Now in Paperback"It depends on the human being whether one merely conceives of Anthroposophy or whether one experiences it." --Rudolf Steiner During the Christmas period of 1923-24, Rudolf Steiner reestablished the Anthroposophical Society at its headquarters in Dornach, Switzerland. This important event, which has come to be known as the "Christmas Conference," can be studied on many levels, and its many mysteries have been central to Sergei O. Prokofieff's anthroposophic research over the years. His beginning point has been an enduring question: What did Rudolf Steiner mean when he called the Christmas Conference the "start of a World Turning point of Time"? In this far-reaching work, the author--working from several different viewpoints--guides the reader toward an answer. Prokofieff suggests that the impulse of the Christmas Conference can be reenlivened today only through conscious action by individuals to experience its spiritual essence. Rather than offering dogmatic conclusions, he opens up paths of approaching this goal by throwing light on different aspects of the Conference and what lies at its heart: the Foundation Stone and its meditation. In particular, Prokofieff explores three key perspectives: the connection of the Christmas Conference to humanity's evolution; the inner relationship of each individual anthroposophist to the Christmas Conference; and the significance of the Conference to Rudolf Steiner himself. Although this is major work of some length, the individual chapters of May Human Beings Hear It! are complete in themselves, and can therefore be studied independently of each other. C O N T E N T S Introductory NotePreface 1. Rudolf Steiner's Course of Life in the Light of the Christmas Conference2. The Mystery Act of the Foundation Stone Laying on December 25, 19233. The Rhythms of the Christmas Conference4. The Foundation Stone Meditation in Eurythmy5. The Esoteric Archetype of the Original Council6. The Anthroposophical Society as the Temple of the New Mysteries7. The Philosophy of Freedom and the Christmas Conference8. Rudolf Steiner and the Karma of the Anthroposophical Society9. The Foundation Stone Meditation, Karma, and ResurrectionPostscript: Rudolf Steiner: The Text of the Laying of the Foundation Stone Supplements: 1. On the