Archangel
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).
Literature
- Emil Páles: Die sieben Erzengel. Rhythmen der Inspiration in der Natur- und Kulturgeschichte, Sophia Verlag, Bratislava 2007, ISBN 987-80-968045-8-0
- Rudolf Steiner: Kosmologie und menschliche Evolution. Einführung in die Theosophie – Farbenlehre, GA 91 (2018), ISBN 978-3-7274-0910-3
- Rudolf Steiner: Das Hereinwirken geistiger Wesenheiten in den Menschen, GA 102 (1984), ISBN 3-7274-1020-5 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
- Rudolf Steiner: Geistige Hierarchien und ihre Widerspiegelung in der physischen Welt, GA 110 (1981), Siebenter Vortrag, Düsseldorf, 16. April 1909, abends
- Rudolf Steiner: Die Evolution vom Gesichtspunkte des Wahrhaftigen, GA 132 (1987), Zweiter Vortrag, Berlin, 7. November 1911
- Rudolf Steiner: Okkultes Lesen und okkultes Hören, GA 156 (2003), ISBN 3-7274-1561-4 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
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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
- ↑ cf. GA 91, p. 160f.
