The History of the Esoteric School 1904–1914, Volume Two

GA 265

Ritual Text for Closing the Lodge

The lodge is closed in three ways:

1. with the masonic conclusion (same wording with the necessary changes as for the opening of the lodge).

2. with the magical (Latin) conclusion.

3. With the Rosicrucian conclusion.

Master: Hammer blow (three times):
Wisdom guides our building (extinguishing the light)

2nd overseer (south):
Hammer blow (three times):
Beauty may grace him (extinguishing the light)

1st overseer (west):
Hammer blow (three times):
Strength may guide him (extinguishing the light)

Master: Brother (Sister) 2nd overseer, is this your usual place in the lodge?

Answer: In the south.

Master: Why are you placed there?

Answer: To be the sun in the meridian, and to call the sisters and brothers to labor, that the temple may be built.

Master: Brother (sister) 1st overseer, your permanent place in the lodge?

Answer: In the west.

Master: Why are you placed there?

Answer: To be the setting sun and to give the sisters and brothers back to profane life after work is done, after they have received strength and power in the lodge for their outer work.

Master: Where is the Master's place in the lodge?

Administrator: In the east.

Teacher: Why is the teacher there?

Administrator: Just as the sun rises in the east to illuminate and enliven the day, so the venerable teacher fills the work inside the lodge with light and life.

Speaking to the others:

The venerable master will say the prayer that puts the meaning of brotherhood into your hearts. Rise and listen to it in the sign... of the 3rd degree:

Master: Brothers of the past, let your work become our wisdom; we take the compass and standard from your hands. May your work done be the strength of our soul, may it be the strength of our hands.

Brothers of the present, if you are wiser than we, let your wisdom shine in our souls, so that we may become revealers of your thoughts of God.

Brothers of the future, if you carry the plan of construction in your will, let your strength flow into our limbs, so that we may become the body of the great souls.

Master: Hammer blow

The one on the left (administrant): It is my duty, in the order of the service of Misraim, to draw your attention, my sisters and brothers, to the blow of the holy T (Tau) sign. At a significant hour, you received its sacred meaning, with the bandage over your eyes. From this you know that it tells you how the exalted name of God sounds in the innermost part of your being. The sound of the T encompasses the great mystery of the world. The Master who teaches you from the East will implant the power of the T in your inner being. What is given to you as a spiritual word in the T is to become the essence of your own being.

The path of the holy T from the altar of the East has been laid upon your hearts: inscribe the word that has been spoken to you.

Master: T-stroke

2nd overseer (South): It is my task, my sisters and brothers, to call you to work in the service of Misraim. May that which the worker in the temple building of humanity calls “beauty” inspire my commission. You are to work on the building that beholds its stones in the heart, its connecting links in well-measured thoughts, and its cement in the power of the will. Look into the world that quickens your hearts; whose wisdom trains your thoughts; whose seed-forces nourish your will. All this is a beautiful expression of hidden spiritual beings. Absorb into your inner being the forces of these beings and it will flow outwards as “beauty”, which lives within you.

The path to this beauty was laid out for you from the altar of the East: inscribe the word that has been spoken to you.

Master: T-strike

1. Overseer (West): It is my duty in the order of the service of Misraim to dismiss you, my sisters and brothers, from work. What the laborer in the building of the temple of humanity calls “strength” may inspire my commission. Let the work you have learned take effect when you leave the gates of this temple to face the outside world; let what can shape hearts into building blocks for the great temple flow from your hearts; let what can create connecting links for this structure take effect in your thoughts; let what can be putty for the stones of this temple pour forth from your will. Do only what comes from the authenticity of your heart, to which the care of your thoughts leads you, to which the strength of your will has steeled you. In this way you yourselves become an image of your archetype; and the strength will come from you, which shapes the world.

The path to this strength from the altar of the east has been laid out for you. Write down the word that has been spoken to you.

Administrator (East): Learn to be silent and you will have power.

