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Rudolf Steiner: An Introduction to His Life and Work

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This book will become the definitive book to introduce Rudolf Steiner's life and ideas to people, especially as another reviewer noted for English speakers. Uniquely balanced, insighful and comprehensive to the spiritual & philosophical antecedents that contributed to Steiner's thought and development of Anthroposophy. Validating my thoughts to the German idealist underpinnings of Anthroposophy, this work will also encourage English readers to reexamine both the cultural/scientific contributions of Goethe as well as seriously consider an indepth study of Steiner's "Philosophy of Freedom" as a long neglected major work of 20th century philosophy.

Lachman still continues to amaze and delight me, as both the best writer on esotericism today with a writing style that is fresh, insightful and approachable yet scholarly. There is no work by Gary Lachman I do not have and I will certainly seek out any future works by him as well.

This book may cause some consternation among "true believers", but even long time students of Steiner & Anthroposophy will find new insights to his life and work. As much as I admire Steiner and his work, Lachman addresses one such wrinkle I have dealt with, the slight embarassment brought on by the aesthetics of anthroposophical inspired art, speech formation, drama and painting. To the contemporary these expressions seem ponderous, naive and simply outdated. Lachman is gracious in describing Steiner's mystery dramas as "an acquired taste", I personally find them unreadable, verbose and probably unwatchable as well. Yet Steiner stated the essense of his philosophy is contained within these works.

Regarding Steiner's seminal Christology, described by Steiner as the "Mystery of Golgotha" is a major challenge to the casual reader. For Steiner the advent of the Christ was the fulcrum of human history. In these days of cross cultural comparative religious relativism, this is a difficult pill to swallow. But for those who wish to pursue a greater understanding of Steiner's unique Christology, it helps to read Emil Bock (1895-1959) the clearest exponent of this theology.

Yet the enigma of Rudolf Steiner remains, why is Steiner still so little known with such significant contributions made in most fields of human endeavor? This work comes closer than most to providing some clues to this fascinating man and that question.

Though I've been studying Rudolf Steiner's work for almost 20 years, I've not been particularly interested in his life from a biographer's perspective. Believing that a tree is indeed known by its fruit, I've been concerned to know whether or not Steiner was secretly torturing animals or humans as part of his "spiritual science," but the lack of any such stories, and the love and wisdom evident in his work itself, has satisfied any curiosity I have had regarding his character.

Recently, though, I've taken to learning more about the context of Steiner's work, especially the more esoteric practices. Learning about the history of the Theosophical Society, occult or mystery schools through the ages, and current spiritual practices - these have been more and more of interest.

Gary Lachman's "Rudolf Steiner: An Introduction to His Life And Work" has satisfied my need to establish such a wider context for my study of spiritual science. His style is readable, his research credible. His background on the Theosophical Society, descriptions of Steiner's phases of life and work, and discussions of relevant, contemporary philosophical trends, all contribute a needed depth and breadth to Steiner's work. Most importantly for me, his sympathies are with what I take to be the main thrust of Steiner's work: the practice of spiritual science.

Two things in particular stood out to me in Lachman's book: First, Lachman identifies the primary character of Steiner's philosophy as phenomenology. I've always thought this, and I think it's an especially fruitful path to explore for the continued influence and practice of spiritual science. Though there are essentials of phenomenology accessible in the narrow academic stream of phenomenology, there are broader more accessible streams that will carry the burden of practice.

The other aspect of Lachman's book that I found extremely valuable is his own practical experiences of the spiritual realms that Steiner devoted his later life to promoting and teaching. There is no getting around the fact that Steiner was an initiate of an esoteric school, and that his life as an initiate informs everything that he taught. Lachman recounts his own attempt at basic imaginative thinking - the first step in perceiving spiritual realms according to Steiner - when he grasps the supersensible reality of a rose. For this reviewer, there is no other reason to be reading Steiner than to learn how to do that.

Gary Lachman has become one of best new writers on matters of esoterica and ageless wisdom, and the socio-cultural impact of these things in modern times. That impact began long ago as a result of the life and work of people like Rudolf Steiner. Steiner has the strange misfortune of being a towering figure in the intellectual and spiritual development of the modern Western world, and at the same time, being relatively unknown by most people. In my own attempts to better acquaint myself with his work I have not, to this point, had much success. Lachman's biography resolved most of that problem for me. He writes about Steiner in respectful but not non-critical way, and for me, it really brought Steiner the man closer. Lachman demonstrates a firm grasp of the intellectual and cultural issues of the German speaking European world of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but he does not write about these things in an obscure or complicated way. The only thing I did not like about this book was the absence of any photos from Steiner's life. Apart from that, this is a great book for meeting, and appreciating, a truly remarkable man, Rudolf Steiner.

