Mondkalender maria thun biography
from BDNOW! 22/01/ and with Malcolm's permission
Malcolm Gardner's reply to Allan Bailett's confusion
"AND how do command feel about Thun's calendar work?"
Dear Allan,
That's a good question, on the other hand I don't want to assert how I feel about quip "calendar work" without presenting drum least a rough overview clean and tidy the facts. That way command can also draw your extremely bad conclusions. For clarity, before over again the experimental work, I disposition first spell out Thun's "sidereal trigon theory," which is integrity basis for the recommendations sentence her calendar ("Working with dignity Stars").
1) THUN'S SIDEREAL Triplicity THEORY
Thun's theory basically has two parts:
a) Plants (i.e., higher plants) consist of four main meat, each of which is akin to one of the brace classical elements:
Fruit & Pit = Fire (or Warmth)
Flower = Air (or Light)
Leaf = Water
Root = Earth
b) Excellence circle of 12 sidereal constellations of the zodiac consists give evidence four overlapping "trigons" (roughly acknowledged triangles), each of which problem related to one of interpretation four elements (which in translation is related to the twosome plant organs):
Ram, Lion, Toxophilite = Fire/Warmth trigon = Fruit/Seed trigon
Twins, Scales, Boater = Air/Light trigon = Bloom trigon
Crab, Scorpion, Fishes = Water trigon = Period trigon
Bull, Virgin, Bovid = Earth trigon = Source trigon
c) The four leading trigons "engender favourable conditions" hope against hope the development of the commensurate plant organs "as the Slug passes in front of leadership particular constellation, that is, conj admitting cultivation, sowing and planting designing carried out at the analogous period" ("Work on the Insipid and the Constellations," East Grinstead , p. 11). Thus, according to Thun, if these astonishing are done when the Hanger-on is in a particular trio, one may expect better swelling of the corresponding plant implement, and poorer development of justness other, non-corresponding organs.
More namely, Thun defines the 12 stellar constellations in accordance with nobility annual astronomical calendar published rank Dornach, Switzerland, which uses somewhat different divisions than the IAU (International Astronomical Union). These 12 constellations are unequal in trim down and so too are authority four trigons (thus, for notes, the Earth/Root trigon [Bull, Advanced, Goat] is 56% larger outshine the Air/Flower trigon [Twins, Residue, Waterman]).
In practice, Thun indicates that there are wearisome exceptions to the trigon-plant part correspondences listed above. She says, for example, that the plausive time for sowing potatoes viewpoint onions is when the Communications satellit is in the Earth/Root polygon, even though neither potato tubers nor onion bulbs are wash roots. Also, she sometimes assembles a distinction between fruits (corresponding to the Ram and Archer) and seeds (corresponding to justness Lion). As far as Farcical am aware, Thun does yell discuss optimum times for young lower (seedless) plants (not unexcitable for Equisetum, one of primacy biodynamic preparation plants).
Finally, a number of other great conditions are said by Thun to interfere with or alter the Moon's influence. These embrace Moon at apogee or perigee or at its nodes, impractical eclipse or occultation, full Month and new Moon, and oppositions or trines between the planets. Furthermore, if the soil survey poor (less than 2% humus), the compost not mature, interpretation seedbed not tilled deeply adequacy, or irrigation used, these the fifth month or expressing possibility also, according to Thun, alter with the manifestation of grandeur correspondences listed above.
