The Rudolf Steiner Archive

Michaelmas
Conquering the Ahrimanic Forces of Darkness

September 17, 2023

This time of year, we recognize the power of the spirit known as Michael and his victory over the forces that would drag us down. The Michaelmas Festival coincides with the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, September 23, 2023. We invite you to explore Rudolf Steiner’s teachings on the battle of Michael and the Dragon, Michaelmas, and the importance of the seasons in our soul development.

In this article, we highlight Steiner's teachings on how:

• There arose a revolt of divine spirits seeking free will prematurely before men came into human form. Ahriman, the Dragon, was their leader.
• Michael banished the super-sensible Dragon to the earthly realm where he did not belong.
• The battle with the Dragon moved from the outer cosmos into human nature.
• The Dragon and leagues of Ahrimanic beings repeatedly attack Michael and his army but are always defeated.
• Both human freedom and our increased materialism resulted from these uprisings.
• With the Dragon now entrenched in human nature, mankind must fight those inner forces that would hinder our spiritual development. We do this through our will and heartfelt thinking. In this way, we align ourselves with the forces of Michael.
• While Easter commemorates the death and resurrection of Christ, Michaelmas represents the reverse: the resurrection of the human soul and physical death, like waking up from summer's dreamy slumber and the withering of autumn foliage.

Through our efforts to resurrect our souls, we no longer remain chained to the material realm like Ahriman but can be confident in our death that we will continue to evolve spiritually as intended.

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Recent Additions

Date Added	Volume	Document Title	Document Date
08 May	GA 304.	Why Base Education on Anthroposophy II	01 Jul 1923
08 May	GA 304.	Why Base Education on Anthroposophy I	30 Jun 1923
29 Jul	GA 98.	Whitsuntide: Collective Spiritual Striving and Working toward Spiritualisation of the World II	09 Jun 1907
29 Jul	GA 98.	Whitsuntide: Collective Spiritual Striving and Working toward Spiritualisation of the World I	07 Jun 1908
08 May	GA 304.	Waldorf Pedagogy	10 Aug 1923
06 May	GA 301.	Understanding the Human Being: A Foundation for Education	22 Apr 1920
05 May	GA 300.	Twenty-Third Meeting	23 Mar 1921
05 May	GA 300.	Twenty-Second Meeting	16 Jan 1921
05 May	GA 300.	Twenty-First Meeting	22 Nov 1920
05 May	GA 300.	Twentieth Meeting	15 Nov 1920
05 May	GA 300.	Twenth-Sixth Meeting	17 Jun 1921
05 May	GA 300.	Twenth-Seventh Meeting	11 Sep 1921
05 May	GA 300.	Twenth-Ninth Meeting	14 Jan 1922
05 May	GA 300.	Twenth-Fourth Meeting	26 May 1921
05 May	GA 300.	Twenth-Fifth Meeting	16 Jun 1921
05 May	GA 300.	Twenth-Eigth Meeting	16 Nov 1921
05 May	GA 300.	Twelfth Meeting	14 Jun 1920
11 May	GA 307.	Three Epochs in the Religious Education of Man	12 Aug 1923
06 May	GA 301.	Three Aspects of the Human Being	21 Apr 1920
05 May	GA 300.	Thirty-Third Meeting	20 Jun 1922
05 May	GA 300.	Thirty-Sixth Meeting	04 Oct 1922
05 May	GA 300.	Thirty-Seventh Meeting	06 Oct 1922
05 May	GA 300.	Thirty-Second Meeting	10 May 1922
05 May	GA 300.	Thirty-Ninth Meeting	28 Oct 1922
05 May	GA 300.	Thirty-Fourth Meeting	21 Jun 1922

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