Wednesday 22 March 2017

An Esoteric Cosmology

An Esoteric Cosmology

On-line since: 15th January, 2001

by Rudolf Steiner
Eighteen Lectures delivered in Paris, France
May 25 to June 14, 1906
Bn 94.1, GA 94

This volume consists of notes by Schure of the 18 lectures Steiner gave in Paris in 1906. These notes constitute the only known record of these lectures. Steiner presents a survey of the evolution of the cosmos, earth and humanity in a comprehensive way that he later expanded into his book An Outline of Occult Science.

This is the authorized translation from shorthand reports unrevised by the lecturer. The original German texts of these lectures can be found in the Collected Edition of Rudolf Steiner's works, No. 94 in the Bibliographical Survey, 1961. (Includes a resume, as reported and transmuted from the German into French by Edouard Schuré who attended the lectures.)

This lecture series is presented here with the kind permission of the Rudolf Steiner Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach, Switzerland. From Bn 94.1, GA 94.
Copyright © 1978
This e.Text edition is provided through the wonderful work of:
St. George Publications
Spring Valley, New York


 Cover Sheet  
 Table of Contents  
 Prefatory Note  
 Preface  
 Foreword by Edouard Schuré  
 
THE BIRTH OF THE INTELLECT AND THE MISSION OF CHRISTIANITY Paris 25th May, 1906
II THE MISSION OF MANICHEISM Paris 26th May, 1906
III GOD, MAN, NATURE Paris 27th May, 1906
IV INVOLUTION AND EVOLUTION Paris 28th May, 1906
YOGA IN EAST AND WEST Paris 29th May, 1906
VI YOGA IN EAST AND WEST (conclusion) Paris 30th May, 1906
VII OCCULTISM AND THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN Paris 31st May, 1906
VIII THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY Paris 1st June, 1906
IX THE ASTRAL WORLD Paris 2nd June, 1906
THE ASTRAL WORLD (conclusion) Paris 6th June, 1906
XI THE DEVACHANIC WORLD Paris 7th June, 1906
XII THE DEVACHANIC WORLD (conclusion) Paris 8th June, 1906
XIII THE LOGOS AND THE WORLD Paris 9th June, 1906
XIV THE LOGOS AND MAN Paris 10th June, 1906
XV EVOLUTION OF PLANETS AND EARTH Paris 11th June, 1906
XVI EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANOES AND THE WILL OF MAN Paris 12th June, 1906
XVII REDEMPTION AND LIBERATION Paris 13th June, 1906
XVIII THE APOCALYPSE Paris 14th June, 1906







Link: http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA094/English/SGP1978/EsoCos_index.html

The Study of Man


The Study of Man

General Education Course

On-line since: 23rd June, 2002

By Rudolf Steiner

Translated by Daphne Harwood and Helen Fox
Bn 293, GA 293

These fundamental lectures contain the core of Steiner's view on the psychology of the human being. He covers such topics as mental pictures and will; memory and imagination; the soul activities of thinking, feeling, and willing; the forces of sympathy and antipathy; the twelve senses; the hierarchy of forces that move the will; and much more. This volume was part of the basic training material given by Steiner to the teachers of the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart and is still an important part of Waldorf teacher training.

First English edition (Rudolf Steiner Publishing Co., London, and Anthroposophic Press, N.Y.), 1947. Translation made from the first edition in German, 1932.

Second edition (Rudolf Steiner Press), 1966. Translation revised from the fifth edition of the German text, 1960. Second impression of second edition, 1975.

The German text of the following lectures is published under the title Allgemeine Menschenkunde als Grundlage der Pädagogik (No. 293 in the Bibliographical Survey, 1961).

This English edition is published by permission of the Rudolf Steiner Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach, Switzerland. From Bn 293, GA 293.

CONTENTS

 Cover Sheet  

Foreword

A Note on the Revised Translation

Contents
 

Lecture I August 21, 1919

Egoism and Materialism. Life before birth and after death. Pre-natal Education. Union of Spirit and Soul elements before birth. Union of these with Life-Body after birth. Importance of breathing in uniting the three-fold man. Nature of sleep in child and adult. The teacher makes his relation with the child through what he is, — which depends on his thoughts about the world. Children must learn to breathe and to sleep ...

