Theosophy

Theosophy is a book by Rudolf Steiner, first published in 1904. In clear, didactic prose Steiner sets out a systematic account of the human being and the supersensible worlds: the physical body, the life- and soul-forces, the “I” - or spiritual individuality, and the higher spiritual organs of perception.

The book presents Steiner’s descriptions of reincarnation and karma, an anatomy of inner life, and a practical sketch of the exercises he proposed for developing higher knowledge. Written as an introduction to his wider work, it serves both as a concise overview of Steiner’s early teaching and as a standalone guide to the idea that spiritual realities can be approached with disciplined observation and practice.

Placed historically at the turn of the 20th century, the book became one of the cornerstone texts from which Steiner’s later movement, anthroposophy, grew; it influenced his lectures and practical initiatives in education, agriculture and the arts while remaining a compact statement of his metaphysical claims.

Readers seeking an accessible entry to Steiner’s thought will find in this volume the framework he used to move from theosophical ideas toward a distinctive, human-centred spiritual science — presented with the combination of metaphysical ambition and practical instruction that marks his work. This is a translation by Elizabeth Douglas Shields.