Search results for ""Rudolf Steiner Press""

With the unprecedented global conflict of the First World War as an overarching theme, Rudolf Steiner addresses timeless issues such as the search for harmony between peoples and nations, the development of the human capacity for love, the contemporary presence of Christ, and the questions of reincarnation and life after death.

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Barely four months after the end of the First World War, with Europe in chaos and exhausted from years of conflict, Rudolf Steiner offered these lectures of hope and renewal. Despite continuing social troubles around the world, he knew that human beings had an opportunity to organize society in a new way. Steiner responded to this prospect by giving suggestions for creating innovative social structures that are in harmony with people’s inner needs. Humanity as a whole is now facing a great challenge in that it is ‘crossing the threshold’ to the spiritual world, says Steiner. This means that an evolutionary separation is taking place within the human soul between thinking, feeling and will. For this to happen in a healthy way, the outer make-up of society should mirror and support our internal evolution. Steiner points to the urgent need for ‘threefolding’ – a separation between the workings of culture, economics and politics. This is a subconscious demand, he asserts – not for thinking up cranky ideas within a sect, but for shedding light on what is needed universally! These important lectures cover numerous themes, including the overcoming of class distinctions, the administration of money, technology and capitalism, the antisocial tendency of nationalism, and the future management of international relations.

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In this series of previously-untranslated lectures, Rudolf Steiner describes how myths and legends portray humanity’s most ancient evolutionary and spiritual history. Folklore presents ancient mystical wisdom in the form of stories – clothed in pictures by initiates – that enable individuals to understand their content in a more intellectual form at a later time. Focusing on Greek and Germanic mythology, the lectures in the first part of this volume cover the chronicles of Prometheus, Daedalus and Icarus, Parzival and Lohengrin, the Argonauts and the Odyssey, and the heroic dragon-slayer Siegfried. From these focal points, Rudolf Steiner discusses a variety of themes – from the mysteries of the Druids and the founding of Rome to the esoteric background of Wolfram von Eschenbach; from good and evil and the unjust death sentence on Socrates to the significance of marriage. The second part of this book features lectures on the nature and significance of the musical dramas of Richard Wagner. Wagner’s works, from his earliest attempts to his most mature opera Parsifal, are discussed from spiritual viewpoints. Although Wagner did not have a fully conscious awareness of the deeper meanings of his compositions, Steiner suggests that his shaping of Germanic legends was driven by an instinctive, creative and artistic certainty that accords with deep occult truths.

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This course of lectures was given at a pivotal point in the development of the anthroposophic movement. Just months before, an act of arson had caused the destruction of the first Goetheanum, and its darkened ruins appeared to reflect the fragmentations within the Anthroposophical Society. Divisions were appearing amongst members and friends, with individual energies increasingly routed to external initiatives and practical projects. It became apparent that a new impetus was needed. In this turbulent context, Steiner delivers these lectures in a calm, lively and informal style. In the last decades of the nineteenth century, he says, a yearning for spiritual nourishment arose within Western culture, and organizations such as the Theosophical Society gained in popularity. Despite his direct involvement in these events, Steiner describes in dispassionate tones how the spiritual movements behind theosophy and anthroposophy were able to work together harmoniously, before an unavoidable separation took place. Steiner’s expansive review of the anthroposophic movement is an important narrative account of the developing Western spiritual tradition and the history of the Mysteries. These lectures also offer rare perceptions of the life and philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. Those who identify with the movement he founded will discover revelatory insights to its background and possibilities for its future development within the broader evolution of humankind.

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In an absorbing series of lectures, Rudolf Steiner discloses factors in a person's life on Earth that will influence their experiences in the spiritual world after their death - and conversely, factors in the spiritual world that will affect their next life on Earth. Steiner focuses on the period in the afterlife when the individual has been through kamaloka - the purgatorial place where the soul is purified. Once the soul has been cleansed of its astral sheath, it becomes open to cosmic influences, expanding into the planetary sphere. Now it can begin preparation for reincarnation - for a new human life on Earth. Steiner addresses the vital relationship of the living to the dead - in particular, how those on Earth can influence the souls of the dead. He also speaks on themes of 'Sleep and death', 'The seven-year life cycles of man', and offers a 'Christmas gift' in the form of a lecture on Christian Rosenkreutz and Gautama Buddha. He ends with a mighty picture of the Mystery of Golgotha: Jesus Christ's death on the cross was only seemingly a death; in reality it enabled the momentous birth of the Earth-Soul. Long out-of-print, the freshly-revised text of the ten lectures in this new edition is complemented with an introduction, notes and appendices by Professor Frederick Amrine, and also features an index. Ten lectures, Berlin, Nov.-Apr. 1913, GA 141

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'The personality who received the Christ Being into himself in his thirtieth year is a complex entelechy. Only on the basis of the Akashic Record can an accurate view be gained as to why the life of Jesus is so diversely presented in the various Gospels...' - Rudolf Steiner Previously untranslated, this collection of twelve lectures represents a middle point in Rudolf Steiner's unique exposition of the Christian gospels - his momentous courses on St John and St Luke had already been delivered, whilst his lectures on the Matthew and Mark gospels were yet to follow. Here, he examines the varying depictions of Christ in the gospels, explaining that they represent four different but complementary perspectives. Steiner's unparalleled insights are based on his firsthand ability to research the spiritual Akashic Record - the universal compendium of all events, thoughts, emotions and intentions. The twelve lectures include: 'The Gospels, Buddha and the two Jesus children'; 'Four varying depictions of Christ in the four Gospels'; 'The Mission of the ancient Hebrew people'; 'Preparations for an understanding of the Christ Event'; 'On the right attitude to Anthroposophy'; 'The Gospel of Matthew and the Christ conundrum'; 'Group souls and Individuality'; 'God within and the God in outer manifestation'; 'The Christmas tree as a symbol'; and 'A Christmas mood'. Translated by Christiana Bryan, this volume features an introduction by Tom Ravetz as well as notes and an index. Twelve lectures, various cities, 11 Oct.-26 Dec. 1909, GA 117

