Anthroposophy, a philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner, postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world accessible to direct experience through inner development. More specifically, it aims to develop faculties of perceptive imagination, inspiration and intuition through cultivating a form of thinking independent of sensory experience,[1][2] and to present the results thus derived in a manner subject to rational verification. In its investigations of the spiritual world, anthroposophy aims to attain the precision and clarity attained by the natural sciences in their investigations of the physical world.[1]

Anthroposophical ideas have been applied practically in many areas including Steiner/Waldorf education, special education (most prominently through the Camphill Movement), agriculture, medicine, ethical banking, organizational development, and the arts.[1][3][4][5][6] The Anthroposophical Society has its international center at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland.

The early work of the founder of anthroposophy, Rudolf Steiner, culminated in his Philosophy of Freedom (also translated as The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity and Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path). Here, Steiner developed a concept of free will based on inner experiences, especially those that occur in the creative activity of independent thought.[1]

By the beginning of the twentieth century, Steiner's interests turned to explicitly spiritual areas of research. His work began to interest others interested in spiritual ideas; among these was the Theosophical Society. From 1900 on, thanks to the positive reception given to his ideas, Steiner focused increasingly on his work with the Theosophical Society becoming the secretary of its section in Germany in 1902. During the years of his leadership, membership increased dramatically, from a few individuals to sixty-nine Lodges.[7]

By 1907, a split between Steiner and the mainstream Theosophical Society had begun to become apparent. While the Society was oriented toward an Eastern and especially Indian approach, Steiner was trying to develop a path that embraced Christianity and natural science.[8] The split became irrevocable when Annie Besant, then president of the Theosophical Society, began to present the child Jiddu Krishnamurti as the reincarnated Christ. Steiner strongly objected and considered any comparison between Krishnamurti and Christ to be nonsense; many years later, Krishnamurti also repudiated the assertion. Steiner's continuing differences with Besant led him to separate from the Theosophical Society Adyar; he was followed by the great majority of the membership of the Theosophical Society's German Section, as well as members of other national sections.[7][8]

By this time, Steiner had reached considerable stature as a spiritual teacher.[9] He spoke about what he considered to be his direct experience of the Akashic Records (sometimes called the "Akasha Chronicle"), thought to be a spiritual chronicle of the history, pre-history, and future of the world and mankind. In a number of works,[10] Steiner described a path of inner development he felt would let anyone attain comparable spiritual experiences. Sound vision could be developed, in part, by practicing rigorous forms of ethical and cognitive self-discipline, concentration, and meditation; in particular, a person's moral development must precede the development of spiritual faculties.[1]

In 1912, the Anthroposophical Society was founded. After World War I, the Anthroposophical movement took on new directions. Projects such as schools, centers for those with special needs, organic farms and medical clinics were established, all inspired by anthroposophy.

In 1923, faced with differences between older members focusing on inner development and younger members eager to become active in the social transformations of the time, Steiner refounded the Society in an inclusive manner and established a School for Spiritual Science. As a spiritual basis for the refounded movement, Steiner wrote a "Foundation Stone Meditation" which remains a central meditative expression of anthroposophical ideas.

Steiner died just over a year later, in 1925. The Second World War temporarily hindered the anthroposophical movement in most of Continental Europe, as the Anthroposophical Society and most of its daughter movements (e.g. Steiner/Waldorf education) were banned by the National Socialists (Nazis);[11] virtually no anthroposophists ever joined the National Socialist Party.[12]

By 2007, national branches of the Anthroposophical Society had been established in fifty countries, and about 10,000 institutions around the world were working on the basis of anthroposophy.[13] In the same year, the Anthroposophical Society was called the "most important esoteric society in European history."[14]

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From Publishers Weekly From the title, this appears to be an invitation to integrate knowledge with faith. Ruse, a professor at Florida State Univ. is a skeptic who believes that the "central core claims of Christianity by their very nature go beyond the reach of science." He takes the reader through a thorough labyrinth of philosophers from Plato, John Henry Newman, and Reinhold Niebuhr in an attempt to show humans as a product of the environment. The world is a machine and Ruse, an expert on Darwinian evolution, sees humans as machines who learn to adapt through evolution and experiences. Where science and spirituality share common bonds is in human morality. Ruse's view of Christianity makes it easy to dismiss miracles, life after death, mysteries of faith and even the theory of the soul by using science. He makes room for spirituality but is dismissive of faith. With its long block quotations and diagrams, this book is more suited for the college classroom than a general reader. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review "...Ruse, a professor at Florida State Univ. is a skeptic who believes that the "central core claims [of Christianity] by their very nature go beyond the reach of science." He takes the reader through a thorough labyrinth of philosophers from Plato, John Henry Newman, and Reinhold Niebuhr in an attempt to show humans as a product of the environment..." --Publishers Weekly

