On Epidemics E-Book

Rudolf Steiner

• Herausgeber: Rudolf Steiner Press
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Seitenzahl: 84

Beschreibung

'If we can bring nothing up out of ourselves except fear of the illnesses which surround us at the seat of an epidemic, and if we go to sleep at night filled with nothing but thoughts of this fear, then we create unconscious replicas, imaginations, which are drenched in fear. And this is an excellent method for nurturing bacteria...' - Rudolf Steiner. >Based on brief, pithy quotations from Rudolf Steiner's collected works, the 'spiritual perspectives' in this volume present core concepts on the subject of epidemics. These brief extracts do not claim to provide exhaustive treatment of the subject, but open up approaches to the complexity of Steiner's extraordinary world of ideas. Some readers will find these fragments sufficient stimulus in themselves, whilst others will use the source references as signposts towards deeper study and understanding.

Leseprobe

RUDOLF STEINER (1861–1925) called his spiritual philosophy ‘anthroposophy’, meaning ‘wisdom of the human being’. As a highly developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern and universal ‘science of spirit’, accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unprejudiced thinking.

From his spiritual investigations Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of many activities, including education (both general and special), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, religion and the arts. Today there are thousands of schools, clinics, farms and other organizations involved in practical work based on his principles. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of the human being, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods of personal development. Steiner wrote some 30 books and delivered over 6000 lectures across Europe. In 1924 he founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches throughout the world.

Rudolf Steiner was not concerned with systems. His aim was to suggest impulses towards finding and developing ways of living that would be worthy of humanity in the here and now. One aspect of this was his wish to intensify our awareness of existence as something that is not limited to our present life between birth and death. He never tired of reminding us that we are in reality spiritual entities. Through his written works and lectures Steiner urged us to take this hidden reality seriously, encouraging us in countless ways to develop an awareness of spirituality—a presence of mind that would enable us to recognize and do what is necessary in any given moment. Yet when faced with the voluminous dimensions of his work, it is easy to lose sight of this.

The ‘spiritual perspectives’ presented in this series assemble core ideas on specific subjects, as found in his complete works, with the aim of bringing mobility into thinking while also deepening the ability to understand and act. The brief extracts do not claim to provide exhaustive treatment of a subject. Their purpose is to open up approaches to the prodigious complex of Steiner’s work, so as to assist readers as they endeavour to gain their own understanding of his extraordinary world of ideas.

The source references are intended to serve as initial signposts. However, some will find the fragments sufficient in themselves—as valuable aids to making one’s way in the complex world that surrounds us.

ON EPIDEMICS

spiritual perspectives

RUDOLF STEINER

compiled and edited by Taja Guttranslated by J. Collis

RUDOLF STEINER PRESS

Rudolf Steiner PressHillside House, The SquareForest Row, RH18 5ES

www.rudolfsteinerpress.com

Published by Rudolf Steiner Press 2012

Originally published in German under the title Stichwort Epidemien by Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach, in 2010. This authorized translation is published by permission of the Rudolf Steiner Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach

© Rudolf Steiner Verlag 2010This translation © Rudolf Steiner Press 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 85584 291 5

Cover by Andrew Morgan DesignTypeset by DP Photosetting, Neath, West Glamorgan

CONTENTS

1. Epidemics and Infection

2. Karma and Epidemics

3. The Spiritual Background of Epidemics

4. Protection during Epidemics

5. Present Causes of Future Epidemics

Notes

Sources

1. EPIDEMICS AND INFECTION

Every human being is an individual

The profoundest and most significant principle is that we must view the individuality of the human being as a unique reality which is utterly different from that of any other human being.1

