FOUNDATION STONE MEDITATION
(A composite from the Christmas Foundation Meeting of the General Anthroposophical Society, Dornach, December 25, 1923 - January 1, 1924 and from the subsequent published version - with extensions of January 1, 1924 (in italics) as intended to aid living practice of the whole. Translation by J. Gillen and R. & P. Bloedon.)
Soul of Man!
You live in the Limbs which bear you through the World of Space
into the Spirit's Ocean of Being.
Practice Spirit-Recollection in depths of soul,
where in the reigning Creator-Existence of Worlds
your own I ill truly live in
the Worlds' Being of Man.
For the Father-Spirit of the Heights has dominion in Depths of Worlds,
begetting Being.
Spirits of Strength! Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones!
Let .there ring out from the Heights what in the Depths is echoed!
And that which the Mystery of the Heights lets resound in the
Echo of the Depths speaks:
From God, Mankind has Being.
EX DEO NASCIMUR
The Elemental Spirits hear it in East, West, North and South:
May human beings hear it!
Soul of Man!
You live in the Beat of Heart and Lungs
which leads you through the Rhythm of Time
into the Feeling of your own Soul-Being.
Practice Spirit-Awareness
in balance of soul, where
the surging Deeds of Worlds-Becoming
unite your own I unite the I of the World.
And you will truly feel in
Human Soul Activity.
For the Christ-Will in the encircling Sphere holds sway in the rhythms of Worlds,
blessing the Soul through the
Spirits of Light.
Kyriotetes, Dynamis, Exusiai!
0 Spirits, let
there be fired from the East what through the West is formed!
And the fire of the East which receives its forming from the West
speaks: In Christ, Death
becomes Life.
IN CHRISTO MORIMUR
The Elemental Spirits-bear it in East, West, North and South:
May human beings hear it!
Soul of Man!
You live in the resting Head
which from the wellsprings of Eternity opens to you
World-Thoughts.
Practice Spirit-Beholding in
stillness of thought,
where the eternal aims of Gods bestow Light of Worlds Being
unto your own I for free Willing.
And you will truly think in
Spirit-Foundations of Man.
For the World-Thoughts of the Spirit reign in the Being of Worlds, invoking
Light. Spirits of Soul! Archai, Archangeloi, Angeloi!
Let there be prayed from the Depths what in the Heights is granted!
And if it be rightly understood what resounds from Archai, Archangeloi,
Angeloi
-- when from the Depths there is prayed what can be granted in the Heights --
then there speaks through
the world:
In the Spirit's World-Thoughts, the Soul awakens.
PER SPIRITUM SANCTUM REVIVISCIMUS
The Elemental Spirits hear it in East, West, North and South:
May human beings hear it!
At the Turning Point of Time the Spirit Light of Worlds
entered the earthly stream of Being.
Darkness of Night had held its sway;
day-radiant Light shone into human souls:
Light that gives Warmth to simple Shepherds' Hearts,
Light that enlightens the wise Heads of Kings.
0 Light Divine, 0 Sun of Christ!
Warm Thou our Hearts, enlighten Thou our Heads,
that good may become what we from our Hearts would found
and from our Heads direct with single will!