Fundamentals of Therapy
GA 27
V. Plant, Animal, Man
[ 1 ] In the astral body the animal form arises, outwardly the form as a whole, inwardly the formation of the organs. The sentient animal substance is, then, an outcome of the form-giving activity of this astral body. Where this process of formation is carried to its conclusion, the animal is produced.
[ 2 ] In man it is not carried to its conclusion. At a certain point on its way it is held up, blocked.
[ 3 ] In the plant we have material substance transformed by the forces raying inward to the earth. This is the living substance. It is continually interacting with the lifeless [matter]. We must conceive that in the plant, living substance is perpetually being separated out of the lifeless. It is in the living substance that the plant form then appears as a product of the forces raying in towards the earth. Thus we have one stream of substance. Lifeless substance transforms itself into living; living transforms itself into lifeless. In this stream the plant-like organs come into being.
[ 4 ] In the animal the sentient substance comes forth from the living, as in the plant the living from the lifeless. Thus there is a twofold stream of substance. The life is not carried to the point of formed living in the etheric. It is kept in flow, and form inserts itself through the astral organization into the streaming life.
[ 5 ] In man, this latter process too is kept in flow. The sentient substance is drawn into the realm of a still further organization. This we may call the ego-organization. The sentient substance transforms itself once more. A threefold stream of substance is produced. In this, man's inner and outer form arises. Through this it becomes the bearer of self-conscious spiritual life. Down to the smallest particle of his substance, man in his form is a result of this ego-organization.
[ 6 ] We can now trace these processes of formation in their material aspect. The transformation of substance from the one level to the next appears as a separation of the upper level from the lower, and a building of the form out of this separated substance. In the plant, out of the lifeless substance the living is separated. In this separated substance, the etheric forces work, raying inward to the earth, creating form. To begin with, there takes place not an actual separation but an entire transformation of physical substance by the etheric forces. This, however, only happens in the formation of the seed. Here the transformation can be complete, because the seed is protected by the surrounding maternal organization from the influences of the physical forces. But when the seed formation is freed from the maternal organization, the working of the forces in the plant divides; in one direction, the forming of substance is such as to strive upward into the realm of the etheric, while in the other it strives back again to physical formation. Parts of the being of the plant arise that are on the way to life and those which are on the way to death. The latter then appear as the excretory members of the plant organism. The bark-formation of the tree is a particularly characteristic example in which we may observe this excretory process.
[ 7 ] In the animal there are dual processes of separation, and dual processes of excretion. The plant-process of excretion is not carried to a conclusion but kept in flow, and there is added to it the transformation of living substance into sentient. This sentient substance separates itself from the merely living. We have, therefore, on the one hand, substance that is striving towards sentient existence, and on the other, substance that is striving away from it to the condition of mere life.
[ 8 ] In a living organism there is, however, a reciprocal relationship of all parts. Hence in the animal the excretion towards the lifeless realm, which in the plant approaches very nearly to the outer lifeless world, the mineral, still remains far removed from mineral nature. In the bark-forming process of the plant, we see the forming of a substance which is already on the way to mineral nature and loosens itself from the plant-organism increasingly, the more mineral it becomes; this appears in the animal as the excreted products of digestion. These are farther removed from the mineral nature than the excretions of the plant.
[ 9 ] In man, that part is separated out of the sentient substance which then becomes the bearer of the self-conscious spirit. But a continual separation is also brought about, for in the process, substance is produced that strives towards the merely sentient faculty. Animal nature is therefore present within the human organism as a perpetual excretion.
[ 10 ] In the animal organism, in the waking stage, the separation and formation of what is excreted, as well as the excretion of the sentient substance, stand under the influence of the astral activity. In man there is added the activity of the ego organism. In sleep the astral and the ego-organism are not directly active. But the substance has been taken hold of by their activity and continues in it as though by inertia. A substance once formed through and through as occurs by the workings of the astral and ego-organization, will go on working in the way of these organizations in the sleeping state, as it were, out of inertia.
