In my article ‘The Problem of the Etheric Formative Forces v4’, I identified ‘the problem’ as the difference between identifying the primary formative cause of lifeforms as ‘The Stars’ – in line with astronomy, several leading Biodynamic scholars of the past, and the Apop medical view of the world. While ‘Modern BD’ says the primary cause of lifeforms comes from the The Etheric Formative Forces which find their source in ‘The Cosmic Ether’. It then follows that the ethers are the main formative activities in life forms. The problem with this is that there is then no place for the planets or the stars as formative principles, and large sections of the Agriculture Course, makes no sense.
The stark reality of this is the first relies on astronomical scientific fact and the second relies on faith. Fatih in a ‘Cosmic Ether’and faith in a dimension other than electro magnetism, both of which no one has shown to exist.
Given BD leaders from 1951 to 2000 have published several books outlining this error, and that this error is still growing in strength, and causing alot of confusion, it seems reasonable to take some steps to resolve this situation. I have began a program of writing to various influential people and organisations to have this pivotal understanding clarified once and for all. Given the Apop tendancy to ‘cover up and shut up’, I will use this blog to give a detailed outline of the people I have contacted and their response or not.
7th May
Reply from Rachael Pomeroy
Glen, my world picture is still forming, and, I hope, will remain “in process” for the length of my life. So I share this as a personal communication, open to ongoing helpful dialogue with you.
My picture is of the fixed stars being the source, or dwelling-place of form, “beingness”, archetype or essence.
The sun – earth polarity being like the central vertical of the healing staff of Mercury with
venus – mars
mercury – jupiter
moon – saturn
being either side on the curves of the snake.
Sometimes I place them on the seven pointed star.
The essential thing being that, it is the seven-fold dynamic on which the forms of the fixed stars are moved within the physical via flow, movement, process.
At this point “elemental beings” are a picture of what’s working at the coal-face moving the physical elements and molecules into form.
I understand the Greek word “cosmos” means order.
I see the seven-fold planetary dynamic transmitting the order of the cosmos into earthly process.
What we encounter as fixed physical form is virtually the dead physical remains of process. Like a snapshot of the interaction of the timeless archetype with the sevenfold process unfolding in time. Hence the series of leaves on a plant is like a series of separate snapshots of a continuum of process.
I see the 501 – 500 preps on the Sun-earth polarity and the six compost preps on the weaving snakes. Together the preps facilitate the process-activity of the planets in bringing the order of the fixed stars of the cosmos into earthly life in all its forms. Poor form and disease result when the ordering power of the cosmos isn’t working fully into life. In BD we are working with the image of the healing staff of mercury within the whole of nature, not only in man.
This describes the incarnating process, but I also picture the seven-fold dynamic also carrying the archetype back out to its home in the fixed stars. However the archetype carries back with it something of its experience of being moved, or “lived”, through earthly substance.
This is where, perhaps, something of our human, conscious interaction with, for instance, plants, can actually change even the archetype, hinted at by Goethe in the last part of his Metamorphosis of the Plant poem, where he says, “Let man himself the ordained image alter”.
My reply to Ms Pomeroy
Rachael
Thank you very much for this outline. This is in line with the ‘medical view’, and allays some of my fears regarding the perpetuation of the ‘Wachsmuth mistake’.
While you have outlined the Spirit and Astral activities, you have not mentioned the role of the etheric in manifestation. How do you see them being active, as I imagine they will be part of the Taruna course, given their central reference in Goethean plant observation.
While you have talked of the planets and stars you have not made any referecne to the functioning of the energetic bodies per se. Do you have an understanding of how they relate to the Physical FF RS outlines?
Many thanks for your participation in this process.
regards
Glen
5th May
Taruna Adult Education TrusteesLetter outlining my concerns and a copy of the article No response yet
BDANZ – Council members
Letter outlining my concerns and a copy of the article No response yet
21st April
sent a FYI email to
Ivan U. Ghyssaert, Kym & Jane Green , James Millton , Ray & Jenny Ridings , Leonora Sepulveda , Laura Beck , Maria Prieto (Thank you) , Max Marriott , Marion Thomson , stephen mills , Mike Chapman , Reuben Mai , Nick Mills , Stephen Nall , Bill OrganicAg , Trio Paradise , Paul Keesing , Rachel Pomeroy , ray unger , Rebecca Reider , Rosemareyn van der Sluis , Su Hoskin , Sana , sektion.landwirtschaft, sarah@biodynamics.com (got a thank you), Tim Lynch, Kim Atkins , margaret mary farr, Leigh Atkinson , a.brozeit (Thanks), Arjen Huese , sian.aldred.nz Aldred , Elisabeth Alington , mariam abouleish , Andreas Welte , Anders Skarlind , agrohomeopathy.org , Leo Murray , Bill Watson (Thanks), Martin Grafton , Edith Bulle (Thanks and passed it along), Eric de Vries , Daniel Conde vila , Rudi Bauer , Bood Hickson , Tadeu Caldas , Christine Moginie , sarah cowell , chris evatt, Chaos Springs , Nick Campion , Wendy Cook (thanks and passed it on), John Coombs , julio donoso , Steve Diver , Dennis Frank , Dennis Klocek , Menzo de Boom , Kevin Dann , Kym Davey , Gill Bacchus Bacchus , Greg & Joanne Turner , Gaspard Nouaille , Steve Hart , Ueli Hurter,
20th April
Rachael Pomerroy – Peter Proctor’s partner
After several emails, attempting to clarify the ‘Proctor position’, Rachael has not acknowledged the issue or made any attempt to clarify where Proctor or she stands on this matter. She has recently been appointed to lead the Taruna BD course, and she suggested I contact the authorities involved if I have an issue with her appointment. Which I have done. (see 5th, 7th May)
Rebecca Briggs, Biodynamic Association USA
Reply -“Thanks so much, Glen. I’ve forwarded it on to our editorial committee. We’re finalizing our spring issue right now, but I will get back to you when we’ve had a chance to read it after that.”
Lisa Talbot – Co ordinator of NZ BD education for BDANZ
No Reply
Hugh Lovel – BD educator and working to merge the two approaches
Reply – Thanks
Australian BDA – board
Thank you Glen,I’ve passed your message to all board members today.
Best regards,Louise Skidmore
No Reply from the board
Victoria BDA group
No reply
UK BDA
No reply
Indian BDA
No Reply
Emerson College UK
No reply
sektion.landwirtschaft@goetheanum.ch – The International headquarrters of BD.
No reply
10th April
Richard Thornton Smith – Author of Cosmos, Earth and Nutrition
He expresses the ‘modern’ story in this publication
reply – positive and enteretaining making changes in the next edition
“The mere fact, as you put it in your article, that after 90 years the matter is still left as it is, speaks for
itself. I appreciate the points you make which are the first such helpful responses my book has drawn.”
“I am open to a more expanded treatment of EFF and will try to focus more on this in the next 12 months”