|
|
Books > Religion & Spirituality > Alternative belief systems > Syncretist & eclectic religions & belief systems > Post-renaissance syncretist / eclectic systems > Theosophy & Anthroposophy
The warmth and humanity of this collection of Judge's letters has
inspired many seekers on the Path. In clear, compelling language,
the author shows that in our search for spirit, the need is not to
escape the world but to help transform it through our constant
effort to be compassionate, resolute, and wise in daily life.
Occultism (from the Latin occultus, meaning 'hid') as presented
here refers primarily to the esoteric theosophy concealed in
religion and nature. In this series of articles, Blavatsky
clarifies the 'essential difference between theoretical and
practical Occultism', and the gulf that separates harmful occult
practices from the occult path of altruism. Also included is a
timely three-part article on 'The Esoteric Character of the
Gospels' which casts revealing light on the mystery of Jesus - as
man and as Christ - and also upon the succession of messianic ages.
With careful documentation and persuasive exposition the author
presents an authentic account of the chief incidents in H P
Blavatsky's life, her ideals, and her unswerving dedication to the
service of Humanity. Controversial matters and H P Blavatsky and
controversy go hand in hand - about which today there may still be
differences in opinion, are examined because they touch closely on
fundamentals. They are discussed with the author's penetrating
insight, yet with an impersonal touch not lacking in persuasive
charm. This title includes an important record of the later history
of the Theosophical Society and a listing of world-wide
Theosophical Societies and Groups representative of the
Theosophical Movement today.
A-ha! Working through a topic or question, a shaft of sudden
inspiration hits. The cloud of fragmented ideas and thoughts clear
as a whole picture begins to form coherently in your mind. What you
have now worked out - in an unexpected, exciting eureka moment -
will stay with you forever. All teachers seek this experience for
their students. Liz Attwell explores theories of education to argue
that traditional teaching, 'filling buckets', must be replaced by
dynamic, progressive teaching that promotes active learning - not
just 'lighting a fire', but knowing how to lay the sticks and
finding the matches too. This progressive approach seeks to create
a basis for inner awakening and original insight, in order for
students ultimately to come to their own a-ha moments. In A Drop of
Light, Liz Attwell presents her original research into the
phenomenon of a-ha moments, offering a theoretical background as
well as practical advice to give teachers the tools, lesson plans,
anecdotes and inspiration to bring living thinking to their own
classrooms. Goethe's approach and Rudolf Steiner's pedagogical
ideas make an important contribution, but Attwell advises that
teachers following Steiner's philosophy should enter into dialogue
with educators from other backgrounds. Working together,
enlightened teachers around the world can help schools and colleges
to become true learning communities.
Austrian philosopher, playwright, and artist Rudolf Steiner (1861
1925) is perhaps best known as an educational philosopher and
reformer, the founder of Steiner (or Waldorf) schools located
around the world. These schools' philosophy represents the
priorities Steiner discusses in Theosophy: the development of body,
soul, and spirit. Goethe was an important influence on Steiner, and
he edited the poet's scientific works (1889 1896). Steiner was an
active member and leader of the German branch of Madame Blavatsky's
Theosophical Society, eventually broke away from theosophy, as he
developed his own spiritual philosophy termed 'anthroposophy'; this
philosophical movement asserted the potential of realizing a
spiritual reality through cognition. This 1910 translation by
Elizabeth Douglas Shields is of the book's third German edition; it
was first published in 1904. This work will be of particular
interest to historians of philosophy, of spiritual movements and of
education.
Why is there suffering, sickness and death? Why is no corner of
human life and society immune from egotism, fear, tyranny, betrayal
and guilt? What was God thinking when he allowed evil to come into
existence? Drawing on the worldview of Rudolf Steiner, the author
explains that the roots of evil lie with angelic beings. Schroeder
discusses evil's prehistory in heaven and shows how the polarity of
two kinds of evil, with good as a balance between them, manifests
itself in earthly history, and in the areas of education, work,
human relationships, sexuality, religion and technology. With the
increased influence of evil in today's world, Schroeder considers
how prayer, meditation and angelic guidance through reincarnation
give us the possibility to overcome evil in all its forms.
