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Twelve Holy Nights

and Epiphany

Twelve Holy Nights and Epiphany

Arranged by

Anthony Kenneth Martin Douglass

Based on the work and teaching of Rudolf Steiner

Source: Twelve Holy Nights and Epiphany

Recommendation

It is highly recommended that this booklet be printed, read and kept in physical form for future use along with the journalizing suggested below in the Introduction.

If it is not possible in the moment to print out a copy, it is recommended to download a PDF copy to avoid the necessity of a connection to the internet for future use of this "course". Then you may print at your earliest convenience.

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Introduction

The nights between the Nativity and Epiphany (24 December and 6 January) are when the veils are thinnest between the spirit realm and the the physical realm. These nights are the best time of year to set intentions, to plant seeds (i.e. New Year resolutions) and to go deeply inward in prayer and meditation.

In each of the Holy Nights, review the corresponding chapter for that night and follow the provided mediation, preferably just before lying down to sleep. It is suggested to, as far as is possible, to maintain a fixed schedule for this praxis, performing the meditation at the same time each night.

It is important to understand that each mediation is the planting of a seed for the corresponding month of the following year. However, more importantly, a seed planted does not grow without watering and care, which requires discipline. It is suggested that, after reading and contemplating each meditation, you write down in a journal what you perceive as the seed that you plant as a result of your meditation, according to a clear and honest understanding of yourself.

In the year that follows, set a time at the end of each month to return to the corresponding chapter and answer with sincerity the following questions:

  1. Reflecting back on this path month, can I honestly say a seed was indeed planted on that Holy Night?
  2. Reflecting back on the seed that I planted, did I successfully carry out its care such that I can see (at least some) inner growth?
  3. Reflecting back on this past month, what did I do to promote the growth of this seed?
  4. Reflecting back on this past month, what did I do to prohibit the growth of this seed?

It would be prudent and helpful for your personal soul development to journal your responses to the above questions so that, over time, you can see a progression (or regression?) of your own soul/shadow work as Inspiration to work harder to achieve your goal. Such a journal should be handwritten and physical, not typed on a computer and digital.

The meditations below are ultimately about the taming of the Astral Body so that, when we cross the Threshold, our Etheric Body takes with it the best possible traits we have cultivated in our life as an offering to the Spiritual Hierarchies in order that they be nourished with what is required to turn our efforts around to help humanity's (intended) evolution.

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Holy Night 1: Seed for January

In poverty and humility was born on this night the the receptacle from which the Light of the World would shine in the souls of Men. Though we travel in a dark and trackless forest, this time of year brings forth in the heart a deeper sense of the importance of humanity to those of good will. The Divine Spirit is born in Matter and brings with Him many gifts for humanity.

Contemplate the gifts of thinking, feeling and will. They are at your disposal in freedom. What does this mean for your life?

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Holy Night 2: Seed for February

There are two paths in life: the narrow and difficult spiritual path and the wide and easy material path. One is selfish, characterized by egoism, the other is characterized by selflessness and devotion to humanity (the lower earthly life and the higher spiritual life). In the one we utilize properly the gifts given to us by the Christ. In the other we reject these gifts and subject ourselves to the servitude of Ahriman.

Contemplate these two paths of life. Which path have you been traveling more than the other? To which do you resolve to serve going forward?

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Holy Night 3: Seed for March

We are all part of the All. Your I AM, your soul, is another gift of Christ (thinking, feeling and willing being the three soul components). Your I AM is the bread of life, the manna from Spiritual Heights.

We all possess baggage that weights us down, seeking to prevent our upward development. Contemplate yourself as part of the All, answering the following: Do I harbor grudges? Do I lack forgiveness? Do I maintain fears? Do I lack in love? Do I defend my opinions and jealousies? Do I overvalue myself? Do I undervalue myself?

When we overcome these things, we indeed change the world.

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Holy Night 4: Seed for April

The three soul forces — The Feeling (Sentient) soul, the Thinking (Mind) soul and the Willing (Consciousness) soul — are all centered within our feeling activities; what we are drawn to: Likes/dislikes, sympathy/antipathy, or love/hate.

Contemplate the spiritual mirror that is placed in front of you by the Archangel Uriel, forcing you to see yourself as you are. This is an invitation to consciously work on purifying your Astral Body (your soul). Antipathies and sympathies should be transformed into complete love — always through love.

Perfect (Divine) Love casts our fears and silences the passions and desires harbored in the Astral Body. It is through the Christ Impulse within us that we look to for the strength to overcome these passions and desires. Here is where the following mantram can be of help in those times of battle. Do your best to memorize it.

Christ Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me and be by my side in this battle. Micha-el! Lend me thy sword that I may be armed to vanquish this dragon in me; Fill me with your strength that I may bring into confusion the spirits that wish to paralyze me; Work in me that the Light of Christ may lead me to deeds worthy of Thee. Micha-el!

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Holy Night 5: Seed for May

Our brain is not the source of our thought processes, our thinking. It is only a mirror that reflects what is in our soul.

Contemplate how much control you wield (or do not) over your thinking life. Are you able to concentrate on important matters or the task at hand despite internal distractions that seek to pull you away from disciplined thinking?

The mind is the Temple wherein Christ desires to dwell. Do I prepare Him a Temple of purity or on that allows adversarial forces to corrupt this Temple and keep Christ out?

Gaining control of our thoughts will transform and liberate us.

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Holy Night 6: Seed for June

The three nights of the Sword begin: Consecration of the Sword.

In our lives we struggle with two kinds of will: Nature, which is that of destructive forces and Spirit, which is that of Constructive forces of the earth.

