---
ga: 44
title: "The Portal of Initiation"
words: 445
---
# The Portal of Initiation

Rudolf Steiner repeatedly pointed out the connection between Goethe's “fairy tale” of the green snake and the beautiful lily and the Rosicrucian mystery “The Portal of Initiation.” In the first draft, this connection is evident in the numerous names of characters from Goethe's fairy tale. However, in subsequent drafts, the characters are given individual names. The correspondences are as follows:

Lily — Mary  
Human — Johannes Thomasius  
1st Will-o'-the-wisp — Capesius  
2nd Will-o'-the-wisp — Strader  
King of Will — Romanus  
The Man with the Lamp — Felix Balde  
King of Feeling — Theodosius

Snake — The other Maria  
The wife of the man with the lamp — Felicia Balde  
1st Girl — Philia  
2nd Girl — Astrid  
3rd Girl — Luna  
Giant — German  
Canary — Child

Also:  
Hierophant — Benedictus  
Macrocosm — The Spirit of the Elements  
Man — Estella  
Woman — Sophia

#### First Scenario

1. Introductory scene. Room  
A woman and her visitor

2. Room decorated in the Rosicrucian style  
The interlocutors

3. Rock scenery  
Human being

4. Scene  
between Hierophant and Lily

5. Scene  
between Lily and Human being

#### Second Scenario

1. Room  
Woman - Visit

2. Rosicrucian union room  
Conversations

3. Nature scene  
Human being

4. Rosicrucian meditation room  
a) Lily - Hierophant  
b) Lily - Human being  
c) Human - Hierophant

5. The nature scene, in a different color tone  
Appears:  
Lucifer as representative of personal  
nature;  
disappears.

Unknown spirit being,  
The two will-o'-the-wisps,  
The snake

*Underground rock temple*

*Then the nature scene again*  
Conversation: Human with old man

*Scene: Lily, Paradise Garden*  
Lily. Three female companions. Child as a bird  
Above, Somnambule [Theodora] appears as a bird

*Rosicrucian meditation room*  
Human. Monologue

Lily -:  
Hierophant

*Intermezzo*  
The two women from the introductory scene

*Rosicrucian Meditation Room*  
Human being

1. *Lily. Paradise Garden*  
2. *Temple with ceiling as firmament*  
It is evident that personal unity has been abandoned Sacrifice of the serpent

*Rosicrucian Meditation Room*  
Human = Hierophant

*Fiery Abyss*  
Water  
Mist mixed with smoke and fog

Entrance to a cave can be seen; becoming luminous

Rising from the abyss:  
1. Lucifer. “Look ahead” —  
2. Will-o'-the-wisps drifting across the water  
3. Serpent

*Underground temple*

*The natural scenery, but without the Garden of Eden*

[Here the second sketch of the sequence of scenes ends. The following note was found on a piece of scrap paper]:

Giant: unconscious forces  
Young man: human being  
Lily: perfection / state  
Servants  
Hawk / Canary / Pug

[Color specifications: Prelude - Meditation room]

red with a hint of yellow = first room  
red with a hint of pink = second room  
gloomy - dark [area]  
violet [meditation room]