About the Seal of ISAN

The serpent has always been the symbol of the self that does not remain within itself, but in selflessness can absorb the divine, can sacrifice itself; that humbly, selflessly gathers earthly wisdom by crawling around in the "clefts of the earth", that ascends to the divine by not unfolding egoism and vanity, but by seeking to make itself similar to the divine. The serpent in its selfless striving absorbs the gold of wisdom, it permeates itself completely with the gold and thereby it becomes luminous from within. It becomes luminous as the self becomes when it has worked its way up to the stage of inspiration where the human being has become inwardly luminous, full of light, and light flows towards light. The snake noticed that it had become transparent and luminous. For a long time she had been assured that this appearance was possible. If it was green before, now it is luminous. The snake is green because it is in sympathy with the beings around it, with all of nature. Where this sympathy lives, the aura appears in light green shades. Green is the colour in which the aura of man appears when predominantly selfless, devoted striving lives in the soul. Now that it has become luminous even from within, the serpent sees; before it groped only in its striving endeavour. All leaves shine with emerald, all flowers are transfigured in the most glorious way. She sees all things in a new, transfigured light. Things appear so luminous and emerald-coloured to us when the spirit flows out of them towards us, when light flows towards light.

Now that it has become luminous, now that it has absorbed the higher divine nature, it also finds its way to the subterranean temple. (Lit.: Rudolf Steiner, GA 053, p. 342f)