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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 individuals life. Yet as Rudolf Steiner shows here, every biography, regardless of the individuals 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.

A single lecture taken from the volume Life Beyond Death.

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 Steiners blackboard drawings, the freshly-revised text is complemented with an introduction, notes and appendices by Professor Frederick Amrine and an index.

According to the initiate-research of Rudolf Steiner, humanity is in a continual process of transformation and evolution. Modern-day consciousness, based as it is on sense perception and abstract logic, differs considerably from the consciousness of ancient humanity. At that time, says Steiner, the human being was seen to be a microcosm, a concentration of the laws and activities of the cosmos. The loss of such knowledge today has led to the existential quest for meaning, and even the cul-de-sac of atheism.In these comprehensive lectures, delivered to an English audience, Rudolf Steiner indicates how it is possible for people to rediscover their connection to the cosmos. He describes how one develops higher faculties of consciousness - what he calls Imagination, Inspiration and Intuition - and gives a vivid description of life after death and the individuals progress through the planetary spheres. It is in these spheres, he explains, where tasks and goals for future incarnations are prepared in cooperation with the spiritual beings of the heavenly hierarchies.The lectures culminate in a call for mankind to take its own destiny in hand through conscious and free development of spiritual capacities.The edition of this fundamental work features a revised translation as well as previously-unavailable addresses and question-and-answer sessions.

In this series of previously-untranslated lectures, Rudolf Steiner describes how myths and legends portray humanitys 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. Wagners 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.

Suppose you have seen an event, have formed an idea about it, and you say something that is not true in other words, something that is a lie. Then what flows from the object is correct and what flows from you is false and this collision is a terrible explosion; and each time you do this, you attach a gruesome being to your karma which you cannot get rid of again until you have made good what you lied about. Rudolf SteinerIn a previously-untranslated volume of lectures, Rudolf Steiner presents shattering insights regarding the interaction of human and spiritual beings. He speaks, for example, about how perfumes can give certain spirits access to people on earth, or how phantoms, spectres and demons can be created through human deficiencies or even how the arts of architecture, sculpture, painting and music allow good or hideous entities to enter our world. As he states: Learning about the effects of spiritual beings is of much greater help than moral preaching. A future humanity will know what it is creating through lies, hypocrisy and slander.The lectures are divided into two broad thematic groups: the first relating to the inner path of knowledge and its relation to the yearly festivals, and the second focusing on the work of elemental beings in our everyday world. The 18 lectures are complemented with notes, an index and an introduction by Christian von Arnim.

Rudolf Steiner offered numerous practical methods to enrich and enliven our daily lives. Drawing on these, the texts in this anthology provide a wealth of ideas to strengthen our health through self-education and personal development. The content ranges from tangible and easy-to-practise exercises to relevant observations on human nature.Steiner speaks of memory and forgetting as the basis of education and cultural development, explaining their significance for health and illness. He discusses the influences of the four human temperaments and their relationship to well-being, and the eightfold path in connection with self-education. Finally, he gives specific exercises for inner development to be practised on the various days of the week.The themes of personal resilience and salutogenesis an approach that focuses on factors that support human health and well-being rather than those that cause disease are addressed directly by editor Harald Hass in his introductory essay.

Steiner has been able to clarify the historical reality behind the Rosicrucian story, with all its aura of glamour and fantasy. That effected, he points to the enormity of its vision for the future evolution of ideas Dr Andrew Welburn (from the Introduction)In the immediate aftermath of the Mystery-act of the Christmas Foundation Conference, Rudolf Steiner chose to speak on the subject of Rosicrucianism and Modern Initiation, Mystery Centres of the Middle Ages. Clearly connected to the events that had just taken place in Dornach in which he not only refounded the Anthroposophical Society but took a formal position within it Steiner begins by exploring the intellectual life of the Middle Ages and the role that Mystery culture played within it. He throws new light on the foundations of Rosicrucianism, its principles of initiation and its inherent impulse for freedom. Steiner also discusses the secret teachings of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the dawn of the age of the Archangel Michael.In the second series of lectures, entitled The Easter Festival and the History of the Mysteries (April 1924), Steiner describes how festivals grew out of the Mysteries themselves. He speaks of Mysteries connected to Spring and Autumn, Adonis and Ephesus, and the significance of Sun and Moon. Throughout the volume he discusses the roles of Alexander the Great and Aristotle in world history and the significance of Aristotles Categories. Published for the first time as a single volume, the freshly revised text is complemented with an extensive introduction by Dr Andrew Welburn, detailed notes and appendices by Professor Frederick Amrine and an index.