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In this landmark series of lectures, Rudolf Steiner challenges the notion that human consciousness has in essence remained the same throughout history. On the contrary, we can only see the past in its true light when we study the differences in human souls during the various historical eras. Consciousness, he says, evolves constantly and we can only comprehend the present by understanding its origin in the past. Delivered in the evenings during the course of the ‘mystery act’ of the Christmas Foundation Meeting – when Rudolf Steiner not only re-founded the Anthroposophical Society but for the first time took a formal role within it – these lectures study world history in parallel with the ancient mysteries of initiation, showing how they are intimately linked. Steiner describes consciousness in the ancient East and follows the initiation principle from Babylonia to Greece, up to its influences in present-day spiritual life. He also discusses Gilgamesh and Eabani, the mysteries of Ephesus and Hibernia, and the occult relationship between the destruction by fire of the Temple of Artemis and the burning of the first Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. Published for the first time with colour plates of Steiner’s blackboard drawings, the freshly-revised text is complemented with an introduction, notes and appendices by Professor Frederick Amrine and an index.

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‘From the contents of original Greek drama and the soul drama of the present day that leads to self-knowledge, Rudolf Steiner develops his thought processes – pulsating with lively contemplation – about wonders of the world, trials of the soul and revelations of the spirit!’ – Marie Steiner In this remarkable interpretation of Greek mythology, Rudolf Steiner goes beyond Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell in reading mythological figures such as Demeter, Persephone, Eros and Dionysos as primordial archetypes of macrocosmic thinking, feeling and will. Moreover, he explains in detail how this archetypal consciousness was gradually lost, giving way to new-found, subjective experience of these faculties, which in turn opens up possibilities for human freedom. His overarching theme of ‘the evolution of consciousness’ is grand in its sweep, but Steiner also shows himself to be the master of telling details. Lectures include: ‘The origin of dramatic art in European cultural life and the Mystery of Eleusis’; ‘The living reality of the spiritual world in Greek mythology and the threefold Hecate’; ‘Nature and spirit’; ‘The entry of the Christ Impulse into human evolution and the activity of the planetary gods’; ‘The merging of the ancient Hebrew and the Greek currents in the Christ-stream’; ‘The ego-nature and the human form’; ‘The Dionysian Mysteries’; ‘Eagle, Bull and Lion currents, Sphinx and Dove’; ‘The two poles of all soul-ordeals’; and ‘On Goethe’s birthday’. The freshly revised text features an introduction, notes and appendices by Professor Frederick Amrine, colour images and an index.

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In this concise summary and introduction, Michaela Glöckler presents the therapeutic spectrum of anthroposophic medicine – its scientific basis, diagnostic methods and potential for practice. She gives numerous practical examples of its application and suggestions for treating patients at home. Anthroposophic medicine is an integrative system that combines scientific training and practice with a spiritual understanding of the human being. It seeks primarily to stimulate self-healing powers, directly supporting recovery processes and innate capacities of resistance. Anthroposophic physicians – registered general practitioners and specialists in all fields – utilize the knowledge and skills of conventional treatments as well as anthroposophic and homoeopathic medicines, external applications, and eurythmy, art and physical therapies. Michaela Glöckler describes the current status of anthroposophic medicine whilst raising awareness of the social dimension of illness and health to address issues of fate and destiny and to show what individuals can do for their own and other people’s health. She reflects on Rudolf Steiner’s call to ‘make the health system democratic’ and clarifies why scientific pluralism of methods and freedom of therapy are essential for the further development of the healthcare system and a modern understanding of disease.

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In his final lectures to the general public, Rudolf Steiner speaks with great clarity and purpose about the inner and outer necessity of the anthroposophical impulse in modern times. Following the fire that destroyed the first Goetheanum building in Dornach, Switzerland, Steiner had focused his efforts on rebuilding and reorganizing the Anthroposophical Society. But he also continued to travel and speak to the public – in Prague, Vienna and Basel – to explain the purpose of the Goetheanum and to elucidate the broader aims of his spiritual work. These lectures, including a semi-public series in Dornach, are gathered here and published in English for the first time, together with an introduction, notes and index. The volume features the following lectures: ‘The Purpose of the Goetheanum and the Aims of Anthroposophy’; ‘Enhancing Human Powers of Perception to Develop Imagination, Inspiration and Intuition’; ‘Human Soul Life and the Development of Imagination, Inspiration and Intuition’; ‘Experience and Perception of the Activities of Thinking and Speech’; ‘The Physical World and Moral-Spiritual Impulses’: ‘Four Stages of Inner Experience’; ‘Perceiving the Etheric World’; ‘Soul’s Eternity in the Light of Anthroposophy’; ‘Human Development and Education in the Light of Anthroposophy’; ‘Supersensible Perception, Anthroposophy as a Contemporary Need’; ‘Anthroposophy and the Ethical and Religious Life’; ‘How Do We Gain Knowledge of the Supersensible World?’

