Kundalini: Spiritual Perception and the Higher Element of Life

Selections from various volumes in The Collected Works of Rudolf Steiner

In Hindu tradition, the concept of kundalini refers to a form of primal energy located at the base of the spine. Traditional Eastern methods are practiced to “awake” one’s kundalini and achieve transformed consciousness. Rudolf Steiner offers an entirely different perspective that integrates the idea of kundalini into his spiritual philosophy.  

This anthology contains relevant comments and notes by Steiner on this theme, highlighting the evolution of his thinking. In addition, it accentuates the differences and similarities between Western and Eastern spiritual paths and, in the process, reveals what is new and original in Steiner’s esoteric teachings. 

In contrast to most yoga traditions, which cultivate the energy rising from the lower life center, the Western path of esoteric development begins in our upper center of consciousness―in thinking and in one’s “I.” From there, the center of experience is shifted downward, from the head to the heart. After developing a “new heart center,” as Rudolf Steiner describes it, one can guide forces consciously and, through specific exercises, the “kundalini snake” can be awakened fully.  

In his detailed introduction, editor Andreas Meyer distils the perspectives and instructions from Steiner’s complete works, offering a valuable synopsis for our understanding and practice of meditation. 

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.

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.