Fundamentals of Therapy
GA 27
VII. Nature Of Healing Effects
[ 1 ] The human organization does not consist of a self-contained system of interlocking processes. If it were such a system it could not be the bearer of the soul or the spirit. It is only because the human organism is continually decaying or entering the path of lifeless mineral activity in its nerve and bone substance and in the processes with which these substances are incorporated, that the soul and spirit can have the human organism as their basis.
[ 2 ] In the nervous tissues the protein disintegrates. But in these tissues, unlike what happens in the egg-cell and other organic forms, it is not built up again by coming into the domain of the influences radiating in toward the earth. It simply disintegrates. Through this the ether-influences radiating in through the sense organs from the objects and processes of the environment, as well as those that are formed when the organs of movement are involved, are thereby enabled to use the nerves as organs along which they are carried throughout the body.
[ 3 ] In the nerves there are two kinds of processes: the disintegration of protein, and the permeation of this disintegrating substance with etheric substance, whose flow is started and stimulated by acids, salts, and materials of the character of phosphorus and sulphur. The equilibrium between the two processes is mediated by fats and water.
Seen in their essential nature, these are processes of disease which permeate the organism all the time. They must be balanced by no less continuous processes of healing.
[ 4 ] This balance is brought about through the blood, which contains not only those processes that constitute growth and metabolism, but in addition a constant healing action by which the nerve processes inducing illness are opposed.
[ 5 ] In the plasma substance and in the fibrinogen the blood contains those forces which serve the growth and metabolism in the narrower sense. In that which appears as an iron content when the red corpuscles are examined, there lies the origins of the blood's healing property. Accordingly, iron also appears in the gastric juice, and as iron-oxide in the chyle. In all of these, sources are created for processes that counterbalance the processes of the nerves.
[ 6 ] Iron reveals itself, upon examination of the blood, as the only metal which, within the human organism, retains a certain tendency toward crystallization. It thus asserts, even within the body, forces which are in fact none other than the external, physical, mineral forces of nature. Within the human organism they form a system of forces that is orientated in the sense of outer physical nature. This is, however, perpetually being overcome by the ego-organization.
[ 7 ] We have therefore two systems of forces. The one has its origin in the nerve processes; the other in the blood-formation. In the nerve processes, pathogenic processes only develop to the degree that the perpetual counter-influence of the blood processes is able to heal them. These nerve-processes are brought about in the nervous substance, and hence in the organism as a whole, by the astral body. The blood processes, on the other hand, are those in which the ego-organization within the human organism confronts outer physical nature, which is here continued into the body and subjugated by the ego-organization to its own formative process.
[ 8 ] In this inter-relationship we can directly grasp the essential processes of becoming ill and healing. If there arises within the body increases of those activities which are present in their normal measure in all that is stimulated by the nervous process then there is illness. And if we can confront such processes by others presenting reinforcement of certain effects of outer nature in the organism, a healing effect can then be brought about if these effects of outer nature can be mastered by the ego-organism and are such as to counterbalance processes directed in opposition.
[ 9 ] Milk contains only small quantities of iron. Milk is the substance which as such represents least in its activities, pathogenetic forces; the blood must perpetually expose itself to all that produces illness; it requires therefore the organized iron, that is to say the iron which has been received into the ego-organization—the haematin—as a continually acting remedy.
[ 10 ] For a remedy which is to influence a morbid condition appearing in the inner organization, or one that is brought about externally but takes its course within the organism, the first point is to discover how and to what extent the astral organization is working so as to bring about, at some point in the body, a disintegration of protein such as is induced by the nervous organization in the normal way. Let us assume that we are dealing with obstructions in the lower abdomen. We can observe in the presenting pain an excessive activity of the astral body. In which case we are dealing with a characteristic situation for the bowel organism.
[ 11 ] The important question now is: how is the intensified astral influence to be counterbalanced? This can be done by introducing substances into the blood which can be taken hold of by just that part of the ego-organization which works in the intestinal system. These are potassium and sodium. If we introduce these into the organism in some preparation—or through the organization of a plant, e.g., Anagallis arvensis—we take away the excessive nerve-effect of the astral body and through the blood, bring about the transition of the astral body's excess action to that activity of the named substances mastered by the ego-organization.
