These lectures form part of the teachings of Steiner's first Esoteric
School, in existence from 1904–1914. Steiner elucidates here the
esoteric content of symbolic pictures found in myths, sagas, and legends,
focusing particularly on the Temple Legend and the Golden Legend. For
modern consciousness, he says, the right effect depends on our permeating
the picture language with a conceptual content as a preliminary step to
imaginative thinking. Though compiled from incomplete notes, these deeply
esoteric lectures form a unique and indispensable part of Steiner's
complete works.
These twenty lectures, translated from the German by John M. Wood, were
given in Berlin from May 1904 to January 1906. In the collected edition of
Rudolf Steiner's works, the volume containing the German texts is entitled:
Die Tempellegende und die Goldene Legende als symbolischer Ausdruck
vergangener und zukuenftiger Entwickelungsgeheimnisse des Menschen.
Aus den inhalten der Esoterischen Schule.
|
Notes by the Editor of the German Edition |
|
| I. |
Whitsuntide — Festival of the Liberation of the Human Spirit |
May 23, 1904 |
|
Whitsuntide
and its connection with world evolution, according to
a manuscript in the Vatican library and one in the possession of the
Count of St. Germain. The two great world philosophies of the fifth
Root Race: the Egypto-Indo-South European outlook depending on the
intuition of the Devas; the Persian-Germanic world outlook connected
with the intuition of the Asuras. The contrast between these two
currents. The beginning of human reincarnation during Lemuria and the
events connected therewith. The Fall of Man as prerequisite of
freedom-seeking mankind. Prometheus as representative of man's
striving for freedom. The reference to the Whitsuntide Mystery in St.
John's Gospel. Whitsuntide as a symbol of man's striving for freedom. |
| II. |
The Contrast between Cain and Abel |
June 10, 1904 |
|
The occult
core in the Mosaic story of Adam and Eve and their descendants:
asexual and sexual propagation. Sexual propagation only since the
time of Seth. The transition from Adam to Seth: Cain and Abel.
Contrast between Cain (male spirit) and Abel (female spirit): The
principle connected with the intellect and the principle of
inspiration. The birth of egoism through the intellect. The struggle
against the occult enemies of mankind; the race of the Rakshasas. The
fulfillment of Nostradamus's prophesy through the founding of the
Theosophical Society and the re-establishment of the original
mysteries. The doctrine of reincarnation and karma. |
| III. |
The Mysteries of the Druids and the ‘Drottes’ |
September 30, 1904 |
|
Drottes or
Druids, the ancient Germanic initiates. The three stages of
initiation. The Edda as a description of what actually took place in
the ancient Drottic Mysteries. The Druid priest as architect of the
human race; a faint copy of that in the beliefs of the Freemasons. |
| IV. |
The Prometheus Saga |
October 07, 1904 |
|
The
exoteric, allegorical and occult interpretation of sagas. The
Prometheus saga. Its interpretation as mystery account of the history
of post-Atlantis. The Lemurian, Atlantean and post-Atlantean times.
The discovery of fire, and Prometheus as representative of
post-Atlantean times. The contrast of kama-manasic thinking of
Epimetheus and the manasic thinking of Prometheus, the initiated
leader, in wisdom and deed, of post-Atlantean mankind. |
| V. | The Mystery known to Rosicrucians |
November 04, 1904 |
| The myth
of Cain and Abel and of Hiram and Solomon (the Temple Legend) given
by Christian Rosenkreutz to the Rosicrucian Brotherhood in the
fifteenth century. The legend as a symbolic representation of the
destiny of the third, fourth and fifth Sub Races of the fifth Root
Race in connection with the development of Christianity. The
Christian principle of the equality of man in the sight of God and
its application in a worldly sense during the French Revolution. The
Count of St. Germain and the French Revolution. The Christianity of
the Crucified One and the future Christianity of the Rose Cross. The
secret of the Molten Sea and the Golden Triangle. |
| VI. | Manicheism |
November 11, 1904 |
| The
spiritual current of Manicheism. The life of its founder Mani. The
great opponent of Manicheism: Augustine. The legend of Manicheism and
the Manichean interpretation of evil. Evil as unseasonable good, and
the Manichean principle of one's own spiritual enlightenment
(Faustus) in contradistinction to the principle of external authority
(Augustine and Luther). The interaction of good and evil in
connection with the principle of life and form. Life and form in the
evolution of Christianity. The conquest of evil through gentleness as
the task of the Manichean spiritual stream. Augustine's opposition to
Faustus and the battle of Jesuitism against Freemasonry. |
| VII. | The Essence and Task of Freemasonry from the Point of View of Spiritual Science I |
