Steiner Online Library Spiritual Science for Human Evolution

Secrets of the Threshold
GA 147

Foreword

This cycle of lectures has had four German editions, in Berlin 1914 (Cycle 29), in Berlin 1930, edited by Adolf Arenson, in Freiburg in 1955 by the Novalis Verlag and in 1982 by the Rudolf Steiner Verlag. The first English translation edited by H. Collison was published in 1928 by Anthroposophical Publishing Co., London and Anthroposophic Press, New York.

Rudolf Steiner gave these lectures twice on the same day, mornings and evenings, in the “Princes' Hall” of the Cafe Luitpold in Munich. The performances of the two Mystery Dramas at the Volkstheaters were also given twice. The title of the drama receiving its first performance was given in the program announcements as “The Awakening of Maria and Thomasius (or The Other Side of the Threshold).”

A list of the Munich performances and lecture cycles will be found on the next page. A fifth Mystery Drama was planned for the summer of 1914, and a cycle “Occult Hearing and Occult Reading” would have been given August 18 – 27, but the beginning of World War I prevented any further Munich Festivals. In Dornach four lectures with the title Occult Reading and Occult Hearing were given in October, 1914. (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1975).

A word to new readers of Rudolf Steiner seems necessary. As with many of Steiner's lecture cycles a certain familiarity with anthroposophy on the part of the listeners was assumed. This means acquaintance at a minimum with his introductory writings such as Theosophy or Occult Science. The reader unfamiliar with these works is advised to turn first to these books as a way of increasing his understanding and appreciation of this volume.

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Quotes

"You can see from this, my dear friends, what mischief will be set on foot if the truths of Spiritual Science are withheld. For man will be exposed to the forces of evil, and he will only be protected from it by giving himself up to the spiritual life of the good. To withhold the spiritual life of goodness from men is to be no friend to humanity. Whoever does this, be he Freemason or Jesuit, is no friend to humanity. For it means handing men over to the forces of evil. And there may be a purpose in doing so. This purpose may be to confine goodness to a small circle, in order by the help of this goodness to dominate the helpless humanity who are thus led by evil into the follies of life."

—Rudolf Steiner,
Spiritual Science Notes On Goethe's Faust, Vol. II, No. 273-8.

Spiritual Exercises

Calendar of the Soul

In 1912 Rudolf Steiner offered a “calendar of the soul” with weekly verses that express how the changing seasons in both the outer natural world and our inner lives help humanity evolve. Download and read the verses in four translations with commentary by Eloise Krivosheia of the Los Angeles Branch of the Anthroposophical Society.

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2022-2023 Calendar Dates