivate a summer garden. With your attention and devotion each week, you might grow a seven petaled daisy:
The ARC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting:
It’s difficult to really Know Thyself. It’s even harder to have the clarity & discerment to find the right words to describe yourself to another. And then there are the impressions others have of us. Impressions which are often colored by past karma, antipathies & sympathies – & what they see reflected in the mirror of themselves.
What is true for me, might not be true for you. And then of course it’s all in how we react to their reaction…
I often ask myself: What is more important, our manners or our intentions? Are we our confessions, or our ideals? What if our deeds haven’t fruited, can we still claim the harvest?
It’s difficult to stand up to the standards of others. Our karma sometimes gives us slack, & sometimes it’s the rope that hangs us.
Let me take a moment to introduce myself & make this disclaimer: I currently working as a synthesizer – I am a collage maker – a collector – a compiler – a connect-the-dots kind of gal. I hunt & gather & make soup. I transform what was, into what is, & practice to manifest what will be. I have the soul & imagination of a mystic, yet I have learned to keep my feet on the ground – thoroughly engaged in my will forces to get things done.
The world-wide-web is my ocean, & I am a sponge. I am often the barometer flapping in the wind, gauging the current weather patterns. Yep even the canary in the mine shaft; or the sibyl picking up the gestalt of the age.
I think about that Steiner quote (which I can’t site, sorry) where he talks about how someone unconsciously sees the headline & talks about it like it was his own thought. Mind you Steiner tells us we must always strive to be conscious. I admit a lot of times I open myself to what the little birdy whispers in my ear, not always paying attention to where the idea came from, & this can get me in trouble, opening me to not so beautiful forces, or running the risk of overstepping boundaries.
Rembrandt
On the good days I know it’s the angels, or the beloved dead, leading me here or there, or speaking thru me; & I feel divinely led to make connections where none were seen before. And from that sometimes I am actually graced with innovative ways of thinking.
But yeah sometimes I am just regurgitating what I am striving to understand by putting it out in front of myself.
Nicolas Régnier
I am not a scholar. I am woefully inept at siting references, or notating the bibliography. And I have been seeing more & more how hurtful that can be. I certainly don’t like it when someone takes ‘my’ ideas without giving me credit.
I rely heavily on the Rudolf Steiner Archives of which I pay a monthly donation. I scour all the Wiki’s. I am on FB, where I have met amazing artists who generously let me share their work. I also search google images, & use earthsky.org or skyandtelescope.org for the foundation of my Star Speaking.
Besides my own life experiences, the collective human story influences me – I particularly love the archetypes, fairytales, & all ancient myths & legends.
Lawren Harris
I am very keen to what’s ‘in the air’ – seeds broadcast out from the spiritual world. I have found many times in my life that I ‘come up with an idea’ that 3 other people have also been thinking about. This can feel uncomfortable, but I am learning to see that it really doesn’t matter who actualizes them as long as these seeds become manifest & are able to bear fruit.
I don’t monetize anything I do, but some folks do, & why shouldn’t they get credit for their intellectual property; or paid for what they do? Most days I am fine with offering unpaid community service, but then at other times I resent it, because some folks think that just because I’m not getting paid it means I’m not working, or that my time isn’t valuable. But that will never stop me from wanting to share.
I am a big fan of the public domain & make use of it daily. But there is a fine line between ‘fair use’, ‘open source’, ‘creative commons’ & copyright laws.
My journal is like a jigsaw puzzle where I keep the pieces I have collected along the way. A string of words here, a half remembered story there, an overheard fragment, a piece of coal that I tie together with a lump of sand & the view from my window that day to make my POD…etc.
Rembrandt
But then recently thru my often uncomfortable karmic relationships I was admonished for using the definition of a word without crediting the source. This led them to search for other breaches. And then they shared their distrust with another, who told me it was like taking a painting by Rembrandt, adding a few flowers to it & claiming credit. So while it hurts that friends are going out of their way to find fault & gossip; I take to heart the truth of their criticism, knowing they are in my life to help me live up to my highest potential. I often live inside myself so I need the reflection, even if it’s tough love.
Rembrandt
I am so grateful when folks dialogue with me on the content; or write to talk about their experience or insights. I am tremendously inspired by feedback & pointers to other sources or lectures. Thank you! This is what I had hoped this space would be – a community – the sacred space of the New Mysteries where the Social Sphere provides a Threshold for growth & change.
I remember when I was asked to write an article for Das Goetheanum about the ‘Great American Eclipse’. They were very demanding about the bibliography, which I found inhibiting. I have a lot to learn, I’m just not sure I want to make that my focus.
