Archangel Michael

Archangel Michael is one of the seven archangels, representing the Sun and hence the most important leader of the archangelic choir.

The denomination denotes a segment of the hierarchy of the archangels of the Michaelic order, not a single individual spiritual being. Still in descriptions in human language the denomination is usually such as if to refer to a single entity.

He is the messenger or countenance of Christ, and inspires humanity towards Man's transformation and spiritualization especially in the time periods of about 354 years when Michael is the reigning archangel. The current period since 1879 upto about 2233 is such a Michaelic age, it will be followed by the Future Oriphiel age.

Aspects

impulse and identity

• names related to the Christ impulse working through the archangelic 'channel': Apollo, Saint George, Adam sister soul, Nathan Jesus soul
  • for 'archangelic channel' - see Schema FMC00.471A and the commentary for 1904-11-01-GA089 below.
    • as messenger Jehovah (1913-05-02-GA152, 1913-05-20-GA152)
    • from messenger Jehovah to messenger Christ (1913-05-20-GA152)
      • [note: a typo also listed 1913-08-20-GA152 but no lecture was given on that date so erroneous reference]
    • the image of Michael or Saint George and the dragon as imaginative presentation of the third pre-MoG sacrifice of Christ, identical as and named as Apollo in the Greek culture, see (1914-03-05-GA152 and 1914-03-30-GA152)
      • Apollo as the garment or clothing of Christ (1909-08-28-GA113)
    • the relationship between the archangel Michael and the Adam sister soul, see Schema FMC00.377A below and The two Jesus children
• promotion Michael from archangel to archai (1913-05-18-GA152, 1913-05-20-GA152)
  • Vidar is the name of the spiritual being taking over the archangelic role of Michael, he was the guardian angel of Buddha who was released as the Bodhisattva Gautama Buddha ascended to the level of Buddha-hood (see sub-aspect below, and Koulias below)
• Michael as (guiding spirit of the time) folk soul for the German people (1915-01-19-GA157, see also 1914-11-27-GA064)
  • see also: Schema FMC00.459
  • note also 1915-01-14-GA064 and 1915-03-04-GA064 are on the German folk soul, see Folk souls

various

• opposition between Michael and Ahriman - both at archangelic level (1924-08-01-GA237)
  • battle between 15th and 19th century (1924-07-28-GA237)
• The Michaelic 'stream': the stream of incarnating Individualities that are part of and make up this impulse (for background, see also: Impulses from waves of reincarnating souls) is described under The Michaelic stream (as well as Sources of spiritual science).

archangelic ages

• Michael age from -600 to -240 BC
  • an atmosphere of discouragement had come over the ancient Mysteries; it was an age of great trial and probation (1924-08-01-GA237)
• intermediate period
  • With the descent in the 8th or 9th century the Cosmic Intelligence has passed from the hands of Michael into the hands of men (1924-08-01-GA237)
  • however since the 9th century the Sun-Intelligence of Michael and the planetary intelligences gradually came into cosmic opposition one with another (1924-08-08-GA237)
• Michael age from 1879 to 2230 AD
  • preparation of the new age of Michael starting 1879 at the 15th century in the super-sensible School of Michael (1924-07-28-GA237)
  • while the Michael community is being formed on Earth, the kingdom of the angels is split twofold into a kingdom of angels with an upward tendency, and one with a downward tendency (1924-08-03-GA237)
  • With the penetration of Michael to earthly rulership, Michael brings the power which is to bring order again into the karma of those who have gone with him (1924-08-08-GA237)
  • battle on Earth and Ahriman's striving to tear the Intelligence from Michael (1924-08-04-GA237)
  • Man need self-consciously rescue themselves from Ahriman and take possession of the Intelligence that has come into their hands (1924-08-01-GA237)

Vidar

• Vidar is the archangel of whom Rudolf Steiner stated, that he brings “the cental nerve and living essence of all spiritual science”. The nature of Vidar has remained a mystery as the indications from Rudolf Steiner are few and concise.
  • Vidar is mentioned in the esoteric wisdom of the Druids, known as the Edda. Vidar appears in Germanic / Norse mythology in the myth of Loki-Fenriswolf, Vidar is the son of Odin and takes revenge on the Fenriswolf. See more on Ragnarok (oa 1910-06-17-GA121)
  • For mention of an old statue of Vidar:
    • "a picture has been found in the vicinity of Cologne, of which no one knows whom it represents, but which is none other than a likeness of Vidar" (1910-06-17-GA121)
    • the Niederdollendorfer Bilderstein was found in Königswinter (near Bonn, Germany) during railway construction works in 1901 in an ancient Frankish cemetery, the stone is now in the LVR Rheinisches LandesMuseum Bonn. For pictures see here. See also Adrian Anderson under 'Further reading'

Inspirational quotes

1925-GA026

Michael-Christ will stand in the future as the sign at the head of the way along which Man must travel in order to keep the right cosmic direction between the two powers, of Lucifer and Ahriman, and so arrive at his world-destination.

1914-02-10-GA148

The Greeks had preserved definite consciousness of the third Christ event, the Event that is portrayed elsewhere as Saint George or the archangel Michael overthrowing the Dragon. ..

In their Apollo the Greeks portrayed the Christ being permeating the soul of the later Jesus boy.

Apollo was a real and living being .. he was the being who was ensouled by the Christ and later on became the Nathan Jesus boy.

1909-08-28-GA113

Apollo is like a garment of the Christ, that is in its forms of the same kind as the being that is within it. ... Veil after veil had to fall from that figure conceived of by the soul as Apollo before the Christ could become visible and intelligible to the intuition of men. Apollo is an intimation of the Christ, but not the Christ Himself.

1913-05-02-GA152

The ancient Hebrews endeavoured to find a way out of this difficulty .. to form an idea of this sublime being. Attention was not turned directly to Jehovah ... but to the being to whom our Western literature refers by the name of Michael. Naturally, a great deal of misunderstanding may arise from this statement, but that is unavoidable.

.. the being .. we may call Michael .. whatever name we may give him .. is the most eminent, the most significant being in the hierarchy of the archangels.

The ancients called him the ‘Countenance of God’. As a Man reveals himself by his gestures and the expression of his countenance, so in ancient mythology Jehovah was understood through Michael.

Jehovah made himself known to the Hebrew Initiates in such a way that they realised something they had never, with their ordinary powers of comprehension, previously been able to grasp, namely, that Michael was verily the countenance of Jehovah.

Hence the ancient Hebrews spoke of Jehovah-Michael: Jehovah the unapproachable, unattainable by man, just as a person's thoughts, his sorrows and cares, lie hidden behind his outward physiognomy. Michael was the outer manifestation of Jehovah, just as in a human being the manifestation of his I is to be recognised in his brow and countenance. We can therefore say that Jehovah revealed himself through Michael, one of the archangels.

