VIII – EXPERIMENTS WITH SILVER NITRATE AND IRON SULPHATE CONDUCTED DURING MICHAELMAS TIME, 1947
The substances used are 1% Iron sulphate and 1% Silver nitrate, equal quantities mixed. We refer to the photographs on Plate No. 3, Figs. 5 and 6, as typical examples for day and night experiments. Michaelmas Day is the 29th September. It marks the time when in nature the forces of plant growth decline, fruits are gathered, and the leaves fall from the trees. Nature prepares to rest and leaves us alone. Again I wish to draw attention to the many lectures Rudolf Steiner has given about the Michael Festival, as a Festival of the Future. Man must prepare himself to be able to celebrate this festival of the year worthily. It has to become a festival of soul-activity, a festival of the courage of our souls.
The experiments with Iron sulphate and Silver nitrate of this time must be judged with the knowledge that they are not behaving normally. This is due to the fact, that two heavenly bodies, one of them connected with our experiments, are soon coming to a conjunction. Mars and Saturn will conjoin in November. This fact we have to bear in mind during all our researches, which are at the same time already a preparation for studying this astronomical event.
Plate 32, Fig. 61, 1% Iron sulphate and 1% Silver nitrate
Plate 32, Fig. 61, 1% Iron sulphate and 1% Silver nitrate equal quantities mixed: Experiment carried out between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the 21st of September: The characteristic arrow-like forms are visible. The top of the picture is strongly coloured by Iron sulphate and would normally show a stronger Silver nitrate activity. The left side is differently formed; the arrows are much more vigorously formed and grouped.But we must attribute this to the position of the various planetary bodies.
Plate 33, Fig. 63
Plate 33, Fig. 63, the same experiment carried out on the 21st September between10 p.m. and 2 a.m. of the 22nd September: Compared with the day experiment, we notice a stronger form of activity; the rising height is considerably increased. At the left side we observe a slight disturbance moving in.
Plate 34, Fig. 65
Plate 34, Fig. 65, the same experiment carried out between 10 p.m., the 27th September and 2 a.m. the 28th September: The difference between the 21st and the 27th September is very great. But in reality, this is the type of experiment to be expected to happen during the night. In a way, we could say, it returns to normal behaviour.In another direction it shows a stronger Iron activity. The whole background of the picture is vividly ochre coloured; the rising height is identical with the one observed between the 21st and 22nd September. The single arrows are much bigger, but look through a veil of superimposed Iron sulphate. The upper part of the picture is mostly yellow coloured, with faint greyish silver lines passing through.
Plate 35, Fig. 67
Plate 35, Fig. 67, the same experiment carried out between 10 p.m. on the 28th and 2 a.m. of the 29th September, i.e., Michaelmas Day. A surprising and most impressive picture! The normal formation of arrows partly fills the lower part; the rising height is still higher than the day before. The upper part is harmoniously worked through from Silver nitrate and Iron sulphate, without forming arrows. It is a soft feathery structure weaving through the whole background and in the centre, inexplicably majestic, a metamorphosis of the arrow. Studying a single arrow, we have the impression that we can clearly define the starting point, the tiny, black spot, which grows upward to the characteristic arrow. Dark shadows underneath the form, make it seem nearly three dimensional ; it looks plastic ; but we are not so sure about where the arrow ends; it becomes lighter and lighter and finally blends into the background. The majestic central form in the experiment on Michaelmas Day is complete. The outer contour envelops completely what has been formed inside. It looks similar to the arrow and we can observe the tiny black spot from which the whole form started to build itself up. Inside appears another arrow from which light seems to exhale. Again this light figure seems enshrined in a beautiful vessel, complete in its exquisite form.
It is, needless to say, that this is to be classified as a “unique” experiment. Never has it happened in this form during all the many years of our study. Each year brings a different revelation. Of what? I can only call it another revelation of “Spirit in Matter.”
Plate 36, Fig. 69
Plate 36, Fig. 69, the same experiment carried out the following day between10 p.m., 29th September and 2 a.m., the 30th September. The substances did not rise as high as on Michaelmas Day, but they reach the same level as on the previous night between the 27th and 28th September. The picture even looks very similar to the one obtained before Michaelmas Day. There is the same vigorous formation of arrows, the same background strongly coloured by Iron sulphate; the upper part of the picture is mostly yellow with fine lines of silver grey interwoven.
Plate 37, Fig. 71
Plate 37, Fig. 71, the same experiment carried out between 10 p.m., the 30th September, and 2 a.m., the 1st October: The Iron has increased its activity and overpowered the silver to a great extent. Only at the bottom the characteristic arrows appear,and they are again much smaller, returning to their normal growth. The rising height has decreased considerably. No external reason is to be found for this phenomenon.Temperature and humidity were the same in the room.