Thomas Kinkade
So I feel I am at a turning point, where I am called to work differently, not so much collecting & synthesizing out loud, but instead doing that work internally, letting the quotes stand on their own, & then writing more personally from my own experience. I am hoping that by not spending half the day researching –gathering – collating; I will have more time to actually work on that ‘novel’ I keep threatening to write.
Robin Chance
I know that the Grail Quest I am on is a Hero’s Journey only I can take. Although I know that by sharing the journey, come hell or high water, I won’t be alone.
~from the throbbing open heart of hag
Penelope Rose Cowley
RUDOLF STEINER’S CALENDAR OF THE SOUL translated (with added titles) by Roy Sadler EASTERTIDE IV The Beltane Gift v4 I feel the essence of my being, speaks senses’ feeling that in the sunlit world unites with shining floods of light; it would enliven clear thought with warmth and marry Man and World.
‘Marry’ as a translation of ‘unite’ in this first full moon verse after Easter is a recognition that in ancient times before our present calendar system Beltane was a marriage festival at the Full Moon when the Sun was in Taurus.
https://skyandtelescope.org/
25 April 2021 – “Speaking with the Stars” : Tonight is the Eve of the Full Sprouting Grass Moon.
Kimberly Webber
POD (Poem Of the Day)
~She is the early light & the purpose of dusk Who Is The song bird of The Logos renewed… She will Rattle the seeds of the sistrum To Awaken A brilliant moment in eternity: Today I will Lift Her veil… ~hag
Living into the Spheres of Cosmic Life and Cosmic Light:Easter, Ascension, Whitsun in the Calendar of the Soul with Luigi Morelli, Hazel Archer and Geoff Norris – Zoom Host Frank Agrama
13 May 2021 Ascension Thursday 5- 6:30pm PT / 6-7:30 pm MT / 7 pm – 8:30 pm CT / 8-9:30 pm ET / 1 am – 2:30 am GMT / 2 am – 3:30 am CET
Ascension: The Secret Teachings, The Elementals, & The Etheric Christ – Hazel Archer
Calendar of the Soul – Luigi Morelli
For those who are familiar with the Calendar of the Soul we could say that during spring and summer we follow the ascent of cosmic life, cosmic light, cosmic warmth and cosmic Word as gifts bestowed upon the human being by the cosmos. By being receptive to them we strengthen our connection to cosmos and Self.
We will briefly explore the dynamics of the year, then look at what qualities of soul we need to develop as we move into spring and summer, most particularly from Easter to Ascension and Whitsun. We will look at the verses of the calendar in conjunction with the artistic renditions of Anne Stockton and Karl König, drawn for each of the verses.
We will ask ourselves: How can we live into and grow from this time of the year? How can we deepen our inner relationship to the event of Ascension? What can we receive and what can we give?
Break-out Groups
Group Speech Work with Geoff Norris
“Angels, in the early morning May be seen the Dews among, Stooping — plucking — smiling — flying — Do the Buds to them belong?” ~Emily Dickenson
Closing Thoughts – Hazel Archer
***
Sangraal: A Pentecost Pilgrimage & Whitsun Festival with the Central Regional Council an experiential ‘Pageant’ written by Hazel Archer, taking us on a Quest from The Cauldron of Ceridwen, to The Holy Grail, & into The Sacred Vessel of the Sophia.
Join us on Whitsunday 23 May2021, at 11 am PT / 12 noon MT / 1 pm – 2:30 pm CT / 2 pm ET / 8 pm CET
After working with Karma & Reincarnation for 3 years the CRC has chosen a new Theme: ‘The Mysteries of the Holy Grail, from Arthur and Parzival to Modern Initiation’
Are you ready to be a connoisseur of potent mysteries that purify the mind & nurture the soul…? What would it be like to live as a madcap, in quest of seemingly impossible imaginings – Or a fierce adept of uncertainty, in love with the unpredictable wisdom of righteous teachings…?
The truth of the spirit tells us that we are all connected to each other thru the collective unconscious – Your soul & my soul have taproots that sink deep into the memories & capacities of the entire human race…
So as we move deeper into the Easter-Tide towards Ascension – A time when the trees begin to flower & clouds call out our secret name – our taproots are ever communing in juicy delight…
O goody right…?!? Can you feel how we are in more intimate contact than ever with the primal pool of possibilities…? And that means we have the power to draw on mojo that transcends our individual personal abilities…We have access to the storehouse of eternal blessings waiting to be received…
Sweet, Ok, great, so…then ask yourself: What are you going to do with this luscious lightning; these ambrosial visions, the O-so-gooey timeless healing balm, streaming in from the beginning of time…?