.. during the successive epochs Christ-Jehovah always reveals Himself through different beings of the same rank as Michael. He chooses a different countenance, as it were, to turn towards mankind. And according as one or the other being from the hierarchy of the archangels is chosen to be the mediator between Christ-Jehovah and humanity, widely different ideas and conceptions, impulses of feeling, impulses of will, are revealed to men.

1913-05-20-GA152

At that time .. Michael was called the ‘Countenance of Jehovah’; men preferred to speak of the representative through whom Jahve revealed Himself to mankind as in an external countenance. Even in intimate circles they would rather name the representative than speak of Jehovah Himself. Michael was in fact at that time looked upon as the spiritual Regent of the age, as the Messenger of Jehovah, as the member of the hierarchies from whom streamed forth the impulse that was to come for the understanding of he Event of Golgotha.

...

As formerly man could speak of Jahve-Michael, the leader of the age, so now we can speak the Christ-Michael. Michael has been exalted to a higher stage: from Folk Spirit to Time Spirit, inasmuch as from being the Messenger of Jahve he has become the Messenger of Christ. ...

Then .. he was a Folk Spirit, now he is a Time Spirit; then he was the Messenger of Jahve, now he is the Messenger of Christ. .. Michael, who was formerly the bearer of the Jehovah-mission, is now the bearer of the Mission of the Christ.

Illustrations

Schema FMC00.471A positions the idea of archangel Michael as the countenance of Christ, or phrased differently: the Christ working through the archangelic 'channel' consisting of a category of beings of the archangelic order.

The Schema depicts how the Logos descended through the hierarchies and ultimately down to a human being (Jesus). In earlier epochs Christ worked indirectly worked through a class of beings called Jehovah (of the rank of the Spirits of Form (SoF)) and through a class of beings called Michael. For reference: "speaking of Jehovah, we are not speaking of a single divinity but of many individual spirits". (1907-04-01-GA096)

The text box on the lower right lists the workings through an archangelic being in the three pre-MoG interventions of Christ, as the countenance of Jehovah, and now as the messenger and bearer of Christ.

The two text boxes in grey on the right comment on the fact that it are the impulses and the archangelic 'channel' that matter and not the individual spirit, as various names are used for these influences depending on the impulse (context) and culture (teachings): the Adam sister soul, Nathan Jesus soul, Apollo, Saint-George, Vidar are some names used. Rudolf Steiner also commented that the situation is complex: "Naturally, a great deal of misunderstanding may arise .. but that is unavoidable..." (1913-05-02-GA152). See also the commentary for 1904-11-01-GA089 below.

Schema FMC00.377A: is an alternative presentation of Schema FMC00.377 showing various steps for the coordinated guidance of the development of the I, with the three pre-MoG interventions of the Christ, the preparatory working of the Krishna impulse and the being of Elijah, and the great enactment by Christ-Jesus and John the Baptist where the Adam sister soul worked as part of Christ-Jesus' structure and also 'from outside'.

The same colour code mapping is used for the green and blue streams as in Schema FMC00.377. The dark green box connecting John the Baptist and Nathan Jesus refers to 1912-09-19-GA139 and Schema FMC00.381.

See also related (but not yet on this schema): Wotan Impulse

Lecture coverage and references

Coverage overview

• Rudolf Steiner lectured on the history of the Michaelic movement in 1924-GA237.
• From end 1923 upto the final months of his life, he wrote a series of letters published as: 'The Michael Letters of Rudolf Steiner: The Mission of Archangel Michael', see also: The Michael Mystery - GA026

Source extracts

1904-11-01-GA089

provides an interesting description of archangel Michael as the builder of the human form. Rudolf Steiner starts with a broad description of the term angel and all beings or hierarchies higher than Man, and then calls archangel Michael the builder of the human form, whereas in mostly all other lectures this is more specifically or correctly the Elohim or (class of beings of the order of the) Spirit of Form denoted by the term Jehovah. The lecture is interesting because Steiner here seemingly 'uses a shortcut' - as depicted Schema FMC00.471A - whereby Michael is the face of Jehovah or Christ for humanity.

By extension: The channel of influences coming through the archangelic channel working on Man's astral body, which is really where the development of the I and threefold soul plays, from instilling manas or spirit-self (in the Lemurian epoch with the Jehovah first divine impulse) upto the conscious transformation of the astral body to the spirit-self by Man himself (see Schema FMC00.472)

In other lectures too one gets hints that all the workings of higher hierarchies are channeled through this channel of the archangel level reaching Man's astral body and soul, see Schema FMC00.472A. Even though of course this is a complex mixture of various influences, including those who work on the higher principles of Man's higher triad.

lecture extract, see: Sixth epoch#1904-11-01-GA089

1909-08-28-GA113

is about Apollo in Greek culture

As we have seen, in ancient India, a perception of the unity of the outer and of the inner was the typical outlook of the soul; and it is to be expected that the other extreme will consist in turning the gaze outwards, and in penetrating through the tapestry of the sense world to the spiritual world lying hidden behind it. And this is what actually happened to a different people. They saw the outer spiritual world, but could not realise immediately that it was the same as the inner spiritual world. Hence it is not surprising that religious conceptions and philosophical thoughts spring up, all fervently directed to the gods and spirits behind the sense world; that mythical and other descriptions for these divine spiritual beings behind the tapestry of the sense world were given to the people; and that in the mysteries of that age men were led into the spiritual world which is behind the sense world. Nor will it be a matter for wonder that side by side with such mysteries and such racial gods something else is to be found; that at the same time there were mysteries leading man along the path through the inner soul life to its deepest foundations.

And in very fact we find a region of post Atlantean civilisation where those two kinds of mysteries existed contemporaneously:

• a region where on the one side the so-called Apollonian culture and mysteries were developed,
• and on the other the culture and mysteries of Dionysos.

Such a division is to be found in ancient Greece.

There we have

• on the one hand the path which was shown to the people as well as to the Initiates, the path leading out into the spiritual world, to what is behind the senses, to the spiritual world behind the sun. So far as the Greek knew this world, he gave it the name of the realm of the Apollonian beings. Apollo, the Sun god, was the representative of the divine spiritual beings which exist behind the tapestry of the sense world.
• But there was also a class of mysteries pointing the way through the soul life into its spiritual foundations, mysteries concerning which we already know that Man may enter them only, after careful preparation, and after having attained a certain degree of maturity. For this reason the second kind of mysteries was more carefully guarded against immaturity than were the Apollonian. The Apollonian gods were indicated to the masses of the people, whereas the spiritual beings to be found along the path through the inner nature were reserved for those who, through spiritual, intellectual and moral training of their inner life had reached a certain state of maturity. This second kind of mystery cult was known as the Dionysian mystery and its central spiritual being was Dionysos. So it is natural that in Dionysos, this central figure of the inner circle of gods, men perceived a being standing in near and intimate relationship to the human soul; a being not unlike man, but one who did not descend so far as the physical plane; a being to be found by sinking from the physical plane into the depths of the soul life.

