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Previously published as At the Gates of Spiritual Science, these lectures offer a fine introduction to the whole of Rudolf Steiners teaching, as well as including valuable material which is not to be found elsewhere. With great clarity and precision, Steiner speaks of the fundamental nature of the human being in relation to the cosmos, the evolution of the Earth, the journey of the soul after death, reincarnation and karma, good and evil, the modern path of meditative training, as well as giving answers to individual questions.Throughout, Steiners emphasis is on a scientific exposition of spiritual phenomena. As he says in the final lecture: "the highest knowledge of mundane things is thoroughly compatible with the highest knowledge of spiritual truths."

"Once one has passed through powerlessness and refinds oneself, one also finds Christ. Before we can gain access to the Christ Impulse we must plumb the depths of our own feelings of insignificance, and this can only happen when we view our strengths and capacities without any pride."How does one find the Christ today? Rudolf Steiner emphasizes the importance of striving for self-knowledge, the significance of experiencing powerlessness, and the eventual resurrection from powerlessness. In this important lecture he also speaks about the ancient Academy of Gondishapur, the significance of the year 666, the mission of Islam, as well as the crucial consequences of the Ecumenical Council of 869.

The Foundation Stone Meditation holds a central place in the inner life of many students of Rudolf Steiners work. First presented during the refounding of the Anthroposophical Society at the Christmas Conference of 1923/24, it is a powerful and penetrating meditative text which many consider to be a key to the spiritual mysteries of our time. This version features three alternative translations (by George Adams, Pauline Wehrle and Richard Seddon), together with the original German verses and an introduction by Michael Wilson.

A great deal is happening all the time in world evolution; and it falls to human beings, particularly those of our own time, to acquire real understanding of the world events in which they are involved. In this popular lecture Rudolf Steiner reveals that the angels - the spirits closest to human beings - are seeking to create images in human astral bodies. These images are given with the intention of bringing about definite conditions in the social life of the future related to brotherhood, religious freedom, and conscious spirituality. Other spiritual beings, however, are working against the angels. If, as a consequence of their disruption, humanity sleeps though the angels spiritual revelation, the consequences will be dire, and aberrations connected to sexuality, the misuse of medicine, and the misapplication of mechanical forces will begin to manifest.

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 todays increasing intellectualization, the meditative exercises featured here connect with the perceptive activity of the human beings 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 Steiners texts are sensitively edited and arranged by Andreas Neider, whose introduction and notes add further clarity to the theme.

These profoundly esoteric lectures examine the underlying laws inherent in reincarnation and karma. In Steiners 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 processes which are the basis of the other phenomena of world existence..." This volume focuses on human experiences after death and before a new birth; karma in world history; the cosmic nature of Christ; waking, dreaming, sleeping; and the physical effects of karma.

A single lecture taken from the volume Life Beyond Death.

As a spiritual teacher Rudolf Steiner wrote many beautifully formed and inspired verses. Often they were given in relation to specific situations or in response to individual requests; sometimes they were created for general use in assisting the process of meditation. Regardless of their origins, they are uniformly powerful in their ability to connect the meditant with spiritual archetypes and realities, and are valuable tools for developing experience and knowledge of other dimensions.Matthew Barton has delicately translated these meditations into English, many for the first time, and arranged them thematically in this outstanding new series.In this collection of meditations to promote harmony and healing, Rudolf Steiner helps us discover a renewed sense of our true place in the cosmos. The verses show how we can learn to know ourselves by looking outwards to the substances and processes at work in the cosmos; and know the world by looking inwards to the microcosmic depths of the human self. By integrating spirit and matter within, we can also heal divisions in our relationships with others.For modern people, increasingly divorced from a living relationship with nature, these verses help to unfold a world of interconnections.

Rudolf Steiners fundamental handbook for spiritual and personal development has grown more modern as time has passed, although his methods remain clearly distinguishable from the many others now in circulation. For one thing, Steiners path of spiritual growth is based on the clarity of thought normally associated with scientific research. Rather than denying clear thinking, his aim is to extend it beyond its present limitations. Secondly, Steiner recognizes - as all genuine disciplines always have - that the path to spiritual experience is an arduous and dangerous one, calling for self-control in thought, word and deed. Human beings comprise a unity, and we cannot develop knowledge without a corresponding development in feeling and will. Rudolf Steiner foretold that humanity would begin to experience a longing for forms of experience that transcended intellectual, materialistic thinking. More than one hundred years after the first publication of this book in 1904, there are countless means to achieve such experience, such as eastern meditation, channelling, remote viewing and astral projection. In addition, there has been a huge growth in people reporting extrasensory perceptions of various kinds, such as near-death experiences and meetings with angels. In this context, Steiners key spiritual workbook - reproduced here in the classic Osmond/Davy translation - is needed more than ever, given its unique, precise instructions for inner training, its protective exercises, and its indications for grounding and centring. Knowledge of the Higher Worlds begins with the conditions required for personal development, and guides us through the stages of initiation, its practical aspects and its effects.