Fear of bacteria

It is maintained—and perhaps not without a degree of justification, or with some degree of one-sided justification— that orthodox medicine has created a real fear of bacteria.* On the other hand, however, investigations have shown that the overall health of the population has improved in recent decades. Advocates of this view point proudly to the percentage reduction in mortality rates in one place or another over the decades. But then there are also those who maintain that it is not so much a matter of considering external circumstances with regard to ill health; for them the causes which lie within individual human beings are what matter, their proclivity for certain conditions or whether their lifestyle is sensible or foolish. These people are more likely to point out that while the mortality rate has undeniably declined in recent times there is nevertheless a shocking increase in the number of people who are ill. They emphasize the increase in certain specific forms of illness: heart diseases, cancers, illnesses that never used to be mentioned in medical literature, diseases of the digestive organs, and so on. Of course the reasons given by both the one side and the other must be taken seriously. From a superficial point of view it cannot be denied that bacteria are the most terrible causes of disease. But on the other hand there is also no denying that individuals are either resistant to the causes of disease or they are not. They are not resistant if they have destroyed their ability to resist through living an inappropriate lifestyle.2

In olden times people thought illnesses came from God; nowadays they are said to come from bacteria

How can we distinguish between an illness that can be accounted for by external circumstances and an illness for which the whole cause lies within the human organism in a way that makes us think that it has come of its own accord without any external cause? Well, things are not quite so simple. Nevertheless we are justified in saying that illnesses can occur for which a person may be particularly susceptible on account of his inner disposition. On the other hand, though, there are also many symptoms for which external causes can be discerned. For example if we break a leg we have to take external circumstances into account, although there may be other reasons as well. And the same goes for accidents caused by the weather. Conditions in city slums can also to some extent be regarded as external causes. The possibilities are manifold. It is easy to understand why the modern trend in medicine is to see illnesses as having been caused by external circumstances, especially bacteria. Indeed this has gone so far that one individual with a sense of humour has declared, not without justification: Nowadays illnesses come from bacteria just as in days gone by it was said that they came from God or the devil. In the thirteenth century people said that illnesses came from God, and in the fifteenth century they said they came from the devil. Later still they thought that the humours were the cause, and nowadays they are the result of bacteria. Thus have people’s views supplanted one another over the ages.3

Fears conform to popular trends

The fear to which people succumb nowadays closely resembles the medieval fear of ghosts: this is our present fear of bacteria. These two states of fear are objectively the same. Ideas during the Middle Ages were in keeping with their time just as our ideas nowadays befit our time. People in medieval times had some belief in the spiritual world and so of course they had a fear of spiritual beings. In modern times we no longer believe in the spiritual world, so our fear is directed towards physical beings, be they ever so small.4

Dependence on authority, dread of ghosts and fear of bacteria

Whatever the age in which one lives, one must be especially sceptical in respect of the authority prevalent in that age. Without spiritual insight one can make serious mistakes in this regard.

This is especially the case in one particular field of human culture, namely in the field of materialistic medicine. Here we can see clearly how there is increasing dependence upon whatever those in authority consider to be the standard, so that far more dreadful things can result nowadays than were brought about by the much maligned authorities of the Middle Ages. We are in the midst of this already, and it will become ever more pronounced. When people mock the medieval belief in ghosts one can but ask: ‘Are things any different today? Is there any less fear of ghosts nowadays? Are not people afraid of many more ghosts now than they were then?’

Things are far worse now than anyone can imagine. Think what must be going on in the human soul when we are told: ‘There, in the palm of your hand, you have 60,000 bacteria!’ Scientists in America have calculated the number of bacteria present in a single moustache. Surely such a thing ought to persuade us to say: Those medieval ghosts were at least respectable ghosts; but today’s bacterial ghosts are altogether too diminutive, too unsuitable to be regarded with such fear, especially as this fear is now only in its early stages, for it will lead to a dependence on authority in the field of health which will be truly dire.5

Bacteria are most intensively nurtured by a materialistic mind set

Today we shall be dealing with the fact that bacteria can only become dangerous when they are nurtured and cherished... Bacteria are most intensively nurtured when human beings take nothing but materialistic thoughts with them upon entering into the state of sleep. The best way to nurture bacteria is to enter into sleep with nothing but materialistic ideas in mind. From out of the spiritual world the ‘I’ and the astral body then work down into the organs of the physical body which are neither the blood nor the nervous system. Going to sleep in a materialistic frame of mind is the very best way to nurture bacteria.6

Fear of epidemics provides the best habitat for bacteria