'If such authentic souls, such honest anthroposophists can be found
...then an upward movement and dynamic will arise. If such souls do
not appear, then decadence will take its inexorable downward
course...Today humanity stands before a great crisis: either it
will see all civilization collapsing into the abyss, or else
spirituality will raise civilization up by the power of the Michael
impetus, through which the Christ impetus works, thus continuing,
enriching and sustaining it.' In 1924, the final full year of his
life, Rudolf Steiner gave a series of urgent, sometimes
impassioned, talks to members of the Anthroposophical Society
regarding their karma and its relationship to the culture of the
time, referring in particular to the vital task of renewing
civilization and preserving it from the threat of decline.
Steiner's words characterize vividly a great spiritual battle, of
forces gathering to fight for the soul of humanity itself. He
presents a striking panorama in which anthroposophists are
compelled to broaden their vision; to see true esoteric and
exoteric anthroposophical work as a live yeast that can set all
culture rising. To waken the members of the Society to the
dimensions of their task, Steiner saw it as essential that they
begin to understand the many different karmic threads from which
the movement is woven. This recognition - of difference as much as
unity - can give the strength of diversity which, if unconscious
and unrecognized, leads easily to division. In the lectures and
excerpts compiled here Steiner speaks of the unprecedented
convergence of two specific groups of souls within the
anthroposophical movement: the Platonists and the Aristotelians. In
the karmic background lies a conflict of approaches, but the task
today calls for a unity based on love and knowledge; to work with
Michael and Christ in the face of Ahriman, materialism and the
possibility of civilization collapsing into decadence. Given the
challenges faced by humanity today, it has, perhaps, never been
more urgent for those who ally themselves with Rudolf Steiner's
work to study, absorb and take to heart the contents of this
critically important material.
The author developed this booklet from talks that were held for
members of the Anthroposophical Society. These became occasions for
many to question potential membership of the First Class in a more
conscious way, and for some to take the decisive step of entering
the Michael School. 'This experience gave rise to the occasion for
printing this lecture separately for interested individuals, as a
stimulus to consider their relationship to the Michael School on
Earth against the background of the karma that guides human beings
in their present incarnation to anthroposophy. In this sense, the
present text may well be an aid for some interested individuals to
grasp to its full extent the unique significance of the
establishment of the Esoteric School - carried out as it was by
Rudolf Steiner based on the Michael Spirit - so as to gain the
courage and will to become a member out of full inner conviction.'
(From the Preface)
Emil Bock lectured widely on Rudolf Steiner after the Second World
War, and during the course of his research he uncovered many
previously unknown aspects of Steiner's life. The Life and Times of
Rudolf Steiner brings together the two volumes of this insightful
work, which were previously available separately, in one
comprehensive book. Part one introduces the great range of people
who surrounded and influenced Steiner. Bock tracked down the
mysterious 'Felix the herb gatherer', from Steiner's youth, and
describes the Viennese social circles and coffee houses frequented
by Steiner in his student days. He also details Steiner's meeting
with Friedrich Nietzsche, and the various literary, artistic and
eccentric people from Steiner's time in Berlin. Part two reveals
some of the themes and ideas in Steiner's work - the early years of
Jesus, the Christmas festival and the break from the Theosophical
Society to the Anthroposophical Society - as well as exploring the
nature of destiny. Bock also examines the circle of people around
Steiner at this time and, using Steiner's ideas on karma and
reincarnation, draws interesting parallels with Rome, Byzantium,
Ephesus and the Grail Castle.
En diciembre de 1945, en un pueblo egipcio llamado Nag Hammadi (en
arabe "Pueblo de Alabanza") un campesino hallo cerca de mil paginas
en papiro divididas en codices, cuya antiguedad se remonta al siglo
IV d. C. Fue una gran suerte que tales manuscritos se descubriesen
en el siglo XX y no antes, ya que si el descubrimiento se hubiese
producido en la epoca en que la Iglesia catolica se valia de la
Inquisicion como instrumento corrector, habrian terminado en la
hoguera al considerarse textos hereticos, apocrifos. Los textos de
Nag Hammadi son unas traducciones realizadas hace unos 1500 anos.
Se trata de trece manuscritos traducidos al copto de originales
griegos. Sus autores ofrecen versiones de las vidas de Jesus, Maria
y Jose; la importancia de estos evangelios es que fueron escritos
por personas que vivieron en la epoca de Jesus. Estos textos
ofrecen un Jesus que, en lugar de venir a salvarnos del pecado,
viene como guia para abrir el acceso a la comprension espiritual.
