The aim of this principle is to present basic spiritual-scientific
connections between the seven planets [1] the seven inner organs, the seven
grains, and seven days of the week, so that one can comprehend the basis of the
WEEKLY RHYTHM OF SEVEN GRAINS
which is one of the main principles of balancing the meals presented in the
GENERAL NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES. We need to be aware that
such relationships can be examined either by direct experiences of supersensible
realities, or by years of practice in biodynamic growing of grains, or by
serious study of spiritual science. Although this nutritional principle belongs
to the advanced level, one needs to know that we need to pass over into higher
spiritual levels if we want to really grasp the nature of the supersensible
forces, originating from the bodies of our solar system, which have decisive
influences on the various forms of life on the Earth.
Seven Members of 'Inner Cosmic System'
In FOURFOLD HUMAN BEING
it is explained that the human organism consists of
the physical body, perceptible to physical senses, and three supersensible
bodies. First among them is "man's ether-body which contains the most
manifold sorts of force-systems, in order that it may incorporate in the
greatest variety of ways the substances taken in through the process of
nutrition. But, in addition to this etheric organism, which we may look upon
as the nearest prototype of the human organization, we have still a higher
member in the so-called astral body. The astral body can become a member of
the organism only when the physical and the etheric organisms have each been
prepared according to its plan. The astral body is that which presupposes
both the other organisms. We have, moreover, the ego; so that the human
being is composed of a union of these four members." [2]
Each of the three higher members contains a supersensible force-system of
specific basic character; besides which there exists the manifold variations
within them because of the mutual influences of the forces of the etheric,
astral and ego organism. If we want to
understand the origins of various organs and systems of the human organism
then we need to look at these hidden forces. "We rise to the observation of
the real form of the organs when we bear in mind that organs are systems of
forces." [3] Only "through the depositing of the
physical matter in the supersensible force-system does the organ become a
physical thing. We may say, therefore, that the reason why, for instance, a
physical-sensible organ is visible at the place where the spleen is located
is that, at this point, space is filled in a certain definite manner by
force-systems which attract the material substance in such a way that this
deposits itself in the form in which we see it in the external organ of the
spleen when we study this anatomically." [4]
Thus we can comprehend that "the different organs in man are in reality
very different from each other. We can only study the liver when we know
that in it the etheric body with its forces plays the chief part, and that
the astral body, though it certainly permeates the liver as water does a
sponge, has no special share in its formation or inner configuration. We can
only picture the brain-substance as something in which the astral body has
essentially the largest share, and the etheric body only a lesser one.
Again, in the whole structure of the blood-system, even to the framework of
the heart, the ego has its essential part, whilst in the organisation of
nerves, for instance, the ego takes no part at all – not to mention the
other organs. Thus, when we consider the physical body of man in the occult
sense, not in the sense of mere formulae, we have in its various organs
things of quite different value, of quite different essence, altogether of
quite different nature. We may say that what in man is his liver or his
spleen depends upon higher principles at work within it. Liver and spleen
are very different organs; the astral body has, in a very special manner, a
strong share in the spleen, whilst it has hardly any share in the liver."
[5]
We posses three supersensible bodies; for that reason "there are certain
organs which we have to recognize as being determined principally through
the force-systems of the ether-body; and others which are determined,
rather, through the currents of forces coming from the astral body; whereas
yet again others are to a greater degree determined through the currents of
the ego-organism. So you may think of all the different
organs in the human organism as being first planned as supersensible organs,
and then, under the influence of the most varied sorts of supersensible
force-systems, as being filled with physical matter. Hence, in these
force-systems which at different points of the organism deposit physical
matter within themselves, we must recognize a supersensible organism which
is differentiated within itself and which embeds physical matter within
itself in the most diverse ways. Thus we have now arrived at what we may
call the concept of the
'complete organ'. An organ, as such, may be looked upon as a supersensible
force-system; but physical-sensible substances are stored up, as it were, in
the organs through the entire process of nutrition." [6]
On the basis of this explanation about the origin of human organs we can
make the next step and look at "the seven members of the inner human cosmic
system which are bound up with man's realization of inner life and
with his opening of himself to the outer world." [7] These are seven organs which are
involved in the processes of INDIVIDUALIZATION OF HUMAN SUBSTANCES
and which
have special relationships to the force-systems originating in the seven
planetary bodies. "The activity of the
spleen is characterized as a
Saturn-activity, that of the liver as a Jupiter-activity, and that of the
gall-bladder as a Mars-activity. On the same basis occult knowledge sees
in the heart and the blood-system belonging to it something which merits the
name Sun in the human organism, just as the Sun outside merits this name in
the planetary system. In the lung-system there is contained what the
occultists characterize as Mercury, and in the kidney-system
as Venus."
