Translated from the "Book of the Golden Precepts", which shares a common origin with the Stanzas of Dzyan of "The Secret Doctrine", the rules and ethics presented in the "Voice" contrast the two paths of spiritual attainment: the one pursued by those seeking knowledge for their own enlightenment; the other chosen by those whose aspirations are prompted by compassion for all.

Madame Blavatsky's Victorian-era masterpiece is now scaled down to its essentials, providing the most readable, accessible experience ever of one of history's seminal occult works.
"The Secret Doctrine," Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's masterwork on the origin and evolution of the universe and humanity itself, is arguably the most famous, and perhaps the most influential, occult book ever written. Published since 1888 only in expensive, two-volume editions of some 1,400 pages, it has long eluded the grasp of modern readers- until now.
This single-volume edition, abridged and annotated by historian and Theosophical scholar Michael Gomes, places the ideas of "The Secret Doctrine" within reach of all who are curious. In particular, Gomes provides a critical sounding of the book's famous stanzas on the genesis of life and the cosmos- mysterious passages that Blavatsky said originated from a primeval source and which form the heart of "The Secret Doctrine." Gomes scrupulously scales down the book's key writings on symbolism to their essentials, and offers notes and a glossary to illuminate arcane references. His historical and literary introduction casts new light on some of the book's sources and on the career of its brilliant and elusive author, one of the most intriguing personages of the nineteenth century.
At once compact and representative of the work as a whole, this new edition of "The Secret Doctrine" brings unprecedented accessibility to the key esoteric classic of the modern era.

'Meditating is a totally free undertaking; it is the epitome of an autonomous deed.' - Rudolf Steiner Based on brief, pithy quotations from Rudolf Steiner's 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 Steiner's 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.

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.

In this revised and expanded edition of his classic debut, Sergei O. Prokofieff investigates the deepest mysteries of Rudolf Steiner's life and individuality, from 'the years of apprenticeship' and 'the great Sun period' to 'the path of the Teacher of Humanity' and 'the birth of the New Mysteries'. He discusses the earthly and supersensible aspects of the first Goetheanum, the implications of the Christmas Conference of 1923-24, and the Foundation Stone meditation that Steiner left as a legacy to members of the Anthroposophical Society.In his very personal Introduction, Prokofieff describes, in moving detail, the events in his life which led to his discovery of anthroposophy whilst living in Communist Russia, and how eventually he came to write this extraordinary study of Rudolf Steiner. The resulting volume - a work of secondary anthroposophical literature unprecedented in its depth and significance - was first published in Germany in 1982, meeting with equal amounts of acclaim, astonishment and controversy. It is published in this paperback edition to mark the 35th anniversary of the original publication.

'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.

Rudolf Steiner differentiated clearly between the spiritual concept of Imagination and our everyday understanding of the word. As living, pictorial thinking, Imagination is a primary aspect of the contemporary path of inner schooling - the first of three levels of initiate knowledge and cognition. Imagination leads us into a world of flowing, living pictures: a realm of soul and spirit in which everything is in continual movement. This anthology offers a survey of the diverse aspects of Imagination and imaginative cognition. As the thematically re-ordered texts reveal, Rudolf Steiner's spiritual philosophy - anthroposophy - is itself often pictorial and imaginative in nature. Many of its fundamental concepts, such as the evolution of the world and the human being, were formulated by Steiner in vivid, living pictures. However, whilst imaginative perception leads us to the threshold of the spiritual world, we can also fall prey there to illusions, visions and hallucinations. This volume, expertly assembled by Edward de Boer, draws on the entirety of Rudolf Steiner's collected works - from his earliest writings to passages from his many lectures. It is conceived as a stimulus to readers to practise, deepen and extend their own imaginative consciousness. Steiner's commentary on `exemplary Imaginations', in particular, encourages further study, contemplation and schooling of our own pictorial thinking. Chapters include `Imagination as Supersensible Cognition'; `The Rosicrucian Path of Schooling'; `Exercises to Develop Imagination'; `Understanding Imagination Through Inspiration and Intuition'; `Illusions, Hallucinations and Visions'; `Imaginative Perception as the Threshold to the Etheric World'; `Goethe's Worldview' and `Exemplary Imaginations' (including commentary on `The Fairy-tale of the Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily', The Mystery Plays; The Great Initiates; the `Apocalyptic Seals'; The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz and the `Michael Imagination').

