The Etheric: Broadening Science Through Anthroposophy: Volume 1: The World of the Ethers

Ernst Martidevoted his life to researching the "etheric realm"--a subtle area that existsbetween the physical and spiritual. Taking the numerous statements andreferences by Rudolf Steiner as his starting point, Marti develops ourunderstanding of the etheric world in various fields--from the theory ofknowledge to the natural world, through to music, the realm of colors, eurythmyand medicine. In doing so, he proposes exciting bridges from the ancient andmedieval worldview to the present and future of natural and spiritual science.

The Etheric explores the fourfold realm of the ethers. Giving an overview of their cosmicorigins in the evolution of the earth, Dr. Marti shows how the ethers work inphenomena of warmth, light, sound, and organic life. He brings a contemporaryunderstanding and insight to the classical elements--fire, air, water, and earth--asthe media through which ethericity manifests and works in the world. Fourphysical forces are also explored which, as opposites of the ethers, have aconstant tendency to break down and annul what life-giving ether creates. Dr.Marti then studies the shadow aspects of the ethers connected to what he termsthe 'sub-natural' forces of electricity, magnetism, and nuclear force.

Given that theauthor was unable to complete this book in his lifetime, his pupil andcolleague Irmgard Rossmann edited the final version in the spirit of herteacher. It is published here in two volumes, with this first focusing on the worldof the ethers, with the second volume on the world of formative forces.