Snake
Snakes or serpents (Greek: ὄφις Ophis; Latin: Serpentes; Hebrew: נָחָשׁ nachasch) are a suborder of reptiles. They are descended from lizard-like ancestors. Compared to these, the body is greatly elongated and the extremities have been almost completely deformed. Today, about 3000 species have been described. With the exception of the Arctic, Antarctic, permafrost regions and some islands, they can be found in all habitats worldwide.
The serpent as a symbol for the adversary powers
In occult contexts, the serpent often appears as an imaginative symbol for the lower, earth-bound but very powerful astral powers and is then often seen in connection with the Luciferic, but also with the Ahrimanic adversaries. Thus, in the Old Testament creation story of the Bible, Lucifer in the form of the old serpent tempted Adam and Eve to taste the fruit from the tree of knowledge. In Persian mythology, especially in Zurvanism, Ahriman as the Great Serpent has dominion over the underworld for 9000 years.
Nevertheless, it would be wrong to see only negative symbolism in the serpent.
„Whoever looks deeper into existence will get rid of the judgement that something is good or evil under all circumstances. In Christianity the serpent is called the seductress of mankind and Lucifer is called with abhorrence. The view of the Luciferic principle, however, has changed [...] This is not a view of the original Christianity, but only came into Christianity later. Even among the Christian mystics of the first centuries, among the Gnostics, the serpent is not a symbol for evil, but even a symbol for the spiritual guidance of humanity. The wise man, the leader is called "the serpent". This was the name given to the one who leads humanity to knowledge. The serpent is the symbol of Lucifer.“ (Lit.:GA 97, p. 157f)
Literature
- Hans Jonas: Gnosis uns spätantiker Geist I, Vandenhoeck u. Ruprecht, Göttingen 1934, 1964, 1988 ISBN 978-3525531235
- Hans Leisegang: Die Gnosis. A. Kröner, Leipzig 1924. 2. Auflage 1936. 5. Auflage, Kröner, Stuttgart 1985. ISBN 3-520-03205-8
- Kurt Rudolph: Die Gnosis. Wesen und Geschichte einer spätantiken Religion, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2005 ISBN 3-525-52110-3
- Rudolf Steiner: Grundelemente der Esoterik, GA 93a (1987), ISBN 3-7274-0935-5 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
- Rudolf Steiner: Das christliche Mysterium, GA 97 (1998), ISBN 3-7274-0970-3 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
- Rudolf Steiner: Aus den Inhalten der esoterischen Stunden, Band I: 1904 – 1909, GA 266a (1995), ISBN 3-7274-2661-6 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. |
