FMC study schemas

From Anthroposophy

This FMC wiki site uses illustrations called Schemas, put in context on and connecting the contents of the various topic pages. At this time - early 2025 - the FMC wiki offers more than 850 such study schemas.

They are also called 'study' schemas because these are materials for personal study and soul work, contemplation and meditation, to develop imaginative insight across the multitude of 'intellectual dimensions' of the knowledge about the spiritual world.

The Schema illustrations include a.o.

  • BlackBoard Drawings (BBD) by Rudolf Steiner, but also drawings made by people who attended the original lecture
  • reworked modern schematics in digital format of existing conceptual schemas or sketches made by Rudolf Steiner
  • relevant schemas from secondary literature, made by previous generations

but also

  • new illustrations depicting lecture contents in a new way, where no illustrations existed before
  • newly created schemas - eg meta schemas that concatenate various perspectives (see below)
  • schemas that document source research

as well as:

  • scientific results or illustrations
  • art illustrations, such as paintings, sculptures, buildings
  • simple pictures, eg photographs

.

The Schemas are numbered with a sequential unique ID. The number has no meaning to it, but is just a unique key that makes for easy referencing. Certain schemas have multiple variants of the same subject or theme and these are labelled with a suffix eg FMC00.021A, FMC00.021B, etc.

For background on the original inspiration, goal and use of these Schemas, see: Notes on the study process#1915-01-09-GA161 and more below on FMC study schemas#The power of image. At the same time see also: FMC study schemas#Limit to the power of diagrams and need for imaginations

Aspects

Inspirational quotes

1923-02-11-GA221

You must not be under the impression that everything is as easy to comprehend in reality as it seems when matters have to be simplified in a schematic presentation

1915-01-09-GA161

When one takes together everything that has been lectured about in spiritual science, then you can compose for yourself the schema that was presented here today. You just have to go through the trouble, not just to read and read, the one thing after one another, but to actively try and connect the things that have the subject of the lectures.

One can develop this scheme from all the lecture cycle materials that are available. And it is extremely useful, because when one works through all the materials offered in the lectures in this way, one moves on, from a purely external intake, to an inner reworking of the contents. And this inner work has a high value for one’s true development.

... I hope, that many amongst you will develop and construct such schemes on and on.

From all that is available now as lecture materials, one can – if one really gets to it seriously – not make hundreds, but many, many thousands, and maybe even more, such amalgamations or compositions. So you see, there is enough to do, when one uses in such obviously fruitful approach all that has been given in the lectures.

Categories of schema content

Introductory overview

The schemas contain illustrations of various form and origin. Below is an introductory overview listing of how these can be categorized based on origin, contents or type of illustration (with specific examples for each category). A (tentative) more structured taxonomy is given in Discussion Note 4 below (to be integrated).

  • [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)

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

On the importance of illustrations

The power of image

We believe that, in modern times of digital multi-media, the message should not only be brought with words and logic. Putting a train of thought in a sequential stream of words may be a normal way to convey a certain reasoning logic, however we believe - as is said in 'a picture is worth a thousand words' - that illustrations may be very complementary and valuable because they allow the mind to approach the image freely and process it in whatever way a person wants. It seems as if the soul takes easier ownership of this process, earlier on, and this even works better with one's own schemes, drawings and scriblings because they stem from you. Similarly one can sense that sequential word streams 'belong' to a certain person's thought stream, whereas an image leaves more open and requires active participation to make sense of it. In that process the person who is looking at the image connects with all he/she knows, connects with existing knowledge feelings experience.

1911-12-29-GA134

.. anthroposophy or spiritual science gives Imaginations of great and mighty world processes. Note how different from everything else of its kind is the description given of Old Saturn, Old Sun and Old Moon. Compare it with the abstract concepts of natural science. Everything in spiritual science has to be given in pictures, it has to be presented in such a way that it is not directly realisable in the external world of the senses.

1915-01-09-GA161

also on Notes on the study process#1915-01-09-GA161

This is the quote that inspired a.o. Maximilian Rebholz (systematic anthroposophy), Ernst Hagemann, Oskar Kuerten, and many others - they mentioned this quote explicitly and took up the challenge to contribute to it. This FMC wiki site is to be seen in the same spirit of contribution.

Even when a person did not yet reach this stage (of clairvoyance), one can still help oneself upto a certain degree, slowly coming closer slowly step by step, to develop the capacity to feel innerly, what one is confronted with externally.

When one takes together everything that has been lectured about in spiritual science, then you can compose for yourself the scheme (diagram) that was presented here today.

You just have to go through the trouble, not just to read and read, the one thing after one another, but to actively try and connect the things that have the subject of the lectures.

One can develop this scheme from all the lecture cycle materials that are available. And it is extremely useful, because when one works through all the materials offered in the lectures in this way, one moves on, from a purely external intake, to an inner reworking of the contents. And this inner work has a high value for one’s true development.

Today I gave an example, of how one can develop such a scheme from the lecture cycles.

Now I hope, that many amongst you will develop and construct such schemes on and on.