1. Overseer (South): Give up power and you will have the will.

2. Overseer (West): Give up the will and you will have feeling.

Master: Renounce feeling and you will have knowledge.

The magical conclusion

According to Rudolf Steiner's original manuscript. The designations in parentheses were added according to the participants' notes.

(Salt)

In isto sale sit sapientia et ab omni corruptione servet mentes nostras et corpora nostra, per Hochmael et in virtute Ruach-Hochmael, recedant ab isto fantasmata hylae, ut sit sal coelestis, sal terrae et terra salis, ut nutrietur bos triturans et addat spei nostrae cornua tauri volantis. Amen.

(Ashes)

Revertatur cinis ad fontem aquarum viventium et fiat terra fructificans, et germinet arborem vitae per tria nomine, quae sunt Nezah, Hod et Jesod in principio et in fine per Alpha et Omega, qui sunt in spiritu Azoth! Amen.

(Mixing water, salt and ashes)

In sale sapientiae aeternae et in aqua regenerationis et in cinere germinante terram novam, omnia fiant per Elohim Gabriel, Raphael et Uriel in saecula et aeones. Amen.

(Ex Deo nascimur. In Christo morimur. Per Spiritum sanctum reviviscimus)

(Exorcism of the water)

Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters above from the waters below, and let the dry land arise, that the miracle may be performed. The sun is his father, the moon is his mother, and the wind has blown him into his mother's womb. He ascended from earth to heaven and descended again from heaven to earth. I exorcise you, creature of water, that you may be a mirror of God for me and live in his works and be a source of life and an ablution of sinners. Amen.

The magical conclusion, German wording¹

Of the various German translations available, the one in Marie Steiner's manuscript is reproduced here, since it can be assumed that it goes back to Rudolf Steiner.

Salt

There is wisdom in this salt, and it protects our spirits and our bodies from all corruption through Hochmael and through the power of Ruach-Hochmael; may all illusions of matter disappear and there be the salt of heaven, the salt of the earth and the earth of salt, so that the work bull may form and the horns of the willing ram may join it. Amen.

Ashes

Let the ashes return to the source of the water of life, and let the fruit-bearing earth come into being and the trees of life germinate through the three names Nezah, Hod and Jesod, in the beginning and at the end, through Alpha and Omega, who are in the spirit of Azoth. Amen.

Mixing

In the salt of eternal wisdom and in the water of rebirths and in the ashes of the resurrected new earth, “everything” is formed by Elohim Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel, in centuries and millennia. Amen.

Exorcism of water

Let firmament be formed in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the water from the water; let the upper be like the lower; and let the lower be like the upper; and may the wonders of the One come into being. The sun is its father, the moon its mother, who carries it in his womb, and may it rise from the earth to heaven, and again descend from heaven to earth. I conjure thee, creature of the waters, to be unto me the mirror of the living God in his works, and the source of life and the purifier in all obstacles. Amen.

The Rose Cross conclusion²

Text according to the original manuscript by Rudolf Steiner
Note sheet archive number 6978

The stones are mute; I have placed and hidden within them the eternal creative word; chaste and modest, they hold it in the depths.

M.Pr. [Materia prima]

Plants live and grow; I have let the eternal creative word of the power of the sun flow into them, they carry it down into the depths.

M.S. [Materia secunda]

Animals feel and want; I have shaped the eternal creative word in them; they form it in the depths.

M.T. [Materia tertia]

Man thinks and acts; I let the eternal creative word suffer and rejoice in him; he shall carry it to the heights.³

S.T. [Spiritus tertius]

The soul recognizes and surrenders; I allow the eternal creative word of the power of the sun to rise within her in a flowing stream; she guides its flight to the heights of wisdom and devotion.

S.S. [Spiritus secundus]

The spirit loves dissolving the universe; I speak my eternal word of creation in the spirit, awakening and redeeming the world in purity; it flows calmly in the heights of eternal light.

