In ancient times, people's experience of the divine was imbued with the feminine archetype. The world of spirit was seen to be populated by goddesses, and women were honored as priestesses and guardians of sacred rites. The later Greek and Roman civilizations, in contrast, were characterized by the principle of patriarchy, which still dominates our culture--despite the political and social emancipation of women in the West. This unique book goes way beyond the usual studies on gender. The authors maintain that, during ancient times, people experienced the divine as imbued with the archetypal feminine. The world of spirit was seen populated by goddesses, and this perception was reflected by honoring women as priestesses and guardians of sacred rites. The Greeks and Romans, on the other hand, were led largely by the principle of patriarchy. More recently, however, we have seen the political and social emancipation of women, but patriarchal thinking continues to dominate our Western culture. The Authors' survey of the feminine archetype attempts to illuminate the spiritual significance and meaning of the feminine principle today as well as its future destiny. By considering the mystery behind human and earthly evolution, they arrive at clear and accessible perspectives that can help to transform human life today, especially the culture of family. Beginning with Eve in tradition and legend, the authors comment on the Queen of Sheba, the image of the Virgin in esoteric Christianity, Isis-Sophia and the Great Mother, the birth of art from the primal feminine, and the importance of women for modern esotericism.

"Christianity is not a matter of a religion or even a denomination; it is not a question of a particular culture. Christ is there for all humanity." (from the book) In the old mystery cultures, individuals experienced themselves as "children" of the gods, or even as their instruments. According to Rudolf Steiner's spiritual science, the birth of independent thinking did not arise until our present state of consciousness--the awareness of one's individual self. But who is this "I"? Virginia Sease and Manfred Schmidt-Brabant maintain that true self-knowledge is intimately related to knowledge of the central being of world evolution--Christ, the "I AM." Focusing on the being of Christ and on Christianity, the authors present a series of engaging lectures on the development of mystery wisdom today. Having given an overview of the history of the mysteries in their book Paths of the Christian Mysteries, the authors deepen and expand their study by drawing particular attention to the effect of the "Christ mysteries." Some essential themes of this new volume include the transformation of conscience, the place of prayer and meditation, and the significance of sacrifice today.

Rudolf Steiner’s intuitive artistic knowledge enabled him to use colours in a unique way, giving expression to their individual natures. Together with his many lectures on art, Steiner’s paintings provide artists with fresh ways of understanding colour, allowing for an entirely new creativity and aesthetics. In 1924, Steiner painted a watercolour of the Madonna and Child, giving it the title ‘New Life’. Through Steiner’s depiction of Mary, mother of the Divine Child, this painting draws us to the feminine expression of spirituality. In this highly-illustrated, full-colour book Angela Lord studies this feminine principle, beginning with the very earliest stages of human evolution – the ‘Fall’ from paradise and the pre-historic periods of Lemuria and Atlantis. From the Mysteries of Egypt and Greece to the development of Christian art, she offers insights to the myths and legends of female deities and goddesses. According to Rudolf Steiner, at the time of Jesus’s birth humanity had entered a decadent phase of development. Small groups of initiated individuals, however, were preparing for a sacred birth: the descent of a heavenly being into earthly existence. The God of the Old Testament would be revealed ‘in flesh’, born to a virgin mother. In the second part of New Life – Mother and Child, Angela Lord takes us on a journey through two thousand years of Christian art, covering Iconography, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. We see how artistic images of Mary and her Child have changed, why these variations have occurred and how they reflect the changing consciousness of humanity. Finally, the ‘New Life’ painting is considered from the interactive processes of colour and composition, illustrated with a series of artistic colour sequences.

Marie-Laure Valandro takes the reader on both an outer and an inner journey of discovery by way of the grand, living museum of Western history and tradition, Florence, Italy. Wandering the streets, cathedrals, and museums of Florence and the surrounding towns of Tuscany, the author gives fresh life to the Florentine painters, philosophers, poets, and architecture of bygone eras, while showing their relevance for our lives today. Letters from Florence is much more than a travelogue; it takes the reader on a personal journey to inner landscapes, ancient and contemporary, through the author's own words and those of philosophers such as Goethe and Rudolf Steiner, the verse of Dante, and seventy of her evocative photographs. Regardless of whether one has visited Florence, the insights that Marie-Laure shares in Letters from Florence offer food for the mind and soul while entertaining the reader with the her observations and encounters, as well as her sometimes humorous critiques of modern Western culture and the spirit of our time. Read an excerpt from the book (PDF)

Part I of this book begins with a scriptural study of all Sheba references, particularly the origins and genealogy of the name and its connections with Hebrew patriarchs such as Abraham and kings Saul and David; it later explores the literature and legends surrounding king Solomon and his trade negotiations with Sheba. The text analyzes theories and links between the Queen of Sheba and Pharaoh Hatshepsut, and concludes that Sheba may well be the Pharaoh based upon linguistic associations and the related stories from a multitude of regions and countries. Part II travels into ancient Arabian, Yemeni, Ethiopian, and Eritrean tales of the Queen of Sheba, and examines the mention of Sheba in an array of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim texts. It scrutinizes associations between ancient gods and pharaohs, particularly the similarity of their iconographic representations, the meaning of their symbols and signs that connect with Sheba legends and Hatshepsut's history, the real extent and location of her vast empire.

The authors embark on a broad historical survey of the culture and historyexoteric and esotericof the Middle Ages. Their journey takes in King Arthur and the Celtic mysteries; Francis of Assisi, the Franciscans and the School of Chartres; Thomas Aquinas, Averroes, and the Dominicans; Cabbala and Jewish mysticism; heretics and the Cathars; Templar secrets; more.

The author's reflections emphasize especially three considerations. First, that the Endowment impulse would allow us to experience the art of interpreting in the Rosicrucian way. Second, that the best initiativeeven one undertaken by a great individualityis doomed to failure if the participants are unable to overcome their personal ambitions. And third, that we may live with the fact that, despite the passage of time, the latent seeds in Rudolf Steiners attempt still have the possibility to reach fruition in the future.

Three dancers who changed the face of Modern Dance and liberated dancers from ballet’s rigidity to glorify the human body as a scared vessel: Isadora Duncan, 1877-1927, Ruth St. Denis, 1879-1968, and Martha Graham, 1894-1991. From youth, each recognized an organic urge for ecstatic human expression. This book explores their pioneering approaches to spiritual choreography and reveals unkown aspects of their lives and work: * each insisted upon her vision of dance as prayer * each was a mystic * each had a profound, personal devotion to the Virgin Mary * each choreographed work in her honor * each portrayed the Madonna in dance * each felt herself to be a priestess of dance * each worked to establish a school, where dance was the basis for an enlightened life The book contains quotes about and interviews with these women, including rare materials, restoring the understanding of dance as religious expression and placing these women in their rightful places among spiritual philosophers.