FMC study schemas

From Anthroposophy

This wiki site uses illustrations called Schemas, there are numbered with a sequential unique ID (that has no meaning to it).

Certain schemas have multiple variants labelled with a suffix eg FMC00.021A, FMC00.021B, etc.

A PDF repository file with all schemas, as well as an Excel tabular listing with descriptions and source info, are available for download from FMC Schemas page.

For background on the origin, goal and use of these Schemas, see: Notes on the study process#1915-01-09-GA161

Categories of schema content

The schemas contain illustrations of various form and origin, as described on the page: FMC enrichment, and as exemplified concretely with the categories and examples below:

  • [1] BBD or BlackBoard Drawings by Rudolf Steiner, and/or the drawings made by people who attended the original lecture
    • FMC00.126B (25920), FMC00.054 (MoG),
    • FMC00.054 (etherization of blood), FMC00.068 (mystical lamb)
  • [2] - reworked modern schematics in digital format of existing conceptual schemas or sketches made by Rudolf Steiner
    • FMC00.029 and FMC00.029 (zodiac clock), FMC00.187 and FMC00.187A to E (giving and receiving)
  • [3] - new illustrations depicting lecture contents in a new way, where no illustrations existed before
    • FMC00.104 (seasons and archangels), FMC00.094 (meaning of life), FMC00.113 (grail streams), Schema FMC00.193 (sacrifice)
  • [4] - art illustrations, such as paintings, sculptures, buildings
    • examples: FMC00.097 and FMC00.098 (two Jesus children) FMC00.227 (Rembrandt and Christian Rosenkreutz), FMC00.277 (human centaur), FMC00.021 (Last Supper by Da Vinci).
    • or by Rudolf Steiner: FMC00.215 toFMC00.217
  • [5] - relevant schemas made by previous generations (theosophists or anthroposophists), so secondary literature (see also SoSoG)
    • Schema FMC00.199A and FMC00.224 (by George O'Neill), FMC00.221 (Poppelbaum) and FMC00.221 (Bosse)
    • FMC00.263 and FMC00.264 (Wachsmuth and Vreede on zodiac clock)
    • FMC00.214 (maps of Atlantis from various sources)
    • sometimes they have been re-ordered, eg FMC00.211 (Sigismund von Gleich, human races geographically)
    • some drawings by Karl Konig, eg FMC00.418, FMC00.421
  • [6] - scientific results or illustrations
    • FMC00.012 (potentization curves)
  • [7] - newly created schemas - see also meta schemas below
    • on the basis of lecture contents, but rising above the contents of a lecture: FMC00.241 (overview karmic relationship individualities and lectures),
    • on the basis of broader study - so integrative, but still lecture-contents based: FMC00.077A (roles of hierarchies in evolution), FMC00.117 (bodhisatvas),
    • additional perspectives or overview: FMC00.118 (parsifal, grail, arthur)
  • [8] - schemas that document source research, as generations of editors and translators have made (no doubt good-intended) changes and thereby changed the text in important ways,
  • [9] - simple pictures, eg photographs of books etc
    • examples: FMC00.301 (Representative of humanity), FMC00.119 (GA books), FMC00.405 (study volumes by Ernst Hagemann)

More on these categories

Tradition of illustrations

Whereas art, just like myths and legends, represents an 'ageless' tradition of illustrating important themes, illustrations have been widely used in predecessors of contemporary spiritual science since the middle ages. We can point specifically to the rosecrucian, alchemical, and theosophical streams with examples:

  • rosecrucians: see Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians (compiled between 1785-1788)
    • downloadeable from this page (on www.rosicrucian.org)
    • many versions since the 18th century, a well known is the 1935 edition by Harvey Spencer Lewis (1883-1939), the founder of AMORC
  • theosophy: the illustrations to the work of Jacob Boehme by Johann Georg Gichtel (1682 edition) and William Law (4 volumes published 1764-1781), for an overview see eg this page (in FR)
  • alchemy: for an overview, see this page (on Adam McLean's website www.levity.com)
    • other examples: the 15th century Ripley scroll

Furthermore, one could say another category are

Examples

Various sources

  • FMC00.536 shows various illustrations of the worldview model with planetary spheres and hierarchies
  • FMC00.556A (tetractys)
  • FMC00.470 (phoenix)More examples, additions based on suggestions by site readers:
  • FMC00.355 on Holy Grail was suggested by an Australian reader of the site much into Manly Hall.
  • FMC00.538 (Liber Naturae Apertus -The Open Book of Nature) was suggested by another German reader of the site

Types of study schemas

A study schema is made for didactic purposes:

  • to offer support for the earnest student's study
  • to illustrate the integrative study approach, namely: to use soul work - both study and contemplation - to assimilate and integrate the multitude of perspectives in one's mind.


Such single schema is of course never exhaustive, it merely illustrates how a topic has many angles of perspective from which it can be approached, and each angle in itself is a study topic that can be expanded upon, to again show interrelationships that are key for a holistic insight or understanding. This is a specific example of non materialistic thinking: with our soul works, thoughts and contemplation, we not only work the foundation for imaginative insight (*) but also create out of nothing with spiritual scientific thoughts (**).

