1923 Christmas Meeting

It seems that Anthroposophists do not all stay at home at Christmas and make themselves warm in the bosom of the family. Rather they go to Dornach and have a conference for the foundation of the General Anthroposophical Society – a fundamental reconfiguration and commitment to Anthroposophia

In the preceding months Dr Steiner had travelled extensively to meet the heads of the national Anthroposophical societies in order to consult with them about his proposed changes. These are widely seen as Dr Steiner uniting his own karma with the society he had not previously joined. Now he would be the President of the Society.

Hundreds gathered around the building site of the old burnt Goetheanum and the erection of the new (extant) building, and the schreinerei had to be enlarged for the gatherings. Here Dr Steiner laid the foundation stone in the hearts of the members in the form of the Foundation Stone Meditation.

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 the 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 will be
What we
From our hearts beget,
What we
Through our heads
Will to achieve.