The Easter Festival in the Evolution of the Mysteries (eBook)

The Easter Festival in the Evolution of the Mysteries

4 lectures, Dornach, April 19-22, 1924 (CW 233a)

“The original idea of any sacred festival is to make the human being look upward from his dependence on earthly things to those things that transcend the Earth.” (from lecture 2)

Rudolf Steiner leads us to an understanding of the true meaning of Easter by tracing its history from the pre-Christian era to our time. He shows that it is ultimately through knowing the true significance of Easter that we come to understand our relationship to spiritual reality.

This book is a translation from German of Die Weltgeschichte in anthroposophischer Beleuchtung und als Grundlage der Erkenntnis des Menschengeistes (GA 233a).

About the Author

Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up (see right). As a young man, he lived in Weimar and Berlin, where he became a well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with Goethe’s scientific writings. At the beginning of the twentieth century, he began to develop his early philosophical principles into an approach to systematic research into psychological and spiritual phenomena. Formally beginning his spiritual teaching career under the auspices of the Theosophical Society, Steiner came to use the term Anthroposophy (and spiritual science) for his philosophy, spiritual research, and findings. The influence of Steiner’s multifaceted genius has led to innovative and holistic approaches in medicine, various therapies, philosophy, religious renewal, Waldorf education, education for special needs, threefold economics, biodynamic agriculture, Goethean science, architecture, and the arts of drama, speech, and eurythmy. In 1924, Rudolf Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches throughout the world. He died in Dornach, Switzerland.