Abstract
This article presents the results of a qualitative study of Anthroposophic meditation, which arose in the German-speaking world in the early 20th Century focusing on cognition, self-development, and pro-social action. The objective was to explore this previously unstudied form of meditation. The current sample (N = 30) consists of long-term practitioners of Anthroposophic meditation. Semi-structured interviews, focusing on demographics, background, and phenomenology and interpretation, were conducted with these practitioners. The material gathered was investigated using thematic analysis. Seven main themes were found: Self, cognition, perception, affect, sleep, embodiment, and environment, and, among these, 32 subthemes. Potential avenues for further research are outlined. Some of these overlap with current approaches to meditation while others represent new areas of inquiry: Personal development with a focus on strengthening the self, introspection or contemplative inquiry, sensed presences, the experience of phenomenological atmospheres, consciousness in the sleep state, embodied aspects of meditation experience, the relationship between practice and daily life, and meditation challenges.
Highlights
This article explores the range of experiences of a group of practitioners of Anthroposophic meditation
Anthroposophic meditation, has hardly received any attention. This led to the conception of the research project that this article is based on, which aimed to be an initial exploration of Anthroposophic meditation experience in general and among contemporary practitioners
This study has uncovered 32 themes related to Anthroposophic meditation practice, further divided into seven overarching themes
Summary
This article explores the range of experiences of a group of practitioners of Anthroposophic meditation. Rudolf Steiner’s work and the spiritual movement founded by him, Anthroposophy, are increasingly attracting more research interest. A recent milestone has been has been the inauguration of a critical edition of Steiner’s work (Steiner 2013). Anthroposophic meditation, has hardly received any attention. This led to the conception of the research project that this article is based on, which aimed to be an initial exploration of Anthroposophic meditation experience in general and among contemporary practitioners
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