Broken Vessels

Today a great deal is written about holistic medicine as an approach to healing that integrates body, mind, and spirit. In these lectures, given to a mixed audience of doctors and priest-theologians, Rudolf Steiner renews the ancient tradition of “pastoral medicine,” which involved the working together of trained physicians with those having the care of the patient's soul and spirit. He shows that healing is not possible unless it takes into account the invisible as well as the visible dimensions that make up a human being. Until we begin to understand these dimensions of ourselves real health will be hard to attain.

To meet inner frailty with truly adequate concepts, Steiner describes in this book specific inner structures of both health and unhealthy states that escape ordinary perception. Addressing topics ranging from sleepwalking to psychosis to the visions of St. Teresa of Avila, he suggests how to approach the misalignments of nonstandard inner structures and other psychic difficulties with what he calls “pastoral medicine” — a truly holistic healing that can bring body and soul together, and help them function in the most effective and powerful way.

“Rudolf Steiner reveals something about the invisible structure of health and illness as they are seen with the second sight of spiritual research. … His comments about the opening to spiritual worlds that can accompany severe mental retardation or illness foreshadow some of the most important alternative psychiatry of our own times. He anticipates elements in the work of R. D. Laing, the Windhorse movement of Podvall, and also the new practice of ‘facilitated communication’ whereby some autistic patients have been aided in expressing a full and conscious inner life to which their bizarre outward behavior gives no clue.”

— from the foreword by Michael Lipson, Ph.D.

Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) became a respected and well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, particularly known for his work on Goethe's scientific writings. He developed his earlier philosophical principles into an approach to methodical research of psychological and spiritual phenomena that has led to innovative and holistic approaches in medicine, philosophy, religion, education, science, agriculture, and the arts. He founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which has branches throughout the world.

Holistic Healing
$25.00 Canada: $38.00
Anthroposophic Press
www.anthropress.org
Cover Design: Otherworld Productions
www.1otherworld.com