11 lectures, Oslo, June 7-17, 1910 (CW 121) "It is particularly important...especially at the present time, to speak about the mission of the individual folk souls...because the destiny of humanity in the near future will bring people together in far greater measure than has hitherto been the case in order to fulfil a mission common to the whole of humanity. But the members of the individual peoples will only be able to offer their proper, free, and positive contributions if they have, above all else, an understanding of their own native origin, an understanding of what we might call the self-knowledge of their people, their folk." -- Rudolf Steiner In the mythologies of all ancient cultures, humanity is portrayed as intimately interwoven with the activity of lesser and greater gods, spirits, devas, and elemental beings --as members of the grand symphony of creation. Who are these gods, pictured so vividly in various myths and legends? And how are they connected with the mission of humanity as a whole and the diverse peoples of the Earth? In his preface to this lecture course, Steiner argues that a true basis for a "psychology of peoples" cannot be given by the "anthropological, ethnographical, or even historical studies" of conventional science, but requires "a basis...in spiritual reality." It is precisely this spiritual reality --the creative activity of the beings of the hierarchies in connection with the destiny of humanity --that forms the heart of these lectures and of Steiner's view of folk psychology more broadly. These lectures form Rudolf Steiner's most comprehensive and profound account of the mission of folk souls. The Mission of Folk Souls is a translation of Die Mission einzelner Volksseelen im Zusammenhange mit der germanisch-nordischen Mythologie (6th rev, ed.), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Basel, 2017 (GA 121).

"Some of the best folklore and Grimm scholars from Europe and the U.S. combined to give an excellent overview of the scholarly research and current critical thought regarding Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm and their hugely popular Grimm's Fairy Tales. . . . The book is directed to the general educated public and is very readable." -- Choice

Covering a period of more than one hundred years of work by renowned folklorists, these enlightening essays explore the timeless tale of Cinderella. In addition to the most famous versions of the story (Basile's Pentamerone, Perrault's Cendrillon, and the Grimm's Aschenputtel), this casebook includes articles on other versions of the tale from Russian, English, Chinese, Greek and French folklore. The volume concludes with several interpretive essays, including a psychoanalytic view from Dundes and a critique of the popularization of Cinderella in America. "Folklorists, scholars of children's literature, and feminists should appreciate particularly the wide scope of this collection . . . now in paperback with an updated Bibliographical Addendum. . . . Most helpful are the two-page introductions to each variant and to each essay which include a brief overview of the historical times as well as suggested additional sources for more discussion."-Danny Rochman, Folklore Forum "A milestone, a near complete source of primary and secondary materials. . . . The selected analytical writing include definitive classic and new discoveries, covering the whole range of methodological modes and theoretical perspectives from early forms and typology to myth-ritual, social-historical, anthropological, and psychoanalytical readings. The annotated bibliography is most helpful, illuminating, and comprehensive, encompassing publications in other Western languages and works by Asianists."-Chieko Mulhern, Asian Folklore Studies "One can imagine several dimensions on which psychoanalysts might find such a collection interesting: as examples of applied psychoanalysis, in relation to philosophical and cultural examination of imaginative material, in relation to child development, and in the correlations between folktales of a particular culture and individual histories."-Kerry Kelly Novick, Psychoanalytic Quarterly

At the heart of this book is Rudolf Steiners culmination in the twentieth century, or the convergence of the working of Aristotelians and Platonists for the renewal of culture. And questions arise. Where is the whole of the School of Michael at present? How can we characterize and honor one and the other stream, and avoid stereotypes and misunderstandings? This work approaches the matter in its historical unfolding, in three successive steps, in which Steiner/Aristotles and Plato/Schrers incarnations form a thread. The first tableau opens up in the previous Age of Michael, in Greece, when Plato and Aristotle inaugurated the work of the two Michaelic streams. The second addresses the Middle Ages, and centers around the contrast between Alain de Lille and Thomas Aquinas, between the School of Chartres and Scholasticism. Steiners and Schrers life tasks in the nineteenth century form the prelude to the present. The heart of the book, and its longest section, looks at the present. It contrasts the working of Aristotelians and Platonists in the natural sciences, in psychology and in the social sciences. From the ground of extensive observation and characterization, it then turns to pressing questions. What can Platonists learn from Aristotelians? And how about the reverse? Starting from the example of individuals meeting across the streams, how can we extend this understanding so that it becomes an ongoing practice and a cultural concern? How can Michaelic individuals and institutions work in ways that honor the whole of the Michaelic movement?

This introduction to modern Indian thought establishes the historical context in which Indian thinkers of the past century developed their ideas, showing how those ideas comprise a coherent vision that is both Indian and contemporary. The Spirit of Modern India offers a full treatment of these ideas in an intelligible and concise approach and format. Despite a growing interest in Indian thought and life, the best writings of major twentieth-century thinkers have not been well presented within their cultural framework. This is the first single volume to offer such a wide representation of India's experience and scholarship through traditional and contemporary strains as articulated by her greatest modern thinkers. The period designated "modern" refers to the remarkable century between the mid-1800s and the mid-1900s. The Spirit of Modern India includes writings by Sri Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Tagore, Gandhi, Nehru, Radhakrisnan, and Sri Aurobindo. These writings are arranged according to each era of Indian thought and culture--philosophy, religion, ethics, education, esthetics, and national vision. Each is introduced to illuminate the material and put the selections into their historical and cultural context. A chronology lists important dates and works of major authors and dates related to Indian and Western intellectual history. A glossary of important names and terms makes the more technical selections readily accessible. The bibliography will guide the reader to further reading. The Spirit of Modern India provides a valuable service to those who wish to better understand India and it modern roots.

The Pearl and the Hut, Volume I, is a comprehensive therapeutic resource for adult children of divorce and for caregivers helping young children who are experiencing parental divorce. Yiana Belkalopolos addresses the trauma many children experience in parent divorce through the lens of the practical and soul-spiritual philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian scientist and philosopher behind Waldorf education and the international Anthroposophical movement. Belkalopolos’ work gives psychosocial and soul spiritual support, as well as loving, practical encouragement for children and adult children of divorce through: • Individual-honoring biographies that speak to the support that other growing children of divorce and adult children of divorce have experienced from Rudolf Steiner’s work. • Providing safe, soul-spiritual developmental approaches and demonstrating practices that are supported around the world, helping children of divorce feel more calm, whole, steady, supported, and rightful within themselves. • Revealing to adult children of divorce that there are true and rational explanations for what they are feeling which make them capable of a wholesome life. • Empowering “Pearl” people to take care of their own holistic wellbeing more thoroughly and to know where to reach out for help.