Planetary seals

Rudolf Steiner created seven metamorphic planetary seals as a symbolic expression of astral images representing cosmic and human development.

They represent the planetary stages of evolution, see Overview of solar system evolution.

The first five of these seven were printed in the program of the Munich Congress of the Theosophical Society in 1907. The planetary seals were also carved into the seven wooden columns in the first Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland (constructed 1913-1919, destroyed 1923).

Aspects

• Brian Gray observed/claims (see References below) that the second through fifth Planetary seals as printed in the program were incorrectly oriented and rotated out of their lawful relationship to the first seal.
• see also cymatics and the work of Hans Jenny for dynamic formation of similar forms. More on: [[Hints of future etheric force technology#[2] - Cymatics, Chladni patters and Visual audio]]

Illustrations

Schema FMC00.320 shows the planetary seals in a modern rendering.

Lecture coverage and references

1911-11-15

These figures are the means by which we are instigated to create in ourselves the thought-forms, that is, the movement-forms in our ether-body… in a rhythmic sequence, they form a complete whole, the sort of whole which corresponds to a particular stream of development in the outer etheric world. The sequence of forms which accord with the perfecting of our ether-body is shown in the sequence of these figures, one after the other.

..

When we place before us such symbolic figures and are able to look more deeply into them, they can be a help in attaining those goals toward which we are striving. And when, by means of such a correct sequence we create appropriate thought-forms, we can then deepen our understanding of the rhythms that hold sway among the seven parts of the human organism.

We have not placed these figures here merely as decoration, but because they are intimately connected with those goals toward which we are here to strive.

other undated reference showing the seals should be contemplated one by one.

When we rest our physical eyes upon any one of these figures, it is not the physical eye alone but the whole organism and, above all, the streams of the ether-body which are set into a special kind of motion by the course of these lines and by the form of these figures, so that the ether-body moves differently according to which of these figures one is contemplating.

Related pages

• Evolution
• Overview of solar system evolution

References and further reading

• Friedrich Kempter: 'Rudolf Steiner's seven signs of planetary evolution' (1980, original 1960 in DE as 'Rudolf Steiners sieben Zeichen der planetarischen Entwicklung'
• Daniel Boillat: 'Die sieben Planetensiegel : nach den Vignetten von Rudolf Steiner' (1985)
• Maurice Le Guerrannic: 'Les sceaux des planètes de Rudolf Steiner'
• Beate Rust: 'Die Planeten-Siegel Rudolf Steiners. Urbilder der Evolution und ihre Signaturen im Planzenreich. Ein Weg zum Lesen im Buch der Natur' (1999)
• Brian Gray:
  • 'Rudolf Steiner's Planetary Seals: Highlighting Their Metamorphosis By Correcting Their Orientation'(Nov 2015) - also on youtube
• Yvan Rioux: 'The seat of the soul. Rudolf Steiner's Seven Planetary Seals. A biological perspective.' (2019)
• Urs Schwendener: 'Planeten-Siegel und Planeten-Säulen nach Rudolf Steiner'
• Planetary seals in Eurythmy