A ROSARY MEDITATION based on a prayer by Vanentine Tomberg, as modified by Robert Powell by Bruce Kirchoff Valentine Tomberg (1900-1973)1 was

a Russian occultist and a member of the Anthroposophical Society. In 1940 he left the Society and began a process that would result in his alignment with the Catholic Church. Although not officially connected to the Church, he sought to renew its esoteric traditions as a way of stimulating its Soul. Robert Powell encountered Tombergs work when he was asked to translate the book Meditations on the Tarot, which was written in French for anonymous publication following Tombergs death. In his series of lectures on Sophia (The Sophia Teachings2), Powell relates a prayer originally written by Tomberg, The Little Rosary Prayer. This prayer is related to seven I AM statements of Christ. Following Tomberg, Powell links each of Christs statements to one of the Charkas (lotus flowers)3. The seven I AM statements with their associated chakras are: 1) I AM the resurrection and the life. thousand petaled lotus at the top of the head (Crown Chakra) 2) "I AM the light of the world." - two petaled lotus on the brow, between the eyes (Brow Chakra) 3) "I AM the good shepherd." sixteen petaled lotus at the throat (Throat Chakra) 4) "I AM the bread of life." - twelve petaled lotus at the center of the chest (Heart Charka) 5) "I AM the door, the entrance, and the exit." - ten petaled lotus near the solar plexus (Solar Plexus Chakra) 6) "I AM the way, the truth, and the life." - six petaled lotus near the center of the body (Sacral Charka) 7) "I AM the true vine." four petaled lotus at the base of the spine (Root Chakra) Powell suggests that these statements be repeated in this order as part of the prayer reproduced below. When used in mediation, this sequence moves the meditants attention from the crown of the head to the base of the spine. Although this method of using the prayer is more suitable for those on a western esoteric path than is the sequence that moves attention from the base of the spine to top of the head, it is still not optimal. I will expand on this statement below, but first I want to reproduce the Prayer in the form that Powell gives it. Repeat the bold text seven times, inserting a subsequent I AM statement of the Christ with each repetition. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women, And blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus Christ, who speaks: 1) I AM the resurrection and the life. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, now and in the hour of our death. 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) I AM the light of the world. I AM the good shepherd. I AM the bread of life. I AM the door, the entrance, and the exit. I AM the way, the truth, and the life. I AM the true vine.

This mediation can be brought in line with Steiners description of the modern western path of initiation by changing the sequence of I AM statements. The associations with the chakras seem correct to me, and should be retained. This association is one of Tombergs significant achievements. The reason for changing the sequence is twofold. First, direct work on the thousand and four petaled lotus flowers is not part of a modern western path. This is reflected in the fact that Steiner does not mention these chakras. See Powell, R. 1986. Valentin Tomberg - A Talk By Robert Powell. [Available: http://www.vermontel.com/~vtsophia/powinter.htm] for a brief account of Tombergs life. 2 Powell, R. 2003. The Sophia Teachings. Sounds True Recordings. 3 See chapter 6 of Steiner, R. 1904/1994. How to Know Higher Worlds. Anthroposophic Press. Hudson, NY for a description of five of the chakras. Steiner does not mention the thousand or four petaled lotus flowers.
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If work with these chakras is to be included in a path of development, it is best if this work occurs the other chakras have been developed and brought into motion. The fact that the Little Rosary Prayer has a strong link to Christ mitigates this necessity, but does not remove it. Because of the connection with Christ it is possible to include work with these chakras in the Little Rosary Meditation. The second reason for changing the order of the I AM statements concerns the sequence of conscious development of the chakras. As mentioned above, this sequence is generally from above to below. However, the initial stages of the development of the chakras are not consciously available to the student. The first stage involves the use of thought concentration exercises to develop a spiritual center in the head.4 Although these exercises are done in full consciousness, the student is not aware of their effects until later in his development. The initial concentration exercises are purely thought exercises. They do not work directly with the chakras as does the Little Rosary. This mediation should not be used as an initial concentration exercise. It is only intended for a later state of development. The fist awareness a student has that his or her spiritual experiences are linked to the movement of the chakras comes when the center that was formed in the head has moved to the region of the heart. This is the beginning of the development of the Heart Center. At this stage the student begins to gain conscious control of the movement of the currents that emanate from the Heart Chakra, and can begin to consciously work on the development of the other lotus flowers. Thus, conscious experience starts with the movement of the spiritual center to the region of the twelve petaled lotus in the region of the heart. It does not begin with the thousand or even the two petaled lotus flower. For these reasons, it is best to begin the Little Rosary with the I AM saying associated with the Heart Chakra (I AM the good shepherd). From there, work proceeds to the Throat Chakra, then the Brow Chakra, followed by the Solar Plexus Chakra, ten and four petaled lotus flowers, and finally ends with the thousand petaled lotus at the top of the head. The suitably revised prayer is give below. Repeat the bold text seven times, inserting a subsequent I AM statement of the Christ with each repetition. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women, And blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus Christ, who speaks: 1) "I AM the bread of life." - Heart Chakra Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, now and in the hour of our death. Amen 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) "I AM the good shepherd." Throat Chakra "I AM the light of the world." - Brow Chakra "I AM the door, the entrance, and the exit." - Solar Plexus Chakra "I AM the way, the truth, and the life." - Solar Plexus Chakra "I AM the true vine." Root Chakra I AM the resurrection and the life. Crown Chakra

See How to Know Higher Worlds, chapter 6.