Here we have in point of fact the deeper causes of the Apollonian and the Dionysian division in the spiritual culture of the Greeks. In more modern times a dim consciousness that something of the kind had existed in Greece made its appearance in several places. The group gathering round Richard Wagner realised the existence of something of the kind although without definite knowledge of its spiritual foundations. And Friedrich Nietzsche, a member of this group, founded his first remarkable and inspired work: ‘The Birth of Tragedy out of the Spirit of Music’ on this very division of Greek spiritual life into the Apollonian and Dionysian mystery cults. These occurrences were a dim realisation of what may be known to an ever-increasing degree through spiritual meditation. In the minds of many men today there is a kind of yearning for such a deepening of the spiritual life. There is a widespread feeling that this deepening alone can give an answer to Man's yearning. Thus in ancient Greece these two divine spiritual worlds are side by side. In ancient India they appeared as a unity, in a state of reciprocal permeation.

Now let us turn again to evolution. We have already seen that only the most advanced group of the northern stream of nations, namely the ancient Persian civilisation of Zoroaster, could originate the ideal of creating a body in which the spiritual being approaching humanity and the Earth from outside could incarnate. And Zarathustra took upon himself the task of passing through his incarnations in such a way as to take later re-birth in a body spiritualised to such a degree that it was able to receive into itself the sublime sun-spirit in its most perfect form, in its Christ form. Zarathustra was reborn as Jesus, having made himself ripe through his various incarnations to be the vehicle of the Sun spirit for the space of three years.

We may now ask: What is the relation of Apollo to the Christ?

When a Greek uttered the name of Apollo, he referred to the spiritual realm behind the sun. But men's conception of a being or of a fact differs according to their capacities. The Man who has cultivated a rich inner life within his soul is capable of seeing in a truer form things which a less developed person also sees, so when the Greek uttered the name of Apollo he was indeed referring to the being which later was revealed as the Christ, but he could only conceive of it in a kind of veiled form, as Apollo. Apollo is in a certain sense a garment of the Christ, resembling in its form the being within it.

[editor: in DE: 'Es ist wie ein Kleid des Christus, das in seinen Formen ähnlich ist dem Wesen, das darinnen steckt, wenn wir Apollo und Christus sagen.]

Veil after veil had to fall from that figure conceived of by the soul as Apollo before the Christ could become visible and intelligible to the intuition of men. Apollo is an intimation of the Christ, but not the Christ Himself.

Now what is the most essentially characteristic quality of the Christ so far as our cycle of evolution is concerned?

To consider all those divine spiritual beings to which men of ancient times looked up to as the upper gods behind the tapestry of the sense world, as the rulers and lords of the spheres and functions of the universe, is to realise that their characteristic quality is that they do not descend so far as the physical plane; they only become visible to the consciousness of the seer, which transcends the physical plane and is able to see on the etheric plane. There Zeus, Apollo, Mars, Wotan, Odin, Thor, who are all real beings, became visible.

It was characteristic of these spiritual beings not to descend so far as the physical plane, but at the most to manifest temporarily in some kind of physical embodiment, a fact which is cleverly indicated in the myths when mention is made of momentary appearances of Zeus or other gods in human or some other form, when they descended to the world of men in order to carry out some purpose.

It is not permissible to speak of a permanent physical incarnation of these spiritual beings behind the sense world. We may say that Apollo is a figure incapable of descending into physical incarnation. For this descent requires a higher power than Apollo possessed, namely, the Christ power. And in the Christ all the qualities of the other beings out in the universe were united, all the qualities which are revealed to the consciousness of the seer; but above and beyond all these He possessed the ability to break through the barrier separating the world of the gods from the world of Man, and was able to descend into a physical body and become Man in a human physical body that had been prepared for him upon the Earth. In the divine spiritual world this ability was possessed by the Christ alone. Thus one being, and one being only of the divine spiritual world descended so far as the stage of taking up its abode in a human body in the sense world, and living as man among other men. This is the great and mighty Christ event, and this is how we have to conceive it.

Whereas therefore all gods and spirits can be found only by the consciousness of the seer and beyond the physical world, the Christ is to be found within the physical world, although He is a being of the same nature and essence as the other divine spiritual beings. The other gods can only be found in the external universe: the Christ is He who was born within the human soul, Who, as it were, leaves the outer world of the gods and enters into the inner nature of man. This has been an event of great significance in the evolution of the world and humanity. Before the Christ event it — had been necessary to descend to the sub-terrestrial gods hidden behind the veil of soul experiences if an inner god was sought; the Christ is a God Who may be found without as well as within. This is the essence of what happened in the fourth post-Atlantean epoch, after the Indian, the Persian and the Egyptian periods. The contemplative vision and abstract perception in ancient India of the fact that the divine spiritual world was a unity, and that Tat and Brahman, streaming to the soul from two sides, were an unity, became a living life through the Christ event. Formerly men could say that the divinity to be found on the outward path and the divinity to be found on the inward path were one. After the Christ event it was possible to say that if the soul participates in the Christ, a descent to the inner life will reveal a being which is Apollo and Dionysos united in one.

1910-06-17-GA121

All these details which are set forth in the ‘Twilight of the Gods’, correspond with that which is to appear to mankind in a newer etheric vision, which in reality refers to the future. The Fenris Wolf will still remain. Oh, there is a deep, deep truth concealed in this account of the Fenris Wolf remaining behind in conflict with Odin. In the near future of mankind there will be no danger so great as the tendency to remain satisfied with the old clairvoyance, — instead of developing the new by means of new forces — the danger that man might be tempted to remain satisfied with what the old astral clairvoyance of primal ages could give, namely, soul-pictures such as that of the Fenris Wolf. It would also be a severe trial for that which has to grow up in the domain of Anthroposophy, if in that, the tendency towards all sorts of confused, chaotic clairvoyance should arise, and an inclination to value the clairvoyance illuminated by reason and science less highly than the old chaotic one which does not possess this prerogative.

These remains of the old clairvoyance would wreak a fearful vengeance, by confusing the vision of men with all sorts of chaotic pictures. Such clairvoyance cannot be met by that which itself proceeded from old clairvoyant power, but only by that which during the Kali Yuga has been developed as a healthy force into a new clairvoyance. The power given by the old Archangel Odin, the old clairvoyant powers, cannot save Man; something very different must come in. And what that is, is, however, known to Germanic Norse mythology, it is well aware of its existence. It knows, that there exists the etheric form in which will embody that which we shall once again see as the etheric form of Christ. And this alone will succeed in driving out the confused clairvoyant power which would bewilder mankind, if Odin did not overcome the Fenris Wolf, which represents nothing but the backward clairvoyance.

Vidar, who has kept silence all the time, will overcome the Fenris Wolf. That also is told us in the ‘Twilight of the Gods’.

Anyone who recognizes the importance of Vidar and feels him in his soul, will find that in the twentieth century the capacity can again be given to man with which to see Christ. Vidar, who belongs to us all in Northern and Central Europe, will again stand before him.

