Student Hub – Gem & Plant Course
Dear Gem & Plant Course Attendees,
This page is only available to Gem & Plant Course attendees. If you wish to communicate to the group, please simply leave a comment below for others to read. You may also “subscribe” to receive email notifications for new comments here.
Questions from the first videos:
Are the metals driven by the spheres? how?
What causes L and R enantiomers of tetrahedron?
Are the tetrahedron formed first, and then the metals come in? or simultaneous?
What causes the tetrahedron to be planar or not planar, in other forms? Rings, single-chain, double-chain, sheets. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicate_mineral#Main_groups
What is the timing of this? Current?
What happened in original earth formation? Are the processes just slower now?
Could you speak to how we may understand current geological processes vs historic geological processes a bit more?
Can you go into the role of water with the silicates? What causes some of them to hold so much more water than others?
Curious to how this ties into Goethe’s idea of Granite being the fundamental rock…
Plant and human questions to come…
Thanks DK, the OG! :)
Great questions to start off with, Sandy!
I just checked in with Dennis about how we might answer these more detailed types of questions, and we are going to add an extra 15 minutes at the end of each morning session where he can address questions from the Student Hub that require his expertise. He is notified of the posts here, so will also see comments as they come in.
I can say that some of these questions will be answered in the upcoming sessions.
These two will be addressed in the morning.
Cheers,
Ben
Hi Sandy! Thanks for the thought provoking thread. Looking forward to what Dennis has to say. Your questions call up more questions in me.
Can an exploration of the Steiner’s 4 ethers help to explain where the aeroform metals or plasma originate? Does plasma exists as a potential state in the cosmos? Do the Originators (planets?) of the spheres (their orbits) create fields of potentials with certain affinities of activity which are harmonic (or not) with other originators ( planets) and their spheres (orbits)
Are there resulting conditions condusive to certain processes and substances which can result from these fields of potential with affinities? Could this be likend to conditions in the soil (ph, temp etc) which allow for certain life forms to be possible or conditions in the blood …
This good food for thought 🙂 I am very interested.
I wanted to repost Vaios’ comment on the lecture page, as it’s a great resource!
—
Man or Matter: Introduction to a Spiritual Understanding of Nature on the Basis of Goethe’s Method of Training Observation and Thought – Ernst Lehrs”
Link for a free epub download:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5641
—
Thanks, Vaios!
Thanks so much Dennis and Ben once again; it is such a wonderful experience to see the two of you working together.
Watching again the second part and the beginning day, which I had missed has been like a meditation with so much coming alive internally. Stirring the salt in my internal waters and precipitating long chains of lively thoughts.
Question: As well as soaking dead leaves to form humic acid for ‘dissolving’ the minerals, could tree bark and woody fungi also be used as chelators ?
Cheers, Peter
Hi Peter,
Yes! Very exciting to be participating in these presentations with much in the way of inspiration. Each session is packed with pictures of processes which helps so much in linking it all up and helping to make sense. Regarding your question. Did you get a chance to look at the Fava-Bean Plant Spray video:
where Dennis goes into more detail about fulvic acid in particular, used in this case for extracting the exudates from fava bean rootlets.
You might also check out his recent course:
where Dennis describes fulvic acid as being a precursor to humic acid, precursor to the clay humus complex. In the course Dennis goes on to explain how different leaves (or greenwood as it is termed) from different sources, harvested at different phases of growth depending on different growth hormone availability are targeted for making the “leaf water”. This is the same leaf water which is used as fulvic acid when processing gems. Perhaps Dennis will still go into greater depth regarding the importance of the hormones being targeted when using leaves in particular as a source for this tea (ferment) . In the case of a fungus. What is it’s function? Where is the analog. There is plenty of space for discovery, (inspired by the archetype) it would seem.
Cheers,
Daniel
Thanks Daniel for your reply; my curiosity regarding the use of fungi is in relation to the interface they live (mineral/ vegetable); that of returning vegetative bound nutrients through digestion / dissolution, into the plant / root environment. The use extracts or fermentations of fungi to facilitate the interface gem / plant.
Just thoughts that arise inspired by the work of Dennis
I will also check out this other course you mention.
Thanks again
Regards Peter
Peter!
