[Long ago, while humanity was passing through the Age of Atlantis, Satan, known as Satanel, was also an exalted being who severed his relationship with the divine hierarchies. He wished to control his own world and the earth by controlling the free will of humanity. His means of gaining power over humanity and the earth was, is and will be to try and gain control of the Divine Omniscient Intelligence. This Intelligence, however, has been entrusted to Michael the archangel. In the spiritual sphere of the sun, a great battle was waged between Michael and the Dragon. Michael had defeated Satanel and he then became Satan as he was no longer ‘of God’ (-el). At the time of the Atlantean Age he was cast to the etheric realm of the earth and was then later cast into sub-earthly spheres after the Michael-Satan battle in the etheric realm between 1841 to 1879.

     The year 1879 marked the beginning of the Age of Michael but it also marked the time when Satan or Ahriman {as he is called in Anthroposophy; the name ‘Ahriman’ is taken from the Ancient Persians who recognized him as the antitheses of Ahura Mazdao (the Christ)} will rise to greater power in the world. The world will be cast into materialism and gradually driven from spirituality such as the world has never seen before. Satan will cast his mark upon the foreheads of humans in their thinking and he will cast his mark upon their hands through their deeds. It is only by opening the soul to the inspirations of Michael that will enable humanity to overcome Satan (Ahriman). The inspirations of Michael will nurture the soul that will give it the power to be filled by the Life and Light of the Christ. To overcome the forces and influences of Satan humanity must align itself with the forces of Michael. Michael is in constant battle with the forces of Satan and is constantly slaying these forces.]

     Rosenkreutz moves to the window and looks out into the night. The sky is again perfectly clear with the brightness of the full-moon and stars. The wind is quiet and still. Rosenkreutz is unaware the he is about to see the Cosmic sword of Michael that slays the powers of the Dragon. As he looks out into the night sky he sees a falling meteor streaking across the sky leaving a golden-blue trail of light behind it. The outside scenery is immediately adorned with this light. This is the power of Michael that manifests itself in the physical realm. This is the power that defeats Satan. It is these same forces in the blood of humanity that can overcome Satan.

     [During the summer months the earth passes through a sulphurizing process. Sulphur vapors rise in the atmosphere. In the blood of humans, the blood is constantly sulphurizing. In this sulphurizing process, Ahriman (as Rudolf Steiner calls Satan in Anthroposophy) and his beings are very active in the sulphur. During the summer when the sulphur activity is peaking their influences are on the rise. However at the end of summer and at the beginning of autumn there are meteoric showers in the atmosphere of the earth. These meteors contain iron that nullify the sulphurizing of the atmosphere. This iron was the spiritual power of Michael that condescended into physical manifestation. It is the same spiritual essence in the iron of the blood that enables us to nullify the processes of sulphur that is in our own blood. This gives us the capacity to prevail over the influences of Ahriman.

     It is the spiritual essence within the iron of the blood that gives us the strength of will and courage which is of Michael. Since Ahriman was cast down to the sub-earthly realms from the etheric realms of the earth in the late 1800’s, he then took mineral iron as his means of distorting its spiritually Michaelic essence. He used the physical aspects of it to dramatically increase the industrial, technical age. The great material advancements of the world at that time up to the latest advancements of the world today have derived from Ahriman’s control of the earthly essence of iron and that human technology and industry increased dramatically through the manipulation of earthly minerals. As we become increasingly steeped in materialism, we become more exposed to the powers of Ahriman. We come to see, desire and understand only the physical world. Our intellect is increasingly in danger of turning away from that which is spiritual. This present age is the Age of Michael, but it is also the age of Ahriman’s greatest influence upon us and the world. This is why Michaelmas is a significant and important festival, and why it is celebrated at this time of the year; September 28.]