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`It is a cosmic law that what has once taken place can never vanish, but must reappear later in a metamorphosed form. Every thought, feeling and action brought about by man does not only affect the world around him but will re-appear in the future…’ (From the Preface) This course of lectures was originally offered as private, strictly verbal instruction to a select group of esoteric pupils. In an atmosphere of earnest study, Rudolf Steiner `translated’ from the Akashic Script valuable concepts of human and cosmic knowledge into words of earthly language – content that is often not to be found in his later lectures. Although working within the Theosophical Society, Steiner was an independent spiritual teacher: `… I would only bring forward the results of what I beheld in my own spiritual research.’ The manifold, exact and detailed descriptions of the events of evolution in these lectures form a background to the evolving figure of the human being. The mighty event of the moon leaving the Earth, vividly described, took place – according to Rudolf Steiner – in order to provide an environment suited to human progress. The wonderful moment when the higher being of man descended in a bell-like form and enveloped the lower human body, still on a level with the animals, depicts what eventually provided human beings with a body suited to the development of the self or `I’. Spiritual beings and the great initiates led humanity along the path it was destined to tread. Rudolf Steiner presents a sweep of occult knowledge, including the phases of planetary evolution, various myths and symbols, human physical and spiritual organs, illness, reincarnation, and much more. Also included are unexpected insights into specific phenomena such as dinosaurs, bacteria, radiation, black and white magic, the Sphinx and Freemasonry.

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Rudolf Steiner draws a clear distinction between the spiritual meaning of the word Intuition and its ordinary definition. As the highest form of spiritual perception, Intuition has an existential significance for our process of knowledge. Through systematic schooling, thinking can be developed into an intuitive organ by means of which the spiritual can consciously be understood and penetrated. Intuition can reveal the essence of the spirit, the processes through which human beings and the world came into existence, and the events in our life after death. In his later works, Steiner spoke of Intuition as a form of supersensible knowledge that could provide direct insight into practical life, as exemplified here in his commentary on geometry, architecture, education, medicine, eurythmy, painting and the social organism. The concept of Intuition is fundamental to Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual philosophy. It denotes a clear, pure mode of comprehension akin to a mathematical concept. We meet it in his earliest writings on Goethe, in the development of his philosophical ideas and in his many lectures and addresses. Ably compiled and introduced by Edward de Boer, this volume clarifies a concept that evolved in Steiner’s thinking. By following the idea of Intuition in its gradual transformation and amplification throughout Steiner’s writing and lecturing career, the book offers not only inspiring paths to spiritual knowledge, but also insights into how anthroposophy developed. Chapters include: `The Perceptive Power of Judgement – Goethe’s Intuition’; `Moral Intuition – Experiencing Thinking’; `The Human Being – Intuition as a Bridge to the Spirit’; `The Schooling Path – Spiritual Development and the Power of Intuition’; `Intuition Exercises’; `Three Stages of Consciousness – Intuition in Relation to Imagination and Inspiration’; `Knowledge of Destiny – Intuition and Repeated Earth Lives’; `Intuition in Practice – Examples from Various Specialist Fields’.

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As a spiritual teacher, Rudolf Steiner wrote many inspired and beautifully-crafted verses. Often they were given in relation to specific situations or in response to individual requests; sometimes they were offered simply to assist in the process of meditation. Regardless of their origins, they are uniformly powerful in their ability to connect the meditating individual with spiritual archetypes. Thus, the meditations provide valuable tools for developing experience and knowledge of subtle dimensions of reality. Matthew Barton has translated and selected Steiner's verses, sensitively arranging them by theme. In this collection of meditations for times of day and seasons of the year, Rudolf Steiner delves into the rhythms of nature and their relationship to human beings. The verses in the first part refer to the cycle of waking and sleeping, echoing the greater rhythms of birth and death. They provide an accompaniment for each day, gently reminding us where we have come from and where we are going. The second section focuses on the human being's passage through nature's changing seasons - a greater cycle of sleeping and waking. Together they offer us a spiritual light for our journey through life.

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`I fall asleep. Until I awaken my soul will be in the world of spirit, and there will meet the guiding impulse-giver of my earthly life, my genius, who dwells in the world of spirit, hovering round my head…’ – Rudolf Steiner The night is an essential counterpart to the day. By day we possess the capacity of conscious, logical thought, whilst at night – leaving the physical body to regenerate during sleep – we give ourselves up to a different form of consciousness. Rudolf Steiner describes the night as the realm of intuition, a place of deep spiritual encounter, but also as a wellspring of renewal and healing. With its lucid introduction and notes, The Night seeks to conjure the special atmosphere and quality of the nocturnal hours, so that the real spiritual encounters of night-time can fruitfully inform our daily life, helping us to live in a fuller, healthier way. Night-time is when we can, consciously or unconsciously, meet our higher self; we have the opportunity to work with angelic beings, and even to access the world of the dead. The night can be a source of poetic and artistic inspiration, whilst for initiates it provides a field for conscious awareness. It is also a special time – before going to sleep and upon waking – for specific esoteric exercises. Edited by Edward de Boer, the textual passages, lecture extracts, exercises and the many verses and prayers in this anthology are an invitation to readers to engage more consciously with the starry heavens and the nightly realm.

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This invaluable book not only provides practical suggestions and advice regarding common medical issues and ailments, but also presents the fundamental principles of anthroposophic medicine. It explains the underlying picture of disorders in the human organism and the therapeutic approach of anthroposophic medical practice, giving answers to the questions that, in an ideal world, a patient would like to discuss at length with his or her doctor.Anthroposophic Medicine for all the Family illustrates some of the key remedies and procedures used in the treatment of common ailments as diverse as influenza, asthma, menstrual pain, sunburn, hypertension and childhood illnesses. It provides support for anyone seeking to improve their health whilst involving the reader in a conscious process of healing and self-development.