He was kept secret in the Mysteries and secret Schools as a god who would receive his mission only in the future. Only indefinite statements are made even regarding his picture. This may be seen from the fact that a picture has been found in the vicinity of Cologne, of which no one knows whom it represents, but which is none other than a likeness of Vidar.

All through the Kali Yuga the powers were acquired which will make the new men capable of seeing the new manifestation of Christ. Those who are destined to point out from the signs of the times that which is to come, know that the new spiritual investigation will re-establish the power of Vidar, who will drive out of the minds of men all the remnants of the old chaotic clairvoyant power which might act in a confusing way, and who will arouse the new gradually evolving clairvoyance in the human breast, in the human soul.

Thus we see, when the wonderful figure of Vidar shines forth to us out of the ‘Twilight of the Gods’, that a hope for the future shines towards us as it were out of the Germanic Norse mythology.

When we feel ourselves to be related to this figure of Vidar, of whom we are now trying to understand the deeper side, we hope that that which must be the central nerve and the vital essence of all anthroposophy, will result from those forces which the archangel of the Germanic Scandinavian world can contribute to the evolution of modern times.

[DL editor: see schema FMC00.459]

One part only of a greater whole has been accomplished for the fifth Posatlantean age in the way of development of humanity and the spirit; another part has still to be accomplished.

Those Northern Germanic peoples will best be able to contribute to this who feel that they have within them fresh elemental nation-forces. But this will to a certain extent be put into the souls of men. They themselves will have to make up their minds to work. One can go astray in the twentieth century because what has to be attained is to a certain extent subject to Man's free will and must not be compulsory. It is therefore a question of having a proper understanding of that which is to come.

So you see, that when our anthroposophy of today announces the knowledge of the Christ-Being, and when our hopes for the future are connected with that true knowledge of this being which we look for in the substance of the European people themselves, that there is then no question of any sort of predilection or temperamental predisposition.

1913-05-02-GA152

quote A - before the MoG

Above all, the factor of evolution must not be left out of account when thinking of the name of Jahve or Jehovah, especially in connection with the name of Christ. Even in the New Testament you will find (and in my books I have often referred to it) that in Jehovah the Christ revealed Himself, to the extent that was possible in times before the Mystery of Golgotha.

If it is desired to make a comparison between Jehovah and Christ it is well to take sunlight and moonlight as an illustration. What is sunlight, what is moonlight? They are one and the same, and yet very different. Sunlight streams out from the sun but in moonlight is reflected back by the moon. In the same sense Christ and Jehovah are one and the same. Christ is like the sunlight, Jehovah is like the reflected Christ-light in so far as it could reveal itself to the earth under the name of Jehovah, before the Mystery of Golgotha had come to pass. When contemplating a Being as sublime as Jehovah-Christ we must seek in the very heights of the super-sensible world for His true significance. In reality it is presumption to approach such a Being with everyday concepts.

[Countenance of Jehovah]

The ancient Hebrews endeavoured to find a way out of this difficulty. In spite of inadequacy, human thinking made efforts to form an idea of this sublime Being. Attention was not turned directly to Jehovah (a name that in itself was held to be inexpressible), but to the Being to whom our Western literature refers by the name of Michael. Naturally, a great deal of misunderstanding may arise from this statement, but that is unavoidable. One person may say, ‘This will evoke the prejudices of Christians’; another will have nothing to do with such matters. Nevertheless the Being whom we may call Michael, and who belongs to the hierarchy of the archangels — whatever name we may give him — this being does exist. There are many beings of the same hierarchical rank, but this particular being who is known esoterically by the name of Michael is as superior to his companions as the Sun is to the planets - Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn, and so on.

Michael is the most eminent, the most significant Being in the hierarchy of the archangels. The ancients called him the ‘Countenance of God’. As a Man reveals himself by his gestures and the expression of his countenance, so in ancient mythology Jehovah was understood through Michael.

Jehovah made himself known to the Hebrew Initiates in such a way that they realised something they had never, with their ordinary powers of comprehension, previously been able to grasp, namely, that Michael was verily the countenance of Jehovah. Hence the ancient Hebrews spoke of Jehovah-Michael: Jehovah the unapproachable, unattainable by man, just as a person's thoughts, his sorrows and cares, lie hidden behind his outward physiognomy. Michael was the outer manifestation of Jehovah, just as in a human being the manifestation of his I is to be recognised in his brow and countenance. We can therefore say that Jehovah revealed himself through Michael, one of the archangels.

[Age of Michael]

Knowledge of the being described above as Jahve was not confined to the ancient Hebrews, but was far more widespread. And if we investigate the last five hundred years before the Christian era, we find that throughout this whole period revelation was given through Michael. This revelation can be discovered in another form in Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, in Greek philosophy, even in the ancient Greek tragedies, during the five centuries before the event of Golgotha.

When with the help of occult knowledge we endeavour to shed light upon what actually took place, we can say that Christ-Jehovah is the Being who has accompanied mankind through the whole course of evolution. But during the successive epochs Christ-Jehovah always reveals Himself through different Beings of the same rank as Michael. He chooses a different countenance, as it were, to turn towards mankind. And according as one or the other being from the hierarchy of the archangels is chosen to be the mediator between Christ-Jehovah and humanity, widely different ideas and conceptions, impulses of feeling, impulses of will, are revealed to men. The whole period which surrounded the Mystery of Golgotha can be described as the Age of Michael, and Michael may be regarded as the messenger of Jehovah.

During the period which preceded the Mystery of Golgotha by almost five hundred years and continued for several decades afterwards, the leading form of culture bore the stamp of Michael. Through his power he poured into mankind what was destined to be imparted at that time.

And then came other beings of the rank of archangels who equally were the Inspirers of mankind from the spiritual worlds. Michael was the greatest, the mightiest, among them. Therefore an Age of Michael is always (one of) the most significant that can occur in the evolution of humanity. For the ages of the different archangels are repeated; and a fact of supreme importance is that every such archangel gives to the age its fundamental character. These archangels are the leaders of the different nations and peoples, but because they become leaders of particular epochs, and because they were also leaders in bygone ages, they have become in a certain sense also the leaders of mankind as a whole.

As regards Michael, a change has taken place; for Michael himself has attained a further stage of development. This is of great importance, for according to occult knowledge we have again, within the last few decades, entered an epoch inspired by the same Being who inspired the Age during which the Mystery of Golgotha took place. Since the end of the nineteenth century, Michael may again be regarded as the leader.

quote B (SWCC) - after the MoG

.. the fact that a mighty, sublime being descended from the spiritual worlds and dwelt for three years in a human body also includes the fact that during that time this being himself progressed a stage further in his development.