Lecture II August 22, 1919

Mental picture and Will not understood to-day. Image character of mental picture which is devoid of reality or being. Mental picture stems from life before birth, Will from life after death. The former works through antipathy, the latter through sympathy. Memory arises through heightened antipathy, Imagination through heightened sympathy, as also sense pictures. Contrast of nerves and blood. Decay and seed. True function of motor nerves. Three places where sympathy and antipathy meet. Cosmic relations of threefold organism of man. Concepts produce carbonic acid, imaginative pictures oxygen. Need for planting seed pictures in child.

Lecture III August 23, 1919

Equal importance of teachers of children of all ages. Twofold division of man has supplanted older division into Body, Soul and Spirit. Conservation of energy not true for man. Intellect grasps only the dying, Will, in sense perception, grasps the becoming. Unique nature of ‘pure thinking.’ Nature could not exist without man. Dead human bodies are yeast to earth. Man thinks with bones as well as nerves. Origin of geometry lies in movement. Man keeps earth alive. Man not merely a spectator but a stage for cosmic events. Transformation, not conservation, is true law of life.

Lecture IV August 25, 1919

Will and feeling not understood to-day. Will never fully realised in life, something remains over. The three Spiritual Principles: Spirit-Self — Manas — Manes; Life Spirit; Spirit Man. The three Soul Principles: Consciousness, Intellectual and Sentient Souls. The three Bodily Principles: Astral, Etheric and Physical. How Will works in these. In physical, as instinct — animals act according to their physical bodies. In etheric, as impulse. In astral, as desire, which reaches to soul element. Through his ego man raises these to motive. Behind motive lie, in the unconscious, wish, intention and resolution which live in the three Spiritual Principles. Story of lady and horses, illustrating cleverness of the unconscious. Teacher must understand hidden being of man. Marxist education illustrated. Repetition, not exhortation, affects the Will ...

Lecture V August 26, 1919

Each of the three soul activities includes qualities of all. Balance of sympathy and antipathy in the senses. Human and animal senses. Child lives in sympathy. Moral development through antipathy. Between willing (sympathy) and thinking (antipathy) lies feeling which comprises both. True nature of judgment. Feeling is cognition in reserve and will in reserve. Meeting place of blood and nerves. Beckmesser and Walther. Wagner and Hanslick. Variety of feeling in different senses. Reality must be won through work.

Lecture VI August 27, 1919

Soul reveals itself in sympathy and antipathy. Light of consciousness in thinking. Unconsciousness of Will. Feeling lies midway. Man wakes in thinking, sleeps in willing, dreams in feeling. Types of children and how to help them. Ego, youngest principle of man, can only live in images, not in real forces of the world. How ego lives in thinking, feeling and willing. Difference of the two parts of Faust. Waking — knowing in images: Dreaming — inspired feeling: Sleeping — intuitive willing.

Lecture VII August 28, 1919

Soul apprehended through sympathy and antipathy: Spirit through states of consciousness. All comprehension comes through relating things. In childhood man principally Body; in middle years Soul; in old age Spirit. Body may block Spirit in old age (Kant — Michelet — Zeller). Man may belie Soul in middle years. Willing united with feeling in childhood, cognition with feeling in old age. Sense perception related to willing-feeling, not to cognition. Hence it lives in dreaming-sleeping. Moritz Benedikt's work. Two zones where man sleeps — sense sphere on periphery and inner sphere of blood and muscle. Physical-chemical processes in both. Intermediate sphere of decaying nerve substance is sphere of waking, where man becomes light, sound, etc. This is space aspect. In time, forgetting is sleeping, memory is waking.

Lecture VIII August 29, 1919

Effect of sleep on ego. Need to regulate remembering and forgetting. Connection of Will and memory. Interest begets memory. Each soul force contains the others as well. The Twelve Senses. Sense of another's ego lives in sympathy and antipathy. Touch, Life, Movement, Balance related to Will: Smell, Taste, Sight, Warmth to feeling: Ego-sense, Thought, Hearing, Speech to knowing. Interrelation of senses. Colour and form perceived by different senses. Goethe and colour ...

