Böcker av Rudolf Steiner

Created in 1911, eurythmy was developed for years as an artistic and educational discipline. Although Rudolf Steiner pointed out its healing aspects from the very beginning, it was only in 1921 that he gave a course of lectures that gave the art of eurythmy a vital new application. To the assembled eurythmists and doctors, he presented what one participant described as '...a complete and detailed method of eurythmy therapy, in which we could directly experience that even today the creative and therapeutic power of the word ... is still at work'.Steiner's comprehensive lectures, republished here in a thoroughly revised translation, describe the principles of therapeutic eurythmy, giving many specific exercises. Primarily intended for practising eurythmists, these lectures also contain much material of particular interest. Steiner reveals the intricacies of rhythmic interplay between human physiology and the life-forces in the world around us. He describes the qualities of language and the dynamism contained in the individual vowels and consonants, elucidating their relationship with eurythmical movements and human experience. Through such movements, individuals are able to access the healing etheric forces.The exercises, referred to by Steiner as 'inner gymnastics', contain enormous potential for psychological and physiological well-being. Gaining ever-wider recognition today, they complement conventional medicine, offering a therapeutic process concerned with mind, soul and body.This new edition of these important lectures - previously published under the title Curative Eurythmy - includes an appendix with reminiscences by early eurythmists, as well as additional commentary from Dr Walter Kugler.

At the young age of twenty-one, Rudolf Steiner was chosen to edit Goethe's scientific writings for the principle Geothe edition of his time. Goethe's literary genius was universally acknowledged; it was Steiner's task to understand and comment on Goethe's scientific achievements. Steiner recognized the significance of Goethe's work with nature and his epistemology, and here began Steiner's own training in epistemology and spiritual science. This collection of Steiner's introductions to Goethe's works re-visions the meaning of knowledge and how we attain it. Goethe had discovered how thinking could be applied to organic nature and that this experience requires not just rational concepts but a whole new way of perceiving.

12 lectures, Dornach, January 1-30, 1917 (CW 174)Although these lectures were given in 1916, they have much to teach us about today's political spin, media distortions, propaganda and downright lies--all delivered by the media on a daily basis. Rudolf Steiner's calm, methodological approach penetrates the smokescreen of accusations and counterclaims, illusions and lies, surrounding World War I. From behind this fog and under the guise of outer events, the true spiritual struggle is revealed. Steiner's words give the reader a deeper understanding of the politics and world conflicts that confront us today through the filter of popular media.Amid the turmoil of World War I, Steiner spoke out courageously against the hate, lies, and propaganda of the time. His detailed research into the spiritual impulses of human evolution allowed him to reveal the dominant role that secret brotherhoods played in events that culminated in that cataclysmic war. He warned that the retarding forces of nationalism must be overcome before Europe can find its true destiny. He also emphasized the urgent need for new social structures in order to avoid such future catastrophes.Political and social changes around the world are moving at a breathless pace, hurtling us all toward an uncertain future. These lectures illuminate much of what lies behind today's turbulent events and the scenes played out on the nightly news.Like volume 1, this edition is placed within a modern context and introduced by Terry Boardman.This volume is a translation from German of Zeitgeschichtliche Betrachtungen. Das Karma der Unwahrhaftigkeit - Zweiter Teil. Kosmische und Menschliche Geschichte Band V (GA 174).

This volume - which brings together two classic booklets for the first time - features Steiner's valuable thoughts and guidelines regarding the Foundation Stone Meditation and the new character of the Anthroposophical Society, given during and after the Christmas Conference of 1923/24.

The Spiritual Revolution of the twentieth century -- the "New Age" -- is unimaginable without the spiritualist movement and the formidable personality of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, the creator of the Theosophical Society. Without these two, the work of Rudolf Steiner, G. I. Gurdjieff, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Sri Aurobindo, and C. G. Jung, and could not have been what it was.In this fascinating volume on the Theosophical movement, Rudolf Steiner, one of its leading participants, tells his own story in his own words about the origins of the theosophical movement in spiritualism and somnambulism, as well as his own version of Anthroposophy's relation to Theosophy. Steiner also relates Theosophy to its historical ground in Western esotericism, above all Rosicrucianism. He reveals events from the seventeenth century that led to the emergence of Freemasonry and other secret societies, the hidden history of the creation of Theosophy itself in the nineteenth century, and conflicts that are still reverberating between Anglo-Saxon and Germanic occult streams today.

