Man in the Past, the Present and the Future
and
The Sun-Initiation of the Druid Priest and his Moon Science
4 lectures by Rudolf Steiner

Currently out of print. Reprint date not known.

These four lectures were given shortly after Rudolf Steiner’s return from England after giving a course of lectures in North Wales.

While at Penmaenmawr he visited some of the stone circles and cromlechs which abound in the Welsh hills. This led him to give a very interesting description of the clairvoyant consciousness of the early teachers of neolithic and later times who erected them. He describes how they discerned the changing seasons and stellar influences from the quality of the shadows cast by the stones and from within the shade of the cromlechs and chambered tombs. From this they directed agricultural practices. They were also able to observe the influence of the Moon and from this acquire a deep knowledge of the elemental beings in Nature. Their perception of the spiritual being of the Sun while shaded from its physical light prepared the way for the ready acceptance of Christianity by the Celtic peoples long before missionaries from Rome reached these islands.

Trans: E. Goddard (3 lectures Stuttgart 14 - 16 Sept 1923, 1 lecture Dornach 10 Sept 1923, GA228); 82pp
Rudolf Steiner Press
ISBN: 0 85440 403 1; paperback
 

Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) called his spiritual philosophy 'anthroposophy', which he defined as 'the consciousness of one's humanity', and the disciplined methods of studying this he termed ‘spiritual science’.  As a highly developed clairvoyant and spiritual initiate, he spoke from his direct cognition of the spiritual world. However, he did not see his work as religious or sectarian, but rather sought to found a universal 'science of the spirit'.

His many published works (written books and lectures) - which include his research into the spiritual nature of the human being, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods of personal development - invite readers to develop their own spiritual faculties.  He also provided indications for the renewal of many human activities, including education - both general and special - agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, religion and the arts. He wrote some 30 books and delivered over 6000 lectures across Europe, and in 1924 founded the General Anthroposophical Society which today has branches throughout the world.