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Contemporary interest in the meditative schooling of mindfulness is usually associated with Eastern traditions. Rudolf Steiner spoke of the same phenomenon, although he used the terms 'attentiveness' and 'dedication' - or, combining these two, 'pure perception'. This way of mindfulness and reverence is not in conflict with spiritual paths founded on thinking or pure thought. However, as the texts in this anthology indicate, methods based exclusively on thinking cannot be successful if they are not supported by perception, feeling and will. In counterbalance to today's increasing intellectualization, the meditative exercises featured here connect with the perceptive activity of the human being's sensory organs. They could also be understood as exercises for developing empathy, helping to make our relationship with the world around us more conscious and intense. Rudolf Steiner's texts are sensitively edited and arranged by Andreas Neider, whose introduction and notes add further clarity to the theme.

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What is true happiness? This perennial question preoccupies many experts, including biologists, psychologists, sociologists and theologians, but their findings usually confirm what we already knew: that happiness is one of the most sought-after but elusive commodities. Rudolf Steiner's liberating view of happiness opens up new vistas and perspectives. Happiness, he says, depends on the human spirit, whose continuing evolution draws sustenance from the totality of life's experiences. We develop and learn in equal measure from both good fortune and misfortune, success and disappointment. Steiner urges inner equilibrium, emphasizing the transience of outward happiness. Inward happiness, however, can never be taken from us, depending as it does on, '...whatever we ourselves make of our outward fortunes'. This rich and inspiring booklet gathers all Rudolf Steiner's statements on the theme and features two complete lectures on happiness and spiritual knowledge. It also includes an insightful introductory essay by Daniel Baumgartner.

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Based on knowledge attained through his highly-trained clairvoyance, Rudolf Steiner contends that folk traditions regarding nature spirits are based on spiritual reality. He describes how people possessed a natural spiritual vision in ancient times, enabling them to commune with nature spirits. These entities - which are also referred to as elemental beings - became immortalised as fairies and gnomes in myth, legend and children's stories.Today, says Steiner, the instinctive understanding that humanity once had for these elemental beings should be transformed into clear scientific knowledge. He even asserts that humanity will not be able to reconnect with the spiritual world if it cannot develop a new relationship to the elementals. The nature spirits themselves want to be of great assistance to us, acting as 'emissaries of higher divine spiritual beings'.

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'Like so much of Renaissance Art, Shakespeare's work bears an open secret. The esoteric spiritual content is undisguised, though it may be unexpected and not always immediately recognized. And, like all the great artistic achievements...this work remains incomplete until we recognize and respond to its open invitation that we become active participants.' - from the IntroductionThe perennial universal appeal of Shakespeare's work is well established. His core themes explore the challenges of the human condition whilst celebrating the potential of human beings to achieve and develop in earthly life. But what is it that enables Shakespeare's characters to live and breathe beyond the confines of their written roles, some 400 years after the plays were first performed? In these collected lectures, edited with an extensive introduction by Andrew Wolpert, Rudolf Steiner throws new light on the Bard's work, describing the on-going life that flows from it, and the profound spiritual origins of Shakespeare's inspirations. He shows how Shakespeare can enliven us in our longing for contemporary ideals and truths; indeed, in our goal of becoming fully human. Our engagement with the plays, not just as actors and directors, but also as students and members of an audience, can thus become a co-creative participation in the redemptive potential of Shakespeare's enduring legacy. Steiner speaks about Shakespeare in connection with the evolution of the arts of poetry and drama, and the transitions between cultural epochs. He reminds us of the sources and characteristics of classical Greek drama, recalling Aristotle's definition of drama as catharsis, and pointing to Shakespeare's connection to these cultural and historical wellsprings.

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In what has been referred to as 'the most advanced course in anthroposophy', Rudolf Steiner addresses one of the great questions of our time: the role of evil in human development. He speaks of the year 666, when three time streams intersected - the familiar linear stream and two 'lateral' streams - and the reoccurrence of the 666-year rhythm in history. At the heart of this mystery is the being Sorat ('the beast'), who attempted to flood humanity with premature spiritual knowledge by inspiring the scholars of the ancient Academy of Gondishapur. Although responsible for the saving of Aristotle's works, Steiner describes how the Academy generated tremendous but dangerous gnostic wisdom, which eventually spread through the Christian monasteries and inspired Western scientific thought. Its immediate negative impact, however, had to be counteracted by the Prophet Muhammad and the founding of Islam. In contrast to the 666-year rhythm in history, the 333-year rhythm is connected to the healing forces of the Mystery of Golgotha. The year 333 was a central point in the post-Atlantean age, but also a pivotal moment in establishing the Christ Impulse and the new equilibrium it brought to humanity, allowing people to gain wisdom through their own efforts. Such wisdom enables insight into three key areas: supersensible knowledge of birth and death; understanding of an individual's life; and the ability consciously to confront the adversarial beings of Lucifer and Ahriman. Steiner addresses a host of additional themes, including occult Freemasonry in Anglo-American countries; materialism in the Roman Catholic Church; prophetic and apocalyptic vision; dualism and fatalism in pre-Christian times; and the delusion of time and space. Seeking to awaken his listeners to the urgency of the tasks ahead of them, he urges that spiritual understanding be enlivened with enthusiasm, fire and warmth of heart.

