Supplements to Member Lectures
GA 246
6 January 1909, Munich
Translated by Steiner Online Library
18. The Novalis Matinee
Reflections by Marie Steiner
[ 1 ] It was around the time when Rudolf Steiner encouraged me to become more and more involved in recitation. At that time, I was trying to work my way through Novalis. I told him that it wasn’t easy for me, that I hadn’t yet found the key to Novalis. He advised me to put myself in the mood of the holy nuns. The nuns didn’t help me. On the contrary. I didn’t really know what to make of them. Then, all of a sudden, everything became clear. Raphael’s figures surrounded me. The child glowed in its mother’s arms with its eyes as deep as the world itself. “I see you in a thousand images, Mary, lovingly portrayed...” A resounding ocean of sound all around, harmonies of color.
[ 2 ] I said to Rudolf Steiner: “The nuns didn’t do it. But someone else helped: Raphael. Now Novalis is completely clear to me.” A glow spread across Rudolf Steiner’s gentle face.
[ 3 ] A few days later, he revealed the Novalis-Raffael-Johannes-Elias secret to us for the first time.
Reflections by Max Gümbel-Seiling
[ 4 ] I saw and heard Marie von Sivers for the first time under the Christmas tree in the Munich branch’s hall, as she recited verses by Novalis, surrounded by colorful reproductions of Raphael’s paintings. It was around the turn of the year 1908–1909. The entire room was lined with rose-red satin; a Rose Cross—at that time still featuring twelve red roses—hung in the center above the lectern, from which we had just heard Rudolf Steiner speak about the spiritual being who had incarnated as Elijah, John, Raphael, and Novalis. Marie von Sivers had told Rudolf Steiner regarding these karmic revelations that it was only through Raphael’s art that she was able to gain a deep understanding of Novalis, and for Dr. Steiner, sharing this experience was certainly a crucial opportunity to convey to us this karmic connection, which is deeply rooted in our entire spiritual orientation.