Selected lectures from various volumes in The Collected Works of Rudolf Steiner
Our instinctive knowledge of which foods are beneficial and which ones are detrimental seems to be fading increasingly as a human capacity. People are bombarded with advice, information, and prescriptions as to what to eat and drink, but the issues concerning nutrition--matters of health, diet, taste, sustainability, and ecology--remain largely unresolved and even ignored.
Unlike most who have spoken out on this subject, Rudolf Steiner approaches the theme of nutrition in a refreshing and open way. He never tries to tell us what we should or should not be putting into our bodies; he does not recommend an omnivorous, vegetarian, or vegan diet; nor does he tell us not to smoke or drink alcohol. His job as a scientist, he says, is simply to explain how things work and their effects; what we do with that information is up to us. On the other hand, he emphasizes that our diet not only determines our physical well being, but can also hinder or promote one's inner spiritual development.
In this carefully collated anthology (including an introduction, commentary, and notes by Christian von Arnim), Rudolf Steiner considers nutrition in the light of his anthroposophic spiritual-scientific research. He explains the impact of raw food, vegetarian, and meat diets; the effects of protein, fats, carbohydrates, and salts; individual foods such as potatoes, beets, and radishes; and the impact of alcohol and nicotine.
The insights in Nutrition are vital to anyone with a serious interest in health, diet, and spiritual development.
Steiner, Rudolf: - Rudolf Steiner (b. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner, 1861-1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up. As a young man, he lived in Weimar and Berlin, where he became a well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with Goethe's scientific writings. Steiner termed his spiritual philosophy anthroposophy, meaning "wisdom of the human being." As an exceptionally developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern, universal "spiritual science" that is accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unbiased thinking. From his spiritual investigations, Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of numerous activities, including education (general and for special needs), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, Christianity, and the arts. There are currently thousands of schools, clinics, farms, and initiatives in other fields that involve practical work based on the principles Steiner developed. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of human beings, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods for personal development. He wrote some thirty books and delivered more than six thousand lectures throughout much of Europe. In 1924, Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches around the world.
Von Arnim, Christian: - Christian von Arnim is the founder and Editor in Chief of News Network Anthroposophy (NNA), "a news agency which covers news and events of interest to anyone wishing to develop a spiritually objective view of the world." He is an experienced radio and print journalist who has worked with news such organizations as the BBC (World Service) and The Scotsman (Foreign Leader Writer). Christian is the founding Editor of NNA. He has translated and contributed to several books, including Eclipses 2005-2017 and Moon Rhythms in Nature.
