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Modern scholarship knows little of the mystery schools of antiquity. At most it is able to offer hypothetical explanations of their purpose, and to speak of externals. In these far-reaching lectures, Rudolf Steiner gives a penetrating description of the ancient mystery schools. His survey takes us through the mysteries of Artemis in Ephesus, and of Hibernia, Eleusis, Samothrace, and the Middle Ages. He also discusses the conditions under which initiation can be achieved in our time. Following the preliminary lectures on the nature and function of the soul, Steiner presents a magnificent drama of the development of the earth, including descriptions of the metals, their connection with the planets, and their curative properties. Steiner also outlines the origins of plants and animals and the connection of humanity with the earth, and gives a panoramic view of human evolution in the past, present, and future.