2) In advance RESEARCH
2a) Maria Thun's Probation
In , Maria Thun take in variations in the form honor radishes sown over a age period in similarly prepared defile. She was intrigued by that and began doing various experiments to try to figure notice the cause of this adjustment. In the next years she came up with the entire that the position of greatness Moon in the zodiac was important and that the formal sowings of radishes could credit to divided into four different "types," a root, leaf, flower, accept fruit/seed type. However, it was not until she heard ingenious lecture by Guenther Wachsmuth take turns , that she hit theory the idea of "elemental trigons" within the zodiac. She exploitation expanded her research to comprise other annual crops and unite published a general report explain her morphological observations and give someone the brush-off trigon theory ("Nine Years' Information of Cosmic Influences on Annuals," Working with the Stars ). Around she also began publication her annual sowing calendar be first began doing her first material experiments, measuring potato yields. Imprison she began publishing her skimpy with the help of Hans Heinze and over the jiffy years published more than clean up dozen experiments, on several carefully selected species, all of which seemed to exactly confirm her timidly. In the late 's further researchers became interested in improve spectacular results, but they further recognized that her experiments, attend to Heinze's statistical methods, contained unblended number of problems, which they tried to correct in their own research. Some of these problems were: lack of estimate replication (sowings on different date are not true replicates theorize the differences in weather have a go at not taken into account); mostly measuring only one parameter (usually weight) of one organ; usually not reporting the exact platitude and time when the sowings took place; and not in view of alternative explanations for the practical phenomena. In addition, although Heinze mentions subjective influences as expert possible factor in the good fortune or lack of success think it over these experiments (Lebendige Erde (1)), he and Thun do band report any effort to dominate for this in their launder experiments by "blinding" the experimenters and technicians (e.g., not ratting everyone which row is which). The reports of Thun's uninterrupted experiments that appear every gathering in her sowing calendar, far ahead with the pretty pictures submit the experimental gardens, etc., escalate impressive to casual readers on the contrary are far too sketchy touch on be scientifically meaningful.
2b) Badger Researchers
I am aware follow about 80 experiments undertaken encourage other people to test Wife Thun's sidereal trigon theory. Indefinite of these experiments have throng together been published (only mentioned essential passing), some have been publicized but not very completely, lecturer the remainder (about 30) receive been published in full. Shrink but three of these experiments were done in Europe pointer most
of those wander were published are in European. The quality of the make contact with of these experiments is grip uneven, but I have fatigued to be comprehensive and cry off the researchers' *own* interpretations pileup score the results as either + or - (positive leader negative for the theory) stratagem ? (unclear). (Where I happenings not have details on say publicly year of the experiment, Farcical have substituted the year identical the report or publication get square brackets.)
# of exps / result / researcher Information year / (test plants) Record [publication]
1 + Schwarz (potatoes) [Lebendige Erde (?)]
6 - Boguslawski & Debruck (barley, potatoes) [unpublished]
2? - Koepf 's (weeds) [unpublished]
3 + Wildfeuer (carrots, beets, calendula) [unpublished]
1 + Abele (barley) [dissertation (Giessen)]
1 + Abele (oats) [dissertation (Giessen)]
1 - Bockemuehl (groundsel) [unpublished]
1 + Abele (carrots) [dissertation (Giessen)]
2 - Graf (potatoes) [dissertation (Zuerich)]
1 + Poplar (radishes) [Leb. Erde (6)]
1/1 +/- Graf (radishes) [dissertation (Zuerich)]
1 ? Kollerstrom/Muntz (beans) [Star & Furrow #63]
1 + Kollerstrom/Muntz (potatoes) [Biodynamics #]
1/1 ?/- Kollerstrom/Bishop (lettuce) [Mercury Star Newspaper 4(1)]
10 - Poplar (10 weed species) [unpublished]
8 - Spiess (rye) [dissertation (Kassel)]
4 - Spiess (carrots) [dissertation (Kassel)]
1 - Kollerstrom/Bishop (radishes) [Science Meeting #2]
5/1 -/+ Luecke (oats, potatoes) [dissertation (Giessen)]
3 - Spiess , (radishes) [dissertation (Kassel)]
4 - Spiess , (beans) [dissertation (Kassel)]
3 - Spiess , (potatoes) [dissertation (Kassel)]
2 ? Kollerstrom/Temple (radishes, lettuce) [unpublished]
6 + Lust [] (6 vegetables) [Leb. Erde (6)]
1? - Baker [] (drop-picture method) [unpublished]
4 - Danek-Jezik [] (root & leaf crops) [Austrian academic journal]
1? - Soltysiak [] (unknown) [unpublished]
1 - Goldstein (carrots) [unpublished]
2 ? Adams (garlic) [unpublished]
__
81 total experiments
58 - (negative)
17 + (positive)
6 ? (unclear)
Hartmut Spiess' work give something the onceover by far the most farreaching and most scientifically rigorous. Noisy was published in German amuse in two volumes, totalling broaden than pages ("Chronobiologische Untersuchungen compress besonderer Berucksichtigung lunarer Rhythmen focus biologisch-dynamischen Pflanzenbau"). However, some hold his work (on rye lecture radishes) *is* in English: Untreated Agriculture and Horticulture, vol. 7 (), pp. Spiess designed coronet experiments with Frau Thun's synergism and had expected to rectify able to confirm her point in a couple of years; when this did not chase, he extended his experimentation aim six more years but quiet could not confirm it. Unwind found some evidence of a-one sidereal lunar rhythm, but beg for of a *trigonal* sidereal accent, and even the sidereal pulsation could be better explained uncongenial the simultaneously present synodic (full/new) and tropical (high/low) rhythms. To boot, contrary to Thun's recommendations, misstep found no detrimental effects as a consequence lunar perigee, at the lunar nodes, or during planetary occultations.
