The Advent of Michaelmas is about the Spirit of the Age for mankind, the Archangel Micha-el. He asks us to develop Trust in the "ever present help of the Spiritual World."
The Festival of Michaelmas acknowledges the battle between this Archangel and the sulphuric Dragon which rises up from the surface of the Earth beginning at the time of Autumn. When leaves begin to wither the Dragon ensnares lower demonic beings which have been fed by the negative thoughts of Humankind itself.
These thoughts feed the Dragon in the form of Sulphur. The greater these thoughts are present as they lay upon the earth throughout the year the more powerful are the Ahrimanic forces which feed the Dragon.
Micha-el does not ever destroy the Dragon but only suppresses him because we at the same time need the forces of Ahriman for the strengthening of our individuality but not to the extent of Egotism. The story of St. George and the Dragon is a later version of the battle of the Archangel and Spirit of the Age, Micha-el and the Dragon.
Micha-el's Sword is made of Cosmic Iron which is gathered from the meteors which flash throughout the night sky in the Autumn onto Winter. This meteoric iron becomes his Sword of Courage. The Nettle plant absorbs these cosmic influences and is therefore a favorite and important tea to make during the Fall and Winter as it fortifies the Iron we need to do our part as Warriors and Knights of Micha-el so that " The sword I yield is Courage."
The age of Intellectualism has run its course. The age of Consciousness Soul or Spiritual Soul is upon us and with the gift of our Ego or Spirit we can come to higher states of conscious awareness. We need to understand and bring to higher awareness the challenge of the times and the Archangel Micha-el reminds us of our necessary evolution and task at Michaelmas.
In the Will we are closest and most free in our Spirit but least conscious. In our Thinking we are least free but most conscious. The effort to bring thinking into willing and willing into thinking takes dedication to develop. When we do begin to achieve this we will come to know Freedom and Love.
Preamble to the Michaelic Meditation
"We must eradicate from the soul all fear and terror of what comes out of the future.
We must acquire serenity in all feelings and sensations about the future
We must look forward with absolute equanimity to everything that may come and we must think only that whatever comes is given to us by a world direction full of wisdom.
It is part of what we must learn in this age. Namely to live out of pure Trust withouth any security in existence, trusting in the ever present help of the Spiritual World.
Truly nothing else will do
If our Courage is not to fail us.
Let us seek the awakening from within ourselves
Every morning and every evening...................Rudolf Steiner
The Festival of Micha-el is upon us. Let us do seek the awakening every morning and every evening now and throughout the year of our Courage and commitment to the Trust of the Spiritual World with Micha-el who is also the Representative Regent of the Christ Impulse.
