The Vision of Rudolph Steiner
It was during my early studies in Nutritional Therapy that I first became aware of biodynamic agriculture. It went without saying that organic food was an essential factor in achieving optimum vitality. Equally so, organic farming practice seemed the logical antidote to the destructive methods of modern farming. But extended research exposed a movement that had taken things even further. The excellent Moon Time, one of the recommended texts on my course, really cemented my understanding as to the benefits of this approach – living in total harmony with nature. It wasn’t long before I stumbled upon the work of Austrian scientist and philosopher, Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925).
Steiner was born in Kraljevec in the old Austro-Hungarian empire, now known as Croatia. The son of a railway official, he grew up in the small peasant villages of Lower Austria. From a very young age Rudolf was extremely receptive to the natural world. He was conscious of the peasant’s almost clairvoyant affinity with nature and the changing seasons. As he grew he became increasingly aware of the contrast between this peasant life and the development of the recently industrialised nations. The Steiner family gradually moved along the railroad towards Vienna. With each move towards this cultural centre, Rudolf observed the changes from agrarian to industrial economies. These changes were to influence Steiner’s philosophy, which forms the backbone of the biodynamic movement.
By the age of 18, Rudolf was studying at the Technical Institute in Vienna. His broad academic interests led him to undertake many courses at both the Institute and the University. These ranged from science, to literature, to philosophy. He became an expert in the work of J.W. von Goethe. Most famously known as a poet, Goethe was also a pioneer in the organic sciences. It was through Goethe that Steiner’s interest in agriculture began. During this time he observed the rural peasant life into which he had been born being replaced by the industrial working classes. The old culture, which was based on nature, was gradually being transformed into a culture of machine and industry. To his mind, the artifice instilled by this new machine age seemed totally at odds with the harmony held in nature. From these influences Steiner founded the Anthroposophical movement. Anthroposophy, or the ‘wisdom of man’, defines a broad spiritual view of the human being. Steiner referred to it as ‘spiritual science’. This marriage of both spirituality and the scientific gave a voice to Steiner’s philosophy which focused on the visible and invisible forces affecting human life.
By his early forties Steiner had mapped out a successful career. He was well known as a philosopher, a critic, and an editor of a cultural magazine. At the beginning of the 20th Century he was in the process of giving over 6000 lectures all over Europe. He spoke of the new social, economic and spiritual condition of the time and many of these lectures focused on agriculture. In fact the birth of the biodynamic movement is often dated to 1924. During this time Steiner introduced a holistic system of farming and gardening. He spoke of the interrelationship of all kingdoms and how they responded to the natural rhythms of the greater cosmos and he extolled the virtues of a close-knit and harmonious relationship between the world of humans, animals, plants and minerals. Steiner’s understanding of the wisdom of nature lay in his peasant roots. ‘I grew up entirely out of the peasant folk, and in my spirit I have always remained there…I myself planted potatoes, and though I did not breed horses, at any rate I helped breed pigs. And in the farmyard…I lent a hand with the cattle.’
So what is biodynamics all about? Well, this approach to agriculture involves a respect for the basic principles operating in nature and enabling the earth to replenish and heal itself by maintaining the cycle of growth and decay. This means returning the soil to what it needs to remain fertile, as it is a living organism whose vitality must be maintained if the plants grown in it are to be of high nutritional quality. On a simple and practical level Steiner spoke of the self-contained farm. There should be just the right number of animals to produce manure – a natural fertiliser – and these animals were to be fed on the farm’s produce. On this basic level we can see the balance between preservation and recycling. The vegetable waste, scraps, and manure all serve to enrich both soil and the animals. On a more profound level we can recognise the growth of vitality for all concerned. Steiner felt the farm was also a good teacher, providing the opportunity for people to observe nature’s wisdom and self-sufficiency. In his lectures he incorporated the ‘peasants’ philosophy’ as it had existed in his youth. ‘One marvels to see how much the peasant knows of what is going on in Nature. Today, however, it would no longer be possible to write a peasants’ philosophy. These things have been almost entirely lost.’ It was his hope to help reinstate harmony in agricultural practice through this biodynamic approach.
It is fair to say that organic living as a concept, is a fairly recent phenomenon. Aggressive use of pesticides and other agricultural toxins were not commonplace during Steiner’s time. However it is remarkable to think that Steiner was proposing a system which takes the organic principle to a whole other level. Biodynamic growing involves more than the use of natural methods. It takes into consideration the natural rhythms of life. The light of the sun, moon, planets and stars all contribute to the growth and formation of plants. It is the understanding of these rhythms that form the basis for biodynamics. The emphasis is on quality over quantity, a focus which is turned on its head in the bulk of most commercial farming practices today. The short cuts used in commercial agriculture often involve the addition of soluble minerals to the soil. This artificially stimulated growth process causes the plant to take up these minerals, bypassing its natural ability to seek its nourishment directly from the soil. The end product is depleted soils and artificially grown produce. Such produce lacks the natural vitality it would normally derive from nutrient-rich earth. Conversely biodynamic growing involves close observation of seasonal changes and crops are grown in accordance with their natural ecological pattern.
Even up until the end of his life Steiner remained very active, giving countless public lectures. He became a figurehead of hope for the future. Indeed it was his purpose in life to build the foundations and plant the seeds (literally) that would prompt a cultural revolution. He never sought to go back to an earlier stage of development. His aim was for farmers, scientists and commercially interested parties to form a new relationship which would address the needs of the earth, the farm and the community. Even until the last few days of his life, people continued to seek his advice. Steiner, never one to turn anyone away, counseled people from his sickbed right up until his peaceful death in March 1925. In the words of one of his biographers: ‘If Steiner had been nothing but a philosopher, or theologian, or educator, or authority on Goethe, or agricultural expert, or architect, or knowledgeable in medicinal plants, or dramatist, or gifted artistic innovator, inventor of eurythmy, an age that respects specialisation would have reserved a special niche for him. But Steiner was all these things at the same time.’ Rather fittingly the work of this great educator continues in the numerous Steiner schools that exist around the Western World. Founded in 1962, the Emerson College in Sussex functions as an adult education centre, with special emphasis on training young people in the theory and practice of biodynamic farming and gardening. A rich legacy indeed, and one whose validity seems to grow rather than fade.
Bibliography
Moon Time – Paungger, J & Poppe, T – The C.W. Daniel Company Ltd
Rudolf – Steiner: Herald of a New Epoch – Easton, S – Anthroposophic Press Spiritual
Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture – Steiner, R – Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association
Emerson College, Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18 5JX, Telephone: +44 (0)1342 822 238, Email: info@emerson.org.uk, Website: www.emerson.org.uk
Published in the November 2003 edition of Coffee’N’Carrots