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What is the Biographical Approach?
From observing the tendencies to understanding the illness...
Every child is special. Each child is a unique biological, physiological, biochemical, psychological, and soul-spiritual being. We cannot squeeze all children into the same standardized pattern of uniformity; by doing so we will be doing a great disservice to them.
Your child is a growing and developing being. From birth to the age of seven, from seven years to fourteen, from fourteen to adolescence... from the perspective of a child's development, these are important and very different stages of a child's life.
Why is it important to recognize these differences?
Because only by careful and keen observation we can detect the characteristic features of every child and are able to see the individual unique Image as the manifestation of a child's innate inherited constitutional tendencies and individual biographical development. This way of observation and investigation will produce a clear understanding of a child's need.
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"Receive the children in reverence, educate them in love, and send them off in freedom."
Rudolf Steiner
SEVEN-YEAR PERIODS IN CHILDREN'S LIVES
Development in children and adolescents proceeds in distinct stages. These stages last approximately seven years, and the most impressive changes take place in childhood.
From birth to seven years of age
A child is born... A newborn's body is composed only of the parents' substances: everything is inherited. Yet in the course of its development, a child learns to sustain and build the body independently using its own substances and forces. The main goal of this period is to prepare the child's body and bodily organs for future individual development. Major events occur during this period of life: a child learns to sit, stand, walk, speak, interact, and much more. Imitation of behavior is the dominating mode of learning, a child reflects virtually every experience. In terms of intensity of experiences in a child's life, this is truly the great initial epoch of life.
From seven to fourteen
The second seven-year period is all about formation of a child's individuality and further development of memory and thinking. During this period, a child is truly capable of learning, and the authority of teachers plays an important role. A child also learns to experience emotions as interiorized feelings, sympathies and antipathies, and develops the social sense. During this period, it is very important to guide children by recognizing and developing their innate talents, provide healthy nutrition and maintain rhythmical balance in a child's experiences of physical body, emotional life and intellectual activities.
From puberty to maturity
The chief features of this period are growing sense of independence and completion of sexual development in adolescents. The formation of a young person's body is now complete, and arrival at sexual maturity signifies bodily ripeness and expression of the will forces in adolescents. From now on, a young person becomes keenly interested in the opposite gender and actively engaged in the life around him or her. This is a time for making decisions about the future; choices of occupation and further education are made during this period. A young person is becoming an adult; it is important to understand and support the needs and aspirations of a young person.
The Threefold and Fourfold nature of the human organism
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925)
Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and public figure, was the founder of Anthroposophy. He is credited with the unique ability to integrate his powerful perceptual capacities with his disciplined, rigorous logical thinking. Steiner was one of the most important and influential individuals of the turn of 20th century. He gave an impulse to the renewed scientific perception and thinking based on keen observation of life, human beings, and the world. His influence, social initiatives, and scientific insights continue to gain the strength and worldwide acceptance in the areas of scientific research, social development, adult education, agriculture, medicine, pharmaceutics, Waldorf school education, curative education, and the arts.
Conventional Western school medicine sees humans as physiological/chemical/physical entities whose properties could be measured in a test tube. In this limited paradigm, human beings are reduced to mere mechanisms whose soul-spiritual manifestations are rarely or never measurable and, therefore, do not enter into relationship with physiological, chemical, or physical elements. Consequently, the very important - vitally important - characteristics of the human organization remain neglected and largely unknown to the modern natural and medical science.
According to Anthroposophy’s view, the human being’s nature is threefold. However, the idea of three-fold human organization does not belong exclusively to Anthroposophy, for this basic threefold structure of virtually everything in nature can be found in many sources of traditional knowledge. Rudolf Steiner adapted and organized this knowledge for the modern conditions of consciousness, and he added many of his profound insights and findings to enrich this knowledge. Nevertheless, we do not have to believe or take for granted these statements, but we can choose to direct our attention to the image of a human being that was offered by many sources of traditional knowledge.
The holistic medical approach sees the human as a soul-spiritual being intimately connected with the body. In many aspects, anthroposophical medicine agrees with conventional medicine in its scientific views, yet it offers a much wider perspective that includes a detailed view of soul and spiritual forces. These invisible yet very real forces directly affect the physical/physiological/chemical body. In a balanced harmonious state, these forces set the foundation for health; in imbalanced distorted state - for illness.
