EP04: Nature Of Healing Effects
Season One: Awakening our Understanding of Illness: 100-years of Fundamentals of Therapy
In this episode, we work through chapter seven of Fundamentals of Therapy, by Rudolf Steiner and Ita Wegman. One of the primary concepts introduced in this chapter is how a challenging experience can bring new strength and capacity. This is a part of many holistic healing traditions, but rarely spoken about in conventional medicine. Anthroposophic medicine understands how healing is not just about removing symptoms, but about developing new capacities. You'll hear about iron and its unique role in the body and how it can be used to bring strength and courage. Also about mistletoe therapy, where, by introducing a very foreign plant extract into the human body, the immune system is spurred to greater activity. This helps recognize and clear out cancer cells, while also helping us personally look at what isn't serving us on an emotional, social or spiritual level. We also discuss the archetypes of a “blood” process and “nerve” process and how we experience these on a daily basis.
A central goal of anthroposophical medicine is to expand the number of therapeutic tools, especially beyond medicines that chemically make a change in our system, but which we will likely have to take for the rest of our life. Adam calls this a replacement paradigm. Anthroposophical medicine takes a more nuanced approach, aiming to reduce an illness process by increase our healing capacity.
To support this Podcast go to: https://medicalsection.goetheanum.ch/donate. Email us your ideas and questions at extendingtheartofhealing@gmail.com.
Creators and Guests
Host
Adam Blanning
Adam Blanning MD practices anthroposophic family medicine in Denver, Colorado, USA, and is a co-leader of the Medical Section at the Goetheanum. He received an English literature degree (1995), Doctor of Medicine (1999) and completed a family medicine residency (2002) all at the University of Colorado. He taught family medicine at both New York Medical College and the University of Colorado School of Medicine before starting his anthroposophic medical practice. While he sees patients of all ages and for a wide variety of conditions, healthy development and the special needs of children has always been a core interest. For more than 20 years he has worked collaboratively with Waldorf schools, particularly around methods for observing and better understanding children’s behaviors and needs. He teaches nationally and internationally, co-directs the physician training programs for anthroposophic medicine in the U.S. and Canada, and is a past president of the Anthroposophic Health Association (AHA). Dr. Blanning is the author of Understanding Deeper Developmental Needs: Holistic Approaches for Challenging Behaviors in Children and Raising Sound Sleepers: Helping Children Use their Senses to Rest and Self-Soothe. He lives with his wife and two children in Colorado. https://medicalsection.goetheanum.ch https://www.denvertherapies.com.
Host
Laura Scappaticci
Laura Scappaticci is a multifaceted professional known for her work as a writer, podcaster, and non-profit leader who focuses on spirituality, anthroposophy, and personal growth. Her work addresses the forces of materialism and connecting people to the living. Laura lives in northern California, and is a mother of three children. Her recent works includes: * That Good May Become, exploring spiritual experiences in everyday life. * More than 40 online and face-to-face programs and events for the Anthroposophical Society in America * The Anthroposopher podcast— Interviews with spiritual educators on topics like meditation, death and dying, mindful money, and more * Simplicity Parenting coaching certification, a philosophy that enriches and simplifies family life by working with the natural rhythms of childhood.