Surprisingly, this book was displayed prominently inside the entrance of a local Barnes & Noble only a couple of days after it was published. A Californian having worked at the Goetheanum and taught at a German Waldorf School in the 1980s, I was aware that there had yet to appear a general biography of Steiner and an introduction to his thought specifically for Anglo-American readers. Hence my pleasant surprise at seeing Lachman's book. Unless one is immersed in the German idealistic tradition and with Continental Philosophy, Steiner's work is, as Lachman notes, difficult and challenging. Although Lachman approaches Steiner from his own background and sympathies in modern mysticism, thus far in my reading he seems to treat him fairly and to recognize that Steiner kept his distance from the popular mystics of his day (Steiner would not have considered himself a mystic or a spiritualist, at least not as the Theosophists and others of the time did). Lachman clearly does not intend his work to be an in depth introduction to Steiner's thought, but it is useful--and recommended--as a good general overview of Steiner's life and work. My only criticism is that he tends to simplify Steiner's thought so much that it at times seems trivial. In any case, hats off to Lachman for making the effort to finally get a reasonable biography of Steiner on the market for English readers.

Rudolf Steiner evidently led such a multi-faceted existence that even after 236 pages of text, this book still leaves him largely a mystery. There is enough material here to satisfy the somewhat-curious or to be used as a springboard for those who really want to delve into Steiner. The mode of portrayal is even-handed, for even as Lachman is well-disposed toward his subject, he also exerts his critical faculty when needed. Lachman's opinion is that some of Steiner's esoteric beliefs stretch credibility pretty thinly; however, many worthwhile and practical accomplishments derived from those unorthodox beliefs. This book is mainly a chronological account from birth to death; of Steiner's progression from rustic scholar to founder of an esoteric society, with brief accounts of some of his spiritual or, occult, perceptions. There is a good account of the role Steiner played on the world stage from World War One until his death in 1925. There is no attempt here at an in-depth exposition of his ideas. Lachman refers to the immense legacy of Steiner's writings and lectures for those who want to try to comprehend it, as well as studies by other writers. Although dismissive of most of the works on occult subjects,such as Atlantis and Rosicrucianism, he is not dismissive of the man. Lachman regards Steiner as having been an almost-saintly, enormously talented figure who struggled against powerful forces to change the world for the better. His ideas are influential today in many fields,such as alternative medicine,organic farming and education. My own interest in Steiner was aroused after having read two books which presented alternatives to current scientific thinking. Both authors acknowledged the influence of Steiner as well as Goethe(who was a major influence on Steiner). For anyone interested,these books are: Thinking Beyond Darwin by Ernst-Michael Kranich, and Genetics and the Manipulation of Life by Craig Holdrege. Lachman highlights Steiner's belief that the materialism of this age bodes ill for humanity and must be resisted by seeking spiritual knowledge. I believe anyone interested in extraordinary people would enjoy this book.

Lachman's biography of Steiner is one of the best yet attempted, and I've read twelve (including most of the German biographies). It serves as an excellent introduction to the man and the essential scope of his work, putting both in the context of the intellectual currents of the times. It is balanced and sensible in its judgments, and Lachman demonstrates both understanding and independence in his evaluation of a sometimes controvertial figure.

Summarizing a career as broad and spectacular as Steiner's is no easy feat. As Lachman describes in the introduction,

Steiner's ideas about consciousness, the nature of thought and the relationship between the mind and the external world were, quite literally, revoluationary, and they had me rethinking the history of Western philosophy. Yet I could turn to another lecture and there Steiner would tell me about reading to the dead or about the work of the Buddha on Mars...and a kind of `Tilt' sign would light up in my brain

Practical revolutionary practices, followed by seemingly zany and impossible claims. Can we remove the parts we like from Steiner's amazing body of work while dissecting the imaginative but bizarre accounts of reincarnation, death and spiritual beings? I don't know if we can, curative education, biodynamic farming and Waldorf Schools have yielded amazing results but are ultimately based on Steiner's perceptions of the spirit world. Quite a paradox.

