Biodynamic Preparations across the World Understanding challenges, alternative practices and new meanings
Maria Paz Bernaschina and Andrea D'Angelo.
THE BACKGROUND
In the 100 years since Rudolf Steiner's first impulse, the biodynamic movement has spread throughout the world. Today there are 46 biodynamic associations in 36 countries, which form the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International.
100 years after Rudolf Steiner laid the foundations for the biodynamic impulse in the Agricultural lectures, biodynamic practitioners all over the world continue to learn about the preparations and find their own way of working with them in the face of very different realities and challenges. How to understand, develop and use the biodynamic preparations in different cultures and geoclimatic regions, compared to the Central European reality for which the original indications were given, is a question that challenges many farmers within the movement today.
One way to understand and approach the complexity of working with preparations worldwide is from a purely pragmatic and material point of view, and to limit the discussion to how the ingredients of the various preparations - which are not available in all regions - can be made available to everyone so that the preparations can be developed as originally proposed. How to find the exact geoclimatic conditions for its cultivation and harvest? How to deal with shipping and customs strategies to move the necessary ingredients between borders? are some of the relevant topics if we narrow the discussion in this direction.
Another approach, with more spiritual implications, deals with the different needs and meanings that emerge from working with the preparations in different localities. It is a path of exploring the very essence or purpose of these preparations. Bridging the essence of the preparations to their adaptation in different realities in places around the world is a question for the development of a worldwide movement. It evokes a vision of striving for autonomy and recognises the use of “alternatives” in places around the world, enabling people to be confident about the development of their spiritual path from a personal relationship with the preparations. The question forces us to think from different perspectives at the same time: from the local reality of biodynamic practitioners around the world, while maintaining the overarching spiritual impulse provided by Steiner.
This is indeed a long-term perspective, where no quick fix can be expected soon, but where a sustained effort of work and resources is needed. The task requires a systematic effort on the part of all those who are drawn to the spiritual question in their localities and has a deeper meaning for the biodynamic movement as a spiritual and social community. This renewed search for meaning in biodynamics relates to the 100-year milestone of the movement and poses the following conundrum: how to remain faithful to Steiner's word while enabling the natural evolution of the biodynamic impulse into the future?
THE AIMS
This study is rooted in the spirit of striving for an enlarged (more than originally indicated) understanding and acknowledged use of preparations in different contexts around the world today. It seeks to better understand the realities, challenges and adaptations developed by farmers in the search to work with good quality biodynamic preparations in accordance with their cultures and geo-climatic realities. It aims to provide valuable insights for an open discussion on new possible ways forward for the biodynamic movement today.
The following three objectives summarise the work
▪ To understand and identify the main socio-cultural and geo-climatic challenges that influence the work with biodynamic preparations in different regions of the world.
▪ To identify the first adaptations made by biodynamic farners in response to their realities, including a collection of initial experiences and observations on the use and experimentation with "alternative" ingredients or other preparations.
▪ To deepen our understanding of the meanings and potentials behind these processes of adaptation, and to propose possible ways forward for the International movement to support the unfolding of the biodynamic movement across the world today.
THE PARTICIPANTS
A total of 118 people participated in this study, including biodynamic farmers, prep. Makers and advisors from all continents. The scope of the study includes experiences and perspectives of practitioners from different socio-cultural and geoclimatic contexts. The interviews in this study identified many people who were previously unknown or very distant from the international governance of the movement. People who were found through other local people on different continents. This study has therefore widened the international view of who and where people are making preparations, and the study itself has therefore had an integrative effect in that those spoken to are now potentially open to being in a wider network.
The main method used to collect data for this study was in-depth interviews conducted through online meetings. Some participants who preferred to respond in their own time received the interview questions by email. All interviews were transcribed and analysed, and the information was sorted by region and/or continent.
Flexibility from Dornach
Potencies
POTENTIZED PREPARATIONS
Interest in the experimentation with Biodynamic preparation in potentized forms has grown in the search for greater efficiency in the application and storage of preparations, quality unification, solutions for applying preparations on large surface areas, and working with preparations in various contexts. Experimentation dates back to the beginnings of the biodynamic impulse, with the initial research of Lily Kolisko that started in 1923 together with Steiner. In this study, we found and compiled some of the experiences of prep. makers working with potentized preparations in different regions.