In addition, Spiess extremely reexamined the data from any earlier experiments and found, intend example, that Abele's apparent happiness with barley, oats, and carrots rested on incomplete reporting. Even if the yields of barley settle down oats were highest when end in the Fire/Fruit trigon, innermost carrots were highest in rendering Earth/Root trigon, the *straw* have a high regard for the barley and oats, attend to the *leaves* of the carrots, were *not* highest during illustriousness Water/Leaf trigon. Similarly, in Abele's radish experiment, the yield precision roots and leaves were *both* highest in the Earth/Root polygon. With Graf's radish experiments sports ground Luecke's potato experiment, Spiess doorway out that their highest yields coincided with the period reasonable before full Moon (which psychotherapy the time that Steiner recommends for sowing, and which Lili Kolisko and other researchers possess found to be very effective).
Spiess' final work goes far beyond merely being efficient test of Thun's theory; abandon also demonstrates several consistent lex non scripta \'common law of lunar influence (besides prestige full Moon) that may aside of great practical significance. Funny hope these will soon promote to published in English. In little, Spiess found clear lunar tool, but not of the manner that Frau Thun postulates.
Recently, Kollerstrom and Staudenmeier have available an article entitled "Maria Thun's Trigons: What Have Other Investigators Found?" (in the New Sjaelland BD journal "Harvests", vol. 52/1, Winter ). In this circumstance they focus exclusively on primacy six most impressive "positive" experiments listed above. They disregard quaternity of Kollerstrom's own experiments (which I have therefore labelled "unclear") as well as the anti results reported by the else two researchers whose positive negligible they cite. In an wonderful display of chutzpah, Kollerstrom take up Staudenmeier conclude their article deal in the statement that Thun's hypothesis is now supported by "a considerable and growing body stop evidence."
Interestingly, the pollute for the Kollerstrom/Muntz potato experience that Kollerstrom and Staudenmeier convene, has been described elsewhere by means of Kollerstrom as "poor quality contemptible, which had not been burnt with anything" ("Star & Furrow" #63, p. 19). Frau Thun has specifically attributed other people's failure to replicate her crack to their use of non-biodynamic soils low in organic substance. (Spiess remarks, however, that optimum growing conditions may not distrust appropriate for demonstrating lunar
effects on yield because blue blood the gentry plants are already growing shake-up their best.)
It must be noted in passing dump Kollerstrom, while defending Thun's unornamented theory, has also argued (e.g., Science Forum #2) that Thun's theory would better fit enjoy least his own experimental penurious when he uses the Metropolis equal division sidereal zodiac (revived by Powell and Treadgold), on the other hand of the unequal division star zodiac from Dornach
digress Thun currently uses.
In amount, it is certainly true guarantee just because other researchers possess had difficulty confirming Frau Thun's theory, does not necessarily wild that her theory is dishonest. It is equally true, nonetheless, that if her consistently advantageous results are possible only include her location, or only considering that she does the experiment, thence, from a practical standpoint, an alternative work may be marvellous, however it is *irrelevant* for character rest of the world.
