Scientific research into the etheric formative forces

From Anthroposophy

The classical four elements represent principles, each with its own laws - see Four kinds of lawfullness (1921-06-24-GA205 and 1921-06-24-GA205),

In the Spectrum of elements and ethers, mineral science only studies the physical mineral element 'earth'. The etheric formative forces represent the next lawfullness and are not part of contemporary Mineral science. That is why the laws of physics and euclidean space (that are very successful to master mineral matter) can not 'explain' the kingdoms of nature, such as the forms and growth laws in the plant kingdom.

For the second element, the study of the etheric has been approached both from an experimental as a mathematical angle. Both have been combined in the study of the life forces of the etheric in the plant kingdom, thus showing that the mathematical framework supports the experimental findings.

See also:

Historical perspective

There is an early document in the essays section that shows how the zeitgeist is pregnant with intuitions, visions and discoveries of this new physics. The below furthers this into the more tangible and concrete.

  • On the vision side: one can not ignore the correlation between the vision of W.B. Yeats, the writings of Walter Russell, or the work of N.A. Kozyrev. It's just that their visions and writings were not so practical.
  • On the discovery side: Barrett, Reich, Keely .. those people did have intuitive guidance regarding their findings which were for them quite real
  • And teachings such as the lectures of Rudolf Steiner or C.G. Harrison allow to integrate all this, whereby Steiner gave many hints for both the theoretical mathematical framework as the experimental domain.
  • In the last century, work has been done in both these domains and this page provides a concise overview.

Note it is important that one maintains a certain openness in this developing area, that can be compared with the development of modern physics from the 16th to 19th century. See also the section 'More pointers' below.

Milestones

Although a lot of work has been done and is going on, and it requires in depth study to be able to grasp and position all that, we can list certain milestones in the work on the formative forces that provide foundations for others to build on.

On the experimental side: three milestones would be a) the Lily Kolisko experiments (1923) b) the various picture forming methods, and c) the work by Lawrence Edwards (1993).

On the mathematical and conceptual explanatory side then, look into the work of George Adams and Nick Thomas to apply a clear new way of thinking to bring the mathematical framework of projective geometry and path curves to the study of the etheric formative forces. Thomas' last book 'Space and Counterspace' (2008) proposes an amazing integrative framework that explains or could explain many things.

It's only when having studied this deeply that it is advised to go back and try to comprehend the writings of Walter Russell.

Mathematical framework

See: Mathematics of the etheric for a description of synthetic or projective geometry and path curves to describe the peripheral nature of formative forces and the concepts of 'suction' and 'counterspace'.

Experimental research

The table below gives an overview of different areas of research, their effects and applications. Some names are given as a starting reference if you want to do further personal study.

1/ General

.

2/ In the category of research focusing on the plant kingdom - see Overview on etheric research and the plant kingdom

  • plant forms in nature (a.o. L. Edwards, G. Calderwood, J. Blackwood, but also J. Bockemühl, W. Schad, E.M. Kranich and F. Julius)
  • effect of moon on crops and biodynamic agriculture (a.o. R. Hauschka, E. Pfeiffer, M. Thun, H. Spiess)
  • effect of zodiacal influences on plant growth (a.o. J. Schultz, S. Vetter, W. Findeisen), see Research into zodiacal influences

.

3/ Furthermore:

  • water research and flow forms in nature (a.o. V. Schauberger, T. Schwenk, J. Wilkes)
  • cymatics or the study of visible sound and vibrational phenomena (how sound waves generate special geometries, most known as Chladni figures) (a.o. Hans Jenny, A. Lauterwasser)
  • (pan)eurythmy as movements of the human etheric body: Eurythmy was as introduced by Rudolf Steiner in 1911, paneurythmy was introduced by Beinsa Douno in 1922 (a.o. A. Stott)
    • not just as an art form but also therapeutic eurythmy
    • eurythmic effect on plant and crop growth (a.o. T. Baumgartner)

.

The above list is not exhaustive, there are other areas but these are less validated (to be regarded as more experimental than established).

And as this is just a listing without saying how it hangs of fits together, more context is given on this page with an overview on etheric research and the plant kingdom.

Regarding contacts today if you need a starting point, here are a number of teams doing research on the etheric with a broader scope (of course there lots of initiatives exist focusing on a single one of the above)

More pointers

Below follow some pointers to more research 'beyond traditional physics' into the field of the etheric formative forces. It comes with a disclaimer.

