Advent

In the calendar of the soul by Rudolf Steiner we can find verses for every week of the year. Through these we can live along with the seasons and learn to feel, to experience, how the human being – thus I myself - also has four seasons to live through over the year. Although the body doesn't show this - our leaves don't fall in autumn and sprout again in spring - it is clearly felt within the soul, as a mediator between spirit and body, but also as a mediator between the living human spiritual being and nature in its seasonal changes. And so we experience in spring and summer how the soul becomes looser and devotes itself more and more to the cosmic world, until she is as wide as the cosmic world and can become so dignified that she can become a true garment for the spirit and receive a spiritual gift in herself.

Then comes a turn in the relation between soul, cosmos and the human being. The soul takes along with her the summer light and warmth in herself and develops into midwinter by becoming stronger and stronger in herself. The creative urge can be felt as a true being, a substance, and the soul feels the need to give this back again to the world. Now it is an independent substance, a being, that becomes more real every week. And so we find in this actual week, how there is a turnover again coming. The inner spiritual light imbues the soul and can reach into the work, the deeds we do on earth. But therefore we have to sacrifice ourselves again, but in a totally reversed way relative to how we sacrificed ourselves in summer. Then it was a devotion to the outer cosmos. Now it is a devotion to the inner spiritual light. In the verses that are quoted below we can feel this metamorphosis.

Over the last weeks I have tried to describe this strengthening of the inner being as it develops by thinking thought. This inner work comes through our free will in thinking. But now the time comes nearer that our own will must devote itself to a higher inner will.

Calendar of the soul 35, December 1 -7		Calendar of the soul 18, August 4-10
Can I know the being So that it can find itself again In the creative urge of the soul? I feel that power is granted to me To live modestly my own self as a part into the World-Self.		Can I widen my soul That she unifies herself With the received World-Germ-words? I sense that I will have to find the strength To make my soul so dignified That it can become garment for the spirit.
Kann ich das Sein erkennen, Dass es sich wiederfindet Im Seelenschaffensdrange? Ich fühle, dass mir Macht verlieh'n, Das eigne Selbst dem Weltenselbst Als Glied bescheiden einzuleben.		Kann ich die Seele weiten, Dass sie sich selbst verbindet Empfangnem Welten-Keimesworte? Ich ahne, dass ich Kraft muss finden, Die Seele würdig zu gestalten, Zum Geistes-Kleide sich zu bilden.

 

Calendar of the soul 36, December 8-14		Calendar of the soul 17, July 28-August 3
In depths of my being speaks, Urging to revelation, Mysteriously the World-Word: Imbue the aims of your work With the light of my Spirit, To sacrifice yourself through Me..		The World Word, That I was allowed to lead Into soulgrounds, speaks: Imbue the depths of your spirit With my World-extents To find in future time myself in you.
In meines Wesens Tiefen spricht Zur Offenbarung drängend Geheimnisvoll das Weltenwort: Erfülle deiner Arbeit Ziele Mit meinem Geisteslichte, Zu opfern dich durch mich.		Es spricht das Weltenwort, Das ich durch Sinnestore In Seelengründe durfte führen: Erfülle deine Geistestiefen Mit meinen Weltenweiten, Zu finden einstens mich in dir.

Second AdventAdvent by Mieke Mosmuller