Then the endless speculation about the contents of the lecture cycles will diminish, which is very good; and besides people will go through inner development through such amalgamations. Some people will really move on and develop themselves through such fruitful amalgamations. One cannot just make a few such amalgamations from the cycles though.

From all that is available now as lecture materials, one can – if one really gets to it seriously – not make hundreds, but many, many thousands, and maybe even more, such amalgamations or compositions. So you see, there is enough to do, when one uses in such obviously fruitful approach all that has been given in the lectures.


1921-09-29A-GA343

Now my dear friends, for the discovery of the image you will be most successful with the help of anthroposophy.

Anthroposophy is mocked because of its pictoriality. If you read how the intellectuals — if I may use the word — apply their opposition to my depiction of evolution, you will soon see how easy it is from the intellectual point of view to mock the images which I have to use in my depiction of the Old Saturn-, Old Sun- and Old Moon existence.

I have to use images otherwise things would fall out of my hands, because only though images I can grasp the reality which has to be searched for. I would like to say, anthroposophy has in each of its parts definitely a search for images, and is for this reason the helper for those who use images.

1921-10-16-GA339

These sorts of things, if they are rightly felt, are those artistic means which completely replace what a lecture does not need, namely, sheer logic. Logic is for thought, not for speaking; I mean for the form of speech, not the way of expression. Naturally, the illogical may not be in it. But a speech cannot be put together as one combines a train of thought. You will find that something may be most acute and appropriate in a debate and yet really have no lasting effect. What does have a lasting effect in a speech is an image which grabs, that is, which stands at some distance from the meaning, so that the speaker who uses the image has become free from slavish dependence on the pure thought-sense.

Metaphors

Metaphors are important to build imaginative pictures. Imagination as as knowledge through feeling. Visualization in one's mind is important, therefore we want to 'evoque', meaning to 'work on feeling'. This way we can get out of rational-intellectual thoughts, words as empty husks (pointer, label .. but with no content related to what it stands for, for that part of reality (experience) it refers to). Thoughts and words offer no link to reality and what is truly there or happening.

Examples*Drop -> air vapour

  • Butterfly <-> reincarnation image for children
  • Electromagnetic cfr IIH
  • Artist divers bringing back corals = images
  • L & A .. representative humanity, images clouds
  • Spiral in reincarnation journey through the spheres – zodiac – embryo

Limit to the power of diagrams and need for imaginations

Diagrams may be useful, but they are not the final answer, they may just be of use during the process of mental study to develop imaginations.

See also:

1911-11-14-GA132

quote C

That Man alone understands who has made it his own, who in every conception that we evolve — sacrifice, bestowing virtue, resignation — is able to feel in every word what it is that is trying to burst forth in that word or idea, what at the most can flow forth in the many-sided significance of the pictures.

If a Man believes the evolution of the world is accomplished by means of abstract conceptions, he will perhaps make diagrams.

If we wish to represent living conceptions such as sacrifice, or the virtue of bestowal and renunciation, diagrams are of no use; we must paint pictures in our minds like those described in the last lectures: of the Thrones offering sacrifice and sending up to the Cherubim the smoke of the sacrifice, ever spreading more widely and of the Archangels sending back the light; and so on.

And when in our next study we pass on to the Old Moon-existence we shall see how much richer the picture becomes, how something like the liquefying of the dammed up masses of cloud actually had to take place, and that this becomes drizzling rain, into which flashes the lightning of the Seraphim. We must then pass on to richer conceptions with regard to which we must say:

The future of mankind will certainly find the possibility, the artistic ways and means to express to the outer world what can otherwise only be read in the Akashic Records.

1921-12-28-GA303

.. If we gradually gain a living picture of the human being in this way, we can make real progress in our research. We can form concepts that accord fully with the nature of the human central system.

Such concepts must not be so simple that we can make them into diagrams; schemes and diagrams are always problematic when it comes to understanding the constant, elemental weaving and flowing of human nature.

In the early days of our anthroposophical endeavors, when we were still operating within theosophical groups (permit me to mention this), we were faced again and again with all sorts of diagrams, generously equipped with plenty of data. Everything seemed to fit into elaborate, neat schematic ladders, high enough for anyone to climb to the highest regions of existence. Some members seemed to view such diagrammatic ladders as a kind of spiritual gym equipment, with which they hoped to reach Olympic heights; everything was neatly enclosed in boxes. These things made one’s limbs twitch convulsively.

They were hardly bearable for those who knew that, to get hold of our constantly mobile human nature in a supersensory way, we must keep our ideas flexible and alive. Fixed habits of thinking made us want to flee.

What matters is that, in our quest for real knowledge of the human being, we must keep our thinking and ideation flexible, and then we can advance yet another step.

1923-02-11-GA221

You must not be under the impression that everything is as easy to comprehend in reality as it seems ... when matters have to be simplified in a schematic presentation

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.

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:

Note 3 - Integration of earlier 'FMC enrichment' topic page

About this page

This page complements and partly overlaps with the contents on the topic page FMC study schemas, and might be integrated with that page.*This page originates from older notes, and the aim of this page was more to provide a general introduction to how the concept of illustrations could be enriched to provide additional value for the student. So it speaks more from a point of departure, a philosophical or approach perspective.