S.P. [Spiritus primus]

K.A.P.[Konx Aum Pax]⁴

The Rose Cross Conclusion, old version

Note sheet archive number 6977

The stones are mute – I have placed and hidden the eternal creative word in them; chaste and modest, they conceal it.

anaramaya

The plants are alive – I have let the eternal creative word of solar power flow in them; they carry it down.

pranamaya

The animals feel - and want - I have shaped the eternal creative word within them so that it is alive; they shape it in the depths.

Man thinks and acts - I let the eternal creative word within him rejoice and suffer as it springs forth; he gives it life in the depths.

manomaya

The soul recognizes and surrenders – I allow the eternal creative word to arise in her, streaming; she guides its flight to the heights of wisdom and devotion.

vijnanamaya

The spirit loves, detaching itself from everything – I speak my eternal word of creation in the spirit, awakening and redeeming the world in purity; it flows calmly in the heights of eternal light.

anandamaya

Atman

Regarding the Sanskrit terms:
anaramaya [probably annarasamaya] literally: made of solid and liquid food
pranamaya literally made of life force
manomaya literally made of mind
vijnanamaya literally made of consciousness
anandamaya literally made of bliss

The Rose Cross conclusion, draft.

Note sheet archive number 6976

Muteness becomes speech – I let my eternal word of creation whisper in the silence – I take it, keeping it chaste and modest in my heart.

Life and growth fall silent – I let my eternal creative word flow soundlessly through them; they carry it upwards in a chaste way.

Feeling and willing grow without desire – I let my eternal creative word dwell in them; it shall shine through their transparent cover.

Thinking and acting, feeling and willing – I let my eternal creative word shine in them; they are to shape it into spirit substance.

Recognizing and surrender, thinking and acting – I let my eternal creative word become divine in them – they are to lead me into life.

I am – I – The creative Word rests in me;

the insubstantiality creates itself as a boundary.

Aum

The version of the words spoken at the three altars that has been in use since 1913.

According to the transcript of a participant

East

In the service of Michael, it behooves me to remind you, my sisters and brothers, to pay attention to his holy sign. In a meaningful time on earth, you received its sacred meaning. From this you know that it tells you how the exalted name of God sounds in the innermost part of your being. The sound of the sacred sign encompasses the exalted mysteries of the worlds.

What has become your teaching from the East will strengthen Michael's power within you.

What has been given to you as a spiritual word in the holy sign shall become the essence of your own being.

The path of the holy sign from the altar of the East has been laid upon your heart; inscribe the word that will then be spoken to you...

South

In the service of Michael, it is my duty to call you, my sisters and brothers, to work. What the laborer building the temple of humanity calls beauty may inspire my mission. You are to do work on the building that sees its building blocks in your hearts, its connecting links in well-measured thoughts, and its putty in the power of will. Look at the world around you, whose life moves your hearts, whose wisdom trains your thoughts, whose solar powers nourish your will. All this is a beautiful expression of hidden spirit beings. Absorb within yourself the forces of these beings and it will flow outwards as beauty, which lives within you.

The path to this beauty was laid out for you by our great master of the altar of the east; inscribe the word that will then be spoken to you.

West

In the service of Michael, it is my duty to dismiss you, my sisters and brothers, from work. May the strength of the laborer in the building of the temple of humanity inspire my commission. Let the work you have learned take effect when you leave the gates of this temple for the outer life.

Let what flows from your hearts into humanity shape hearts into building blocks for the great temple. Let your thoughts bring forth connecting links for this structure. And out of your will shall flow that which can cement the stones of this building. Do only that which comes from the authenticity of your heart, to which the care of your thoughts has led you, to which the strength of your will has steeled you.

You yourselves will become an image of your archetype through this, and the strength will come from you that shapes the world.

The path to this strength was laid out for you by our great Master of the Altar of the East; inscribe yourselves in the word that will then be spoken to you...

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