In Germany, Benjamin Epler, actively engaged in Lily Kolisko's research, and over the last 6 years has investigated the effect of the potentized preparations in different public research institutes. Although potentized preparations are stirred by hand several times to reach each potency level, Epler stated that, on the other hand, "they are effective for a long period of time and can be used immediately without being stirred again". Among the diverse results he has examined, his studies have shown that potentized preparations improve positively the overall vitality, immune defense, metabolism and growth of grape vine plants.
Malaysian prep. maker Chin Tiong Teoh has been experimenting for a few years with potentized preparations with good results on his and his students’ farms in different countries. He has wide-ranging experiences with BD500-D3, BD501-D3 and potentized BD compost preps, and has observed great improvements on parameters such as fruit quality, harvest quality, organic matter in soil, plant vigor, among others. "One of the best things about the potentized Preps is [that] it's easier to use, [and it’s] not necessary [to] stir [a] vortex [for its application, since] it's stirred during [the] potentizing process", commented Teoh.
Biodynamic trainer and prep maker, Peter Kearney, shared his positive experiences with potentized versions of the 500 and 501 preps, biodynamic peppering, and Soil Activator. The Soil Activator is similar to the CPP mixture except it also includes all the biodynamic preps, plus Summer and Winter Horn Clay preps from Hugo Erbe. Here are Peter’s comments on the potentized Soil Activator: "We apply the potentised soil activator each month on [the] growing area. No need for stirring the potentised prep at this stage as it already carries this influence. I feel it’s important that the intention of the prep user is embedded into the prep from doing the potentization process, otherwise if I simply give some drops to a person to use, the quality of outcome is not so clear. On some months we apply soil activator with the stirred physical prep instead of the potentised prep. We are experimenting with this. Our plant vitality is high, and the soil activator keeps the living process and the 4 elements in harmonious relationship".
In the US, a member of the Fellowship of Prep Makers, Lloyd Nelson, also works with a similar potentized preparation named Buffalo soil activator, as well as other homeopathic Biodynamic remedies. "The Soils Activator makes things easier for farmers, especially in larger extensions of land...We have had so many good results in soils and plants with homeopathic preps. There are different techniques to make these preparations, as there are different ways of applying them. Using the proper dilutions is key. We work with small quantities of the substance and in close dialogue with the spiritual world and the elemental beings to make these preparations effective - We need to show people this is working" Lloyd stated. From another practitioner in the US, we found that he was applying all compost preps in potentized form into the manure for making 500 before this goes into the horn. In his words, the resulting 500 is “very beautiful”, and has a great smell and flavor.
Participants shared thoughts on different ways of applying preparations. Stewart Lloyd believes that trees themselves can be a vehicle to broadcast the preparations. Some experienced biodynamic practitioners emphasize the relationship between the biodynamic preparations and the elemental beings in nature: Hans Supenkaemper thinks that in the future, we will work in novel ways, and maybe we can find hot spots in the farm, where elementals beings can also help us spread the preparations. Many in Australia follow Hugh Lovel’s initiative on radionic instruments and use broadcasters on the soil.
Cheryl Kemp, an experienced Australian prep maker, crafts radionically a Complete Biodynamic Potentized Preps Set, containing the 500, 501, 508, and all compost preps, plus the Summer and Winter Horn Clay, Horn Sulphur, and Horn Basalt preps. She also used the potentized version of Three Kings preparation from Hugo Erbe and finds it very important in working with the Elementals. "Over the years we have heard stories of either applying it to the boundaries of the farm, physically or radionically. It has kept raging fires out of [our] land, [where] the fire totally chooses to go another way. I have done a radionic pattern of Three Kings with three others to swing a cyclone off its path", she mentioned.
Glen Aitken [sic], from New Zealand, has vast experience with homeopathic preparations and believes that "the biodynamic movement needs to focus on the energetic activities as manifestations of the physical astronomical spheres. Spirit activities are Star forces, Astral activities are planetary forces, Etheric activities are atmospheric activities and Physical activities come from the Earth processes. This brings all the faith to Earth and farmers can understand the forces from this very real basis. Then the focus has to go on how the forces are the basis of everything. All problems we face needs to be seen as a substance and force process.” Aitken promotes the work with potentized and homeopathic amounts of substances, emphasizing the relationship between substance and force.
Interest in the experimentation with Biodynamic preparation in potentized forms has grown in the search for greater efficiency in the application and storage of preparations, quality unification, solutions for applying preparations on large surface areas, and working with preparations in various contexts. Experimentation dates back to the beginnings of the biodynamic impulse, with the initial research of Lily Kolisko that started in 1923 together with Steiner. In this study, we found and compiled some of the experiences of prep. makers working with potentized preparations in different regions.
