The Temple Legend
GA 93
Goethe and His Connection with Rosicrucianism
There are two ways of penetrating Goethe's Rosicrucian Mystery, an exoteric way, and an esoteric or occult way. The esoteric path reveals itself through a study of those poems of his which are an outward expression of his Rosicrucian views and other knowledge relevant to this question.
The poem Geheimnisse (‘The Mysteries’): this describes the mystery of the Lodge of twelve with the thirteenth at their head. The contents are a reference to experiences in the outer court of the Rosicrucian Parsifal Initiation (Grail Initiation).
The basic theme in Faust. Homunculus is the astral body; the journey to the ‘Mothers’ is a representation of the search for the Golden Triangle and the Lost Word.
The passages in Wilhelm Meister portraying the ‘Journey and Transformation of the Soul’ as far as the extension of consciousness to cosmic vision. (Contemplation of cosmic events. Makarius's vision is such an act of contemplation)
The Fairy Story of the Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily is a portrayal of an alchemistical initiation as established by Christian Rosenkreutz; this is written correctly—not as in the defective tradition of the Lodges—as 030 degree (vulgarly known in Freemasonry parlance as the 30th degree. This fable contains in symbolic language all the secrets of this degree; just as the myth of Hercules contains all the secrets of the Royal Arch degree, which is properly written 013 degree, and which is also called the fourth degree.
Important aspects of Rosicrucian initiation are also to be found in the poem Pandora.
The means of penetrating Goethe's Rosicrucianism in an esoteric or occult way are given in the initiation of the true 020 degree, which—to conceal the secret—is also written as 6 3 degree, being read as 6 x 3 = 18th degree (Rose Croix). In this it is shown, in an occult way, that Goethe underwent an initiation between his visits to Leipzig and Strasbourg, which only came to fruition in his life gradually, and which enabled him to fulfil a very particular Rosicrucian mission. No more about this can be written down; one could still say a little more about it verbally, and still more only in a true Rosicrucian Lodge of the 6 3 = 6 x 3 = 18th degree.
Über Goethe und Sein Verhältnis zum Rosenkreuzertum
In das Rosenkreuzer-Mysterium Goethes einzudringen gibt es zwei Wege, einen exoterischen und einen esoterischen oder okkulten. Der exoterische ergibt sich durch Studium derjenigen Dichtungen Goethes, die ein äußerer Ausdruck seiner rosenkreuzerischen Gesinnung und seines diesbezüglichen Wissens sind.
Dahin gehören:
1. Das Gedicht «Geheimnisse». Es stellt dar das Mysterium der Loge der 12 mit dem 13. an der Spitze. Der Inhalt ist eine Hindeutung auf die Erlebnisse im Vorhof der rosenkreuzerischen ParcivalEinweihung (Gral-Initiation).
2. Die Grundlage im «Faust». Homunkulus ist der Astralleib; der Gang zu den «Müttern» ist die Darstellung der Aufsuchung des «goldenen Dreiecks» und des «verlorengegangenen Wortes».
3. Die Stellen im «Wilhelm Meister», die «Wanderung und Wandelung der Seele» darstellend bis zur Erweiterung des Bewußtseins zum kosmischen Schauen (Kontemplation der kosmischen Vorgänge. Makariens Vision ist solche Kontemplation).
4. Das Märchen von der grünen Schlange und der schönen Lilie stellt dar die alchymistische Initiation in der von Christian Rosenkreutz gestifteten Form: das was in richtiger Schrift - nicht nach der mangelhaften Tradition der Logen - geschrieben wird der 030 Grad (vulgär in Maurersprache der 30. Grad). Dieses Märchen enthält in symbolischer Sprache alle Geheimnisse dieses Grades, wie die Herkules-Sage alle Geheimnisse des Royal-Arch-Grades enthält, der in richtiger Schrift geschrieben wird 013 Grad und welcher auch der 4. genannt wird.
5. Wichtiges über Rosenkreuz-Initiation enthält auch das Gedicht «Pandora». Die Mittel, um auf esoterisch-okkultem Wege in Goethes Rosenkreuzertum einzudringen, werden gegeben bei der Einweihung (Initiation) in den wirklichen 020 Grad, der auch - um das Geheimnis zu verhüllen - so geschrieben wird 6 3 Grad und gelesen 6 x 3 = 18. Grad (Rose-Croix). Da wird auf okkultem Wege gezeigt, daß Goethe zwischen seinem Leipziger und Straßburger Aufenthalt eine Initiation erhalten hat, welche aber erst allmählich fruchtbar in ihm geworden ist, und die es ihm ermöglichte, eine ganz bestimmte rosenkreuzerische Mission zu erfüllen. Man kann darüber mehr nicht niederschreiben; mündlich könnte man noch einiges darüber sagen: noch mehr nur in einer wahren rosenkreuzerischen Loge ds63=6xX3 = 18. Grades.
