Fundamentals of Therapy
GA 27
XII. Construction and Excretion in the Human Organism
[ 1 ] The human body, like other organisms, forms itself out of the semi-fluid[colloidal] state. However for its formation a constant supply of gaseous material is necessary. The most important is the oxygen transmitted by breathing.
[ 2 ] We may consider in the first place a solid constituent of the body, e.g., a bony structure. It is precipitated from semi-fluid material. In this separation the ego-organization is active. Anyone may convince himself of this who studies the formation of the bony system. For, in the embryonic period and in childhood, the bony system develops in the same measure in which the human being receives his human form and figure, the characteristic expression of the ego-organization. The transformation of protein which underlies this process first separates the (astral and etheric) foreign forces from the protein; the protein then passes through the inorganic state, and in so doing, has to become fluid. In this condition, the ego-organization, working in the element of warmth, takes hold of it and introduces it to man's own etheric body. It thus becomes human protein, but it still has a long way to go before the transformation into bony substance is achieved.
[ 3 ] After its transformation into human protein, it must first be prepared for the receiving and transforming of calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate and the like. To this end it must undergo an intermediate stage. It must come under the influence of the absorption of gaseous substance. This brings into the protein the transformation-products of carbohydrates. The substances which thus arise can provide a basis for the form of the individual organs. They do not represent the finished substances of the organs, e.g. liver or bone-substance, but a more general, less differentiated substance, out of which the individual organs of the body can then be built up. It is the ego-organization which is active in moulding the final shape of the organs. The astral body is active in the above-mentioned undifferentiated organic substance. In the animal, this astral body also takes upon itself the task of moulding the final form of the organs; in man, the activity of the astral body and, with it the animal nature as such, persists only as a general underlying foundation for the ego-organization. In man the animal development is not carried to a conclusion; it is interrupted in its path and humanity is imposed, as it were, by the ego-organization upon it.
[ 4 ] Now the ego-organization lives entirely in states of warmth. It derives the individual organs from the undifferentiated astral nature. It works upon the undifferentiated substance with which the astral nature provides it, by enhancing or lowering the states of warmth of the nascent organs.
[ 5 ] If the ego-organization lowers the state of warmth, inorganic materials enter the substance and a hardening process sets in; the basis is provided for the formation of the bones. Salt-like substances are absorbed.
[ 6 ] If on the other hand the ego-organization enhances the state of warmth, organs are formed whose action is to dissolve the organic substance, leading it over into a liquid or gaseous condition.
[ 7 ] Let us assume, the ego-organization finds insufficient warmth developed in the organism, for the adequate enhancement of the warmth-conditions in those organs which require it. Organs whose proper functioning lies in the direction of a dissolving process will then fall into a hardening activity. They assume in a pathological way the tendency which in the bones is healthy
[ 8 ] Now the bone, once it has been formed, is an organ which the ego-organization releases from its domain. It enters a condition where it is no longer taken hold of by the ego organization inwardly, but only in an outward way. It is removed from the domain of growing and organizing processes, and serves the ego in a merely mechanical capacity, carrying out the movements of the body. Only a remainder of the inner activity of the ego-organization continues to permeate it throughout life because the bony system must, after all, remain as an integral organic part within the organism; it must not be allowed to fall entirely out of the sphere of life.
[ 9 ] The arteries are the organs which for the reason above mentioned, may pass into a formative activity similar to that of the bones. We then have the calcifying disease of the arteries known as sclerosis. The ego-organization is, in a certain sense, driven out of these organ-systems
[ 10 ] The opposite is the case when the ego-organization fails to achieve that lowering of the state of warmth which is needed for the region of the bones. The bones then assume a condition similar to those organs which normally unfold a dissolving kind of activity. Owing to the deficient hardening process, they are no longer able to provide a basis for the incorporation of salts. Thus the final process in the development of the bone-formations, which properly belongs to the organizing domain of the ego, fails to take place. The astral activity is not arrested at the proper point on its path. Tendencies towards malformation of shape must then appear; for the healthy creation of the human form and figure is only possible within the realm of the ego-organization.
