In Europe during the Middle Ages, the most learned philosopher and the humblest
peasant alike engaged in heated discussion and spectacular speculation on the subject
of "Wonders." The sports of Nature-Unicorns, Sea Serpents, Dragons, and Odd
Things Falling From the Sky; Signs in the Heavens; Human Prodigies; Dark Days;
Auroras & Comets; the deep mysteries of Earth & Heaven-all drew forth peoples
astonishment and earnest questions. Are there not Wonders-and Marvels, Mysteries,
Myth, and Magic-in our age as well? Of course there are! But we moderns tend not
to be aware of them, and when they...

In 1909, the Champlain and Hudson Valleys-and America and the world
along with them-celebrated the 300th anniversary of European "discovery"
of these regions. Marking Americas entry onto the world stage, the 1909
commemorations parades, pageants, speeches and other spectacles prophetically
mapped the nations 20th century course toward empire.
In the same year, the Austrian esoteric teacher Rudolf Steiner prophetically
envisioned a very different American and world destiny, one whose culmination
comes in 2009, the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain and Henry
Hudsons fateful...