`This gave my mother the opportunity of mentioning to Dr Steiner an idea... Could one affect the physical body in a healing, strengthening and regulating way through certain rhythmical movements of the etheric body - which after all was the centre of all that was rhythmical - as well as of health and illness? Dr Steiner not only enthusiastically affirmed this possibility, but spontaneously declared himself ready to give the necessary directions which I could then work out with my mother's help.' - Lory Maier-Smits Alongside original material by Rudolf and Marie Steiner, this volume features unique first-hand accounts of the birth of the art of eurythmy by a number of its early students and practitioners. The practical and artistic stages of its development are chronicled in detail, alongside reports from the first public performance onwards. Rudolf Steiner offers inspiration to the original eurythmists to make their own discoveries - to perceive and fashion in movement their creative `inner voice'. The artistic principles are established for later development and elaboration, to reveal and foster human creativity in many poetic and musical contexts. Through the text, links between eurythmy and temple-dances, that accompanied ancient initiations, gradually emerge. The impulse to dance is rediscovered as inherent in the `lost Word', or the primordial root language still available in `genetic etymology'- the sounds of speech used in all languages. Music eurythmy, we learn, did not start from dancing, but from the archetypal structure of the musical system. Consequently, we can witness directly how an eloquent performing art can properly develop when technique and inspiration meet. The text is supported by extensive supplementary material, including eurythmy forms, a chronological survey, notes and indexes.

`The study of music is the study of the human being. The two are inseparable, and eurythmy is the art which brings this most clearly to expression. In these lectures, Rudolf Steiner guides us along a path toward an understanding of the human form as music comes to rest - the movements of eurythmy bringing this music back to life.' - Dorothea Mier `Fundamentally speaking, music is the human being, and indeed it is from music that we rightly learn how to free ourselves from matter.' - Rudolf Steiner The focus of these eight lectures is the source of movement and gesture in the human being. The movement in musical experience is thus traced back to its origin in the human instrument itself. Like the degrees of the musical scale, Rudolf Steiner leads his select audience of young artists through eight stages, focusing on the living principles of discovery and renewal. Eurythmy was born in the turbulent decades of the early twentieth century. From an individual question as to whether it was possible to create an art based on meaningful movement, Rudolf Steiner responded with fresh creative possibilities for a renewal of the arts in their totality. The new art of eurythmy was an unexpected gift. Today, music eurythmy, along with its counterpart based on speech, is practiced as an art, taught as a subject in schools, enjoyed as a social activity and applied as a therapy. This definitive translation of Steiner's original lecture course on eurythmy includes a facsimile, transcription and translation of the lecturer's notes, together with an introduction and index. The volume is supplemented with an extensive `companion', featuring full commentary and notes compiled by Alan Stott, as well as a translation of Josef Matthias Hauer's Interpreting Melos.

In these remarkable lectures, Rudolf Steiner reestablishes the human being as a participant in an evolving, dynamic universe of living spiritual beings: a living universe, whole and divine. He does so in concrete images, capable of being grasped by human consciousness as if from within.

"The two streams in the human being combine to produce what is commonly known as a person's temperament. Our inner self and our inherited traits co-mingle in it. Temperament is an intermediary between what connects us to an ancestral line and what we bring with us...Temperament strikes a balance between the eternal and the ephemeral..." From personal spiritual insight, Rudolf Steiner renews and broadens the ancient teaching of the four temperaments. He explains how each person's combination of temperaments - with one usually uppermost - is shaped. Steiner gives lively descriptions of the passive, comfort-seeking phlegmatic, the fickle, flitting sanguine, the pained, gloomy melancholic and the fiery, assertive choleric. He also offers practical suggestions aimed at teachers and parents for addressing the various manifestations of the temperaments in children, as well as advice intended for adults' personal development. Also available as an Audio Book

Delivered in the context of post-war cultural and social chaos, these lectures form part of Rudolf Steiner's energetic efforts to cultivate social understanding and renew culture through his innovative ideas based on `threefolding'. Steiner develops a subtle and discerning perception of how social dynamics could change and heal if they were founded on real insight into our threefold nature as individuals, social beings and economic participants in the world. He doesn't offer a programmatic agenda for change, but a real foundation from which change can organically grow. Social forms and reforms, says Steiner, are `created together', not imposed by lone geniuses. Nevertheless, the detail of some of the thoughts and ideas he presents here as a possible model - down to the economic specifics of commodity, labour, taxation, ground rent and capitalism itself - are staggering in their clarity and originality. This is no mystic effusion but a heartfelt plea, backed by profound insights, to change our thinking and the world we live in. As he points out, thoughts create reality, and so it is vital how and what we think. Among the many contemporary and highly-relevant topics Steiner discusses here are: the nature of money and capital; taxation and the state; free enterprise and initiative; capitalism and Marxism; the relationship between employer and employee; `added value' theory and the concept of commodity; and `class consciousness', the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.

