Books published by Temple Lodge Publishing

In 1924, Rudolf Steiner had just completed his lecture course on biodynamic agriculture and was waiting for a car to take him to the station. Suddenly he was approached by two of his pupils with an urgent question: Would his new indications for treating soil and vegetables be sufficient to provide "nutrition appropriate to our times and in accordance with the spirit?" Steiner's frank response was somewhat surprising: "It will not be sufficient even in the most favorable circumstances. What should be done is to cultivate the Dioscorea batatas (the Chinese yam) in Europe so that it can take over from the potato as the staple diet." In the many decades since that conversation, various attempts have been made to cultivate Dioscorea batatas--the "light root"--in Europe, initially by Steiners close colleague Guenther Wachsmuth. More recently, biodynamic farmer Ralf Roessner began to research the plant and its background, but soon discovered problems with the specimens available in Europe. Unsatisfied with the standard of the plants, in 2002 he traveled to the original growing areas of Dioscorea batatas in China, where he was able to form a comprehensive picture of the best planting methods and conditions. He wrote, "The nodules I found and brought back with me showed similar light ether characteristics to the original plants of Wachsmuth." Having successfully cultivated and marketed this light root, Roessner presents some carefully assembled introductory materials based on his experiences and those of a colleague. This small book, illustrated with colour images, is intended for people who wish to discover more about the plant's being and spiritual mission as a "helper of progress." Roessner explains how the light root stores "light ether" i

In ancient times, humanity possessed innate knowledge of the spiritual foundations of existence. Such knowledge could be acquired by inwardly following the cycle of the year and its great seasonal festivals. However, that instinctive knowledge had to be lost before human beings could discover real individual freedom. Today, as Sergei O. Prokofieff demonstrates in this comprehensive work, "this knowledge must be found anew through the free, light-filled consciousness of the fully developed human personality."Tracing the spiritual path of the yearly cycle, Prokofieff penetrates to the deeper esoteric realities of the seven Christian festivals of Michaelmas, Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and St John's Tide. Basing his research on the work of the twentieth-century initiate Rudolf Steiner, he reveals how those festivals are spiritual facts that exist independently of religious traditions and cultural customs.Working with the festivals in an esoteric way can provide a true path of initiation, ultimately enabling an experience of the being of the Earth, Christ. The journey of study through this book can thus lead the reader to an experience of the modern Christian-Rosicrucian path, along which "it is possible to take the first steps toward life in partnership with the course of cosmic existence."

"It depends on the human being whether one merely conceives of Anthroposophy or whether one experiences it." -- Rudolf SteinerDuring the Christmas period of 1923-24, Rudolf Steiner reestablished the Anthroposophical Society at its headquarters in Dornach, Switzerland. This important event, which has come to be known as the "Christmas Conference," can be studied on many levels, and its many mysteries have been central to Sergei O. Prokofieff's anthroposophic research over the years. His beginning point has been an enduring question: What did Rudolf Steiner mean when he called the Christmas Conference the "start of a World Turning point of Time"? In this far-reaching work, the author--working from several different viewpoints--guides the reader toward an answer.Prokofieff suggests that the impulse of the Christmas Conference can be reenlivened today only through conscious action by individuals to experience its spiritual essence. Rather than offering dogmatic conclusions, he opens up paths of approaching this goal by throwing light on different aspects of the Conference and what lies at its heart: the Foundation Stone and its meditation. In particular, Prokofieff explores three key perspectives: the connection of the Christmas Conference to humanity's evolution; the inner relationship of each individual anthroposophist to the Christmas Conference; and the significance of the Conference to Rudolf Steiner himself.Although this is major work of some length, the individual chapters of May Human Beings Hear It! are complete in themselves, and can therefore be studied independently of each other.

Featuring more than 50 color images, The Inner Rainbow takes the reader on an inner journey through time, from Ancient India to the present day. This is the journey of human consciousness--the story of an eternal, metamorphic process. As the author suggests, consciousness is not a self-contained, unchangeable faculty. The way we perceive the surrounding world today--with the potential for sophisticated and exact observation of natural phenomena--has evolved over thousands of years. What was once a blurred and fragmentary perception in the time of Ancient India has evolved to a clear awareness of everyday reality. Using pictures as his starting point, Henk van Oort outlines a remarkable narrative, beginning with the age-old myth of Noah's Ark, in which a rainbow is presented to the survivors of the Biblical flood. This rainbow in nature, with its seven colors, is mirrored in the ancient teaching of the seven human chakras, also with seven colors. Through a gradual process of change over centuries, this outer rainbow has been internalized into an inner rainbow, shaping a bridge between body, soul and spirit. With its ever-changing consciousness, this inner rainbow is a wonderful sense organ, in process of reaching a new peak of development. Understanding our past--the progressive stages we have passed through--is a prerequisite for optimal use of our consciousness now. Ultimately, then, this book can be seen as a guide for working with your own inner rainbow: to expand, deepen and enliven your picture of the world and your true self.

