Rudolf Steiner on beings active in spring

In his lecture ‘The Four Seasons and the Arch Angels’ speaks of how in Springtime two groups of beings become particularly active in the world, though unseen by ordinary consciousness.  Each is seeking to gain a foothold over the Soul-life of human beings, and though their ambitions are never realized, nevertheless they affect us, creating imbalances.

The Ahrimanic Beings (which work through the cold hardening and calcifying processes) seek to draw humanity down into the earth and to become solely an earth being and materialists in thought and deed.

The Luciferic Beings (at work in the dissolving, inflaming processes) seek to draw humanity off the earth – ‘to give up’ our earthly home.

So in Springtime, these unseen forces disturb the rightful balance within us.  However, as a great Spring imagination can arise the picture of the Christ Impulse of Love standing between these two opposing forces, holding the balance as World Healer.

Rudolf Steiner also speaks of the Arch Angel Raphael (known in ancient times as Mercury and who carries the healing staff) as the Spiritual Being who carries the forces of healing to Humanity.  Just as the Arch Angel Michael oversees the forces of Autumn, so Raphael, as servant to the Christ Being, has inspired the art of healing throughout the ages.

In the Book of Tobit from the Apocrypha of the Old Testament, Raphael is named as the Angel who accompanies Tobias on his journey to find the secret of how to heal his blind father.

Join me in greeting Raphael's healing power to balance the supersensible beings, angels, seeking to draw us off balance.

As I have posted recently, being human is hard, a constant call to do our work.