Turning the Corner to Fall
We are now presented with two spiritual temptations that threaten our inner balance. Verse 20 of the Anthroposophical Calendar is a cautionary "corner verse" occurring as we begin our journey down into the depths of winter. One must take inward action to avoid two opposing pitfalls: the spiritual pride of Lucifer and the materialistic emptiness of Ahriman. To find balance, the soul must avoid these two extremes.
Like Icarus flying too close to the sun, we risk becoming so enamored with pride that we lose touch with grounded earthly life. Drawn to the light of summer's glory, we risk extinguishing ourselves like a moth to a flame. In contrast, we are also face the risk of becoming so engrossed in the material world that we fail to cultivate the necessary internal warmth to carry us through winter. As autumn approaches, the cosmic light and life are no longer as active outside. We must bring these forces down to earth, like seeds sheathed within our souls, to nurture them for the coming year. The goal is to remain grounded while cultivating spiritual power, balancing the two forces.
Practice the Calendar verses to entrain with the rhythms of the seasons. Together, we will radiate these forces out into society through our moral words and deeds of brotherly love. Rudolf Steiner's verses for the 52 weeks of the calendar are here on our website, together with Rudolf Steiner's original German text and several other translations: Rudolf Steiner, The Anthroposophical Calendar.