For some, it is not always clear whether certain work is a valid or a misguided approach. Therefore it is slightly unfortunate to have to list some of them here without further qualification nor judgement as a 'mixed bag' (the first last as an example of controversial much debated work). In any case each of them is interesting enough to be worthy of further investigation, if only as an exercise to practice personal study and assessment skills of discernment and intuition to form one's own judgement and opinion.

In the below, some of the sources have followed leads that have been mentioned or hinted at by eg Rudolf Steiner (sensitive flames, Keely engine, Strader apparatus), others followed their own findings and intuitions (eg Reich, Kozyrev). The language spoken is often very different, and - as usual - people go out of their zone in this research. That may lead to some not very sensible aspects that erode credibility, or cause other more sceptical people to trash the whole work, but it doesn't mean that perhaps these researchers were 'on to something'.

  • sensitive flames research (a.o. W.F. Barrett, P.E. Schiller) - see Hints of future etheric force technology
  • etheric energy research (a.o. E. Dollard, D. Pond (Sympathic Vibratory Physics), Paul Emberson researched the work of Keely and Tesla, as well as the Strader apparatus). Note: that sensitive flames research is linked to cymatics, vibrational research and the Keely engine, as illustrated by the 1916-06-20-GA169 quote, see Hints of future etheric force technology#1916-06-20-GA169).
  • the work on 'orgone accumulators' and weather research (Wilhelm Reich, Charles R. Kelley, James DeMeo)
  • weather engineering (e.g. T.J. Constable)
  • the work on so-called 'torsion fields' (as initiated by N.A. Kozyrev)

Other

Where to draw the line?

Running the risk of endangering or eroding credibility of all the above, it is true that there are other areas where one looks for explanations beyond the current scientific paradigms. A good example of such is Dowsing: no doubt it worked and works as a faculty for some people, but definitely not for all.

Illustrations

Schema FMC00.572 is a sampler with a selection of introductory books to get started on the study of the elements and ethers and formative forces.

Upper row, from left, the theosophical book by Rama Prasad referenced by Rudolf Steiner, then two books by Gunther Wachsmuth (not undebated), three booklets by Ernst Marti and one by Iwer Thor Lorenzen. Lorenzen book has been translated in English by the FMC project.

Second row from left, foundational books by George Adams and Olive Whicher, on projective geometry, as applied the study of the plant kingdom, then building on that, the exciting work that by Lawrence Lawrence Edwards and Nick Thomas.

Note: this overview was uploaded at the very start of this FMC wiki on 15-Mar-2020 but as it had a separate filename, it has now been put into a Schema for consistency on the site.

FMC00.572.jpg

Lecture coverage and references

2016 - Barry Lia

in article 'Vitality and Quality as seen trough Picture Forming Methods', published in Biodynamics, Spring/Summer 2016

Images form in the Drop Picture Method (DPM) in a dynamic series after every one of forty drops of ultrapure water strike the surface of a glycerin solution which incorporates the sample. The percussive action of the drops sets up flow channels and vortices in rosette patterns.

There are two methods utilizing capillary action.

  • In the Pfeiffer Circular Chromatography Method (PCM), extracts are absorbed from a central wick through horizontal filter paper previously impregnated with a silver nitrate reagent.
  • In the “rising picture” or Capillary Dynamolysis Method (CDM), on the other hand, the silver nitrate reagent rises up through a cylinder of filter paper previously impregnated with the sample extract, followed yet again by an iron sulfate reagent to “fix” the silver products, as with photographic “developer.”

There are also two evaporative crystallization methods.

  • In the Copper Chloride Crystallization Method (CCM), sometimes called biocrystallization, extracts mixed with a defined copper chloride solution are allowed to slowly evaporate in a flat dish under controlled conditions, yielding a crystallization pattern image.
  • In the Droplet Evaporation Method (DEM), individual sample droplets are allowed to evaporate directly on a slide, and the resulting crystal patterns are examined under a microscope.

Discussion

Chrystallography - growth of chrystals

Related pages

Specific methods

References and further reading

General

On the internet

Picture forming methods

  • Martin Rozumek/Haijo Knijpenga: Bildschaffende Methoden - Fragen und Potentiale. (2004)
  • Uwe Geier: 'Ebenen der Auswertung in den Bildschaffenden Methoden' (2005, article)
  • Barry Lia:'Vitality and Quality as seen trough Picture Forming Methods' (2016, article published in Biodynamics, Spring/Summer 2016)

On the internet

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