December 02, 1904 |
| The Temple
Legend as the basis of Freemasonry. Ceremonies of initiation in Craft
Masonry (‘Blue’ Masonry). The Master degree and the
Temple Legend. The symbolic proceedings as an image of occult events
on the astral plane. Freemasons were in fact practising masons in
olden times. Architecture in relationship to a knowledge of the
universe. Freemasonry has outgrown its real task; its justified
existence during the fourth Sub Race. |
| VIII. | The Essence and Task of Freemasonry from the Point of View of Spiritual Science II |
December 09, 1904 |
| Freemasonry,
an outer sheath lacking its proper contents. Goethe
and Freemasonry. The Holy Royal Arch. Operative Masonry and
architecture. The Higher Degrees. The Manifesto of the Grand Orient
of Memphis and Misraim Masonry in Germany. The meaning of the Temple
Legend, of Operative Masonry; intuitive knowledge which had to
disappear. Our epoch (fifth Sub Race) as the true epoch of human
understanding. The transmutation of the mineral world by human
spirituality as the meaning of the Molten Sea. The speech of the
English Prime Minister, Lord Balfour, about the meaning of
electricity: a reference to a turning point in human thinking. The
very ancient origin of Freemasonry establishments. |
| IX. | The Essence and Task of Freemasonry from the Point of View of Spiritual Science III |
December 16, 1904 |
| Freemasonry
of the Higher Degrees. The Combined Rite of Memphis
and Misraim. Cagliostro and the Higher Degrees. The Philosopher's
Stone (immortality) and the Mystic Pentagram in the teaching of
Cagliostro. The French Revolution and the Count of St. Germain. The
difference between the step-by-step initiation in the Higher Degrees
and the democratic administration of knowledge in Craft Masonry. The
four teaching methods of the Memphis and Misraim rites. The reality
of the occult establishments: the significance of outer forms. The
new knowledge about the atom, and future knowledge of the connection
between the atom, electricity, and human thought. |
| X. | Evolution and Involution as they are Interpreted by Occult Societies |
December 23, 1904 |
| The
significance of occult knowledge in promoting conscious prolongation
of life, immortality. The universal law of the development of
consciousness. The task of our epoch to permeate the mineral world
with human spirit. Spiritualised natural kingdoms as future
soul-content of man, resting on the law of evolution and involution.
Future penetration of man's spirit into the atom. Relationship of the
atom, thought and electricity. The destruction of the fifth Root Race
through the War of All against All. The significance of forms in
connection with future stages of development. Their correspondence
with the Higher Degrees of Freemasonry. The fifth Sub Race as epoch
of pure intellect, as epoch of egoism and its necessary defeat. |
| Part II |
| XI. | Concerning the Lost Temple and How it is to be Restored I |
May 15, 1905 |
| Theosophy
and practical life (example; tunnel building). Knowledge of the laws
of human co-operation as prerequisite for the building up of human
society. The substitution of the old priest-state culture by the
worldly-wise culture of the fourth Sub Race. The Trojan War. The
foundation of Rome. The first seven Kings of Rome as representation
of the seven stages of the fourth cultural epoch. Their connection
with sevenfold man. The Temple Legend and its connection with the
Lost Temple in need of being rebuilt. |
| XII. | Concerning the Lost Temple and How it is to be Restored II |
May 22, 1905 |
| Solomon's
Temple as a symbol that man is a dwelling place of the Divine. Noah's
Ark, Solomon's Temple and the measurements of man's body. The
interior of Solomon's Temple. The concept of Solomon's Temple. The
Knights Templar and their teachings. Two currents at the inception of
the race of mankind: the children of this world (Sons of Cain) and
the children of God (Abel-Seth Sons). The aim of the Rosicrucians, as
continuators of the Order of the Knights Templar, was no different
from that of theosophy; the building of the great Temple of Humanity. |
| XIII. | Concerning the Lost Temple and How it is to be Restored III |
May 29, 1905 |
| The Legend
of the True Cross and the world historic significance of Solomon's
Temple. The contrast of the two currents within mankind: the Sons of
God (descendants of Abel-Seth) and the Sons of Man (descendants of
Cain). The uniting of the two streams in Christ Jesus. The
construction of the three stage World Temple (corresponding to
physical body, etheric body and astral body of man) throughout the
time of the Old Covenant by the Sons of Cain, the servants of the
world. Work performed in the service of the Divine World Order by the
Sons of God, the servants of the Ark of the Covenant. Solomon's
Temple, an external expression of what the Ark of the Covenant should