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The heart of this volume comprises Rudolf Steiner's commentary on the elemental forces that are responsible for our earthly nature as human beings - forces that influence us through our membership of a national or geographical group. When such elemental forces are not recognised and understood, he states, they cause conflict and chaos. However, Steiner indicates an important accompanying task that calls upon each human being to develop individuality, emancipating ourselves from the earthly influences underlying national and racial groups.These great themes are framed by Rudolf Steiner's pioneering research into the two major Northern folk-poems, the Kalevala and The Dream Song of Olaf Asteson. The former tells of the elemental spirits who created the conditions for our earthly incarnation, whereas the Dream Song has to do with the drama of excarnation - the journey of the human soul after death. Linking these vast motifs is Steiner's unique description of the mission and tasks of the Russian people and the contrast of their destiny to the North American people (who, he says, are 'dominating the Earth for a brief period of increasing splendour'). Steiner explains how elemental beings, responsible for the balance of land and sea, have created conditions where various peoples are enabled to develop their gifts and fulfil their destinies. Thus he speaks of Finland as the ancient conscience of Europe, Russia as the future bearer of the Christ-imbued Spirit Self, and the differing but complementary environments of Germany and Britain. Strikingly, he states that, 'no souls on Earth love one another more than those living in Central Europe and those living in the British Isles'. Rudolf Steiner also speaks of the necessary work of luciferic and ahrimanic beings that collaborate to enable the solid spatial forms of our physical bodies. Likewise, they influence our etheric and astral bodies, facilitating thinking, feeling and will to be imbued with life and consciousness.

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'Eurythmy, if you have heard of it at all, is more than you realize. It is certainly different from how it usually appears...'With no previous training or knowledge required, Sivan Karnieli's handy workbook presents a range of focused, practical exercises to calm, strengthen and centre. Accessible to all, it gives instructions for daily practice that can effectively counteract stress and burn-out, psychological blocks and other symptoms of modern life. Whether you work with these exercises for five minutes or an hour a day, they help harmonize body, soul and spirit, enabling you to find your true self.This straightforward guide to the art of eurythmy has a huge amount to offer everyone. Rather than delving deeply into theory, it invites you to be active and to make an immediate start!

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In a radical approach to understanding current affairs and history, Rudolf Steiner presents a method of penetrating to the hidden causes and realities that lie behind outer appearances. Contemporary life cannot fully be understood by an analysis that is restricted to external events, he says. Deeper levels of meaning are revealed when one begins to view such events as symptoms. The causes of these symptoms - the reality behind them - are to be discovered on other levels of existence. Steiner demonstrates such a 'symptomatological' approach in these lectures, surveying some of the great developments in consciousness that have helped form the world over the last centuries. He examines the role of true socialism, the rise of nationalism, and characterises contrasting approaches to religion by drawing a distinction between 'the People of the Christ' in Russia, 'the People of the Church' in Central Europe, and 'the People of the Lodges' in the West. Amongst the wealth of material covered here, Rudolf Steiner discusses 'the mystery of evil' and 'the mystery of death', the birth of the consciousness soul, the significance of the scientific mode of thought, the metaphysical element in the study of history, as well as specific events such as the Russian Revolution and the suppression of the Knights Templar. He also reviews the circumstances surrounding the publication of new editions of his books The Philosophy of Freedom and Goethe's World View. Anyone seeking a more profound understanding of our times will find a firm basis for a meaningful exploration in this course of lectures.

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'When we consider the plant world in all its greenery, or the stars with their golden glory; when we look at all this without forming any judgement from within ourselves but instead permit the things to reveal themselves to us...then all things are transformed from what they were in the world of the senses into something entirely different - something for which no word exists other than one which is taken from our very life of soul...' - Rudolf Steiner One of Rudolf Steiner's most fundamental objectives was to show how the spiritual world connects to and penetrates the material world. In doing so, he was pioneering a modern form of Rosicrucianism - countering traditional religious conceptions (that spirit and matter are polar opposites) as well as contemporary materialistic science (that ignores the existence of spiritual phenomena altogether). In this concise series of lectures, Rudolf Steiner shows how the human senses reveal the mysterious world of the will, which is at once a spiritual and physical phenomenon. The senses act as a portal connecting our physical and etheric bodies with what Steiner refers to as worlds of 'all-pervading will' and 'all-pervading wisdom'. He elaborates this theme, giving some unexpected and delightful insights into the senses of hearing and sight, and in particular how we experience colour. Steiner suggests that divine spiritual beings had different intentions for the formation of physical human beings, but that adversary powers caused disruption, leading to a more materialized constitution. He describes disorders in the connections between the human physical, etheric, astral and ego bodies, and the ill effects of one aspect overpowering the others. He gives insight into human glandular secretions, and why we need to eat and digest - also connected to the intervention of adversary beings. Among the many other themes tackled here, Rudolf Steiner describes the transformation of the human senses and organs, giving special consideration to the function of the larynx, which in future times will develop a special kind of reproductive power.

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Pressured by exams and premature academic demands, surrounded by screens and technology, children today face huge challenges. Childhood itself, it could be said, is facing a crisis. Are children in danger of losing their natural imaginative faculties, which are the source of all creative activity in later life? As a society, are we in danger of losing childhood altogether? First published in 1940, Harwood's little book has become a classic introduction to the perennial themes of child development and growth, as well as the basic principles of Steiner/Waldorf education. Harwood (1898-1975) was one of the founding members of the first Steiner school in the English-speaking world, and worked for many years as a teacher. His sensitive awareness and respect for the innate wisdom of childhood shine through his words. Despite the passing of time, the archetypal principles he addresses, as well as the sympathetic picture of childhood he paints, remain highly relevant.

