Steiner taught that we live not once, but many times—returning through cycles of incarnation to work out our individual and collective karma. He portrayed the drama of the soul’s progress between death and rebirth without reference to reward or punishment, but rather as a positive, transformative process. The former life actually “blooms” after death, and after review under wise guidance, the soul’s experience of its own imperfections creates the urge to return with a “new plan.” And, after a strengthening by the spiritual world, it does return–for the sake of its own, humanity’s and the earth's evolution. Also, Steiner described the interplay between humanity and adversarial spiritual beings whose redemption requires that humans become stronger and more conscious of their destiny as creative beings.

Unlike all fatalistic visions of karma, Steiner’s emphasizes human freedom: we can begin to take a necessary conscious responsibility for our destiny. With a spiritual awakening, we in the West can face the threats of technological, economic and psychological subjugation.

We’ll also ask: what is the future of Steiner’s work itself? Why did he say anthroposophy would almost be lost before it was rediscovered? How might it speak to younger generations now confronting collapse, disorientation, and a search for meaning?