The Golden Legend

Introduction

The Golden Legend tells the story of Seth's journey to paradise, where he sees two intertwined trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge. From these intertwined trees Seth received three seeds, which he took and laid in his father Adam's mouth when he died.

A mighty tree grew out of Adam's grave, that was clairvoyantly seen as radiating with glowing fire and the twisted letters "J B", the first letters of two words that mean: 'I am Who was, I am Who is, I am Who will be'.

This tree divided itself into three parts. Seth took wood from it, and it was used in manifold ways in world evolution. It is said the wood was used in Moses staff, the beams of Solomon's temple (see Temple legend), and the cross of Christ-Jesus.

Meaning

Seth who enter paradise was an initiate, whereby he could look back into the earlier evolutionary conditions where the two trees were intertwined with each other.

The three spiritual seeds correspond to Man's bodily principles of spirit-self, life spirit, spirit-man (or manas, buddhi and atman). The threefold tree that grows out of the human being (Adam) represents Man's higher triad or spiritual higher self, which is present within us as a predisposition. At first only initiates see this, but this shows the pathway towards initiation for the whole of humanity.

See also the Golden Triangle on Molten sea, oa Molten sea#1904-11-04-GA093

The two pillars Jachin and Boaz

The two pillars represent the earthly and the spiritual life, and/or the transitions between both.

What matters for Man today is the balance between the two in the right equilibrium.

The fact the two pillars are apart, is a representation of the descent of Man in matter and the Fall or the luciferic infection in the Lemurian epoch when 'Man was driven out of Paradise' (the spiritual world). Man now gains knowledge on Earth.

The two pillars will merge again in Man in the future.

Humanity received the pillars Boaz (strength, physical body) and Jachin (wisdom, etheric body) and in addition the means to attain perfection (astral body). These map to the higher principles of wisdom, beauty and power (manas, budhi, atman) - see the Golden Triangle in the Molten sea.

Man's transformation and spiritualization consists of first developing individual consciousness through the force of kama and then acquire inner harmony, piety, enthusiasm: to dive down completely into longing and desire and then emerge from it again like Hiram Abiff, bringing with him the Golden Triangle, which denotes the higher powers of Man's higher triad.

Through that desires, kama, the astral body is transformed, on the one hand, into pure love of humanity and, on the other hand—by imbuing manas, (intellectual power), with this refined kama it becomes enthusiasm. Thus is kama irradiated by manas and the warmth of kama penetrates the spiritual.

Man is only able to unite the pillars Jachin and Boaz after having converted his passions into piety (purifying kama) and outwardly our soul-fire into beauty, this way Man raises himself up to wisdom and strength (buddhi and atman)

The two pillars of the temple are united by the lintel, laid across the two pillars, which leads,

on the one hand, to higher wisdom (buddhi) by way of piety, love, Christ,
and on the other hand to creative force (atman), by way of knowledge, enthusiasm, Lucifer.

The transformation of the mineral kingdom into an outward temple goes hand in hand with the transformation of the turbulent human astral body to become a harmonious love of humankind. That is how the brazen sea is outwardly and inwardly constructed, see Molten sea. The mineral world ultimately becomes the expression of human love. Inwardly love, outwardly beauty: that is then the picture of what the world will be like.

Aspects

origin and age of the legend (see 1905-05-29-GA093)
- This legend existed at the time of the ancient mysteries, but it was not written down. At a later stage it was recorded by the Gnostics. Then there is the current version which is historically medieval and which less clearly indicates the path to and links with the Mysteries.
- The legend is connected with the Adonis mysteries, with the Antioch legend, in which the crucifixion, entombment and resurrection become an outward image of inner initiation. Related but similar versions appear in the Apis and Mithras mysteries, and again in the Osiris mysteries.
- Therefore we can distinguish the old legends and ancient Mysteries, and how this is fulfilled in Christianity.
legend storyline, and explanation; see 1907-05-21-GA284 below
name
- the name Golden Legend originates from the fourth degree in rosecrucian initiation called the 'golden degree', referring to finding the Philosopher's stone.
in the Temple legend, Solomon made three pillars from wood that were set up at the entrance of the temple
fourth apocalyptic seal
- shows the columns that also appear in other esoteric symbolic representations (see Book of Revelation), see Schema FMC00.228 and explanations below (1907-09-16-GA284)
other links:
- two columns also appear in Man's spiritual scientific physiology, see also Man past and future to read about the arising of a second spinal column in the next Sixth epoch, and the merger of the two spinal columns in the seventh epoch.

Illustrations

Schema FMC00.234 describes the two columns (see also illustration in schema FMC00.228 below).

Schema FMC00.228 shows on the left, the fourth apocalyptic seal with the two pillars J and B representing (red and blue) the Trees of Knowledge and Life. The blue tree clearly knowledge with the linked book and standing on physical earthly ground, the red tree clearly upstreaming life. Two pillars supporting earth’s development: Jupiter and Mercury, Old Sun and Moon, Strength and Wisdom.

