In the words of the Michaelmas epistle we hear of being led to higher divining.

Mundane divining (or divination) is a process that leads into the realm of the unknown and unseen. A water diviner takes the divining rods and detects the subtle emanations that indicate the presence of water beneath the ground. Traditionally, divination seeks to detect subtle signs that indicate the presence of something not otherwise detectable. This may often be aimed at ‘divining’ the future.

When, in the course of the year, we come to the festival of the Archangel Michael, we hear that this being is he who would lead us to a higher divining – a divining of the central deed of all existence – the Deed of Life and Death on Golgotha. We hear that through the elevation of our divining, the Deed of Christ works on in earthly man. Mediated and led by Michael we play an essential part in the working onwards of the Mystery of Golgotha. What and how can this be?

Systems of divination have normally employed some form of device or tool: Divining rods, entrails, tea leaves, playing cards, and so on. We can very easily grasp that divining in this sense is strongly connected to the mundane – to the material earthly side of things, in fact, very easily it enters the realm of egotism. What would we employ for a higher divining that could reach to the highest – that in fact could become a truly ‘divine’ action carried out by human beings acting in purity? At Michaelmas we receive the answer. It is the human heart pulsing within the soul, streamed through with vitalised blood. It is the inner sun of the self that receives the Christ-Sun.

The Archangel Michael draws from us, that latent heart’s power which springs forth freely in service to the Spirit. Michaelmas is an experience of the heart, – a strengthening of the heart, in service to the Mystery of Christ. And this human heart brings forth a knowing-divining which can bear light into earth darkness, so that the Divine can shine even upon the earth. The heart becomes a divining vessel, – a divine vessel, which pulses with and for the living Christ.

At Michaelmas, we can receive a powerful awakening and quickening of the heart that can truly bear the courage that is needed in our times, and lovingly reach in ‘divining-knowing’ to the light of the Spirit – that the Spirit may increasingly shine into the very depths of humanity.

Posted by Kevin Coffey