When such a Being takes on a human or an angelic form, he himself progresses. And it is this that we have indicated in speaking of the evolution of Christ-Jehovah. Christ has reached the stage where he reveals himself henceforth not as a human being, not through his reflection only, not through the name of Jehovah, but directly. And the great difference in all the teachings and all the wisdom that have streamed into the evolution of the Earth since the Mystery of Golgotha, is that through the coming of the spirit Michael to the earth, through his inspiration, man could gradually begin to understand all that the Christ Impulse and the Mystery of Golgotha, signifies. But in that earlier time Michael was the messenger of Jehovah, the reflection of the light of Christ; he was not yet the messenger of Christ Himself.

Michael inspired mankind for several centuries, for almost five hundred years before the Mystery of Golgotha, as was indicated in the old Mysteries, by Plato and so forth. Soon, however, after the Mystery of Golgotha had taken place and Christ had united Himself with the evolution of the Earth, the direct impulse of Michael ceased. At the time when the old documents we possess in the form of the Gospels were written .. Michael himself could no longer inspire mankind; but through his companions among the archangels men were inspired in such a way that much soul-force was received unconsciously through inspiration.

The writers of the Gospel had no clear occult knowledge themselves, for the inspiration of Michael came to an end shortly after the Mystery of Golgotha. The other archangels, the companions of Michael, could not inspire mankind in such a way as to make the Mystery of Golgotha comprehensible. This accounts for the divergent inspirations of the various Christian teachings. Much in these teachings was inspired by the companions of Michael; the teachings were not inspired by Michael himself but bear the same relation to his inspirations as do the planets to the mighty sun.

Only now, in our own age, is there again such an influence, a direct inspiration from Michael. Preparation for this direct inspiration from Michael has been going on since the sixteenth century. At that time it was the archangel nearest to Michael who gave mankind the inspiration that has led to the great achievements of natural science in modern times. This natural science is not attributable to the inspiration of Michael but to that of one of his companions, Gabriel. The tendency of this scientific inspiration is to create a science, a world-picture that promotes understanding of the material world alone, and is connected with the physical brain.

Within the last few decades Michael has taken the place of this inspirer of science, and in the next few centuries will give to the world something that in a spiritual sense will be equally and immeasurably more important than the physical science which has advanced from stage to stage since the sixteenth century. Just as his companion archangel endowed the world with science, so will Michael in the future endow mankind with spiritual knowledge, of which we are now only at the very beginning. Just as Michael was sent as the messenger of Jehovah, as the reflection of Christ, five hundred years before the Mystery of Golgotha in order to give that era its keynote, just as then he was still the messenger of Jehovah, so now, for our own epoch, Michael has become the messenger of Christ Himself. Just as in the times of the ancient Hebrews, times which were a direct preparation for the Mystery of Golgotha, the Initiates among the Hebrews could turn to Michael as the outer revelation of Jahve or Jehovah, so we now are able to turn to Michael — who from being the messenger of Jehovah has become the messenger of Christ — in order to receive from him during the next few centuries increasing spiritual revelations that will shed more and more light upon the Mystery of Golgotha. What happened two thousand years ago could only be made known to the world through the various Christian sects and its profundities can only be unveiled in the twentieth century when, instead of science, spiritual knowledge — our gift from Michael — will come into its own. This should fill our hearts with deep feelings for spiritual reality in our present time. We shall be able to realise that within the last few decades a door has opened through which understanding can come.

Michael can give us new spiritual light which may be regarded as a transformation of the light that was given through him at the time of the Mystery of Golgotha; and the men of our day can receive that light. If we can realise this we can grasp the significance of the new age that is now issuing from our own; we can be aware of the dawn of a spiritual revelation that is to come in the next few centuries into the life of humanity on the earth. Indeed, because men have become freer than in former times, we shall be able, through our own wills, to progress to the stage where this revelation may be received.

...

The brief indications I have been able to give you will gradually make their way into the souls of men, and the mediator, the messenger, will be Michael, who is now the ambassador of Christ. Just as he once led human souls towards an understanding of Christ's life descending from heaven to the earth, so he is now preparing mankind to experience emergence of the Christ-consciousness from the realm of the unknown into the realm of the known. And just as at the time of the earthly life of Christ the greater number of his contemporaries were incapable of believing what a stupendous event had taken place in the evolution of the earth, so, in our own day, the outer world is striving to increase the power of materialism, and will continue for a long time to regard what has been spoken of today as so much fantasy, dreaming, perhaps even downright folly. This too will be the verdict on the truth concerning Michael, who at the present time is beginning to reveal Christ anew. Nevertheless many human beings will recognize the new dawn that is rising and during the coming centuries will pour its forces into the souls of men like a sun — for Michael can always be likened to a sun. And even if many people fail to recognize this new Michael revelation, it will spread through humanity nevertheless.

That is what may be said today about the relation of the Mystery of Golgotha which took place at the beginning of our era and the Mystery of Golgotha as it can now be understood. From time to time other revelations will be given and for these our minds must be kept open. Should we not be aware that it would be selfish to keep these feelings exclusively for our own inner satisfaction? Let us rather feel that the solemn duty we have recognized through Anthroposophy is to make ourselves into willing instruments for such revelations; and although we are only a small community in mankind which is endeavoring to comprehend this new truth about the Mystery of Golgotha, to grasp this new revelation of Michael, we are nevertheless building up a new power that does not in the least depend upon our belief in this revelation but simply and solely upon the truth itself. Then we shall realize that only a few of us are adequately prepared to declare the following to the world, in so far as the world is willing to listen.

From now onwards there is a new revelation of Christ; we will be ready to acknowledge it; we will belong to the few who will help it to become more powerful, to become lasting; we will base ourselves upon the inner strength of such a revelation, so that it may spread among mankind, for this knowledge will gradually be shared by all.

This is what we call wisdom and some may call folly. To stand firm we need only remind ourselves that this is the time of the second Michael revelation, and remember what was said by one of the early Initiates at the time of the former Michael revelation: What often seems folly to man, is wisdom in the eyes of God.

1913-05-18-GA152

[Michael’s promotion]

Now all the Beings who belong to the hierarchy of the archangels are not of the same nature nor of the same rank. When we speak of the hierarchy of the archangels we can say that they ‘relieve’ one another in the way I have described to you, but the highest in rank, as it were the chief, is the one who takes over the leadership in our age: Michael.

Michael is one of the order of archangels, but he is from a certain aspect the most advanced. Now there is, as you know, evolution; and evolution embraces all beings. Beings are in an ascending evolution, and we live in the era when Michael, the chief of those of the nature of the archangels, passes over into the nature of the archai. He will gradually pass over into a guiding being, he will become the Spirit of the Time, the being who leads and guides the whole of humanity. It is of the utmost importance that we should understand this.

It means that something which in all previous epochs has not been there for the whole of mankind, now can and must become a possession of all mankind. What formerly appeared among certain peoples here and there - spiritual deepening - can now be something for the whole of humanity.