In the Middle Ages, Astronomia - one of the Seven Liberal Arts - was as much about astrology as astronomy. In fact the two disciplines only parted company in the seventeenth century, as the materialistic world-view gained greater prominence. Where once human destiny was connected to stars and planets, and spiritual or soul qualities were associated with the natural world, now the cosmos was seen as consisting of gases, fire and dead rock. Rudolf Steiner brings a new spiritual perspective to our study of the heavens. Humanity, he says, is intimately connected to cosmic beings, who in turn are related to planets and stars. There is meaning in the cosmos. Although Steiner rejects the simplistic notion of the planets determining our lives and behaviour, he makes a clear connection between the heavenly bodies and human beings. Whilst criticizing the superficial nature of much astrology, Steiner shows that as individuals, and with the guidance of spiritual beings, we choose an appropriate time of birth to match the destiny we are to live. This enlightening anthology, expertly collated by Margaret Jonas, features excerpts of Steiners work on the spiritual individualities of the planets, the determination of human characteristics by the constellation at birth, the cultural epochs and the passage of the equinox, cosmic influences on the individual and humanity, life in the planetary spheres between death and rebirth, solar and lunar eclipses, comets, and much more.

Mysticism and beyond: the importance of prayer; The meaning of sin and grace; Rediscovering the Bible; What is true communion?; Rediscovering the festivals and the life of the earth; Finding ones destiny: walking with Christ; The significance of religion in life and death; Christs second coming: the truth for our time; Universal religion: the meaning of love.

If we can bring nothing up out of ourselves except fear of the illnesses which surround us at the seat of an epidemic, and if we go to sleep at night filled with nothing but thoughts of this fear, then we create unconscious replicas, imaginations, which are drenched in fear. And this is an excellent method for nurturing bacteria... - 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 epidemics. 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.

The remarkable discussions in this volume took place between Rudolf Steiner and workers at the Goetheanum, Switzerland. At Rudolf Steiners instigation, the varied subject-matter was chosen by his audience. He took their questions and usually gave immediate answers. The astonishing nature of these responses - their insight, knowledge and spiritual depth - is testimony to Steiners outstanding ability as a spiritual initiate and profound thinker. Accessible, entertaining and stimulating, the records of these sessions will be a delight to anyone with an open mind.In this particular collection, Rudolf Steiner deals with topics ranging from crystals to crocodiles! He discusses, among other things: speech and languages; lefthandedness; dinosaurs; Lemuria; turtles and crocodiles; oxygen and carbon; ancient giant oysters; the moon, sun and earth; the Old Testament; the real nature of Adam; breathing and brain activity; dreams; sugar; the liver and perception; brain cells and thinking; cancer and its origin; diabetes; the eyes of animals; Paracelsus; alcohol, and migraine.

Mental and emotional disorders have reached epidemic levels in Western societies. Self-doubt, panic-attacks, anxiety disorders and personal fears of all kinds present major challenges to contemporary medical science. Rudolf Steiners spiritual research offers a startlingly original and complementary contribution to the problem. True insight into psychological issues requires knowledge of the influences of spiritual beings, he suggests. In everyday life we are all confronted with metaphysical entities that can hinder or progress our development. Many forms of anxiety and self-doubt derive from such meetings on the border or threshold of our consciousness. Further, these threshold experiences are exacerbated today by a general loosening of the subtle bodies and components of the human soul.As these constitutional changes persist, says Rudolf Steiner, a condition of dissociation becomes increasingly common. A healthy emotional life will only be possible if individuals engage in a conscious practice of personal growth, strengthening their constitution through the action of the I or self. The expertly selected and collated texts in Self-Doubt offer numerous cognitive and practical ideas for the improvement of everyday mental and emotional health.Chapters include: The origin of error, fear, and nervousness; Crossing the threshold in the development of humanity and the individual; The polarity of shame and fear; The polarity of doubt and terrifying disorientation; The polarity of scepticism and claustrophobia, astraphobia, and agoraphobia; The origin of panic; Anxiety; The multi-layered nature of terrifying disorientation; Healing aspects of the anthroposophical path of training; The spiritual-scientific qualities of fear compared with standardized diagnostic terms and as a basis for therapy.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying: "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."These words begin a story that will be familiar to many, whether from images on Christmas cards or school nativity plays, or more directly from Christian teaching. As often with images associated with Christmas, they have the power to evoke all kinds of feelings, from joy and hope to sorrow and doubt. But what do we really know of the birth of Jesus, and who were the mysterious wise men that are reported to have visited him?In this freshly-collated anthology of Rudolf Steiners lectures, complemented with illuminating commentary by editor Margaret Jonas, we are offered solutions to the riddles surrounding Jesuss birth and the seemingly conflicting accounts within Christian scripture. Could there have been two different births in other words, two infants, both named Jesus, born to two sets of parents?From the mystery of the birth, we are led to a study of the three wise men who are mentioned in only one of the four Gospel accounts. Who were they, what was their teaching, and what was the meaning of the star they followed? And, why did they offer gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus? The Three Wise Men offers solutions to the enigma of the identity and spiritual backgrounds of these magisterial figures and also provides suggestions as to their possible future roles in the drama of human development.Featuring colour images, this original, thought-provoking book is a wonderful gift for anyone seeking to understand the birth of Jesus and the wise men from the East.

