Coros Institute Supported Offerings
Thank you to the Coros Institute for supporting the work of Soil, Soul and Spirit. The articles and lectures below are available for free because of donations to Coros institute.
Learn more about Coros Institute and donate here: coros.org.
Articles and Essays
Elements, Temperaments and Humors – Part 4
See our video series on Temperaments and Health here. In alchemy the levity/ gravity polarity is known as the sun and moon. The levity side of an alchemical mandala is linked to the force of the sun. The solar force is Avicenna’s principle of innate heat. It is also the principle behind Rudolf Steiner connecting…
Elements, Temperaments and Humors – Part 3
See our video series on Temperaments and Health here. Moist chemically complex phlegm transforms to blood through temperamental heat. This heart action changes phlegm into living interactive tissue. “Cold” blood is available for limited applications. “Warm” heart blood is accepted by all parts of the body, at all levels. Science recognizes oxygenated arterial blood from…
Elements, Temperaments and Humors – Part 2
See our video series on Temperaments and Health here. In the diagram E (earth), W (water), A (air) and F (fire) represent the four elements. The earth element in the form of dry, cold salts moves towards a moist tempering creating the humor, phlegm. The sequence is element (earth) to temperament (cold) to humor (phlegm)…
Elements, Temperaments and Humors – Part 1
Traditional medicine makes use of the principle of tempering. Tempering is the incremental application of small changes that gradually establish order through proportional balance. This is achieved by repeated actions applied in small incremental steps. Among plant medicines, potent herbs known as adaptogens (spikenard, ginseng, eleuthero, rhodiola) are valued for their tempering forces. In music,…
Thoughts on the BioDynamic Preparations
For even the most ardent supporters of Biodynamic agriculture understanding the BD preps is challenging. For instance, it is difficult for a business owner to explain to a client why cow manure put in a cow horn is a soil amendment. That is one side. On the other side, practitioners themselves express difficulty seeing the…
Farm or Garden?
Artisanal agriculture is based on small scale methods. The illusory power over nature that drives large scale agriculture can be seen in a five hundred horsepower John Deere tractor. To duplicate that power with five hundred actual horses would require setting up teams and harnesses for a double column a quarter of a mile long.…
Audio and Video Lectures
Alchemy Of The Natural World
Using the four elements theory, Dennis explores the alchemical relationships between natural forces and human consciousness. He takes us on a journey using the language of alchemy into the smallest interactions in the mineral world and then through the elements out into the cosmos, sharing imaginative exercises and practices for personal work to improve your perception of these forces. With this new vision, the true meaning of “turning lead into gold” becomes clear.
The Alchemy of Medicinal Plants
These presentations go into the particulars of high quality fermenting and the construction and use of the proper laboratory equipment for small scale extraction.
The Dynamics of Healing
In this lecture, Dennis explores human physiology and the process of healing from an anthroposophical perspective.
The Heart of Communication: Tone, Trust, and Owning the Misunderstanding
This talk explores the heart of communication: learning to listen without “jamming” the other person, so real dialogue can happen. You will learn why tone carries more impact than content, and how trust rises or collapses based on the feeling underneath the words. Through practical tools like “owning the misunderstanding” (I-messages), avoiding blame-based “you-messages,” and using simple reset signals when conversations heat up, you will leave with a clear method for de-escalation and clarity. The evening includes a guided partner exercise that turns miscommunication into collaboration, even when ideas feel hard to name. Ideal for communities, couples, parents, and teams who want less conflict, more honesty, and a stronger container for shared life.
Alchemy, Biodynamics, and the Unknown: Cultivating Perception in a Living World
What if farming could be a spiritual path? What if the way we stir a preparation or plant a seed was inseparable from the way we think, imagine, and perceive? In this lecture, Dennis Klocek explores the meeting place of biodynamic practice and inner development, where the rhythms of earth and cosmos converge with human…
The Phantom and the Electric Double: Imagination, Alchemy, and the Seed of Christ
In this talk, Dennis explores how the patterns in nature, art, and imagination can help us reconnect with a deeper part of ourselves, what he describes as a spiritual potential placed in the Earth by Christ, and how modern technology challenges our ability to stay grounded in what’s real and life-giving.