The overall task of the School for Spiritual is to conduct “research in the field of the Spiritual.” The Anthroposophical Society has the task of supporting this research, and on this basis to foster the life of soul in the individual and in human society. (See: Statutes of the Anthroposophical Society)

Rudolf Steiner outlines the task of the First Class as follows: “In general, it is so that the human being initially learns to know the spiritual world in the form of ideas. It is in this form that Spiritual Science is cultivated within the General Anthroposophical Society. There will, however, be people who wish to partake of the descriptions of the spiritual world, which surmount the form of ideas to forms of expressions derived from the spiritual world itself.

And there will also be those people who want to learn to understand the path to the spiritual world in order to follow it with their own soul. It is for these personalities that three classes will be there.”

(Rudolf Steiner, in: N 1924, Nr. 2; GA 260a, P. 108 f.)

Translated by Eric Hurner

When the Anthroposophical Society was founded at the Christmas Foundation Meeting 1923/24, Rudolf Steiner outlined the nature of the School of Spiritual Science and, as its leader, began immediately afterwards with its organisation. He announced his intention to divide it into 3 classes and various sections.

In the course of the year 1924, Rudolf Steiner held altogether 38 esoteric lessons (Class lessons) within the General Anthroposophical Section for the class members, 26 of these in Dornach. Together they make up a fundamental course of instruction of 19 lectures on the path of spiritual development, held between 15 February and 2 August 1924. In addition, some lessons were held in other cities, as well as seven further lessons held between 6 and 20 September 1924, which repeat the content of the earlier part of the 19 lessons in somewhat modified form. Besides this, Rudolf Steiner was already planning the establishment of a 2nd and 3rd Class, which he could, however, due to his illness and subsequent death, no longer realise.

Rudolf Steiner had already directed an esoteric school from 1904 until the outbreak of WWI, which, connecting with established esoteric tradition, consisted of three Grades. (Viz. GA 264.266/I-III).

The three classes of the School for Spiritual Science are to be seen as a further step and metamorphosis of this original school.

The esoteric lessons Rudolf Steiner held within the General Anthroposophical Section contain meditative verses with corresponding explanations. He strictly adhered to the principle that the esoteric content within this school of Michael remain exclusively within a circle of people whose members fulfilled certain prerequisites: the decision to follow a path of meditative development; the willingness to foster a co-work amongst themselves; and to apply the anthroposophical work to their daily lives (“representation”) (see GA 260a, P. 112...). The lessons were taken down in shorthand with Rudolf Steiner’s consent.

Using these transcripts after Rudolf Steiner’s death, initially only members of the Vorstand, and later also those “Class Holders” delegated by the Vorstand locally, began to communicate this esoteric path of knowledge to the members of the First Class. Today, many circles of class holders exist internationally, who try to reach an understanding of the many questions to do with the First Class of the School of Spiritual Science, and which recommend new class holders to the leadership at the Goetheanum for confirmation. The members of the Vorstand themselves have been mandated to lead the General Anthroposophical Section by the College of the School of Spiritual Science.

Besides the practice of reading the content of the lessons of the First Class in transcript, there also developed the “Free Renderings” which give explanations and direct one through the course of the mantras according to the individual interpretation of the class holder. In addition, conversations amongst Class members are held in the most varied ways. The basis and prerequisite of these as well as other possible forms of communal work is the individual meditative preoccupation with the mantras.

In view of the fact that the Class texts have over the years following Rudolf Steiner’s death not remained exclusively within the circle of people for whom they were intended, and have in part been published in questionable editions, The Rudolf Steiner- Nachlassverwaltung (Trust entrusted with the testament of Rudolf Steiner in Switzerland) together with the Vostand at the Goetheanum, published the texts as a part of the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner in 1992.

This means that the texts are currently available to anyone despite the original intention not to make them available for individual study, the members of the School for Spiritual Science continue to work with this content in accordance with the initial conditions for membership of the School of Spiritual Science (see GA 260a), in such a manner that the spoken and perceived word stands at the centre.

(Robin Schmidt, using a text of the High School College at the Goetheanum. Translated by Eric Hurner)