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'An external view of states of health and sickness must be augmented by what we can also know about the inner, spiritual reality within the human being.' - Rudolf Steiner In a series of nine lectures to doctors, pharmacists and students, Rudolf Steiner presents a wealth of medical ideas with numerous therapeutic and diagnostic insights. As with his first series of lectures on medicine held a year previously (Introducing Anthroposophical Medicine), the range, depth and scope of Steiner's subject-matter is breathtaking. Speaking at the international centre of anthroposophy, the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland, Rudolf Steiner begins by describing the interplay of physical and metaphysical aspects of the human being, presenting a paradigm in which the four bodies - physical, etheric, astral and ego or 'I' - interrelate in contrasting ways with the threefold human organism of head, thorax and metabolism, and with our capacities for thinking, feeling and will. These challenging but enlightening concepts unlock a wonderful diagnostic tool for the appraisal and understanding of patients. Steiner considers the medicinal actions of various substances - including silica, phosphorus, sulphur, arsenic, antimony and mercury. Among numerous other subjects, Rudolf Steiner discusses the methodology of medical examination; the treatment of developmental irregularities; the four types of ether; raw food diets; the I and assimilation of food; metal therapy and the actions of lead, magnesium, tin, iron, copper, gold, mercury and silver; the use of root and herbaceous parts and flowers in medicine; the rhythmic balancing process between the action of salutogenic and pathological forces; and the nature of death. This volume also features Rudolf Steiner's answers to questions, an introductory lecture to eurythmy therapy, a comprehensive introduction, notes and index, colour plates of Steiner's blackboard drawings, and facsimiles and translations of his notes for the lectures.

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Olive Whicher's groundbreaking book presents an accessible - non-mathematician's - approach to projective geometry. Profusely illustrated, and written with fire and intuitive genius, this work will be of interest to anyone wishing to cultivate the power of inner visualization in a realm of structural beauty. Whicher explores the concepts of polarity and movement in modern projective geometry as a discipline of thought that transcends the limited and rigid space and forms of Euclid, and the corresponding material forces conceived in classical mechanics. Rudolf Steiner underlined the importance of projective geometry as, 'a method of training the imaginative faculties of thinking, so that they become an instrument of cognition no less conscious and exact than mathematical reasoning'. This seminal approach allows for precise scientific understanding of the concept of creative fields of formative (or etheric) forces at work in nature - in plants, animals and in the human being.

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During 1924, before his last address in September, Rudolf Steiner gave over eighty lectures on the subject of karma to members of the Anthroposophical Society. These profoundly esoteric lectures examine the underlying laws of reincarnation and karma, and explore in detail the incarnations of certain named historical figures. In Rudolf Steiner's words, the study of karma is '?a matter of penetrating into the most profound mysteries of existence, for within the sphere of karma and the course it takes lie those processes which are the basis of the other phenomena of world-existence?' In this fundamental first volume - and essential basis for study of the later volumes - Rudolf Steiner gives an overview of the laws and conditions of karma, and goes on to consider the incarnations of Friedrich Nietzsche, Lord Bacon of Verulam, Lord Byron and many others.

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Within the Mystery cultures of ancient history, art, science and religion formed a unity that offered direction and spiritual nourishment to the broader society. Today, art, science and religion can again be reunited. However, as Marie Steiner indicates in her introduction to these lectures, these aspects of our culture need rejuvenation through fresh spiritual understanding and knowledge. Art cannot be renewed through compromise, but only by returning to the spiritual foundations of life. As she says: "The remedy lies in unlocking the wisdom of the Mysteries and presenting it to humanity in a form adapted to contemporary needs." In these wide-ranging lectures, Rudolf Steiner offers spiritual insight for the modern day into a revitalised world of the arts. His themes include: the relation of art to technology, the moral experience of the worlds of colour and music, the legendary Norwegian Dream Song of Olaf Asteson, and the relationship between the various arts of architecture, sculpture, painting, music, poetry, eurythmy and the human being.

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The review exercises bring the experiences of our daily lives to full awareness. By directing our attentive gaze to what has happened - whether in a single day or in whole phases of life - we kindle light in our will. Undertaking such a review backwards, in reverse sequence, or from an 'external perspective', requires a huge inner effort as we establish distance between ourselves and our daily experiences. In this essential handbook the editor has drawn together virtually all Rudolf Steiner's statements on the review exercises, supporting them with commentary and notes. Described from different perspectives and approaches, there are a surprising range of suggestions for carrying them out. Individual chapters focus on reviewing the day (transforming the power of memory); reviewing events in your life (awakening the higher self); reviewing the other's perspective (awakening social impulses); exercises in thinking backwards (illuminating the will); and more.

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Created in 1911, eurythmy was developed for years as an artistic and educational discipline. Although Rudolf Steiner pointed out its healing aspects from the very beginning, it was only in 1921 that he gave a course of lectures that gave the art of eurythmy a vital new application. To the assembled eurythmists and doctors, he presented what one participant described as '...a complete and detailed method of eurythmy therapy, in which we could directly experience that even today the creative and therapeutic power of the word ...is still at work'. Steiner's comprehensive lectures, republished here in a thoroughly revised translation, describe the principles of therapeutic eurythmy, giving many specific exercises. Primarily intended for practising eurythmists, these lectures also contain much material of particular interest. Steiner reveals the intricacies of rhythmic interplay between human physiology and the life-forces in the world around us. He describes the qualities of language and the dynamism contained in the individual vowels and consonants, elucidating their relationship with eurythmical movements and human experience. Through such movements, individuals are able to access the healing etheric forces. The exercises, referred to by Steiner as 'inner gymnastics', contain enormous potential for psychological and physiological well-being. Gaining ever-wider recognition today, they complement conventional medicine, offering a therapeutic process concerned with mind, soul and body. This new edition of these important lectures - previously published under the title Curative Eurythmy - includes an appendix with reminiscences by early eurythmists, as well as additional commentary from Dr Walter Kugler.