[8]
And the activity of the brain is characterised as a Moon-activity.
"Thus we have in this inner human cosmic system something which mirrors the
external cosmic system." [9] This is one example
demonstrating that the human being is indeed a microcosm – a small world –
which is reflecting the macrocosm – the great world. For "we must realise
that from this macrocosm come the spiritual forces which build up our own
being. To begin with, man knows nothing of this realm because the veil of
the sense-world spreads in front. But these forces stream into us, they have
built up our physical and etheric bodies. This whole interplay, the
interactions between the great world and the small world, between what is
within and what is without, concealed by the veil of the sense-world – all
this is embraced within the bewildering labyrinth. It is life itself, in
full reality." [10]
Seven Grains and Seven Planets
In BALANCING WITH THE THREEFOLD PLANT there is an introduction to the
importance of cosmic influences for the cultivation of plants. Of course, we
need to be aware that these influences are very complex, for they are working
on different levels – on the physical, etheric, astral, and spiritual. For example,
"if we look at Saturn with physical vision we find him outside in cosmic
space, a sort of luminous globe with the rings. This globe which is seen out
there is not what the occultist calls Saturn; to him Saturn is that which
fills the whole space bounded by the apparently elliptical orbit of Saturn –
everything which is within this orbit of Saturn, within the elliptic sphere
of Saturn, is to the occultist Saturn. That which lies within this orbit we
must think of as filled with matter, not however in the form of a globe, for
we have to do with a very flattened ball, a lens. It is actual fact that
matter – not coarse physical matter but fine etheric matter – fills the space within the orbit of
Saturn in its lenticular, flattened, ball-like form." [11]
And this etheric globe is the field of action for other supersensible
forces of Saturn – for the astral and the spiritual forces.
This is valid also for all other solar bodies. If we look at our solar
system with special focus on supersensible globes – that is, on
etheric 'flattened balls' with their specific supersensible forces – we arrive at the following picture:
We can see that our Earth has different relations to the other
supersensible globes. Earth is placed within the globes of Mars, Jupiter and
Saturn, while the Earth's supersensible globe contains within itself also
the globes of Venus and Mercury. Earth has a special relation with the Moon
and the Sun: Earth is in the centre of the small Moon's globe and in the
centre of its own globe is the Sun's globe.
On the basis of the above description one can imagine that plants which
consist of physical and etheric bodies must be influenced by the etheric
forces belonging to the different planets. The important thing to keep in
mind is that each plant is influenced in its growth, ripening and production
of fruit and seeds by all seven planets, as is explained in the text
Plants as the Source of Life
on Earth. However, on the astral-etheric level (where the astral forces
encounter the etheric ones) each main family of grains is influenced by a
specific planet: [12]
- Wheat is influenced by the Sun
- Rice is influenced by the Moon
- Barley is influenced by the Mars
- Millet is influenced by the Mercury
- Rye is influenced by the Jupiter
- Oats is influenced by the Venus
- Maize is influenced by the Saturn
In the case of rice we can easily see that it has a special relationship
with the Moon through the fact that it is the only grain which grows in
water. The relationship between the Moon and water is well known because of
the rhythm of ebb and flow which is influenced by movement of the Moon. The
special relationship of the Sun and wheat is reflected in the golden colour
of ripened fields of wheat. However, for a real understanding of these
supersensible relationships between the planets and grains it is necessary
to became familiar with the principles of
biodynamic farming
and spiritual-scientific forms of observations. Here it is not possible to
do more than to present some basic results of spiritual scientific
investigation in an accessible form.
