Quote of the Month

"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than he who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is the victory over self." - Aristotle 

“The spirit world is indeed already unlocked for us; it is always revealed. If we suddenly became as elastic as we should be, we should see ourselves in the midst of it.” - Novalis (circa 1772-1801)

"Humanity is only fully awake when people are able to develop notions and ideas of the world of the spirit. This is all around us, just as air and water, the stars, the sun and the moon are all around us."  -Dr. Rudolf Steiner,  https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA177/English/RSP1993/19170929p01.html

“Heaven does not lie beyond the grave; it is here already, pervading all of nature and its light rises in every pure heart.”  - Johann Gottlieb Fichte, “The Vocation of Man”, vol. 3, section III, Berlin 1800.   

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Since time began, people have asked themselves the eternal questions and searched for the answers that lies just beyond the  horizon of human vision and perception. Regardless of the path we take in pursuit of the eternal questions,  such as the mystery of birth and death, there are limits to what one can observe from a purely intellectual perspective restricted to the outer world. This applies to history, the sciences, nature, the arts, and, of course, the human being.

Those who admit that a boundary exists, that something lies beyond it, and that it  can be pierced, seek a bridge or path to “pierce the veil”; a task  which, in light of the Holy Grail, is associated with the name “Parsifal.”  Dr. Rudolf Steiner, and others who have followed similar  paths, broke through those limitations. Some of these leaders shared  their findings and path with the world. 

This task is one of the mind and the heart. It is an art and science. The quest seeks out the causes and influences behind things  - both natural and spiritual - in the cosmos, the world, and the human being. It acknowledges that all things manifest by way of a universal source that gave birth to, sustains, and guides all living things. It is a task that looks objectively at things, however insignificant they may appear on the surface, of deeper significance that extends beyond the confines of the physical world. Some have referred to this path historically as the "philosopher's quest." Others, as the quest of the "initiate."

The philosopher's quest has many aspects, and the journey never ends. It acknowledges that higher stages of consciousness and perception are attainable and within reach of the human mind. Thus, a key aspect of the quest is to see beyond the "veil" of the outer world alone sensing in the soul that behind the physical and cosmic spheres, which conceals countless mysteries, is something structured and eternal. Whatever the path may be to pierce these mysteries for someone, and each person's is unique, the quest to know, and to feel, and to be, is a disposition that compels a seeker's heart and soul. It is the quest for the answers to the riddles of existence and the mysteries of the human heart.

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"...he (Sir Isaac Newton) looked on the whole universe and all that is in it as a riddle, as a secret which could be read by applying pure thought to certain evidence, certain mystic clues which God had laid about the world to allow a sort of philosopher's treasure hunt to the esoteric brotherhood. He believed that these clues were to be found partly in the evidence of the heavens and in the constitution of elements…but also partly in certain papers and traditions handed down by the brethren in an unbroken chain back to the original cryptic revelation…by pure thought, by concentration of mind, the riddle, he believed, would be revealed to the initiate. 

...he believed that by the same powers of his introspective imagination he would read the riddle of the Godhead, the riddle of past and future events divinely fore-ordained, the riddle of the elements and their constitution from an original undifferentiated first matter, the riddle of health and of immortality.” -John Maynard Keynes, abridged quote from “Newton, the Man”, written for the Royal Society, Newton Tercentenary Celebrations, 1946 and posthumously delivered at the celebrations by his brother Geoffrey Keynes. 

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Driven by one's individual path over time, each person has a unique history, or spiritual biography, and disposition when we are born thus defining one's circumstances, conditions, and mission for life.  Each one of us is a unique blend of aptitudes, attitudes, inner obstacles, and gifts which compel us in this direction or that. These conditions and dispositions reside in the depths of the soul and are carried within us through prior lifetimes, and life-plans imbued within us prior to being born. However, the vast majority of us have little or no memory of those experiences, and plans, upon coming into life suffering from a form of amnesia. 

 
This necessary form of forgetfulness is exacerbated by conditions that are both within, and beyond, our direct control. It is connected to the nature of each individual who brings their unique and accumulated karma, habits, and dispositions with them from prior lifetimes as well as the conditions of the current world environment which have changed over time as humanity has changed.  These obstacles can be overcome with practice, education, and patience.  It is a universal axiom that one who seeks eventually finds...

Some of us retain our memories, however dim, of our pre-life journey, and experiences from prior lifetimes which are interwoven with the purpose and goals of our lives. They emerge within us, and outside of us, in response to life events, decisions, and moments of destiny. Relationships appear before us renewed out of the ashes of our prior lifetimes transformed by the process of birth, life, and death. All of us retain these pre-life memories at the subconscious, or soul, level which remains hidden from the conscious self until they break through the surface or we find a path to reveal them.

The journey into the discovery of the human soul and spirit includes the past, present, and future of each individual and all of humanity. It is a task that each of us undertakes when we are born regardless of our awareness of it. Anthroposophy, or initiation wisdom, reveals that the world and every living thing within it are on a plan of spiritual evolution that began eons ago. There is a knowable cause for everything in the world including one's form, the structure of the world, aptitudes, dispositions, and the significant turning points of our lives.  These turning points compel one to grow beyond oneself, fulfill our life missions, balance our karma, and change.

Dr. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), founder of  "Anthroposophy" ("Anthro" = human being; "Sophia" = Wisdom) observed that there are reasons, both personal and environmental, that cause this amnesia upon being reborn; an event which the Greeks referred to in the ancient world as the soul crosses the "River of Lethe" or the "River Lesmosyne." This is the River of Forgetfulness that many souls were required to drink from, in spiritual terms, prior to being reborn having not earned the right or developed the ability to remember their past lives. Some looked upon that form of spiritual forgetfulness as a blessing, others as a curse.

These facts, and other aspects of existence, were taught in ancient academies, or "Mystery Centers" as they are referred to Anthroposophical texts, which have long since faded into history. The ancient Greeks referred to these eternal truths as the "Mysteries." These academies were the equivalent of modern universities - although there are certain differences - for individuals who pursued the most challenging of tasks in spiritual initiation. Education, in the traditional sense, was emphasized alongside strict self-discipline and spiritual training which gradually led to expedited inner spiritual changes and the raising, and expanding, of one's consciousness in a structured and mature way.

The Mystery Centers housed and transformed candidates who, upon admission, were referred to in modern vernacular as probates, neophytes, candidates, "chelas", or acolytes. Those who were admitted were carefully prepared over the course of many years for the lofty goal of spiritual initiation. If they passed through the trials successfully, they emerged as "spiritual initiates" or  "initiates" who became bridges and messengers to the spiritual spheres which were hidden from the perception of most human beings. It was attained only through careful preparation.

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" Let us ask:  What is an initiate?  In all ages of the post-Atlantean human evolution, an initiate has been a person who could lift himself above the outer physical  sense-world and have his own personal experiences in the spiritual worlds, a person who could experience the spiritual worlds just as the  ordinary human being experiences the physical sense-world through the outer senses, eyes, ears, etc. Such an initiate becomes then a witness of those worlds and their truths. That is one aspect. 

But there is also something else very essential which every initiate acquires as a very special characteristic during his initiation, that is, he lifts himself above the feelings and sensations which are not only justified but also very necessary within the physical world, but which cannot, however,  exist in the same way in the spiritual world." -Rudolf Steiner, Lecture XI, Christian Initiation, The Gospel of John, https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA103/English/AP1962/19080530p01.html

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In the distant past, the methods, knowledge, and mysteries of initiation were kept a strict secret. In many cultures, such as Greece, revealing the inner secrets of the Mysteries was punishable by imprisonment and even death. Today, the path of initiation has been brought forth publicly as a part of the cosmic-world mission for humanity. 

A modern initiate, Dr. Rudolf Steiner, was one of those genuine leaders of the modern age who wrote and lectured widely on the nuances and hidden aspects of the world, life, cosmos, and initiation that were once revealed in those ancient academies that existed across the world in various forms at different points of history. Human and world truths, such as karma, were taught at these academies and are as valid today as they were then. As Dr. Steiner pointed out, however, there have been changes in the world, the cosmos, and the human being since ancient times and the old methods of initiation are no longer valid.

A path was revealed to the candidates at these small academies, each of which had a unique cultural character across the world, where they could cultivate and develop a mature and genuine perceptive ability and expanded faculty that allowed them to perceive and consciously interact with the spiritual world. They were the heroes of old; hierophants, messengers, leaders, physicians, teachers, poets, and bards.  The 12 Trials of Hercules, for example, convey the inner challenges and victories of one of the leading initiates of ancient Greece.

Admittance into these academies was a challenge and most who applied and/or were admitted frequently failed examinations and rigorous fitness tests; both spiritual and intellectual. The knowledge accumulated by the student, or neophyte, was both scientific and spiritually founded.  Inner, higher states of consciousness were developed and moral qualities of the candidate were tested. Developing an objective bridge to higher consciousness within was carefully cultivated in the human being. The path revealed, observed, and transformed the hidden parts of the self. These aspects lay deep in the life of the soul. This path enabled a student to attain deep insights into the processes, beings, and hidden realities of the spiritual and physical worlds.

Some who passed through these mystery centers shared their knowledge with the world as a part of a public mission. According to Dr. Rudolf Steiner many of the ancient leaders well-known today, such as Pythagoras, were initiates who passed through advanced training in the Mysteries. Pythagoras was trained and educated through the Egyptian and Chaldean Mysteries and was the first non-Egyptian to do so. Part of Pythagoras' path was to achieve an objective perception and clarity of things as demonstrated through mathematics that led to higher wisdom. Plato followed and taught a structured path of initiation which carried forward into his successors including Aristotle. -Rudolf Steiner, Rosicrucian Esotericism, GA 109, 10. On Karma, Reincarnation and Initiation, Budapest, June 12, 1909. https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA109/English/AP1978/19090612p01.html

Through the active pursuit of the Mysteries, or riddles of things, one can find answers to the mystery of birth and death, illness and health, and insights on the processes at work in the world that characterize the events of history, karma, the human being, substances, and the universe. One realization for he or she who is on the path, is that we are all a part of one global community and that the earth and all who live upon it are connected and related to one another regardless of nationality, culture, creed, gender, etc. We are a part of a larger cosmic family.

In ancient Greece, for example, the mysteries were carried forward by sages and philosophers such as Orpheus, Heracles, Heraclitus, Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras, Aristotle, and those who have followed in their footsteps over the centuries.  The mysteries were demonstrated through Greek drama and plays and the experiences of initiates, and initiation, were recorded in the ancient myths, such as the Odyssey and Perseus, in veiled form. Examples of ancient Mystery Centers in Greece include Eleusis, Ephesus, Delphi, and Samothrace.  Ephesus in the ancient world was a peaceful area on the coast of modern day Turkey once populated by initiates, priests, thinkers, artists, poets, writers, and philosophers. In fact, the Mother of Jesus retired in Ephesus where she spent the final years of her life.

Mystery Centers could be found across the landscape of the ancient world in Chaldea, Assyria, Egypt, Persia, India, China, Greece, Rome, and Europe. Each academy was unique to their geography, clothed in the expression of the culture in which they lived. A Mystery Center was established in Alexandria, Egypt (which was the equivalent of a modern-day university) in about 330BC by Alexander the Great later called the "Serapeum" which was connected to the Library of Alexandria and flourished until it was destroyed in a city-wide riot in the 5th century AD. The Hibernian Mysteries lived within the cultural impulse of the Celts and Druids and flowed through Ireland, Scotland, England, and Europe. The Nordic Mysteries, which also flowed through the Druids, emerged out of Northern Europe.

Candidates were assessed based on much more than just aptitude and intellectual ability. They were also assessed based on their unique karma, dispositions, and preparedness in spiritual terms.  At these ancient academies, a genuine path of discovery was opened and a student was carefully prepared to receive higher knowledge and wisdom. Over time, the character and structure of Mystery Centers changed as human consciousness evolved; they arose and changed as the world transformed. As the bridges between the divine and humanity, the initiates who worked through these ancient Mystery Centers were - and are - instrumental in human and world development.

The deeper mysteries and aspects of human existence were communicated through two paths; the "inner" and "outer", or “lesser” and “greater”, truths. The "lesser" mysteries were presented to the probates for initiation in a form to the public that they could understand through religious symbolism, social, and moral laws. The "greater" mysteries were retained only for those qualified, and capable, who had passed through rigorous testing having proven that they had the maturity and responsibility to receive and guard that information. Higher truths and facts of existence were only revealed to the initiates.  Higher knowledge, and the deeper facts of existence, were not revealed to the public out of a legitimate fear of abuse and corruption.

Students were taught how to perceive, and communicate through, the spiritual worlds objectively.  Within this knowledge and a method of attaining an expansion of the soul, however, were living spiritual forces that were imbued within the candidate that could be used for great benefit or great harm to others. Initiation, once attained, permeated a person, either man and woman, with forces of healing, perception, and influence that could only be bestowed upon one worthy of receiving it having been purged of their lower aspects. Moral training was emphasized as was strict discipline of thought and feeling.

Thinking and how to perceive the secrets of the soul, through latent faculties which had to be cultivated, were taught, practiced, and cultivated.  One would find classrooms and areas for instruction at these academies like any school or university. Teaching was traditional where scientific and mathematical facts were conveyed by way of traditional means as well as the art of expanding one's latent and hidden powers of spiritual, or psychic, perception. During the later Greek period, an emphasis on logic, perception, and thinking was emphasized as was taught and documented by Plato and Aristotle.

In ancient Egypt, training in the Mystery Centers was overseen and facilitated as a state-sponsored program. Spiritual initiations, the substance of which was described by Dr. Rudolf Steiner, Edgar Cayce, Elizabeth Haich (author of the book "Initiation"), and other writers in the 20th century, were carried out in temples throughout Egypt which were connected to the Great Pyramids and served not as tombs for kings but as buildings constructed for the purpose of guiding candidates through the stages of initiation which culminated in a 3 ½ day "Temple Sleep" period. The pyramids were adopted for use as tombs only much later by the Egyptian Pharaohs after the mysteries had faded into the past. Many candidates for spiritual initiation passed through transformative experiences in the Great Pyramid and other smaller temples in Egypt, such as Saqqara, at different points in history.

If admitted, and over the course of many years, candidates for initiation were exposed to the deepest seeds and impulses of their souls built upon the deeds, thoughts, and feelings of prior lifetimes. This rite of passage - which was a dangerous exercise - was achieved through moral self discipline and transformation that was achieved gradually through deep states of meditation.

Most people in the world – albeit then or today - are/were not conscious of these living imprints which remain concealed in the subconscious until they are compelled to the surface. Until that moment, they manifest as peculiarities, impulses, habits, and dispositions. Dr. Carl Jung in the 20th century referred to these shadows as "neuroses." The candidates for initiation had to confront and overcome these hindrances, based on one's prior deeds, most of which had long since been forgotten to the passage of time yet remained as imprints and traits of the human soul. 

Sometimes, as in the Egyptian Mysteries, these “imprints" manifested as living phantoms of a grotesque nature that appeared before the candidate as a living image as they passed through their initiation experience which occurred in an expanded state of consciousness. These residual constructs, which follow a person from one lifetime to the next until they are transformed and purged, were confronted in the grotto of the Great Pyramid through a transcendental experience.  The true purpose of the Grotto today is unknown to scholars. Observing the "dragon" of one's lower nature was, and is, a painful experience. It is brought to life as a vision built upon the deeds of the past created by every thought - however small - feeling, and experience that had been accrued over the course of one’s entire existence since the beginning of time.

The spiritual art and symbolism of the Egyptians, which reflected deeper spiritual truths, was publicly observable through the imagery of the Gods and their diverse relationships including Osiris, Isis, and Horus. The Ankh is a symbol of the Sun Mysteries (a cross with a sun on the top) which culminated in the birth of Christ-Jesus and the Event of Golgotha in 33AD; a fact revealed to the initiates at Mystery Centers across the world long before the event occurred.  However, Mystery Centers, as formal academies, receded during the Roman period and eventually faded from history as time progressed. 

Candidates for initiation at these academies progressed if, and only if, they reached higher stages of transformation over the course of many years. Students were guided as far as they could progress given their unique dispositions and limitations. Candidates were frequently, but not always, selected and trained from birth. They were given regular benchmarks to achieve;  some failed and were compelled to return to the outer world taking with them what they had learned preparing to continue their journey in future lifetimes.

Just like today, each student possessed unique limitations, aptitudes, a quality of the will, and imagination.  Names of genuine initiates have been passed down through history and religions and well-known to the world. For example, Dr. Steiner observed that each of the 12 Apostles who accompanied Jesus during the three years after the Baptism on the River Jordan had attained some degree of spiritual initiation and discussed the importance of the mission of the great initiate Lazarus-John at length.  -Refer to Dr. Steiner's lecture series The Gospel of John (there are 3 different lecture series with the same title), The Gospel of Matthew, The Gospel of Luke, and The Gospel of Mark which can be read for free at www.rsarchive.com and some lectures can also be found on www.rudolfsteineraudio.com. 

