In a series of vibrant and lively essays, Steffen Hartmann focuses on a little-known but critically important theme relating to the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. Steiner described the collaboration between human souls connected to the Platonic and Aristotelian ‘schools’ or groupings – both here on Earth and in the spiritual world. These groupings of souls work within a wider metaphysical collective known as the ‘Michael School’, led by the ruling Spirit of our age, Michael. Prior to their births, millions of human souls were prepared within this School to help them face the challenges of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

We may have forgotten these pre-existence experiences, but they can be reawakened within us, says Hartmann. Indeed, it is possible consciously to reconnect to our earlier incarnations and to perceive our karma. The book begins with this theme and leads to Rudolf Steiner’s ‘Michael Prophecy’ of 1924 – to his vision of the millennium and the era in which we now live, especially the crucial period between 2012 and 2033.

Dealing with the ‘anthroposophical block’ in the emerging holistic building of humanity, the author contextualizes the topic with reference to direct personal experiences. The sharing of such considered experiences can help to stimulate self-reflection in the anthroposophical movement and contribute real spiritual substance to contemporary culture. This little book provides stimulation to spiritual seekers who carry within them deeper questions about life in the modern world.

STEFFEN HARTMANN, born in 1976 in Freiburg im Breisgau, studied piano in Hamburg and participated as accompanist in master classes with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and has worked closely with the soprano Marret Winger. In 2007, together with Matthias Bölts, he founded the MenschMusik Institute in Hamburg, a leading innovator in the field of contemporary music education. He has followed an inner meditative path based on anthroposophy since 1997 and has worked as a teacher of meditation for several years. Steffen Hartmann regularly writes essays on salient topics connected to anthroposophical spiritual science, meditation and music. Together with Torben Maiwald, he founded the publishing house Edition Widar.

He is the author of Wege zum Geist (2012), Von der Philosophie zur Anthroposophie (2013), Aus Widars Wirken (2014), Geistesgegenwart und Schöpferkraft (together with Anton Kimpfler, 2015), Die Michael-Prophetie Rudolf Steiners und die Jahre 2012 bis 2033 (2017), Vom Schicksal der Töne in unserer Zeit (2018) and Mit Widar Zukunft schaffen (with Prof. Dr Volker Fintelmann, 2019). He has led the Rudolf Steiner Haus Hamburg branch of the Anthroposophical Society since 2012, in addition to holding lectures worldwide and conducting seminar and concert activities in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Greece and Brazil.