Although these nine lectures were given to an audience that had been studying anthroposophy, or spiritual science, for many years, they were nevertheless described by Rudolf Steiner as an 'introductory course'. Given shortly after the Christmas Foundation Meeting, in which Rudolf Steiner refounded and renewed the Anthroposophical Society, these lectures reformulate the content of spiritual science from a condensed, personal, experiential point of view. What Steiner presented in his fundamental work Theosophy in a descriptive, systematic way, is complemented here with great intensity, challenging us to cultivate a living experience of the spiritual nature of ourselves and of the world. This volume is therefore an invaluable companion to the book Theosophy. Given the unique nature of these lectures, they are suitable for both the advanced student and the beginner who wishes to embark on an exploration, however tentative, of the vast range of Rudolf Steiner's work.

'Whatever turbulent outward events occur in the world, whatever form is taken by things seeking to work their way out of the depths of human evolution, we only really hearken to the true, underlying nature of these events ...if we observe the world from a spiritual perspective.' - Rudolf Steiner In seeking to heal the many social crises of our time, Rudolf Steiner urges us to turn away from 'fixed principles, theories or social dogmas' and to rediscover the real nature of the human being. This inner reality - that cannot be understood in materialistic or deterministic ways - is the only basis on which society can truly be founded. But it is not sufficient to speak of well-meaning ideas, he says, unless we are also active in working for change; change that begins with each of us. In 1919, a year marked by strong social and political upheavals, Steiner was deeply concerned with questions relating to society. Having published a book on the subject (Towards Social Renewal), he embarked on a major campaign to publicize his 'threefold' social ideas. In addition to public lectures, however, Steiner sought to deepen the subject in a series of talks to members of the Anthroposophical Society. These lectures, gathered in this volume, reveal the 'inner' or 'esoteric' aspects of the social question. They complement Steiner's very practical efforts to realize threefolding in the historical context of his time. Whilst Steiner's suggestions for social change may not seem self-evident to pragmatic thinking, they will strike a resonant chord in many who seek deeper answers to the social problems of our times - problems that politicians seem unable to remedy. Amidst the many themes tackled here, Steiner addresses the issue of nationalism as a retrograde tendency; the tasks of Central Europe and Britain in relation to the East; the incarnation of Ahriman in the West, and the historical incarnation of Lucifer in the third millennium BC.

Drawn by the mysterious mount Etna, Thomas Meyer sets off on a quest to discover the secrets of the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Stromboli. The Sicilian region is not only famous for the drama of its live volcanoes, but also for its associations with numerous cultural figures - ranging from Cain, Empedocles, Klingsor and the much maligned Cagliostro, through to Goethe and Rudolf Steiner. The author ponders their lives, work and karmic connections, whilst unexpected meetings with cryptic strangers result in discussions that are filled with spiritual insights and pearls of wisdom.Meyer's travelogue is at once engaging, poetic and deeply esoteric, drawing parallels between the burning lava of Etna and Stromboli and the soul lava through which our spiritual feet must wade in the present day. In meditations on the Guardian of the Threshold and the explosive popularity of football, we are led to the conclusion that today human beings need to develop 'spiritual feet' to cross the boundary to higher worlds. The author's final trip coincides with the recent natural catastrophe in Nepal, which prompts him to ask whether humanity can begin to take inner responsibility for the many such disasters - particularly earthquakes and volcanic eruptions - that take place around the world. For these natural calamities, says Meyer, are intimately related to our untamed passions and emotions.

This text, outlining a new methodology for the study of human nature, dates from 1910 and was found after Rudolf Steiner's death among his unpublished papers. Steiner had dealt with the same theme earlier in lectures. Asked for a written version, he tried to write down what he had said, but found himself unable to do so-the language would not completely relinquish the words. Nevertheless, what he was able to put down remains a major intellectual and spiritual accomplishment of the twentieth century. Steiner presents anthroposophy, which lies between anthropology and theosophy, as a way of studying the human being. Where anthropology studies the human being on the basis of the senses-i.e. by observation within the limits of the scientific method-theosophy recognizes the human as a spiritual being on the basis of inner experience and seeks to understand what it means to be human in a spiritual world. Between these two approaches-basically those of science and religion-lies anthroposophy, which seeks to study human beings as they present themselves to physical observation, while at the same time seeking to derive indications of the spiritual foundations of phenomena by a process of phenomenological intensification. The results of such phenomenological intensification, though fragmentary and incomplete, are of enormous importance. They constitute the first steps toward a truly cognitive psychology, one that demonstrates the richness of the phenomenological approach to the human being as a sensory organism. Starting from there, Steiner unfolds the seven life processes, the nature of I-experience, the meaning of the human form, and its complex relation to higher spiritual worlds. This is a key work, whose time has truly arrived.

