RUDOLF STEINER (1861-1925) called his spiritual philosophy 'anthroposophy', meaning 'wisdom of the human being'. As a highly developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern and universal 'science of spirit', accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unprejudiced thinking. From his spiritual investigations Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of many activities, including education (both general and special), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, religion and the arts. Today there are thousands of schools, clinics, farms and other organizations involved in practical work based on his principles. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of the human being, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods of personal development. Steiner wrote some 30 books and delivered over 6,000 lectures across Europe. In 1924 he founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches throughout the world.
Steiner's writing voice feels candid and deeply wise, yet also intimate and conversational. I particularly love the eight meditations of Part One, but the aphorisms of Part Two are also amazing. Steiner is a master at finding ordinary language to describe extraordinary states of consciousness. He makes meditative states of mind accessible by making you conscious of your own consciousness and what it can do. In fact it's his mission to take esotericism out of the exotic and into modern language and modern life. Steiner revered the human ability to turn our souls toward spirit, and he insisted that a person who meditates can still stay firmly connected to everyday tasks and joys. His precise, modest descriptions will help newcomers start meditating and will confirm what experienced meditators have noticed and perhaps wondered about. Reading Steiner is like meeting a completely unassuming yet deeply able and wise expert who makes himself available and tells you just what you need to know. Steiner was and is a foremost Western esotericist. If you're familiar with his classic How To Know Higher Worlds, you'll recognize the shorter Way of Self-Knowledge as a sister volume. I predict that this little gem of a handbook will become a beloved companion for many who want to develop and enrich their relationship to the spiritual in life.
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