From the ancient British tales of King Arthur and his knights through the medieval Central European sagas of Parzival, right up to modern-day blockbuster novels and films, the Grail has long maintained its enigmatic presence in western culture. It is said to be many things: a lost and priceless treasure, the chalice cup of the Last Supper, the cup that caught Jesus Christs blood from the cross on Golgotha, or even a secret royal bloodline...Basing his presentations on far-reaching spiritual research, Rudolf Steiner gave profoundly esoteric, multifaceted insights into the mysteries of the Holy Grail. Collected together for the first time in a single volume, together with commentary and notes, these passages offer vivid tableaux with a multiplicity of meanings: a story that speaks to the human soul with a depth and complexity that intellectual interpretations alone cannot begin to fathom. Just as Parzival had to encounter and engage with veils of illusion and valleys of shadow and doubt, Rudolf Steiner presents us with a similarly challenging path. This book is more than a treasure of thought and insight: it invites us to embark on a personal quest to develop the abilities and vision required for grasping the elusive Grail itself. As editor Matthew Barton writes: "The vessel of the Grail gradually descends towards us and comes into focus as we raise ourselves individually to it by piercing through the illusions of materialism, acknowledging that we ourselves can ultimately become true vessels for the spirit."

Meditating is a totally free undertaking; it is the epitome of an autonomous deed. - 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 meditation. 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.

Understanding mans true nature as a basis for medical practice; The science of knowing; The mission of reverence; The four temperaments; The bridge between universal spirituality and the physical; The constellation of the supersensible bodies; The invisible human within us: the pathology underlying therapy; Cancer and mistletoe, and aspects of psychiatry; Case history questions: diagnosis and therapy; Anthroposophical medicine in practice: three case histories.

Rudolf Steiner found the spiritual science of anthroposophy and the many practical disciplines that arose from it. Eventually, he would write his Autobiography, although its composition would be interrupted by his unexpected death. This volume is an essential complement to Steiners unfinished autobiography. It gathers a wealth of personal testimonies, lectures, resumes, notebook entries, a questionnaire, and biographical notes written for Edouard Schure - much of which has not been previously published in English.

In Hindu tradition, the concept of kundalini refers to a form of primal energy located at the base of the spine. Through traditional Eastern methods, efforts were made to awaken the kundalini in order to achieve transformed consciousness. Rudolf Steiner offers an entirely new perspective, integrating the kundalini idea into his spiritual philosophy. This anthology contains all relevant comments and notes by Steiner on the theme, highlighting how his thinking evolved. At the same time, it accentuates the differences and similarities between Western and Eastern spiritual paths, and in the process reveals what is new and original about Steiners esoteric teachings.In contrast to most yoga traditions which cultivate the energy rising from the lower life centre the Western path of esoteric schooling starts in our upper centre of consciousness, in thinking and the I. From there, the centre of experience is shifted downward, from the head to the heart. After development of the new heart centre, as Rudolf Steiner describes it, forces can be guided consciously and, through specific exercises, the kundalini snake can be fully awoken. In his detailed introduction, editor Andreas Meyer distils the perspectives and instructions from Steiners complete works, presenting a valuable synopsis for our understanding and practice of meditation today.Chapters include: The Meaning of Meditation, and the Six Exercises; Developing and Cleansing the Lotus Flowers; The Snake Symbol; The Kundalini Fire; The Kundalini Light; Developing the New Heart Organ; The Reversal in Thinking and Will; Specific Aspects of Kundalini Schooling; Transforming Physical Love and the Division of the Sexes; Breathing, the Light-Soul Process, and the New Yoga Will; The Polarity of Light and Love and Transforming the Kundalini Fire into Fraternity.