[ 12 ] If the substance is given in mineral form, we shall have to take care that the potassium or sodium enters the circulation of the blood in the right way, so as to arrest the metamorphosis of protein before the point of disintegration; this may be done by the use of auxiliary remedies, or better still by combining the potassium or sodium in the preparation with sulphur. Sulphur has the peculiar property of helping to arrest the disintegration of albumen; it holds as it were the organizing forces of proteins together. Brought into the circulation in such a way as to maintain its union with potassium or sodium, it will make its effect felt in the region of those organs to which potassium or sodium have a special affinity. This applies to the intestinal organs.
VII. Das Wesen der Heilwirkungen
[ 1 ] Die menschliche Gesamtorganisation ist nicht ein in sich abgeschlossenes System von ineinandergreifenden Vorgängen. Wäre sie das, sie könnte nicht der Träger des Seelischen und Geistigen sein. Dieses kann den Menschen-Organismus nur dadurch zur Grundlage haben, daß er in der Nerven- und Knochensubstanz und in den Vorgängen, in welche diese Substanzen eingegliedert sind, fortwährend zerfällt oder sich auf den Weg der leblosen, mineralischen Tätigkeit begibt.
[ 2 ] In dem Nervengewebe zerfällt die Eiweißsubstanz. Aber sie wird in diesem Gewebe nicht wie im Eikeim, oder in anderen Gebilden dadurch wieder aufgebaut, daß sie in den Bereich der auf die Erde einstrahlenden Wirkungen gelangt, sondern sie zerfällt einfach. Dadurch können die Ätherwirkungen, die von den Dingen und Vorgängen der äußeren Umgebung durch die Sinne einstrahlen, und diejenigen, die sich bilden, indem die Bewegungsorgane gebraucht werden, die Nerven als Organe benützen, längs welcher sie sich durch den ganzen Körper fortleiten.
[ 3 ] Es gibt in den Nerven zweierlei Vorgänge: das Zerfallen der Eiweißsubstanz und das Durchströmen dieser zerfallenden Substanz mit Äthersubstanz, die zu ihrer Strömung durch Säuren, Salze, Phosphoriges und Schwefeliges angefacht wird. Das Gleichgewicht zwischen den beiden Vorgängen vermitteln die Fette und das Wasser. Dem Wesen nach angesehen sind diese Vorgänge fortdauernd den Organismus durchsetzende Krankheitsprozesse. Sie müssen durch ebenso fortwirkende Heilungsprozesse ausgeglichen werden.
[ 4 ] Dieser Ausgleich wird dadurch bewirkt, daß das Blut nicht nur die Vorgänge enthält, aus denen das Wachstum und die Stoffwechselprozesse bestehen, sondern daß ihm auch eine den krankmachenden Nervenvorgängen gegenüberstehende, fortdauernde hei1ende Wirkung zukommt.
[ 5 ] Das Blut hat in seiner Plasma-Substanz und in dem Faserstoff diejenigen Kräfte, die dem Wachstum und dem Stoffwechsel im engeren Sinne dienen. In dem, was als Eisengehalt bei der Untersuchung der roten Blutkörperchen erscheint, liegen die Ursprünge der hei1enden Blutwirkung. Es erscheint deshalb das Eisen auch im Magensaft und als Eisenoxyd im Milchsafte. Da werden überall Quellen geschaffen für Vorgänge, die auf die Nervenprozesse ausgleichend wirken.
[ 6 ] Das Eisen erscheint bei der Untersuchung des Blutes so, daß es sich als das einzige Metall darstellt, das innerhalb des menschlichen Organismus die Neigung zur Kristallisationsfähigkeit hat. Damit macht es die Kräfte geltend, die äußere, physische, mineralische Naturkräfte sind. Sie bilden innerhalb des menschlichen Organismus ein im Sinne der äußeren, physischen Natur orientiertes Kräftesystem. Dieses aber wird fortdauernd durch die Ich-Organisation überwunden.
