11 lectures, Aug. 28, 1923-Aug. 29, 1924 (CW 319)
"The anthroposophical approach to medicine and healing has been waiting in the wings of conventional Western medicine for more than seventy-five years. Now with the burgeoning acceptance of alternative, natural medicine in North America, anthroposophical medicine may finally take its rightful place at center stage. Why? Because it offers something that both alternative and conventional models lack: a
spiritual model of the human, encompassing states of health and illness." (from the foreword)
Rudolf Steiner, a scientist by training, lectured and wrote, at different times on medical subjects and advised physicians on their work. His view of medicine was both unconventional and precise. He could describe--based on his highly developed powers of observation and his spiritual research--processes of health and disease that escape conventional methods of medical observation.
In all his lectures to doctors and in his explanations of anthroposophic medicine, Steiner emphasized that his medical concepts are not intended to replace conventional Western medicine, but to extend it; diagnosis and healing methods are expanded to include our soul and spirit.
In these broadly ranging talks, Steiner introduces fundamental principles of anthroposophically extended medicine. Some of the most remarkable insights that anthroposophy brings to medicine are contained in this volume. For example, Steiner points out that the heart is not a pump and that its motion is a consequence, not the cause, of rhythmic movements in human beings.
"[Rudolf Steiner's] model of a spiritualized medicine could hold the key for the next growth phase in Western medicine, if it is to survive, flourish, and become consistently and deeply
therapeutic instead of merely palliative." (from the foreword)
Topics include:
- Health problems, such as hay fever, migraine, sclerosis, cancer, and childhood diseases
- The polarity between nerve and liver cells
- The functions of the spleen and the gallbladder
- The three basic systems: sensory-nervous, rhythmic, and metabolic-limb
- Regenerative and degenerative processes
- The true nature of the nervous system
- Suggestions for the use of minerals, plants, and artistic therapies
The Healing Process is a translation of Anthroposophische Menschenerkenntnis und Medizin (GA 319).
Rudolf Steiner (b. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner, 1861-1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up. As a young man, he lived in Weimar and Berlin, where he became a well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with Goethe's scientific writings. Steiner termed his spiritual philosophy
anthroposophy, meaning "wisdom of the human being." As an exceptionally developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern, universal "spiritual science" that is accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unbiased thinking. From his spiritual investigations, Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of numerous activities, including education (general and for special needs), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, Christianity, and the arts. There are currently thousands of schools, clinics, farms, and initiatives in other fields that involve practical work based on the principles Steiner developed. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of human beings, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods for personal development. He wrote some thirty books and delivered more than six thousand lectures throughout much of Europe. In 1924, Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches around the world.
Richard Leviton has written eight other books, including
The Galaxy on Earth: A Traveler's Guide to the Planets, Visionary Geography(2002). A professional journalist for 25 years, he has edited a national magazine on alternative medicine. More recently--in his professional capacity as senior editor for Hampton Roads Publishing Company in Virginia--he has developed a line of alternative medicine self-care titles as well as authoritative metaphysical books.
Christopher Bamford (1943-2022) was born in Cardiff, South Wales, and lived for a while in Hungary and then in Scotland. He studied as an undergraduate at Trinity University in Dublin and earned his master's degree at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania. For nearly thirty years, he was Editor in Chief at SteinerBooks (Anthroposophic Press) and its imprints. A Fellow of the Lindisfarne Association, he lectured, taught, and wrote widely on Western spiritual and esoteric traditions. His books include a selection of his numerous introductions, Encountering Rudolf Steiner: Introductions to Essential Works (2022); Healing Madonnas: Exploring the Sequence of Madonna Images Created by Rudolf Steiner and Felix Peipers for Use in Therapy and Meditation (2017); An Endless Trace: The Passionate Pursuit of Wisdom in the West (2003); and The Voice of the Eagle: The Heart of Celtic Christianity (1990). He also translated and edited numerous books, including Homage to Pythagoras: Rediscovering Sacred Science (2001); The Noble Traveller: The Life and Writings of O. V. de L. Milosz (1984); and Celtic Christianity: Ecology and Holiness (1982). Essays by Mr. Bamford are included in The Best Spiritual Writing 2000 ("In the Presence of Death") and The Best American Spiritual Writing 2005 ("The Gift of the Call"). Christopher passed over the threshold on May 13, 2022, at his Mt. Washington, Massachusetts home.