Lecture IX August 30, 1919

In first seven-year period child develops through imitation: in second through authority; in third through individual judgment. Need to permeate thinking with logic. The syllogism. Conclusions live in waking life and should not be memorised. Judgments carried in feeling. Concepts enter sleeping soul and affect body. Concepts of child form face of adult. Characterisations needed', not definitions. Relate everything to Man. Prayer metamorphosed to Blessing. In first period child assumes world is moral; in second beautiful; in third true ...

Lecture X September 01, 1919

Consideration of Body. Spherical (Sun) form of head. Moon form of breast. Radial form of limbs. Jaws are stunted limbs in head. Blood and muscle nature of limbs. Tubular limb bones: rounded head bones. Metamorphosis in bones. Head centre is within: breast centre outside: limb centre in periphery. Sense of cosmic relations in ancient sculpture. Head arrests limb movement. Head and breast turn limb dance to song and music. Head man reveals Body: Breast man Body and Soul: Limb man Body, Soul and Spirit. Council of 869 A.D. and its consequences. Head alone is evolved animal, not breast or limbs. Teacher must understand man as microcosm.

Lecture XI September 02, 1919

Relation of head to Body, Soul and Spirit. In first period of childhood Soul and Spirit are dreaming and sleeping outside child, hence he imitates. Head fully formed at change of teeth. Relation of Breast and Limbs to Body, Soul and Spirit. Head perfected but sleeping. Limbs awake but unformed. Teacher can only educate part of child. First mother milk, then mother speech awaken child. Teacher's task to continue this awakening. Writing should be learnt by way of breast and limbs, and developed from drawing and painting. Elementary school concerned with breast man. Relation of memory and imagination to physical growth.

Lecture XII September 03, 1919

Relation of human organs to outer world. Head the oldest formation. It shapes the human being, but has tendency to create animal forms. Trunk and limb systems prevent this, and transform animal forms into thoughts. Trunk system related to plant world. Oxygen changed to carbon in breathing. Plants would arise in man if he retained carbon. Illnesses caused through plant nature asserting itself, Plants are pictures of illnesses. In digestion only middle process of combustion occurs, How breathing — the anti-plant process — unites with this middle. Hygiene of future. Mechanics of limb movement, behind which lie the forces in which the ego lives. These forces dissolve the mineral in man. Destructive illnesses arise when this does not happen. Lines of therapy.

Lecture XIII September 04, 1919

Head formed from within out; limbs from without in Man acts as dam for in-rushing Soul and Spirit. Balance between destructive activity of these and constructive of Body. Part played by chest and limb systems. Nature and effect of fat in child. Living elements absorb Soul and Spirit, decaying let them through. Blood opaque to Spirit, Nerve transparent. Spirit active in bodily work, Body in mental. Relation of sleep to different forms of bodily activity. Purposeful movements needed. Eurythmy and Sport. Sport practical Darwinism. Relation of sleep to different forms of mental activity. Interest essential ...

Lecture XIV September 05, 1919

In Head, nose represents trunk, jaws limbs. Actual limbs are jaws of a spiritual head which continually devour man from without. Upper part of chest man develops to head nature in larynx — the “head of the throat.” Sounds of speech, nasal, etc., correspond to parts of head. When second teeth appear grammar needed as corresponding skeleton of speech. Lower trunk develops limb character towards puberty in sex organs which are coarsened limb nature. Inner warmth necessary as correspondence, i.e. Imagination. Examples in imaginative treatment of subjects. Camera Obscura and theorem of Pythagoras. No pedantry permissible in teaching. Schelling. A maxim for teachers ...
 

Link: http://wn.rsarchive.org/Education/GA293/English/RSP1966/19190821a01.html

Wednesday 8 March 2017

Meaning of Aura Colors

By Gregg Prescott

All living things that need oxygen to survive have an aura. They generate a large magnetic energy field that can be sensed, felt and even seen around the physical body. We all can tell when someone doesn’t feel good to us, like they are full of anger or if they really live in their heart and feel deeply. You do not need to be psychic to feel/read an aura.

