"We are on a mission. We are called upon to educate the earth."
NOVALIS was born in 1772. He was considered a poet, author, mystic and philosopher of Early German Romanticism. He died at the early age of 28 but he left behind in his "Philosophical Writings" what is truly one of the most significant artistic works of all time.
Novalis was the second child of 11, born to a noble yet not rich family. He was often short of money and would either ride a small horse or simply had to walk.
When Novalis was around 23 years old he fell in love with and became engaged to 13 year old Sophie von Kühn despite her family’s reluctance and that she was already ill with tuberculosis. She sadly died just two years later when she was 15 and the two had not yet married. 25 year old Novalis was obviously heavily affected by this death.
Novalis was deeply informed of many things and had attended a leading academy of science to study geology but also immersed himself in studies including mining, mathematics, chemistry, biology, history and philosophy.
He collected everything he had learned, drew various connections and meditated upon these things in order to compile an encyclopedic overview on art, religion, and science.
Whether people believe that his works were finished or not - it was in the fragmented and seemingly incomplete notes for these projects that he actually hid the projects themselves (which in many ways was a new and invented art form).
A mystical world view, a high standard of education, and spiritual influences are combined in his works in an attempt to reach a new concept of faith and God. He aligned these with his own view of transcendental philosophy which acquired the name “Magical Idealism”.
This is where the subject strives to conform the external, natural world to its own will and genius; hence the term “magical”.
To “conform the external, natural world to our own will and genius” is the very central key to absolute enlightenment and total liberation.
As a true Romantic he also demonstrated a “strong belief in freedom of expression and emotion without any fear of ridicule or controversy.”
For example, Novalis was very much known throughout his life to adore the works of Goethe, in particular his personal favorite novel “Wilhelm Meister”. Later in his fragments he heavily criticizes this same work and calls it unpoetical - which is a complete contradiction to what he writes and demonstrates elsewhere.
He in fact intentionally gave the wrong impression of his dislike for that novel in order to create an emotional response, and clue the careful reader into other and deeper insights.
As a true Romantic he even stood out from the other Romantics themselves by leading a new way which combined both rationalism and intuition in a way that guided both types of people to the hidden understandings of one another.
Instead of simply avoiding the real world all together he found a way in which to transform the individual from within so that the “real world” would entirely transform for that individual, and they could function in their own version of reality while seeing the value in all things around them which were previously seemingly “commonplace”.
He went against even the standard “rules” of Romanticism, leading his own new and revolutionary way - thus becoming an even truer Romantic than the Romantics themselves.
He found a way to unite all things, to bring us each back into a state of oneness and to then comprehend God through everyday experience - which is one of the reasons why his book of hidden instruction is a true bible. Throughout the entire book (called "Philosophical Writings") he talks to both intellectuals and intuitives, and it is therefore quite possible to approach his book from either of these perspectives.
As long as the individual has a semi-open mind he will lead you through one perspective into the opposite until the whole is entirely comprehended and spiritual liberation occurs.
His writings are truly interactive, yet one has to be extremely observant and open to the spiritual insights of hidden worlds to begin to tap in to their secret meanings.
In the words of Graham Brown “Novalis himself wrote that he felt it necessary to develop a symbolic philosophical language for the purpose of protecting his deepest insights from those incapable of respecting them.”
Graham Brown also stated and asked the question that“It has been argued that only Goethe and Holderlin, among his contemporaries, were of comparable stature [to Novalis] - so why has his work been almost entirely overlooked by the English speaking world? ”
The answer to this question is due to the way in which his words have been cleverly veiled with certain keys required to comprehend their mysteries being lost to any surface readers.
In one of his works entitled “Faith and Love or the King and Queen” he explains this concept: “Many people have thought that in speaking about delicate, easily abused subjects one should use learned language, for example, one should write in Latin about things of that kind. It would depend on seeing whether one could not speak in the ordinary national language so that only he who was meant to understand it could understand. Every true secret must of itself exclude the profane. Whoever understands it is of himself, by right, an initiate. ”
This is what he achieved: writing his deepest secrets in the most common language so that it was only visible to those who had the eyes to see it.
He then adds: “The more contrast in its forms, the greater the pleasure in recognition” .
This “pleasure of recognition” is something that each person who begins to experience his works as intended (especially when finding new mysteries waiting especially just for YOU) - will comprehend with great satisfaction and delight.
He also says: “One finds what one loves everywhere” for once you have discovered the key to interpretation, you will literally realize that there is not a single word that he ever wrote into his "Philosophical Writings" which does not conceal a higher mystery awaiting your spiritual discovery.This begins to apply to our own lives at the same time, as it all reflects.
His works are a true concealed bible awaiting the deepest and most wonderful discoveries.
Through the studying and understanding of the deepest principles of Romanticism one may actually arrive at an entire transformation from the inside out, so that the external world which may once have had power over us will now be held under our dominion and we shall change all that we see and experience through having gained total power over our own senses and perceptions/interpretations.
"It is only because of the weakness of our organs and of our contact with ourselves that we do not discover ourselves to be in a fairy world. All fairy tales are only dreams of that familiar world of home which is everywhere and nowhere. The higher powers in us, which one day will carry out our will like genies, are now muses that refresh us with sweet memories along this arduous path." - Novalis
Novalis's "Philosophical Writings" is a book that will change and modify itself before our very eyes so that we gain a deeper understanding of things which were previously hidden to us - thus enabling us with exciting revelations awaiting our souls in a form we are generally unused to receiving.
In the words of Novalis: “Philosophy cannot bake bread - but it can bring us God, Freedom, and Immortality.”
A true philosopher may yet later wake with great revelation in the night to loudly proclaim: "Ah! So philosophy CAN bake bread!"
In another text by Novalis called “Henry of Ofterdingen”, when speaking on poetry he writes: “It is a noble art to which you would devote yourself completely once you acquired a knowledge of it.”
He continues:"The poets are supposed to have been at once prophets and priests, lawgivers and doctors, and by their magical arts drew from the sky even the higher beings who instructed them in the secrets of the future and revealed to them the symmetry and natural disposition of all things and the inner virtues and healing powers of numbers, plants, and all creatures."
The book "PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS" compiles multiple fragments and works by Novalis, many which were published after his death. These were translated and edited from German by Margaret Mahony StoljarIt. The study of this text leads one directly to secret mysteries.