In Anthroposophy, there are two basic postulates: humans possess threefold structure and four constituent elements.
If we choose to pay attention, we can observe this three-fold organization in ourselves. The threefold organization is represented by the nerve-sense system, rhythmic system, and metabolic-limb system. All three systems are intimately interconnected and inseparable, and each of them performs a very specific function. From anatomical point of view, two of these systems are in polarity - the nerve-sense and metabolic limb systems, and one - the rhythmic system - is inserted between these two polar opposites.
THINKING - FEELING - WILL
The threefold structure is expressed in the activity of three basic centers:
nerve-sense system, or pole; rhythmic system; and metabolic-limb system, or pole.
In older traditional systems of knowledge, these three basic principles were understood in terms of dynamic interaction of the principles of Salt, Sulfur, and Mercury. Although the words represented actual substances, these terms signified the conditions and forces inherent in the substances.
Salt is a chemically stable, cold, inactive, and transparent substance – these qualities represent the normal state of the nerve-sense system where the vital forces of growth and regeneration withdraw themselves almost completely to allow highly specialized processes of sensory perception, nerve conductivity, and consciousness.
Sulfur is a highly reactive, energetic, unstable, and dynamic substance – these qualities represent the normal state of the metabolic-limb system where the organic forces of metabolism, growth, renewal, and regeneration are very active to allow highly energetic processes of life to unfold. Not accidentally these two above mentioned systems are designated as two opposing poles, since they are polar opposites by their nature and definition.
Rhythmic system is a mediator, a reconciling factor between these two opposite poles of nerve-sensory and metabolic activities. It is designated as Mercury, the only metal on earth that displays features of both solid metallic and fluid active state – the perfect rhythmical mediator between the opposing poles.
Nerve-sense pole, or system
Anatomically, the skull includes a number of sensory organs: eyes, ears, organs of balance, taste, and smell. It also contains the cerebrum with midbrain and brain stem. The structure of the head is round, hard, and shell-like. Spinal cord with its nerves is an extension of the cerebrum that branches out to the entire body. Perception, sensation, thinking, and cognition are functions of this system.
Rhythmic system
This system is inserted between the two polar opposites. Its role is to connect and regulate activities of the poles by way of rhythmical processes of blood circulation and breathing, heart beat and breath. Anatomically, the rhythmic system is represented by the chest and its organs; heart, lungs, and diaphragm. Yet rhythmical activities occur in the entire human organism. Through these continuous processes, rhythm mediates and balances both opposite poles. Feelings are experienced in the chest and accompanied by changes in circulatory rhythm and breathing.
Metabolic-limb pole, or system
The abdominal cavity is anatomically defined by the organs of digestion, metabolism, and reproduction: stomach, intestines, colon, liver, spleen, kidneys, and genital organs. The limbs are set in motion by muscles - also highly metabolic organs - are the organs of movement and represent extension of metabolic activity and human will. Together, organs of metabolism and movement are designated as metabolic-limb system.
FOUR MEMBERS OF HUMAN ORGANIZATION
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Physical body - is related to the mineral realm and is composed of its substances - the dust of the earth. It is the tangible, visible, most obvious member of the human organization. We humans share physical bodies with animals, plants, and minerals.
This is the body which after death becomes subjected to the earthly laws and undergoes decomposition.
Etheric body - or the life body, is related to the plant realm. It is the body closely resembling the shape of the physical one, yet it is different from the latter, for it is the dynamic body of formative forces responsible for sustaining life, growth, renewal, and continuous well-being. We humans share etheric bodies with animals and plants.
Astral body - or the sentient body of all ensouled beings, is a bearer of perceptions, impressions, and emotional manifestations. It is related to the world of universal cosmic influences or the astral world. We share the astral body with animals only.
I-organization - is unique to human beings only, and is related to the Spiritual world. It is the seat of individual consciousness. The I-organization enables human beings to walk erect, speak, think, express creativity and enter into the spirit of things with enthusiasm.
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