The Foundation Stone Meditation

by Rudolf Steiner

Translated by Daisy Aldan

Spoken by Rudolf Steiner on the last day (January 1, 1924) of the Christmas Conference, during which the Anthroposophical Society was re-founded in Dornach, Switzerland.

Human Soul!
You live within the limbs,
Which bear you through the world of space
Into the Spirit-Ocean-Being:
Live remembering Spirit
In soul-depths,
Where in majestic sway
Of World-Creator-Being
Your own I
In God’s I
Is begotten:
And you will live truly
In the Being of the Human World.

For there reigns the Father-Spirit of Heights
In World-depths, creating life.
You Spirits of Force
Let from the heights resound
What in the depths an echo finds;
This speaks:
Of the Divine is Humanity born.
This hear the Spiritual Beings in East, West, North, South:
May human beings hear it!

Human Soul!
You live in the heart-lung throbbing,
Which guides you through the time-rhythm
Into the feeling of your own soul’s being:
Live meditating on Spirit
In soul equanimity,
Where the surging
World-evolving acts
Your own I With cosmic I
Unite;
And you will feel truly
In Human-Soul-Creating.

For there reigns the Christ will in the earth-sphere
In Cosmic rhythm gracing souls.
You Light-Spirits
Let from the East ignite
What through the West takes form:
This speaks:
In the Christ, death becomes life.
This hear the Spiritual Beings in East, West, North, South:
May human beings hear it.

Human Soul!
You live in the reposing head
Which out of eternal springs
Unfolds for you Cosmic thoughts:
Live with Spirit-Vision
In thought’s tranquillity,
Where the eternal goals of Gods
Grant
Cosmic-Beings’-Light
To your own I
For free willing;
And you will think truly
Out of founts of Human-Spirit.

For there reign the Spirit-Cosmic-Thoughts
In the World-Being, Light imploring.
You Soul-Spirits
Let from the depths be prayed for
What from the heights is granted:
This speaks:
In the Spirit’s Cosmic Thoughts
The soul awakens.
This hear the Spiritual Beings in East, West, North, South:
May human beings hear it.

At time’s turning point
The Cosmic Spirit-Light entered
Into earthly life-stream.
Night-darkness
Had ended reign.
Day-bright Light
Rayed within human souls.
Light
Which warms
The simple shepherd-hearts,
Light
Which enlightens
The wise heads of Kings.

Godly Light
Christ-Sun
Warm
Our hearts
Enlighten
Our heads
That good may become
What we
From hearts found
What we
From heads
Direct with single will.

About the Translator

Daisy Aldan is a prize-winning American poet and translator whose works include several volumes of original poems; two anthologies which she edited, and translations from the German of Selected Poems of Albert Steffen; The Death Experience of Manes, a five-act play in verse by Albert Steffen; The Calendar of the Soul by Rudolf Steiner, and from the French, the only authorized translation of A Throw of the Dice (Un Coup de Dés) by Stéphane Mallarmé, among others. She is a member of P. E. N. and has been on the executive board of the Poetry Society of America.

^{Source: Rudolf Steiner Archive}