I love the train of thought. I often reflect on the significance of the lichen in the primordial transition from barren rock to living ecosystem. Dennis will address the use of “lower” plants like liverworts for their “cellular” mastery in the last session. I’ll ask Dennis to touch on fungi as chelators as well :D
Ben
I wanted to make a comment in response to Dennis’ remarks on homeopathy. The opinion that homeopathy was a relevant and appropriate methodology in the 1800s, and that it is somewhat antiquated in relation to the demands of the present day, fails to take into account the great advances that have taken place in the field, especially in the last 50 years. We have seen, especially in the work of Jan Scholten and his colleagues, a great effort to create a rigorous scientific system based on the idea of classification. Scholten’s innovations started with his analysis of the periodic table: each series of the periodic system has been shown to have a very particular theme (e.g. the Gold series: the world seen as my world versus the rest of the universe, power and authority, leader, boss, king, etc.) and each stage a particular way of handling said theme. The periodic system has been shown to be a reflection of the human life drama, on both individual and collective levels of experience. This system of classification has been extended even further, in elaborate and exquisite detail, to cover all plant and animal kingdoms. This is not the homeopathy of the 1830s – it is an evolution which fully and rigorously meets the demands of today. Any careful observation of a contemporary homeopathic clinical practice will show, without a shadow of doubt, that the remedies, when accurately prescribed, far outperform placebo.
In addition, it should be noted that Hahnemann himself was continually evolving the homeopathic system. He published six editions of the Organon, each of which are quite different. Had he lived longer, he would have continued to creature further elaborations of his theories.
We now have over 6000 remedies that are used in contemporary clinical practice, and which are well represented in our repertories and materia medica. This number continues to grow every year, with new comprehensive provings and clinical confirmations.
The ultra-high dilutions that are used in homeopathic medicine communicate individually resonant environmental informational patterns which, by virtue of their immateriality, serve to directly stimulate the spirit-like vital force in the human organism. Remedies are prescribed on the basis of the exact correspondence between the pattern or image of dis-ease manifest in the individual person, and the curative powers of a particular substance. Remedies are not, as Dennis suggested, prescribed on the basis of remedy X for condition Y.
Further, there are still many pharmacies who prepare remedies with the utmost integrity, by hand rather than through the use of industrialized processes.
I understand that the ingenious methods being explored in this course are not rooted in homeopathy. And I am not a dogmatic homeopath by any means. But I feel that what Dennis had to say on homeopathy was, quite simply, inaccurate and without a comprehensive grasp of what exactly homeopathy has become in the 21st century.
Hello all – just wondering if anyone is interested in following through on Dennis’ idea regarding forming a study group for the book “The Plant Between Sun and Earth”. I love the idea of reading a paragraph, making a diagram and then working collaboratively with these. I am in the South West of Western Australia and opportunities to do this at a local level would be very limited. All the Best, Rin
Hi Rin, I would be interested to study this topic further also. I’m in NZ, so just a small time difference. Herman
Hi Rin, yes for a study group, location Minnesota USA CDT and a gardener for life. my email is vaios at mac dot com.
Hi Rin, thanks for helping to set this up. I would also like to participate in the “Plant Between Sun and Moon” book study. I am on the east coast (EST) in New York state.
Hello Dan
Apologies for the delayed response, I haven’t been near the computer much in the last few days, spring gardening demands in our large garden have just gone into overdrive with weeds running to seed and an enormous tree deciding to “lie down” under the weight of its blossom and pods (hopefully it will survive).
“Plant Between Sun and Earth” is definitely a fascinating book. I started studying it on my own a number of years back. I took my standard approach of highlighting, note taking and summarising. I felt I developed a certain level of understanding of the material I worked through but when Dennis mentioned drawing diagrams I had an ah-ha moment that this, and sharing the diagrams, was the missing key for a deeper understanding of the book.
I have had two other responses to the idea of forming a group, one from New Zealand and one from the Minnesota, so I have been thinking through a few ideas and would love to have your thoughts..
1. Select a section to all work on at the same time. Prepare diagrams, drawings etc and share via email. Then meet (via zoom or messenger) to discuss after a few days to allow time to absorb each other’s work.