[ 11 ] We have here the ricketic diseases. From all this it becomes evident how the human organs are connected in their activities. The bone comes into being in the realm of the ego-organization. It still continues to serve it even when the actual formation is concluded, when the ego-organization no longer forms and creates the bone, but uses it for voluntary movements. It is the same for that which arises in the domain of the astral organization. Undifferentiated substances and forces are there engendered. These occur throughout the body as an underlying basis for the differentiated organ forming processes. The astral activity carries them up to a certain stage and then makes use of them. The entire human organism is permeated by semi-fluid material, in which an astrally directed activity holds sway.
[ 12 ] This activity spreads itself in the secretions which are made use of to form the organism in the direction of its higher members. Secretions tending in this direction are to be seen in the products of the glands which play so important a part in the economy of the organism and its functions. In addition to these inward secretions, we then have the processes that are excretions in the proper sense, towards the outer world. But we make a mistake if we regard the excreta merely as those portions of the food consumed which the organism cannot make use of and therefore discards. For the important thing is not the mere fact that the organism throws certain substances out, but rather, that it goes through the activities which result in the excretions. The exercise of these activities is something that the organism needs for its subsistence. This activity is just as necessary as that by which the substances are received into the organism, or deposited internally. In the healthy relationship of both activities, there lies the very essence of organic life and action.
[ 13 ] Thus, in the outward excretions we see the result of astrally orientated activity. And if the excreta contain substances which have been carried as far as the inorganic nature, then the ego-organization, too, is expressing itself in them. Indeed, this part of the ego-organization's life is of particular importance. For the force that is spent on such excretions creates, as it were, an inward counter-pressure. And this latter is a necessary factor for the healthy existence of the organism. Thus the uric acid, which is secreted through the urine, creates as an inward reaction the correct tendency of the organism to sleep. Too little uric acid in the urine and too much in the blood will give rise to so little sleep that it is insufficient for the health of the organism.
XII. Aufbau und Absonderung des menschlichen Organismus
[ 1 ] Der menschliche Körper bildet sich wie andere Organismen aus dem halbflüssigen Zustand heraus. Doch ist zu seiner Bildung stets die Zufuhr von luftförmigen Stoffen nötig. Der wichtigste ist der durch die Atmung vermittelte Sauerstoff.
[ 2 ] Man betrachte zunächst einen festen Bestandteil, z. B. ein Knochengebilde. Es wird aus dem Halbflüssigen abgeschieden. In dieser Abscheidung ist die Ich-Organisation tätig. Jeder kann sich davon überzeugen, der die Ausbildung des Knochensystems verfolgt. Es entwickelt sich in dem Maße, als der Mensch durch die Embryonal- und Kindheitszeit seine menschliche Form, den Ausdruck der Ich-Organisation, bekommt. Die Eiweißverwandlung, die dabei zugrunde liegt, scheidet zunächst die (astralischen und ätherischen) Fremdkörper von der Eiweißsubstanz ab; das Eiweiß geht durch den Zustand des Unorganischen hindurch; es muß dabei flüssig werden. In diesem Zustand wird es von der Ich-Organisation die sich in der Wärme betätigt erfaßt und dem eigenen menschlichen Ätherleib zugeführt Es wird Menschen-Eiweiß Bis zu der Verwandlung in die Knochensubstanz hat es noch einen weiten Weg.
[ 3 ] Es ist nach seiner Verwandlung in Menschen Eiweiß not wendig, daß es zur Aufnahme und Umformung von kohlen saurem und phosphorsaurem Kalk usw. reif gemacht wird. Dazu muß es eine Zwischenstufe durchmachen. Es muß unter den Einfluß der Aufnahme von Luftförmigem kommen. Dieses trägt die Umwandlungsprodukte der Kohlehydrate in das Eiweiß hinein. Es entstehen dadurch Substanzen, die die Grundlage für die einzelnen Organbildungen abgeben können. Man hat es da nicht mit fertigen Organsubstanzen, nicht mit Leber- oder Knochensubstanz z. B. zu tun, sondern mit einer allgemeineren Substanz, aus der heraus alle die einzelnen Organe des Körpers gebildet werden können. In der Bildung der fertigen Organgestalten ist die Ich-Organisation tätig. In der gekennzeichneten, noch undifferenzierten Organsubstanz ist der astralische Leib tätig. Beim Tiere nimmt dieser astralische Leib auch die fertige Organgestaltung auf sich; beim Menschen bleibt die Tätigkeit des astralischen Leibes und damit die animalische Natur nur als der allgemeine Untergrund der Ich-Organisation bestehen. Die Tierwerdung kommt beim Menschen nicht zu Ende; sie wird auf ihrem Wege unterbrochen und ihr das Menschliche durch die Ich-Organisation gewissermaßen aufgesetzt.
