[Don’t miss our Evolution of Biodynamics Symposium on Jan 24-26, 2025 for more like this.]

In his late twenties Rudolf Steiner was engaged in editing the science writings of Goethe. Steiner discovered a fundamental thought of Goethe that would later inform his work in natural science on one hand and spiritual science on the other. Regarding scientific work, Goethe wrote that profit seeking is the lowest form of scientific consciousness. This is the level of applied science, composed of highly abstract systems of thought devised for maximizing profits. For Goethe, a higher science than profit seeking is a true search for knowledge. This is the realm of research science. Unfortunately, research science today is often compromised when linked to profits. Both of these approaches are at a level of reality that dominates contemporary science.

A still higher level of scientific consciousness is what Goethe called “productive”. That is a creative mind- set that allows the mind to approach the mysteries of the more profound spiritual relationships between humans and nature. Goethe characterized the fundament of this science as higher, more imaginative perception. For Steiner, higher imaginative perception of nature is needed to begin connecting to the spiritual dimensions of the world. Imaginative perception enables humans to perceive spiritual links between human nature and outer nature.

In his autobiography Steiner gives a caution about this level of imaginative scientific work. “When this level of consciousness brings forth from within itself, something to add to these other scientific works, can it still, then, remain within a reality or does it float out of this to lose itself in the unreal? Human consciousness must first affect an understanding within itself; only then can humans find a confirmation of what is [can be] experienced purely spiritually.”

These thoughts from Goethe and Steiner point to two polar approaches today in the work of Biodynamics. On one side are anthroposophical scientific publications on the ways that Biodynamic agriculture can fulfill the abstract / economic demands of contemporary science. On the other side, mystical approaches using personal spiritual power to transform materials are flourishing in some offerings to the public.

In the middle of these two polar approaches to Biodynamics is a Goethean approach to natural science. This middle way involves a schooling of consciousness through art and observation of nature. This can form the basis of a meditative practice that involves taking what Steiner calls “living pictures” into sleep. This is a path that Steiner promoted that is in line with the technique known as incubation found in the ancient mystery schools.

In the middle of these two polar approaches to Biodynamics is a Goethean approach to natural science. This middle way involves a schooling of consciousness through art and observation of nature.

Incubation in the past was practiced in specific school contexts for the purpose of healing both the body and the mind. A patient went to a special temple and was instructed in methods for forming and releasing inner pictures of a god they wished to dialogue with. They were instructed to form and dissolve the pictures before sleep as an invitation to the god to visit them in a dream. The dream could then be shared with the priests of the temple who could interpret the dream and suggest new images to be taken into sleep. Over time the repetition of the evolving images taken into sleep would provide an understanding of the presence of the god in the daily life of the patient. The realization of the presence of the god in personal daily life would constitute a healing of both body and soul.

In a Biodynamic context, aspects of work on the land can be formed into artistic activities in order to convert the practical aspects of the daily round into “living pictures” capable of being taken into sleep. An ailing cow can be well imagined by the worker who tends her, through the creation of a small clay model of a cow. At night the process of making the model can then be imagined inwardly. When repeated for a few days this process provides an inner, “living picture” sequence that forms a kind of devotional question to the archetypal GREAT COW. That GREAT COW exists in the realm of spiritual archetypes. Making a “corral” of the little clay cows done in sequence actually forms a kind of shrine to the GREAT COW. Converting the actual cow into an inner “living picture” is a highly functional spiritual practice when linked to incubation.

Repeated modeling practice in the day, with repeated forming of an inner picturing process before sleep, invites the spiritual dimension of the cow to engage in dialogue with a searching human consciousness. Over time the conscious, devotional (we could say prayerful), linkage on the part of the human being to the spirit of the cow awakens a keener perception of the actual daily work with a living cow. The keener daily perceptions form something like a question to the archetype that, like a seed, can blossom into deeper understanding when approached scientifically through later more empirical research.

The active link in this process is, as Goethe would put it, the “idea” of the cow. In the old incubation rituals, an “idea” was a spiritual being (god) that would today be called an “archetype”. The “archetype” is the epigenetic spiritual activity of movement patterns that inform the biological processes of the “type”. Molecular attraction and repulsion rhythms are just one example of an epigenetic movement pattern. There are many others. In this work the ailing cow is the “type” that is in need of being brought again into contact with its creative “archetype”. This is done through the devotional, picture forming practice of the worker. This process can also be done with plants to gain insights into medicinal properties and better cultivation practices.

Analytical approaches that minimize the human relationship to the spiritual dimensions of the natural world, default Biodynamics into a focus on abstract economic strategies. By contrast, mystical approaches that don’t empower another individual to understand or implement the “magic” of material transformation, are not educative. They can be seen as manipulative.

It can be argued that a Biodynamic, spiritually based, educational approach has the potential to be a practical solution that can inform future food policy as climate changes threaten crucial food production.

A Biodynamic middle way between the economics of applied science and spiritually suspect personal mysticism requires a personal effort that aims to enhance work on the land through personal spiritual practice. Such an effort can empower workers to engage the creative actions of the spiritual beings in nature who wish to collaborate with an awakened, devotional spirit living freely in a human being.

[Don’t miss our Evolution of Biodynamics Symposium on Jan 24-26, 2025 for more like this.]