"Ruse's book is one that tries to examine the issue from several points of view, from the matters that can be explained by science to those that cannot... Ruse does a good job of striking what feels like a proper balance that leaves the reader to come to his own conclusion." --Ryan Reynolds, Courier Press

"...The value and pleasure of Science and Spirituality for the lay reader is in embarking upon a fast--moving journey from the Ancient Greeks to the present while wrestling with our metaphysical Godzilla, to choose a name that invokes both divinity and the primitive lizard brain that continues to issue so many of our marching orders... Ruse offers an accessible distillation of the most pertinent great western thinkers and their great thoughts..." Salem Alaton, Humber College and the University of Guelph-Humber, Literary Review of Canada

"...The first half of this book is an episodic survey of the role of various metaphors (mechanism, organism) in the history of science through the 20th century. Readers familiar with this story--or comfortable with the idea of "metaphor" in science--can profitably start with the second half and capture the full thrust of the argument... this book does extend Ruse's argument and bring it up to date... Recommended..." C. D. Kay, Wofford College, CHOICE

"...lays a broad foundation for understanding the debate between science and religion.... Those investigating philosophies regarding morals, conscience or purpose of life will benefit from information [he] provides.... Ruse does impressive work presenting others' beliefs, information and discoveries with little personal bias.... a good overview of the evolution of scientists' philosophies...." Van Sprague, West Virginia School of Preaching, Christian Chronicle

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Science and Spirituality: Making Room for Faith in the Age of ...

Scientific Spirituality

At a superficial level, the two streams of knowledge, Science and Spirituality, both aimed at finding the ultimate truth, appear to be contradicting and nullifying each others principles. Science, developed on perceivable evidence-driven reasoning and logic, advocated that the attainment of truth is possible only with the help of material based scientific investigations and developments. Spirituality recognizes that the means of attainment of this truth lies within in the form of immortal soul, which is the Conscious Self. In other words spirituality is the science of consciousness, involving mind, body and spirit relationship. A subject of divine faith and devotion, initially, it leads to realization of ultimate unity of all beings. If the true meaning of science is understood as search of truth beyond any barriers of matter and visible world, there would be no difficulty in accepting the fact that spirituality also falls in its periphery which pertains to sublime domains of realizations.... This attitude widens the scope of knowledge and search of ultimate truth through perfect integration of modern sciences and the ancient science of spirituality and religion.

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Scientific Spirituality - SCIENTIFICSPIRITUALITY ()

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World Peace | Scientific Spirituality With H.H.Dr.Pranav Pandya ( Shantikunj, Haridwar 14 Jun 2013 )
World peace through intercommunion of science and spirituality I #2309; #2343; #2381; #2351; #2366; #2340; #2381; #2350; - #2357; #2367; #2332; #2381; #2334; #2366; #2344; #2325; #2375; #2360; #2350; #2344; #2381; #2357; #2351; #2360; #2375; - #2357; #2367; #2358; #2381; #2357; #2358; #2366; #2344; #2381; #2340; #2367; | Special Message by Shraddhey Dr. Pranav Pan...

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Scientific Spirituality | Special Message by Shraddhey Dr. Pranav Pandya ( June 08, 2013 )
Shikshak Garima Shivir ( hellip;? ??? ? - ?? oelig; #382;?? bull;? ??? ?? ) | Special Message by Shraddhey Dr. Pranav Pandya At BSGP Shantikunj, Haridwar (June 08, 2013)

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Scientific Spirituality with Hon.Dr.Pranav Pandya ( DSVV April 27, 2013 )
live on http://www.awgp.org Dev Sanskriti Vishwa Vidyalaya April.27 2013.

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Jaipur Visit Shraddheya Dr.Pranav Pandya ( Scientific Spirituality, 07 Nov. 2012 )
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AWGP - Fremont Temple Program - May 31st 2009 - SCIENTIFIC SPIRITUALITY PART8
Program on Scientific Spirituality from All world Gayatri Parivar(www.awgp.org/www.awgp.us) at Fremont Temple, CAFrom:kolapuri007Views:39 0ratingsTime:03:47More inNonprofits Activism

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