Foundation Stone Meditation

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The Foundation Stone Meditation for the new formation of the Anthroposophical Society was given by Rudolf Steiner in two different versions. The first version was recited during the 1923/24 Christmas Conference, the other was used for printing in the first newsletter "Was in der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft vorgeht. Nachrichten für deren Mitglieder" ("What is going on in the Anthroposophical Society. News for its members") of 13 January 1924. The essential difference is that the version in the newsletter does not mention the hierarchies by name, the elementary spirits are only addressed in general terms as spirits and the Rosicrucian saying is not given in Latin but in German translation.

Marie Steiner later explained on various occasions why Rudolf Steiner gave the second version of the Foundation Stone saying for the Nachrichtenblatt. Marie Steiner's co-worker Günther Schubert recorded her communication as follows:

„She repeatedly spoke of having to think back to how difficult it was for Dr Steiner to bring himself to the decision to publish the saying of the laying of the foundation stone in 1923, and how in the version finally printed he had toned down the immediate appeal of the hierarchies towards the abstract. Dr. Steiner wanted only this weakened wording to be used in membership circles, for there was a law with such cultically formed esoteric sayings according to which the force that is sent out strikes back again with the same strength, so that one had to consider whether one would be able to endure this.“ (Lit.:GA 260, p. 300)

Weihnachtstagung 1923/24 Christmas Conference 1923/24

Menschenseele!
Du lebest in den Gliedern,
Die dich durch die Raumeswelt
In das Geistesmeereswesen tragen:
Übe Geist-Erinnern
In Seelentiefen,
Wo in waltendem
Weltschöpfer-Sein
Das eigne Ich
Im Gottes-Ich
Erweset;
Und du wirst wahrhaft leben
Im Menschen-Welten-Wesen.

Denn es waltet der Vater-Geist der Höhen
In den Weltentiefen Sein-erzeugend:
Seraphim, Cherubim, Throne,
Lasset aus den Höhen erklingen,
Was in den Tiefen das Echo findet;
Dieses spricht:
Ex Deo nascimur.
Das hören die Elementargeister
Im Osten, Westen, Norden, Süden:
Menschen mögen es hören.

Menschenseele!
Du lebest in dem Herzens-Lungen-Schlage,
Der dich durch den Zeitenrhythmus
Ins eigne Seelenwesensfühlen leitet:
Übe Geist-Besinnen
Im Seelengleichgewichte,
Wo die wogenden
Welten-Werde-Taten
Das eigne Ich
Dem Welten-Ich
Vereinen;
Und du wirst wahrhaft fühlen
Im Menschen-Seelen-Wirken.

Denn es waltet der Christus-Wille im Umkreis
In den Weltenrhythmen Seelen-begnadend.
Kyriotetes, Dynamis, Exusiai,
Lasset vom Osten befeuern,
Was durch den Westen sich gestaltet;
Dieses spricht:
In Christo morimur.
Das hören die Elementargeister
Im Osten, Westen, Norden, Süden:
Menschen mögen es hören.

Menschenseele!
Du lebest im ruhenden Haupte,
Das dir aus Ewigkeitsgründen
Die Weltengedanken erschließet:
Übe Geist-Erschauen
In Gedanken-Ruhe,
Wo die ew’gen Götterziele
Welten-Wesens-Licht
Dem eignen Ich
Zu freiem Wollen
Schenken;
Und du wirst wahrhaft denken
In Menschen-Geistes-Gründen.

Denn es walten des Geistes Weltgedanken
Im Weltenwesen Licht-erflehend.
Archai, Archangeloi, Angeloi,
O lasset aus den Tiefen erbitten,
Was in den Höhen erhöret wird:
Dieses spricht:
Per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus.
Das hören die Elementargeister
Im Osten, Westen, Norden, Süden;
Menschen mögen es hören.

In der Zeiten Wende
Trat das Welten-Geistes-Licht
In den irdischen Wesensstrom;
Nacht-Dunkel
Hatte ausgewaltet;
Taghelles Licht
Erstrahlte in Menschenseelen;
Licht,
Das erwärmet
Die armen Hirtenherzen;
Licht,
Das erleuchtet
Die weisen Königshäupter -

Göttliches Licht,
Christus-Sonne,
Erwärme
Unsere Herzen;
Erleuchte
Unsere Häupter;

Dass gut werde,
Was wir aus Herzen
Gründen,
Aus Häuptern
Zielvoll führen wollen.

Soul of man!
You live in the limbs
That carry you through the world of space
Into the sea of spirit-being:
Practice spirit remembrance
In the depths of soul,
Where in the reigning
Cosmic creator-being
Your own I
In God's I
Is begotten;
And you will truly live
In the cosmic human being.

For the Father Spirit of the heights reigns
Creating being in the cosmic depths:
Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones
Let resound from the heights
What in the depths its echo finds;
This speaks:
Ex deo nascimur.
The elemental spirits
In East, West, North, South hear this:
May men hear it too.

Soul of man!
You live in the heart-lung-beat
That guides you through the rhythm of times
To the sensing of your own soul's being:
Practice spirit contemplation
In equanimity of soul,
Where the surging
Cosmic creative deeds
Unite
Your own I
To the cosmic I;
And you will truly feel
In deeds of the human soul.

For the will of Christ reigns in the earthly sphere
Granting grace to souls in cosmic rhythms:
Kyriotetes, Dynamis, Exusiai
Let from the east inflame
What through the west takes form;
This speaks:
In Christo morimur.
The elemental spirits
In East, West, North, South hear this:
May men hear it too.

Soul of man!
You live in the reposing head
Which opens cosmic thoughts
from eternal founts to you:
Practice spirit-seeing
In peace of mind,
Where the eternal goals of the gods
Confer
The cosmic being's light
On your own I
For its free will;
And you will truly think
From founts of human spirit.

For the cosmic thoughts of spirit,
light imploring, reign in cosmic being;
Archai, Archangeloi, Angeloi
Let from the depths demand
What will be heard in the heights;
This speaks:
Per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus
The elemental spirits
In East, West, North, South hear this:
May men hear it too.
 

At the turning point of time
The cosmic spirit-light stepped
Into earthly evolution;
Night darkness
Had ended its reign;
The bright light of day
Streamed into human souls;
Light
That warms
The poor shepherd hearts
Light
That enlightens
The wise kings' heads.

Light divine,
Sun of Christ,
Warm
Our hearts —
Enlighten
Our heads,

So that good results
From what
Our hearts beget,
What we
By thinking
Forcefully will to do.[1]

Literature

  • Bernard Lievegoed: Besinnung auf den Grundstein, Vlg. Freies Geistesleben, Stuttgart 1989
  • Jörgen Smit: Geistesschulung und Lebenspraxis - die Grundstein-Meditation als Zukunftsimpuls, Vlg. am Goetheanum, Dornach 1987
  • Valentin Tomberg: Die Grundsteinmeditation Rudolf Steiners, Achamoth Vlg., Schönach 1993
  • Rudolf Steiner: Die Weihnachtstagung zur Begründung der Allgemeinen Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft 1923/24, GA 260 (1994), ISBN 3-7274-2602-0 Template:Geschichte Template:Vorträge1
  • Rudolf Steiner: «Eine große Verantwortung» für das Schicksal aller Menschen, Rudolf Steiner Ausgaben, Bad Liebenzell 2015
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. Translation by Frank Thomas Smith rsarchive.org