[ 11 ] We cannot therefore speak of any merely vegetative action of the organism in sleeping man. Even in sleep, the astral and ego-organizations work on in the substance that has been formed under their influence. The difference between sleeping and waking is not to be represented as an alternation of human and animal with physical and vegetative modes of action. The reality is altogether different. In waking life the sentient substance, and that which can act as a bearer of the self-conscious spirit, are lifted out of the organism as a whole and placed at the disposal of the astral body and ego-organization. The physical and the etheric organism must then work in such a way that the forces raying outward from the earth and in toward it, alone are active in them. True, they are also taken hold of by the astral body and ego-organization yet only from outside. In sleep, they are taken hold of inwardly by the substances that come into existence under the influence of astral body and ego-organization; while man is sleeping, from the universe as a whole only the forces radiating out of the earth and in toward it work upon him, there are working on him from within, the substance-forces which the astral body and ego-organization have prepared.
[ 12 ] If we call the sentient substance the residue of the astral body, and that which has arisen under the ego-organization's influence its residue, then we may say: in the waking human organism the astral body and ego-organization themselves are working, and in the sleeping human organism their substantial residues are at work.
[ 13 ] In waking life man lives in activities which bring him into connection with the outer world through his astral body and through his ego-organization; in sleep his physical and etheric organisms live on what has become the material residue of these two organizations. A substance absorbed by man, both in the sleeping and in the waking state, like oxygen in breathing, must therefore be differentiated as to its mode of action in the two conditions. According to these two conditions, the oxygen absorbed from without has the effect not of awakening, but of putting man to sleep. Increased uptake of oxygen leads to abnormal drowsiness. In waking life the astral body battles perpetually against the soporific influence of the absorption of oxygen. When the astral body suspends its work upon the physical, the oxygen unfolds its proper nature and sends the man to sleep.
V. Pflanze, Tier, Mensch
[ 1 ] In dem astralischen Leibe ersteht die tierische Gestaltung nach außen als ganze Gestalt and nach innen als Gestaltung der Organe. Und die empfindende tierische Substanz ist ein Ergebris dieses gestaltenden astralischen Leibes. Wird diese Gestaltung bis zu ihrem Ende geführt, so bildet sich das Tierische.
[ 2 ] Beim Menschen wird sie nicht zu Ende geführt. Sie wird in einem gewissen Punkte ihres Weges aufgehalten, gehemmt.
[ 3 ] In der Pflanze ist die Substanz vorhanden, die durch die auf die Erde einstrahlenden Kräfte verwandelt wird. Das ist die lebende Substanz. Sie steht in Wechselwirkung mit der leblosen Substanz. Man hat sich vorzustellen, daß im Pflanzenwesen fortdauernd aus der leblosen Substanz diese lebende herausgesondert wird. In ihr erscheint die Pflanzengestalt als das Ergebnis der auf die Erde einstrahlenden Kräfte. Das ergibt einen Substanzstrom. Lebloses wandelt sich in Lebendes; Lebendiges wandelt sich in Lebloses. In diesem Strom entstehen die pflanzlichen Organe.
[ 4 ] Beim Tiere entsteht die empfindende Substanz aus der lebendigen, wie bei der Pflanze die lebendige aus der leblosen. Es ist ein zweifacher Substanzstrom vorhanden. Das Leben wird innerhalb des Ätherischen nicht bis zum gestalteten Leben gebracht. Es wird im Flusse erhalten; and die Gestaltung schiebt sich durch die astralische Organisation in das fließende Leben hinein.
[ 5 ] Beim Menschen wird auch dieser Vorgang im Flusse erhalten. Die empfindende Substanz wird in den Bereich einer weiteren Organisation hineingezogen. Man kann diese die Ich-Organisation nennen. Die empfindende Substanz wandelt sich noch einmal. Es entsteht ein dreifacher Substanzstrom. In diesem ersteht die menschliche innere und äußere Gestalt. Dadurch wird sie zum Träger des selbstbewußten Geisteslebens. Bis in die kleinsten Teile seiner Substanz hinein ist der Mensch in seiner Gestaltung ein Ergebnis dieser Ich-Organisation.