[ 7 ] Man hat es zu tun mit zwei Kräftesystemen. Das eine hat seinen Ursprung in den Nervenvorgängen; das andere in der Blutbildung. In den Nervenvorgängen entwickeln sich krankmachende Vorgänge, die bis zu dem Grade gehen, daß sie von den ihnen entgegenwirkenden Blutvorgängen fortdauernd geheilt werden können. Die Nervenvorgänge sind solche, die von dem astralischen Leib an der Nervensubstanz und damit im ganzen Organismus bewirkt werden. Die Blutvorgänge sind solche, in denen die Ich-Organisation im menschlichen Organismus der äußeren, in ihn fortgesetzten physischen Natur gegenübersteht, die aber in die Gestaltung der Ich-Organisation hineingezwungen wird.
[ 8 ] Man kann in diesem Wechselverhältnis die Vorgänge des Erkranken und der Heilung unmittelbar erfassen. Treten im Organismus Verstärkungen derjenigen Vorgänge auf, die ihren normalen Grad in dem durch den Nervenprozeß Erregten haben, so liegt Erkrankung vor. Ist man imstande, diesen Vorgängen solche gegenüberzustellen, die als Verstärkungen von äußeren Naturwirkungen im Organismus sich darstellen, so kann Heilung bewirkt werden, wenn diese äußeren Naturwirkungen durch den Ich-Organismus bewältigt werden und ausgleichend auf die ihnen entgegengesetzt orientierten Prozesse wirken.
[ 9 ] Die Milch hat nur geringe Eisenmengen. Sie ist die Substanz, die als solche in ihren Wirkungen am wenigsten Krankmachendes darstellt; das Blut muß fortdauernd alles Krankmachende über sich ergehen lassen; es braucht daher das organisierte, das heißt das in die Ich-Organisation aufgenommene Eisen - das Hämatin - als fortdauernd wirkendes Heilmittel.
[ 10 ] Beim Heilmittel, das auf einen in der inneren Organisation auftretenden kranken Zustand wirken soll, auch auf einen solchen, der von außen bewirkt ist, aber im Innern des Organismus verläuft, kommt es zunächst darauf an, die Erkenntnis darüber zu gewinnen, inwiefern die astrale Organisation in dem Sinne wirkt, daß ein Zerfall des Eiweißes an irgend einer Stelle des Organismus so eintritt, wie dies durch die Nervenorganisation in normaler Art in die Wege geleitet wird. Man nehme an, man habe es mit Stockungen im: Unterleibe zu tun. Man kann dabei in den auftretenden Schmerzen eine überflüssige Tätigkeit des astralischen Leibes bemerken. Dann hat man es mit dem charakterisierten Fall für den Darmorganismus zu tun.
[ 11 ] Weiter ist nun wichtig die Frage: wie ist die verstärkte Astralwirkung auszugleichen? Dies kann geschehen, wenn man in das Blut Substanzen bringt, welche gerade von demjenigen Teil der Ich-Organisation ergriffen werden können, der in der Darmorganisation tätig ist. Es sind dies Kalium und Natrium. Führt man diese in irgend einem Präparate, oder in einer Pflanzenorganisation, z.B. Anagallis arvensis dem Organismus zu, so nimmt man dem astralischen Leib seine zu große Nervenwirkung ab und bewirkt den Übergang dessen, was der astralische Leib zu viel tut, auf die von der Ich-Organisation ergriffene Wirkung der genannten Substanzen aus dem Blute heraus.
[ 12 ] Verwendet man die mineralische Substanz, so wird man dafür sorgen müssen, daß durch Zusatzgaben, oder besser durch die Verbindung des Kaliums oder Natriums im Präparat mit Schwefel diese Metalle richtig in die Blutströmung so gebracht werden, daß die Eiweißmetamorphose vor dem Zerfall aufgehalten wird. Der Schwefel hat nämlich die Eigentümlichkeit, daß er dem Aufhalten des Eiweißzerfalles dient; er hält gewissermaßen die organisierenden Kräfte in der Eiweißsubstanz zusammen. Kommt er so in die Blutströmung, daß er sich mit dem Kalium oder Natrium in Verbindung hält, dann tritt seine Wirkung dort ein, wo das Kalium oder Natrium eine besondere Anziehung zu bestimmten Organen haben. Das ist bei den Darmorganen der Fall.
VII The nature of healing effects
[ 1 ] The overall human organization is not a self-contained system of interlocking processes. If it were, it could not be the carrier of the soul and spirit. This can only have the human organism as its basis in that it continually disintegrates in the nervous and bony substance and in the processes into which these substances are incorporated, or sets out on the path of lifeless, mineral activity.