Over the past decades there has been a resurgence of interest in Chekhov's acting technique. The original publishers of his fundamental text, To the Actor, removed most of the author's references to Rudolf Steiner, but recent studies acknowledge Chekhov's personal interest in anthroposophy as the source of his artistic inspiration. Dawn Langman explores the fundamentals of Chekhov's psycho-physical technique and the metaphysical principles on which it is based. She examines this technique in relation to the specific challenges and gifts provided by the actor's constitution of body, soul and spirit, and in the context of the canon of great poetic and dramatic texts - illuminated by Steiner's insights into humanity's evolving consciousness. The Art of Acting lays the foundation for the second and third books in her series, in which Langman explores Rudolf Steiner's art of speech and its integration with Michael Chekhov's methodology. Together, these books offer a contemporary, spiritually-enlivened path of development for the actor, in which the combined insights of Steiner and Chekhov lead to new possibilities for the performing arts.

What does it mean to be human? What is knowledge? What is freedom? Philosophy offers answers to these questions. However, are its rarefied arguments relevant to people today or merely abstractions? Aren't we really more occupied with daily survival and the unending problems that surround our human relationships?Nonetheless, most if not everyone looks for meaning in life. It is less than satisfying to think of ourselves as specks on a random planet in a solar system and part of a vast, clockwork universe. To dismiss consciousness as meaningless or merely a play of chance is to give up our efforts to find any true meaning in existence.Freedom through Love offers possibilities for dealing with some of these big questions and leads us to satisfying and convincing conclusions. Although based on Rudolf Steiner's "Philosophy of Freedom," Nick Thomas does not begin his book with complex philosophical arguments, but with themes that reflect the modern time. "Let us not start with abstract questions far from life, but from life itself," he suggests in his opening page. Thus, the search for meaning, truth, freedom, and love begins with the realities of our daily life--people and human relationships, which constitute the most difficult, though real, issues of contemporary society and life

Presenting far-reaching new therapeutic research, Peter Gruenewald examines the underlying spiritual aspects of constitutional treatment using medicines derived from the mineral kingdom. This constitutional approach is used in the treatment of chronic physical, neurological, developmental, emotional, behavioral, and mental conditions and illnesses, It centers on a system of nine minerals. Gruenewald traces these nine substances on their paths through the human organism and demonstrates their indications, effects, and interactions. He also develops a spiritual and alchemistic understanding of the actions of these substances, based on anthroposophic medical research.Gold, the sun metal, and carbon, the substance of organic life on Earth, occupy a central position in this study of the mineral system. The Philosopher's Stone is achieved through the "transformation of carbon" and the "creation of gold." The author shows how the important medicine Aurum (made from gold) relates to this process. He suggests that mineral therapy focused on the principle of transformation conceals future spiritual mysteries that relate to evolutionary laws inherent in the physical and higher bodies.

'Destiny Learning', a path of adult education conceived and developed by Coenraad van Houten (based on the work of Rudolf Steiner), is here expanded to show a threefold way of working with karma: understanding, transforming and ordering. This threefold approach opens new vistas for healing relationships and conflicts, for developing creative faculties for community building, and for taking initiatives based on freedom. The author widens and deepens his previous work on the theme, showing that learning from destiny, as well as awakening the forces of will, are ongoing processes. He offers practical advice that is directly applicable to everyday life. Although this book can be studied on its own, it is also a development and completion of themes from van Houten's earlier works, Practising Destiny and Awakening the Will. Crucial aspects of the threefold path of 'destiny learning' are here discussed and explained in greater detail. Anyone seeking to take their personal development in hand will find many nuggets of spiritual wisdom, based on a lifetime's work, in this short book.