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The path of an individual human life - our biography - is something of a mystery. Despite the abundance of published biographies and autobiographies of celebrities and historical figures, the scientific study of human biography remains in its infancy, with little understanding of the inherent laws in the path of an individual's life. Yet as Rudolf Steiner shows here, every biography, regardless of the individual's fame, perceived importance or outer success, is ruled by archetypal influences, patterns and laws. This broad-ranging anthology addresses some critical and as yet unanswered questions: What effects do education - and in particular contrasting education methods - have on later life? How do the various periods of life relate to each other? Do the effects of events on the individual become evident immediately, or is their true impact delayed - perhaps by decades? To what extent can an individual shape the stages of his or her biography? How much freedom of choice do we have, and how much of life is predetermined? Out of the higher knowledge Rudolf Steiner acquired from his spiritual research, he described the human individuality as a being with a continuing existence - before birth and beyond death. This eternal being experiences many varied conditions and situations, the effects of which are observable in our biography. This book addresses these and other issues such as freedom and destiny, the effects of heredity, illness, and the impact of education, offering answers based on a profound knowledge of the human being. Compiled by E. Fucke (Selected lectures, various GAs)

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'An uplifting philosophy on childhood and life, and an absolute treasure trove of information for anyone who believes nature and childhood are perfect companions. Sally Schweizer manages to combine magic with common sense in this wonderful book, which is authentic from cover to cover. What she writes with such lively enthusiasm, she has also lived.' - Sally Jenkinson, author of The Genius of Play We are always hearing how our children's cultural landscape is plagued by inactivity, obesity, violent computer games and obsessive TV-viewing. But it doesn't have to be like that. Sally Schweizer presents a world of possibilities for children in urban or rural areas, throwing open the doors to the great experience of life in the open air. Packed with anecdotes, games and practical activities, Under the Sky is a vibrant resource for parents, teachers and carers. So what can you do outside? Well, how about singing, whittling sticks, chatting, climbing, digging and making dens? You can build, run, watch small creatures, count tree rings, listen to stories, perform puppet plays, learn woodwork, or investigate the many forms of bark. In the outdoors you can enjoy quiet conversations or make a big noise, be alone or be with others. And that's just for starters...Under the Sky is an invaluable guide for anyone wishing to cultivate children's play and imagination. It features ideas for planning expeditions and adventures, for toys and equipment, and activities for all four seasons and all four elements! It includes plans, tips and advice on child-friendly outdoor design, materials, surfaces, seating, gardening, pets, wildlife - even campfires, picnics and train journeys...Under the Sky also contains a chapter showing how educators can work towards formal �Early Years� government goals.

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spacer "Vague and general phrases...cannot provide the basis for a genuine art of education, which depends on real knowledge of the human being. It is not that such phrases are wrong, but that they are as useless as saying that all parts of a machine must be made to work together harmoniously. To make a machine work you have to apply real, detailed knowledge, not phrases and truisms. For the art of education likewise, what is important is specific insight into the way the human being is constituted, and how each aspect develops." In his earliest and most succinct statement regarding education, Rudolf Steiner describes the stages of childhood development and explains why it is important to introduce aspects of the curriculum at specific times. He relates developmental steps in children to the "births" of the non-physical aspects of the human being: the etheric body that accompanies the change of teeth, the astral body that becomes apparent at puberty, and the birth of the "I" that heralds the individual's maturation to adulthood. Without this knowledge, says Steiner, well-meaning but misguided educational theory and practise can cause harm.

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The wisdom contained in this book is not derived via the usual methods of scholarly and historical research, and neither is it based on theory or speculation. Rudolf Steiner acquired his original contribution to human knowledge from metaphysical dimensions of reality which are hidden to most people - but visible to anybody who is prepared to develop spiritual means of perception. With his philosophical and scientific training, Steiner brought a new systematic discipline to the field of spiritual research, allowing for fully conscious methods and comprehensive results. A natural seer, he cultivated his spiritual vision to a high degree, enabling him to speak with authority on previously veiled mysteries. Samples of his work is to be found in this book of edited texts, which brings together excerpts from his many talks and writings on the subject of Atlantis. This volume also features an editorial introduction, commentary and notes by Dr Andrew Welburn.

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Founded in the early twelfth century, allegedly to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land, the Knights Templar became famous for their pioneer banking system, crusading zeal, and strict vows of obedience, chastity and poverty. Having grown to some 15,000 men, they came to be perceived as a threat by Philip the Fair, who in 1307 disbanded the group and tortured their leaders for confessions. The French king accused the order of heresy, sodomy and blasphemy. Recent works of fiction and popular histories have created a resurgence of interest in the mysterious Knights Templar. Numerous contradictory and fantastic claims are made about them, adding to the enigma that already surrounds the warrior monks of France. In this unique collection of lecture material and writings from Rudolf Steiner, a new perspective emerges. Based on his spiritual perceptions, Steiner speaks of the Templars' connection to the esoteric tradition of St John, their relationship with the Holy Grail, and their spiritual dedication to Christ. He describes the secret order that existed within the Templars, and the strange rituals they performed. He also throws light on the Templars' attitude to the Roman Church, and the spiritual forces that inspired their torture and confessions.

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'The Lord's Prayer' stands at the heart of Christianity. Over the past two millennia, it has been spoken millions of times by millions of people around the world. Rudolf Steiner affirms the power of this prayer, given by Jesus Christ himself, and encourages us to begin to understand it at deeper levels. Such an understanding, he explains, is now necessary for humanity's further development. In the four lectures he gave on this subject, collected here under one cover, Rudolf Steiner penetrates the esoteric meanings of the Lord's Prayer, relating its seven petitions to the seven spiritual and physical bodies of the human being. He also discusses the difference between prayer and meditation, and shows how true prayer is selfless in nature. This volume features an introduction by Judith von Halle, whose work is valued for her experiential knowledge of the Lord's Prayer and the events of Christ's life.

