"We do
not ask for what useful purpose the birds do sing, for song is their pleasure
since they were created for singing. Similarly, we ought not to ask why
the human mind troubles to fathom the secrets of the heavens .... The diversity
of the phenomena of Nature is so great, and the treasures hidden in the
heavens so rich, precisely in order that the human mind shall never be lacking
in fresh nourishment". I see one of my tasks in life as being a bridge, a link between the average person, and whatever it is that our times seem to be demanding of us - the parts that I can grasp anyway! I am not clairvoyant, nor am I very intellectual, and nor am I an "expert" in anything. My passion is delving into the mystery of life; through observing nature and admiring her beauty, wondering about the stars, marveling at the life and accomplishments of human beings, and grappling with Mathematics and the Sciences. My aim in this publication is to help bring to life a personís relationship to the Earth and Heavens. We are all searching for meaning to our existence. We are bombarded by a plethora of facts, figures and reductionist thinking. I am trying to present phenomena in a different way, endeavouring to be more imaginative, creative and drawing them into a holistic picture. I am also striving not to take that which I receive through my senses (such as my eyes) as the only perspective of reality. Rather, I accept them as symbols, or clues, to the invisible processes at work behind matter i.e. to realize that matter is a consequence and expression of the deeds of sublime beings. We have a long journey ahead of us to become conscious of the full reality of our own existence! We can take steps towards it, and I feel that one of these steps is to ensoul the way we perceive the Earth - and that in itself is difficult. We can fairly easily, when we are ready, come to the concept that the Earth is an organism and we can call her Gaia. It is quite something else to have a conscious experience of her all the time as a living being. For the most part, this requires a long self training and a sharing of our experiences with each other. Some of the following articles are a sharing of my thoughts cum imaginative experiences. They need to be taken in that spirit - they could be wrong! By the same token, any information given, should not be taken as a piece of dogma or a recipe to do something, but rather something to be looked at in the light of research. I have a fairly extensive background in Biodynamics. Biodynamics is a practical activity, like Waldorf Education, that has arisen out of Anthroposophy, a philosophy of life initiated by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). My pictures are not necessarily Biodynamic or Anthroposophic, but I am extremely thankful for the capabilities they have opened in me, and which have enabled me, empowered me, to more consciously make my own choices in a creative (hopefully) search for meaning. I will always find the writings of Steiner, and many others working with Anthroposophy, to be a source of inspiration. Having said this, I would also like to acknowledge my gratitude for insights received from many people who have had nothing to do with Anthroposophy. My teachers are many and varied. The publication aims, in addition, to be a supplement to Biodynamic Planting Calendars. Having written all the articles for the Antipodean Astro Calendar (published annually since 1983), I have long wished to expand upon writings in them. In such a publication, oneís writing can be limited by column space (I tend to be overly terse anyway) and, as one continually has new readers, one cannot build too much on previous articles and is obliged to repeat some instructional pieces. The Antipodean Astro Calendar was designed for the southern hemisphere but the principles in this publication apply to all calendars of both hemispheres and so excerpts from it are used for purposes of illustration or instruction. Examples from Stella Natura and Working with the Stars (two widely used calendars of the northern hemisphere) are given in the appendices. I would like to stress that Biodynamic Planting Calendars are not limited for use by gardeners and farmers. They are a great aid for anyone trying to get in touch with the rhythms of Nature through the Planets and Stars.
This book makes quite a few references to the agricultural practices of Biodynamics ................ so what is Biodynamics anyway? What has this got to do with betwixt Heaven and Earth? There are many different answers to the first question - depending on who is asked, and the perspective taken. Many volumes have been, and still can be, written on agriculture. Biodynamics encompasses all that is agriculture ................... but with a much grander view than is generally taken! The following picture endeavours to capture an essence, rather than give a prescriptive description. If I were to go through life considering myself to be a conglomeration of atoms, piloted by a brain and having a heart for a pump - I would have a naive and unfortunate view of myself and the world around me. However, I am a spiritual being, ordered to a particular form, reflecting thoughts and ideas, and my heart beats to a life rhythm.....................The Earth too, is a living organism, a being of body, soul and spirit..........In my view this is the essence of Biodynamics. I am alive, and on that level I can compare myself to the Earth, and begin to draw analogies to life, as a step towards comprehending and finding a way to relate to her. Nobody thrives on a diet of pills. Real food has a quality of vitality which cannot be found in the separated chemical elements. Imagine you are the Earth, not just part of it .......................... would you thrive on artificial fertilisers? How about a sumptuous feast of life teeming compost, cultured from fresh manures, old plants and minerals all tended by a loving hand? Mother Earth is around 49 earth years old. She is not so young any more....no longer as fertile as she was in the Carboniferous times sprouting all that life of abundant forests, fish and amphibians. We still reap the benefits of that period in coal and oil, and no matter how much we endeavour to reclothe the Earth with vegetation we cannot relive that period. No more super-abundance of life to give us oil and coal for the future. Consider the life cycle of another organism, the Human Being. Enormous physical changes take place in younger children. The rate of change then slows down in the middle years as their bodies become less plastic and more sclerotic. In the latter years with the physical dying process well under way; new possibilities can arise for their soul / spiritual potential, which were not possible in the main substantial growth phase. Pests and diseases become more prevalent with waning life forces. Look and seek around you. Donít you see and realise that trees do not grow as big and tall as they used to, that many animal species are dying off, and that crops and livestock are more vulnerable? Certainly we have exacerbated the problem thoughtlessly plaguing an ailing lady ........... However these trends were already discernible before the advent of the chemical industry. An experienced B.D. (Biodynamic) farmer or gardener recognises these things and ìseesî the life forces, and consciously works with them. This does not necessitate having clairvoyant faculties. Life forces can be discerned through participation in the dynamics of form, colour, rhythm, smell and gesture of Nature. The farmer or gardener not only works with the laws of the mineral world (where general agriculture tends to stop), but actively engages in, and assists, the laws of life. Life in a moment of time seems invisible, but, looked at through the rhythm of time, is plain for all who wish to see and very, very real. The B.D. practitioner not only works with substance but also with energy. Substance is born out of energy, shaped and brought to life by the light and rhythms of the cosmos. The Earth Mother is ossifying and her life force is waning, becoming detached from her substance. We have the task to nurture her (and we are part of her). She has another journey to undertake, beyond raising children. We need to learn to work with all the energy and forces available to us ............... food and medicine, in substance form, are becoming less and less effective. Our artificial fertilisers, in their one sided chemical activity, only stimulate the watery element of a plant, making it very unbalanced. (See article on ELEMENTS) . Plants growing in a devitalised medium are in themselves not vital. This carries over in to the animals and humans. This is not too much of a challenge - there is a lot we can do about it and ourselves grow in the process. Hopefully the preceding can give one a sense of the evolutionary trend of farming (and culture) towards a biodynamic type of approach. Farming has to go in that direction. The situation has changed and will continue to change. We have been weaned, and now need to care for the Mother and wake up to realities facing us.
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