Dieser Text liegt nur in der Handschrift von Marie Steiner-von Sivers vor. Vermutlich wurde er von Rudolf Steiner niedergeschrieben für Edouard Schur€ um 1906 herum, da sich diese Niederschrift bei Marie Steiner unmittelbar anschließt an diejenige eines von Rudolf Steiner für Schure 1906 niedergeschriebenen Textes «Zeichen und Entwickelung der drei Logoi in der Menschheit» (abgedruckt in «Nachrichten der Rudolf SteinerNachlaßverwaltung» Nr.14, Michaeli 1965, sowie in «Die Apokalypse des Johannes», Bibl.-Nr. 104, 6. Auflage GA 1979).
About Goethe and his relationship to Rosicrucianism
There are two ways to penetrate Goethe's Rosicrucian mystery: one exoteric and one esoteric or occult. The exoteric way is through the study of Goethe's poems, which are an outward expression of his Rosicrucian beliefs and knowledge.
These include:
1. The poem “Secrets.” It depicts the mystery of the Lodge of the 12 with the 13th at the top. The content is an allusion to the experiences in the forecourt of the Rosicrucian Parzival initiation (Grail initiation).
2. The basis in “Faust.” Homunculus is the astral body; the journey to the “mothers” is the representation of the search for the “golden triangle” and the “lost word.”
3. The passages in “Wilhelm Meister” depicting the “wanderings and transformations of the soul” until the expansion of consciousness to cosmic vision (contemplation of cosmic processes. Macarius' vision is such contemplation).
4. The fairy tale of the green snake and the beautiful lily represents the alchemical initiation in the form established by Christian Rosenkreutz: that which is written in the correct script—not according to the flawed tradition of the lodges—is the 030 degree (vulgarly referred to in Masonic language as the 30th degree). This fairy tale contains in symbolic language all the secrets of this degree, just as the legend of Hercules contains all the secrets of the Royal Arch degree, which is written in the correct script as 013 degrees and is also called the 4th degree.
5. The poem “Pandora” also contains important information about Rosicrucian initiation. The means of penetrating Goethe's Rosicrucianism by esoteric-occult means are given at the initiation into the real 020 degree, which, in order to conceal the secret, is also written as 6 3 degrees and read as 6 x 3 = 18 degrees (Rose-Croix). It is shown by occult means that Goethe received an initiation between his stays in Leipzig and Strasbourg, which, however, only gradually became fruitful in him and enabled him to fulfill a very specific Rosicrucian mission. Nothing more can be written about this; orally, a few more things could be said, but only in a true Rosicrucian lodge of the 63rd degree (6 x 3 = 18).
About Goethe and his relationship to Rosicrucianism
There are two ways to penetrate Goethe's Rosicrucian mystery: one exoteric and one esoteric or occult. The exoteric way is through the study of Goethe's poems, which are an outward expression of his Rosicrucian beliefs and knowledge.
These include:
1. The poem “Secrets.” It depicts the mystery of the Lodge of the 12 with the 13th at the top. The content is an allusion to the experiences in the forecourt of the Rosicrucian Parzival initiation (Grail initiation).
2. The basis in “Faust.” Homunculus is the astral body; the journey to the “mothers” is the representation of the search for the “golden triangle” and the “lost word.”
3. The passages in “Wilhelm Meister” depicting the “wanderings and transformations of the soul” until the expansion of consciousness to cosmic vision (contemplation of cosmic processes. Macarius' vision is such contemplation).
4. The fairy tale of the green snake and the beautiful lily represents the alchemical initiation in the form established by Christian Rosenkreutz: that which is written in the correct script—not according to the flawed tradition of the lodges—is the 030 degree (vulgarly referred to in Masonic language as the 30th degree). This fairy tale contains in symbolic language all the secrets of this degree, just as the legend of Hercules contains all the secrets of the Royal Arch degree, which is written in the correct script as 013 degrees and is also called the 4th degree.
5. The poem “Pandora” also contains important information about Rosicrucian initiation. The means of penetrating Goethe's Rosicrucianism by esoteric-occult means are given at the initiation into the real 020 degree, which, in order to conceal the secret, is also written as 6 3 degrees and read as 6 x 3 = 18 degrees (Rose-Croix). It is shown by occult means that Goethe received an initiation between his stays in Leipzig and Strasbourg, which, however, only gradually became fruitful in him and enabled him to fulfill a very specific Rosicrucian mission. Nothing more can be written about this; orally, a few more things could be said, but only in a true Rosicrucian lodge of the 63rd degree (6 x 3 = 18).