A Way of Self-Knowledge: And the Threshold of the Spiritual World

"I hope that reading this book can become a kind of inner conversation. If this conversation unfolds in such a way that it reveals the hidden inner forces that can be awakened in every soul, then reading this book may lead to genu­ine, inner soul work. As a result you may find yourself gradually impelled to undertake that journey of the soul which truly leads to vision of the spiritual world." —Rudolf Steiner

Part one, "A Way of Self-Knowledge," contains eight meditations that take the reader on a journey through human experience. Beginning with ordinary experience, Steiner offers ways to imagine and understand the physical body, the elemental (or etheric) body, the elemental world, the Guardian of the Threshold, the astral body, the I-body (or thought body), the nature of experience in suprasensory worlds, and ways of perceiving previous earthly lives.

Part two, "The Threshold of the Spiritual World," contains sixteen short chapters in which Steiner provides aphoristic thoughts on trusting one’s thinking, cognition of the spiritual world, karma and reincarnation, the astral body and luciferic beings, how to recognize suprasensory consciousness; the true nature of love; and more.

These two complete books together represent Steiner’s most personal statements about his own spiritual path. He speaks directly from experiences of cognitive research and explorations. Each of the meditations and aphorisms arises from his spiritual research and demonstrates how such spiritual research is to be undertaken. The "content" is Steiner’s own, but readers can discover their own "content." Steiner’s method of awareness—his path of attention to one’s own experience—is universal and truly human. This is a sequel and complement to the classic of inner development, How to Know Higher Worlds. It provides an accessible means to anyone to take the road to self-knowledge and to the world of spirit.

This is volumes 16 & 17 in The Collected Works of Rudolf Steiner. It contains a new introduction, a chronology of Rudolf Steiner's life, and an index.