book notes

Space permits only a few full book reviews in each issue. Here we list some of the many others we encounter. Except as specified, the notes are from the publishers. — Editor

Vaccination in the Work of Rudolf Steiner, by Daniel Hindes, 121 pp. (Aelzina Books, 2021)

Complementing his Viral Illnesses and Epidemics (2020), Daniel Hindes, school director at the Boulder Valley Waldorf School, has added a further volume of carefully translated and contextualized quotations. “Collected in this book are all of Rudolf Steiner’s statements on vaccination. Spanning over twenty five years, these extended excerpts are drawn from 15 separate volumes of the Collected Works. Several of these statements have never before been published in English. Newly translated from the latest German editions, they serve as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in exploring Steiner’s views on the topic of vaccination.”

To the Infinite and Back Again, A workbook in projective geometry, Part I, by Henrike Holdrege, 103 pp., 8.5x11 in. (Evolving Science Association, 2019)

This richly illustrated book provides countless exercises that foster clarity of thought and precision in imagination. It is a practice-oriented introduction to projective geometry, and in working through the exercises we learn to think in transformations and to experience a beautiful thought world in which ideas weave, grow, and metamorphose. The book leads in a careful step-by-step fashion to the challenging idea of the infinite. We learn to think this mind-expanding concept, a concept that opens up whole new ways of understanding. We begin to see that everything finite gains wholeness and coherence when we conceive of the infinite. As a fruit of the author’s many years of teaching, this workbook is intended for self-study and is a unique resource for high school and college math teachers

Henrike Holdrege trained as a mathematician, a biologist, and a science teacher. In 1998, she co-founded The Nature Institute. She strives in her work to bring deeper dimensions of the world–of nature and of our inner life–to experience. In the Institute’s adult education programs and courses and workshops locally, nationally, and internationally, her two main areas of focus are phenomenological studies of nature and mathematics as a training of thought.

Earthly, Transcendental, & Spiritual Logic: from Husserl’s Phenomenology to Steiner’s Anthroposophy, by Scott E. Hicks, (Amazon.com, 2019).

This book examines the problems of crossing from Husserl’s technique of directly viewing concepts, essences, and ideas to the full experience of crossing the threshold by means of spiritualizing thinking in the anthroposophical sense. It covers all of the places where Steiner mentions Husserl in his collected works and the early part of the book functions as an introduction to Husserl’s phenomenology for the general reader or for the anthroposophist. It begins with everyday consciousness and crosses into the realm of viewing ideas or essences directly. In the later chapters, there are a variety of studies which lead the reader on an adventure from strict scientific consciousness and perception of plants into the phenomenological reduction, and then over the chasm into the real life of living thinking in the etheric world. Through this, it becomes clear that phenomenological reflection does not take place in the same sphere as spiritual research. There are also several studies of Logic itself.

These studies penetrate into what happens on the concept planes and in the living world during the processes of thinking, judging, inferring, and creating logical conclusions. The book also contains access to several new spiritual scientific creations and bridges which transform some of the basic logical laws and forms into anthroposophical living pulses and elements in the spiritual world. Most of the book takes place beyond the realm of mental images, following the work of Steiner’s Philosophy of Freedom. The text therefore contains several doorways for the active reader to enter into the new work of the anthroposophical movement in the spiritual world and all that such an approach entails.

THE ONE of the Emerald Tablet: Illuminating Ancient Cryptic Truths, by Anna Lups, MD, 152 pp., large format (SteinerBooks, 2017)

