Anthroposophic Medicine

Anthroposophic medicine is an extension of conventional medical practice. As Rudolf Steiner (1860-1925), the founder of anthroposophy, once put it, anthroposophy is a way of schooling oneself and gaining knowledge. It seeks to unite the spiritual element in us with the spiritual element in the natural world. The differences between the anthroposophic view of the human being and the conventional modern view can be seen if we make the following comparison:

One kind of remedy frequently offered by AM is the homeopathic remedy, which is not surprising since classical homeopathy is rooted in vitalism, as is Steiner's philosophy. Like homeopathy, AM also features a highly individualized treatment of each patient. However, since Steiner believed in reincarnation, an AM doctor has to try to figure out "the particular state of soul and spirit"* of the patient in regard to its many lives, past, present, and future.

Steiner believed the model for the human body should be of a 3-part system: we takes things in, we put things out, and some things we keep constant by rhythm. The senses take things in; we excrete things; and we breathe and our blood circulates. We have a cooling/hardening system, the senses and nerves, centered in the head and spinal column. We have a heating/softening system, a reproductive/metabolic system, centered below the diaphragm. And we have a rhythmic system, the heart and lungs, to balance the other two systems. Health is when these systems interact harmoniously. Illness is disharmony and treatment may include not only medicine but also art therapy (painting, modeling, music, singing and creative speech)