Nature and Spirit Beings: Their Activity in Our Visible World
18 lectures in various cities, November 5, 1907 – June 14, 1908 (CW 98)
“Suppose you have seen an event, have formed an idea about it, and you say something that is not true—in other words, something that is a lie. Then what flows from the object is correct and what flows from you is false and this collision is a terrible explosion; and each time you do this, you attach a gruesome being to your karma which you cannot get rid of again until you have made good what you lied about.” — Rudolf Steiner
In this previously untranslated volume of lectures, Rudolf Steiner presents shattering insights regarding the interaction of human and spiritual beings. He speaks, for example, about how perfumes can give certain spirits access to people on earth, or how phantoms, specters, and demons can be created through human deficiencies—or even how the arts of architecture, sculpture, painting and music allow “good” or “hideous” entities to enter our world. As he states: “Learning about the effects of spiritual beings is of much greater help than moral preaching. A future humanity will know what it is creating through lies, hypocrisy and slander.”
The lectures are divided into two broad thematic groups. The first relates to the inner path of knowledge and its relationship to the yearly festivals. The second focuses on the work of elemental beings in our everyday world. These eighteen lectures are complemented with notes, an index, and an introduction by Christian von Arnim.
This book is a translation from German of Natur- und Geisteswesen – ihr Wirken in unserer sichtbaren Welt (GA 98).
C O N T E N T S:
Introduction by Christian von Arnim
1. The So-called Dangers of Occult Development
2. Esoteric Development and Supersensory Knowledge
3. Rosicrucianism
4. “The Mysteries”—A Christmas and Easter Poem by Goethe
5. The Whitsun Festival of Joint Spiritual Striving and Spiritualizing the World
6. The Whitsun Festival of Joint Spiritual Striving and Working toward Spiritualizing the World
7. The Relationship of Human Beings to the World around Them
8. The Elemental Kingdoms, their Nature, and Their Actions
9. The Human Being’s Relationship with Nature
10. The Effects of Some Supersensory Beings on the Human Being
11. The Group “I”s of Animals, Plants, and Minerals I
12. The Group “I”s of Animals, Plants, and Minerals II
13. Some Supersensory Facts and Beings
14. Influences from Other Worlds on the Earth
15. Earth and Human Development
16. The Connections between Worlds and Beings
17. Elemental Beings and Other Higher Spiritual Beings
18. Beings that Influence the Human Being
Notes
Rudolf Steiner’s Collected Works
Significant Events in the Life of Rudolf Steiner
Index
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.
John Flinn (verified owner) –
Page 15 and 16 alone made this book an incredible read. Look what Steiner said about the task of the Astral Body during sleep. “The removal of this fatigue is its task, and the clairvoyant can see how the astral body works all night long on the physical and etheric body from the outside in order to repair them, so that in the morning the human being feels the restoration of their energy as being refreshed. That is why sleep is such a good doctor and why a person loses so much who does not have healthy and sufficient sleep.” Just like the futuristic Med Beds, the astral body does a great reset for our body. I really like this book as it holds a treasure of knowledge and I like the personal touch you get from ordering from Steiner Books.