If a person walks past, very close to you, they may unintentionally steal some of your energy. If someone suddenly reaches out and grabs your arm, they are interrupting the flow of energy around your body. An example of this might be a time when you were talking to someone and you thought they were standing to close to you. You may have even thought to yourself, “They’re in my space,” and then you backed away. Even this slight intrusion into your aura or ‘space’ can interrupt your personal flow of energy and you may feel like you have been slimed.

An aura is usually 3 feet from your physical body, however an incest or rape survivor has an aura about 50 feet around them, which means in a movie theatre or a bus/train you sit in their stuff!!! I can clean this for you.

Auras are commonly associated with people. Sometimes we even use them to describe people: “He has an aura about him,” or “She just has a glow about her”. But in fact all living things generate this Explanations of the color in any aurafield of energy. When associated to a person, the aura can provide insight into the spiritual, emotional and physical aspects of the individual.
Life is full of colour and like so many other things on your path, colour also has meaning. They are representations of messages from your higher self, God, dreams, whatever the label. But you don’t have to be a Metaphysician to understand the importance of colour in your life. It exists in every day experiences.

Many people associate the colour white with God, pink with love and purple with royalty or spirituality. The following is a brief outline of primary colours and their common interpretation.

Explanations Of The Color In Any Aura

Red Aura: What are Red Auras and what does it mean to have red as one of the dominant colors of the Aura? The Aura color that surrounds an individual reflects their personality and point to their future destiny.Red Aura: What are Red Auras and what does it mean to have red as one of the dominant colours of the Aura? The Aura colour that surrounds an individual reflects their personality and point to their future destiny.

Red Aura people are enthusiastic and energetic individuals, forever on the lookout for new adventures. They are adventurous with food, travel and sexual partners. The mantra of the Red Aura colour individual is “I’ll try anything once.” Because of their devil-may-care approach to life they often find themselves in hot water.

Red Aura people are quick to anger and can lose their temper over the slightest thing. But on the upside they are generous with their time and energy when called upon for help.

They are normally strong in body and mind and do not succumb to physical or mental illness easily. Because of their robust health and fitness the Red Aura individual likes to be physical and will excel in sports. People with a predominant red Aura colour can easily become bored and need to move on to different interests, projects and relationships. Because then they leave lots of unfinished ventures in their wake. But if they set their mind to a project and can stick to it, they will have remarkable success and can become extremely wealthy.

Red Aura people are direct, to the point and forthright and are not afraid to make their point of view heard. They don’t normally have hidden agendas or ulterior motives. What you see is what you get with the open and up front Red Aura individual.

Above all else the Red Aura individual needs to be number one. Their competitive nature and need to succeed will drive them towards great success in life. They are not good team players and won’t take orders from others. Because then they will prefer to run their own one man business or be in positions of authority over others.

Yellow Aura:

What are Yellow Auras and what does it mean to have Yellow as one of the dominant colors of the Aura? The Aura colors that surround an individual reflect their personality and point to their future destiny. What are Yellow Auras and what does it mean to have Yellow as one of the dominant colours of the Aura? The Aura colours that surround an individual reflect their personality and point to their future destiny.

Yellow Aura people are analytical, logical and very intelligent. They tend to excel in careers that involve teaching and study and make excellent inventors and scientists. They can have a tendency to work too hard and can easily become a workaholic putting their work above personal relationships.
Yellow Aura people are perfectly happy in their own company and do not suffer loneliness. They are prone to mental health pressures, though and can become withdrawn and depressed when stressed.

The Yellow Aura individual is a brilliant communicator and can display their skills on a one to one basis and in front of large crowds. They are confident in their abilities to get their ideas and messages across and will inspire others.

Yellow Aura people have very good observation skills and can read people easily. They possess extremely good perception. Because they do not suffer fools gladly and will choose their few friends carefully. Any friends they do have will need to match the Yellow Aura person’s wit and intellect.
The Yellow Aura individual tends to put their head above their heart when faced with difficult choices and decision making. They are unorthodox and unconventional thinkers and not afraid to experiment with different ideas and original concepts. To some the Yellow Aura seems a little eccentric with unusual interests and hobbies. They are attracted to anything which is considered avant-garde, intellectual or unusual.

