The first incarnation of The Nature Of The Soul was in 1953, as a series of ten loose-leaf lessons. This version of the course was taught to classes in Washington State during the early and mid-1950's.

In the late 1950's The Nature Of The Soul (or N.S.) was revised and expanded into a 40 lesson course. During the late 1950's and early 1960's N.S. was taught to groups of students in Washington State, California, Washington D.C., and Colorado. The number of students and teachers of the course grew slowly but steadily from the mid 1960's through the 1970's. In the mid 1980's the number of students and teachers began to grow at an increasingly rapid rate. Today N.S. and its sister courses are quietly taught at a number of locations across the United States.

The first printed edition of The Nature Of The Soul was a loose-leaf text published in 1957. Several editions have been published since then, but all were loose-leaf texts designed for classroom instruction. The first bound textbook edition was completed in 1993.

The Nature Of The Soul is not associated with or controlled by a central organized body. This gives individual students and teachers the freedom to initiate their own growth and practice.

This edition of The Nature Of The Soul is a faithful reproduction of the original '1957' text. The only changes are minor corrections of grammar, punctuation, and design. Every effort was made to retain the subjective quality and outer flavor of the earlier editions. The text was carefully scrutinized and copyedited by a dozen Teacher Training (the advanced course for teachers) and Nature of The Soul graduates. Whenever a correction would have changed the meaning or quality, the original text was retained.

This edition of The Nature Of The Soul textbook also includes a Table of Contents, Directory of Techniques, Glossary, and Index. While not part of the original text, students and teachers of the course have found them helpful.

The Nature Of The Soul is a course of instruction in The Wisdom. The course is designed to facilitate step-by-step unfoldment from individuality to group awareness, from unconscious activity to conscious service to the One Life.

Instruction in The Nature Of The Soul, and other interpretations of The Wisdom, is available through graduates of the Teacher Training course, through independent "study groups," and through individual, self-directed study. Further information on individual study and group studies is available through Wisdom Impressions.

Sincerely,

The Editors

January, 1993