What is Anthroposophy?
Anthroposophy is a spiritual new religious movement that was founded in the early 20th century by the esotericist Rudolf Steiner that postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world, accessible to human experience. The term anthroposophy derives from Greek ἄνθρωπος anthropos-, ‘human’, and σοφία sophia, ‘wisdom’, though Steiner understood anthropos to mean “ideal human” and sophia to refer to divine feminine wisdom. Followers of anthroposophy aim to engage in spiritual discovery through a mode of thought independent of sensory experience.
At its core, anthroposophy proposes that human beings possess latent faculties for spiritual perception that can be systematically developed through inner work. Steiner postulated the existence of a spiritual world comprehensible to pure thought but fully accessible only to the faculties of knowledge latent in all humans. Unlike faith-based systems, anthroposophy positions itself as a path of spiritual research requiring active engagement rather than passive belief.
Origins & Lineage
Rudolf Steiner was born February 27, 1861, in Kraljević, Austria, and died March 30, 1925, in Dornach, Switzerland. Attracted in his youth to the works of Goethe, Steiner edited that poet’s scientific works and from 1889 to 1896 worked on the standard edition of his complete works at Weimar. During this period he wrote his Die Philosophie der Freiheit (1894; “The Philosophy of Freedom”), then moved to Berlin to edit the literary journal Magazin für Literatur and to lecture.
At the beginning of the twentieth century he founded an esoteric spiritual movement, anthroposophy, with roots in German idealist philosophy and theosophy. Steiner initially worked within the Theosophical Society but diverged due to doctrinal differences, particularly regarding the nature of Christ. In 1912 he founded the Anthroposophical Society. The society, now based in Dornach, Switzerland, has branches around the world.
In 1913 at Dornach, near Basel, Switzerland, Steiner built his first Goetheanum, which he characterized as a “school of spiritual science.” After a fire in 1922, it was replaced by another building. In 1923, Steiner founded a School of Spiritual Science, which he saw as “the ‘soul’ of the Anthroposophical Society,” offering courses on anthroposophical education, performing arts, literary arts, humanities, mathematics, astronomy, science and visual arts, as well as courses in medicine and meditative experiences led by Steiner. Steiner died just over a year later, in 1925.
Anthroposophy’s philosophical foundations draw from multiple sources. Anthroposophy has its roots in German idealism, Western and Eastern esoteric ideas, various religious traditions, and modern Theosophy. His teachings are influenced by (Christian) Gnosticism or neognosticism.
How It’s Practiced
Anthroposophical practice centers on structured exercises designed to strengthen inner capacities for spiritual perception. The discipline emphasizes moral development as foundational to spiritual work. A central principle of Steiner’s proposed path to spiritual development is that self-development - inner transformation - is a necessary part of the spiritual path: “for every step in spiritual perception, three steps are to be taken in moral development.”
The six basic exercises, meant to foster positive soul qualities, are: Practice self-control over one’s thinking. For example: for a period of time -at least five minutes- contemplate any object and concentrate one’s thoughts exclusively on this object. Exercise willpower by choosing any free deed, i.e. one that nothing is influencing you to do, and choose a regular time of day or day of the week to practice this. Practice equanimity: foster calm emotional responses. Practice being open to new experiences and ideas, never letting expectations based upon the past close your mind to the lessons of the moment. The sixth exercise involves finding a harmonious, balanced relationship between the above five qualities, practicing each regularly and becoming able to move dynamically between them.
Additional exercises developed in anthroposophy include: Review of the day. Each evening, going backwards through the day recalling its events, its sequential unfolding (experienced here reversed in time), the people one has met, etc. Meditation, in the Anthroposophical sense, is an active process. It involves filling the mind with specific content—such as a symbolic image, a philosophical idea, or a mantric verse—and actively engaging with it. This is not about emptying the mind, but about using it in a focused, imaginative way to grasp realities that lie beyond ordinary thought.
Steiner described three stages of meditative progress: imaginative cognition, inspiration and intuition. Practitioners work with specific verses, mantras, and contemplative exercises tailored to these stages.
Anthroposophy Today
Anthroposophical principles have generated numerous practical applications that continue today. The Waldorf School movement, derived from his experiments with the Goetheanum, by the early 21st century had more than 1,000 schools around the world. Biodynamic agriculture, a form of alternative agriculture, was also the first intentional form of organic farming, begun in 1924, when Rudolf Steiner gave a series of lectures published in English as The Agriculture Course. Ita Wegman opened the first anthroposophic medical clinic, now known as the Klinik Arlesheim, in Switzerland, in 1921, and the following year, Wegman and Steiner founded Weleda, the naturopathic pharmaceutical and cosmetic company that exists to this day.
Seeker encounters with anthroposophy typically occur through these practical fields rather than through the philosophy itself. Many people discover Steiner’s spiritual teachings after enrolling children in Waldorf schools, encountering biodynamic farms, or exploring anthroposophical medicine. The Anthroposophical Society maintains centers worldwide offering study groups, conferences, and training programs. The historian of religion Olav Hammer has termed anthroposophy “the most important esoteric society in European history”.
Common Misconceptions
Anthrosophy is not a religion and requires no faith commitments. It is not a religion or a set of beliefs but a practice to develop self knowledge. There is no requirement to ‘believe’ or follow a set of specific rules. It is a ‘free’ philosophy available to each person to interpret and incorporate into their own faith or belief system.
However, significant controversies surround anthroposophy. Many scientists, physicians, and philosophers, including Michael Shermer, Michael Ruse, Edzard Ernst, David Gorski, and Simon Singh have criticized anthroposophy’s application in the areas of medicine, biology, agriculture, and education, considering it dangerous and pseudoscientific. Ideas of Steiner’s that are unsupported or disproven by modern science include racial evolution, clairvoyance (Steiner claimed he was clairvoyant), and the Atlantis myth.
Steiner’s anthroposophical theories also included some evolutionary doctrines around race and reincarnation which presented white European culture and history as superior. These concepts are wholly rejected by the UK schools’ movement today. Modern anthroposophical institutions actively distance themselves from these aspects of Steiner’s work.
Anthroposophy should not be confused with mainstream Waldorf education or organic farming. While these movements originated from anthroposophical insights, most practitioners today do not study anthroposophy itself. Anthroposophy itself is not taught in Waldorf schools, but Waldorf teachers use insights gained through their study of anthroposophy to understand and apply Steiner’s insights into child development.
How to Begin
Those interested in exploring anthroposophy directly should start with Steiner’s foundational texts. Steiner was convinced that his Philosophy of Freedom, which he wrote in 1894, at age 33, would be the book that would be his most lasting and influential. It seems more likely, however, that his Theosophy (1904) and How to Know Higher Worlds (1904) might prove more enduring, perhaps because for most readers both are more immediately accessible than Philosophy of Freedom.
Practical entry points include attending introductory study groups at local Anthroposophical Society branches, exploring the six basic exercises under guidance, or engaging with anthroposophical arts such as eurythmy. Together with Marie von Sivers, Rudolf Steiner also developed the art of eurythmy, sometimes referred to as “visible speech and song”. Many find that approaching anthroposophy through one of its applied fields—education, agriculture, or the arts—provides more accessible grounding than philosophical texts alone.
The School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum in Dornach remains the international center, offering courses, conferences, and resources for serious students. Regional societies provide local study opportunities and connections to experienced practitioners who can guide individual work with the exercises and meditative practices Steiner developed.