Today, the Mysteries are pursued across the world wherever a mystery exists and can be rediscovered through the works and activities of those individuals who, as teachers or seekers, have brought them to the public. In the 20th century, at least one genuine initiate emerged in Dr. Rudolf Steiner who shared facts, processes, a path, and details of the spiritual worlds and the deeper insights into humanity and the universe. Others, such as the "Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce, who had attained a high degree of initiation in at least one a prior lifetime in ancient Egypt, brought forth insights through a unique and expanded spiritual faculty of perception. Others have come forward and made unique contributions of awakening humanity to the reality of the hidden spiritual aspects of the human being and the world.

Thanks to those who laid out a valid path for piercing the mysteries behind things, of which the pursuit of insights through the physical sciences is a vital aspect, a seeker can overcome our amnesia and hurdles. A seeker can gradually rebuild a bridge through genuine knowledge of the spiritual worlds, humanity, and the universe that has been passed down. When combined with healthy meditation and prayer, simply contemplating these topics will open doors or portals of awareness within the human being over time. What we think about, and strive for, in our hearts and minds we eventually become.

And, just like the Mystery Centers of old, the seeker's path today is a long, individual, and rewarding process of scientific, personal, and spiritual discovery. Each person who pursues the path of discovery inevitably seeks to become more than what we are.  If one remains loyal to a pledge and path of helping others, and earnestly seeks the answers in the right spirit, the origins and causes of things can be found and we can become useful co-workers in the Great Plan; a path that is an art and a science.

Eventually, the thresholds of knowledge will expand with the matured and awakened powers of the mind and the spirit as one moves gradually, step by step, into the future...
  

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The New Mysteries

Those who attained spiritual initiation at the ancient Mystery Centers achieved a genuine and piercing vision into the spiritual worlds, humanity, and the physical world. The mature and guided transformation of consciousness led one to the revelations of the past, the present, and the future. One was able to read from the "Akashic Records" - the permanent cosmic record of all things - in a clear way. One of those revelations, which was a central aspect of initiation, was the gradual approach of the Christ (who was called by many names across the world) - the God of the Sun - to the Earth as the fulfillment of an ancient promise and the central aspect of a cosmic redemptive plan for the world.

They learned that the central evolutionary point of human history was the Christ Event at Golgotha. Through a cosmic one-time event, a God - the God of the Sun and Light - was destined to incarnate in the world inside a human being who was the most highly developed initiate throughout human history. This mission unfolds for humanity over time, and contains many mysteries.

After imbuing His forces into the world, He carried and still carries a vital and divine mission for all of humanity.  Without this cosmic intervention, humanity would not have been able to complete its evolution properly. Thus, this event changed the world, and the cosmos, forever enabling and allowing humanity to fulfill its path of transformation gradually over time. 

The Christ mission - which is a global and cosmic mission for every human being on the planet - is eternally supported by a vast array of angels, captains, messengers, and coworkers of all levels of attainment and activity which shall continue forever whether humanity is aware of it or not. However, it is vital that humanity awakens to this mission and embraces a path to transformation and balance...

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There is a plan and a path for everyone, however unique we may be, from the highest levels of consciousness to the lowest. All living beings, however large or small, are an essential and irreplaceable part of a world and cosmic family.  Each of us has an important part to play in the ongoing destiny of the world.  Every living being, whether one is aware of it or not at any given moment, is a vital, irreplaceable, and integrated part of a cosmic plan of human and world evolution that is the foundation for the transformation of the human being.

Thus it is, that the purpose of Anthroposophy, and really any striving for deeper knowledge..."embraces  a spiritual view of the human being and the cosmos, but its emphasis is on knowing, not faith. It is a path in which the human heart, and especially our capacity for thinking, are essential...only if we come to experience the spirit in ourselves, can we know the cosmic spirit. Through this study and path, humanity (Anthropos) has the inherent wisdom (sophia) to transform both itself and the world." - From an informational pamphlet on Anthroposophy.