THE ASTRAL RHYTHM OF the SEVEN DAYS
The weekly succession of the seven days is linked to the seven
planets. This is evident from the names of the days in many languages of the
world. For example, the Latin names for the days of the week are:
[13]
- Sunday: dies Solis (Sun day)
- Monday: dies Lunae (Moon day)
- Tuesday: dies Martis (Mars day)
- Wednesday: dies Mercurii (Mercury day)
- Thursday: dies Jovis (Jupiter day)
- Friday: dies Veneris (Venus day)
- Saturday: dies Saturni (Saturn day)
The question arising here is: Is there any link of these days with the
structure of our solar system? Or: Is the order of the days of the week just
coincidence? If we look at the spatial succession of the planets from the
Earth then we have: Moon, Venus, Mercury, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. However, already the old astronomers noticed that the planets move
with different apparent speeds against the background of the fixed stars.
Nowadays we know that this is due to the various periods of time they need
to orbit around the Sun, or in the case of the Moon to orbit the Earth. Now,
if we take this succession of planetary bodies in time and fold them into a
circle we will get the heptagon (see the left side of the picture). If we
then insert a seven-folded star (heptagram) and follow its lines as shown on
the picture we get the order of the week.
If you follow the days of the week, you can observe the following rhythm
(see the lower part of the main
picture): from the Sun in the centre we get to the Moon, to the
outermost of the inner planets (from the perspective of the Sun); then to
the Mars, the nearest of the outer planets; then to the Mercury, the middle
of the inner planets; then to the Jupiter, to the middle of the outer
planets; then to Venus, to the nearest of the inner planets; and finally to
the Saturn, to the outermost of the outer planets. We can recognise in this
rhythm a very harmonious interchange between inner and outer planets, a kind
of cosmic breathing with inhalations and exhalations of various intensities.
Now, whoever decides to consume the seven grains in accordance with this
rhythm then he or she stimulates their own inner cosmic system in a more
harmonious manner than if the grains are eaten as it happens. The reason
behind this is that "in earlier times, up to about the middle of earth
evolution, all the rhythms in man were much more in harmony with the rhythms
of outer nature. Since that time however, things have shifted. Man's inner
life has emancipated itself from outer rhythm, but he has kept his inner
rhythm. It is just because the outer and inner rhythms do not harmonise that
man has acquired his independence and freedom, otherwise the evolution of
the freedom in the history of mankind would not have been possible. In
earlier times man experienced quite different shades of mood in the course
of seven days. At one time everything outside him made great impression on
him, and at another he lived more in his inner life. At one time he felt
more alive in the world around him and at another time he was more aware of
his own inner feelings. He could perceive quite different shades of feeling
in the astral body because it underwent rhythmic changes in the course of
the seven days." [14]
Rhythms obviously belong to the element of time. According to spiritual
science there exists links between four members of the human organism and
the various cycles of time: [15]
- Ego has a relation with the course of the day (Earth rotation)
- Astral body has a relation with the course of the week (seven planets)
- Etheric body has a relation with the course of the month (Moon)
- Physical body has a relation with the course of the year (Sun)
From these links we can recognise the great importance of the rhythm of the
week for the human astral body. Therefore we can summarize in the following way:
"In order to gain freedom man had to fall away from the original rhythm. But he
has to rediscover now within himself the laws with which to regulate the 'clock',
his astral body. And the great regulator is spiritual science, because it is in
harmony with the great laws of the cosmos." [16] The great
regulator is also the consumption of the seven grains in accordance with the
astral rhythm of the week, because in this case we can see "the wonderful
relationship of the physical body to the whole cosmos and whether through his
digestion the man is setting himself against the cosmic conditions, or placing
himself in harmony with them." [17] Consumption of
the seven grains in accordance with the astral rhythm of the week works in such
a manner that it establishes harmony between our inner cosmic system and the
spiritual forces that are active via the planets of our solar system.
For a complementary perspective see:
♦ BALANCING WITH THE THREEFOLD PLANT
DIETARY CONCLUSIONS & PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS
First we need to look at one modern phenomenon which is in contradiction
with the proposal for the regular consumption of the seven grains. Nowadays
we are witnessing an increasing number of grains intolerances. The most
widespread are gluten sensitivity/intolerance, celiac disease, and
wheat intolerance. In addition "cereals such as wheat, barley, rye, oats,
maize, and rice are reported to elicit allergic reactions."