OR
2. Work online via zoom or messenger with one person reading aloud followed by time to draw and discuss. (My only apprehension toward this approach would be having sufficient time to do this effectively).
Also, what days and times suit you best? This could be rather tricky to settle on. I am 12 hours ahead of you and New Zealand is 5 hours ahead of me.. Hmm, some interesting juggling here I am sure! Early mornings are great for me (5 or 6am).
Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers
Rin
Hi Rin,
Thanks for getting back! I have responded via the email link which you had provided.
Looking forward
Daniel
Hi Herman, wonderful! Please contact me by email ([email protected]) to further discuss how you would like to work collaboratively with the book “The Plant Between Sun and Earth”. Anyone else interested in working with this book is also invited to email me. Best Wishes, Rin
Hi! Wondering if there’s anyone who lives in the low country area, savannah/south Carolina area? That we could do a little project with around here?
Also Ben and Dennis, can I use Spanish moss as a lichen to make fulvic acid? There’s plenty around here. It is also in the pineapple family. Dennis mentions in Session 6 about spraying the mineral in the air when it is too hot, and also for spraying fruits, citrus, etc to prevent from burning. Does that apply here in South coastal georgia? Summers are in the high 90s to 95 and it is very humid. Winters are not humid and the Temps are from 36 to 40s low and high 60s75 to 80s high. It isn’t a dry heat, but the element of heat and water creating moisture.
Hi Rosalilian,
Thanks for your question, nice to see your participation here. I would like to offer some thoughts upon reading your post, hope it is helpful. According to Wikipedia “Spanish Moss is epiphytic flowering plant. An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it.” Being a relative of the pineapple as you said, it is neither a lichen such as Usnea nor a moss as the name would suggest. That however is not to say that it couldn’t be fermented in rain water as in the case of the example Dennis gave for making fulvic acid using maple leaves. An Epiphyte which seems to thrive where there is high humidty, seems to be holding a very unique niche evolutionarily . What is its niche within the household of nature? Perhaps the Spanish moss is getting your attention for a reason. I would encourage you to continue getting to know it and even work with it imaginatively, taking it into sleep once you become familiar with its growth cycle (its “becoming”) if you are interested. Perhaps you will be led as to its uses. Perhaps there is someone in the group who has some experience with this plant or the ecosystem where you live. Regarding drought tolerance sprays. I believe that Dennis was referring to the Camellia flower in particular, which was chosen because of its specialization in producing soft wax which can help modulate stress due to evapotranspiration during extended periods of extreme heat. The addition of lichens are an additional stress buffer targeting metabolism withing the plant cells in particular if I understood rightly. Blessings on your plant path!
Daniel Collett
An antibacterial compound has been isolated from Spanish Moss has shown moderate effectiveness against Staphylococcus sp. Other medicinal uses of Spanish Moss include treating rheumatism, diabetes, chills and fevers, and hemorrhoids. As with any medical issue, consult a physician first for treatment recommendations. It also says that it is an estrogenic plant, makes sense since I am of menopausal years, when the estrogen levels decrease in a woman’s life. I am going g to engage with it imaginatively, thank you Daniel.
As a medicinal, it was brewed into teas that purportedly relieved the agony of arthritis and rheumatism, eased the pain of childbirth and also induced the flow of milk. Interestingly, in the U. S. in the 1950s Spanish Moss was used as an estrogen substitute.Mar 24, 2016
We have pines, maple trees and lots of live oaks, all tropical plants mostly, I would say it is a subtropical climate.
Does anyone have an english PDF version of the Gunther Wachsmuth The Evolution of Mankind Volume 1?
I have Vol 2 and 3 in PDF, but been on the search for Vol 1, and figured this may be a good group to ask! Thanks
Dry Spanish moss would actually make a decent pillow to sleep on. Love the idea. It is often used by birds as part of their nests.
Yes around here tourist’s like to take some home for decorating or putting around the base of your indoor plants as mulch. They are warned that insects ,little snakes, chiggers live in it. It needs to be steamed, baked, or microwaved to get rid of the insects. I would not want to microwave it for myself when i use it.
Yes Peter ,tourists like it and want to take some home. But chiggers and other insects live in it, it is recommended to steam or bake it, before usage. Someone actually tried to make a pillow, and they had a problem 😬