presented at the 1997 East Coast Biodynamic Conference on October 4, 1997
(for conference info, contact Allan Balliett, POB 3047, Sheperdstown, WV 25443)
[Jennifer Greene addressed the general session at 11:30
am on Saturday in the Octagon. By this time, most attendees had
already experienced the enchanting rhythm of Jennifer's tri-level
waterform in the exhibit hall (the "Bristlecone Flowform
Cascade").
Drawing upon the rich heritage of water research by Theodor
Schwenck and others, Jennifer inspired and moved the group with
words and pictures that showed how cosmic forces find expression
in substance through the medium of water. She explained how potentization
(the desired result of stirring Biodynamic preparations) is the
complementary process by which preparations become infused with
cosmic forces.
This account of Jennifer Greene's presentation was compiled
from memory, supported by several hours of study with one of her
primary sources, "The Basis of Potentization Research"
by Theodor Schwenk.]
Water -- what do we know about this wonderful substance?
An envelope of water encircles the earth like a blanket. The oceans,
lakes and streams of our world are connected by water vapor in
the atmosphere, creating a huge, living sheath within which all
life finds its home. Water plays an important role in every life
process, from circulation and respiration down to the activities
of a single cell.
Very few natural substances can absorb as much heat as
water. This turns out to be most significant in terms of rendering
the earth a suitable place in which to live. The oceans in tropic
zones absorb massive quantities of heat and transport it through
currents into cooler regions, where it is released. In the same
fashion cold ocean currents flow from the poles, resulting in
a grand mixing and moderation of temperatures across much of the
globe.
A similar process takes place in the atmosphere, where
huge quantities of latent heat, stored in the process of evaporation,
are released again as a result of condensation and cloud formation.
The circulation of heat and moisture over vast distances in the
atmosphere maintains a balance of climactic conditions which is
essential to life.
When we probe deeper into the mysteries of water, even
more wonderful properties are revealed. Water responds to heating
with the greatest increase in warmth at precisely 37 degrees C,
or 98.6 degrees F. It is no coincidence that the thermal regulatory
processes of the human body seek this very same temperature. Here
is clear evidence of the close link between water's physical properties
and the evolution of life on earth.
But there is still more. Water reaches its greatest density
at 4 degrees C. When cooled below that point it begins to expand
again, so that the solid form is less dense than the liquid. By
this principal ice forms on the top of lakes and ponds, thereby
insulating the water below from further cooling. This wonderful
property is essential for preserving life through the natural
seasons of the year.
In the oceans, this unique variation of density results
in a constant circulation between the surface and the great ocean
depths, thoroughly mixing the salinity and mineral contents so
as to maintain a healthy balance. Here we see again that water's
unique physical properties are closely linked to the development
of life on earth.
Beyond all the wonderful physical and chemical properties
of water, a whole new dimension emerges once we add motion. Water
in motion has a tendency to form shapes and patterns. Many of
us are familiar with the patterns that result when a pebble is
dropped into a pool of still water. Circular ripples flow outward
from the point of impact, reflecting back whenever they meet an
obstruction.
Water flowing quickly through a narrow place develops ridges
and patterns that appear to be standing still. The water is actually
rushing past and through the patterns, yet they seem to remain
stationary. This phenomenon is known as a "standing wave."
It is one example of how water has the ability to reveal patterns
and designs that are distinct but separate from the water itself.
When you look at a single drop of water, it is smooth and
featureless. Yet under the proper conditions intricate and beautiful
patterns emerge. In the heart of winter, moisture from the air
becomes a thin tracing of ice on a window, a delicate signature
of amazing complexity. Where do these patterns come from? Are
they stored somewhere, unseen, within a drop of liquid water?
We now believe that water acts as a medium of expression
for patterns and forces that originate outside the physical universe.
In other words, the idea of a snowflake exists somewhere else,
in some greater or higher realm than we normally experience, awaiting
the necessary conditions that will permit its formation here in
the physical world.
Through careful observation and photography, the formative
properties of water in motion are revealed in exquisite detail.
By injecting a stream of dyed water into a clear tank of still
water, the most wonderful patterns can be captured on film.
(At this point Jennifer Greene showed an amazing series of slides taken of patterns that emerged when a metered jet of dyed water was injected into a tank. Many of the formative shapes of life could be observed in the patterns. For example, the form of the human larynx was clearly visible, as were other several other parts of human anatomy. At one moment a whispered awe swept through the crowd -- clearly visible and unmistakable was the dual image of a human fetus at 8 weeks! Many of the slides from Jennifer's presentation were taken from a book entitled "Sensitive Chaos," by Theodor Schwenck.)
All of this evidence demonstrates the role of water as
a medium through which cosmic forces find their expression in
the physical world. To understand better how this process works,
one needs to study the characteristics of water in motion. Specifically,
we will examine the archetypical form of water in motion known
as the vortex.
Like other material substances, liquid water is strongly
influenced by gravity. It always fills the bottom of containers
and seeks to flow downhill to the lowest possible elevation. The
influence of gravity is compression or contraction; a tendency
to reduce volume until the smallest point is reached.
