www.rudolfsteinerstudies.com

Keeping the Light Alive!

Monthly articles demonstrating Rudolf Steiner’s  relevance to today’s world

Adrian Anderson PhD., author of books and articles on anthroposophy

April 2019 :  The First Class verses - new discoveries

In 1924, Rudolf Steiner began to offer to various members of the Anthroposophical Society, an extraordinary opportunity: access to the most profound esoteric Lessons for the meditative ‘self-initiation’ path, ever given in modern times. In doing this, he was inaugurating a new form of the ancient ‘Mysteries’. The 19 Lessons are known as the ‘First Class”; his premature death prevented any further Lessons being given. It became clear to me, after working with the 19 meditative verses over a 40-year period, that in the very complex German texts, there are meanings or nuances which have never been seen. So a new set of translations was needed. 

My latest book, Rudolf Steiner’s First Class Verses: a new translation with commentary, offers an accurate translation of all the verses, and in addition, a detailed commentary on difficult words and phrases in them. Additional documents which help us to understand the core intention of the verses are also included. If you previously worked with these verses, you will find my translation is very different in many places, so check the Notes and commentary to see why.

This book has been written to help people meditate with a clearer understanding of the challenge which each verse of the 19 Lessons presents. But my book does not include the Lessons themselves (except for Lesson 1). However the text of the complete First Class, with all 19 Lessons and their verses in a traditional translation, is available on the Internet.

A prior engagement with anthroposophy over several years and a serious interest in a deeper, esoteric form of meditation, is needed to work with these verses, as they are part of an especially deep esoteric wisdom.

  
In  A4 format, with 160 pages: the German and English verses are conveniently placed on facing pages, and there are 10 illustrations. Available in paperback or hardback. 

All the best until next month,

Adrian A

Here is a link to this book from the Book Depository (no postage charges)