Anthroposophic Medicine

Rudolf Steiner, (1861-1925) an Austrian spiritual scientist, developed what today is called Anthroposophy - Anthropos being the human being and Sophia meaning wisdom. Anthroposophic medicine is an extension and addition to commonly accepted medical treatment.

Anthroposophic medicine covers general medicine, midwifery, paediatrics, cardiology, dermatology, neurology, oncology, psychiatry, dentistry and surgery, in private practice and hospitals (such as Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhoehe and Kinik Arlesheim). Therapies such as anthroposophic nursing, eurythmy therapy, art therapy, rhythmic and etheric massage therapy, artistic speech therapy, music therapy, biography work, curative education for those with higher needs with residential and non-residential care, all work under the umbrella of Anthroposophic medicine and work ideally alongside a doctor.

All doctors hold certification in their chosen profession and undergo further training to receive a diploma, in Anthroposophic principles and practices. When working with a patient, these practitioners consider all aspects of the patient; the physical body ie that we share with minerals and earthly substances; the life force or etheric body which we share with the plant world; the movement and feelings or astral body, which is shared with the animal world; and our capacity as humans to think, speak, make decisions, identify our unique capacities, otherwise known as the ego. Understanding the dis-harmonies in these bodies and the wisdom of the human being, is the bedrock which underlies the management and therapy of the illness and disease.

The practitioners in their diagnosing consider the nerve-sense system, the rhythmic-circulation system, and the metabolic-limb system. It is essential that the cool, still nerve-sense system, and the warm, mobile metabolic- limb system are balanced with a harmonising rhythmical- circulatory system to ensure good health.