"Readily available" is so ofter flung at critics on seeking sources. This information took about three years to obtain.
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The Christmas Tree. Beloved of families and especially kids since it's introduction to these shores by Prince Albert.
It has come to symbolise all that is best, or at least desireable about Christmas: home, hearth, warmth, safety peace, love...all of that.
How many of us though look for any allusion to ancient Egyptian Mysteries, or even simple fortune telling?
These, and other things are alluded to and indeed symbolised by the decoration of the Anthroposophical Christmas Tree, which are essentially, thirty red paper roses, representing the pre-ministry life of Jesus, three white paper roses representing the three years of the ministry of The Christ Being, fourteen brass or bronze symbols which are not exactly mainstream Christian, and beeswax (must be beeswax) candles.
Perhaps at a later stage a separate page will appear dealing with the occult significance of bees (according to Steiner) and so beeswax.
For the purposes of these pages, let's focus on the symbology.
I should add that for the purpose of the photographs, I substituted ordinary electric 'fairy' lights, simply on the grounds that I don't care how un-spiritual it may be, I am simply not prepared to mix a real tree, paper decorations and naked flames in my own house. It remains with you to ascertain what happens at your own school, Camphill etc., and to either go along with your findings or not.
The Pentacle, otherwise called pentagram. Nothing so mundane as a star! To Anthroposophy, this symbolises all that permeates the Universe, and is central to the human being. Other sources impute a much darker legend. What do you think?
Tao. A reminder of our forbears in Atlantis. (Yes, Atlantis.) Romance, fiction, wish or genuine spiritual belief? You decide.
Taroh, aka Tarok, Tarot.
Symbol of the Egyptian Mysteries 'Book of Thoth' 78 leaves with all events of the world from beginning to end; Alpha to Omega. The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions identifies Thoth with (Greek ) Hermes (so Roman Mercury)
"The Egyptian God, Thoth, is identified with the Greek Hermes, who is called "Thrice Greatest" ie, Trismegitus. At one time, they were thought to have been written by a contemporary of Moses, whose wisdom anticipated the philosophical and religious wisdom of Plato and Jesus. Some of the texts are..... concerned to draw initiates through ascetic self-discipline into a vision of God as Light, 'the first God'..."
The reference goes on to identify John Dee, Robert Fludd and Paracelsus as having taken up the magical texts, and "who did much to open the way to the so-called scientific revolution (of the Renaissance): a magical world view put humans at the centre of creative activity..."(1)
The dating was disproved in 1614, whereat their influences waned until the mid Victorian resurrection of interest.
Hermes was supposedly the founder of alchemy.
Triangle.
Spirit Self, Life Spirit, Spirit Man.
Square
Represents the four-fold nature of man: Physical Body, Etheric Body, Astral Body, Ego.
These first five symbols should be place in order as illustrated, straight down the tree.
Alpha to Omega. See previous description of Taroh (above). Got any bad vibes yet?
Alpha to Omega should be placed so as to form an inverted cross with the perpendicular arrangement above. Must say I have never seen this placing described as an inverted cross, but that's the effect. Such symbology is by no means unheard of in esoteric circles.
These seven symbols are sited on the tree so as to form a spiral, or helix. On the tree, facing it taking the column as front, Venus should be placed topmost, toward the back, around and the height and somewhat left of Tao. Jupiter lower and left still. From there, descending, Mercury, Mars and Moon cross the front of the tree until Sun is rightmost with Saturn bottom-most, slightly below the level of the Square, and turning toward the back of the tree again.
However, it does seem that the spiral ought to be read from bottom up as:
"The present solar system is the fourth incarnation of a pattern of seven `great cycles' or evolutionary planets, called respectively (old) Saturn, (old) Sun, (old) Moon, Earth, (future) Jupiter, (future) Venus, and (future) Vulcan. The speed of evolution slows to the point of human self-consciousness during late Atlantean times of our Earth and is now speeding up again." http://wn.rsarchive.org/RelArtic/BobbetteRSW/steiner2_011.html accessed 27/03/09
Visit this site for further info! Mercury and Mars together represent Earth (current) incarnation. The upward spiral culminates at The Pentacle- presumably this is incarnation is to which we should all aspire.
You will also find Steiner's stunning revelation that Sun, Earth and Moon were all once one great chunk, but both Sun and Moon broke away from Earth. Never suspected, did you? Don't worry, neither have NASA or any other august body or individual, but Rudi did, so it must be gen then eh?
Try to equate this spiral with days of the week-it's not difficult. Now think on how this wisdom might impact on biodynamic horticulture and agriculture. Congratulations, you are on your way to understanding Steiner, leaving you better equiped to decide if you go along with him, or if he spouted so much claptrap, occasionaly blundering onto anything worthwhile.
(1) Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. John Bowker(ed) Oxford, 1997 pp 425/6
Published 30/03/09
