Selected from material given by Rudolf Steiner to members of his Esoteric School (1904-14), this volume features exercises, meditations and practices for spiritual self-development. In contrast to oriental methods of spiritual training, they derive from the western, Rosicrucian stream and are fully adapted to modern consciousness.Various exercises are given - for morning and evening, for the days of the week and the months of the year. In addition, there is much explanatory material to deepen and enhance meditative work, including several articles on the path of inner development and the obstacles to be faced on the way to attaining true consciousness of the self.This enlarged edition contains further clarification of the exercises, descriptions of the future evolution of the world and humanity, plus later advice given by Steiner on the nature of breathing exercises and ancient and modern methods of initiation.

This collection gathers a sequence of statements by Rudolf Steiner on how to develop the faculties of higher, or 'suprasensory,' knowing Imagination, Inspiration, and Intuition.

The seer and teacher Rudolf Steiner advised that specific 'accompanying' or 'fundamental' spiritual exercises should always be carried out in conjunction with meditation. While meditation is the foundation of any spiritual path of development, it can pose dangers to normal consciousness. These exercises offer a protection, by helping to develop inner certainty and strength. This is achieved, for example, through the first exercise by concentrating and intensifying the powers of thinking, through the second by developing the control of the will, through the third by mastering the outer expressions of the life of feeling, and so on. Florin Lowndes describes the fundamental exercises in thorough detail, giving suggestions as to how they may be carried out. He also relates an important and hidden aspect - that the exercises embody the means for developing and strengthening organic and 'living' thinking, which is intimately related to the enlivening of a new organ of perception: the heart chakra or lotus. Lowndes casts new light on many aspects of this question, and offers encouragement and stimulus to those seeking a modern path of spiritual development. FLORIN LOWNDES was born in Romania in 1938 and had an international career in architectural art and design. In 1970 he emigrated to the United States, where he taught at college level and in Steiner Waldorf schools. Since 1971 he has been engaged in the study of anthroposophy, and has written many articles for journals on related questions. He co-authored The Human Life, and founded the Center of Heart-Thinking in Boston. At present he leads training seminars in the United States and throughout Europe.

Start Now! offers an extensive and representative sample of Steiner's spiritual instructions and meditative practices, including meditation instructions; mantric verses; daily, weekly and monthly practices for the development of soul qualities; karmic exercises and meditations for working with the dead, the angelic hierarchies and our guardian angel.

Knowledge Of the Higher Worlds And Its Attainment By Rudolf Steiner Originally published in 1938. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Obscure Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents include: How is Knowledge of the Higher World Attained? - The Stages of Initiation - Some Practical Aspects - The conditions of Esoteric Training - Some Results of Initiation - The Transformation of Dream Life, The Continuity of Consciousness - The Partition of Human Personality During Spiritual Training - The Guardian of the Threshold, The Great or Second Guardian of the Threshold

This book contains some exercises, meditations, and practices for spiritual self-development, selected from the material of Rudolf Steiner's Esoteric School, in existence from 1904 to 1914. Long out of print, this new, enlarged edition contains material previously unavailable in English, including further explanations of the exercises, profoundly interesting content on the future evolution of individuals and the world, plus illuminating advice on the practice of meditation. Also included are several extended articles by Steiner about the path of inner development and the obstacles one faces to attain higher consciousness.

A series of essays covering a wide spectrum of knowledge and experience, whose underlying theme is to show how our daily lives can be made a training ground for adepthood. It explains the different kinds of meditation and how to find the right esoteric teachers. Essays on the Tree of Life explain the evolution of modern esoteric Qabalah and how it has evolved from an image of God to a map of the created universe. A careful elucidation of the philosophy of Coleridge, and its relevance for today, is followed by a chapter on bridging the gap between psychology and occultism, with examples from the life of Dion Fortune and the 'ghost' of her Sea Priestess. Written by one of the world's foremost experts on Western Esoteric Traditions, this book is full of wisdom and insights that will help readers apply spiritual, magical and Qabalistic principles to their everyday life.

An introductory lecture on the nature of esoteric training.