Death as Metamorphosis of Life

7 Lectures, various cities, Nov. 29, 1917-Oct. 16, 1918 (CW 182)

"Death as Metamorphosis of Life is a brilliant, exceptional collection. The lectures are intimate, existential, profound, and transformative: they address us in our soul lives--where we live, and where we strive for spiritual experience.... They make clear the necessary and living bond that must unite the inner work of Anthroposophists--the day-to-day inner, spiritual work in our ordinary lives--and the outer work of Anthroposophy: the manifestation of spirit in life; that is, the tasks of service that we take on in the world.... Steiner understood that, if Anthroposophy or spiritual wisdom does not live and grow as a spiritual reality in the souls of those who claim to practice it, then the practical wisdom--their actions in the world as called for by the spirit of the times--will come to nothing." -- Christopher Bamford (introduction)

The lectures in Death as Metamorphosis of Life address us in our soul life and speak to our hearts. They make clear the bond that must unite our inner, spiritual work and the outer work of manifesting spirit in life. For, if spiritual wisdom does not live and grow as a reality in the souls of those who practice it, then the practical wisdom of service called for by the spirit of the times will come to nothing.

The particular realities that Rudolf Steiner focuses on are twofold: working with the dead (and the spiritual hierarchies) and coming to know the Christ. What these two have in common is that they are both Earth-centered. They teach us the fundamental importance of everyday human destiny and earthly life--not just for humanity, but also for divinity and the cosmos. We learn not only what the dead can teach us about the spiritual world and the working of the hierarchies, but also what it means to be human in a spiritual sense. We learn of the importance of working with the dead and the angelic worlds, both for our own and for their development, as well as for the future evolution of the Earth.

The Mystery of Golgotha is equally important; we must understand it spiritually. As Steiner says, "It is the will of the gods that the most important event on Earth must compel us to spirituality." The Christ must be experienced inwardly, not historically. At the same time, he must be found on Earth--for instance, in human destiny. The more we become aware of what is secretly, invisibly, and unconsciously working in our lives, the closer we will come to working with the dead and to the kingdom of Christ.

How can we find the Christ? Steiner quotes the seventeenth-century mystic Angelus Silesius: "The Cross on Golgotha cannot save you from evil if it is not also raised within you."

"The Cross is raised within us by the polarity of the powerlessness of our body and the resurrection of our spirit. There is no need for supersensory capacities to realize this experience: only humility and sincerity in seeking are required. Resurrection from the soul death of powerlessness is the true Christ experience that opens the soul to the presence of Christ. Truly, these are astonishing lectures to be treasured: to be read, reread; to be thoroughly understood as something living; to be meditated and made one's own; and to be carried as a transformative gift into the world." -- Christopher Bamford (introduction)

Death as Metamorphosis of Life is translated for the first time in its entirety from the German of Der Tod als Lebenswandlung (GA 182). Individual lectures have appeared in Angels: Selected Lectures; Evil: Selected Lectures; and Staying Connected.

Rudolf Steiner (b. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner, 1861-1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up. As a young man, he lived in Weimar and Berlin, where he became a well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with Goethe's scientific writings. Steiner termed his spiritual philosophy anthroposophy, meaning "wisdom of the human being." As an exceptionally developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern, universal "spiritual science" that is accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unbiased thinking. From his spiritual investigations, Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of numerous activities, including education (general and for special needs), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, Christianity, and the arts. There are currently thousands of schools, clinics, farms, and initiatives in other fields that involve practical work based on the principles Steiner developed. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of human beings, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods for personal development. He wrote some thirty books and delivered more than six thousand lectures throughout much of Europe. In 1924, Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches around the world.

Christopher Bamford (1943-2022) was born in Cardiff, South Wales, and lived for a while in Hungary and then in Scotland. He studied as an undergraduate at Trinity University in Dublin and earned his master's degree at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania. For nearly thirty years, he was Editor in Chief at SteinerBooks (Anthroposophic Press) and its imprints. A Fellow of the Lindisfarne Association, he lectured, taught, and wrote widely on Western spiritual and esoteric traditions. His books include a selection of his numerous introductions, Encountering Rudolf Steiner: Introductions to Essential Works (2022); Healing Madonnas: Exploring the Sequence of Madonna Images Created by Rudolf Steiner and Felix Peipers for Use in Therapy and Meditation (2017); An Endless Trace: The Passionate Pursuit of Wisdom in the West (2003); and The Voice of the Eagle: The Heart of Celtic Christianity (1990). He also translated and edited numerous books, including Homage to Pythagoras: Rediscovering Sacred Science (2001); The Noble Traveller: The Life and Writings of O. V. de L. Milosz (1984); and Celtic Christianity: Ecology and Holiness (1982). Essays by Mr. Bamford are included in The Best Spiritual Writing 2000 ("In the Presence of Death") and The Best American Spiritual Writing 2005 ("The Gift of the Call"). Christopher passed over the threshold on May 13, 2022, at his Mt. Washington, Massachusetts home.

Sabine H. Seiler, PhD, is owner of Columbia Translators & Editors, Albany, New York. She has translated and edited numerous texts, many of which are focused on Anthroposophy. She earned a PhD at SUNY Albany, an M.A. at Florida State University, a B.A. at Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany.