Book of Revelation Gemstones- Jasper

Jasper, the first of the twelve gemstones, consists mainly of silicic acid. In fact, the whole circle of apocalyptic gemstones is, chemically, composed either of silicic acid or silicates, i.e. combinations of silicic acid. What is the character of silicic acid? It is the main component (60%) of the earth’s rocks, especially of the continents. That means that it provides, unselfishly, the foundation on which we stand, walk and live. On the other hand the purest form of silicic acid, rock-crystal, is of such a high transparency that even ultraviolet rays pass through. In the technical sense, mankind has learnt to use this unselfish transparency of silicic acid to produce glass from quartz sands. 

It is significant that unselfishness is the basic feature of the twelve gemstones. In jasper the pure silicic acid is colored by extremely fine grained particles of iron oxide. Iron is the bearer of the ego force in human blood, oxygen is the life substance. It might be concluded that in jasper we have that kind of unselfishness which is permeated with and borne by ego-force, the kind of unselfishness which is found in the life and work of the greatest artists. It is the unwavering condition of creative work. Strikingly, jasper is one of the two gemstones which characterize the highest divine being in chapter four of the apocalypse: “A throne stood there in heaven and one who sat on the throne. His appearance blazed like jasper and carnelian. And a rainbow shining like emerald encircled the throne.”

Jasper is totally opaque. In the circle of the twelve gemstones there are six opaque, or nearly untransparent, and six totally translucent rocks, the opaque always facing a translucent one. The translucent gemstones are, in a sense are more connected with thinking, the opaque with the forces of the will. Each two opposite gemstones are, in a sense, complementary in their qualities. Between the two may arise for our inner eye a congenial quality which is connected with realm of feeling.
- Dr. Simon van der Heide

Clothed with the Sun, a Crown of Twelve Stars upon her Head

The great vision in the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation where the woman appears clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars upon her head, is a prelude of a coming event: the celestial Jerusalem descending from heaven. The New Jerusalem consists of gold (“clothed with the sun”), each of its entrances is made out of one pearl (“the moon under her feet”), its surrounding wall rest on twelve foundation stones adorned with the twelve gemstones (“a crown of twelve stars upon her head”).

The correlation between stars and gemstones is an indication of the high spiritual level we are confronted with when dealing with gemstones. It is the level which may appear before our inner eye when we look at the essential differences between human beings, animals, plants and rocks. The human being has its ego on earth. In animals we may observe a wisdom far greater than ours, but there is a complete lack of personal responsibility: the ego of the animals, their wise group soul, is in the astral world. In the plants we have before us pure life forces, gently touched by astrality in the flowering processes. The astral body of the plants is in the astral world. The plants’ ego is in a still higher world, the lower Devachan. Finally, in the crystal we may have the feeling that a shade of life processes is around it at the moment of crystallization. The etheric part of the crystals is in the astral word, the astral “body” in the lower Devachan, the ego in the higher Devachan.

The feeling that the physical appearance of crystals is connected with spiritual beings of a very high level, may account for the magical attraction which gemstones have had throughout human history. Modern spiritual approach should bear this in mind.

- Dr. Simon van der Heide

Opening Prayers for Group Spiritual Study

Requisites: Flowers, Candles & Bell


At the beginning of the meeting:

• Ring Bell

A PRAYER FOR THE WORK

Beloved Christ, Master to all great teachers in the World,

We beseech Your Presence and commit all learning to Your Care and Direction,

We come to you today in prayer to ask for Your Guidance, in these our efforts.

Too often have we erred with false judgment,
And many times prone to sweet deceptions,
Still yet we are eager to become as perfect men and women!
We pray that we shall not be dissuaded from this,
But hold fast to Your Promise, Your Vision, which You defend.
And we shall be your champions also -
Defying doubt and the guiles of false logic.

Let those who protest the glory of men
Suffer their visions affecting no other;
Until such a time that we pray will arrive,
When they exhaust their improvisations
And come to You Dear Christ, again.

Lord, Your Sweet Breath enters this very room,
The same Breath which spins orbs upon their axes,
And moves with such might,
A might that will inflict no harm.
May we come to learn of the Mysteries of this;
And cheerfully repel the insults of all great and meagre contestants.

Amen

We ask today that the surrounding and immediate ethers be cleansed, that that they might be in accordance with those aspects most suitable to wholesome, healthy, enlightening discourse, meditation or prayer - that the atmosphere be relieved and be unencumbered.

Amen

- B.Hive

I call down upon the labors of this group, the power and the grace and the love of those Masters of Wisdom who guide and direct the work we perform in brotherhood within such groups. I call down the grace and the power and the love of the Masters of Wisdom who are directly connected with the forces of the higher hierarchies. May there be with this group the spirit of good that is in you, great Masters of Wisdom, and may there also prevail and work in this group the true spirit of the Movement!

-Rudolf Steiner

• Prayer: We invite and offer thanksgivings, both silently and openly to the Masters, and our friends who also join us today. We are in gratitude to those authors, whose work we study. We pray that our will is pure and that which is given is given in the name of Christ.

• Divine knowledge surges in 3X

• We now ask for silence.

• Ring Bell.
  
  -B.Hive
  

364 Holy Nights Presents

With all the presents we receive during the Holy Nights, we have provisions for each of the days of the next year:

How many presents were there?

Day by Day:
1 + 3 + 6 + 10 + 15 + 21 + 28 + 36 + 45 + 55 + 66 + 78 = 364 presents

Which is really interesting when you think there are 365 days in a typical year!

Interesting symmetry in the total number of each present:

12 Partridges (12 days x 1)
22 Turtle Doves (11 days x 2)
30 French Hens (10 days x 3)
36 Calling Birds (9 days x 4)
40 Gold Rings (8 days x 5)
42 Geese Laying (7 days x 6)
42 Swans swimming (6 days x 7)
40 Maids a Milking (5 days x 8)
36 Ladies dancing (4 days x 9)
30 Lords a Leaping (3 days x 10)
22 Pipers Piping (2 days x 11)
12 Drummers drumming (1 day x 12)

https://www.mathsisfun.com/puzzles/12-days-of-christmas-solution.html

As is the Water-dish, so is the Soul

Illustration designed by the Earl of Shaftesbury; frontispiece to volume 1,  The Characteristicks of Men, Manners, and Opinion (1737)

What view you take is everything, and your view is in your power. Remove it then when you choose, and then, as if you had rounded the cape, come calm serenity, a waveless bay.

- Marcus Aurelius

As is the water-dish, so is the soul; as is the ray which falls on the water, so are the appearances. When then the water is moved the ray too seems to be moved, yet is not. And when, accordingly, a man is giddy, it is not the arts and the virtues which are thrown into confusion, but the spirit to which they belong; and when he is recovered so are they.

- Epictetus