Phases: The Spiritual Rhythms of Adult Life (Bringing Spirit to Life)

“The human biography is a symphony that each individual personally composes.” ― Bernard Lievegoed

Each individual’s path in life is a unique “work of art.” Nevertheless, we each encounter certain universal milestones, from the period of adolescence to old age. Regardless of our backgrounds, we must all pass through critical outer and inner stages.

A bestseller since it was first published, Phases describes the various periods of human life―adolescence, the twenties, the thirties, the forties, and on into old age―looking at the inner qualities and challenges that come with each stage. The author states that conventional physiological and psychological explanations of the human being are incomplete. Unless the inner self, or I-being, of each individual is recognized and acknowledged, the unique characteristics of one’s unique life path and its challenges cannot have real meaning.

Bernard Lievegoed―psychiatrist, educator, and anthroposophist―brought half a century of clinical practice, studious observation, and personal insight into the writing of this book. His overview of the course of human life and vocation, of male-female relationships, and of the sometimes-misleading picture of the human being presented by the various psychologies, have made this book essential reading for all those interested in acquiring a deeper understanding of life’s mysteries.

Bernard Lievegoed (1905–1992) was born in Medan, Sumatra (Dutch East Indies). At nine, his family moved for three years to Rotterdam, and from 1917 to 1922 he attended high school in Java. From 1924 to 1928, Lievegoed studied medicine. He soon became aware of anthroposophic remedial education, which played a significant role in his life. In 1930 in Amsterdam, he completed his medical degree and became a general practitioner. A year later, he established Zonnehuis, a home in Bosch in Duin for children with disabilities. He also founded the Vrije Hogeschool in Driebergen.Soon after, he helped start the Vrije School of Zeist. He studied music therapy, and in 1946 published the book translated into English as Phases of Childhood. In 1954, he established the Dutch Pedagogic Institute for Economics, NPI. He also worked as chair of a government commission on education and continued to teach and write. Lievegoed also wrote a play (De wadlopers, The Marsh-Flats) and another book, Man on the Threshold. He continued to write on anthroposophic topics until his death in Zeist.