Book Four of the Law of One is the last of the books in the Law of One series. Book Four explores in great detail the archetypical mind which is the framework provided by our Logos or sun body to aid each of us in the evolution of mind, body, and spirit. Tarot, astrology, and ritual magic are three paths offering the study of the archetypical mind, and in Book Four a study of that rich resource is undertaken using the tarot, also uncovered on the nature and purpose of the veil that we experience between the conscious and the unconscious minds and the process of "forgetting" that occurs during each incarnation in our third-density experience. In Book Four the path of the adept becomes more clear as Ra elucidates the adept's use of experience to balance its energy centres and penetrate the veil of forgetting.

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 second volume of the series. Rudolf Steiner considers individual karmic relationships in history - for example Marx and Engels - as well as surveying karma in human life, the shaping of karma after death, and the "cosmic form" of karma.

As a child in a non-religious family, Michael Ridenour found a Bible one day and began reading. Initially excited by its lively stories, he paused at the New Testament, faced with a baffling inner question: Where in the world is Christ today? An unexpected answer came during his teenage years with a spontaneous experience of the Christ being, but this only led to more questions. Later, discovering the work of Rudolf Steiner, he found the authentic vision and language he needed to clarify and better comprehend his own experiences, but the questions kept coming. The Greatest Gift Ever Given is a fruit of Ridenour's life-long search for answers: a book that is at once deeply thoughtful, humorous, philosophical and poetic. In Part I, `Raising the Foundation', he studies the Judeo-Christian mysteries. After humanity's `fall' into materialism, these mysteries signal the development of human individuality. The impulse for self-hood continues with Christ, who brings a new path of divine love. But the mystery of Christ leads naturally to his shadow. Today, we can no longer escape the question: Where in the world is Judas? Without Judas's betrayal, Christ's greatest gift could never have been given. We can't reject Judas, but should transform him within ourselves. In Part II, `Lowering the Temple', Ridenour relates the theme of metamorphosis to the contemporary world. Once guided by initiates, personal transformation now needs to blossom from within each individual human soul. The topic of evolution takes us to a consideration of the perennially-controversial Charles Darwin, as well as the intuitive approach of Goethe and the living thinking of Rudolf Steiner. A rich treasure-trove of ideas, The Greatest Gift Ever Given sharpens a dynamic focus on current spiritual needs and contributes a thought-provoking response to them.

Based on a remarkable series of lectures delivered in his native Israel, Dr Ben-Aharon presents his illuminating research on the meaning of Judaism and the spiritual mission of the Jewish people in the past, present and future. The Hebrew people have been a central root in the development not only of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, but of the universal human spirit itself. Thus, a new understanding of their development and contribution to the spiritual biography of humanity is essential to understanding ourselves as human beings. The Jews were chosen to reveal the deepest secret of ancient times: the existence of one God above all gods, being the Creator of all human beings - beyond race, nation and gender - in his divine image. The great historical and spiritual figures of the Hebrew people - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joseph, the Judges, Kings and Prophets - prepared humanity for individuation - the true `I AM' - through devotion to the divine foundation of the world. `The Lord our God is one', who is to be loved with all one's heart, soul and being. Each person could now fulfill the Word, which could be actualized on earth - in the human being. In Jerusalem Dr Ben-Aharon describes the evolution of the Hebrew people and its role in the development of the human race. The journey continues to the present day, where the universal human Self has the potential to become a free participator in the ongoing creation of the universe. `The better I understand the roots of the Hebrew people and its universal-human mission, the better I shall understand the nature of humanity and its mission; and the more human I become, in the most universal sense, anchored in a new spiritual knowledge and practice, the more fulfilled, active and creative I can be at the roots of my existence as a Jew and an Israeli.' - Yeshayahu Ben-Aharon

A medicine with huge potential for treating Alzheimers, stroke, cancer and even Aids, the Christmas Rose (Black Hellebore) is in the process of being rediscovered by doctors and medical practitioners. Once admired by Hippocrates, Paracelsus and Hahnemann but long forgotten, the Christmas Rose is proving effective once again - both in trials and in clinical practice - for healing the serious illnesses of the new millennium. It is also being used to address many other conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder in children, delayed brain maturation, in gynaecology and for joint disorders. Written by a practising medical doctor, this book offers comprehensive treatment regimes and numerous case studies demonstrating the successful use of this important plant-based medicine. In placing the remedy in historical context, Johannes Wilkens reviews its use by significant figures over the centuries, from Adamus Lonicerus and the founders of herbalism in the Middle Ages and Samuel Hahnemann and the more recent development of homeopathy, through to Rudolf Steiner and the emergence of anthroposophic medicine in the twentieth century. Vividly illustrated with colour photographs, this pioneering work outlines the critical role that the Christmas Rose can play in treating the illnesses of our time.

