About the Author

Rudolf Steiner (b. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner, 1861-1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up. As a young man, he lived in Weimar and Berlin, where he became a well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with Goethe's scientific writings. At the beginning of the twentieth century, he began to develop his early philosophical principles into an approach to systematic research into psychological and spiritual phenomena. Formally beginning his spiritual teaching career under the auspices of the Theosophical Society, Steiner came to use the term Anthroposophy (and spiritual science) for his philosophy, spiritual research, and findings. The influence of Steiner's multifaceted genius has led to innovative and holistic approaches in medicine, various therapies, philosophy, religious renewal, Waldorf education, education for special needs, threefold economics, biodynamic agriculture, Goethean science, architecture, and the arts of drama, speech, and eurythmy. In 1924, Rudolf Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches throughout the world. He died in Dornach, Switzerland. Patsy Scala is the vice president and a director of the Center for Spiritual and Cultural Unity in Syracuse, NY, a not-for-profit organization and resource for those in search of a complete life in body, soul, and spirit. A former vice president at Merrill Lynch, Patsy retired in February, 2007, after twenty-seven years with the firm. Her first book, Seven Steps to Everyday Mysticism, was published in 2002, and she has spoken extensively in Unity churches on Creating Prosperity in Your Life. A student of Anthroposophy, Patsy is a member of the Anthroposophical Society in America, as well as the First Class of the School of Spiritual Science. She lives on Mystic Mountain in New Woodstock, New York, with her husband Joseph and their dog Muffin. Her daughter Laura lives in Buffalo. Patsy enjoys hiking, boating, gardening, long walks in nature, snow shoeing, and, of course, writing.