This unusual book escaped our notice until recently. In the Eurythmy Association newsletter Jeanne Simon-MacDonald wrote, “It is hard to try to indicate the depth, breadth and richness of this extraordinary book full of wisdom, anecdotes, and illustrations from Dr. Anna’s life and studies.” Author Peter Lamborn Wilson writes, “In the tradition of Paracelsus, Goethe, Novalis, Hahnemann, and Steiner, Dr. Lups weaves alchemy out of the art of an anonymous, brilliant six-year-old ‘Child Artist’ into a tapestry of symbolism, healing, and wisdom—including many surprises. A magical text!” And David Appelbaum, former editor of Parabola magazine, adds, “Anna Lups’s marvelous memoir traces a pathway of cure, from health of the outer person to the inner esoterics of the soul, from allopathy to anthroposophic medicine. A lengthy sojourn through archetypal research to spiritual alchemy, she is guided by the questions ‘Who am I?’ ‘Where are my beginning and my end?’ and provides inspiration in the art of living to readers of all pursuits. A work of immense creativity.” —Editor “We are far more than we think we are.” A profound statement that slowly sinks in as a reality during the study of the drawings and the texts which become the material for the stories of all the members of humankind. Introduced through the autobiography of a female physician practicing in the Columbia County region of rural upstate New York, this is a book where the reader is invited to accompany the journey each human being will undertake into the earthly life and the wisdoms learned in the process of “becoming.” Filled with gratitude for this testimony of hope in the miracle that is human and the attention it draws to past scholars whose knowing was profound but often ignored, this book serves as a reference for future students who find themselves ready for the combined study of natural and spiritual science.

Dr. Anna Lups lives in Columbia County, New York, where she has practiced private medicine continuously since 1967. Her background as a cardiologist and family practitioner has allowed her to experience a wide breadth of clinical care motifs. In 1979 she began the anthroposophic extension of medicine and continues to grow her understanding of patient care and alternative holistic medicine.

Knowledge of Spirit Worlds and Life after Death, As received through spirit guides, by Dr Bob Woodward, 166 pp. (Clairview Books, 2020)

“In the Newsletter of the AS in GB, Bob Woodward writes about how he came to work with his spirit guides and what his methodology is. The book follows on from his previous ones on receiving answers from his guides to his questions and gives a more rounded picture of these beings together with their conversations. He asks in a very straightforward way about what life is like after death, with each chapter on a particular theme such as how souls live in the spiritual world, what they actually experience and whom do they meet. Each series of conversations is followed by a commentary and passages from Steiner which seem to corroborate what the guides have described. They give us more detail about the periods fairly soon after death, whereas Steiner’s descriptions are more of a sweeping vista to the highest beings and realms. There is, however no conflict between these accounts, a more ‘homely’ emphasis perhaps from the guides, but Steiner also spoke about shorter periods between incarnations for instance. The book concludes with Bob making contact with his deceased father and noting down their conversations which take place 25 years later and after the kamaloca period. Doubtless Bob felt he was experiencing his father’s presence, but for the reader a shared memory or two would have been helpful as discarnate beings may not always be who they claim to be. It is very courageous to be so forthcoming about one’s spiritual experiences, we can appreciate Bob’s sincerity, concern for accuracy and desire to reach out to a wider public. We are urged to develop our own connections with spiritual helpers, as Steiner does refer in various places to a plurality of beings who want to assist those on the earth.” —Margaret Jonas, librarian at Rudolf Steiner House, London, for many years, is the author of The Templar Spirit and The Northern Enchantment and editor of anthologies by Rudolf Steiner on these subjects.

Exploring Themes in the Calendar of the Soul, by Luigi Morelli, 200 pp. (iUniverse, 2021)

“This work explores themes as they emerge in Rudolf Steiner’s Calendar of the Soul, first as they appear during the two halves of the year, spring/summer and fall/winter, secondly in relation to the mid-season quadrants, formed by the verses of so-called cross 7, which divide the year in four equal parts, centered around the times of the equinoxes and solstices. One of the main threads continues the exploration of the polarity thinking/intuition as it emerges from the work of Karl König, and places it in relation to other ones that emerge throughout the year, such as the expressions of feeling, memory, will, cosmic thinking and cosmic Word and their relationship to the human being. During spring and summer we follow the ascent of cosmic life, cosmic light and cosmic warmth, and cosmic Word as gifts bestowed upon the human being by the cosmos. During the cold time of the year these are inwardly elaborated by the human being, conscious of her place in Earth evolution and of her relationship to the Christ impulse, and given back to the cosmos. The Calendar thus exemplifies how the human being is both connected to the movements of the seasons, but also partly independent in having to exert inner initiative that counters natural tendencies.”

Editor’s note: This latest in Luigi Morelli’s substantial series of books is available at Amazon but also at millenniumculmination.net where the full list may be available for download and there are some translations in Spanish.

