Why do people have such differing events and circumstances to deal with in their lives? What are the meanings of diseases, illnesses, accidents, and natural disasters? From his clairvoyant spiritual research, Rudolf Steiner speaks of karma, or destiny, as a reality -- an actual scientific phenomenon that can and should be understood today. He shows how, through a comprehension of karma, a person can begin to answer the inevitable questions that arise when they begin seriously to seek the meaning and purpose of life.
Why do people have such differing events and circumstances to deal with in their lives? What are the meanings of diseases, illnesses, accidents and natural disasters? From his clairvoyant spiritual research, Rudolf Steiner speaks of karma, or destiny, as a reality - an actual scientific phenomenon which can and should be understood today. We create our own karma in all areas of existence, says Steiner, laying the foundation in one incarnation for the following one. We cannot seek for a complete pattern or meaning in one earthly life, but must begin to take into account many lives on earth. He indicates that although we may not be aware of particular causes, the knowlege that a resolution of our own self-induced karma is in process can help to bring both an acceptance and a sense of purpose into our present lives./
Why do people have such differing events and circumstances to deal with in their lives? What are the meanings of diseases, illnesses, accidents, and natural disasters? From his clairvoyant spiritual research, Rudolf Steiner speaks of karma, or destiny, as a reality -- an actual scientific phenomenon that can and should be understood today. He shows how, through a comprehension of karma, a person can begin to answer the inevitable questions that arise when they begin seriously to seek the meaning and purpose of life. We create our own karma in all areas of existence, says Steiner, laying the foundation in one incarnation for the following one. We cannot seek for a complete pattern or meaning in one earthly life but must begin to take into account many lives on earth. He indicates that although we may not be aware of particular causes, the knowledge that a resolution of our own self-induced karma is in process can help to bring both an acceptance and a sense of purpose into our present lives.
At the end of his life, Rudolf Steiner took up the task that was his special destiny: to bring to the West a knowledge of reincarnation and karma. To do this, he gave over eighty lectures in 1924 in which he explicitly and concretely revealed the destinies of various individuals from one life to the next in order to show how the general laws of karma operate in individual cases. He also revealed many details of the karmic streams of the members of the Anthroposophical Society. These volumes constitute an immeasurable contribution to the understanding of reincarnation and karma, and the tasks of the Anthroposophical Society in connection with the Archangel Michael.
Religious ritual is often seen as a way of bringing divine influences down into the material world. In this profound and stimulating work, Rudolf Steiner and Friedrich Benesch introduce the idea of "reverse ritual"--a way that each of us can raise our souls to the spiritual realm. In this process, the everyday world becomes a portal through which we can enter the dimension of the sacred. Here, each of us can be a "priest," and each of our actions can be a cosmic, ritual act. This stimulating collection of writings on spiritual communion of humanity includes two further lectures by Steiner that show how this process can engage our social lives. Also included are two additional essays as appendices: "Sacramental and Spiritual Communion" by Dietrich Asten and "Human Encounters and Karma" by Athys Floride. The introduction by Christopher Schaefer brings these ideas into focus for modern seekers. Contents: Part One: "The Spiritual Communion of Humanity" (5 lectures from GA 219) Part Two: "Preparing for the Sixth Epoch" Part Three: Commentaries by Friedrich Benesch Appendices: Selections from Dietrich Asten: "Spiritual and Sacramental Communion" & Athys Floride: "Human Encounters and Karma."
Beginning in the late '60s, hundreds of thousands of Westerners descended upon India, disciples of a cultural revolution that proclaimed that the magic and mystery missing from their lives was to be found in the East. An Indian writer who has also lived in England and the United States, Gita Mehta was ideally placed to observe the spectacle of European and American "pilgrims" interacting with their hosts. When she finally recorded her razor sharp observations in Karma Cola, the book became an instant classic for describing, in merciless detail, what happens when the traditions of an ancient and longlived society are turned into commodities and sold to those who don't understand them. In the dazzling prose that has become her trademark, Mehta skewers the entire Spectrum of seekers: The Beatles, homeless students, Hollywood rich kids in detox, British guilt-trippers, and more. In doing so, she also reveals the devastating byproducts that the Westerners brought to the villages of rural lndia -- high anxiety and drug addiction among them. Brilliantly irreverent, Karma Cola displays Gita Mehta's gift for weaving old and new, common and bizarre, history and current events into a seamless and colorful narrative that is at once witty, shocking, and poignant.
Path to the Soul provides an important evolutionary leap in the rapidly evolving understanding of our psychological and spiritual essence. Drawing from Hindu and Christian spiritual wisdom, biological medicine, psychiatric technique, and over twenty-five years of clinical experience, Dr. Bedi has created a highly effective and integrated treatment approach to problems associated with both medical and psychiatric illness. He explains the Hindu concepts of maya, karma, and dharma, and builds a bridge between psychological dis-ease and our intrinsic hunger for spiritual union. Each symptom is seen as a crucial whisper from our soul, and if we understand its message, it can lead us to psychological balance. Dr. Bedi guides us through the process of Kundalini diagnosis, showing how the use of life events, medical or psychiatric symptoms, relationship strengths and problems, and life goals and aspirations can help us determine our dominant and auxiliary chakras. Since our chakras are focal points where physical, emotional, developmental, and spiritual forces intersect, they provide a paradigm that usefully links physical, psychological, developmental, and spiritual dimensions. He explains how he has successfully helped many patients correct imbalances by learning to access and strengthen this energy. Throughout this book there are numerous examples of how Dr. Bedi's patients have discovered what each individual eventually has to recognize; that our fulfillment, satisfaction, wholeness, and harmony can be reawakened when we touch the spark of divine light glowing within.
