Four Rivers of Paradise

The bronze baptism in Hildesheim Cathedral, carried by the 4 personified streams of paradise pouring water from their jugs. According to their hairstyle, clothing, posture and according to their age, they are clearly distinguishable from each other.

The four rivers of paradise, called Pishon (Hebrew: פִּישׁ֑וֹן), Gihon (Hebrew: גִּיח֑וֹן, outwardly usually identified with the Nile), Hiddekel (Hebrew: חִדֶּ֔קֶל, usually translated as Tigris) and Euphrates (Hebrew: פְרָֽת Perat, also Pherat), are a symbol for the four basic astral forms of matter, for the four elements from which the body of man is formed, which then completely descends to the physical plane with the Fall. At the same time, the four streams are an image for the group souls represented by the 4 sphinx animals, from which humanity emerged. The figure of the sphinx is also closely related to the lesser guardian of the threshold. To the clairvoyant eye, the sphinx figure, similar to the centaur, appears in the etheric body of the human being.

A combination of the four personified rivers of paradise with the four elements can be found, for example, on the late Romanesque (13th century) bronze baptismal font of Hildesheim Cathedral, which is particularly rich in depictions related to the number four. Thus, the four seasons, the four great prophets, the four evangelists and also the four cardinal virtues can also be found here.

„...

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

Now man was born.

And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:8–9)

There is described the transition from the ethereal races to the physical races. These are joined together from the four sides, east, west, south, north, and from the four elements corresponding to the faculties of the spirit-soul. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the symbol of the higher that has joined itself to man.

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. (Genesis 2:10–12)

The other waters are called Gehon, Hiddekel and Euphrates. The four waters are the symbols of the four astral forms of matter that flow together. The water always signifies the astral in esoteric language. In esoteric language, gold is the symbol of the spiritual; the onyx is the symbol of the matter that goes down deepest. The onyx is the symbol of how the living must transform itself before it can be absorbed into the higher principle. The living, the prana, must pass through a state of purification; this is called the onyx state. In Goethe's "Fairy Tale", too, one finds the transformation of the pug into an onyx.“ (Lit.:GA 88, p. 221f)

Bdellium (also guggul or false myrrh) is usually interpreted as a yellowish translucent resin with a rubber-like structure and is later also used in the Bible to describe manna (Numbers 11:7), which according to Rudolf Steiner symbolises manas (spirit self). In many Jewish writings, however, it is also interpreted as ore. It is even occasionally described as a pearl or even a crystal of possibly bright reddish colour, although solidified resins can sometimes appear quite pearly, as was described for example by the English botanist John Parkinson as early as the 16th century for bdellium from Bactria.

According to Johannes Scotus Eriugena, the source of the four rivers of paradise corresponds to the Holy Spirit, and the rivers themselves to the four cardinal virtues.

„In a typical view, the source of paradise, which is divided into four main streams, also denotes the Holy Spirit, as no wise man denies. From this one and inexhaustible principal source flow the four principal powers in the paradise of the rational soul: prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice, and from these streams in turn flow as rivulets all the virtues to show themselves on the soil of human nature, which is watered and fertilised by them.“

– Johannes Scotus Eriugena: On the Division of Nature

Literature

• Rudolf Steiner: Über die astrale Welt und das Devachan, GA 88 (1999), ISBN 3-7274-0880-4 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org

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.