Rudolf Steiner presents the human soul dilemma, split into male and female attributes... but offers a path of development which will eventually lead to overcoming these - what Jung called 'individuation', a merging with the true self or true ego of the human being.' - from the IntroductionWe live in a sexualised society, surrounded by sexual imagery and content in almost every area of life. This presents us with many challenges, including an increasing blurring and confusion between love and sex; strife between men and women over their roles in society; and a consistent assault on the innocence of childhood. Despite the sensibilities of his time, Rudolf Steiner made a huge contribution to our understanding of the complex theme of sexuality. In this freshly-compiled anthology, Steiner describes the point in evolution at which human beings split from being androgynous and single-sexed to becoming male or female. He traces the changing roles of the sexes in society, from the matriarchal past to today's patriarchal dominance. The division of the sexes brings suffering, but also the possibility of achieving higher stages of love. In the distant future, humanity can evolve sexuality into a new form, with even the possibility of reproduction being metamorphosed. Refreshingly, Steiner is not judgmental and does not preach asceticism. He recognises the 'all-too-human' frailty people confront in their personal lives, even in the case of great individuals such as Goethe. Sex is a necessary stage of human evolution, and the split nature of the human being is a fact of our age. Its healing will be gradual but, like Amfortas in the Grail story - whose wounded groin was a metaphor for amorous misadventure - we can all be healed through love and compassion.

"Rudolf Steiner's Riddles of Philosophy: Presented in an Outline of Its History is not a history of philosophy in the usual sense of the word. It does not give a history of the philosophical systems, nor does it present a number of philosophical problems historically. Its real concern touches on something deeper than this, on riddles rather than problems. Philosophical concepts, systems and problems are, to be sure, to be dealt with in this book. But it is not their history that is to be described here. Where they are discussed they become symptoms rather than the objects of the search. The search itself wants to reveal a process that is overlooked in the usual history of philosophy. It is the mysterious process in which philosophical thinking appears in human history. Philosophical thinking as it is here meant is known only in Western civilization. Oriental philosophy has its origin in a different kind of consciousness, and it is not to be considered in this book. "What is new here is the treatment of the history of philosophic thinking as a manifestation of the evolution of human consciousness. Such a treatment requires a fine sense of observation. Not merely the thoughts must be observed, but behind them the thinking in which they appear. "To follow Steiner in his subtle description of the process of the metamorphosis of this thinking in the history of philosophy we should remember he sees the human consciousness in an evolution. It has not always been what it is now, and what it is now it will not be in the future. This is a fundamental conception of anthroposophy." --From the introduction by Fritz C. A. Koelln:

"Truth and striving for truth must taste good to you; and lies, once you are conscious of them, must taste bitter and poisonous. You must not only know that human judgments have color, but also that printer's ink nowadays is mostly deadly nightshade juice. You must be able to experience this in all honesty and rectitude, and once you can do so, you will be in a state of spiritual transformation." -Rudolf Steiner In response to these questions, Rudolf Steiner delivered the informal lectures in this book to the workers at the Goetheanum: * What is the relationship between coming to see the secrets of the universe and one's own view of the world? * How far must one go before finding the higher worlds on the path of natural science? * Do cosmic forces influence all of humanity? * What connection do plants have with the human being and the human body? In answering these questions, Steiner covers a wide range of topics, from the development of independent thinking and the ability to think backward to the uses of what seems boring and the reversal of thinking between the physical and spiritual worlds, and from the "physiology" of dreams to living into nature and the spiritual dimension of various foods. As always in his lectures to the workers, Steiner's style is clear, direct, and accessible.

11 lectures, various cities, January - May, 1909 (CW 109)These talks reveal a particular aspect of how humankind have been guided spiritually throughout history--by the life forces and astral bodies of the great initiates and avatars that were preserved, duplicated, and interwoven with the leading personalities of history. Steiner gives numerous examples of this process, but he says that such inspired people are rare today. Nevertheless, we have the possibility of elevating ourselves in the future to the point where we can receive into ourselves the "I"-being of the Christ, which is indeed our greatest goal--"not I but Christ in me." This volume is a translation from German of Das Prinzip der spirituellen Ökonomie im zusammenhang mit Widerverkürperungsfragen. Ein Aspekt der geistigen Führung der Menschheit (GA 109).

"Every page contains thought at a high level." -British Weekly Rudolf Steiner begins these three lectures by depicting the background of early Christian thought, from which scholastic philosophers arose. He focuses on the "unanswered question" of the scholastic movement: How can human thinking be made Christlike and develop toward a vision of the spiritual world? A study of subsequent European thought, especially that of Kant, leads to the possibility of deepening into spiritual perception the scientific thinking that arose from scholasticism. Steiner explains that, since the beginning of the twentieth century, this is true Christianity.

Beginning at the turn of the century, Rudolf Steiner began to express a passionate interest in Christianity. For him, the event he called the "Mystery of Golgotha" is more than the central event of Christianity; it is, in fact, the turning point in time for all human and earthly evolution. In his Autobiography, Steiner clarified his views on Christianity: "Some of what I said and wrote during that period [1890s] seems to contradict the way I described Christianity later on. This is because, when I wrote the word Christianity, I was referring to the teachings of a "world beyond" that was active in all Christian doctrines at the time. The whole meaning of religious experiences pointed to a world of spirit, one that was supposed to be unattainable by human intellect. Whatever religion might have to say and whatever precepts for moral life it might offer arise from what is revealed to human beings from outside. My own direct, inner perception of spirit objected to this; it wanted to experience the worlds of both spirit and the physical in perceptions of the human being and nature. And my ethical individualism objected to this. It rejected the external support of commandments for morality; such support came instead as the result of spiritual soul development within the human being, where divinity lives. That was a trying time for my soul as I looked at Christianity. This period lasted from the time I left the Weimar work until I wrote my book Christianity as Mystical Fact. These kinds of tests are obstacles, placed in one's path by destiny (or karma), and they must be overcome through spiritual development. In these talks, Rudolf Steiner offers his profound insights into the essential truths behind the Christ event, as well as the historic and prehistoric events-on Earth and in the spiritual worlds-leading up to the turning point in time. He shows that the ancient mysteries of the East, the Persians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the streams behind those impulses-going back to Atlantis and Lemuria-all lead to the event of Christ's incarnation and the Mystery of Golgotha, through which the Earth became the body of Christ. Further, Steiner talks about what those events mean for the future of humanity and the Earth." The Gospel of St. John and Its Relation to the Other Gospels is an essential document in the literature of Christology and for understanding the central place of esoteric Christianity in Anthroposophy.