And when in this way we point to what happens behind the world of the senses, we can also point to what takes place here in the sense-world as an imprint or copy of the event that has just been described, that a promotion, so to say, of this Archangel, takes place behind the world of the senses. Hitherto man has been able to possess personality. In the future he will also possess personality, but in a different way. Man has always participated to some extent in the super-sensible worlds — at any rate he always could do so with his life of soul; but the personal note, the personal colouring which he then showed in his life in the sense world did not come down from above, it came up from below, it came from Lucifer. It was Lucifer who gave man personality. One could therefore say: Man cannot enter the super-sensible world with his personality, he cannot bring it into the spiritual world, he must blot out his personality — otherwise he will pollute the spiritual world.

[Key section - see more on Personality and Individuality]

In future it will be required of Man to allow his personality to be inspired from above, so that it can receive what will then flow out of the spiritual world. A personality will receive its stamp from what it has been able to absorb of spiritual knowledge; personality will become something quite different.

In a sense man was formerly a personality through what separated him from the spiritual, through what was impressed into him from the body. In future he must be a personality through what he is able to receive from the spiritual world and work upon in himself.

In the past, blood and temperament determined personalities, and into these personalities impersonal elements streamed from the super-sensible world. Less and less will Man be a personality on account of his blood and temperament. In future he will be able to become a personality through the character that he acquires from his participation in the super-sensible world. The Michael impulse which brings into the human soul an understanding for the spiritual life, will achieve this.

Men with a pronounced character and personality will in the future have this character and personality through what they bring to expression from their understanding of the super-sensible worlds. The Alexanders, the Caesars, the Napoleons belong to the past. Certainly the super-sensible element flowed into them too, but their highly personal colouring they received from what came to them from below. Men who are personalities from the way in which they carry the spiritual world into the sensible, men who carry personality into mankind from the soul, will take the place of the Alexanders, the Caesars, the Napoleons. The strength of human deeds will in future come from the strength of the spiritual influence working into these human deeds.

All this belongs to what is important in the transition from one epoch into another. The transition, however, from the Gabriel epoch into the Michael epoch in our time has all the characteristics of a transition of the utmost significance.

...

And now I will remind you of something that I mentioned in the lectures I held here last time .. of the change in the function of the Buddha. And here too is the point where the next lecture will join on to today's.

[Again on promotion: who succeeds Michael?]

Today's lecture may close with a question that can arise in every soul and that will lead us from the important considerations which have occupied us today to considerations of still greater importance.

When a promotion of Michael has been accomplished, when he has become the guiding spirit of Western civilisation, who will take his place?

The place must be filled. Everyone must say to himself: “Then some angel must also have been promoted, and must enter the ranks of the archangels. Who is it?”

I will close with this question that leads to still more important considerations which must occupy us in the next lecture.

1913-05-20-GA152

(SWCC)

At that time therefore, Michael was called the ‘Countenance of Jehovah’; men preferred to speak of the representative through whom Jahve revealed Himself to mankind as in an external countenance. Even in intimate circles they would rather name the representative than speak of Jehovah Himself. Michael was in fact at that time looked upon as the spiritual Regent of the age, as the Messenger of Jehovah, as the member of the hierarchies from whom streamed forth the impulse that was to come for the understanding of he Event of Golgotha.

...

As formerly man could speak of Jahve-Michael, the leader of the age, so now we can speak the Christ-Michael. Michael has been exalted to a higher stage: from Folk Spirit to Time Spirit, inasmuch as from being the Messenger of Jahve he has become the Messenger of Christ. And so when we speak of a right understanding of the Michael Impulse in our age, we are speaking of a right understanding of the Christ Impulse.

[Who is Michael]

An abstract understanding always deals in names, simply in names, and thinks it will arrive somewhere if it asks: “What kind of Being is Michael?” and wants to be told that he comes from this or that hierarchy, that he is an archangel, that archangels have such and such qualities. Then it is all defined and people think now they know what such a being is. They do not know it by speaking of Michael in this way.

If one wants to understand the evolution of mankind, one must understand that Michael too has evolved: one must understand that it is the same being who paved the way for the preparation of the Mystery of Golgotha, and who now in our day paves the way for the understanding of the Mystery of Golgotha.

Then, however, he was a Folk Spirit, now he is a Time Spirit; then he was the Messenger of Jahve, now he is the Messenger of Christ.

We speak of the Christ in the right way when we speak of Michael and his mission, knowing that Michael, who was formerly the bearer of the Jehovah-mission, is now the bearer of the Mission of the Christ.

[Michael and Buddha – on the principle of Promotion]

My dear friends, we have been able to follow the path of Michael, a Spirit who has, so to say, ascended in order to communicate a new impulse to mankind; who has ascended, or rather is ascending, from the rank of the Archangels to the rank of the Archai. His place will be filled by another Being who succeeds him.

I have spoken here on different occasions of the evolution which Buddha passed through. ... We turn our gaze to evolution as a whole and describe what different impulses underlie it, giving to each its due value. Again and again we have spoken of the Bodhisattva who was born as Gautama Buddha and have shown that for us it is truth that he became ‘Buddha’. We have followed his evolution until the time when he received his mission on Mars. And of that mission we have also spoken here.

As long as man dwells on Earth, there is always for each human being, however high he may stand, an individuality who guides him from incarnation to incarnation. The individual guidance of human beings is made subject to the angels. When a Man from being a Bodhisattva becomes a Buddha, then his angel is, as it were, set free. And it is such angel beings who, after the fulfilment of their mission, ascend into the realm of the archangel beings.

Thus if we really understand how to penetrate ever more deeply into the super-sensible evolution which lies behind our sense evolution, we are actually able to perceive at some point how an archangel ascends to the nature of the archai, and an angel being to an archangel being.

1914-02-10-GA148

concise truncated excerpt, for full extract see: Three pre-MoG interventions of Christ#1914-02-10-GA148

Furthermore see also: Three pre-MoG interventions of Christ#.5B1.5D - The 1914-02-10-GA148 quote A

In earlier lectures we have heard how in its world of Gods and spiritual beings, Greek culture preserved the shadow-images of the divine spiritual beings who in the Atlantean epoch had been present, in all their reality, in the sphere immediately above the world of men.

The Greeks had preserved definite consciousness of the third Christ event, the Event that is portrayed elsewhere as Saint George or the archangel Michael overthrowing the Dragon.

In their Apollo the Greeks portrayed the Christ Being permeating the soul of the later Jesus boy.

And we may say with truth that in ancient Greece, Saint George and the Dragon are real beings, cosmic beings. ...

In Greece, therefore, Apollo was a real and living Being. We know now that he was the being who was ensouled by the Christ and later on became the Nathan Jesus boy. This being was known to the Greeks as Apollo. ..

1915-01-19-GA157

We are in close alliance with Michael when we try to grasp what we have been attempting to grasp these last few days, when we try and grasp things as phenomena, to grasp what we call the German folk spirit. Two powers: Michael and the German folk spirit. These two are entirely in harmony, and it is their mission to bring the Christ impulse to expression specifically in our time, in accord with the character of our time.

...