How can one understand Rudolf Steiner's use of the word "we" in the last part of the Foundation Stone Meditation? "What we found from our hearts and direct from our heads with focused will." What is the meaning of "we" here? In the first part of this original and inspiring work, Paul Mackay takes this question as a point of departure, developing a unique approach to working with the seven rhythms of the Meditation. Based on personal experiences, he concludes that the rhythms express the members of the human makeup. We in the fifth rhythm has the quality of "spirit self." The second part of the book considers the same we from a karmic perspective, with reference to Steiners lectures on karmic relationships, events in the fourth and ninth centuries, the mystery of death and evil, and the restoration of karmic truth.

"Freedom for the spiritual-cultural life, equality and democracy for human rights, initiative and solidarity for the economic sphere!"Revolutions happen when society does not change and evolve. Stagnation and resistance create a situation in which a leap in development is required. In nature, living organisms suffering from inner blockages must heal or die. The same applies to the social organism--society--which occasionally requires drastic change to avoid complete collapse or violent revolution. With his frequently repeated phrase "We are the Revolution!" the artist and social activist Joseph Beuys was intimating that true transformation develops from within, in an artistic or creative way. People are the source of metamorphosis in the social realm. But in modern times a "we" is also required--an agreement with others. The individual connects with fellow human beings, in active cooperation, as a solid foundation for healthy forms of coexistence. In a series of clear and insightful essays, Ulrich Rösch builds on the "threefold" social thinking of Rudolf Steiner, Joseph Beuys and others, presenting ideas for change in the context of twenty-first-century life. Our world has become unified through the global division of labor and interdependence, which calls for fresh thinking and rejuvenated social forms. Rösch compares the spirituality and social action of Mahatma Gandhi and Rudolf Steiner; takes the living example of a biodynamic farm as a social organism; and studies the tangible situation of the production and worldwide sale of bananas as a symptom of inequitable commerce.

Dedicated to the centenary of Rudolf Steiners first proclamation of Christs appearance in the etheric realm of the Earth, this book discusses various aspects of that event that had not previously been addressed adequately. Sergei Prokofieff points to three themes of primary importance, all of which are connected directly with the tasks of the Society that Rudolf Steiner founded: the preparation of humankind for the Second Coming; working with Christ as the Lord of Karma; recognizing in Anthroposophy the spiritual language through which questions can be posed to the etheric Christ today.

Building on the intensive research of his mentor Maria Thun and the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, Berg explains how the subtle influences from the cosmos work on the plant world, describing the differences among and the significance of root, leaf, blossom, and fruit days in the working calendar. Understanding these natural processes and the practical knowledge described in this book can lead to productive, chemical-free gardening, healthy plants, and abundant harvests.

Rudolf Steiner said that one could hear the words of the meditation sounding in ones heart. This process of hearing will acquire even more significance and reality in future, and can be of enormous help to anyone who opens themselves to it. It is against this background that Selg has written this introductory book: to promote awareness of the meditation, understanding of its historic place in the catastrophic twentieth century, and its critical but latent contribution to the future.

The author's reflections emphasize especially three considerations. First, that the Endowment impulse would allow us to experience the art of interpreting in the Rosicrucian way. Second, that the best initiativeeven one undertaken by a great individualityis doomed to failure if the participants are unable to overcome their personal ambitions. And third, that we may live with the fact that, despite the passage of time, the latent seeds in Rudolf Steiners attempt still have the possibility to reach fruition in the future.

Prokofieff developed this booklet from talks to members of the Anthroposophical Society. They became opportunities for many to question potential membership of the First Class in a more conscious way, and for some to take the decisive step of entering the Michael School.

It is not the author's concern to persuade the reader in an outward way to join the Anthroposophical Society. He is concerned with the communication of a few esoteric viewpoints and possible motives, so that the decision in this regard can develop in a fully aware and responsible manner, based on a solid inner cognitive foundation. For only when the decision in regard to membership in the Anthroposophical Societyfor whatever reason the individual might make itoccurs on such a basis, does it also have spiritual justification" (from the preface).

The authors of this penetrating study concluded that the karma and mission of Marie Steiner-von Sivers is vitally important to the present and future spiritual and cultural development of the West. They evaluate not only Marie's twenty-three-year partnership with Rudolf Steiner, but also her three previous incarnations--in the ancient Orphic Mysteries, as the Neoplatonist Hypatia, and as Albertus Magnus. The lives, deeds, cultural legacies, and thought of these various personalities are addressed through a series of lucid essays, interspersed with studies on the missions of both Rudolf and Marie Steiner. These are supplemented with short extracts from literature that reverberate with the word, helping to reveal the intimately intertwined karmic missions of Marie Steiner-von Sivers and Rudolf Steiner, her work companion and soul partner.

