Blessed Advent Greetings on this first of four Advent Sundays (11-27-2016) !

In the unfolding of the 52 weekly verses of Rudolf Steiner’s Calendar of the Soul, he paints an imagination of the soul as a Madonna who gives birth to a Spirit Child at Christmas. Over the Holy Nights, from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1st we have an opportunity to create a relationship with the Spirit Child that is “set free from spell in womb of soul” so it can mature toward the emergence of the Spirit Self on Jan. 1st – which Rudolf Steiner calls the Christ Festival Day.

Rudolf Steiner also demonstrated that this season is also a time for birthing initiative. Initiative is related to initiation and is born out of our “I” being. Similar to birthing a child, we conceive an idea for an initiative, fructify it in our conversations with others, let it mature within us, and when the time is right, we bring it out into the world where it can begin to have a life of its own.

The original founding of the Anthroposophical Society took place on Dec. 28th during the Holy Nights of 1912-13. The culminating initiative of Rudolf Steiner’s life, the refounding of the Society during what is called “The Christmas Conference” took place during the Holy Nights of Christmas from Dec. 24th, 1923 and culminated on Jan. 1, 1924.

During the Conference Rudolf Steiner forged an initiatory path which could be imagined as a path from the birth of the Spirit Child to the maturation of the Spirit Self.  Eliah and I believe that during those several days and night, the Spirit Child of Anthroposophia was birthed and matured in the hearts of all those present.

Each night Rudolf Steiner revealed his own karma through his various incarnations in the landscape of World History. He recalled events in such a way to awaken a karmic presence of awareness or historical conscience in the members who were present. Could they find and embrace their own karmic path in both the past and present through his recollection of world historic events?

Each day he also created the form and bylaws and statures of the newly founded Society during which he laid the Foundation Stone Meditation in the hearts of members. The Foundation Stone was to help us come to a relationship to the spiritual hierarchies who can aid us in our initiatives if we are aware of their presence, acknowledge them in our speaking and listening and invite them to contribute to our endeavors.

What is Your Soul Preparing to Bring Forth?

So if we hold this imagination of the soul as a Madonna, and Christmas as a time for the birthing of both our Spirit Child and for initiative that wants to come forth through us as a research question, we are now entering the first of four major contractions in this birthing season. I imagine the Spirit Child to be that unsullied innocent open-hearted part of ourselves who still remembers what it was like before the Fall. The birth of the Jesus child of Luke’s Gospel portrays this very humbly and beautifully, being born amongst the animals but surrounded by angels.

This week of advent begins with a New Moon on Tues. It is my experience that the balsamic moon phase which occurs in the three days before the New Moon is the most fertile time for inwardly listening to the voice of our souls. I believe our soul helps us find our way on our life’s path if we give her a chance to speak to us. What is wanting to be born from the depths of your soul? What is longing for deliverance?

I invite you to join me in a research experiment by giving yourself some space between now and the New Moon on Tues of this week. Take a break and stop any outer activities, connect inwardly to the love, conscience and intelligence of your heart, and listen to what questions and longings are most prominent in your soul. Write them down and offer them up as questions to Christ, your angel, to the spiritual world. Then wait and want nothing but be observant of what comes back to you and be prepared to implement it in your life. I have found this simple practice remarkable and do fully have trust that if I ask, I will receive, sometimes from very unexpected sources but the synchronicity that begins to happen is uncanny. I’d love to hear your experiences if you care to share.

Contemplations for the Week:

During this turbulent time we can also look during Advent toward the re-appearance of Christ in the etheric. The Christian Community homily for this week as posted by Reverend Cynthia Hindes of Los Angeles speaks to this reappearance:

1st Advent
Luke 21:25-36

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth, the nations will be constricted with anxiety and doubt with the advent of these spiritual revelations, as before a roaring sea and waves. And men will lose their inner strength of soul out of fear and foreboding of what is coming over the living earth: for the dynamic powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, in the sphere of life, with dynamic power and great radiant glory.

And when these things begin to happen, stand upright and lift up [raise] your soul to the spirit, for your deliverance draws near.

And he gave them a comparison, saying, ‘Observe [behold] the fig-tree and all the trees when they burst into leaf. Seeing this, you know yourselves that summer is near. So also when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

Amen, the truth I say to you: this present age of Man’s being shall not pass away until all has happened.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Guard yourselves lest the perceptive power of your hearts be smothered by an excess of food and drink and by over-concern with the cares and worries of life, and the light of these spirit events break upon you suddenly like a snare…for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. So be awake in the spirit at all times, praying, so that you may have the strength to live through all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.

Rudolf Steiner’s Calendar of the Soul:
Verse 34
(congruent with the 1st Advent Sunday in the original Calendar)

Mysteriously, my Self is resurrected
While the quickening of the treasured past
Is revived within my inner life.
Awakening cosmic forces pour into my life’s deeds
And evolving, shall inscribe my soul into reality.

Have a blessed week as we journey though this first week of Advent: as we enter the most spiritually potent time of the year.