Friends, if we are to make use of these gifts, then we must break taboos, buck tradition, & overthrow conventional understanding – exercising blithe grace, hug worthy gratitude & jaunty charm…
And there are a couple more caveats: The beautiful truth won’t be simple & bright; No sorry, that’s boring – it will be dense, convoluted, & kaleidoscopic…& yet, the simple things in life, the stuff we may be taking for granted, will be beaming with life-force – every floral scent floating in on the breeze, the fragrance of earth after rain, of hyacinth & lilac, the nesting song birds at dawn – the thunder at noon – may even begin to sound like an orchestra in the park, inviting you to join in…So why not tune yourself up & begin to sing the song of freedom won…
~see you there
~hag
21 April 2021 – “Speaking with the Stars”: Bella Luna passes between Regulus & Algieba (the orange star above Regulus)
In the early-morning hours of Thursday the Lyrid meteor shower, is at its maximum activity. The light of the waxing gibbous Moon will interfere until the Moon sets about an hour before the first glimmer of dawn. That dark hour is the best window to plan for. Listen to the podcast about the Lyrids on ‘I Think Speech’
According to Rudolf Steiner’s Original Calendar of the Soul. today is the Birthday of Simeon, who recognized the Buddha in the Luke Jesus as he was the reincarnation of Asita see GA 114/16.9.09
Also according to Steiner today is the Birthday in 570 of Mohammed, the Prophet of Islam.
753 BC – Romulus founds Rome
1109 – Feast day of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, Benedictine monk, abbot, Doctor of the Church, philosopher & theologian who held the office of archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109. Anselm composed dialogues & treatises causing him to be credited as one of the founders of Scholasticism. He was famed as the originator of the ontological argument for the existence of God & of the satisfaction theory of atonement.
1142 – Peter Abelard, a medieval French scholastic philosopher, theologian, & preeminent logician. His love affair with, Héloïse d’Argenteuil has become legendary. The Chambers Biographical Dictionary describes him as “the keenest thinker and boldest theologian of the 12th Century”.
Laura Kerr-Marrs
1910 – Deathday of Mark Twain, American novelist, humorist, & critic
1989 – Tiananmen Square protests. In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang
2014 – The city of Flint, Michigan switches its water source to the Flint River, beginning the ongoing Flint water crisis which has caused lead poisoning in up to 12,000 people, & at least 15 deaths from Legionnaires disease, ultimately leading to criminal indictments against 15 people, five of whom have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Living into the Spheres of Cosmic Life and Cosmic Light:Easter, Ascension, Whitsun in the Calendar of the Soul with Luigi Morelli, Hazel Archer and Geoff Norris – Zoom Host Frank Agrama
13 May 2021 Ascension Thursday 5- 6:30pm PT / 6-7:30 pm MT / 7 pm – 8:30 pm CT / 8-9:30 pm ET / 1 am – 2:30 am GMT / 2 am – 3:30 am CET
Ascension: The Secret Teachings, The Elementals, & The Etheric Christ – Hazel Archer
Calendar of the Soul – Luigi Morelli
For those who are familiar with the Calendar of the Soul we could say that during spring and summer we follow the ascent of cosmic life, cosmic light, cosmic warmth and cosmic Word as gifts bestowed upon the human being by the cosmos. By being receptive to them we strengthen our connection to cosmos and Self.
We will briefly explore the dynamics of the year, then look at what qualities of soul we need to develop as we move into spring and summer, most particularly from Easter to Ascension and Whitsun. We will look at the verses of the calendar in conjunction with the artistic renditions of Anne Stockton and Karl König, drawn for each of the verses.
We will ask ourselves: How can we live into and grow from this time of the year? How can we deepen our inner relationship to the event of Ascension? What can we receive and what can we give?
Break-out Groups
Group Speech Work with Geoff Norris
“Angels, in the early morning May be seen the Dews among, Stooping — plucking — smiling — flying — Do the Buds to them belong?” ~Emily Dickenson
Closing Thoughts – Hazel Archer
Sangraal: A Pentecost Pilgrimage & Whitsun Festival with the Central Regional Council an experiential ‘Pageant’ written by Hazel Archer, taking us on a Quest from The Cauldron of Ceridwen, to The Holy Grail, & into The Sacred Vessel of the Sophia.