[ 6 ] Man kann nun diese Gestaltung nach ihrer Substanzseite hin verfolgen. Bei Umwandlung der Substanz von der einen Stufe zur anderen hin erscheint die Substanz als eine Absonderung der oberen Stufe von der unteren und ein Aufbauen der Gestalt aus der abgesonderten Substanz. Bei der Pflanze wird aus der leblosen Substanz die lebendige abgesondert. In dieser abgesonderten Substanz wirken die auf die Erde einstrahlenden, die atherischen Kräfte, als gestaltbildende. Zunächst findet nicht eine eigentliche Absonderung, sondern eine völlige Umwandlung der physischen Substanz durch die ätherischen Kräfte statt. Das ist aber nur der Fall in der Samenbildung. Bei ihr kann diese völlige Urnwandlung stattfinden, weil der Same durch die ihn umhüllende Mutterorganisation vor der Einwirkung der physischen Kräfte geschützt wird. Befreit sich die Samenbildung von der Mutterorganisation, so gliedert sich die Kräftewirkung der Pflanze in eine solche, in der die Substanzbildung nach dem Bereich des Ätherischen hinstrebt und in eine andere, in der sie wieder nach der physischen Bildung hinstrebt. Es entstehen Glieder des Pflanzenwesens, die auf dem Wege des Lebens sind und solche, die dem Absterben zustreben. Diese erscheinen als die Ausscheidungsglieder des Pflanzenorganismus. In der Rindenbildung, des Baumes kann man diese Ausscheidung als an einem besonders charakteristischen Beispiele beobachten.
[ 7 ] Beim Tier ist eine zweifache Absonderung und auch eine zweifache Ausscheidung im Gange. Zu der pflanzlichen, die nicht zum Abschlusse gebracht wird, sondern im Flusse erhalten wird, tritt die Verwandlung der lebenden Substanz in empfindende hinzu. Diese sondert sich von der bloß lebenden ab. Man hat es mit einer nach dem empfindenden Wesen hinstrebenden und einer von ihm ab-, zum blot en Leben hinstrebenden Substanz zu tun.
[ 8 ] Aber es kommt im Organismus zu einer Wechselwirkung aller seiner Glieder. Deshalb ist auch die Ausscheidung nach dem Leblosen hin, die sich bei der Pflanze sehr stark dem äußerlich Leblosen, dem Mineralischen nahert, noch welt von diesern Mineralischen entfernt. Was in der Rindenbildung der Pflanze als Substanzbildung auftritt, die auf dem Wege zum Mineralischen hin ist und sich ablöst, je mehr sie mineralisch wird, das erscheint im Tierischen als Ausscheidungsprodukte der Verdauung. Es ist weiter von dem Mineralischen entfernt als die pflanzliche Abscheidung.
[ 9 ] Beim Menschen wird aus der empfindenden Substanz diejenige abgesondert, die dann Träger des selbstbewußten Geistes gird. Aber es wird auch fortwährend eine Abscheidung bewirkt, indem eine Substanz entsteht, die nach der bloßen Ernpfindungsfähigkeit hinstrebt. Das Tierische ist innerhalb des menschlichen Organismus als eine fortdauernde Ausscheidung vorhanden.
[ 10 ] Im wachenden Zustande des tierischen Organismus steht Absonderung und Gestaltung des Abgesonderten, sowie auch Abscheidung der empfindenden Substanz unter dem Einfluß der astralischen Tätigkeit. Beim Menschen kommt dazu nach die Tätigkeit des Ich-Organismus. Im Schlafe sind astralischer and Ich-Organismus nicht unmittelbar tätig. Aber die Substanz ist von dieser Tätigkeit ergriffen und setzt sie wie durch ein Beharrungsstreben fort. Eine Substanz, die einmal innerlich so durchgestaltet ist, wie es von seiten der astralischen und der Ich-Organisation geschieht, die wirkt dann auch wahrend des schlafenden Zustandes im Sinne dieser Organisationen, gewissermaßen im Sinne eines Beharrungsvermögens fort.
