BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE AS MODERN ALCHEMY

by Jim Barausky

Medicine must not act without the participation of heaven; it must act together with it. Therefore, you must separate the medicine from the earth so it will obey the will of the stars and be guided by them.

— Paracelsus

The Alchemical tradition as practiced in many ancient cultures viewed Nature as a divine being with a creative intelligence. The practice of alchemy was an art, and the alchemist sought to work directly with the guidance of Natura herself. The alchemist had to “stand in the light of nature” to perform the art of alchemy, and thereby learned to transform substance from a denser physical manifestation to an more refined expression of the divine thought or archetype hidden within the outer garment.

The traditional alchemical methods of working with the plants were extractions, distillations and fermentations. Each of these three special processes “opens” the plant and liberates the essence or the spiritual archetype of the plant. The alchemical work always takes place in three stages: separation, purification, and recombination, or the chymical wedding. The resulting preparations, or spagyrics, having been transformed become medicines with highly curative powers. Participation in the process itself also had a profound effect on the alchemist.

Rudolf Steiner, founder of biodynamic agriculture, gave indications for the use of plant extracts and special preparations for agriculture as a method for healing the earth and increasing the life forces of our food. A healthy plant grows between heaven and earth and is an expression of both substances and forces. The practices of biodynamic agriculture reunite the cosmic forces with the earthly forces. It is our task as farmers and gardeners to awaken to our place in the cosmos and to harmonize the plant, mineral, animal and human kingdoms.

For the biodynamic practitioner the earth and the cosmos are perceived as a divine creation permeated with spiritual beings. We extend our awareness towards both the cosmic beings dwelling in the starry realms, as well as the living earth and elemental spirits of fire, earth, air and water. We learn to view outer nature as book whose script is revealed through devoted and reverent observation. Through utilizing the biodynamic preparations in the field and garden, the plant substances are attuned and harmonized with the cosmic rhythms. The plants become more receptive to the world of the stars, and are more aware of their whole environment and their origins. Both genotype and phenotype are active and in balance. Our food becomes imbued with these life forces. This substance bears within it the imprint of this cosmic harmony and when ingested as food or medicine these processes are conveyed to our organism. Through this food we become connected to, and sensitive to, the world around us in a vital way. This enhanced food is the basis of a nutrition that is truly healing.

© Jim Barausky, 2006. All rights reserved.