The remarkable discussions in this volume took place between Rudolf Steiner and workers at the Goetheanum, Switzerland. The varied subject-matter was chosen by his audience at Rudolf Steiners instigation. Steiner took their questions and usually gave immediate answers. The astonishing nature of these responses - their insight, knowledge and spiritual depth - is testimony to his outstanding ability as a spiritual initiate and profound thinker. Accessible, entertaining and stimulating, the records of these sessions will be a delight to anybody with an open mind. In this particular collection, Rudolf Steiner deals with topics ranging from beetroot to Buddhism! He discusses, among other things, Christianity and Islam; the Crusades; cemeteries; comets; the zodiac and fixed stars; scars; Egyptian mummies; astronomy; Tibet and the Dalai Lama; Freemasonry; star wisdom, moon and sun religions; the Mysteries; the Trinity; Moses; Easter; the ancient Indians, Egyptians, Babylonians and Jews; Kant and Schopenhauer, and nationalism.

Although recent years have seen major advances in science and technology, the social aspect of life still presents major problems for western societies. The general increase in destructive, antisocial behaviour over past decades has raised the profile of social issues, yet effective ideas to tackle the difficulties are often nowhere to be found. Many decades ago, Rudolf Steiner suggested new ways of organizing society and engaging with social questions. This book presents his inner, esoteric perspective on such concerns. The starting point, asserts Steiner, must be the proper valuing of the human element in the world, and a deeper understanding of its relation to nature and the cosmos. The organization of society cannot be made in an arbitrary way, but should reflect the relationship of human beings to the spiritual world. Steiner goes on to discuss the threefold archetype of social life - the political state, economics, and the spiritual/cultural aspect - and how these can interact in a healthy way, leading to a vibrant, evolving society.These popular lectures - originally published as The Inner Aspect of the Social Question - appear here in a new translation and with the addition of a previously unpublished lecture.

And that is one thing we need to relearn, that all of life brings its gifts not only the first two or three decades. Rudolf SteinerWhen are we actually old? What happens as we age? How will we cope with old age? Growing old is an art, and to grow old in the right way we need spiritual understanding. In this enlightening anthology compiled by a director of care homes for the elderly wide-ranging cosmological perspectives alternate with detailed observations of the phenomena of ageing. Rudolf Steiner sees ageing within the context of the earthly and spiritual evolution that encompasses all forms of existence. The book thus begins with the primary meaning that ageing has in developmental terms and ends with a consideration of the human being as co-creator in cosmic processes and with our capacity to become increasingly conscious of the tasks this implies.These key texts by Rudolf Steiner show how spiritual knowledge can broaden the current debate on the study of old age, the process of ageing, and the particular problems faced by older people. Concerns about our ageing population can be seen in a broader context that recognizes the fruits of old age. The productive relationship between childhood and old age a running theme throughout this volume is one example. If we grow old consciously, viewing ageing not only as a period of physical decline but as a time when we can actively participate in shaping life, then we can begin to find greater meaning in it.Chapters include: The Core Messages of Ageing; Fundamental Principles of Gerontology; Ageing as a Developmental Process; Ageing: the Risks and Opportunities; The Art of Growing Old; Old Age and Death; Growing Old A Challenge for Education; The Cosmological Dimensions of Ageing.

A single lecture taken from the volume Life Beyond Death.

Returning from travels in war-torn Europe, Steiner gives a stark impression of the conditions of the time, encouraging esoteric work as a counter to the world-situation. Steiner analyses the gulf between contemporary culture and science which he says are characterized by narrow-mindedness, philistinism and ineptitude and a scientific approach to the spirit. The wealth of spiritual thoughts and knowledge in these lectures remain as relevant today as they did when they were first delivered.

Speaking during the early stages of the First World War with the Western Front just miles away and thousands of young men dying Rudolf Steiner focuses on the subject of death. In particular, he addresses the difficult question of why some people die prematurely, particularly in youth. Steiner also speaks of the deaths of three of his acquaintances, having made contact with their living souls in the afterlife. He voices their own words and describes the first stages of their journeys after death.Rudolf Steiner strikes a second chord with the description of the task of Central Europe in the context of the various Folk-souls. The influences of these spiritual entities are reflected in the culture and life of various peoples, but do not promote nationalism. In fact, nationalism can only be transcended when we understand and recognize our differences. This approach is based on phenomenology rather than value-judgements. The third main theme running through these lectures relates to understanding the impulses and connections active in history. Reaching beyond simple notions of fate, are we able to allow for the workings of the impulse of Christ?These extraordinary lectures, previously unpublished in English, are presented here with an introduction, notes and an index.Fifteen lectures, various cities, Jan.Jun. 1915, GA 159

