Woman clothed with the sun

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Fifth apocalyptic seal
William Blake: The Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun (c. May 1803)

The virgin or woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars is a motif depicted in the 12th chapter of the Apocalypse of John. This imaginative picture can be read in multiple, interrelated nuances. Roughly speaking, it stands for the Christ-power, the macrocosmic I, which is conceived in the virginal pure soul-power of the sun and descends to earth, which is also the abode of the adversaries, to incarnate in a human body. This image is also shown on the fifth apocalyptic seal, which was made by Clara Rettich according to Rudolf Steiner's design.

Meister Eckhart, in his "Sermon on the Virgin who was a Woman", speaks of a "little castle" in the soul, the veiled sanctuary of the virgin soul, in which the Christ is conceived:

„Now take heed and watch carefully! If man were always a virgin, no fruit would come from him. If he is to be fruitful, it is necessary that he be a woman. "Woman" is the noblest name that can be given to the soul, and is much nobler than "virgin". That man receives God in himself is good, and in this receptivity he is a virgin. But that God should become fruitful in him, that is better; for the fruitfulness of the gift alone is gratitude for the gift, and there the spirit is a woman in the re-birthing gratitude where it gives birth to Jesus again in God's fatherly heart [...]

That we may thus be a "little castle" in which Jesus may arise and be conceived and remain in us forever in the way I have said, God help us. Amen.“

– Meister Eckhart: Sermon on the Virgin who was a Woman[1]

The woman clothed with the sun is pursued by the great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, which corresponds to the Luciferic dragon, the ancient serpent, who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. The great red dragon is brought down to earth by Michael and his hosts.

Literature
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.

References

  1. ↑ Translated from: Meister Eckhart: Predigt von der Jungfrau die ein Weib war; cf. also: Intravit Iesus in quoddam castellum on www.eckhart.de
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