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 inherent in reincarnation and karma, and explore in detail the incarnations of specific 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..." A study of the karma of the anthroposophical movement and society, the spiritual gates of the sun and moon, and much more.

Featuring more than 50 colour images, The Inner Rainbow takes the reader on an journey through time, from Ancient India to the present day. This is the journey of human consciousness - the story of an eternal, metamorphic process. As the author suggests, consciousness is not a self-contained, unchangeable faculty. The way we perceive the surrounding world today - with the potential for sophisticated and exact observation of natural phenomena - has evolved over thousands of years. What was once a blurred and fragmentary perception in the time of Ancient India has evolved to a clear awareness of everyday reality. Using pictures as his starting point, Henk van Oort outlines a remarkable narrative, beginning with the age-old myth of Noah's Ark, in which a rainbow is presented to the survivors of the Biblical flood. This rainbow in nature, with its seven colours, is mirrored in the ancient teaching of the seven human chakras, also with seven colours. Through a gradual process of change over centuries, this outer rainbow has been internalised into an inner rainbow, shaping a bridge between body, soul and spirit. With its ever-changing consciousness, this inner rainbow is a wonderful sense organ, in process of reaching a new peak of development. Understanding our past - the progressive stages we have passed through - is a prerequisite for optimal use of our consciousness now. Ultimately, then, this book can be seen as a guide for working with your own inner rainbow: to expand, deepen and enliven your picture of the world and your true self.

In ancient times, people's experience of the divine was imbued with the feminine archetype. The world of spirit was seen to be populated by goddesses, and women were honoured as priestesses and guardians of sacred rites. The later Greek and Roman civilizations, in contrast, were characterized by the principle of patriarchy, which still dominates our culture - despite the political and social emancipation of women in the West. This unique study of the feminine archetype throws new light on the spiritual significance and meaning of the feminine principle today, as well as its task and destiny in the future. Beginning with Eve in tradition and legend, the authors provide insightful commentaries on the Queen of Sheba, the image of the Virgin in esoteric Christianity, Isis-Sophia and the Great Mother, the birth of art from the primal source of the feminine, and the importance of women in modern esotericism. Through a study of the esoteric background to human and earth evolution, Sease and Schmidt-Brabant arrive at clear and accessible perspectives that could transform human life, and in particular family culture, in our time.

Topics include: Occult Science & Occult Development?Christ at the Time of the Mystery of Golgotha and Christ in the twentieth Century?The Michael Impulse and the Mystery of Golgotha I? The Michael Impulse and the Mystery of Golgotha II?The Way to Christ Through the Centuries?The Christ Impulse in Time and its Influence on Human Beings: The Three Spiritual Preparatory Steps to the Mystery of Golgotha?The Christ Spirit in relation to the Evolution of Consciousness?Progress in Knowledge of the Christ: The Fifth Gospel?The Four sacrifices of Christ.?The Three Preparatory Stages to the Mystery of Golgotha.

The first volume of a projected four-volume series explores the body's relationship to soul and spirit on the basis of Rudolf Steiner's insights into the workings of the spiritual world. An extensive discussion of developmental disorders and childhood diseases is followed by an in-depth exploration of the polarity of inflammation and sclerosis and the biochemistry and pathology of nutrition and metabolic disorders.

Among Rudolf Steiner's many initiatives that evoked visible, sustained impulses, there was one that did not develop as planned - his so-called 'endowment' of 1911. This was his attempt to create a 'Society for a Theosophical Art and Way of Life', that would work 'under the protectorate of Christian Rosenkreutz'. Rudolf Steiner envisaged a grouping of individuals who were '...deeply moved by a spiritual power like the one that lived earlier in Christianity'. Through the forming of such a Society, he sought to enable a true spiritual culture to arise on earth - a culture that would 'engender artists in every domain of life'. Virginia Sease's reflections - a century after Rudolf Steiner's attempt - place a special emphasis on three considerations. Firstly, that the Endowment impulse allows us to experience the art of 'interpreting' in the Rosicrucian way. Secondly, that the best initiative, even one undertaken by a great individuality, is doomed to failure if the participants are unable to overcome their personal ambitions. And finally, that we may live with the fact that, despite the passing of time, the seeds dormant in Rudolf Steiner's attempt still have the possibility to come to fruition in the future.