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Six Steps in Self-Development
The “Supplementary Exercises”
Paperback
December 2010
9781855842373
More details
- Publisher
Rudolf Steiner Press - Published
29th December 2010 - ISBN 9781855842373
- Language English
- Pages 96 pp.
$19.00
The so-called supplementary exercises—intended for practice along with the “review exercises” and meditation—are integral to the path of inner development presented by Rudolf Steiner. Together, they form a means of experiencing the spiritual realm in full consciousness. Meditation enlivens thinking; the review exercises cultivate the will; and the supplementary exercises educate and balance the feeling life. Practiced conscientiously, this path of self-knowledge and development has the effect of opening a source of inner strength and psychological health that soon manifest in daily life.
In six stages, these exercises enable the practice of qualities we may summarize as:
- control of thoughts
- initiative of will
- equanimity
- positivity
- open-mindedness
- equilibrium of soul
When practiced regularly, they balance the possible harmful effects of meditative practice, bringing inner certainty and security to the soul. They are also of inestimable value in their own right, owing to their beneficial and wholesome effects on one’s daily life.
In this invaluable little book, the editor has gathered virtually all Steiner's statements on the “supplementary exercises,” supporting them with commentary and notes. With a chapter devoted to each exercise, the book describes each in detail and from various perspectives.
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner (b. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner, 1861–1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up. As a young man, he lived in Weimar and Berlin, where he became a well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with Goethe’s scientific writings. Steiner termed his spiritual philosophy anthroposophy, meaning “wisdom of the human being.” As an exceptionally developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern, universal “spiritual science” that is accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unbiased thinking. From his spiritual investigations, Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of numerous activities, including education (general and for special needs), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, Christianity, and the arts. There are currently thousands of schools, clinics, farms, and initiatives in other fields that involve practical work based on the principles Steiner developed. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of human beings, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods for personal development. He wrote some thirty books and delivered more than six thousand lectures throughout much of Europe. In 1924, Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches around the world.