[ 4 ] Diese Ich-Organisation lebt ganz in Wärmezuständen. Sie holt aus der allgemeinen Astralwesenheit die einzelnen Organe heraus. Sie betätigt sich dabei an der allgemeinen, durch das Astralische herbeigeführten Substanz so, daß sie den Wärmezustand eines sich vorbereitenden Organs entweder erhöht oder vermindert.
[ 5 ] Vermindert sie ihn, so treten unorganische Substanzen in einem sich verhärtenden Vorgang in die Substanz ein, und es ist die Grundlage zur Knochenbildung gegeben. Es werden Salzsubstanzen aufgenommen.
[ 6 ] Erhöht sie ihn, so werden Organe gebildet, deren Tätigkeit in einer Auflösung des Organischen besteht, in einer Überführung in Flüssiges oder Luftförmiges.
[ 7 ] Man nehme nun an, die Ich-Organisation finde im Organismus nicht so viel Wärme entwickelt, daß die Erhöhung des Wärmezustandes für die Organe, denen er nötig ist, im hinreichenden Maße erfolgen kann. Es geraten dadurch Organe, deren Tätigkeit nach der Richtung der Auflösung hin erfolgen soll, in die Tätigkeit des Verhärtens. Sie erhalten die Neigung als krankhafte, die in den Knochen die gesunde ist.
[ 8 ] Nun ist der Knochen, wenn er von der Ich-Organisation geformt ist, ein Organ, das von dieser aus ihrem Bereich entlassen wird. Er kommt in einen Zustand, in dem er nicht mehr innerlich ergriffen wird von der Ich-Organisation, sondern nur noch äußerlich. Er ist aus dem Wachstums- und Organisationsbereich herausgeführt und dient noch mechanisch der Ich-Organisation bei Ausführung der Körperbewegungen. Nur ein Rest von innerer Tätigkeit der Ich-Organisation durchsetzt ihn die ganze Lebenszeit hindurch, weil er ja doch auch Organisationsglied innerhalb des Organismus bleiben muß und aus dem Leben nicht herausfallen darf.
[ 9 ] Die Organe, die aus dem angegebenen Grunde in eine knochenähnliche Bildungstätigkeit übergehen können, sind die Adern. Bei ihnen tritt dann die sogenannte Verkalkung (Sclerosis) auf. Es wird aus diesen Organsystemen die Ich-Organisation gewissermaßen ausgetrieben.
[ 10 ] Der entgegengesetzte Fall tritt ein, wenn die Ich-Organisation nicht auf die notwendige Verminderung des Wärmezustandes für das Knochengebiet trifft. Dann werden die Knochen den Organen ähnlich, die eine auflösende Tätigkeit entwickeln. Sie vermögen dann wegen der mangelnden Verhärtung keine Grundlage abzugeben für die Salzeingliederung. Es findet also die letzte Entfaltung der Knochengebilde, die in den Bereich der Ich-Organisation. gehört, nicht statt. Die astralische Tätigkeit wird nicht an dem rechten Punkte ihres Weges aufgehalten. Es müssen Neigungen zur Gestalt-Mißbildung auftreten; denn die gesunde Gestaltbildung kann nur im Bereiche der Ich-Organisation erfolgen.