But liquid water also exhibits the opposite tendency. We
see upward forces expressed in the phenomena known as buoyancy.
Water tends to form curved surfaces which bulge outward due to
surface tension. In the lowlands where the influence of gravity
is less intense, streams turn back on themselves as if they were
striving to form a spherical shape. This tendency towards expansion
and periphery we call the cosmic, or spiritual, polarity.
Using the terminology of spiritual science, the tendency
toward compression and contraction is called the earthly or material
polarity. The opposite tendency, that of expansion and periphery,
is called the cosmic, or spiritual polarity. Water exhibits both
earthly and cosmic tendencies.
It turns out that most life processes take place on surfaces,
which may be thought of as the intersection between the earthly
and cosmic realms. For example, respiration, nutrient exchange,
and mitosis all involve surfaces. Most of the organs in the human
body manifest their activity along surfaces.
When a container of water is shaken or stirred, it tends
to progress through three stages of motion. Initially the water
is relatively still. Then, as the motion increases, turbulence
or chaos sets in. If the motion increases further still, the chaos
gives way to a symmetrical form known as the vortex.
The vortex is a circular, spinning pattern of fluid motion.
Unlike a solid object, where the greatest velocity occurs at the
outer edge, the vortex exhibits the opposite tendency. The greatest
velocity occurs at the center, where the spinning motion translates
into a new direction, creating an open space of light and air.
The water seems to slip along itself, so that each minute portion
is moving at a different speed. We can describe this behavior
as the formation of internal surfaces, two dimensional regions
where water slides along itself.
When turbulence or chaos gives way to vortex, a huge amount
of internal surfaces are created. Taking the thickness of a soap
bubble as our standard of measurement, we find that a vortex of
one cubic centimeter contains several hundred square meters of
internal surfaces. By comparison, the internal surfaces in an
800 page dictionary total about 32 square meters.
We believe that the internal surfaces created by water
in motion are like doorways through which cosmic forces flow into
the earthly realm. These forces are responsible for the creation
of life and the formation of living tissues. As we saw in the
patterns created in the tank, the design of complex organs is
stored somewhere outside of the earthly realm, ready for manifestation
through the motion of watery fluid. A book entitled "The
Bio-kinetic Development of the Human Organism" shows a human
heart being formed by the motion of blood in an embryo.
In fact, we may say that all substances are created by
these life-forming processes. Even sedimentary rocks were once
living things, and the process of crystallization (by which igneous
rocks are formed) is often thought to be a living process.
Consider the process of creation in graphical form:
Cosmic Forces --> Rhythm --> Life(in water) --> Matter
Based on indications given by Rudolf Steiner, many biodynamic
growers believe that the dilution and rhythmic stirring of the
preparations causes them to become infused with cosmic forces.
When these preparations are sprayed onto the field, the cosmic
forces are thereby transferred and the vitality of crops enhanced.
The process of dilution and rhythmic stirring is called
"potentization." The same technique is used to prepare
homeopathic remedies, in which minute quantities of substance
are diluted to successively higher levels of potency (note: homeopathic
remedies are shaken, not stirred, but the principle is the same).
In biodynamics and homeopathy there is plenty of empirical evidence
that potentization imparts special qualities to the solution being
treated. The actual mechanism involved has been difficult to comprehend.
Based on our investigations of water, we gain an understanding
of what exactly happens during potentization:
1. By diluting a substance in water, we cause it to expand and disperse. This action mimics the tendency of cosmic forces, to expand outwards toward the periphery. It suggests that the essential qualities of the earthly substance are made more cosmic. At a minimum, we could say that the substance is spread quite thinly into the water.
2. By applying rhythmic motion through stirring or shaking, huge internal surfaces are created in the water, over and over again. We believe that such surfaces allow cosmic forces to flow into earthly realms.
3. The influx of cosmic forces combines with the essence of the original substance in a synergistic way. We might say that the vibrational characteristics of the substance are imprinted into the water.
4. The result is a highly charged and potent preparation which bears the vibrational characteristics of the substance.
Consider the process of potentization in graphical form:
Matter --> Medium(water) --> Rhythm --> Cosmic Forces
Now compare the graph of potentization with that of creation:
Potentization is nothing less than the complement to creation! By diluting and stirring the biodynamic preparations, we are actually converting earthly substances into cosmic forces which convey vitality to our fields and crops.
1. Water is a remarkable substance that is uniquely suited to support life on earth.
2. The process of creation is "downward-flowing," from the cosmos into earthly realms, through the medium of water.
3. Potentization is an "upward-flowing" process, fueled by human intent and effort, from the earthly realm back to the cosmic realm.
4. Based on our understanding of creation and potentization, and on empirical data regarding the effectiveness of the biodynamic preparations, we conclude that water is the mediator of forces between cosmos and soil.
"The Basis of Potentization Research," by Theodor Schwenck
"Sensitive Chaos," by Theodor Schwenck
"The Inner Realities of Evolution," by Rudolf Steiner
"The Bio-kinetic Development of the Human Organism," (author unknown)
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