See also Book of Revelation and 1907-10-GA284 about the pictures of the apocalyptic seals and columns (as well as more references in that volume GA284 about the symbolic meaning of the colours blue and red in 1911-10-15-GA284, and more).

On the right, a Freemason Rosicrucian illustration dated 1779 (taken from 'The Freemason' by Eugen Lennhoff, published 1913). See also the alchemical symbols of earth below B, and air below J.

Schema FMC00.228A shows various versions of the fourth apocalyptic seal

Schema FMC00.481 is a poster that concatenates a number of excerpts from Rudolf Steiner's lectures to elucidate the meaning of various terms related to what is most important for humanity: selfless love. As a cosmic principle in the higher spirit world this was called Christòs in ancient Greece, in ancient India and theosophy it was called buddhi, and Rudolf Steiner coined the term life spirit in anthroposophy.

This cosmic principle lives in archangelic beings that went through the human stage on Old Sun, on Earth these are called solar pitris or fathers (in theosophical terminology). These were able to incarnate in the early earthly conditions in the Hyperborean epoch and constituted what is called the Sun men or Apollo men. In more recent times and the language of the ancient myths such descending solar pitris are called Sun Heroes. As leaders of mankind, especially the beings part of the White Lodge are called Bodhisattvas in ancient Indian and theosophical terminology. And besides these descending beings there is also the ascending path upwards: a human being who reaches the sixth degree in initiation was called Sun Hero in the ancient Mysteries.

What all these have in common is that they are the carrier of the life spirit, buddhi, or Christ principle, which is a universal cosmic soul principle that is no longer individual but a higher feeling of the universal soul of mankind, and in that sense representing humanity (and it's future) as a whole.

Christ is the Cosmic Sun Hero who came down to unify the whole of humanity as the spirit of the Earth. Through the Mystery of Golgotha, the buddhi principle was planted as a latent seed in each human soul. This higher principle will develop in millenia, epochs and even planetary stages to come. In this context, Christ will be with Man until the end of the Earth, and represents the future group soul of humanity also called 'Second Adam'.

Lecture coverage and references

Overview coverage

GA264 contains a section on the Golden Legend (p 355 and on) with references to Notebook Archive No 6954, instruction lessons of 1906-12-12, 1911-12
GA162 covers the Tree of Life and Knowledge in a number of lectures
- 1915-07-24-GA162 and 1915-07-25-GA162 on the Tree of Life
- 1915-08-07-GA162 and 1915-08-08-GA162 on the Tree of Knowledge

Reference extracts

Book of Genesis

God had placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden where He had planted 'the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil'. He warned Adam on penalty of death not to eat the fruit of this tree. However, the serpent (Lucifer) came to Eve and tempted her to eat of the fruit of the tree, telling her that if she did, her eyes would be opened and she would be like the gods, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:1ff.). Being tempted, Eve ate the forbidden fruit and gave some also to Adam. 'And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked ...' (Gen. 3:7). Because Adam and Eve had disobeyed His command, and seeing that they might eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life that grew in the Garden of Eden and become as gods, the Lord laid punishments upon them both and banished them from the Garden of Eden. Because of the sin of Eve, He decreed that thereafter all women should bear their children in pain and should be subject to their husband. Because Adam had likewise sinned, God decreed that henceforth man should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. And He said to Adam: '... dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return' (Gen. 3:19).

1905-05-29-GA093

is called: 'Concerning the Lost Temple and How it is to be Restored - In connection with the Legend of the True Cross, or Golden Legend'

1906-08-31-GA265

Humanity was given the pillars Boaz (strength, physical body) and Jachin (wisdom, etheric body) and in addition the means whereby to attain its own perfection (astral body - kama - fire).
We had to learn how to work with fire: outwardly in nature with physical fire, and inwardly in ourselves with the fire of the soul (kama).

Outwardly we had to work upon the mineral world with the help of physical fire, to harmonize it and create works of an from it.

In the soul we first of all had to develop individual consciousness through the force of kama and then acquire inner harmony, piety, enthusiasm (residing in God). We had to dive down completely into longing and desire and then emerge from it again like Hiram Abiff, bringing with him the Golden Triangle, which denotes the higher powers. Only then, after having converted our passions into piety and outwardly our soul-fire into beauty, would we be able to unite the pillars Jachin and Boaz. That is to say, we could raise ourselves up to wisdom and strength (buddhi and atman) because we had worked upon our kama spiritually. We would attain wisdom by purifying our kama through piety.

