In the early part of the last century, Professor Hermann Beckh began a search to discover the truth about the Mystery wisdom of antiquity. As a recognized authority on Buddhist texts, he knew that complete knowledge of such Mysteries was not to be found within the limitations of waking consciousness, sense perception and logic. Beckh was already aware that Gautama Buddha had indicated the stages of higher knowledge. Furthermore, his studies of Rudolf Steiners anthroposophical teachings revealed that such knowledge could be experienced directly, given disciplined meditation. Clairvoyant cognition included the conscious penetration of sleep consciousness, the dream state and an experience of pre-natal consciousness. Both the Mysteries and Rudolf Steiners major books, he concluded, were founded on the same perceptions. Beckh - a worldwide expert on Tibetan, Sanskrit, Pali and Avestan texts - quickly became disenchanted with Madame Blavatskys Theosophy, as it displayed little precise academic knowledge of primary records. At the same time, university departments showed scant trace of understanding the texts they analysed through philology and sociology. Thus, based on comprehensive studies and personal experience, he resolved to present his own perceptions and vision to the public. The results are to be found in this invaluable book, bringing together for the first time in English three groundbreaking publications: Our Origin in the Light (Genesis 1-9) (1924); Zarathustra (1927) and From the World of the Mysteries
HERMANN BECKH (1875-1937) studied Law and later Sanskrit, becoming Professor of Oriental Studies at the University of Berlin. A master of ancient and modern languages, he wrote extensively on religious and philosophical subjects, including Buddhism, Indology, Christianity, Alchemy and Music. In 1911, he heard a lecture by Rudolf Steiner and was inspired to join the Anthroposophical Society, where he soon became a valued co-worker. In 1922, he helped found The Christian Community, a movement for religious renewal. His many books are gradually being translated from the original German and published in English.
Foreword - I. OUR ORIGIN IN THE LIGHT, PICTURES FROM GENESIS (1924) - Introduction to Our Origin in the Light: Pictures from Genesis (N.F.) - Preface - The Dream of Eden in the Consciousness of Humanity - Primordial Creation - The Second Creation - Paradise - Eve - The Fall - Cain - The Rainbow - II. ZARATHUSTRA (1927) - Introduction to Beckhs Zarathustra (N.F.) - Foreword - Zarathustra in the Present Age - The First Zarathustra and Primordial Wisdom - Avesta - Appendix - III. FROM THE WORLD OF THE MYSTERIES (1927) - Introduction to From the World of the Mysteries (N.F.) - Foreword - The Sacred Primal Word of Zarathustra with excerpts from the Avesta - Postscript on the name Zarathustra - ISIS-the star-wisdom of the early Egyptian Mysteries and its connections with Zarathustra - The Name Isis - The Name Eve - Buddhas Passing - The Tree of Life - The Christ-Secret of the Early Mysteries - IV. APPENDICES - The Rainbows Revelation - The Dream of Eden in the Light of Christmas - Queen Maya: the Christmas-Mystery in the Indian Flower-Garden - Etheric Formative Forces and Hieroglyphs (1926) - Egypt in the Light of the Grave and Resurrection - Notes - Bibliography: The Complete Works of Hermann Beckh in German & English
