“Traditions or belief or theology cannot help us if we are to attain knowledge of the reality of higher beings through spiritual self-development and independence. Adherence to any such tradition would hinder our spiritual freedom, as would any categorized teaching or doctrine about the higher hierarchies.... Rudolf Steiner’s descriptions do not form a doctrine; this would be antagonistic to a new knowledge of the angels based on our spiritual individuality. The Illumine a path rather than asserting a truth.” ―
Wolf-Ulrich KlünkerReligious and spiritual writings have always referred to beings of the spiritual hierarchies, especially those understood in Christian tradition as Angels, which are the closest to human beings and act as invisible human guides and companions. They influence the lives of individuals, the evolution of humanity, and the cosmos as a whole.
Through his own clairvoyant vision, Rudolf Steiner confirmed the existence of such spiritual beings and showed how modern minds can gain access to their world. As he explains in these inspiring lectures, it is important for us to understand and cooperate with the work of the angels today, as this is crucial for the continued development of humanity.
This collection of lectures was first published in German as Vom Wirken der Engel und anderer hierarchischer Wesenheiten by Verlag Geistesleben, Stuttgart (1991).
Rudolf Steiner (b. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner, 1861–1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up. 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. Steiner termed his spiritual philosophy
anthroposophy, meaning “wisdom of the human being.” As an exceptionally developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern, universal “spiritual science” that is accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unbiased thinking. From his spiritual investigations, Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of numerous activities, including education (general and for special needs), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, Christianity, and the arts. There are currently thousands of schools, clinics, farms, and initiatives in other fields that involve practical work based on the principles Steiner developed. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of human beings, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods for personal development. He wrote some thirty books and delivered more than six thousand lectures throughout much of Europe. In 1924, Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches around the world.
Wolf-Ulrich Klünker was born in 1955 in Holzminden. He is the founder of the DELOS research center for psychology, head of the Tourmaline Foundation, and professor of philosophy and the epistemology of Anthroposophy at the Alanus University in Alfter, Germany. His lecture activities, research, and publications extend to the fields of humanities, psychology, and therapeutic anthropology.