The list includes 2020’s Illness and the Soul; Tolkien, Mythology, Imagination and Spiritual Insight; and books on Tolkien and Owen Barfield, Aristotelians and Platonists, Karl Julius Schröer and Rudolf Steiner, social questions, and spiritual turning points of both North and South American history, the last two available from SteinerBooks. The author’s bio: “Cultures have been a great part of my upbringing, since I’m American born, part Italian, part Peruvian, mostly grew up in Belgium, and have lived the longest in the US. I have long had a passion for social change from a cultural/spiritual perspective. This has brought me to working with the developmentally disabled in the intentional, holistic communities of Camphill and L’Arche International, and also in the mainstream. I have lived in intentional cohousing for the last ten years... actively involved in community building and process facilitation.” Fire the Imagination: Write On! by Dorit Winter, 204 pp. (Waldorf Publications, 2017) How can teachers develop strong writing skills in their students in classroom and in life? Clarity and precision, empathy, and calls-to-action happen when the writing stimulates a clear response. Capacities in writers take practice and focus and refined skill in a teacher. Fire the Imagination— Write On! is a vehicle for developing those teaching skills that, in turn, develop writing skills in the young and old. The rigor of the lessons makes for engagement and plain old fun in working hard on good writing. Just the ticket for middle and high school youngsters—effective with adults as well!

Fire the Imagination: Write On! by Dorit Winter, 204 pp. Waldorf Publications

How can teachers develop strong writing skills in their students in classroom and in life? Clarity and precision, empathy, and calls-to-action happen when the writing stimulates a clear response. Capacities in writers take practice and focus and refined skill in a teacher. Fire the Imagination— Write On! is a vehicle for developing those teaching skills that, inturn, develop writing skills in the young and old. The rigor of the lessons makes for engagement and plain old fun in working hard on good writing. Just the ticket for middle and high school youngsters—effective with adults as well!

Dorit Winter, MA, brings a cosmopolitan background to all her undertakings. Born in Jerusalem in 1947, she attended kindergarten in Zürich, primary school in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and junior and senior high schools in New York City, graduating from the Rudolf Steiner High School in 1964. Dorit began her Waldorf career in 1973 as a German and class teacher at the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City. Seven years later, she joined the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, where she coordinated the founding of a new high school. In 1989 she became founder and director of Rudolf Steiner College’s satellite teacher training program in San Francisco. In 2001 she accepted the directorship of Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training, from which she retired in 2014. Her Waldorf activities can be found at www.doritwinterwaldorf.com and her work as a painter at www.doritwinter.com

An Illustrated Guide to Everyday Eurythmy: Discover Balance and Self-Healing through Movement, by Barbara Tapfer and Annette Weisskircher, 168 pp. (Floris Books, 2017)

Discover the art of eurythmy with this richly illustrated step-by-step guide. Eurythmy is a compelling method of bringing balance and harmony to our body, soul and spirit through a series of rhythmic body movements. For the first time, this unique book captures these gestures visually through dynamic photographs, which clearly demonstrate the core movements of eurythmy therapy. It has long been recognized that we can direct powerful physical and mental changes within ourselves through specific movements of our bodies, as stated by advocates of yoga and tai chi. The authors of this original book are experienced eurythmists, who describe and illustrate the core speech–sound exercises: vowel exercises, consonant exercises and soul exercises, which include love, hope and sympathy. This book is not a replacement for a qualified eurythmy therapist, but is intended as guidance and orientation for patients practicing on their own, after a few initial sessions with a therapist, or for more experienced eurythmists. Contents:

Vowel Exercises A – (ah) Opening; E – (eh) Crossing; I – (ee) Reaching out from the Heart Space; O – (oh) Circular Enclosing; U – (oo) Bringing Together

Consonant Exercises B – Enveloping and Protecting; P – Enveloping and Drawing In; D – Gently Descending; T – Inwardly Radiating; F – Airborne Intention; G – Calmly Repelling; K – Energetically Repelling; H – Broadening and Freeing; L – Wavelike Transformation; M – supple Sensing; N – Quickly Withdrawing; R – Revolving; S – Enlivening and Formative; Sh – Narowly Spiralling Upward

Soul Exercises A – (ah) Reverence; E – (eh) Love; U – (oo) Hope; Yes / No; Sympathy / Antipathy + Further Resources