The Cycle Of The Year
As Breathing Process of the Earth
5 lectures by Rudolf Steiner

Human beings must attain an esoteric maturity in order to think not merely abstractly, but to be able to think so concretely that they can again become festival-creating. Then it will be possible again to unite something spiritual with the cycle of sense phenomena.

In The Cycle of the Year lectures given in Dornach during the Easter of 1923, Rudolf Steiner established an understanding for celebrating each of the Christian festivals — Christmas, Easter, St. John's, and Michaelmas. He began with a description of how the festival year evolved over long ages from the Earth's yearly cycle of cosmic respiration. These annual rhythms mark the Earth's soul activities in relation to the cosmos at large.

He went on to describe the deep relationship that exists between humanity and the seasons of the Earth, the solstices, and the equinoxes. And through the festivals of the seasons, he reveals humanity's relationship to the Christ Being. The spiritual realities behind the festivals are also discussed in relation to sub-earthly and supra-earthly forces, the ancient Mysteries, the activity of the Archangel Michael, morality, and the arts.

Trans: B. D. Betteridge, F. E. Dawson (5 lectures, Dornach 31 Mar to 8 Apr 1923, GA223); 88pp
Anthroposophic Press
0 88010 081 8; paperback

See also: The Festivals and their Meaning

Other authors: The Rhythm of the Christian Year - by Emil Bock
 

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.
 

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