The Rudolf Steiner Archive

41. How to Understand Illness and Death—Raising Children in the Light of Theosophy—Blood Is a Very Special Fluid

[ 1 ] Article in the Generalanzeiger supplement of the “Münchner Neueste Nachrichten”, November 1906

[ 2 ] Theosophical Lectures. At Café Luitpold, Dr. Rudolf Steiner from Berlin gave three theosophical lectures. In the first, he addressed the topic: “How Do We Understand Illness and Death?” After a general introduction to theosophical views on the human being, the relationship between inner life and spiritual forces and the physical body, and their gradual manifestation at various stages of life, the speaker explained how the saying holds true: “Nature invented death in order to have abundant life.” In further remarks on illness, the speaker sought to illustrate how, in the disease process, the life force attempts to overcome the disruptive forces of the external world—the pathogens—and how the disease process can thus serve to make people increasingly immune and strengthen them against the harmful influences of the environment. From his perspective, the speaker also discussed, among other things, the effects of toxins on the body and touched on the field of psychotherapy by pointing out how a developed mind can have a healing effect on the body.

[ 3 ] In the second lecture, the speaker sought to clarify the principles of a theosophical approach to child-rearing, building on his remarks regarding the development of the human being. The first seven years of life must naturally be devoted to the development of the physical body; one must, in particular, seek to influence the child’s senses during this period. The educator must take into account the child’s particularly strong instinct to imitate. From the age of seven until the onset of puberty, however, the educator must act authoritatively in order to strengthen the child’s character, to establish a firm foundation of good habits within the child, and to imbue the child’s memory with the body of knowledge necessary for life. Only after the development of judgment in the subsequent stage of life can one begin to move away from authoritative guidance and work toward fostering the young person’s self-determination.

[ 4 ] In the third lecture, the speaker addressed the topic: “Blood is a very special fluid” (Faust). He believed this passage should be interpreted to mean that Goethe was actually referring to the significance of blood for the human organism and its relationship to the forces of the external world surrounding it—specifically, the ancient belief that influence over a person’s blood confers a certain dominion over the person themselves and their inner life. Furthermore, he sought to explain how cultural issues are connected to questions of blood, particularly in the context of blood mixing. The lecture, which was well received, was followed by a lengthy discussion.