[ 11 ] Man hat es mit den rachitischen Erkrankungen zu tun. Aus alledem ersieht man, wie die menschlichen Organe mit ihren Tätigkeiten zusammenhängen. Der Knochen entsteht im Bereiche der Ich-Organisation. Ist seine Bildung zum Abschlusse gekommen, so dient er dieser Ich-Organisation, die ihn fortan nicht mehr bildet, sondern zu den willkürlichen Bewegungen benützt. Ebenso ist es nun mit dem, was im Bereiche der astralischen Organisation entsteht. Es werden da undifferenzierte Substanzen und Kräfte gebildet. Diese treten als die Grundlage der differenzierten Organbildungen überall im Körper auf. Die astralische Tätigkeit führt sie bis zu einer gewissen Stufe; dann benützt sie sie. Es ist der ganze menschliche Organismus vom Halbflüssigen durchdrungen, in dem astralisch orientierte Tätigkeit waltet.
[ 12 ] Diese Tätigkeit lebt sich aus in Absonderungen, die in der Bildung des Organismus nach der Richtung seiner höheren Glieder bin ihre Verwendung finden. Man hat eine so gerichtete Absonderung in den Drüsenerzeugnissen zu sehen, die in der Ökonomie der Organismuswirksamkeit ihre Rolle spielen. Man hat dann neben diesen Absonderungen nach dem Innern des Organismus diejenigen, die eigentliche Abscheidungen nach außen sind. Man irrt, wenn man in diesen nichts weiter sieht als dasjenige, was der Organismus von den aufgenommenen Nahrungsstoffen nicht brauchen kann und deshalb nach außen wirft. Es kommt nämlich nicht darauf an, daß der Organismus Stoffe nach außen absondert, sondern daß er diejenigen Tätigkeiten vollzieht, die zu den Ausscheidungen führen. In der Verrichtung dieser Tätigkeiten liegt etwas, das der Organismus für seinen Bestand braucht. Diese Tätigkeit ist ebenso notwendig wie diejenige, die Stoffe in den Organismus aufnimmt oder in ihm ablagert. Denn in dem gesunden Verhältnis der beiden Tätigkeiten liegt das Wesen der organischen Wirksamkeit.
[ 13 ] So erscheint in den Ausscheidungen nach außen das Ergebnis der astral orientierten Tätigkeit Und sind Stoffe in die Ausscheidungen eingelagert die bis zum Unorganischen getrieben sind, dann lebt in diesen auch die Ich Organisation Und dieses Leben der Ich Organisation ist sogar von ganz besonderer Wichtigkeit Denn die Kraft die auf solche Ausscheidungen verwendet wird, erzeugt gewissermaßen einen Gegendruck nach innen. Und dieser ist für das gesunde Sein des Organismus' notwendig. Die Harnsäure, die durch den Harn abgesondert wird, erzeugt als solchen Gegendruck nach innen die richtige Neigung des Organismus für den Schlaf. Zu wenig Harnsäure im Harn und zuviel im Blut erzeugt einen so kurzen Schlaf, daß dieser für die Gesundheit des Organismus nicht hinreicht.
XII. Structure and secretion of the human organism
[ 1 ] The human body, like other organisms, is formed from a semi-liquid state. However, the supply of aeriform substances is always necessary for its formation. The most important of these is oxygen, which is supplied by respiration.
[ 2 ] First consider a solid component, e.g. a bone structure. It is separated from the semi-liquid. The ego organization is active in this separation. Anyone who follows the development of the bone system can see this for themselves. It develops to the extent that the human being acquires his human form, the expression of the ego organization, through the embryonic and childhood period. The protein transformation that underlies this process first separates the (astral and etheric) foreign bodies from the protein substance; the protein passes through the state of the inorganic; it must become liquid in the process. In this state it is seized by the I-organization, which is active in warmth, and supplied to its own human etheric body It becomes human protein It still has a long way to go before it is transformed into bone substance.