Christianity was bound at first to be a matter of faith and is only now beginning, very gradually, to be a matter of knowledge. Rudolf SteinerRudolf Steiner gave 70 lectures on the four canonical Gospels, characterizing the distinctive contribution of each of the evangelists. The Gospel of Mark is a cosmic text that calls for an astronomical as well as a human reading. It is also critical for understanding the evolution of Christianity, which depends on knowledge of the Mystery of Golgotha (Christs crucifixion, resurrection and ascension). We are only at the beginning of Christian evolution, Steiner states, reiterating that its further development will depend on spiritual knowledge. In order to develop such cognition, most important of all is reverence for the great truths and the feeling that we can approach them only with awe and veneration. Many profound spiritual truths are indeed revealed in these lectures.Among the panoply of topics covered are: Mystery Teachings in St Marks Gospel; The Son of God and the Son of Man; The Symbolic Language of the Macrocosm; The Moon-religion of Yahweh and The Penetration of the Buddha-Mercury Stream into Rosicrucianism. This thoroughly revised edition includes notes and appendices by Frederick Amrine and an extensive introduction by Robert McDermott.Thirteen lectures, various cities, Oct. 1910Jun. 1911, GA 124

There is the possibility of a comparatively quick maturing of insight into karmic relationships if, for a considerable time, we try patiently, and with inner energy, to picture with greater and greater consciousness an experience which would otherwise simply take its course, without being properly grasped, and fade away in the course of life...In this unique lecture, Rudolf Steiner presents a practical exercise for gaining insight into karma. He draws our attention to the ordinary events of life, encouraging us to take an image of a single event and meditate on it. He describes the method in great detail, and explains how, over several days and nights, the image becomes incorporated into our various spiritual bodies. Eventually, this image reaches our physical body in a transformed state, leading to a perception of a previous earth life and the cause of the event first pictured in meditation...

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.

We must eradicate root and branch any fear and dread in our soul concerning the future that is coming towards us... We must develop composure with regard to all the feelings and sensations we have about the future; we must anticipate with absolute equanimity whatever may be coming towards us, thinking only that whatever it may be will be brought to us by the wisdom-filled guidance of the universe. - Rudolf Steiner. Based on brief, pithy quotations from Rudolf Steiners collected works, the spiritual perspectives in this volume present core concepts on the subject of fear. These brief extracts do not claim to provide exhaustive treatment of the subject, but open up approaches to the complexity of Steiners extraordinary world of ideas. Some readers will find these fragments sufficient stimulus in themselves, whilst others will use the source references as signposts towards deeper study and understanding.

This collection of special prayers is a wonderful companion for parents and carers seeking to help children on their journey through childhood. There are verses for every occasion: for the mother to speak as the incarnating soul prepares to be born; for the baby after its birth; for very young and older children; as well as prayers for morning and evening, and graces to be spoken at the table.The context for the prayers is provided by Rudolf Steiners lecture at the end of the book, which gives an insight into the larger cosmic relationships that individuals are immersed in before birth, during life, and after death.

What would we be without love? We would inevitably become isolated and gradually lose all connection with our fellow human beings and our fellow creatures in the natural world. Rudolf SteinerIn this rich, previously-untranslated collection of lectures, Rudolf Steiner approaches and illumines the figure of Christ from manifold directions and perspectives. Christ, the being of love, is for the body of the Earth what the heart is within our individual organism. Given throughout 1911 the year before Rudolf Steiner split from the theosophists citing fundamental disagreements over the true nature of Christianity the lectures reflect Steiners intensifying emphasis on the central deed of the Christ being in Earth evolution, whilst in tandem demonstrating the truths of reincarnation and karma. He reveals profound vistas of human development and paths of advancement over many lifetimes, in which Christ is to be our steadfast companion and exemplar. Lectures include: Faith, Love, Hope; Original Sin and Grace; The Effect of Moral Qualities on Karma; The Importance of Spiritual Enquiry for Moral Action; Wisdom, Prayerfulness and Certainty in Life; The Birth of the Sun Spirit as Earth Spirit; The Threefold Call from the World of Spirit; Christmas A Festival of Inspiration; The I at Work Upon the Child and How this Relates to the Christ Being; Ossian and Fingals Cave, and many more. Translated by Matthew Barton, this volume features an introduction, notes and index.