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The Rudolf Steiner Archive

a project of Steiner Online Library, a public charity

Esoteric Instructions
GA 270

This is a new translation of Esoterische Unterweisungen für die erste Klasse der Freien Hohschule für Geisteswissenschaft am Goetheanum. Bilingual speakers often choose the German when working with mantras, and indeed in a lesson in Berlin, January 29th, 1907 (GA 97) Rudolf Steiner is recorded to have said, "Every set form of words, every prayer has its greatest effect in its original language." A translation should have the flow and form of the translator’s native language, but as much as possible the sound, rhythm, meaning, and power of the original language. In his lectures on the Genius of Language (GA299) Steiner emphasized that he tried to choose words of German rather than Latin etymology, for the meaning is more contained in the actual sounds of the words, but also in that Latin is not only more conceptual, but does your thinking for you, which we should not allow. In this translation English-derived words are used whenever possible.

Translated by John Riedel MD

Lesson I February 15, 1924
Lesson II February 22, 1924
Lesson III February 29, 1924
Lesson IV March 07, 1924
Lesson V March 14, 1924
Lesson VI March 21, 1924
Lesson VII April 11, 1924
Lesson VIII April 18, 1924
Lesson IX April 22, 1924
Lesson X April 25, 1924
Lesson XI May 2, 1924
Lesson XII May 11, 1924
Lesson XIII May 17, 1924
Lesson XIV May 31, 1924
Lesson XV June 21, 1924
Lesson XVI June 28, 1924
Lesson XVII July 5, 1924
Lesson XVIII July 12, 1924
Lesson XIX August 2, 1924
First Recapitulation Lesson September 6, 1924
Second Recapitulation Lesson September 9, 1924
Third Recapitulation Lesson September 11, 1924
Fourth Recapitulation Lesson September 13, 1924
Fifth Recapitulation Lesson September 15, 1924
Sixth Recapitulation Lesson September 17, 1924
Seventh Recapitulation Lesson September 20, 1924
First Lesson in Prague April 3, 1924
Second Lesson in Prague April 5, 1924
Lesson in Bern April 17, 1924
Second Lesson in London (notes only) April 27, 1924
The Three Tablets