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"From ancient, holy sacrificial sites

The healing art once flowed

Into the works of humankind.

Remember your revelation:

Say it at the new healing site.

And if human souls

Carried by the spirit

Hear your call to the Mysteries

They shall work

To bring forth healing

In the weaving of human life.

I will seek the power of spirit-ears

In a loving heart

To hear the call." 

- Rudolf Steiner, Mantric Sayings Meditations 1903-1925), P 298.

"At first blush, the world appears to us dark and full of riddles, but we can compare it with a dark room containing many splendid objects that we are unable to see when we first enter. However, when we ignite a light, it illuminates the whole splendor of the objects in the room and everything else represented by these objects. The same can be true for the human being who strives for wisdom. 

The human being strives at first in the dark; looking in this world first to the past and then to the future, he or she can at first see nothing but darkness. However, once the light coming from Golgotha is ignited, everything from the farthest past to the remotest future becomes illuminated. Since everything material is born out of the spirit, the spirit will again rise from matter. 

To express this certainty is the meaning of today's celebration of Easter — a festival that is tied to the events of the world. Mankind must realize what it can attain through Spiritual Science: if the human soul, by gaining knowledge of the mysteries of existence, can acquire a lively feeling for the mysteries of the universe on important symbolic occasions such as Easter, then it will also feel something of what it means to live not simply in one's own narrow, personal existence but also in a symbiosis with the light of the stars, the splendor of the sun, and with everything that lives in the universe. The soul will become increasingly more spiritual as it feels extended into the universe.

The spiritual Easter bells echo their sounds through our hearts, indicating that we must pass from a human to a universal life through the resurrection. Hearing these spiritual Easter bells will make us lose any doubt we may have about the spiritual world, and we will then be sure that death in the material world cannot harm us. When we understand these spiritual Easter bells, we will return to the life in the spirit." -Dr. Rudolf Steiner, The Principle of Spiritual Economy, GA 109 Lecture VII. The Macrocosmic and the Microcosmic Fire: The Spiritualization of Breath and Blood, Cologne, April 10, 1909

https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA109/English/AP1986/19090410p02.html

"St. George and the Dragon reflect that celestial event when the Christ ensouled the Jesus-Being and enabled him to drive the Dragon out of the soul-nature of man. This was a significant deed, made possible only with the help of Christ in the Being of Jesus, at that time an angelic Being. For this angelic Being had actually to connect himself with the Dragon-nature; to take on as it were the form of the Dragon in order to hold off the Dragon from the soul of man."  -Rudolf Steiner, Christ and the Spiritual World - The Search for the Holy Grail, GA 149, Lecture III, 30 December 1913, Leipzig  https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA149/English/RSP1963/19131230p01.html

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"At the turning-point of time,

The Spirit-Light of the World

Entered the stream of Earthly Evolution.

Darkness of Night had held its sway;

Day-radiant Light poured into the souls of men,

Light that gave warmth to simple shepherds' hearts,

Light that enlightened the wise heads of kings.

O Light Divine! O Sun of Christ!
Warm Thou our hearts,
Enlighten Thou our heads (minds),
That good may become
What from our hearts we would found
And from our heads (minds) direct
With single purpose." 

-Steiner, Rudolf. The Festivals and Their Meaning: Christmas, Christmas Meditation, 1923.  https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/Christmas/ChrMas_meditation.html

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"Let that love, that beauty as was the message to the shepherds, be yours today: 'Unto you is born,' yes unto you - each one here - is given a knowledge, an understanding of the life of the Christ that will renew your life, your purposes - if you will but sing that new song, 'Love one another.'"  -Edgar Cayce Reading, 262-116

"May the Peace, the Joy of Christ Consciousness, Christ Presence, Christ Joy be yours this day. Yes, and all your days in the earth! Christ is near to you. Christ is in your midst!"  -Edgar Cayce Reading 262-103

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"In feelings of the need for YOUR mercy,

Christ-light of the world, I hope for and await

    forces

   opening the portals of the soul

 For YOUR illumination

I will be still within myself

and thank YOU for YOUR gift

and give it

as YOUR gift to humankind

An instrument of YOUR word

will I be

with my soul's

    best powers

    true depths

   stillest reverences."

-Rudolf Steiner, Mantric Sayings Meditations 1903-1925, P303

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