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Although many of the practical activities that arise from Rudolf Steiner's work are well publicized, the philosophy that stands behind them remains largely hidden. Thousands of parents send their children to Rudolf Steiner (Waldorf) schools around the world, while biodynamic farming (the Demeter brand) and anthroposophical medicine are gaining increasing recognition. Yet despite all this and much other visible work, few are aware of the richness of Rudolf Steiner's world view, anthroposophy. Steiner's original contribution to human knowledge was based on his ability to conduct 'spiritual research', the investigation of metaphysical dimensions of existence. With his scientific and philosophical training, he brought a new systematic discipline to the field, allowing for conscious methods and comprehensive results. Francis Edmunds' introduction - here revised and updated - covers the fundamental areas of Steiner's philosophy, beginning with a brief outline of his life. Edmunds describes anthroposophy as a 'way to higher knowledge', and outlines the threefold nature of the human being. He delves into the secrets of human evolution and history, the basic elements of child development, and many further aspects of Steiner's vast teaching. This is a warm and clear introduction to anthroposophy which will prove of value to anybody wishing to understand Steiner's work.

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Rudolf Steiner, the often undervalued, multifaceted genius of modern times, contributed much to the regeneration of culture. In addition to his philosophical teachings, he provided ideas for the development of many practical activities, including education - both general and special - agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, religion and the arts. Steiner's original contribution to human knowledge was based on his ability to conduct 'spiritual research', the investigation of metaphysical dimensions of existence. With his scientific and philosophical training, he brought a new systematic discipline to the field, allowing for conscious methods and comprehensive results. A natural seer from childhood, he cultivated his spiritual vision to a high degree, enabling him to speak with authority on previously veiled mysteries of life.Samples of Steiner's work are to be found in this introductory reader in which Matthew Barton brings together excerpts from Steiner's many talks and writings on Michaelmas. The volume also features an editorial introduction, afterword, commentary and notes.

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'The spiritual-scientific investigator has...to transform the soul itself into an instrument; then - when his soul is awakened and he can see into a spiritual world - he experiences, on a higher level, a similar great moment as blind people do when, having been operated upon, they look at a world they have not seen before.' In a key series of lectures on personal development, Rudolf Steiner explains that the central mission of spiritual science is to enable people to ascend, in full consciousness, to a knowledge of spiritual realities. But given that the means to achieve spiritual perception are now widely available, there is the danger that some individuals will gain access to the spiritual world whilst harbouring impure motives. This can lead to a distorted understanding and vision of that world. Steiner's emphasis, therefore, is on the preparatory steps - the metamorphosis and purification of the human soul - required for achieving true spiritual enlightenment. Life itself teaches and prepares us for progress, and anthroposophy explains and brings this to consciousness. In some of his most lucid lectures, Steiner describes the missions of anger, truth and reverence, the significance of human character, the meaning of asceticism and illness, and the phenomenon of egoism. He also clarifies the differences between Buddhism and Christianity, describes the goal of spiritual science, and makes some esoteric observations about the moon. Throughout the talks, Steiner refers to many significant historical figures, including St Augustine, Coleridge, Leonardo da Vinci, Madame Blavatsky, Goethe, Homer, and Shakespeare.

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As levels of stress increase in modern life, many people are turning to the practise of meditation as a way of finding harmony, tranquility of soul, and of awakening dormant powers of spiritual potential. In this concise and practical book - based on the path of meditative knowledge developed by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) - Jorgen Smit removes the mystique surrounding meditation. He shows how medative images can be formed, and how we can gain control over our thoughts and our will by various simple exercises. Working with the guidelines presented, we can come to experience the powers of our higher self, and can be prepared for an encounter ultimately with the spiritual presence of the higher self of all humanity, the Christ.

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Modern science can speak with authority regarding only a tiniest fraction of the earth's interior. We have, quite literally, scratched just the surface of our planet. Can we truly know what lies beneath our feet, in the unimaginably deep depths of the earth? Can the phenomenon of spiritual investigation add to this question? In this comprehensive volume, with notes and an introduction, Rudolf Steiner's utterances on this theme have been brought together for the first time under one cover. His unique overview gives a picture of the nine layers of the earth as they become visible via the research of the spiritual scientist. The layers range from the familiar 'mineral' on which we live, to the innermost core which Steiner connects to human and animal powers of reproduction. In between are layers such as the 'Mirror Earth', which represents qualities of extreme evil, and the 'Fire Earth', which is connected to natural catastrophes. The information Steiner conveys is never abstract or theoretical, but intimately related to the human being. The Fire Earth, for example, is acutely affected by people's will. When the human will is chaotic and untutored, says Steiner, it acts magnetically on this layer and disrupts it, leading to volcanic eruptions. He also describes other natural catastrophes - such as extreme weather and earthquakes - in connection to the interior of the earth and karma.

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Traditional folklore has spoken of guardian angels who guide and protect us. However, although there are numerous stories of the miraculous intervention of these beings, some people still write them off as myth and superstition. Based on his own personal experience and cognition, Rudolf Steiner spoke of guardian angels and other spiritual beings as a reality. Their existence, he said, is a spiritual and scientific fact that can be researched and studied by clairvoyance. One of his aims was to enable people to connect again with these spiritual beings not only for their own benefit, but also for the benefit of the other kingdom of nature and the whole destiny of the earth's evolution. In his writings and lectures Steiner intended to lead people from belief to recognition, knowledge, and understanding of spiritual beings. In these six specially selected lectures, which until now have lain hidden away in very early publications or journals, he describes the role of the guardian angel and discusses our relationship to the heavenly hierarchies of spiritual beings as a whole and how they shape our human form as a result of their cosmic activity. As many people today are awakening to angelic guidance in their daily lives and are seeking it consciously, these lectures will help them to understand their experiences and to make their communication more conscious.

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As demonstrated in this book, Rudolf Steiner had the ability to speak to the British in a very lively an d direct way. This volume provides readers with a fuller pic ture of Steiner''s work in Britain and his approach to esoter ic ideas whilst here. '

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