Anthroposophical Medicine

Anthroposophical medicine, one of the many initiatives launched by Rudolf Steiner, is a holistic approach to healing that entails an in-depth assessment of the fourfold human constitution - wherein the inter-weave of physical, etheric, astral and egoic bodies of the individual are delved into. It’s practitioners are commonly full M.D.s, although there are also naturopaths and other holistic healers who use anthroposophical principles in their practice.

Treatment can entail attention to any or all of the four bodies, often using homeopathic and herbal remedies manufactured by quality-focused companies, such as Weleda Products.

Materialistic science tends to view disease as nothing more than an enemy to eradicate. In contrast, Steiner’s deeper perspective indicates that illnesses are often the cure for a soul condition.

Childhood illnesses can be of great value to an individual’s destiny. Young children have more mutable DNA than adults. Children often incarnate into a body in which they feel does not suit them. In effect, they feel uncomfortable, not-at-home in the body. The spirit of the child which, in its over-lighting wisdom, knows what is best for the child, can use a high fever as a catalyst to transform the DNA so that the body is made more suitable for the individual soul inhabiting it. Immunizations can interfere with this process, resulting in a child having to live with allergies and/or asthma for the rest of its life.

Also, when some illnesses are eradicated for the general population, the pool of human consciousness seeks out new illnesses to fill the gap, so that on a deeper level people can access the challenges and/or conditions needed to complete their quest. Curtailing diphtheria and tetanus, for example, necessitated humanity’s subconscious search for replacement illnesses.

This information does not mean that we stop striving to alleviate suffering. We continue with this, of course, but with greater understanding decisions pertaining to illness can lead to greater overall and long term benefits.
Steiner once relayed the tale of a man who had developed restricted breathing on one side. After an operation the man could breath normally. However, his spirit had actually created the breathing restriction because of a weakness in one of his lungs. The unrestricted breathing that resulted from the operation shortened the man’s life, due to complications in the lung. He would have lived longer had he left his condition as it was.

Extensions of anthroposophical medicine include artistic therapies such as eurhythmy (the science and art of movement to speech and music), music, and painting.

From Wikipedia: “A study of anthroposophic treatment of chronic illness found that Anthroposophic therapies were associated with long-term reduction of chronic disease symptoms, improvement of health-related quality of life, and health cost reduction."
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