The Rudolf Steiner Archive

12. The Health Craze in the Light of Spiritual Science

[ 1 ] Today’s discussion is a sort of continuation of what we were only able to touch on in broad, sketchy terms yesterday—a topic of great importance. While yesterday we spoke of the obsession with illness, today we will focus on something that appears to be quite similar: the obsession with health.

[ 2 ] There are so many things available today to maintain or promote good health. Here’s an example: A friend who felt overworked went to a sanatorium to rest. He showed me a schedule of his daily activities there. Every hour was filled with something different. So I asked him, “When have you had more to do—now, or during your regular work hours?”

[ 3 ] Everyone seeks to find health, and the ways to achieve it are constantly changing; even experts admit this. It makes no difference whether someone tries to do so through “Christian Science” or non-Christian means. No one can be blamed for seeking health. The only question is: [What is] the right way? Is this “feverish” search for health really justified?

[ 4 ] Let me use an analogy. There are two ways to pursue prosperity. One is to acquire prosperity in order to have the opportunity to serve others. It is different, however, when one accumulates money for money’s sake. Then it does not fulfill its purpose in the world. In a similar way, the pursuit of health becomes an end in itself and thus becomes the enemy of health. The underlying reason for this is that people today are no longer aware that a spiritual world exists. However, it is not enough to know the seven fundamental parts of the human being. It remains mere theory if it is not put into practice.

[ 5 ] What good is it to seek only one’s health? Does anyone today think to ask about the etheric or astral body in order to verify the suitability of a food? Today, diet is often discussed from a purely materialistic point of view. Today we want to approach this from the perspective of spiritual science.

[ 6 ] We must realize that the physical body is merely a chemical structure. What is the function of the etheric body? When we study plants, we can see the many stages through which a form of existence repeats itself, how the same species reappears year after year. Repetition is the essence of the forces present in the etheric body. Sameness—or partial sameness and partial variation—lies at the foundation of the principle of the etheric body. In humans, an organ undergoes change only gradually. You can observe this in the human spine, where the ring-shaped bones of the spine gradually change all the way up to the vertebrae in the head, where they enclose the brain. This repetition is interrupted by the forces of the astral body. The astral body must limit these forces and therefore gives rise to pleasure and pain. This hindrance gives rise to sensation in animals and humans.

[ 7 ] We simply have to distinguish between animals and humans. Humans have, so to speak, a two-part astral body; humans have a body permeated by an “I.” Because humans have a two-part astral body, they can be subject to entirely different symptoms of illness than animals.

[ 8 ] What must the physical body possess in order to be perfect? It must be able to carry out physical and chemical processes correctly. The etheric body must express its power; it must reproduce and bring forth anew. If it cannot do so, it will be the source of illness. The astral body is the source of pleasure, suffering, and joy. Every elevated state of mind also reflects the healthy state of the etheric body. Just as the etheric body is healthy only when it can produce, so too is the astral body healthy only when it is capable of experiencing comfort and pleasure. These three elements must harmonize with one another.

[ 9 ] I would like to use an example to show you how animals and humans differ from one another. Animals—such as lions, tigers, and monkeys—have an astral body from which no part can be removed or transformed. In humans, however, transformation takes place continuously. The part shaped by the ego must be placed in the proper relationship to these lower members. Culture transforms human beings; animals cannot step outside their living conditions because their astral bodies have a fixed form. Human beings must reshape everything from their ego, and this has an effect on them in return. Monkeys are healthy in the wild; they cannot tolerate captivity—they develop tuberculosis. Why? Because their astral body has a specific form and cannot adapt to artificial conditions. If human beings were in the same situation, a civilized state of existence would be impossible. How must human beings act within their culture? They must find ways for their astral body to exert a reciprocal influence on their other two bodies: the etheric and the physical body.