In Germany, Benjamin Epler, actively engaged in Lily Kolisko's research, and over the last 6 years has investigated the effect of the potentized preparations in different public research institutes. Although potentized preparations are stirred by hand several times to reach each potency level, Epler stated that, on the other hand, "they are effective for a long period of time and can be used immediately without being stirred again". Among the diverse results he has examined, his studies have shown that potentized preparations improve positively the overall vitality, immune defense, metabolism and growth of grape vine plants.
Malaysian prep. maker Chin Tiong Teoh has been experimenting for a few years with potentized preparations with good results on his and his students’ farms in different countries. He has wide-ranging experiences with BD500-D3, BD501-D3 and potentized BD compost preps, and has observed great improvements on parameters such as fruit quality, harvest quality, organic matter in soil, plant vigor, among others. "One of the best things about the potentized Preps is [that] it's easier to use, [and it’s] not necessary [to] stir [a] vortex [for its application, since] it's stirred during [the] potentizing process", commented Teoh.
Biodynamic trainer and prep maker, Peter Kearney, shared his positive experiences with potentized versions of the 500 and 501 preps, biodynamic peppering, and Soil Activator. The Soil Activator is similar to the CPP mixture except it also includes all the biodynamic preps, plus Summer and Winter Horn Clay preps from Hugo Erbe. Here are Peter’s comments on the potentized Soil Activator: "We apply the potentised soil activator each month on [the] growing area. No need for stirring the potentised prep at this stage as it already carries this influence. I feel it’s important that the intention of the prep user is embedded into the prep from doing the potentization process, otherwise if I simply give some drops to a person to use, the quality of outcome is not so clear. On some months we apply soil activator with the stirred physical prep instead of the potentised prep. We are experimenting with this. Our plant vitality is high, and the soil activator keeps the living process and the 4 elements in harmonious relationship".
In the US, a member of the Fellowship of Prep Makers, Lloyd Nelson, also works with a similar potentized preparation named Buffalo soil activator, as well as other homeopathic Biodynamic remedies. "The Soils Activator makes things easier for farmers, especially in larger extensions of land...We have had so many good results in soils and plants with homeopathic preps. There are different techniques to make these preparations, as there are different ways of applying them. Using the proper dilutions is key. We work with small quantities of the substance and in close dialogue with the spiritual world and the elemental beings to make these preparations effective - We need to show people this is working" Lloyd stated. From another practitioner in the US, we found that he was applying all compost preps in potentized form into the manure for making 500 before this goes into the horn. In his words, the resulting 500 is “very beautiful”, and has a great smell and flavor.
Participants shared thoughts on different ways of applying preparations. Stewart Lloyd believes that trees themselves can be a vehicle to broadcast the preparations. Some experienced biodynamic practitioners emphasize the relationship between the biodynamic preparations and the elemental beings in nature: Hans Supenkaemper thinks that in the future, we will work in novel ways, and maybe we can find hot spots in the farm, where elementals beings can also help us spread the preparations. Many in Australia follow Hugh Lovel’s initiative on radionic instruments and use broadcasters on the soil.
Cheryl Kemp, an experienced Australian prep maker, crafts radionically a Complete Biodynamic Potentized Preps Set, containing the 500, 501, 508, and all compost preps, plus the Summer and Winter Horn Clay, Horn Sulphur, and Horn Basalt preps. She also used the potentized version of Three Kings preparation from Hugo Erbe and finds it very important in working with the Elementals. "Over the years we have heard stories of either applying it to the boundaries of the farm, physically or radionically. It has kept raging fires out of [our] land, [where] the fire totally chooses to go another way. I have done a radionic pattern of Three Kings with three others to swing a cyclone off its path", she mentioned.
Glen Aitken [sic], from New Zealand, has vast experience with homeopathic preparations and believes that "the biodynamic movement needs to focus on the energetic activities as manifestations of the physical astronomical spheres. Spirit activities are Star forces, Astral activities are planetary forces, Etheric activities are atmospheric activities and Physical activities come from the Earth processes. This brings all the faith to Earth and farmers can understand the forces from this very real basis. Then the focus has to go on how the forces are the basis of everything. All problems we face needs to be seen as a substance and force process.” Aitken promotes the work with potentized and homeopathic amounts of substances, emphasizing the relationship between substance and force.