Through that kama is transformed, on the one hand, into pure love of humanity and, on the other hand—by imbuing manas, (intellectual power), with this refined kama—it becomes enthusiasm. Thus is kama irradiated by manas and the warmth of kama penetrates the spiritual.
The lintel, laid across the two pillars, thus leads, on the one hand, to higher wisdom (buddhi) by way of piety, love, Christ, and on the other hand to creative force (atman), by way of knowledge, enthusiasm, Lucifer. This is how the two pillars of the temple are united.
The transformation of the mineral kingdom into an outward temple goes hand in hand with the transformation of the turbulent astral body to become a harmonious love of humankind. That is how the brazen sea is outwardly and inwardly constructed. The mineral world ultimately becomes the expression of human love. Inwardly love, outwardly beauty: that is then the picture of what the world will be like.

1907-05-21-GA284

The legend goes as follows:
When Seth, the son of Adam who took Abel's place, was mature, he was allowed to gain insight into paradise. He was allowed to pass by the angel with the flaming sword and enter into the place from which the human being had been driven.
There Seth saw something quite special. He saw how the two trees, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge, intertwined with each other. From these intertwined trees Seth received three seeds, which he took with him and laid in his father's mouth when he died.
A mighty tree grew out of Adam's grave. This tree revealed itself to those with psychic senses as if radiating in the form of a glowing fire. For those who could see this glowing fire, there twisted together the letters "J B," the first letters of two words that I do not have the authority to express, but which mean: "I am Who was; I am Who is; I am Who will be."
This tree divided itself into three parts. Seth took wood from it, and it was used in manifold ways in world evolution.

A staff was made from it; the legend says this was the magic stall of Moses.

The beams in Solomon's temple were made out of this same wood. There they remained as long as human beings understood the old secrets.

Then the wood was thrown into a pool, in which, at certain times, the lame and blind were healed. After the wood was taken out again, it was used to build the bridge over which the Savior walked on his way to the cross.

And, lastly, the legend teils that the cross itself on which the Savior hung was formed from the wood of this tree that grew out of Adam's mouth after the seeds of the intertwined Trees of Life and Knowledge were laid therein.

[explanation]
This legend contains deep symbolic meaning. Call to mind for a moment the process of transformation that pupils must consider when they pass through the fourth stage of rosicrucian training: the producing of the philosopher's stone. We remind ourselves that it has to do with a certain treatment of the red blood. Let us think about the significance of this red blood, not only because Goethe's expression, 'Blood is a very special fluid', gives this indication, but also because esotericism through all the ages has taught it. Red blood arises as the result of the breathing of oxygen. When such an important moment is referred to in legend and in the Bible - the moment Seth penetrated into paradise - we must remind ourselves of the process through which the human being was brought out of paradise. The human being was brought out of paradise, the old condition of the human being in the bosom of the higher spiritual world, through a physical process that took place in parallel with the descent. Those who wish to understand the Bible must learn to take it literally. It was said: "God breathed the breath of life into the human being, and he became a living soul." This breathing of the breath of life into the human being was a process—expressed in a picture—that stretched out over millions of years. What does it mean?
There was a time in the forming of the physical body in the evolution of humanity when the human body still had no lung and could not inhale oxygen. Human beings more or less floated in fluid elements, and they had an organ, a kind of air bladder, out of which the lung later developed. This air bladder reorganized itself into the lung, and we can follow this process. When we do so, we find that it is portrayed in the Bible with this picture: "And God breathed the living breath into the human being, and the human being became a living soul." With this breathing into the human was made possible the production of the red blood. Thus, the descent of the human being is connected with the arising of the red blood tree within the human being.
Imagine that the human being was standing before you and that you could follow the flowing of the red blood. You would have before you a living red tree. The Christian esotericist says that this is the Tree of Knowledge. The human being seized it, partook of the red blood tree. The constructing of the red blood tree, which is the Tree of Knowledge, is the original sin for which God drove the human being out of paradise, so that the human being would not eat of the Tree of Life as well.
We have yet another tree in us; you can imagine it in the same way. It has red-blue blood, and this blood is death substance. The red-blue tree was planted in the human being at the same time as the red blood tree.
As the human being rested in the bosom of the god-head, the godhead was able to intertwine in the human that which signified life and knowledge. In the future lies the point in time when human beings will be able, through their expanded consciousness, to transform the blue into the red. Then they will themselves become the source or cause of the blue blood tree developing into a Tree of Life. Today it is a tree of death. Thus, there lives in this picture a looking backward and a looking ahead.
[further explanation]
You see that in the human being a red blood tree and a red-blue blood tree are intertwined.

The red blood is the expression of the "I," the lower "I"-knowledge.

The blue blood is the expression of death. The blue blood tree, the Tree of Death, was added to the red tree, the Tree of Knowledge, as a penalty and correction. In a far future this Tree of Death will be transformed into the Tree of Life, just as it was originally a Tree of Life.