  • The page FMC study schemas was and is intended to give an orientation to what is currently available, and how this has been done. In other words to give an overview of the different types of schemas with concrete examples (which are not at all on this page)

Types of illustrations used - tentative taxonomy

In this initiative and on this site, we can distinguish various types of graphical illustrations:

Staying with the lecture illustrations
  • blackboard drawings (BBD) - quite obviously, if available they are more authentic, sometimes colourful, better than what is available in the printed editions or online versions of the lectures
  • original drawings from manuscripts or typoscripts in the Rudolf Steiner Archive in Dornach, this in cases where no BBD is available. Experience shows that with copying, details got lost, and the people who were attending the original lecture made the most truthfull sketches. If only for the sake of diligent verification, it always adds a dimension to see a modern reworked table in the way it was in the most original capture of the lecture, example 1907-04-22-GA104a

Value add is also possible here:

  • to combine illustrations across lectures, eg FMC00.028, FMC00.020 or FMC00.013, or FMC00.029 .. as a way to present the reader with something new and interesting
  • to bring dynamic rendering with focus on the relevant section (as the lecture text explains)
Modern visuals
  • visualization of concepts by images or pictures that provide a better visual representation of concepts that are taken into consideration,
    • eg when one discussed the ground plan layout of the Goetheanum and compares it with the two blood circuits in Man
    • eg maggots in cheese, special fish, ..
    • artworks mentioned in lectures eg lucifer -
    • illustrations of direct references made
      • artworks, eg Lucifer by Betram, Da Vinci Last Supper, ..
      • books, eg Goethe’s theories of colours or plants
    • modern high quality illustrations eg of Goethe's plant metamorphosis publication,
    • contemporary best illustrations of principles
      • the principle of metamorphosis
      • graphic materials for the different dimensions of the human body (eg brain skull vs backbone skeleton, endocrine glandular system, chakra/wheels, ..)
      • drawings and animations for precession, spiral solar system movement (earth follows sun), see ao astronomy course, nutation (eg man hieroglyph cycle)
    • see work of Grohmann, metamorphosis is a good example
Synthetic tables
  • tabular structures either listing items or, much better, providing a synthesis in multiple dimensions of a thought that has been put forth and elaborated. We can call the latter 'synthetic tables' or 'tabular summaries' because they don't have any meaning without having read the lecture(s). These synthetic tables are no replacement, just an aid to memorize, recap, or capture in one glimpse the core message after having assimilated the lecture, it is also a basis to facilitate effective personal annotations during the study processHowever, when one has done the soul work and read, studied and contemplated the subject matter, these synthetic tables are like a 'lamp post' or a 'sigil'.

Note on the use of synthetic tables: A sigil is a symbol used in magic, the symbol is linked with the soul content and mental-astral energy of the practitioner, in this case we could say the 'synthetic table' is a bit like a symbolic representation of the desired outcome, being the imaginative insight or understanding. It does not contain the subject matter, but we can refer to it and use it to call up all we know about it, and what it means for us.

As such they become 'puzzle pieces' that we can use to build our imaginative pictures, because they link together and we can freely overlay and connect them - or rather their meaning -in our minds. Underlying all this is, and this is important, that we are using our soul as the most important tool and goal, not any materials in the physical world. Not the diagram, the study volume book form is important, and surely not the sequence of 0s and 1s on a machine like our digital computer. It does not matter whether we use bytes on a computer or words in a book, because what we are building through our work is soul content in the spirit world.

The nice thing about the synthetic tables is that they are not limited to a single lecture, on the contrary they are an ideal means to integrate, consolidate various snippets or different perspectives taken from different lectures. This is especially relevant given the important of various perspectives to see something in it's true nature, as a whole (whereas a single view is always a filtered selection limiting true understanding).

More
  • mind-map type, free-form structures of the contents of a lecture, to provide a graphical and/or outline-like overview of the topics covered and their relationships. Ideally these are actively made by the student as a reflection of a personal process.
    • eg the top lectures on Christ

The idea here is that a topic which was studied is represented by a symbolic representation (see above); and these views can illustrate (a) the relationships between different topics, as well as (b) different perspectives to a topic (and across topics). This is key as it is a key charactertisic of anthroposophy and Steiner’s lecture that a topic is not covered once, or from a single perspective, but always studied by approaching it and illuminiating it from different perspectives. A graphical representation is an effective and nice way to provide an overview to these different perspectives offered, as a jumpboard - similar to a hypertext link page. In this way the ‘multidimensionality’ of the anthroposophical knowledge can be mapped to a hypertext-network fashion of navigation, in contrast with the purely sequential way to process texts.

  • evocation images that can expose ourselves to as if 'breathing in the subject matter' through their visual appeal, and 'tuning into that subject matter's frequency' with the soul. Examples are slide shows with beautiful pictures of nature kingdoms (plant, animal, ..) or weather elements. Or: historical artwork, eg of man microcosmos macrocosmos, war in heaven, Michael & the dragon, War in Heaven.

Related pages

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