What are the key differences between the contemporary spiritual path and that of the ancient mysteries? With remarkable clarity and insight, Rudolf Steiner sheds new light on the contrasting methods of initiation in the ancient and modern eras. The old mysteries aimed to transform the physical body – ‘the brain on the one hand, and the rest of the organism on the other’ – whereas modern initiation ‘transforms the element of spirit and soul, strengthening it with regard to the thought aspect on the one hand, and the will aspect on the other…’

These comprehensive lectures also cover topics such as: the work of Lucifer and Ahriman in human beings; the relationship between the individual and the Folk Spirit; the development of religious life, especially regarding the pagan Old Testament traditions; and the roles of Imagination, Inspiration, and Intuition in modern life.

The final lectures explore the impulse of freedom behind the works of Goethe and Schiller, drawing connections with Shakespeare and the French Revolution. A central theme is the significance of the transition between cultural epochs and the importance of freeing ourselves from the intellectualism of our age through the spiritual quality of imaginative consciousness.

This new edition includes an introduction by Margaret Jonas, notes, and an index. Fourteen lectures, Dornach, Mannheim & Breslau, Jan.–March 1922, GA 210. Pages: 256, Dimensions: 15.5x15.5cm.