Who are the ancient astronauts? Why did they first come to Earth?
Why are they returning now? What part did they play in building the
great monuments of antiquity? What part did they play in the
formation of present and earlier civilizations? With what other
beings do we share our universe? And where does the Earth fit into
the cosmic scheme of things? Almost twenty years of experimental
work with telepathy led to the "breakthrough" contact recorded in
this book. The Ra Material is an account not only of the events
leading up to this contact, but of over 200 pages of verbatim
transcripts of each and every conversation!
'Fundamentally, all of spiritual science ultimately aims to
understand human beings in their essence, in their tasks and
endeavours - in their necessary endeavours in the course of
development.' - Rudolf Steiner In the midst of the division and
destruction of the Great War, Rudolf Steiner speaks of the
spiritual unification of all human beings. Rather than preaching a
traditional morality, however, he states esoteric facts as he
perceives them, based on spiritual-scientific research. These
observations relate to the powerful universal impulse of Christ - a
healing spiritual force that works through the various nations and
races, irrespective of creed or colour - as a source of potential
unity. Rudolf Steiner describes this impulse as the central core of
human evolution. It allows for a conscious and newly-acquired
connection between all human beings, in the context of the
continuing diversification and fragmentation of the human race. The
central motif in these lectures relates to the appearance of Christ
on earth - knowledge of his historical incarnation, as well as
Christ's manifestation in the present and future periods of human
development. Rudolf Steiner creates an arc from the pre-Christian
mysteries through Gnosticism and the older studies of the early
Church Fathers, to Scholasticism and neo-Scholasticism. After
ancient faculties of clairvoyance had began to fade, he explains,
human beings could no longer see beyond the world of outer
appearances, and direct perceptions of Christ were therefore no
longer possible. And so the question arose as to how limitations on
human knowledge could be overcome - a question which remains
pertinent in our time. Steiner asserts that only a transformation
of thinking, enabling a living and conscious inner conceptual life,
can allow for a true understanding of the relationship between the
earthly Jesus and the cosmic Christ. Such living thinking leads in
turn to direct experience. Other topics in this volume include the
birth date of the 'two Jesus children'; the wisdom of Gnostic
teachings; the provenance of the Cross; the mysteries of the
Christmas festival; insights into ancient Christmas plays, and
reflections on individual consciousness of karma in the future
How might we improve the way we organize society, so that human
beings can live in greater peace, dignity and justice? Against a
background of chronic discontent and social conflict around the
globe, Richard Masters presents a comprehensive survey of Rudolf
Steiner's work on societal reform, sifting through and summarizing
the content of dozens of books, lectures and discussions. Rudolf
Steiner (1861-1925) is not known today for his social thinking, but
he wrote and spoke at length on such issues during and after WWI,
engaging with audiences ranging from royalty, politicians and
business owners to illiterate, dispossessed factory workers.
Central to his ideas was his 'threefold' approach to politics,
economics and culture, arguing that their roles should be clarified
and the three spheres allowed to thrive independently. Drawing on
the full range of source material - including much not yet
available in English - the author reveals the continuing relevance
of Steiner's work to our contemporary situation. With an emphasis
on accessibility, he builds up the subject methodically, studying
the main ideas from differing perspectives. He also provides candid
reflections on the degree to which Steiner's proposals are still
applicable to current policy and practice. Authoritative and yet
jargon-free, Rudolf Steiner and Social Reform offers innovative and
stimulating ideas for anyone concerned with the state of our world.
Rudolf Steiner shows how deeply and intimately human beings, the
microcosm, are related to the macrocosm. But for Steiner the
macrocosm is more than just the physical universe. It includes many
hidden realms - like the world of Elements and the world of
Archetypes - which lie behind outer manifestations such as our
physical body. The macrocosm works within us continuously - in the
daily alternation between sleeping and waking and in the great
cyclical interchange between incarnation on earth and our time
between death and rebirth. Steiner discusses the various paths of
self-development that lead across the threshold to spiritual
dimensions, transforming human soul-forces into organs of higher
perception. In future we will even have the capacity to evolve a
form of thinking that is higher than the intellect - the thinking
of the heart. In this classic series of lectures, now retranslated
and featuring a previously-unavailable public address, Rudolf
Steiner also discusses: the planets and their connection with our
sleeping and waking life; the inner path of the mystic; the
'greater' and 'lesser' guardians of the threshold; the Egyptian
mysteries of Osiris and Isis; initiation in the Northern mysteries;
The four spheres of the higher worlds; mirror-images of the
macrocosm in man; the strengthening powers of sleep; the symbol of
the Rose Cross; reading the Akashic Record; four-dimensional space;
the development of future human capacities, and much more. The
volume includes an introduction, notes and index.