The main fault of a person who has a predominant Yellow Aura is that they can be overly critical of themselves and others.

Pink Aura:

What are Pink Auras and what does it mean to have pink as one of the dominant colors of the Aura? The Aura colors that surround an individual usually can reflect their personality and point to their future destiny. What are Pink Auras and what does it mean to have pink as one of the dominant colours of the Aura? The Aura colours that surround an individual usually can reflect their personality and point to their future destiny.

Pink Aura people are by nature loving and giving. They love to be loved too, they gather around them close friends and family at every opportunity. They like to host family events and are very generous of their time. They have a high regard for their health and will look after their bodies with good diet, nutrition and exercise.

Pink Aura people are very romantic and once they have found their soulmate will stay faithful, loving and loyal for life.

The Pink Aura individual is a natural healer, highly sensitive to the needs of others and has strong psychic abilities. They also have very creative ideas and strong imaginations. Because these personality traits the Pink Aura person makes great writers of novels, poetry or song lyrics.

The Pink Aura individual hates injustice, poverty and conflicts. They strive always to make the world a better place and will make personal sacrifices in the pursuit of this ideal.

Pink Aura people are strong willed and highly disciplined and will expect high standards from others. They have strong values and morals and seldom deviate from them. Because of their honesty and likeable nature they are valued as employees but also make excellent employers because of their sense of fairness.

Green Aura:

Green Aura people are highly creative and very hard working. They strive for perfection in everything they do. They have a very determined and down to earth nature and will not allow fanciful dreams and unrealistic ideas to color their world.Green Aura people are highly creative and very hard working. They strive for perfection in everything they do. They have a very determined and down to earth nature and will not allow fanciful dreams and unrealistic ideas to colour their world.

Their creativity takes the form of practical matters such as gardening, cooking and home decorating. The Green Aura individual has a fine eye for beauty and will ensure their appearance and clothing, home and surroundings are both practical and beautiful.

Green Aura people tend to be very popular, admired and respected. They make for very successful business people and can create much wealth and prosperity for themselves. Green Aura people like security, stability and balance in their lives. Any plans they make a well thought out and because this, they seldom make rash mistakes.

Close friends of Green Aura people will be treated to generosity, loyalty and practical advice. Green Aura people do not suffer fools gladly and choose their friends very carefully. People with a predominant green Aura tend to be rather health-conscious and ensure their diet is nutritious; health giving and tasty. They are always in tune with nature and love the great outdoors.

Orange Aura:

Orange Aura people are gregarious, generous, social souls. They love to be in the company of others and don't mind being the center of attention or just another face in the crowd. They want to please others and are often the best gift givers, being very thoughtful and generous. Orange Aura people are gregarious, generous, social souls. They love to be in the company of others and don’t mind being the centre of attention or just another face in the crowd. They want to please others and are often the best gift givers, being very thoughtful and generous.

The Orange Aura individual is normally good-hearted, kind and honest. They are very in tune to the emotions of others and can sense and feel their pain and joy. Orange Aura people can be very charming, but part of their charm is in their sensitivity to others. They have the ability to make everyone feel at ease in their company.

The Orange Aura individual can be hot headed and quick to lose their temper. But on the positive side they are equally quick to forgive and forget if a sincere apology is offered and accepted. They do not hold grudges.

Orange Aura people are confident of the impression they make on others and can use this to their advantage. They tend to lead very successful and happy lives. On the down side Orange Aura people tend to be impatient and tend to rush into projects, relationships and experiences too quickly. They normally need to act immediately and consider the consequences later.

Purple Aura:

Purple Aura people are highly psychic, attuned to the emotions and moods of others and very sensitive. People who have a predominant amount of purple in their Aura are seen as mysterious and secretive. Purple Aura people are highly psychic, attuned to the emotions and moods of others and very sensitive. People who have a predominant amount of purple in their Aura are seen as mysterious and secretive.

The Purple Aura individual possesses a philosophical, enquiring and intuitive mind. They love to learn and never stop exploring and enquiring into new subjects and areas that interest them. Because this they tend to be extremely interesting and knowledgeable people.

The Purple Aura individual does not have a wide circle of many friends. But the friends they do have are held close and are respected, admired and loved. People with a predominant purple Aura tend to be unlucky in love but once they have found their perfect soul mate is loyal and loving for life.