[ 3 ] After its transformation into human protein, it needs to be made ready for the absorption and transformation of carbonic acid and phosphoric acid lime, etc.. For this it must undergo an intermediate stage. It must come under the influence of the absorption of air. This carries the transformation products of the carbohydrates into the protein. This produces substances that can provide the basis for the individual organ formations. We are not dealing here with finished organ substances, not with liver or bone substance, for example, but with a more general substance from which all the individual organs of the body can be formed. The ego organization is active in the formation of the finished organ forms. The astral body is active in the marked, as yet undifferentiated organ substance. In animals, this astral body also takes upon itself the finished organ formations; in humans, the activity of the astral body and thus the animal nature remains only as the general foundation of the ego organization. The animal development does not come to an end in man; it is interrupted on its way and the human is, as it were, superimposed on it through the ego organization.
[ 4 ] This ego-organization lives entirely in states of warmth. It extracts the individual organs from the general astral entity. In doing so, it works on the general substance brought about by the astral in such a way that it either increases or decreases the state of warmth of a preparing organ.
[ 5 ] If it decreases it, inorganic substances enter the substance in a hardening process, and the basis for bone formation is provided. Salt substances are absorbed.
[ 6 ] If it increases, organs are formed whose activity consists in dissolving the organic, in transforming it into liquid or airy substances.
[ 7 ] Suppose now that the ego organization does not find so much heat developed in the organism that the increase in the state of heat for the organs for which it is necessary can take place to a sufficient degree. As a result, organs whose activity should take place in the direction of dissolution become hardened. They receive the tendency as pathological, which is healthy in the bones.
[ 8 ] Now the bone, when it is formed by the ego organization, is an organ that is released by it from its domain. It enters a state in which it is no longer internally seized by the ego organization, but only externally. It is taken out of the area of growth and organization and still serves the ego organization mechanically in the execution of bodily movements. Only a remnant of inner activity of the ego organization permeates it throughout its entire life, because it must remain an organizational element within the organism and must not fall out of life.
[ 9 ] The organs which, for the reason stated, can pass over into a bone-like formative activity are the veins. Calcification (sclerosis) then occurs in them. The ego organization is to a certain extent driven out of these organ systems.
[ 10 ] The opposite case occurs when the ego organization does not meet the necessary reduction of the heat state for the bone area. Then the bones become similar to organs that develop a dissolving activity. Due to the lack of hardening, they are then unable to provide a basis for salt incorporation. Thus the final unfolding of the bone formations, which belongs to the area of the ego organization, does not take place. The astral activity is not stopped at the right point on its path. Tendencies to malformation of form must occur; for the healthy formation of form can only take place in the realm of the ego organization.
[ 11 ] We are dealing with the rachitic diseases. From all this we can see how the human organs are related to their activities. The bone is formed in the area of the ego organization. When its formation is complete, it serves this ego organization, which from then on no longer forms it, but uses it for arbitrary movements. It is the same with what arises in the realm of the astral organization. Undifferentiated substances and forces are formed there. These appear everywhere in the body as the basis of the differentiated organ formations. The astral activity leads them to a certain stage; then it uses them. The entire human organism is permeated by the semi-liquid, in which astrally oriented activity prevails.
[ 12 ] This activity expresses itself in secretions that find their use in the formation of the organism according to the direction of its higher limbs. Such a directed secretion can be seen in the glandular products that play their role in the economy of the organism's activity. In addition to these secretions towards the inside of the organism, there are those which are actual secretions towards the outside. One is mistaken if one sees in these nothing more than that which the organism cannot use from the food substances it has absorbed and therefore throws out. The important thing is not that the organism secretes substances to the outside, but that it carries out the activities that lead to the excretions. There is something in the performance of these activities that the organism needs for its existence. This activity is just as necessary as that which absorbs substances into the organism or deposits them in it. For the essence of organic activity lies in the healthy relationship between the two activities.
[ 13 ] So the result of the astrally oriented activity appears outwardly in the excretions And if substances are stored in the excretions that are driven to the inorganic, then the ego organization also lives in them And this life of the ego organization is even of very special importance For the power that is used on such excretions creates, as it were, a counter-pressure inwardly. And this is necessary for the healthy existence of the organism. The uric acid that is excreted through the urine, as such an inward counter-pressure, creates the right inclination of the organism for sleep. Too little uric acid in the urine and too much in the blood produces such a short sleep that it is not sufficient for the health of the organism.