This masterpiece of esotericism remains the most comprehensive and effective presentation of a spiritual alternative to contemporary materialist cosmologies and the Darwinian view of human nature and evolution. We see how the creation and evolution of humanity is embedded in the heart of the vast, invisible web of interacting cosmic beings, through whom the alchemical processes of cosmic evolution continue to unfold. Included are descriptions of the bodies of the human being, their relationship to sleep and death, and a detailed guide to methods, including the "Rose Cross Meditation," through which we can attain initiation knowledge. And perhaps most remarkable is the central function that Steiner attributes to the Christ and his entrance into earthly evolution.