Destructive forces are those of the bodily movements e.g. our digestive system. We cannot be consciously involved in these processes. But it is the Spiritual will that we can wield as a sword — directed by our moral impulses which make us an integral part of the cause & effect that creates this world. We accept great responsibility when we take control of our will. This responsibility was given when Christ entered the earth' evolution and gave us personal possession of our I AM. This morality arises out of the purest, highest love and respect we have for our fellow humanity.

Contemplate these truths and how you have failed to properly execute this gift of Christ and how you might more effectively wield this Sword in your life.

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Holy Night 7: Seed for July

The Serpent in the hilt of the Sword: Wisdom.

As we become increasingly aware of our three soul forces — Feeling, Thoughts (Intellect) and Will (Conscious awareness) — we are able to identify patterns. We see that we are inclined to have certain feelings, think certain thoughts and behave in certain ways. It is important to understand that these proclivities are not products of our upbringing or environment but are the effects of our karma. Every event, large or small, in our life is caused by something we ourselves did in a past life. In the current life we meet the effect of the what we have caused — not as punishment but rather as opportunity granted and chosen by ourself to correct those qualities of our individuality that require cleansing in order to grow eternally. This is the blessing of Karma. This is the path traveled by the Christ dwelling in the person of Jesus of Nazareth; we follow in His footsteps.

Contemplate these things and ask yourself: Who rules my soul? Who is its master and the author of my actions?

We either take control, the power to do so which has been granted to us through our freedom, or we allow our soul forces to function unconsciously and thereby are no more than puppets of adversarial forces.

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Holy Night 8: Seed for August

The Cross on the Sword's pommel: Sacrifice.

The Mystery: A Knight with the Spear of the Will and the Sword of Knowledge has a dog beside him, as a symbol of obedience. Behind him are death and the devil. At a certain level of knowledge, a mistake or a wrong move can quickly lead to perdition. Victory is achieved by the fullness of divinity, with a consciousness of responsibility, and an unfailing loyalty to the tasks ahead in life.

From indications given by Rudolf Steiner to Herbert Hahn

This night we stand on the cusp of the past and the future. It is the night of crucifixion. All experiences of the past year must be crucified and therefore die. All of our precious thoughts, feelings and actions that have brought us to this night must be put to rest. We are on the threshold of a New Year and this a new beginning. Forgive all those persons and events that have brought trouble into your life this past year. Forgive yourself for all the personal wrongs and failings of this past year.

Let this forgiveness be more that words or platitudes. Let all of the pain, sorrow, pride and unbridled ego fall away from the Cross upon which they are crucified. Understand we do not walk this path alone. Christ has said, and therefore it is an immutable truth: He is with us even to the end of the earth.

Contemplate the consequences if Jesus the Christ had not been crucified. Contemplate the consequences of your karma if you fail to crucify the past in order to truly begin anew.

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Holy Night 9: Seed for September

So begins the three nights of the Crown: Resurrection.

The lower self surrenders to the higher as we detach the intellect from its earthly and practical cares. Though meeting every event in the future with equanimity is the goal, we will nevertheless achieve a greater of level of detachment as we exercise our will to do so. When we are able to maintain this detached state when facing life, we can know that we are responding to life through our I AM. When we fail to do so, we can know that it is our lower self that is exerting control — like a child that demands its own way.

Contemplate the power of no longer taking things personally by detaching our I AM from daily experiences. Is this something to which your deepest, highest, self is drawn?

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Holy Night 10: Seed for October

Service is Sacrifice.

Listen to the inner voice and the signs of the divine. This is our I AM, our soul, calling to us. We made an agreement with our I AM before we incarnated into this life. IF we are undisturbed by success and failure, good and evil, joy and suffering, then we can know that we indeed remember this agreement and understand that these are important experiences necessary for our development. Our I AM directs us to resolve our karma; to create within us harmony with all the people in our life and all the creatures and elements of Creation.

Contemplate the sacredness of Creation, especially every human being and that every person in our life is there with purpose, never by accident. In every human being is the potential to become a god. Do we look upon others, and ourselves, as possessing this potential? Do we act to help our hurt this potential — in ourselves as well as others?

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Holy Night 11: Seed for November

The struggle with the Guardian of the Threshold.

You are first and foremost a spiritual being. To become — and live — as a spiritual being is to wield a power over all the forces that seek the destruction of our (eternal) individuality. When we realize our I AM animates our being as we might animate any instrument in the material world, we wield this power.

Contemplate the fact that, as a spiritual being, this life constitutes the playing out of our karma. When, through the exercise of our will, we receive into ourselves the power of the blood of Christ, we receive possession of the Holy Grail. Our blood is the vehicle of our I AM. When we purify our blood of its own lower desires and instincts we make it a fitting substance for our own I AM and becomes purer still, able to become the blood of Christ. With all that his implies and entails, are you up to the task?

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Holy Night 12: Seed for December

Place the crown at the foot of Christ.

Though through our striving we may have achieved the Crown, the struggle has been won with Help and Grace. Grace is poured out from the found in Man that human power cannot reach.

Contemplate the Divine Love that created you for the purpose of rising from a Son of Man to a Son of God. Contemplate what Christ has sacrificed on your behalf and how you might seek to honor that sacrifice in your life.

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Epiphany

The Christ now enters into humanity, becoming the Lord of the Earth and the Lord of Karma. He brings with Him all that is necessary for the human being to overcome those forces that would have the human being fail at this divinely intended future and freely offers these gifts to any who seek the Higher Worlds, the Higher Self rooted in eternity.

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