Wisdom of the Present Age - 18 July 1966

   

At the present time, we are passing through a strange development with regard to astrology and cosmology. Astrology has suddenly become fashionable, and the astrologers are triumphant. They have been endeavoring for several decades to establish themselves as valid.

There is a certain radio weather forecaster in America by the name of John H. Nelson — and who I think must have been an astrologer in an earlier life — who, aside from weather forecasts, gives reports on the many disturbances that now upset broadcasting, radio messages, and even telephones. The sum of these disturbances is mainly connected with the electro-magnetic fields that often coincide with Sun spot maximums, which occur in eleven year cycles. However, these account for a very small percentage of radio disturbances.

We know that the square aspects of 90° between Saturn and Jupiter (drawing) can also cause such disturbances. Nelson forecasted radio disturbances that were 90% correct, though months ahead. However, he does not know which planetary forces cause them. He can only communicate them but not interpret them. I know of many communications with regard to the weather; they are found in publications of many kinds, but are never accompanied by any explanation.

In the old days, we know that the peasants used to work with the Moon’s phases in agriculture, but hitherto they have been regarded by the pundits as a superstition. Now both the Weather Bureaus of the United States and of New Zealand have ‘discovered’ that these phases have an influence on the widespread precipitation on Earth, but still there is only speculation and never an explanation.

A researcher at Yale University has traced the movements of the planets in relation to past civilizations. Another one has discovered the Babylonian calculations and is using them in research. During an investigation into economic cycles, such planetary calculations have been used.

A scientist at the Massachusetts Technological College has stated that if terrestrial and planetary relationships are not mere coincidence, this can result in new sciences that would revivify ancient astrology. Weather prediction based on the Moon phases is now an established feature.

There has even been an electro-magnetic field discovered in the human body. In itself it is a kind of electronic device! It is said that this field evidently fluctuates and changes with the Earth’s field and that both are related to the stars and galaxies. Hence we have, at least suggested here, a cosmo-psychological weather forecast developing and working in the human realm as mass suggestion and hysteria, relating both to revolutions and to wars.

This seems to be a possibly dreadful revival of the ancient astrology, though under new names, such as solaristics, and lunaristics. If this is introduced into universities, where Ahriman rules, it will suppress and oppress humanity to a terrifying degree. People will lose their identity completely, being oppressed by science on Earth, as well as through these cosmic influences.

Ahriman obviously feels that he cannot ignore the collaboration between humanity and the cosmos, and therefore caricaturizes it into such a ghost relationship. How can we meet this? By evolving a Grail astrology as suggested by Rudolf Steiner in his lecture cycle Christ and the Spiritual World.

We regard cosmic research as the vessel or foundation, and then we introduce the Sun into it to give it sustenance. How can we establish the reality of this Grail symbol in a practical manner? Much work has been done in this area, especially in cosmology. In his lecture course of 1921, Dr. Steiner said that astronomy alone was helpless. It leads us into space, where we get lost. This is a realm of thought processes only, not deeds. Therefore, he confronted astronomy with the science of embryology. Astronomy takes us into the world of ideas, whereas embryology takes us into Imaginations. We have to combine the idea with reality.

In the drawing, we have used the geocentric position, as the heavenly events are related to embryonic development. Here we note that the Sun moves through three quarters of the ecliptic during embryonic development. Also note the natural order of the planets at right. It is rare that they stand in their exact relationship in the heavens — though nearly so in 1962. We can see the division between the outer planets of Saturn, Jupiter and Mars and the inner planets of Mercury, Venus and Moon, which come between the Sun and the Earth. We can relate this directly to embryonic development.

We know that three layers develop during our coming into being (the lines on the right indicate the amion on top and the yolk sac on the bottom). Taking form in the middle, and indicated by the lines on the left, are the ectoderm, which is a kind of outer envelope and helps to build up the skin, sense organs, and nervous system. We know, too, that the eyes come into being through the transformation of the skin. Second is the endoderm, which contributes the elements that build up the metabolic system, including the digestive tract, respiratory system, etc. Third is the mesoderm, which is the layer between these two that connects tissue and cartilage and the bone system. We have, of course, simplified all this for our purpose. These three elements are also related to the three aspects of the solar system: the endoderm with the so called lower planets of Mercury, Venus and the Moon; the mesoderm with the Sun; and the ectoderm with the whole planetary world up to Saturn.

This is the science of the Vessel of the Holy Grail. We have to continue to evolve a science out of this, to get a more comprehensive picture through which we can be helped to travel on our earthly way. We must fill this vessel with the spiritual Sun, and this is our task (drawing at right). It can he achieved through education, for instance, and by the choice of vocation. We are constantly transforming our building material, and here in our modern age, we need to depart from conventional astrology. Let’s say that Saturn in Twins is connected with the head, as part of that vessel. If we decide that a person must have a certain vocation, we will not be working with the Grail, for the person will be determined by the viewpoint of these stars, which are outside our being. We must now find a star science of viewpoints and ideas for each one to evolve. For other people, with exactly the same Saturn position, might evolve something quite different out of their free choice.

Textbook astrology is useless because it is fatalistic. We must find aspects opening up new possibilities. We should use our vessels as different artists or sculptors might deal with the same block of marble, for each would create something quite different.

This is a creativity awakened, especially through education, so that each transforms their own gift. We can no longer speak out of the old astrology; now we must introduce the new, which will be a development that goes on for many lives. However, we can only begin by thinking correctly and starting on the right track. To the degree that this new aspect is now appreciated, can we introduce it into the future, for it has relevance for the universe and the whole cosmos that is in each one of us.