become. Man's earthly evolution in connection with the symbol of the
Cross. The Pauline distinction between the law and grace. The
connection of law and sin in the Old Covenant and law and love in the
New Covenant. |
| XIV. | Concerning the Lost Temple and How it is to be Restored IV |
June 05, 1905 |
| The Lost
Word to be rediscovered — an allegory connected with the Whitsuntide
festival. Whitsuntide, the festival of Mankind's freedom. Freedom of
choice between good and evil. The Fall of Man. The evolution of the
world throughout the aeons: Rounds, Globes and Races or Epochs. The
seven Kings of Solomon's Dynasty during the seven epochs of the
Astral Globe. The construction of the macro-cosmos by Spirit, Son and
Father; the inner working of man from the Spirit, through the Son, to
the Father. Post-Atlantean culture until the time of the Christ event
in its connection with the principles: Father, Son and Spirit. The
awakening of the Inner Word, the resurrection of the etheric body as
the secret of the Whitsuntide Festival. |
| XV. | Atoms and the Logos in the Light of Occultism |
October 21, 1905 |
| The task
for the future of the theosophical world current. The plan for the
guidance of mankind by the Masters of the White Lodge. Logos, earth
evolution, and atoms. |
| Part III |
| XVI. | The Relationship of Occultism to the Theosophical Movement |
October 22, 1905 |
| The
essence of occult societies is their heirarchical structure; the
essence of the Theosophical Society is its democratic basis. The
connection of these two lies in the fact that the Theosophical
Society is intended as a centre for the expression of occult truths.
The task of true occultism is inner training; within the theosophical
movement the aim is to popularise occult knowledge. The task of the
Theosophical Society is to foster occult teachings and occult life by
means of understanding. Rigid contrast between the occult current and
the Organisation within the Theosophical Society. |
| XVII. | Freemasonry and Human Evolution (men only) |
October 23, 1905 |
| Physical
severance of the bi-sexual into male and female during Lemurian
times. A kind of recapitulation of this on a spiritual level during
post-Atlantean times: division of knowledge into wisdom tending
towards the male and wisdom showing affinity with the female. Cain
and Abel as the representatives of this ancient mystery teaching and
the Freemasonry Temple Legend as the symbolic expression of this. The
Freemasonry interpretation of the future generative forces centred in
the Word. One-sided endeavours in Freemasonry and Jesuitism. The
conquest of ancient wisdom through the new wisdom of theosophy which
has its origin in superior asexuality. |
| VIII. | Freemasonry and Human Evolution (women only) |
October 23, 1905 |
| Physical
severance of the bi-sexual into male and female during Lemurian
times. A kind of recapitulation of this on a spiritual level during
post-Atlantean times: division of knowledge into wisdom tending
towards the male and wisdom showing affinity with the female. Cain
and Abel as the representatives of this ancient mystery teaching and
the Freemasonry Temple Legend as the symbolic expression of this. The
Freemasonry interpretation of the future generative forces centred in
the Word. One-sided endeavours in Freemasonry and Jesuitism. The
conquest of ancient wisdom through the new wisdom of theosophy which
has its origin in superior asexuality. |
| XIX. | The Relationship Between Occult Knowledge and Everyday Life |
October 23, 1905 p.m. |
| The
involvement of occult information in the life of our immediate
surroundings. Man's astral body. Importance of education.
‘Intermediary’ astral substance. The transformation of
the astral substance through feelings, concepts and decisions of
will. Astral thought forms. Individual astral bodies and astral
substance of whole nations. Expression of national tasks on the
astral plane. The temperament and character of whole nations.
Slavonic and American peoples beginning to be inspired by the thought
of their nationhood. Spirituality of national inspiration in the east
(the Slavs), psychic inspiration in the west (the Americans). Their
affinities — in the east with the Mongolian element, in the west
with the Negro element. |
| XX. | The Royal Art in a New Form |
January 02, 1906 |
| Misunderstandings
and errors of Freemasonry. The Taxil swindle.
Origin of the name ‘Freemasonry’. The three spheres or
pillars of culture: Wisdom, Beauty and Strength. Consideration of the
twelfth century and the Saga of the Holy Grail according to masonic
interpretation. Contrast between the male-masonic and female-priestly
principles; mastery over inanimate nature and acceptance of
God-bestowed living forces. The sign of the Cross. The Holy Grail as
a symbol of the mastery over the forces of life to be attained in the
future: the Royal Art in a new form. |
| Goethe and His Connection with Rosicrucianism |
|