In Book Two of The Law of One, the nature of each of the densities
or dimensions of this octave of creation is explored in detail with
special emphasis given to how evolution for our third density to
the fourth density is accomplished. The relationship between the
densities of creation and the energy centres of the body is
investigated so that each experience can be used as catalyst for
growth to balance and crystallise the energy centres of chakras of
the student of evolution. Wanderers, sexual energy transfers, the
physics of Dewey B. Larson, Polarization in consciousness, ritual
magic, and the nature and function of the Higher Self are all
explored as they are related to the Law of One. Book Two contains
Sessions #27 through to #50.
Ita Wegman, born in 1876 to a Dutch family living in Indonesia,
first met Rudolf Steiner in Berlin in 1902 when she was 26 years
old. She studied medicine at the University of Zurich and in 1917,
following Steiner's indications, developed a treatment for cancer
using mistletoe. In 1921 she founded the first anthroposophical
medical clinic, in Arlesheim, Switzerland, followed in 1922 by the
Sonnenhof home for children with special needs. Karl Koenig first
met Wegman in 1927, and she quickly recognized his great potential,
as well as his weaknesses. She invited him to work at the Arlesheim
clinic as her assistant, and encouraged and advised him in his
medical work. This book includes the complete correspondence
between Koenig and Wegman.
A collection of best loved lectures containing practical insights
for day-to-day living.
Book Three of the Law of One builds on the information presented in
Books One and Two, continuing the exploration of the nature and
balancing of the energy centers or chakras, sexual energy
transfers, healing, reincarnation, meditation, and Wanderers. The
nature of psychic prophecy is explored in Book Three, as are the
nature and ramifications of what are usually called psychic
attacks. A good deal of information is given on the principles of
ritual magic in general and white magic in particular, and a
beginning is made in the study of the archetypical mind, which is
the mind of the Logos and serves as a kind of blueprint for our
evolutionary process and which serves as the foundation concept for
each of our individual minds.
Madame Blavatsky was a pioneering woman, and not only as a
traveller, writer and spiritual teacher. She was an inspiration to
men and women around the world in Victorian times who desired to
follow an independent path. In our own times, the New Age owes most
of its spiritual knowledge to her. Blavatsky's travels in Russia,
India and Tibet; her absorbing of many different cultures and her
personal magnetism, are the stuff of celebrated legend. Her
personal struggles against prejudice and ignorance are a record of
one woman's determination to usher in the Aquarian Age. By her own
efforts she established 'spirituality' as an ethos. She also taught
that the soul - the 'Inner World' - of any individual is mysterious
and precious. It is a sacred possession, one not to be feared, but
cherished. Many myths and exotic tales surround Madame Blavatsky.
This phenomenal individual saw herself as having a mission - to
inform and enlighten the world. Her beliefs and her vision are even
more relevant now than when she first voiced them.
Book Five of The Law of One is comprised of the 56 fragments of
personal material that were originally omitted from the first four
books of this series. Both Jim, the scribe, and Carla, the
instrument for the Ra contact, have added their comments to these
fragments to give the reader an idea of what it was like to be part
of this contact and to show how every persons experience can be
used for personal growth and service to others. A wide variety of
topics is covered, from Eisenhowers meeting with extraterrestrials
in 1954 to UFO/government conspiracies, Wanderers, sexual energy
transfers, anger, balancing, Aleister Crowley, the Tunguska crater
in Russia, pre-incarnative choices, psychic greetings, alternate
and orthodox healing modalities, the ball lightning phenomenon, and
the many facets of the spiritual journey in general.
|
You may like...
Karma
Annie Besant
Paperback
R374
Discovery Miles 3 740
Avataras
Annie Besant
Hardcover
R658
Discovery Miles 6 580
|