Today I want to make a practical experiment towards achieving this. It is now 10 a.m., so we will create the heavens as they are at this moment. This is a cosmic fact that is associated with our particular Saturn, which is also related to the heavenly Saturn. We must look into this interplay between the planetary world and our own organism. Therefore, let us produce something spiritually creative and productive.

We will draw the firmament with the zodiac in it, and stand on our horizon and look south. Mercury is near the Sun, crossing in front of it in a retrograde loop. Jupiter is conjoined with Venus on the Meridian, and Saturn is not far from its setting point. The most important feature is that of Pluto and Uranus rising close together on the Eastern horizon. Pluto is separated by fifteen degrees from Uranus, yet this is still a conjunction. In fact, it is the one of which we have been writing in our Journal. Remember, too, what we said about the rising and the setting point with regard to medical substances.

Conventional astrology would ask, “What does this mean?” They thereby deliver themselves into the hands of something without. This is deterministic astrology, infiltrating back in a new oppressive form, in the way we have already discovered.

Rather, we should ask, “What we can do, in order to respond spiritually?” We can then make use of such an aspect as we pointed out in the Journal. That conjunction of Pluto and Uranus is a rhythm returning regularly in history.

Pluto is now in Lion, where it also was in 1712, in 1457, and in 1203. In 1 BC, Pluto in Scales and Uranus in Ram were in an opposition. What do we find when we go back in history? In 1453 the two planets were close together, moving toward a conjunction in 1457. Then the Turks conquered Constantinople; in 1712 there were great disturbances in Europe; and in 1203 Genghis Kahn became leader of the Mongols and prepared his great

2

invasions. We could say that these mean dreadful things. However, ours is a new approach, for in 1203 it also referred to the time of the Troubadours, of Eschenbach and Chretien de Troyes, who created the ballads that spoke of Parsifal and the Holy Grail. The troubadours grew up in the tradition of the Schools of the Cathars in France.

The date of the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosencrantz, the fundamental document of the Rosicrucian movement, was in 1459, and we will note that at that time Saturn and Pluto were still in conjunction.

In 1712, Rousseau was born, among other things, but we will return to this later. In 1203 the whole Grail background, leading back to the 9^th century in history, is touched upon by this aspect. It is associated with the departure of esoteric Christianity from the exoteric. Then in the 6^th and 7^th centuries, the Roman Church exterminated the Celtic Cosmic Christianity. From the spiritual viewpoint, this was quite helpful toward the development of esoteric Christianity. Dr. Steiner stated that the Folk Spirit of the Celts then became the leading Spirit of esoteric Christianity, which was represented by the Grail and was separated from Rome.

This was revived later in the Knights Templars. We can always find the vessel and the spiritual content. The Knights Templars guarded the Sepulcher, the grave of the Risen Christ. They were exterminated because of Phillip le Bel’s greed for their possessions, through the Roman Church in its effort to exterminate esotericism.

Then Rosicrucianism came along. You know the symbol. We can see the Black Cross as the Vessel and the Roses as the Spiritual Resurrection. The Christian Altar goes no further than Good Friday, not to Resurrection and beyond, as Rosicrucianism does, whose symbol is a revelation.

In 1712 we have a root aspect that is associated with the complex of the spiritual nativity of Goethe. He was born later, but he was spiritually connected with this aspect. The nativity was worked out in his life, and he wrote down what was probably conceived much earlier — especially the Legend, which is both a fairy tale and a Rosicrucian Mystery.

In 1966 we come to the modern age. But let us first step back into the past, to the year 1 BC — the year zero, before the Turning Point. This we can call an ancestor of the conjunctions of Pluto and Uranus, but this time they are in opposition. Uranus was in Aries, the Vernal Point, and Pluto was opposite in Libra.

Here we have a new “spring”, in an esoteric-occult sense. There is still something of the comet in Pluto, but calculations suggest March of the same year as the time of Annunciation when the Luke Jesus became the Vessel into which the Christ entered for the later events.

This is the calendar of evolution and progression in regard to esoteric Christianity. The year 1966 and its events are in our own hands. We can gauge what could be our task as regards spiritual activity against this background.

These three dates: 1966, 1712, 1457, represent three stages of manifestation of Rosicrucianism. It is the individual who must decide the manner of its fulfillment. In 1459, the heart of the Rosicrucian Movement, we are embedded, as it were, in the Imagination of the Chymical Wedding. This reads like fiction, but in terms of a tangible alchemy. In 1712 the reference is to Goethe (and there were others). Here the Rosicrucian impulse rises to the level of Inspiration. It is almost certain that Rousseau went through a kind of Inspiration experience at the age of 37, and was overtaken by a great emotional storm on a journey — so much so that he arrived in acute distress. This was the turning point of his whole career, after which he became the Rousseau we know from history. Goethe’s Rosicrucianism wears the garment of the writer and the poet, which is fulfilled in the Legend.

If the above holds good, Rosicrucianism should enter the stage of Intuition in 1966. We must think these things through individually. We are steadily moving in the direction of a Grail astrology, listening in to the cosmos but acting out of spiritual activity to fill in the substance.

One further point: Pluto and Uranus were in opposition in 1 BC in the autumnal and vernal points. This is an older relative to the conjunction of Pluto and Uranus in 1966 and in 1712. In between, an opposition of the two took place in 1794, when Goethe wrote his Legend of the Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily.

Another set of these conjunctions of Pluto and Uranus took place in the modern age, in Ram. The last one happened in 1850.