I should like to put it like this: It is the mission of the German people that they cannot do anything else but let the river of all their endeavours finally enter into spiritual life. In spiritual terms that really means that the German people are called to unite inwardly with the element that comes into the world because Michael is the leader. Such a union is not achieved by passively, fatalistically, allowing oneself to be governed by the powers of destiny. It is achieved by recognizing the challenge of the time.

...

Now the Michael age has come,the age when we must grasp how, through the whole past development of the life of the mind and intellect, the German spirit is able to take its place within the Sun force of Michael. That we simply have to realize.

1919-11-21-GA194

touches on the Michael Impulse in contemporary culture

1919-11-29-GA194

is about the Michael influence as countering the ahrimanic influence

1924-01-13-GA233A

is a lecture called 'the tasks of the Michael age'

Michael, however, is a peculiar being: Michael is a being who reveals nothing if we ourselves do not bring Him something from our diligent spiritual work on Earth. Michael is a silent Spirit — silent and reserved. The other ruling Archangels are Spirits who talk much — in a spiritual sense, of course; but Michael is taciturn. He is a Spirit who speaks very little. At most He will give sparing indications, for what we learn from Michael is not really the word, but, if I may so express it — the look, the power, the direction of His gaze.

This is because Michael concerns Himself most of all with that which men create out of the Spirit. He lives with the consequences of all that men have created. The other Spirits live more with the causes; Michael lives with the consequences. The other Spirits kindle in Man the impulses for that which he shall do. Michael will be the true spiritual hero of Freedom; He lets men do, and He then takes what becomes of human deeds, receives it and carries it on and out into the Cosmos, to continue in the Cosmos what men themselves cannot yet do with it.

For other beings of the hierarchy of archangels, we feel that impulses are coming from them. In a greater or lesser degree, the impulses come from them. Michael is the Spirit from whom no impulses come, to begin with; for his most characteristic epoch is the one now at hand, when things are to arise out of human freedom. But when man does things out of spiritual activity or inner freedom, consciously or unconsciously kindled by the reading of the astral light, then Michael carries the human earthly deed out into the Cosmos; so it becomes cosmic deed. Michael takes care for the results; the other Spirits care more for the causes.

So it is with Michael. He also sternly rejects all separating elements, such as the human languages. So long as we only clothe our knowledge in these languages, and do not carry it right up into the thoughts, we cannot come near Michael. Therefore, today in the spiritual world there is a very significant battle. For on the one hand the Michael impulse has entered the evolution of humanity. The Michael impulse is there. But on the other hand, in the evolution of humanity there is much that will not receive this impulse of Michael but wants to reject it. Among the things that would fain reject the impulse of Michael today are the feelings of nationality. They flared up in the nineteenth century and became strong in the twentieth — stronger and stronger. By the principle of nationality many things have been ordered, or rather, have become sadly disordered in the most recent times.

All this is in terrible opposition to the Michael principle; all this contains Ahrimanic forces which strive against the inpouring of the Michael-force into the earthly life of man. So then we see this battle of the upward-attacking Ahrimanic spirits who would like to carry upward what comes through the inherited impulses of nationality — which Michael sternly rejects and repels.

Truly today there is the most vivid spiritual conflict in this direction. For this is the state of affairs over a great portion of mankind. Thoughts are not there at all; men only think in words, and to think in words is no way to Michael. We only come to Michael when we get through the words to real inner experiences of the spirit — when we do not hang on the words, but arrive at real inner experiences of the Spirit.

This is the very essence, the secret of modern Initiation: to get beyond the words, to a living experience of the spiritual. It is nothing contrary to a feeling for the beauty of language. Precisely when we no longer think in language, we begin to feel it. As a true element of feeling, it begins to live in us and flow outward from us. This is the experience to which the man of today must aspire. Perhaps, to begin with, he cannot attain it for speech, but through writing. For in respect of writing, too, it must be said: Today men do not have the writing but the writing has them. What does it mean, “the writing has them”? It means that in our wrist, in our hand, we have a certain train of writing. We write mechanically, out of the hand. This is a thing that fetters man. He only becomes unfettered when he writes as he paints or draws — when every letter beside the next becomes a thing that is painted or drawn ...

Then there is no longer what is ordinarily called “a handwriting.” Man draws the form of the letter. His relation to the letter is objective; he sees it before him — that is the essential thing.

If we are obliged to relate ourselves to writing in the modern way, we mar our spiritual progress. For this reason, in the Waldorf School educational method, great care is taken that the human being does not go so far in writing as in the profane educational methods of today. Care is taken to enable him to remain within the Spiritual, for that is necessary.

The world must receive once more the principle of Initiation as such among the principles of civilisation. Only thereby will it come about that Man, here on the Earth, will gather in his soul something with which he can go before Michael, so as to meet Michael's approving look, the look that says: “That is right, cosmically right.” Thereby the will is fastened and made firm, and the human being is incorporated in the spiritual progress of the universe.

Thereby, Man himself becomes a co-operator in that which is about to be instilled into the evolution of mankind on Earth by Michael — beginning now in this present epoch of Michael.

1924-07-28-GA237

is about 'the new age of Michael'

synopsis:

The manipulation of the intellect by the individual, personal man leads him to freedom of will. In the first Christian centuries, until the 8th or 9th, the Cosmic Intelligence was flowing down from the heavens to the earth. Scholasticism: a wrestling of mankind for a clear understanding of the Intelligence that is pouring in. The Spiritual Soul, and with it the Intelligence, begins to become part of humanity. Rosicrucian wisdom consisted in this, that one had a certain clarity of understanding for these facts. In the domain of the Sun, Michael gathered around him the souls who then, at the beginning of the 15th century, were united in the super-sensible School of Michael. From now onwards the Michael principle was to be developed through the Intelligence of the human soul itself until the beginning of the new Michael Age on earth at the end of the 19th century.

The great crisis from the beginning of the 15th century until our day is the battle of Ahriman against Michael. Ahriman wants to make the former Cosmic Intelligence altogether earthly. The carrying over of the Cosmic Intelligence into the system of nerves and senses (the head-organisation) in man is experienced from the spiritual world as though a cosmic thunderstorm were taking its course. Such an event had last taken place in Atlantean time when the Cosmic Intelligence, while remaining cosmic, had taken possession of the hearts of men. Through spiritualisation of the intellect, the head-man must now again become a heart-man. The end of the century.

1924-08-01-GA237

(Ahriman's Fight Against the Michael Principle. The Message of Michael)

synopsis:

The previous Michael dominion, its cosmopolitan stamp and its aim: the consciousness that in spite of the Fall, man can after all ascend to the Divinity. Since the 8th or 9th century the Cosmic Intelligence has passed from the hands of Michael into the hands of men. Conflict between the Scholastics and the Mahommedan followers of Aristotelian learning. In the last Michael age an atmosphere of discouragement had come over the ancient Mysteries; it was an age of great trial and probation. The word of Michael at that time was: Man must reach the Pan-Intelligence, he must take hold of the Divine upon earth in sinless form.