Purple Aura people connect well with animals and nature. They are attuned to animals and can sense their emotions and feelings. Purple Aura people tend to take in and care for strays as their loving and caring nature makes it difficult for them to turn strays away.

Blue Aura:

Having a predominant blue Aura or energy field surrounding you can point to a number of personality traits. Totally blue Auras are quite rare but can show up as one of the boldest Aura colors in people with strong personalitiesHaving a predominant blue Aura or energy field surrounding you can point to a number of personality traits. Totally blue Auras are quite rare but can show up as one of the boldest Aura colours in people with strong personalities.

Blue Aura people are the master communicators of the world. They have the ability to convey their thoughts, ideas, views and concepts eloquently and charismatically. They make for excellent writers, poets and politicians.

Blue Aura people are also highly intelligent and very intuitive. They certainly have the head and heart balanced in making difficult decisions and choices. They are incredibly good organisers and can motivate and inspire others.

People who have a predominant amount of blue in their Auras are peacemakers and have the ability to calmly smooth out angry situations. They prize truthfulness, direct communication and clarity in all their relationships. The downside of the Blue Aura personality is that they can take on too much, become workaholics and neglect their personal relationships.

Gold Aura:

Gold Aura people are lovers of beauty and have a very artistic flair. They appreciate the finer things in life and like to adorn themselves and their homes with items of exquisite beauty. They love to entertain and prefer the company of many. They do not feel intimated by being the center of attention - just the opposite in fact as they like to be the sparkling gem in a stunning crown. Gold Aura people are lovers of beauty and have a very artistic flair. They appreciate the finer things in life and like to adorn themselves and their homes with items of exquisite beauty. They love to entertain and prefer the company of many. They do not feel intimated by being the centre of attention – just the opposite in fact as they like to be the sparkling gem in a stunning crown.

The Gold Aura individuals are very attractive and love to attract attention,
affection and admiration from lots of people. Because this the Gold Aura person will have many, many friends. But they are not just takers of time, affection and attention; the Gold Aura individual will give of their time, energy and love generously.

The charm and charisma displayed by the Gold Aura personality adds to their attractiveness. They are great listeners and can make anyone feel comfortable, important and interesting in their company.

Gold Aura people hate to be criticised and cannot stand any of their flaws exposed. Their main flaw is that of being overly lavish. They like to impress and give the most generous gifts and host the most impressive social gatherings, even if their budget won’t allow this.

They are very proud and fiercely independent and extremely reluctant to ask for help from anyone.

White Aura / Silver Aura:

Silver Aura people are exceptionally gifted. How they use their gifts wisely is their life lesson. Silver Aura individuals are bestowed with sensitivity, intuitiveness, psychic ability and practicality. They can use their spiritual understanding in very practical ways. Because this they can relate to many people and are often found in teaching, mentoring or counseling careers.Silver Aura people are exceptionally gifted. How they use their gifts wisely is their life lesson. Silver Aura individuals are bestowed with sensitivity, intuitiveness, psychic ability and practicality. They can use their spiritual understanding in very practical ways. Because this they can relate to many people and are often found in teaching, mentoring or counselling careers.

Silver Aura people have immense versatility and adaptability and are capable of getting the most out of virtually every opportunity in life. Their high intellect enables then to make the right decisions quickly and follow through with action.
People who have predominant silver Auras are seen as very attractive. They attract many admirers. But Silver Aura people are very discerning and choose their friends carefully and their lovers very carefully.

Silver Aura people tend to be well blessed in looks, personality and talent and as such are seen as incredibly lucky people. Success seems to come easily to Silver Aura people.

Brown Aura:

Light Brown indicates confusion or discouragement. The lack of confidence in ones self, the present situation or in the subject being addressed. Dark Brown indicates selfishness, fault finding, and a tendency toward deception.

Black Aura:

Indicates hatred, negativity, major illness or depression, cheap, miserly. This colour is always a bad sign.
sourceby Gregg Prescott, M.S.
Editor,
BodyMindSoulSpirit

Source: http://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/what-is-the-meaning-of-each-aura-color/