Mystery of the Universe

Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up (see right). 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. At the beginning of the twentieth century, he began to develop his early philosophical principles into an approach to systematic research into psychological and spiritual phenomena. Formally beginning his spiritual teaching career under the auspices of the Theosophical Society, Steiner came to use the term Anthroposophy (and spiritual science) for his philosophy, spiritual research, and findings. The influence of Steiner's multifaceted genius has led to innovative and holistic approaches in medicine, various therapies, philosophy, religious renewal, Waldorf education, education for special needs, threefold economics, biodynamic agriculture, Goethean science, architecture, and the arts of drama, speech, and eurythmy. In 1924, Rudolf Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches throughout the world. He died in Dornach, Switzerland. Dr. Gilbert Childs attended the Steiner/Waldorf teacher-training course at Michael Hall in the UK after war service. He later studied at four universities, his doctoral thesis being "Steiner Education as Historical Necessity." After teaching at state and Steiner/Waldorf schools, Dr. Childs tutored for twenty years in a continuing-education college for severely physically disabled students. In his retirement, he is a full-time author and an avid gardener. Mary Stewart Adams combines a degree in English Literature with more than twenty years of researching star wisdom to write, teach, and lecture about the night sky. In the early 1990s, and after a decade of independent research, Mary's encounter with astrosopher Hazel Straker led her to an awakened understanding of the relationship between Anthroposophy, the star wisdom called astrosophy, and the archetypal stories of humanity, written both in the greatest literature of the ages and in the script of the starry cosmos overhead. Mary teaches at her local community college in Northern Michigan and through the teacher training program in southeast Michigan. She has written locally, nationally and internationally. For more information on related products and programs, visit www.fairytalemoons.com. George Adams (1894-1963)was born in Poland and received an honors degree in Chemistry from Cambridge University. He was a close student of Rudolf Steiner, and translated many of his lectures given to English-speaking audiences. Being a Jew, when Hitler rose to power he changed his name from Kaufmann to Adams and left Germany for England, where he continued his anthroposophic activities and scientific research. In 1935, Olive Whicher joined Adams in London and worked with him in research into mathematics and physics until his death in 1963. He translated and published numerous books, lectures, and articles. Matthew Barton is a translator, editor, teacher, and poet, and taught kindergarten for many years at the Bristol Waldorf School. His first collection of poems was Learning To Row (1999). He has won numerous prizes for his work, including an Arts Council Writer's Award and a Hawthornden Fellowship.