What I appreciated the most about Lachman's work were his attempts to summarize the most revolutionary concepts from Steiner's writings and lectures which, to my knowledge, these summaries were successful and are important in their own right. The balanced approach towards Steiner's life is equally important, I feel like I could pass this book along to a friend to introduce Steiner's ideas without scaring them off when they would have reached Steiner's dissertations on Atlantis, Lemuria, Ahriman Jesus and Lucifer in his original works. Steiner may be ridiculed by the more rational among us, especially the evangelists of materialism, yet he had insights almost a hundred years ago that are only prepared to receive. He was one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century. Yet it is a puzzle why few recognize his Philosophy of Freedom as such a seminal work.

Some of the ideas I found most important included the concept that our eyes may perceive a world that is a simple, immediate perception yet really that world is already infused with the content of our inner world. That the world is merely physical and absolute is half the equation. Descartes sitting and contemplating was failing to contemplate that his perceptions were already influenced by himself. Steiner wrote,

When one who has a rich mental life sees a thousand things which are nothing to the mentally poor, this show as clearly as sunlight that the content of reality is only the reflection of the content of our minds

Additionally he argued that our cognition and awareness is not something extra, tacked on to our biology. Our knowledge of the world is part of the world, as important as our life is to the ecosystem. This isn't new age jargon, it is an argument against Kant's limits to knowledge. Steiner challenged humanity in the same way as Nietzsche, that there is more to the human than we can ever imagine. Yet Steiner took it a step farther to say that there were no limits to knowledge other than those set by laziness. Through a focus on timeless ideas and growth/creation process of the world around us, we can develop the active imagining most humans fail to curate.

The thoughts I shared above are just the top layer of a deep career filled with thousands of lectures and revolutionary concepts. At the end, I had to conclude for myself that the fundamental practical solutions Steiner offered cannot be accepted if the tremendous imagination of his mind is ignored. This account of Steiner's life is the perfect introduction to the most important philosopher you've never read.

I first came upon Steiner in one of my Religion classes. I was given a cursory overview of his work and was more than intrigued. We had a Steiner expert come to speak to us and he recommended this book--and with good reason. Lachman's work is extraordinary. He possesses an uncanny ability to seamlessly intertwine Steiner's personal and professional lives with the troubles and events of the times he lived in, all the while elucidating his major teachings. His writing is very readable and bereft of any condescension; he writes in almost 'plain speaking.' For anyone interested in Steiner, this is a great starting point.

An outstanding and highly readable introduction to Steiner. I find myself recommending it frequently to, among others, Waldorf teachers and parents I know - from whom it has also received praise. Other reviewers here have done a good job summing up the books fine qualities. I would just add that, stylistically speaking, I appreciate Lachman's willingness to make clear his own biases on various points, allowing the reader space to consider other possibilities more readily. (I'd give an example but I've lent my copy out !)

This work leaves the impression that it is not possible to discuss either the thought or life story of Rudolf Steiner separately. It is a very good introduction and should be the first book read by someone seeking to understand this prolific man who has contributed so many great things to society. Steiner's own writings are very dense and it is quite helpful to have a base foundation for his life and ideas before undertaking the task of seriously studying him.

The book follows a chronological path, details of which can be dry reading, but Lachman explains how this is necessary to understand the evolution of Steiner's writing. Lachman also does an excellent job of explaining the major influences and events that shaped the character of this great man, especially how he evolved from spiritual philosopher to spiritual teacher. Some of the more notable stories include how Steiner was given the task of editing Goethe's collected works, how Steiner decided to open up his inner world to the public, the founding of the Anthroposophical Society, the (re-)building of the Goetheanum, as well as people he helped along the way.

The first half of the book is mostly biographical, but it is in the latter half where the reader will understand the theories that made this man so prolific and revered. Steiner called his work Spiritual Science, in that his teachings were not to be taken as abstract theories, but as actual realities that we can all experience given the proper development of our higher faculties. The path of self-initiation into these higher worlds is, for Steiner, clear thinking, as it is thought that links us to spirit.

It could be said that Steiner made it his life's work to boil down the essence of the esoteric doctrines of the ages into clear understandable prose the whole world could understand, made available to all those who choose this path. However Steiner's own writings, even the most introductory ones, are very dense and require careful study.

This book by Gary Lachman does an excellent job of presenting Steiner in a readable form. Reading Steiner directly at first may be a hindrance without having a proper footing in the history and landscape of ideas out of which Steiner's thought grew. This book is highly recommended as the place to begin understanding Spiritual Science.