Robert A. Powell, Ph.D.

Robert was born in 1947 in Reading, England, and studied mathematics at the University of Sussex, graduating with a Master's degree. At the same time, he developed an interest in astronomy and this, in turn, led him to explore the roots of astrology, the ancient science of the connections between the stars and human beings.

In the early 1970's, while researching these fields at the British Museum Library in London, Robert discovered the Rudolf Steiner Bookshop and Library on Museum Street. From that moment on, Steiner's anthroposophy or spiritual science became the esoteric or spiritual context in which he was to work: a path and a guide. Steiner's many works provided the epistemological, cosmological and Christological foundations he sought to continue his work. Through Steiner, he was led to the work of both the astrophysicist Willi Sucher (1902-1985) and the Russian sophiologist Valentin Tomberg (1900-1973).

From 1978 to 1982, Robert, while continuing his research, was in Dornach, Switzerland, at the Goetheanum, where he completed a training in eurythmy, a new art of movement developed by Steiner. Since graduating from eurythmy school, still continuing to study, research and lecture on themes arising from the practice of esoteric Christianity and astrology, Robert has lived and worked as a eurythmist and movement therapist in Kinsau, near Munich, Germany.

The writing of his Ph.D. thesis on the original scientific definition of the zodiac - a thirty year odyssey - started in 1974 when he began doing the initial research on the history of the zodiac at the libraries of the British Museum and the Warburg Institute in London. Completion of the doctoral procedure took place in December 2004 at the Polish Academy of Science (Institute for the History of Science) in Warsaw.

The former editor of the Mercury Star Journal, a quarterly publication devoted to developing a new star wisdom, Robert has written several books: on Astronomy (The Zodiac: A Historical Survey; The Sidereal Zodiac; History of the Planets; History of the Houses); Astrology (Hermetic Astrology, vols. I and II; and Christian Hermetic Astrology: The Star of the Magi and the Life of Christ); and Anthroposophy (Cosmic Aspects of the Foundation Stone). Other more recent works that he has authored are: Chronicle of the Living Christ, The Sign of the Son of Man in the Heavens, The Christ Mystery, The Sophia Teachings (book and tapes), and The Most Holy Trinosophia. He is the co-author with Peter Treadgold of the yearly Christian Star Calendar and a regular contributor to the Swiss journal, Novalis. In 1995, Robert co-founded the Sophia Foundation of North America, and in 2000 he founded the Choreocosmos School of Cosmic and Sacred Dance.

As well as holding workshops and courses for the Sophia Foundation and the Choreocosmos School in many different countries, Robert lectures worldwide on astronomy, cosmology, and the wisdom of the stars. In addition, he leads pilgrimages to sacred sites [1996 Turkey; 1997 Holy Land; 1998 France; 2000 Britain; 2002 Italy; 2004 Greece; in 2006 a tour of Egypt is planned].

For further information visit the website: www.sophiafoundation.org

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