Meeting with the spirit during the Holy Nights
There is an exercise that is a blend of two indications from Rudolf Steiner regarding Christmas day in particular and the twelve Holy Nights in general. The particular reference was about a meeting in the spirit of those souls on the path founded by Christian Rosencreutz. On Christmas day there is traditionally a meeting in…
Read MoreColors of the Sunrise: Light, Darkness and the Atmospheric Dance of the Soul
[Republished from the Journal of Anthroposophical Medicine Vol.9 1992] From a mechanical point of view the motion of the earth as it revolves around its axis brings into being the diverse set of phenomena known as the sunrise. From a more poetic point of view the sunrise is a rune of high significance for human…
Read MoreJonah and the Whale: An Encrypted Alchemical Meditation
In “Jonah and the Whale: An Encrypted Alchemical Meditation,” Dennis Klocek delves into the symbolic richness of the biblical tale of Jonah and the Whale, using the lens of alchemical interpretation. Klocek elucidates how the story’s sequence of events mirrors the four stages of the alchemical mandala: earth, water, air, and fire, each representing different levels of consciousness and transformation.
Jonah’s journey begins with an earthly task from the Lord, but he attempts to evade it by fleeing to sea—a move against the mandalic protocol. Caught in a storm, Jonah’s unconscious state parallels the water stage, where chaos reigns until he accepts responsibility. Cast overboard, Jonah undergoes a profound initiation within the whale’s belly, akin to a spiritual retreat, leading to a higher understanding and resolution to fulfill his divine task.
As Jonah returns to land, he enters a cycle of repentance and redemption, symbolized by the gourd vine that shelters him briefly before withering away. This cyclical growth and decay represent the alchemical process of owning one’s shadow and surrendering to higher forces. Through Jonah’s journey, Klocek illustrates the transformative power of spiritual initiation and the possibility of redemption for all souls.
Read MoreEarth Stewardship and Imagination
To truly see the Earth as a living being with a soul capable of will impulses and feelings requires humans to come into contact with the way that phenomena in nature stimulate feelings and will impulses in human beings. The sequence here is sense experience creating a picture image in the nerves that leads to…
Read MoreSoul Qualities of the 12 Personality Archetypes
In Part 6 of our Soul Course, Dennis shows us how how to use the twelve personality archetypes to begin to see into the biographical stories of people in our lives. The soul dynamics of control in each archetype will be explored through the Artist/Agent and Activist/Hermet polarities. Understanding these dynamics allows us to heal…
Read MoreSurrender and Submission in the Soul
In dialog, our tone determines much of how our words will be received. Trust is built when we are conscious of our tone, creating a “free space” where both people feel safe enough to surrender to the other.
Read MorePower, Myth, and the Corporate Archetype
Most people would be surprised if they were told that there was no such “thing” as a biological species. But this is a true statement because a species is an idea, not a thing.
Read MoreThe Alchemical Worldview
Esoterically the central task of the human being is to achieve what is known as the second birth, or what is known to students of Rudolf Steiner as the birth of the “I” being. Our first birth is into a body of flesh. This is given to us by nature working through our parents. The…
Read MoreGlyphs of the Zodiac
Editor’s Note: Dennis uses a sidereal ephemeris to determine the dates for each constellation in which the sun is active. The sidereal ephemeris takes into consideration the precession of the equinoxes in determining the the location of the stars and planets as they are today. The constellations of the zodiac are traditionally rendered in pictographs…
Read MoreOvercoming Anxiety
A useful skill for human beings is to learn how to contact the timeless inner being who is constantly remembering how life was before things got anxious. To do this it is necessary to develop a practice to consciously draw attention away from the anxious parts of life and transform the anxiety into gratitude. Most…
Read More