`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 Steiner's lectures, complemented with illuminating commentary by editor Margaret Jonas, we are offered solutions to the riddles surrounding Jesus's 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.

The self-conscious human soul participates in two worlds: the external world and a still deeper interior world. As it mediates between these two worlds, an evershifting stream of dynamic polarities continually moves through the soul in love-hate, joy-sorrow, pleasure-displeasure, desire-satisfaction, and laughing-weeping. The author examines these and other psychological processes.

At the end of his life, Rudolf Steiner took up the task that was his special destiny: to bring to the West a knowledge of reincarnation and karma. To do this, he gave over eighty lectures in 1924 in which he explicitly and concretely revealed the destinies of various individuals from one life to the next in order to show how the general laws of karma operate in individual cases. He also revealed many details of the karmic streams of the members of the Anthroposophical Society. These volumes constitute an immeasurable contribution to the understanding of reincarnation and karma, and the tasks of the Anthroposophical Society in connection with the Archangel Michael. This new edition also includes Steiner's last address along with; the karmic groups of souls connected to Aristotelianism and Platonism, the karma of the anthroposophical movement, as well as the individual incarnations of Ernst Haeckel, Vladimir Solovioff and others.

These lectures trace the subtle changes in people's ideas and feelings in connection with the development of natural science. Through this, Steiner shows the significance of scientific research and the mode of thinking that goes with it. As we look at what technology, has brought us, we can have a feeling akin to the one of pain over the death ora person. This feeling, Steiner says, will become the most important impetus to seek the spirit.

The honey bee has lived in close association with human beings for millennia. Tragically, however, humanity's once intimate connection with this unique creature has been harmed by our increasingly utilitarian and exploitative dealings with the natural world. We are now in urgent need of re-establishing a deeper relationship, not just for the sake of the bees themselves but for the whole of nature - and of course for ourselves.Lorenzen - a true master beekeeper - provides numerous insights to enable a more fruitful engagement with the living world. Offering an enrichment of the knowledge and practice of beekeeping, he discusses the origins of the honey bee, its relationship to the floral kingdom, the digestion of the bee, the treatment of bee diseases as well as appropriate beekeeping techniques. He also develops subtle spiritual concepts such as the idea of the bee colony as an 'individuality' and 'group-soul', providing new depth and wisdom to our understanding of how bees live and work.This small book, a hidden gem that has never before appeared in English, is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of the honey bee and the future of humanity.

Who was Cain and what does he represent? The first part of this book invites us to revise the traditional, biblical, view of Cain as his brother's murderer. Rudolf Steiner shows how the original Cain was ready to sacrifice his being to something higher, but this pure impulse was perverted into the desire to murder. Our earthly knowledge has an affinity with the fallen Cain, but there is also a path by which we can ascend to the condition of Cain before his fratricide - through the stages of higher knowledge. Only the descendants of Cain, coming to full and real 'I' development, can sustain themselves in the face of earthly forces. In the context of this primeval Cain, or the 'new' Cain, the ritual ceremonies enacted by Steiner between 1905 and 1914 acquire their true meaning: as a way to incorporate previously developed spirit knowledge into the human soul and into physical reality. Here the practical occultist increasingly identifies with Hiram, the central figure of the Temple Legend, in order to realize the new Cain within him.Meyer demonstrates the direct line from Rudolf Steiner's early 'rites of knowledge' to the Class lessons of 1924, which Steiner had intended to reinvest with a ritual element. Besides reflections by Rudolf Steiner and editor Thomas Meyer's commentary, this volume includes important thoughts by Marie Steiner, W.J. Stein, Ludwig Polzer-Hoditz and Rudolf Geering-Christ. The final chapter is a lecture by D.N. Dunlop - perhaps Steiner's most important pupil in the West - that reveals the universally human core of the rituals we encounter both in traditional freemasonry and in Steiner's own rites.

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.

"Translation of Geiste und soziale Wandlungen in der Menschheitsentwickelung, published by Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach, Switzerland, 1992"--T.p. verso.

Based on many years of medical, artistic, therapeutic and anthroposophical experience, the author presents a concentrated foundation for the development of artistic therapy and the training of therapists. Although written with the painting therapist in mind, this clearly-formulated book - the fundamental work in its field - will also be of interest to those involved in medical and general therapeutic work, as well as to serious students of anthroposophy. It includes fifty full-colour examples from Hauschka's course at the School for Artistic Therapy. MARGARETHE HAUSCHKA (1896-1980) studied Medicine in Munich and worked as a doctor at the Ita Wegman Clinic, where she had responsibility for artistic therapy and helped develop Rhythmical Einreibungen, a method of rhythmical massage. After marrying Rudolf Hauschka, she worked at the Biologischen Hospital in Hollriegelskreuth. From 1950, she devoted herself to course and seminar activity, and in 1962 she founded the School for Artistic Therapy and Massage in Boll, Germany.

