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The Rudolf Steiner Archive

a project of Steiner Online Library, a public charity

Broken Vessels
GA 318

Today a great deal is written about holistic medicine as an approach to healing that integrates body, mind, and spirit. In these lectures, given to a mixed audience of doctors and priest-theologians, Rudolf Steiner renews the ancient tradition of “pastoral medicine,” which involved the working together of trained physicians with those having the care of the patient's soul and spirit. He shows that healing is not possible unless it takes into account the invisible as well as the visible dimensions that make up a human being. Until we begin to understand these dimensions of ourselves real health will be hard to attain.

To meet inner frailty with truly adequate concepts, Steiner describes in this book specific inner structures of both health and unhealthy states that escape ordinary perception. Addressing topics ranging from sleepwalking to psychosis to the visions of St. Teresa of Avila, he suggests how to approach the misalignments of nonstandard inner structures and other psychic difficulties with what he calls “pastoral medicine” — a truly holistic healing that can bring body and soul together, and help them function in the most effective and powerful way.

Translated by Gladys Hahn

Foreword
Lecture 1 September 08, 1924
Lecture 2 September 09, 1924
Lecture 3 September 10, 1924
Lecture 4 September 11, 1924
Lecture 5 September 12, 1924
Lecture 6 September 13, 1924
Lecture 7 September 14, 1924
Lecture 8 September 15, 1924
Lecture 9 September 17, 1924
Lecture 10 September 18, 1924
Lecture 11 September 19, 1924
Notes