When Healing Becomes Educating, Vol. 2 - Waldorf Research Institute

of na ture. The astral body at night, the astral body in its spiritual reality,
commands a view of the totality. The separate entities become “legible” in
their mutual relationship. The astral body notices what is lacking in the
lacuna, observes the tone in the totality of the surrounding world which
can bring the disharmony back into harmony. For the astral body is our
“relational body.” It is known from phenomenological studies that it is
fruitful to study not one plant but two together, e.g., an oak and a beech. The
reason is that it turns out that the two plants throw light on one another. A
direct con versation can develop between the two plants. An interval sounds.
A music. For the astral body is also our musical body. That is why it is a good
idea when studying remedies to try to start from the totality of a particular
area. Not to study one metal, but always this metal in its relationship to
the other six. One will discover that Rudolf Steiner very often applies this
method of working. He will seldom speak of lead without dealing with silver
as well.
In the eighth lecture of the Course for Young Doctors he deals with the
triad of lead-gold-silver. With silica the polar activity of calcium is brought
in at the same time. Twenty years ago in the doctors’ circle we discussed
plant families with Bernard Lievegoed: the labiates, the solanaceae. The
in dividual members of the family became clear only when one sets them
be side their brothers and sisters. Only then did the genius of a Solanum
dulcamara, for instance, become visible—or rather “audible.” It turned out
to be the Mercury of the solanaceae.
Everything that is practiced in the manner during the day is preparation
for the night. It is as it were the entry-permit for the kingdom of the night,
where our astral body sees everything in a different light and can perceive
in its totality whatever we have tried to establish a preliminary relationship
with during the day. Then the will to heal (Heilerwille) comes into being. It
is not unimportant for us to consciously involve the night in our life in this
way.
For only by this means does it become possible to execute the third step.
The step to therapy proper.
Intuition
The diagnosis is found by imagination. Inspiration gives access to the
kingdom of the remedies. Intuition establishes the connection between
diag nosis and remedy and leads to therapy.
Just as inspiration is possible through the feeling that lives in the astral
body, so has intuition to do with the will and the Ego. During intuition
the will becomes an organ of observation. And the will is an expression of
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