The Principle of Spiritual Economy
Laws of Nature and Laws of Spirit
11 lectures by Rudolf Steiner

In the lecture series, The Principle of Spiritual Economy, Rudolf Steiner describes a spiritual process whereby the qualities and faculties acquired by initiates and developed individualities who have made significant contributions to  spiritual and cultural development are not lost but are preserved and used again by later humanity.  The etheric bodies or astral bodies of key individuals are preserved by the spiritual Powers who guide humanity, rather than being allowed to disperse in the normal course of events following death.  These are then fused with the etheric or astral bodies of souls who incarnate later, souls whose destiny it is to bring further forwarding impulses into human evolution.

Many examples are given from ancient pre-history up to recent history. Such figures as Shem (eldest son of Noah, the founding father of the Semitic peoples), Melchizadek, Zarathustra, Hermes (founder of the ancient Egyptian culture), Moses, Jesus, St. Augustine, Elizabeth of Thüringen, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Nicholas of Cusa, Galileo, and others, are described to illustrate this evolutionary phenomenon.

Contents:

• Introduction by Peter Mollenhauer

• First lecture: The Principle of Spiritual Economy in Connection with Questions of Reincarnation: An Aspect of the Spiritual Guidance of Mankind.

• Second lecture: Christianity in Human Evolution, Leading Individualities and Avatar Beings.

• Third lecture: More Intimate Aspects of Reincarnation

• Fourth and fifth lectures: Results of Spiritual Scientific Investigations of the Evolution of Humanity

• Sixth lecture: On the Occasion of the Dedication of the Francis of Assisi Branch.

• Seventh lecture: The Macrocosmic and Microcosmic Fire. The Spiritualization of Breath and Blood.

• Eighth lecture: The Event of Golgotha. The Brotherhood of the Holy Grail. The Spiritualized Fire.

• Ninth lecture: Ancient Revelations and Learning: How to ask Modern Questions.

• Tenth lecture: The God of the Alpha and the God of the Omega.

• Eleventh lecture: From Buddha to Christ.

Anthroposophic Press/Rudolf Steiner Press
11 lectures, various cities, 1909, GA109
164pp; paperback
ISBN: 0 88010 162 8

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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