In this major collection, Rudolf Steiner affirms the reality of esoteric Christianity and unveils many of its secret teachings. His lectures are on the significance of the Mystery of Golgotha and of the Blood that flowed on the Cross; the relationship of Christ and Lucifer (or Love and Knowledge); the various paths of initiation, including the Christian-Gnostic and Rosicrucian Paths; and Steiner's early interpretations of St. John's gospel and the sermon on the mount. All of Steiner's lectures on the Lord's Prayer are also included, as well as the version of the prayer that Steiner himself prayed throughout his life.

This is an excellent book for all those who want to deepen their understanding of the Western stream of Christian esotericism and Rudolf Steiner's approach to Christianity as a spiritual practice.

The Secret Doctrine is a comprehensive survey of the origin of the cosmos and the prehistory of humanity. Written more than 100 years ago, it anticipates the discoveries of modern cosmology and sees further back into prehistory than modern evolutionary biology. A brilliant synthesis of religion, philosophy, and science, presented within the frameword of an Ancient Wisdom inherited from the dawn of life, it is the basis for all modern esotericism. This abridgement presents the central insights of the original text in an accessible form, simplified by those passages that are most interesting and relevant for the contemporary reader.

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.

'By bringing the chosen leaders, prophets or priests to confront the powers of life and death, to discover the deeper needs and potential of the human spirit, the Mysteries had kept humanity in touch with the living foundations of experience. For those who went through their processes, the attainment of wisdom was the culmination of an existential struggle...' - Dr Andrew Welburn Modern scholarship knows little of the mystery schools of antiquity, offering only hypothetical explanations and external details. In these expansive lectures based on his personal spiritual insights, Rudolf Steiner offers a vivid description of the esoteric experiences gained by people in the ancient mystery schools, from the mysteries of Artemis in Ephesus, of Hibernia, Eleusis and Samothrace, to the Middle Ages. He also discusses the conditions under which initiation can be achieved today. Following preliminary lectures on the nature and function of the soul, Steiner presents a panoramic view of human and earthly evolution, including the roles of plants and animals. He also discusses the various metals, their curative properties and their connections with the planets.

The Theosophical Society (est. 1875 in New York by H. P. Blavatsky, H. S. Olcott and others) is increasingly becoming recognized for its influential role in shaping the alternative new religious and cultural landscape of the late nineteenth and the twentieth century, especially as an early promoter of interest in Indian and Tibetan religions and philosophies. Despite this increasing awareness, many of the central questions relating to the early Theosophical Society and the East remain largely unexplored. This book is the first scholarly anthology dedicated to this topic. It offers many new details about the study of Theosophy in the history of modern religions and Western esotericism. The essays in Imagining the East explore how Theosophists during the formative period understood the East and those of its people with whom they came into contact. The authors examine the relationship of the theosophical approach with orientalism and aspects of the history of ideas, politics, and culture at large and discuss how these esoteric or theosophical representations mirrored conditions and values current in nineteenth-century mainstream intellectual culture. The essays also look at how the early Theosophical Society's imagining of the East differed from mainstream 'orientalism' and how the Theosophical Society's mission in India was distinct from that of British colonialism and Christian missionaries.

Dedicated to the one hundredth anniversary of Rudolf Steiner's first proclamation of Christ's appearance in the etheric realm of the Earth, this book refers to various aspects of that Event that have so far not been adequately addressed. Sergei O. Prokofieff points to three themes of primary importance, all of which are connected directly with the tasks of the Society which Rudolf Steiner founded: The preparation of mankind for the Second Coming; Working together with Christ as the Lord of Karma; Recognising in anthroposophy the spiritual language in which questions can be posed to the etheric Christ today. Prokofieff describes these and other critical undertakings, such as forging a strong relationship to Michael and the importance of recognising the adversarial forces that attempt to falsify Christ's Second Coming. The Appearance of Christ in the Etheric is of relevance to every individual who wishes to take an active part in fulfilling the needs of our time.

In listening to the changing language of the year, said Rudolf Steiner, we can rediscover our individual nature. These meditative verses, one for each week of the year, help to awaken a feeling of unity with nature while simultaneously stimulating a discovery of the self. Through intensive work, Steiner's unique meditations can lead to a feeling of oneness with the world. This budget-priced pocket version features Owen Barfield's pioneering translation - 'paraphrased for an English ear' - based on more than 50 years studying the text. As Barfield argues, no simple translation can convey the 'thrust' of the verses. In his words: 'It is this quality which the version that follows especially aims to suggest - at the expense, where necessary, of close reproduction.'