Archangel: Difference between revisions

From AnthroWiki
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 49: Line 49:
When the archangels or fire spirits went through their stage of humanity on the [[Old Sun]], they formed their inner being out of [[light]], their outer body out of air; through the fire brought over from [[Old Saturn]] they lived a life in their own inner being. By distinguishing themselves from the rest of the solar substance through their gas body, a kind of [[self-awareness]] matured in them. When the archangels breathed in the flowing gas of the Sun, there was a stillness and darkness in the Old Solar life (Sun-Night); when they breathed out, the Old Sun was filled with flowing smoke (→ [[Ruach]]), which shone outwards in light (Sun-Day).
When the archangels or fire spirits went through their stage of humanity on the [[Old Sun]], they formed their inner being out of [[light]], their outer body out of air; through the fire brought over from [[Old Saturn]] they lived a life in their own inner being. By distinguishing themselves from the rest of the solar substance through their gas body, a kind of [[self-awareness]] matured in them. When the archangels breathed in the flowing gas of the Sun, there was a stillness and darkness in the Old Solar life (Sun-Night); when they breathed out, the Old Sun was filled with flowing smoke (→ [[Ruach]]), which shone outwards in light (Sun-Day).


[[File:GA 156 69.gif|thumb|The time-delayed work of the Archangeloi, the "messengers of the beginning".]]
The archangels are the creators of light. They radiate back that which at an earlier time the [[Spirits of Wisdom]], the Lords of the ancient solar evolution, gave to the world through their bestowing virtue, and the reflection of this gift of [[wisdom]] is the light. But the archangels do not radiate it back immediately, but with a time lag. Thus they are messengers of what was before, messengers of the beginning they are - Archangeloi {{GZ||132|24ff}}. One will not find a certain archangel, for example, if one looks for him directly in the present. One must rather go back in time, e.g. to the 15th century, for his consciousness is concentrated in a very definite time, which is not the present.
The archangels are the creators of light. They radiate back that which at an earlier time the [[Spirits of Wisdom]], the Lords of the ancient solar evolution, gave to the world through their bestowing virtue, and the reflection of this gift of [[wisdom]] is the light. But the archangels do not radiate it back immediately, but with a time lag. Thus they are messengers of what was before, messengers of the beginning they are - Archangeloi {{GZ||132|24ff}}. One will not find a certain archangel, for example, if one looks for him directly in the present. One must rather go back in time, e.g. to the 15th century, for his consciousness is concentrated in a very definite time, which is not the present.


Revision as of 18:35, 4 March 2021

The Archangel Michael weighing a soul (Palazzo Carrara, Padua, 1350)

Archangels (Greek: Αρχάγγελοι Archangeloi; Latin: archangeli; also called Spirits of Fire, Sons of Fire, Fire spirits or Sanskrit: अग्निष्वात्त Agnishvatta[1] and, according to Indian theosophical designation, Dhyan-Chohans) stand two levels above humans in the hierarchy of spiritual entities (see also → Hierarchy of angels) and belong to the third hierarchy. They have already completed their ego development, i.e. their humanity level, on the Old Sun and are therefore also called Solar Pitris. On the Old Moon they formed their spirit self. At present they are working on their life spirit. The Mercury sphere is their cosmic domain. In the Book of Tobit, Raphael gives their number as 7 (Tob 12:15). This refers to the seven leading archangels.

The nature and work of the archangels

There is a multitude of archangels. Due to their high degree of development, they are able to guide whole peoples through their inspiration. In many cases they act as folk spirits and form the characteristic folk soul that is specific to each people. In addition, as inspiring time spirits, they guide certain smaller periods in the development of human culture. These periods last about 354 years, but are not subsections of the cultural epochs, but follow an independent rhythm, in the succession of which the seven most outstanding archangels take over from one another in their regency (see → Archangel Regencies).

The seven leading archangels, each belonging to a particular planetary sphere, are:

Oriphiel (Saturn)
Zachariel (Jupiter)
Samael (Mars)
Michael (Sun)
Anael (Venus)
Raphael (Mercury)
Gabriel (Moon)

The following four leading archangels are the regents of the seasons:

Raphael Spring, Easter
Uriel Sommer, St. John's Day
Michael Autum, Michaelmas
Gabriel Winter, Christmas

The archangel Phanuel has a very special task, acting as the guardian spirit of the initiate and accompanying the spiritual disciple on the path of training. He is mentioned in the apocryphal Book of Enoch and is usually equated with Uriel; Rudolf Steiner, however, sees them as different spiritual entities (Lit.:GA 102, p. 144).

When the archangels or fire spirits went through their stage of humanity on the Old Sun, they formed their inner being out of light, their outer body out of air; through the fire brought over from Old Saturn they lived a life in their own inner being. By distinguishing themselves from the rest of the solar substance through their gas body, a kind of self-awareness matured in them. When the archangels breathed in the flowing gas of the Sun, there was a stillness and darkness in the Old Solar life (Sun-Night); when they breathed out, the Old Sun was filled with flowing smoke (→ Ruach), which shone outwards in light (Sun-Day).

The time-delayed work of the Archangeloi, the "messengers of the beginning".

The archangels are the creators of light. They radiate back that which at an earlier time the Spirits of Wisdom, the Lords of the ancient solar evolution, gave to the world through their bestowing virtue, and the reflection of this gift of wisdom is the light. But the archangels do not radiate it back immediately, but with a time lag. Thus they are messengers of what was before, messengers of the beginning they are - Archangeloi (Lit.:GA 132, p. 24ff). One will not find a certain archangel, for example, if one looks for him directly in the present. One must rather go back in time, e.g. to the 15th century, for his consciousness is concentrated in a very definite time, which is not the present.

„They are called "angels of the beginning", that is to say, they are always present at the beginnings of periods of time, let us say, where peoples come into being, where peoples enter world history for the first time, there they are present with their full consciousness, with their own selves. This remains present in the effects during the rest of time. The effects flow into time. And if one wants to find them, one must not remain merely in simultaneity, but must go out of time, seek the beginnings of time.“ (Lit.:GA 156, p. 68f)

Literature
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.

References

  1. ↑ cf. GA 91, p. 160f.
Retrieved from "https://en.anthro.wiki/index.php?title=Archangel&oldid=978"