[ 10 ] Let us begin here by considering external facts. Science—and this is a good thing—proceeds by means of microscopic examinations. I would like to mention a few connections from the perspective of spiritual science. The human being consists of soft tissues that gradually give way to muscles, cartilage, and bones. Lower animals have only soft tissues. The cartilage is there so that bone tissue can form. In the course of development, this ossification process has been initiated. Ossification in humans is very important; it is a disadvantage if it does not reach its proper goal. Osteogenesis in humans is completed by the seventh year. From then on, a new phase of life begins. From birth onward, the body must undergo osteogenesis in the proper way; the soft tissues must recede. If a person’s organism is such that it cannot build sufficiently into this etheric body, this is most dramatically evident in the teeth; they become defective. However, this is not limited to the teeth. Something is amiss with the etheric body. Poor teeth and puerperal fever are connected.

[ 11 ] Human development must continue to progress. In animals, development comes to a halt. Six thousand years ago, human brains were structured quite differently—and so was bone formation. The change may seem small, but it is very significant for the human being. Development is linked to ossification. All human beings experience a certain struggle within their own bodies—those who are spiritually trained can see this: the soft tissues strive to hold back ossification. Wherever something is amiss, you see this tendency toward softening—rickets. Here, a certain principle necessary for development is being bypassed.

[ 12 ] This is also the case with something else—the external manifestations are of no concern to us in relation to the spiritual: the disease form known as tuberculosis. Here, so to speak, a “leap” or “snap” has taken place. The process of hardening is a genuine principle, only here it has been distorted into an extreme.

[ 13 ] The following is an important consequence: Human beings must adapt to the cultural process, even though this adaptation may veer in one direction or the other. What are pathogens? They are linked to the process of progress, which is a source of pathogens. In this regard, the ego must find the right balance. As a trained occultist, one can specify what should happen there so that no accumulation of forces takes place. The human organism is not suited to returning to natural conditions; to do so, the human being would have to deny the process of civilization.

[ 14 ] Now I want to make a categorical statement: What matters is not combating the causes of illness, but rather strengthening people so they can endure these states of illness, and creating the most favorable conditions possible for them to transform their lives. If a person has lost a hand, one must offer them the opportunity to live as well as possible with this disability, provided they are otherwise healthy and strong. There is a standard that is necessary for the self. Here I am referring to vegetarianism.

[ 15 ] It is quite all right for a person to live this way, but it is only a stopgap. In the true, occult sense, there is only one reason, and that is this: one cannot eat meat. People eat this way without understanding, without doing so with reverence in the sense of occult science. Gorging oneself is as un-occult as it gets. One should savor food while reflecting on how it arises in nature and the path it took to reach maturity. Then one eats spiritually. It is not a matter of simply introducing a certain amount of matter into the body. A person must eat with soul and spirit: the leaf and [the] herb have been bathed in sunlight, the root has sunk into the earth, and so on. Harmony arises when one eats thoughtfully. It is non-occult to view matter simply as matter. Matter is condensed spirit. It is a good thing when people pray before eating, acknowledging that the Divine is present within it, that one is eating the spirit of the world. This gives rise to a feeling of elevation.

[ 16 ] There is a certain point in occult knowledge where one comes to understand the nature of becoming flesh; at that point, one can no longer eat it—it is repulsive—because one recognizes what flesh is. What matters is an uncorrupted sense of taste. Animals possess this; humans must first reclaim it. What is healthy for them must evoke pleasure and enjoyment, while what is harmful must evoke revulsion. Humans will learn what they must have.

[ 17 ] All this feverish pursuit of externally imposed rules and laws stands in contradiction to a truly healthy outlook on life. If sunbathing is truly enjoyable to someone, then it is beneficial to them. If someone travels south, they may experience short-term success. But what matters is creating living conditions that fill a person with pleasure and comfort. Pleasure is the creator; it restores balance to what has been thrown out of balance in the astral body. A healthy sense of well-being must be achieved. Asceticism does not do the trick. What matters is what brings a person comfort. If people feel at ease frequenting dive bars, it does no good to drag them out of there. One must ensure that they no longer feel at ease there. If the spiritual satisfies us, then we belong in the spiritual realm. If we wish to promote health, we must teach people to find comfort, pleasure, and joy in the spiritual.

