The Rudolf Steiner Archive

Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and its Attainment constitutes a fundamental guide to the anthroposophical path of cognition or knowledge. In human consciousness, faculties are sleeping that, if awakened, lead to life-giving wisdom. With great clarity and warmth Rudolf Steiner details the exercises and moral qualities to be cultivated on the path to a conscious experience of supersensible realities.

This book, perhaps the most controversial of Steiner's extensive literary legacy, suggests the possibility of a person in the 20th century developing sufficient skills of concentration, empathy, etc. to be able to obtain first-hand knowledge of spiritual realities consciously.

In the collected edition of Rudolf Steiner's works in German, the volume containing the German text is entitled Wie Erlangt Man Erkenntnisse der Hoeheren Welten?, (Vol. 10 in the Bibliographic Survey). This translation into English was made by George Metaxa, with revisions by Henry B. Monges. It is presented here with the kind permission of the Rudolf Steiner Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach, Switzerland.

• Preface to the Edition of May 1918
• Preface to the Third Edition
• Preface to the Sixth Edition

1. How is Knowledge Of The Higher Worlds Attained?
2. The Stages of Initiation
• Preparation
• Enlightenment
• The Control of Thoughts and Feelings
• Initiation
3. Some Practical Aspects
4. The Conditions of Esoteric Training
5. Some Results of Initiation
6. The Transformation of Dream Life
7. The Continuity of Consciousness
8. The Splitting of the Human Personality during Spiritual Training
9. The Guardian of the Threshold
10. Life and Death. The Greater Guardian of the Threshold

• Appendix