When you imagine the human being today, our whole life in the present is based on an interaction between these two trees.
The fact that Seth was allowed to enter paradise means that he was an initiate and could look back at the divine-spiritual condition in which the two trees were intertwined with each other.
He laid three seeds from the intertwined trees in Adam's mouth, and a three-membered tree grew out of them. Thus the tree that grows out of the human being - manas, buddhi, and atman, which make up the higher part of the human being - is present within us as a predisposition.
In the legend it is shown how, already in Adam, the threefold nature of the divine is present as a predisposition and how it grows. At first only the initiate sees it. Human beings must follow the path of initiation. The legend further expresses all that has taken place in the evolution of humanity and which leads to initiation.
Out of the knowledge that the threefold tree, the Tree of Eternity - which expresses itself in the words "I am Who was; I am Who is; I am Who will be" - rests in us, we gain the power that brings us forward and puts the magic stall of Moses in our hands.
The wood of the tree that grew out of the seeds was taken to build the temple of wisdom; and the cross - that symbol of initiation that signifies the conquering of the lower members of the human being by the higher ones - was constructed out of it as well. Thus, this legend shows how the initiate looks upon a future condition in which the Tree of Life, the red blood tree, and the Tree of Knowledge, the blue-red blood tree, will intertwine in the human being. Those who want to develop themselves write in their heart what the two pillars, the red pillar indicating the red blood tree and the blue indicating the blue-blood tree, want to say to us.
Today they are separate. For that reason, the red pillar stands on the left side of the hall, and the blue-red pillar stands on the right. The pillars want to urge us to overcome the present condition of humanity, in order to direct our path to the point where they will intertwine through our expanded consciousness in such a way that one calls, "J-B." We designate the red pillar with "J" and the blue-red with "B."
The sayings on the pillars will bring home to you what is connected with each individual pillar. On the red pillar stand these words:
In pure thinking you find .. The self that can hold itself.
Transform thought into an image .. And you will experience creative wisdom.
Those who meditate on these words imbue, through the strength of their thinking, the red blood pillar with that power which Ieads to the goal, to the wisdom pillar. And we imbue the life pillar with the power that it needs when we meditate on the thought that stands on the blue pillar:
Concentrate feeling into light .. And you will reveal the formative power.
Realize the will into being-ness .. And you will create in world being.
The one verse has to do with knowledge and the other with life. The formative power reveals itself in the first saying. It becomes magical in the second saying. The ascent from mere power of knowledge to magical working lies in the transition from the power of the verse on the first pillar to that of the verse on the second pillar. Thus, you see how that which these symbols, the two pillars, signify is connected with the ideals and goals of the rosicrucian pupil. In many esoteric societies these pillars are erected. The esotericist will always ascribe the meaning to them that you have just been told.

1907-06-29-GA100

Golden Legend characterized as having provided subject for occult instruction since ancient times, Seth could see into the end of times when the harmony between the two principles of Mankind (the two trees, red and purple blood represented in the two pillars of the temple) would be established

1916-06-20-GA169

discusses the significance of the two pillars. The human being passes the pillar of Jakim at his birth (day side), the pillar of Boaz at his death (night side). The human being has to find a balance between both pillars.

1918-12-29-GA187

[Context initiation of Brunetto Latini] ... That is why it does not take place like in the ancient mysteries under the guidance of a human initiator (hierophant) but by a spiritual being. Natura guides him (she was the former Greek goddess Persephone, whom the Romans called Proserpina) through the regions of the senses, the four temperaments, the four elements, planets and after having passed the Pillars of Hercules to the ocean of a universal spirituality. On the Pillars of Hercules or Jachin and Boaz:

They play a prominent role in symbolism as the Pillars of Jakim (Jachin, Joachim) and Boaz. In this connection, it should be noted that in the occult societies of the present time these pillars can no longer be erected in the right way. They should no longer be erected, because the correct way is only revealed in a truly inwardly experienced initiation. Moreover, they cannot be set up in space, as they are revealed in reality when the human being leaves his body

Fourth apocalyptic seal

1907-09-16-GA284

There is a still higher development. Human beings come from even higher worlds, and they will again ascend to these higher worlds. The form that human beings have today will by then have disappeared from the world. We will take up again that which is in the outer world, the individual letters from which we are assembled; our form will have identified itself with the world form. In a certain trivial presentation of Theosophy, it is taught and talked about that we should seek the god within ourselves. However, anyone wanting to find the god within must seek in the works that are spread out in the universe. Nothing in the world is mere matter; it just seems that way. In reality, all matter is the expression of spirituality, tidings of the effectiveness of the god. Human beings will, as it were, expand their being in the course of the coming ages. More and more, human beings will identify themselves with the world, so that we will be able to portray them with the form of the cosmos, instead of the human form. This you see in the fourth seal, with the rock, the sea, and the pillars.

∴

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