[ 18 ] We can nurture the etheric body by stimulating creative power. After the age of seven, we should be careful not to give the child concepts, but rather images; these stimulate the imagination. Religious writings, which have a thousandfold meaning, make the child creative. Let artistic creations influence a child: the Laocoön, a statue of Zeus, Pallas Athena, and the like; later, have them read classical works. How this stimulates the diversity of thought! How much has been written about Goethe’s *Faust*, and how varied those interpretations are! Thank God that we can debate it, that each person can still find something special in it. Where there is free, intellectual movement, there is invigorating power. Everything must awaken our feelings. Let us exercise, let us move outdoors—everything that promotes my health must awaken the feeling within us: I am becoming strong; I am growing.

[ 19 ] That is how captivating the Greek games were [in the past]; even the entire audience was drawn into that experience. What a vivid sense of space Michelangelo had! Consider how the space is arranged in the [Sistine] Chapel in Rome, how the paintings are adapted to the spatial conditions, and how they harmonize with the towering ceiling. When one experiences the artwork in this way, the etheric body is transformed.

[ 20 ] Here I would like to refer to sunbathing. It is useful only insofar as it evokes a sense of well-being and joie de vivre within us. We must perceive the sun’s energy as a life-giving force.

[ 21 ] We would live much healthier lives if we brought the sense of growth into harmony with our lives. We should go where we are drawn to go and do what makes us feel inspired. We promote health best when it is not an end in itself and when we seek out what awakens a sense of joy and pleasure in being. We must seek to transform people so that they adapt to their circumstances. Ultimately, we must reach a point where people themselves can be the standard for their own health. The more independent and free they are, the better. The more we seek to view people as they are, the better it is for us. If we are able to help people become full of joy for life, then we are truly working for their health. We should think like Paracelsus, who says: “The physician must be an artist who considers each individual case on its own merits.”

[ 22 ] One must recognize the conditions of life that extend beyond life itself. In this way, our contemplation directs us toward the spirit, and we come to realize that theosophy is something profoundly transformative and will serve humanity.

[ 23 ] Q&A

[Questions not recorded.]

[ 24 ] Answer: As a rule, coffee has an immediate stimulating effect; over time, however, it has a weakening effect. It promotes logical thinking; one thought is developed, and another follows logically from it. It is only natural, for example, that a journalist frequents cafes; in fact, his ideas come to him while drinking coffee.

[ 25 ] Drinking tea does not cause thoughts to become fixed, but rather makes them leap about, putting witty people in the mood for humor. It is the diplomat’s drink. However, its effects vary among different peoples. The Russians are still a youthful people; tea affects them differently than it does older peoples. Smoking tobacco has little effect on occult training. In fact, the smoke even helps drive away elemental beings.

[ 26 ] Alcohol is poison for occult training.

[ 27 ] Milk promotes life; although it comes from animals, the process of milk production follows a very unique path.

[ 28 ] Meat has a withering effect, because meat is a product of decay. Anyone who eats pork is truly partaking in some of the pig’s nature; in doing so, they are eating the whole pig.

[ 29 ] When we eat fish, we are eating—and enjoying—the entire animal kingdom.

Question: Didn't monks—who, after all, received occult training in the monasteries—enjoy plenty of fish?

[ 30 ] Answer: That was back in the old days, when the monks also drank wine—they drank a lot of it. Occult teachings change over time, too.

[Question not recorded.]

[ 31 ] Answer: If children feel like eating meat, let them eat it. But eventually, all of humanity will evolve to the point where we no longer eat meat. One should not speculate about works of art—that is mere pondering or musing; they must simply have an effect on us.