The Foundation Stone
The Foundation Stone verse was given by Rudolf Steiner for the re-founding of the Anthroposophical Society, at the Christmas Conference held at Dornach, Switzerland in 1923/1924.
Steiner spoke a first version during the conference and published a second, slightly different one a few days afterwards. The following translation is based on the latter, written German version.
As a meditation, the Foundation Stone offers powerful insights into the human being and the being of the world.
We hope you enjoy working with it.
THE FOUNDATION STONE
Rudolf Steiner, 13 January 1924
Human soul!
You live within the limbs,
Which bear you through the world of space
Into the being of the spirit sea:
Practice spirit remembering
In depths of soul,
Where in the reigning
World creator being
Arises
Your own self
In the self of God;
And you will truly live
In the being of human worlds.
For there reigns the Father Spirit of the heights
Creating being in the depths of worlds;
O Spirits of Power
Let resound from the heights
What finds an echo in the depths;
This speaks:
Humanity is born of the divine.
The spirits hear this in east, west, north, south:
May human beings hear it.
Human soul!
You live within the beat of heart and lung,
Which leads you through the rhythm of time
Into the feeling of your own soul being:
Practice spirit contemplating
In balance of soul,
Where the surging
World becoming deeds
Unite
Your own self
With the world self;
And you will truly feel
In the working of human souls.
For there reigns the Christ Will round about
Blessing souls in worldly rhythms;
O Spirits of Light
Let be fired from the east
What is formed through the west;
This speaks:
In Christ death becomes life.
The spirits hear this in east, west, north, south:
May human beings hear it.
Human soul!
You live within the resting head,
Which opens to you from timeless grounds
The thoughts of the world:
Practice spirit envisioning
In peace of thought,
Where from the gods’ eternal aims
World being light
Is given
To your own self
For free willing;
And you will truly think
In the grounds of human spirit.
For there reign the world thoughts of Spirit
Pleading for light within world being;
O Spirits of Soul
Let be implored from the depths
What is granted in the heights;
This speaks:
In spirit’s world thoughts the soul awakens.
The spirits hear this in east, west, north, south:
May human beings hear it.
At the turning point of time
The world spirit light
Stepped into the earthly stream of being;
Darkness of night
Ceased to reign;
Day bright light
Rayed within human souls;
A light
That warms
The hearts of poor shepherds;
A light
That enlightens
The heads of wise kings.
Divine light,
Christ sun,
Warm
Our hearts;
Enlighten
Our heads;
That good may be,
What
From our hearts we found,
What
From our heads we lead
With will.
Translated by T. Michael Cox, revised 3 January 2022. Get the PDF version here.
The original German version was published in Die Konstitution der Allgemeinen Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft und der Freien Hochschule für Geisteswissenschaft. Der Wiederaufbau des Goetheanum (GA260a), 1987, Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach, pp. 34-36.