[ 11 ] Man kann also beim schlafenden Menschen nicht von einer bloß vegetativen Betätigung des Organismus sprechen. Die astralische und die Ich-Organisation wirken in der von ihr gestalteten Substanz auch in diesem Zustande weiter. Der Unterschied zwischen Schlafen und Wachen ist nicht ein solcher, in dem menschlich-animalische und vegetativ-physische Betätigung abwechseln. Der Tatbestand ist ein völlig anderer. Die empfindende Substanz und diejenige, welche den selbstbewußten Geist tragen kann, werden beim Wachen aus dem Gesamtorganismus herausgehoben und in den Dienst des astralischen Leibes und der Ich-Organisation gestellt. Der physische und der ätherische Organismus müssen dann so sich betätigen, daß in ihnen nur die von der Erde ausstrahlenden und in sie einstrahlenden Kräfte wirken. In dieser Wirkungsweise werden sie nur von außen durch den astralischen Leib und die Ich-Organisation ergriffen. Im Schlafe aber werden sie innerlich von den Substanzen ergriffen, die unter dem Einfluß des astralischen Leibes und der Ich-Organisation entstehen; während auf den schlafenden Menschen aus dem Weltall nur die von der Erde ausstrahlenden und auf sie einstrahlenden Kräfte wirken, sind an ihm von innen die Substanzkräfte tätig, die von dem astralischen Leib und der Ich-Organisation bereitet werden.
[ 12 ] Wenn man die empfindende Substanz den Rest des astralischen Leibes und die ureter dem Einfluß der Ich-Organisation. entstandene deren Rest nennt, so kann man sagen: im wachenden menschlichen Organismus sind der astralische Leib und die Ich-Organisation selbst, im schlafenden sind deren substantielle Reste tätig.
[ 13 ] Wachend lebt der Mensch in einer Betätigung, welche ihn mit der Außenwelt durch seinen astralischen Leib und durch seine Ich-Organisation in Verbindung setzt; schlafend leben sein physischer und sein ätherischer Organismus von dem, was die Reste dieser beiden Organisationen substantiell geworden sind. Eine Substanz, die wie der Sauerstoff durch das Atmen sowohl im schlafenden wie im wachenden Zustande aufgenommen wird, muß daher in ihrer Wirksamkeit nach diesen beiden Zustanden hin unterschieden werden. Der von außen aufgenommene Sauerstoff wirkt durch seine Eigenart einschläfernd, nicht aufwekkend. Vermehrte Sauerstoffaufnahme schläfert in abnormer Art ein. Der astralische Leib bekämpft fortdauernd im Wachen die einschläfernde Wirkung der Sauerstoffaufnahme. Stellt der astralische Leib seine Wirkung auf den physischen ein, so entfaltet der Sauerstoff seine Eigenart: er schläfert ein.
V. Plant, animal, human being
[ 1 ] In the astral body the animal form arises outwardly as a whole form and inwardly as the form of the organs. And the sentient animal substance is a result of this formative astral body. If this formation is carried to its end, the animal is formed.
[ 2 ] In humans, it is not brought to its end. It is stopped at a certain point on its path, inhibited.
[ 3 ] In the plant there is the substance that is transformed by the forces radiating onto the earth. This is the living substance. It interacts with the inanimate substance. One has to imagine that this living substance is constantly being separated out of the inanimate substance in the plant being. In it the plant form appears as the result of the forces radiating onto the earth. This results in a stream of substance. The inanimate is transformed into the living; the living is transformed into the inanimate. The plant organs are created in this current.
[ 4 ] In animals, the sentient substance arises from the living, just as in plants the living arises from the inanimate. There is a twofold flow of substance. Life within the etheric is not brought to the stage of formed life. It is preserved in the flow; and the formation pushes itself through the astral organization into the flowing life.
[ 5 ] In humans, this process is also maintained in the flow. The sentient substance is drawn into the realm of a further organization. This can be called the ego organization. The sentient substance is transformed once again. A threefold stream of substance arises. The human inner and outer form arises in this. Thus it becomes the carrier of the self-conscious spiritual life. Right down to the smallest parts of his substance, man in his formation is a result of this ego-organization.