Join us on Whitsunday 23 May2021, at 11 am PT / 12 noon MT / 1 pm – 2:30 pm CT / 2 pm ET / 8 pm CET
After working with Karma & Reincarnation for 3 years the CRC has chosen a new Theme: ‘The Mysteries of the Holy Grail, from Arthur and Parzival to Modern Initiation’
RUDOLF STEINER’S CALENDAR OF THE SOUL translated (with added titles) by Roy Sadler EASTERTIDE III My Inborn Truth v3 The human spirit speaks. The growing I, in self-forgetfulness and conscious of its origin, is speaking to the whole enwoven world: In you, releasing my subjective fetters, I fathom my true being.
One of the goals of Astrosophy, being part of the Anthroposophical stream, is to create a bridge between the world of the stars, providing an image of the higher worlds – unveiling the spiritual realities beyond the world of the senses – To observe & identify the Archetypes at play in the physical world.
The Physical World doesn’t require much explanation. It’s the world of the senses that we experience everyday of our life. But even though we are very familiar with it, there are some very important distinctions that we need to make. for one thing, the reality of the Physical World doesn’t rely on our senses only, but also on concepts & ideas. We need to know this to start discerning what’s material from what’s physical. A rock is material, right? It’s made of what we usually refer to as matter. But what about warmth, or wind? It’s physical but not material.
Johfra Bosschart
There are two very important aspects of the Physical World -the Four Elements & the Four Ethers.
Derry Bembble
Earth – physical Water- liquid Air – gaseous Fire – warmth – a bridge between the Four Elements a & the Four Ethers. Fire is the most rarefied of the elements, & thru a process of condensation we gradually find Air, Water & Earth. The most interesting part of all this is that Steiner described how, starting from Fire, we have a double process happening at the same time. On one hand we have a condensation process going downward, creating the denser elements. On the other, we have a rarefaction process going upwards, where we find the four Ethers.
The Four Ethers & the Four Elements create the seven layers of the Physical-Etheric World, & the 7-fold human being.
Big thanks to Rob Treiste
The finest of the four elements is Fire, a bridge between the other states of matter & the etheric realm.
Warmth Ether: We can also think of warmth as the densest of the ethers. When we experience outer warmth, we are in the Fire Element. When we experience inner warmth, we get in touch with the Warmth Ether. This is because according to Anthroposophy the Elements can be experienced mostly outwardly, whereas the Ethers can be experienced inwardly.
Light Ether: On one hand the Fire Element condensing downward becomes the Air Element. And on the other, the Warmth Ether rarefying upwards becomes Light Ether.
How can we imagine the Light Ether? Light in itself is invisible to us. We see illuminated objects, but we can’t see the light itself. Light enables us to see, sacrificing itself, so we can see thru it. But by seeing the objects we become aware of “the darkness”, not of the light.
True light is an inner experience. And if we could perceive the light clairvoyantly we could also grasp its subtle action, because the Light Ether is a subtle force of expansion- light expands from the source at the center, towards the periphery.
We can see a reflection of this in how gas expands. This because the Light Ether has an indirect effect on the Air Element, controlling it.
From the biological perspective, the Light Ether acts in all processes of expansion & growth. The direction in which a tree branch stretches & expands, growing towards a specific direction, is due to its action.
Sound Ether: The third stage, is the condensation of the Air Element into the Water Element, & the rarefaction of the Light Ether into the Sound Ether. This passage is crucial, because for the first time we are dealing with a substance that maintains the shape it is given, even if just temporarily. We know that Astrologically the Water Element has a strong connection with the Moon & with its ability to reflect the cosmic forces. Those forces can be reflected by the surface of any fluid, creating waves shaped in several ways.
So, why Sound Ether? This ether has many names: chemical ether, tone ether & even number ether. All these names try to describe the same phenomenon: the action of subtle waves organizing subtle matter into specific shapes. It’s easier to see it in action than to speculate on it, so I recommend you towatch this video. But we need to understand that this is just an example, & that the Sound Ether is not really sound, since we are dealing with an etheric substance which vibrates beyond any physical level. Secondly, the medium in which the Sound Ether creates the shapes is always a liquid, or in other words the Water Element. But watching the video it’s very easy to imagine how this ether acts to organize & preserve life. The shapes are all very organic, recalling images of biological processes at a cellular level.
Life Ether: Lastly, we have the Life Ether. The Water Element condensates further into the Earth Element, where the Sound Ether rarefies upwards becoming the Life Ether. Again, in order to understand the ether we can look at the element it has power on. The Earth is the first element that not only has a shape, but it is also capable of retaining it. In a liquid a shape it is very temporary. In a solid state, it lasts. This enables this element to create solid bodies having a specific shape thru which they can separate from their context.