Based on the author's own experience of the supersensible being who stands behind the science of the spirit known as Anthroposophy. This book aims to show that the being Anthroposophia is not a poetic image or an abstract concept, but is an actual spiritual entity who works in the higher worlds for the good of earthly evolution.

As a naive and innocent young man, Parzival encounters a group of noble knights in the forest. Overcome by the leading knight's shining armour, he assumes that the man must be a God. This key turning point in Parzival's life inspires him to seek to become a knight himself, and immediately he embarks upon a quest to find King Arthur's court and ultimately the Holy Grail. Through his journeys Parzival is to learn many unexpected lessons, discovering qualities of empathy, humility, compassion and ultimately true and selfless love. Filled with spiritual wisdom and artistic beauty, Parzival is one of the greatest works of world literature. In this concise, accessible introduction to the central Gail story, Eileen Hutchins describes the key characters, including Parzival's father Gamuret and mother Herzeleide, and relates the tale in outline. Her classic study also features commentary on the book's historical background, essays on its significance today, and a comparison with other Grail Romances. Eschenbach is the first medieval poet to represent a character who has to win his way through trial and error, from ignorance to wisdom, and from fascination with the world of the senses to recognition of higher realms of experience. In this sense he is representative of modern man.' - from the Introduction

In 1828 a teenage boy was discovered on the streets of Nuremberg. Barely able to walk, he clutched a letter in his hand. This youth, Kaspar Hauser, who couldn't properly speak or write, was soon to become an international phenomenon known as "the Child of Europe." The story of Kaspar Hauser presents many mysteries. According to his account, the young boy spent most of his life confined in a darkened space. Unable to stand up, and with no knowledge of his captors, he was fed a diet of bread and water. Eventually released from this macabre prison, he survived an assassination attempt only to be stabbed to death in 1833. Why was a child kept in such squalid circumstances? Who were his parents? Who was responsible for such a cruel attack on childhood? Who murdered him? In this seminal work Peter Tradowsky addresses these questions through the insights of Anthroposophy. His analysis reveals some of the secrets of Kaspar Hauser's short life, and the occult significance of his incarnation, spiritual nature and individuality.

Mani, the founder of the spiritual movement that has come to be called "Manichaeism," established an influential teaching that spread swiftly across Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe, but was later brutally suppressed. Little was known about this "Gnostic" religion until archaeological findings in the twentieth century revealed important aspects of Mani's biography and philosophical thought.Many years before those physical discoveries, Rudolf Steiner provided key esoteric insights based on his personal spiritual-scientific research, into Mani's life and work. Richard Seddon assembles pieces of the academic and esoteric puzzle, offering a lively and colorful picture of Mani and Manichaeism. He gives a succinct outline of Mani's life, the fundamental aspects of his teachings, and a description of the future spiritual role of Manichaeism. Seddon creates an image of a great Christian initiate leading a movement with the critical task of transforming and ultimately redeeming evil.

In ancient times, people's experience of the divine was imbued with the feminine archetype. The world of spirit was seen to be populated by goddesses, and women were honored as priestesses and guardians of sacred rites. The later Greek and Roman civilizations, in contrast, were characterized by the principle of patriarchy, which still dominates our culture--despite the political and social emancipation of women in the West.This unique book goes way beyond the usual studies on gender. The authors maintain that, during ancient times, people experienced the divine as imbued with the archetypal feminine.The world of spirit was seen populated by goddesses, and this perception was reflected by honoring women as priestesses and guardians of sacred rites. The Greeks and Romans, on the other hand, were led largely by the principle of patriarchy. More recently, however, we have seen the political and social emancipation of women, but patriarchal thinking continues to dominate our Western culture.The Authors' survey of the feminine archetype attempts to illuminate the spiritual significance and meaning of the feminine principle today as well as its future destiny. By considering the mystery behind human and earthly evolution, they arrive at clear and accessible perspectives that can help to transform human life today, especially the culture of family.Beginning with Eve in tradition and legend, the authors comment on the Queen of Sheba, the image of the Virgin in esoteric Christianity, Isis-Sophia and the Great Mother, the birth of art from the primal feminine, and the importance of women for modern esotericism.