Applied Biodynamics — Issue 028 (Winter 1999–2000)
يشارك
Applied Biodynamics Issue 028 is deliberately structured as a two-part continuation and counterbalance. It advances the technical rigor of BD ashing while simultaneously addressing the epistemological risks of misinterpreting non-material aspects of biodynamic work.
The first article, Hugh Courtney’s “Ashing or BD ‘Peppering’ – A Function of Lunar Forces – Part 2,” extends the procedural framework established in Issue 027. Courtney refines lunar criteria, emphasizing not merely “descending moon” in general terms, but specific lunar conditions and timing windows that must be met for ashing to be coherent. He reiterates that BD peppering is a targeted, species-specific corrective, not a generalized pest-control technique.
Part 2 places increased emphasis on evaluation discipline. Courtney specifies that outcomes must be judged over multiple cycles, comparing recurrence patterns across seasons and sites rather than seeking immediate suppression. He warns explicitly that ashing conducted without strict timing, without species specificity, or without long-term observation invalidates the practice and contributes to accusations of superstition. The article repeatedly stresses restraint, noting that ashing used frequently or emotionally reflects practitioner failure, not method efficacy.
The second article, Patricia Kelly’s “Working with Nature Spirits,” is intentionally framed to prevent misinterpretation. Kelly does not encourage imaginative speculation or personal vision as agricultural guidance. Instead, the article stresses inner discipline, ethical restraint, and humility, arguing that claims of interaction with non-physical beings must never replace observation of soil, plant, and animal response.
Kelly emphasizes that attention to nature spirits, where acknowledged, functions as a moral and perceptual orientation, not a decision-making shortcut. The article insists that practical actions must remain grounded in observable conditions and repeatable outcomes. Kelly explicitly warns that confusing inner experience with agricultural causality undermines biodynamics and exposes it to justified criticism.
Together, the two articles form a deliberate editorial pairing: Courtney steels procedural rigor, while Kelly emphasizes perceptual discipline, each guarding against different but equally dangerous forms of drift—mechanical misuse on one side and imaginative excess on the other.
Articles
- Ashing or BD ‘Peppering’ – A Function of Lunar Forces – Part 2 (H. Courtney)
- Working with Nature Spirits (P. Kelly)
Key Topics Covered
- Expanded lunar timing criteria for BD “peppering”
- Species-specific targeting and restraint in ashing practices
- Long-term evaluation of recurrence patterns
- Warnings against habitual or emotionally driven intervention
- Distinction between perception and causation in biodynamic work
- Ethical and observational discipline when engaging no material concepts
- Protection of biodynamics from superstition through method and restraint
Citation
Source: Applied Biodynamics, Issue 028, Josephine Porter Institute, Winter 1999–2000.