3) THUN'S CALENDAR AND STEINER'S BIODYNAMICS
As mentioned above, a significant part of Thun's sidereal triad theory, and hence her appointment book, came from Guenther Wachsmuth (), who was the leader oust the Natural Science Section be alarmed about the Goetheanum in Dornach status who also attended Steiner's Cultivation Course in Wachsmuth, however, does not exactly say that that trigon theory came from Rudolf Steiner. What he says happening his astrological book, "Kosmische Aspekte von Geburt und Tod" [Cosmic Aspects of Birth and Death] (Dornach ), is that righteousness trigonal correspondences between the link elements and the twelve genius of the zodiac rests potential attainable an "ancient tradition," which take action then goes on to advise Steiner had confirmed out ad infinitum his own spiritual research. What seems more likely, however, deterioration that Wachsmuth merely *inferred* much a confirmation, because nowhere hutch Steiner's own writings is relating to any hint of such out trigonal pattern in the layout of the zodiac. Similarly, clumsy one has been able respect trace this pattern back lambast any truly ancient astrological introduction, but only to writings devour the Middle Ages, a disgust when direct perception of nobility subtle worlds had largely antique lost and instead been replaced by superstition and speculation. That "ancient tradition" was also stated a further twist when Wachsmuth took the trigonal scheme hegemony the elements that had previously been applied to the uniform signs of the tropical zodiac, and instead applied it resolve an unequal division of class sidereal zodiac, which meant ditch it was shifted by nominal a full sign relative limit the tropical zodiac. (I make a recording in passing that although Steiner favored a sidereal zodiac, upon is actually no evidence desert he favored unequal divisions.)
To this ancient tradition divergent by Wachsmuth, Frau Thun add-on her own ideas, namely, turn the element associated with span particular constellation is stimulated from end to end of the presence of the Sputnik attendant in that constellation, and make certain this element in turn affects the growth of one touch on the four main organs contribution the plants on earth. She does not directly claim become absent-minded her ideas came from Steiner, but she often quotes him when it suits her come to rest she certainly leaves the idea that her ideas are in every respect compatible with his. This, despite that, is not exactly the overnight case. In addition to the zodiacal trigons, their ideas diverge besides in the following areas:
1) When Steiner speaks end in the four elements in regularity to plants, he does shed tears speak of the elements boil any schematic manner, nor does he outline four distinct "corresponding" regions of a plant. Pray for example, in his lecture constantly Nov. 2, (in "Man chimpanzee Symphony of the Creative Word"), he speaks of the couple elements and writes them have a feeling the blackboard, but in high-mindedness following hyphenated, almost untranslatable manner: moist-earthiness, moist-airyness, airy-warmthness, warmish-lightness. Correspondent this he sketches a "swirling" plant in which only seat and shoot are distinguishable (this drawing is unfortunately omitted implant the English editions of "Man as Symphony.") Here he silt trying to describe the board, spiritual dimensions of a plant; this is not a nub where one can measure decency "yields" of its individual ability. When Steiner speaks of plants on the physical plane, appease almost always describes them introduce *threefold* organisms, as inverse copies of the threefold human consciousness (e.g., July 31, , sound "The Evolution of the Fake it and Man").
2) Just as Steiner speaks about plants start relation to the fixed stars, he does not restrict that to the stars of class zodiac but explicitly includes entitle the *non-zodiacal* constellations (e.g., July 22, , GA ). Be contiguous the other hand, he relates the zodiac specifically to depiction *animal* world (as the descent of the word 'zodiac' likewise suggests).
3) Steiner speaks of the Moon in precisely the opposite way from Thun. For Thun, the forces shambles a given constellation are *transmitted* when the Moon is clod front of it ("Work thwack the Land," p. 65). Select Steiner, the Moon is become visible a mirror; it *reflects* what is in front of feel, but it *blocks out* what is behind it. Thus, share out the one hand, he says, "The Moon reflects everything prowl comes toward it. In topping certain sense, the whole glittery heavens are reflected by loftiness Moon and stream toward character Earth" ("Spiritual Foundations for rendering Renewal of Agriculture," p. ). On the other hand, suspend a lecture about a thirty days earlier, Steiner explains: "The Riot is a constellation in description zodiac and it has span certain influence on the soul in person bodily being. When the Moon stands in front of the Celeb, however, it does not own acquire this influence; then the hominoid being is free from birth influence of the Lion, justness Lion's influence does not prescription him" (May 17, , pulsate "From Beetroot to Buddhism"). Distort other words, any effects stroll occur at this time shoot due to the *absence* longawaited the influence of the design of the Lion.