The Dead Are with Us

1 lecture, Nuremberg, February 10, 1918 (CW 182)

“All historical life, all social life, all ethical life, proceed by virtue of the co-operation between the so-called living and the so-called dead. Our whole being can be infinitely strengthened when we are conscious not only of our firm stand here in the physical world, but are filled with the inner realization of being able to say of the dead whom we have loved: they are with us, they are in our midst.” ―Rudolf Steiner

In this important lecture, Rudolf Steiner clearly describes life after death and explains how those on the Earth can maintain a connection with loved ones who have passed on. He describes the conditions in the environment of the dead; both the advantages and the dangers of connecting with the dead; the important moments of waking up and going to sleep; the significance of dying in childhood or in old age; and the appropriateness of various kinds of funeral services.

Rudolf 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. 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.