In the new Michael age men will have to become aware of the way of their salvation, to realise that they must rescue themselves from Ahriman's aim to take possession of the Intelligence that has come into their hands. Anthroposophists must learn to realise that the cosmos today is engaged in this battle of Ahriman against Michael. Earthly reflection in Raymond of Sabunda of the teachings of Michael in the super-sensible. It is a Michael impulse to lead men again to the point where they will read in the Book of Nature, not only in the Book of Revelation.

1924-08-03-GA237

(Entry of the Michael Forces. Decisive Character of the Michael Impulses)

synopsis:

The Michael impulses are of a kind to enter deeply and intensely into the whole being of Man, hence into his physical karma. The time of the great crisis. The Michael impulses are fraught with great decisions. Human beings who in the present incarnation receive the Michael impulses through Anthroposophy are thereby preparing their whole being in such a way that these Michael impulses enter even into the forces that are otherwise determined merely by the connections of race and nation.

The finer, more intimate connections of life must be observed; they extend even into the realms of the Angeloi. While the Michael community is being formed here on earth, the kingdom of the Angeloi is being turned into a twofold kingdom, a kingdom of Angeloi with an upward tendency, and one with a downward tendency.

The intellectualism prevailing everywhere today is spiritual nourishment for the Ahrimanic Powers. The possibilities for Ahriman to take a hand in civilisation have become ever greater and greater. A diminution or diversion of consciousness in a human being gives Ahriman the possibility to incorporate himself and to work out of that human being. The age is fraught with mighty decisions.

1924-08-04-GA237

(The Michaelites: Their Karmic Impulse Towards the Spiritual Life — The Working of Ahriman into the Once Cosmic and Now Personal Intelligence)

synopsis:

In the karmic impulse impelling a man towards the Spiritual are summed up all the experiences undergone in the way described before the souls descended into the present earthly life. Inner initiative of soul is demanded of the anthroposophist. Undermining of initiative through the materialistic intellectualism that is so widespread to-day. Undetermined fear of life. Materialism holds good of physical life only. The tragedy in the karma of men who cannot find their way to spirituality. The time will come when in human beings who are taken hold of by the Spirit in this earthly incarnation, the Spirit will reveal its own power to form the physiognomy, to shape the whole form of man. To those who stand in the field of materialism to-day it will be demonstrated that the Spirit is creative, for they will behold it in outer form and feature. Ahriman's striving to tear the Intelligence from Michael. The Ahrimanic spirits cannot incarnate but can temporarily incorporate themselves and so work in the souls of men. Ahriman has in this way actually appeared as an author. (See end of next lecture. Nietzsche's Anti-Christ and Ecce Homo).

1924-08-08-GA237

(Evolution of the Michael Principle Throughout the Ages. The Split in the Cosmic Intelligence)

synopsis:

Battle waged by the Schoolmen of the Dominican Order to maintain and uphold the personal immortality of man. Averroes declared a heretic. Today we have to say: “In the sense in which man has become immortal, as to his Spiritual Soul, he has indeed attained immortality — the continued consciousness of personality after passing through the gate of death — but he has attained this only since the time when a Spiritual Soul took up its abode in earthly man.”

The Sun-Intelligence of Michael and the Planetary Intelligences. In the 9th century A.D., with the descent of the Cosmic Intelligence into men, the Sun-Intelligence of Michael and the Planetary Intelligences gradually came into cosmic opposition one with another. In the Ecumenical Council of 869 A.D. the signal was given for an overwhelming event in the spiritual world above: a split among the Angels who guide human souls, leading to disorder in the karma of men. This is the chaotic element in the history of recent times. With the penetration of Michael to earthly rulership, Michael brings the power which is to bring order again into the karma of those who have gone with him. The restoration of the truth in karma. The mission of Anthroposophy.

1924-08-28-GA238

from the 'last address"

This work is: to let the Michael Power and the Michael Will penetrate the whole of life.

The Michael Power and the Michael Will are none other than the Christ Will and the Christ Power, going before in order to implant in the right way into the Earth the Power of the Christ.

If this Michael Power is able verily to overcome all that is of the demon and the dragon [and you will know what that is], if you all, who have in this way received in the light Michael Thought, have indeed received it with true and faithful heart and with tender love, and will endeavour to go forward from the Michael mood of this year, until not only is the Michael Thought revealed in your soul, but you are able also to make the Michael Thought live in your deeds in all its strength and all its power—if this is so, then will you be true servants of the Michael Thought, worthy helpers of what has now to enter Earth-evolution through anthroposophy, and take its place there in the meaning of Michael

Related pages

• Christ Module 2 - Nature of the Christ being
• The Michaelic stream
• Three pre-MoG interventions of Christ
• Krishna impulse
• Spiritual hierarchies and their eigenperiods

References and further reading

• Sigismund von Gleich: 'Ein Jahrhundert Michaels-Kampf : das Jahrhundert von 1839-1939 und seine Zwischenstationen: 1859, 1879, 1899 und 1919'
• Rudolf Steiner: 'The Archangel Michael: His Mission and Ours' (1994, compilation of selected lectures)
• Ita Wegman: 'Esoteric Studies: The Michael Impulse' (2013 in EN)

• Ehrenfried Pfeiffer: 'The Task of the Archangel Michael (1946)
  • published text of five lectures between Oct and Dec 1946
• Stewart C. Easton: 'And another strong angel' - a study of the cosmic mission of the Archangel Michael in antiquity and now according to the teachings of anthroposophy' (1979)
• Charles Kovacs:
  • 'The Michael Letters of Rudolf Steiner. The Mission of Archangel Michael'
  • 'Die Sendung Michaels ; Kommentare zu Rudolf Steiners Michaelbetrachtungen vom Herbst 1924' (2011)
• Else Nassenstein: 'Die Michael-Christus-Wesenheit. Jesus von Nazareth und die Auferstehung Christi im Leibe' (1989)

On Vidar

• Frode Barkved: 'A hope for the future: About Vidar and the Christ impulse' (2010, published in Antroposofi Norge)
  • downloadable English version in PDF (internet translation)

• Steffen Hartmann, Anton Kimpfler, Torben Maiwald: 'Aus Widars Wirken - Wegbereitung einer Zukunftskultur' (2017)
  • collection of texts of 2014

• Adrian Anderson: 'The Vidar flame-column' (2017)
• Volker Fintelmann, Steffen Hartmann: 'Mit Widar Zukunft schaffen' (2019, in FR 2022 as 'Créer l’avenir avec Vidar. L’homme moderne face au Mal')
• Vidar wikipedia page

Other and unqualified

• Sergei O. Prokofieff: The Michael-Mystery (2014)
• Bill Trusiewicz: Archangel Michael: How Can We Know Him?
  • Part I (2011, PDF)
  • Part II (2011, PDF)
  • Part III, Spiritualizing the Knowledge of Space (2013, PDF)
  • Part IV, Freeing Thought from Language (2014, PDF)
  • Part V, Finding, Forging and Wielding the Sword (2016, PDF)