A Vision of Fiammetta, Dante Gabriel Rossetti [1878] (Public Domain Image)

Theosophy by Rudolf Steiner [1910]

This book, subtitled An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and the Destination of Man, is a good starting point among the hundreds of books written by Rudolf Steiner. He sees a tripartate model of the individual here: body, soul and spirit, cautioning us that these are only approximate terms. In the course of this short two hundred page book we explore higher realities which have eluded the scientific method: planes of seething elemental spirits, zones wandered by reincarnating entities, and more abstract 'places' where Platonic Archetypes dwell. He explains how auras are one modality of these higher existences which we can view in our present form.

This online edition is based on the first English translation (there have been others), published in New York and London in 1910. The first edition used Small Caps extensively for emphasis, which I have been able to reproduce herein, but the effect requires an up-to-date browser to view correctly.--J.B. Hare, July 9th, 2008.

Chapter I. The Constitution of the Human Being

Chapter II. Re-Embodiment of the Spirit and Destiny

Chapter III. The Three Worlds