[18] On the
basis of these facts some nutritional experts have come to the 'logical'
conclusion that consumption of grains should be limited or even avoided
altogether. [19]
However, there are several important factors which contributed to the
modern problems of grains digestibility which are not taken into account by those
who find the 'blame' in the grains themselves. The first factor is the
great
decline of grain quality as the consequence of conventional farming and
modern seed breeding methods with the aim – among others – to contain more
gluten to enable production of sponge-like bread. Another factor is
over-processing of grains, among many harmful
methods we can highlight two:
- refining which causes the great loss of fibres,
minerals and 'vitamins' (i.e. life forces);
- use of flours which are milled in advance (e.g., white wheat flour has
up to one year shelf life), which is significantly contributing to the loss
of life forces in the modern cereal products and consequently to the
weakening of digestive forces of those people who consume such food
regularly.
♣ See FOOD AS SOURCE OF ENERGY
for more detailed explanation of the link between the food vitality and the life
forces of the human being.
If we take into account just these facts of modern food production, we
can understand why some groups of people cannot digest any of the modern
cereal products containing gluten or wheat. On top of this there exists
other reasons for the troubles with grains. Among them is also the fact
that many consumers are eating predominantly one grain, or the most popular
few, such as wheat, rice and oats (in the form of flakes). To many
consumers barley and rye are regarded – if they somehow find their way onto
their plates – 'too heavy', and millet as 'food for the birds'. And maize
is likely predominantly to be in the form of corn flakes and popcorn. Then
it is not strange if the body – which is in all probability due to the
modern life style under constant stress in one way or other – because of
such one-sided consumption of grains starts to struggle to properly digest
specific grain. As
is explained in FOOD AS 'POISON'
we have to overcome the foreign nature of any food we consume and if we
have difficulties with this we get so-called 'food intolerance' – that is,
we can no longer tolerate food which exerts our digestive forces to their
very limits or slightly above them. And when the problem is worsening –
because we didn't resolve the real reasons for our digestive troubles –
then it comes to the next stage, to an allergy to a specific grain. In such
cases our body can no longer prevail against the foreign nature of food we
consume; thus food becomes actually poisonous to our organism and as a
consequence the defence mechanisms of our immune system are set into
action.
Those who are experiencing such troubles need to be aware that excluding
a specific grain or grains for the rest of their life is not a solution, but
a first aid measure. A real long-term solution is when one – with the help
of a professional nutritional adviser and doctor in the case of serious
allergies – strengthens oneself with overall improvements in diet to such a
degree that one will be capable of digesting good-quality grains again. [20] From
this perspective we can see weekly rhythmical intake of seven grains as an
important contribution to the preventive dietary improvements that will
have, of course, wished-for effects only if the issue of the food quality is
taken along with it. In the case of food intolerances which do not need
medical help (e.g. gluten or wheat sensitivity) one could try with the slow
introduction of biodynamic grains and see the difference. But one cannot
expect great results if one does not improve the quality of the all dishes
that one consumes.
Those who do not have special problems with the digestion of the grains
can also benefit from the consumption of all grains in accordance with the
weekly rhythm. This is due to the regular balancing effect on our internal
organs; in this manner we eliminate one-sided stimulation of one or few
organs only. When we consume grains in this manner we have additional
healing effect due to rhythmical daily inbreathing and outbreathing of the
cosmic influences which are constantly streaming down to the earth from the
Sun, Moon and the planets. All this serves as a preventive measure in the
preservation of the balance on the levels of the body, soul and spirit – as
is described in THE ESSENCE OF HUMAN HEALTH – and consequently contributes
to the maintenance of our health and well-being.
♣ For practical guidelines see
WEEKLY RHYTHM OF SEVEN GRAINS.
WARNING: You always have to put the above
practical dietary instructions inside the framework of
GENERAL NUTRITIONAL
GUIDELINES with the aim to know their limits when looking for a solution
of a specific nutritional problem. You also need to be familiar with
THE ROLE OF NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES
with the aim to avoid any one-sided conclusions.
