Riddle of America, The - Waldorf Research Institute

Effects of Geography on the Physical BodyIn The Mission of the Folk Souls, Rudolf Steiner states that every geographicalregion has not only a physical, but also a psychic and spiritual,topography or aura. This aura is the sphere of activity for the folk spirit.In America one does not find oneself only in the midst of nature; one findsoneself constantly confronting nature. Nature appears to face human beingsas a power, a creative force, that forms and transforms their entire being—even to the point that it influences their physical structure.In dealing with the threefold nature of the world, one has to cometo grips with many levels of geographical phenomena. On one level are theforces connected with the earth itself. These can be observed by their influenceon the geography and the life forms of a particular spot on the earth.The land influences people, culture, physical proportions, and moods.Sociologists have observed that certain evolutionary changes ofbodily structure are to be found in successive generations of immigrants toNorth America, regardless of national or racial origin. 3The changes are:• The arms and hands achieve a greater length like the NativeAmerican Indians’.• The facial structure becomes particularized, characterized by abroadening of the lower jaw.• The head becomes more oval.The continent of North America is thus forging a unique physiology.In general, the individuality can be characterized as youthful and emotionallyvital. It has strong will-forces, is altruistic, playful, able to laugh at itself,and able to ask questions without inhibition. The shadow side is that it isaggressive, materialistic, competitive, and overly concerned with powerand control.A Continental Imagination of a Living Earth from East to WestThe East has a fertile coastal plain. Streaming up the East Coast fromthe Gulf of Mexico is the Gulf Stream. It joins itself with the North EquatorialCurrent between Florida and the Bahamas, where it sends more water flowper second than all the rivers of the world together empty into the ocean.This current warms the entire East Coast and creates fertile fishing centerslike the Grand and Stellwagen Banks. It then flows across to Iceland andNorway, curves toward Scotland into the Inner Hebrides, and concludes27