Hence, the study schemas are offered to convey 'pathways' for self-study, similar to other materials on this site. The intention if that the earnest student who really lives with a question or quest for deeper insight (see Notes on the study process, eg living with questions), will be happy with the references and hints provided here.

Here are various types of study schemas:

1 - Integrative schemas

The FMC site offers many such chains that the student can follow by studying the various lectures for which references are given, and 'fusing' them together.

Examples of such are FMC00.289 and FMC00.238

2 - Chain schemas - concatenating multiple related schemas

Similarly but different are the schemas were multiple schema versions are concatenated as part of the steps in the study process, whereby the variants of the base schema are referenced with suffixes. Examples of such are und FMC00.142, and FMC00.187 on Christ Module 7 - Cosmic Dimension.

3 - Navigational aid schemas

These schemas contain the names of related topic pages in coloured boxes, to show the interrelationships for holistic study and its various perpectives. Usually various topic pages need to be studied together, and their mutual relationships are key to get 'the bigger picture'.

Examples are:

4 - Meta schemas

Meta schemas, 'go up' one level, integrating other schemas to a meta level at which they are related. Whereas one schema is like a symbol for a certain idea or concept, from a certain perspective, the meta schemas invite the student to integrate various perspective, concatenate the threads, and are food for contemplation to build imaginations. The meta schema collates various embedded schemes to show their logical correlation, and provides a meta perspectic at a higher more holistic level.

Examples:

Especially with the third type, but similarly so with the first (and second), we are zooming out and integrating, instead of the usual approach of zooming in and fragmenting as is so common in our contemporary culture and mineral science.

Discussion

Note 1 - Resolution and readability of the FMC schemas on the site

The images on the site are all available in multiple resolutions. However the web pages are rendered for normal browsing in a format limited to 1100 pixels wide. Because some schemas are complex, this limits readability under certain conditions.

For example a user writes:

I am finding the tiny print of the diagrams a real challenge, since, when I try to enlarge them, the image becomes blurred. Do you have any suggestions? Is there another way to access them?

Some users have indeed mailed to say they find the readability of the illustrations on the website suboptimal or challenging. During normal browsing, this of course depends on whether you work on a large high resolution monitor, or on a smartphone or tablet.

However to get to the high resolution versions (both for viewing and downloading) is simple:

1 - each image can be viewed and downloaded as JPG in multiple resolutions, here's how:

  • step 1: click on the image on any web page. This enlarges the schema to full screen.
  • step 2A: click again maximizes to full resolution on your monitor

or

  • step 2B: instead, click on the blue button in the lower right corner 'More details'. This takes you to the web page for this schema, and here you can see the multiple resolutions available. .

For example the file below is on the web page as 800x462, but the original is more than double, 1932x1117. The original size is the maximum resolution image available for download

Size of this preview: 800 × 462 pixels. Other resolutions: 320 × 185 pixels | 1,933 × 1,117 pixels. Original file ‎(1,933 × 1,117 pixels, file size: 287 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)

In both cases:

  • step 3: you can click any resolution you want to view at that resolution, and then simply right-click and choose 'Save as'.

2 - Alternatively, it is recommended to also have the PDF book of all the schemas handy with the XL cross-reference. One can easily navigate to any FMC schema referenced this way, and it's also easy to print off in a file binder for making personal annotations.

For both files, see the FMC schemas download area.

3 - Last, if you have questions or special requests regarding any Schema, please Contact us or - in case you're registered - leave a comment on the Talk page. We have already supplied high resolution versions and variants on request, and even the digital source files are available.

Note 2 - Note on addition of textual descriptions to the illustrations

In past traditions, illustrations were presented for meditation, often filled with symbolic keys in a cryptic fashion so it was not readable of didn't make any sense for people who were not into spiritual science. In other words the esoteric meaning was embedded in common language and illustrations, hidden and protected from the exoteric ignorant lack of understanding by mainstream society.

Examples: the language of alchemy, the rosecrucian symbols and illustrations, etc.

Since the new age (Michael age since 1879, end of the kali yuga dark age since 1900) and the advent of public exoteric knowledge about spiritual science (Rudolf Steiner) and initiation (Franz Bardon), we are in a different world. The information is all available open in the public, it is just that it is ignored and doesn't appeal or interest those that are not mature.

Because digital information technology enables us to do so, the Schemas that take over original blackboard drawings (BBD) by Rudolf Steiner are often put in perspective with a few phrases or paragraph that capture the essence, or speak to the image, not to leave the illustration naked.

For examples, see eg Schema FMC00.443 and Schema FMC00.469 on the Jehovah topic page.

This does not mean that the Schemas are a replacement for the full lectures or the study of the illustrated topic from different angles of perspective. This inner soul work by the student remains. However, the Schemas present a toolbox with building blocks to support that inner work. It allows for easy reference, as one can juxtapose several schemas to make connections, etc.

New feature - information page per Schema

As part of a new updated way of managing schemas, a specific information page per schema can be added. If it exists, the schema number appears bold and is clickable on any page on the site.

The information page allows for additional perspectives, commentary, notes.

Some examples:

Related pages

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