[ 2 ] The protein substance decomposes in the nervous tissue. But it is not rebuilt in this tissue, as in the egg germ or in other structures, by entering the area of the effects radiating onto the earth, but it simply decays. Thus the etheric effects that radiate from the things and processes of the external environment through the senses, and those that are formed by using the organs of movement, can use the nerves as organs along which they are transmitted through the whole body.
[ 3 ] There are two processes in the nerves: the decomposition of the protein substance and the flow of ether substance through this decomposing substance, which is stimulated to flow by acids, salts, phosphorous and sulphur. The balance between the two processes is mediated by fats and water. In essence, these processes are disease processes that continually permeate the organism. They must be balanced out by equally ongoing healing processes.
[ 4 ] This balancing is achieved by the fact that the blood not only contains the processes that make up growth and metabolic processes, but that it also has a continuous healing effect that is opposed to the pathogenic nerve processes.
[ 5 ] The blood has in its plasma substance and in the fibrous material those forces that serve growth and metabolism in the narrower sense. The origins of the healing effect of blood lie in what appears as iron content when examining the red blood cells. Iron therefore also appears in gastric juice and as iron oxide in lactic juice. Sources are created everywhere for processes that have a balancing effect on the nervous processes.
[ 6 ] Examination of the blood reveals that iron is the only metal within the human organism that has a tendency to crystallize. It thus asserts the forces that are external, physical, mineral forces of nature. They form a system of forces within the human organism that is oriented towards external, physical nature. This, however, is continually overcome by the ego organization.
[ 7 ] We are dealing with two systems of forces. One has its origin in the nerve processes; the other in blood formation. Pathogenic processes develop in the nervous processes to such an extent that they can be permanently cured by the counteracting blood processes. The nervous processes are those which are effected by the astral body on the nervous substance and thus in the whole organism. The blood processes are those in which the ego-organization in the human organism confronts the external physical nature that is continued in it, but which is forced into the shaping of the ego-organization.
[ 8 ] The processes of illness and healing can be directly grasped in this reciprocal relationship. If intensifications of those processes occur in the organism which have their normal degree in what is excited by the nervous process, then disease is present. If one is able to contrast these processes with those that present themselves as intensifications of external natural effects in the organism, then healing can be brought about if these external natural effects are mastered by the ego-organism and have a balancing effect on the processes oriented in the opposite direction to them.
[ 9 ] Milk contains only small amounts of iron. It is the substance which, as such, represents the least pathogenic in its effects; the blood must continuously endure everything that is pathogenic; it therefore needs the organized iron, i.e. the iron absorbed into the ego organization - the haematin - as a continuously effective remedy.
[ 10 ] When a remedy is to act on a diseased condition occurring in the inner organization, even on such a condition that is caused from outside but runs within the organism, it is first important to gain knowledge of the extent to which the astral organization acts in the sense that a decomposition of the protein occurs at some point in the organism in the same way as this is initiated by the nervous organization in the normal way. One assumes that one is dealing with stagnations in the: abdomen. In the pain that occurs, one may notice a superfluous activity of the astral body. Then one is dealing with the characterized case for the intestinal organism.
[ 11 ] The next important question is: how can the increased astral effect be compensated for? This can be done by introducing substances into the blood which can be seized by that part of the ego organization which is active in the intestinal organization. These are potassium and sodium. If these are added to the organism in any preparation or in a plant organization, e.g. Anagallis arvensis, then the astral body is relieved of its excessive nervous effect and what the astral body does too much of is transferred to the effect of the above-mentioned substances from the blood, which is seized by the ego organization.
[ 12 ] If the mineral substance is used, it will be necessary to ensure that these metals are correctly introduced into the bloodstream by additional doses, or better by combining the potassium or sodium in the preparation with sulphur, so that the protein metamorphosis is stopped before decomposition. Sulphur has the peculiarity that it serves to stop protein decomposition; it holds the organizing forces in the protein substance together, so to speak. If it enters the bloodstream in such a way that it remains in contact with the potassium or sodium, then its effect occurs where the potassium or sodium have a special attraction to certain organs. This is the case with the intestinal organs.