For this reason Earth is also the element which mostly represents matter. In order to penetrate & organize matter itself the subtler & highest etheric forces are needed. So how does the Life Ether work?
We are now dealing with a closed & separate system capable of retaining its shape. On a biological level the simplest example would be a single-celled organism. The Life Ether is in charge of organizing all the internal components of the cell in order to retain its form. In order to do that, the Life Ether makes use of the Sound Ether (biochemical processes), the Light Ether (growth & expansion) & the Warmth Ether (warmth production).
In the Western Mystery Traditions we can find a trace of the ethers in the symbol of the pentragram. The five pointed star is indeed the symbol of the four elements balanced by a “fifth element”. This fifth component was called quintessence or, more precisely, the ether.
In Anthroposophy the pentagram isn’t just a symbol – It’s a correct representation of the Etheric Body, the subtle body in charge of preserving & organizing the life functions of the Physical Body. Its shape corresponds to the shape of the human being: a five pointed star.
And being made of the four ethers, it can act on the physical body thru the four elements. So in this context the Pentagram represents the synthesis of the four ethers at the service of life.
Franny Backster
Among the Planetary Spheres, the Earth is the one that represents the Physical World in all its complexity. This Physical-Etheric World has 7 levels in total. Three of them are Physical (Earth, Water & Air). Three, are Etheric (Light, Sound & Life). And one stays in between, bridging the physical & the etheric (Fire-Warmth).
Jerry N. Trent
I’ve been working to understand the ethers for a while now. I’m still learning, so any insights are appreciated. Thanks
1506 – The cornerstone of the current St. Peter’s Basilica is laid.
1521 – Trial of Martin Luther begins its second day during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. He refuses to recant his teachings despite the risk of excommunication.
1775 –The British advancement by sea begins; Paul Revere and other riders warn the countryside of the troop movements.
1857 – “The Spirits Book” by Allan Kardec is published, marking the birth of Spiritualism in France
1902 – The 7.5 Mw Guatemala earthquake shakes Guatemala with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), killing between 1800–4,000.
1906 – An earthquake and fire destroy much of San Francisco, California.
1909 – Joan of Arc is beatified in Rome.
1955 – Deathday of Albert Einstein
Amanda Maker
POD (Poem Of the Day)
~I strive With the chard Growing in uprightness A new tendril unfurling According to a higher purpose… ~hag
Lee Ann Dzelzkalns
Living into the Spheres of Cosmic Life and Cosmic Light:Easter, Ascension, Whitsun in the Calendar of the Soul with Luigi Morelli, Hazel Archer and Geoff Norris – Zoom Host Frank Agrama
13 May 2021 Ascension Thursday 5- 6:30pm PT / 6-7:30 pm MT / 7 pm – 8:30 pm CT / 8-9:30 pm ET / 1 am – 2:30 am GMT / 2 am – 3:30 am CET
Ascension: The Secret Teachings, The Elementals, & The Etheric Christ – Hazel Archer
Calendar of the Soul – Luigi Morelli
For those who are familiar with the Calendar of the Soul we could say that during spring and summer we follow the ascent of cosmic life, cosmic light, cosmic warmth and cosmic Word as gifts bestowed upon the human being by the cosmos. By being receptive to them we strengthen our connection to cosmos and Self.
We will briefly explore the dynamics of the year, then look at what qualities of soul we need to develop as we move into spring and summer, most particularly from Easter to Ascension and Whitsun. We will look at the verses of the calendar in conjunction with the artistic renditions of Anne Stockton and Karl König, drawn for each of the verses.
We will ask ourselves: How can we live into and grow from this time of the year? How can we deepen our inner relationship to the event of Ascension? What can we receive and what can we give?
Break-out Groups
Large Group sharing: Gathering dew drops
Group Speech Work with Geoff Norris
“Angels, in the early morning May be seen the Dews among, Stooping — plucking — smiling — flying — Do the Buds to them belong?” ~Emily Dickenson
Closing Thoughts – Hazel Archer
Sangraal: A Pentecost Pilgrimage & Whitsun Festival with the Central Regional Council
After working with Karma & Reincarnation for 3 years the CRC has chossen a new Theme: ‘The Mysteries of the Holy Grail, from Arthur and Parzival to Modern Initiation’
Join us on Whitsunday 23 May2021, at 11 am PT / 12 noon MT / 1 pm – 2:30 pm CT / 2 pm ET / 8 pm CET
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