Applied Biodynamics — Issue 050 (Fall 2005)

Issue 050 combines experiential narrative, standardized technical instruction, and institutional reporting, illustrating the editorial balance between inner work, agricultural method, and organizational infrastructure that characterizes Applied Biodynamics in this period.

The primary article, “Working with Elemental and Ancestral Forces: A Weekend of Healing and Transformation in New York City,” by Florence Rewinski, is an experiential report rather than a technical protocol. Rewinski documents participation in a structured weekend workshop led by Marko Pogacnik and Orland Bishop, held at the New York City branch of the Anthroposophical Society and in Central Park. The article carefully frames its content as personal observation and memory rather than instruction or proof.

Activities included guided meditative exercises at specific Central Park sites—old elm groves, glacial erratic stones, Strawberry Fields, the Balto statue, war memorials, and Cleopatra’s Needle. Each location was approached with a defined intention: working with elemental forces, ancestral memory, animal consciousness, or urban trauma. Exercises involved posture, directed attention, visualization, and group coordination rather than physical alteration of the landscape. Rewinski repeatedly notes distractions, emotional responses, and uncertainty, emphasizing that the work depended on intention and participation rather than guaranteed outcome. The article explicitly avoids claiming agricultural or environmental effects, presenting the workshop as a human perceptual and moral exercise related to biodynamic sensibility rather than a farming technique.

The issue then shifts sharply from narrative to standardization in “Brief Directions for the Use of the Biodynamic Sprays 500, 501 and 508.” This section represents an editorial effort to consolidate and clarify long-standing instructions dating back to Ehrenfried Pfeiffer’s original drafts from the 1940s. Readers are explicitly invited to review and suggest clarifications, underscoring that the document is a working technical reference rather than fixed doctrine.

For BD 500 (Horn Manure), the directions specify application only on land already fertilized with manure or compost treated with the compost preparations. Distinctions are made among standard BD 500, “Prepared” 500 (containing compost preparations), and X500 (a pre-potentized JPI formulation), with precise stirring times, water volumes, and application windows defined. Timing guidance emphasizes late afternoon or early evening application, soil moisture, and avoidance of wind or heavy rain. Clear failure modes are stated, including contamination from chemical residues and loss of vitality if spraying is delayed beyond several hours.

For BD 501 (Horn Silica), the instructions define strict limitations: application only after roots are established, never before transplanting, and never on young shrubs or trees. Use timing centers on early morning with dew present. Multiple material forms (quartz-based, feldspar-based, orthoclase, and homeopathic 5x) are differentiated by stirring time and suitability for soil type. The section emphasizes foliar misting technique, droplet size, and avoidance of frost risk.

For BD 508 (Horsetail), both fresh-tea and fermented-tea preparations are detailed with exact quantities, cooking times, fermentation duration, storage limits, dilution ratios, and acreage coverage. The instructions distinguish between foliar use for active fungal pressure and soil application for preventative regulation of moisture. Explicit statements acknowledge where scientific verification is still lacking, particularly regarding dilution thresholds and repeat application effects.

The issue concludes with “JPI Building Fund,” an institutional report documenting completion of the first phase of building expansion at the Josephine Porter Institute. The article details increased office and meeting space, rising construction and technology costs, and the postponement of further phases pending fundraising. The appeal frames infrastructure expansion as necessary to support preparation making, education, and research, linking physical space directly to the institute’s agricultural mission.

Collectively, Issue 050 demonstrates the editorial principle that inner development, technical rigor, and institutional viability must advance together, without allowing any single domain to substitute for the others.

Articles

• Working with Elemental and Ancestral Forces: A Weekend of  Healing and Transformation in New York City (F. Rewinski) 
• Brief Directions for the Use of the Biodynamic Sprays 500,  501 and 508 JPI Building Fund 

Key Topics Covered

• Experiential workshop engaging elemental and ancestral awareness
• Use of guided perception exercises in urban public spaces
• Explicit distinction between personal experience and instruction
• Updated consolidated instructions for biodynamic sprays
• Application prerequisites and failure modes for BD 500
• Material variants and timing constraints for BD 501
• Fresh and fermented horsetail tea protocols for BD 508
• Quantified stirring times water volumes and acreage coverage
• Acknowledgment of limits where scientific verification is incomplete
• Institutional need for expanded workspace at JPI
• Link between infrastructure and preparation quality
• Financial support as a requirement for continued biodynamic education

Citation

Applied Biodynamics, Issue 050, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Fall 2005.