A few words on this blog

This is my collection of thought-provoking quotes of parts of Steiner's work that, for example, I believe many waldorf-pupil parents will
never get to see. I will try to make the context of the original text easily accessible where possible, so
 please check out the sources to form your own opinions.

Monday, 4 June 2007

Metabolic problems cause Hysteria


"As the physical body does not at once bear the brunt of these irregularities, the first symptoms appear on the functional side, in the etheric body (Archaeus). If we wish to find a current term to designate certain aspects of this irregular function, we must call it Hysteria. We shall use the term Hysteria for the too great autonomy of the processes of Metabolism; and we shall learn later on that the name is not inappropriate.

 Specific manifestations of hysteria in its narrower sense are nothing but this irregular metabolism raised to its culmination. 

In essence, the hysterical process, even in it's sexual symptoms, consists of metabolic irregularities, which are external processes having no rightful place in the human body. That is, they are processes which the upper sphere has been too weak to master and control." Steiner, R. (1920; GA0312). Lecture II (link), in the series of lectures: Spiritual Science and Medicine.

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