[ 6 ] This formation can now be traced according to its substance side. When the substance is transformed from one level to another, the substance appears as a separation of the upper level from the lower and a building up of the form from the separated substance. In the plant, the living substance is separated from the inanimate substance. In this separated substance, the atheric forces radiating onto the earth act as formative forces. At first there is not an actual separation, but a complete transformation of the physical substance by the etheric forces. However, this is only the case in seed formation. This complete primordial transformation can take place because the seed is protected from the influence of the physical forces by the mother organization that envelops it. If the seed formation is freed from the mother organization, then the effect of the forces of the plant is divided into one in which the substance formation strives towards the etheric realm and another in which it strives again towards the physical formation. There are limbs of the plant being that are on the path of life and those that are striving towards death. These appear as the excretory members of the plant organism. In the bark formation of the tree, this excretion can be observed as a particularly characteristic example.
[ 7 ] In animals, there is a twofold secretion and also a twofold excretion. In addition to the vegetable, which is not brought to a conclusion but is maintained in flux, there is the transformation of living substance into sentient substance. This separates itself from the merely living. We are dealing with a substance that strives towards the sentient being and a substance that strives away from it, towards blot life.
[ 8 ] But there is an interaction of all its members in the organism. That is why the excretion towards the inanimate, which in the plant is very close to the outwardly inanimate, the mineral, is still far removed from the mineral. What appears in the bark formation of the plant as substance formation, which is on the way to the mineral and detaches itself the more it becomes mineral, appears in the animal as excretory products of digestion. It is further removed from the mineral than plant excretion.
[ 9 ] In humans, that substance is separated from the sentient substance which then becomes the carrier of the self-conscious spirit. But a continuous separation is also effected by the emergence of a substance that strives towards the mere capacity for nourishment. The animal is present within the human organism as a continuous excretion.
[ 10 ] In the waking state of the animal organism, the secretion and formation of what is secreted, as well as the secretion of the sentient substance, is under the influence of astral activity. In the human being this is supplemented by the activity of the ego-organism. In sleep the astral and ego-organisms are not directly active. But the substance is seized by this activity and continues it as if by a persistent striving. A substance that is once inwardly shaped in such a way, as it happens on the part of the astral and ego organization, then also continues to work during the sleeping state in the sense of these organizations, so to speak in the sense of a perseverance.
[ 11 ] We cannot therefore speak of a merely vegetative activity of the organism in a sleeping person. The astral and the ego organization continue to work in the substance formed by it even in this state. The difference between sleeping and waking is not one in which human-animal and vegetative-physical activity alternate. The facts are completely different. The sentient substance and that which can carry the self-conscious spirit are lifted out of the whole organism during waking and placed in the service of the astral body and the I-organization. The physical and etheric organisms must then work in such a way that only the forces radiating from the earth and radiating into it work in them. In this mode of action they are only seized from outside through the astral body and the ego-organization. In sleep, however, they are seized internally by the substances that arise under the influence of the astral body and the ego organization; while only the forces radiating from the earth and radiating into it act on the sleeping person from the universe, the forces of substance that are prepared by the astral body and the ego organization are active on him from within.
[ 12 ] If one calls the sentient substance the remnant of the astral body and the remnant of the ego organization that has arisen under its influence, then one can say: in the waking human organism, the astral body and the ego organization are themselves active, in the sleeping one, their substantial remnants are active.
[ 13 ] Waking, man lives in an activity that puts him in contact with the outside world through his astral body and through his ego organization; sleeping, his physical and etheric organisms live from what the remains of these two organizations have become substantially. A substance which, like oxygen, is absorbed through breathing both in the sleeping and in the waking state, must therefore be distinguished in its effectiveness according to these two states. Oxygen absorbed from the outside has a soporific, not an awakening effect. Increased oxygen intake puts one to sleep in an abnormal way. The astral body constantly fights the soporific effect of oxygen intake while awake. If the astral body ceases its effect on the physical body, the oxygen unfolds its own nature: it puts you to sleep.