How did Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophy grow out of Theosophy?

Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophy emerged as a movement that splintered from Theosophy in the early 20th century.1

Steiner, who was initially a follower of the Theosophical movement led by Helena Blavatsky, eventually developed his own distinct spiritual philosophy. While Theosophy focused on an eclectic integration of Eastern religious concepts—such as karma and reincarnation—with Western esoteric traditions, Steiner’s Anthroposophy shifted the focus toward the human intellect’s capacity to access spiritual realms.123

Steiner postulated that humans could achieve a renewed perception of the spiritual world by training their consciousness to rise above material attachments. He characterized this as "knowledge produced by the higher self in man," a pursuit he believed was accessible to everyone through the exercise of pure thought. Following his departure from the Theosophical milieu, Steiner founded the Anthroposophical Society in 1912 to formalize this approach as a "school of spiritual science," distinct from the original Theosophical framework.432