Rudolf Steiner shows the need to "expand the horizon of life into the breadth of the world" in order to overcome today's hermitlike existence. He shows that the path to becoming true citizens of the cosmos is through the forces of the Archangel Michael, who is always present and prepared to help us.

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 Steiner's 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 anyone with an open mind. In this particular collection, Rudolf Steiner deals with topics ranging from comets to cocaine! He discusses, among other things, nicotine and alcohol; the causes and timing of illness; pregnancy; vegetarian and meat diets; the human ear, eye and hair colour; influenza, hay fever, haemophilia; planets and metals; mental illness; the ice age; the thyroid gland and hormones; beavers, wasps and bees; the nose, smell and taste; and jaundice, smallpox and rabies.

In this book, given as a course on language to teachers in the first Waldorf School, Rudolf Steiner demonstrates how history and psychology combine to form different languages and how the language-forming power has dwindled, but how the inmost kernel of language -- the penetration of sense into sound -- can be accessed today. From the Foundations of Waldorf Education series.

19 lectures, Dornach, April 10, 1921 and September 5-23, 1924 (CW 282)This course was designed for students and professionals in the stage arts and given in the Section for the Arts of Speech and Music School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum. Rudolf Steiner begins with a fundamental and spiritually-rooted appreciation of human speech and what actually takes place during human communication. Speech is a spiritual activity as well as an art form, lending itself to real interaction with both higher spiritual worlds and the human world of social conversation.Steiner shows that speech is a powerful tool for any serious dramatist in conveying the reality of worlds, whether visible or invisible, to the individual souls in the audience.This is an essential book for anyone involved in speech work, communication arts, and many kinds of therapies.This volume is a translation from German of Sprachgestaltung und Dramatische Kunst (GA 282).

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 Steiner's 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 mammoths to mediums! He discusses, among other things, dancing and sport; guardian angels; effects of the stars; potatoes, beetroot and radishes; the Druids; Roman Catholic and Masonic rituals; proteins, fats, carbohydrates and salts; Aristotle; nutrition; blood circulation and the heart; honesty and conscience; boredom and opinions; lungs and kidneys; fertilization in plants and humans; light and colour; and breathing.

"e;Vague and general phrases... cannot provide the basis for a genuine art of education, which depends on real knowledge of the human being. It is not that such phrases are wrong, but that they are as useless as saying that all parts of a machine must be made to work together harmoniously. To make a machine work you have to apply real, detailed knowledge, not phrases and truisms. For the art of education likewise, what is important is specific insight into the way the human being is constituted, and how each aspect develops."e;In his earliest and most succinct statement regarding education, Rudolf Steiner describes the stages of childhood development and explains why it is important to introduce aspects of the curriculum at specific times. He relates developmental steps in children to the "e;births"e; of the non-physical aspects of the human being: the etheric body that accompanies the change of teeth, the astral body that becomes apparent at puberty, and the birth of the "e;I"e; that heralds the individual's maturation to adulthood. Without this knowledge, says Steiner, well-meaning but misguided educational theory and practise can cause harm.

Today we face an increasing number of challenges connected to our environment - from climate change and extreme weather patterns to deforestation, threats to animal species and ongoing crises in farming. Hardly a day goes by without further alarming reports. How are we to respond - particularly if we wish to take a broader, spiritual view of these events? Today we face an increasing number of challenges connected to our environment - from climate change and extreme weather patterns to deforestation, threats to animal species and ongoing crises in farming. Hardly a day goes by without further alarming reports. How are we to respond - particularly if we wish to take a broader, spiritual view of these events? In the extracts compiled in this volume, presented here with commentary and notes by Matthew Barton, Steiner speaks about human perception, the earth, water, plants, animals, insects, agriculture and natural catastrophes. Spiritual Ecology offers a wealth of original thought and spiritual insight for anyone who cares about the future of the earth and humanity.

In these lectures, given just days after the end of World War I, Steiner describes the new developments in mechanics, politics, and economy, as well as new capacities and methods in the West and the East. He reveals their fruitful potentials, but also the dangers of their abuse. He discusses social and antisocial instincts, specters of the Old Testament in the nationalism of the present, and the innate capacities of various nations.