Organ

From AnthroWiki

Organs (from Greekὄργανον organon "tool") are, in the realm of the living, specialised parts of the body which, through a characteristic development of their own, emerge from the organism as a whole in order to be able to fulfil very specific tasks. Since, from an anthroposophical point of view, humans and animals not only have a physical body, but also higher, supersensible members of their being (etheric body, astral body; in humans also the I-bearer), all physical organs are also based on supersensible organs, i.e. the heart also has an etheric heart and astral heart, the brain has an etheric brain, etc. In particular, purely supersensory organs, to which organs that cannot be directly physically precisely delimited correspond (although there is also a physical correlate here), such as the so-called lotus flowers or chakras, are also of special significance.

According to the occult view, the human organism is a microcosm that is a reflection of the macrocosm and the organs are under the predominant influence of certain individual planetary spheres. However, this should not be interpreted schematically as if the individual organs were only under the influence of one single planet; rather, from a holistic point of view, all planetary forces always act on each organ in a precisely balanced proportion, but in such a way that certain planetary effects clearly predominate. However, healing effects can often be brought about by invoking other planetary forces in order to restore a disturbed balance.

Seven Organs and Seven Planets

The seven main organs correspond to the seven planets and the seven planetary metalss respectively:

Planet Metal Organ
Moon silver brain, reproduction
Mercury Mercury lung
Venus Copper Kidneys
Sun Gold heart, blood circulation
Mars Iron gall bladder
Jupiter Tin Liver
Saturn Lead Spleen

„If we simply draw the systems schematically side by side (drawing page 78 left), then we can already see from this schematic representation how the human inner organisation stands in a certain connection, and we have represented this connection in such a way that we have to see the most important thing in the heart with the associated blood system.

Drawing from GA 128, p. 78
Drawing from GA 128, p. 78

Now I have already pointed out - and we shall see in more detail to what extent such naming is justified - that in occultism the spleen effect is called a Saturnian effect, the liver effect a Jupiter effect and that of the bile a Mars effect. For the same reason, occult knowledge sees in the heart and the associated blood system that which deserves the name "Sun" in the human organism just as much as the Sun does outside within the planetary system. According to the same principle, the occultist calls the lung system "Mercury" and the kidney system "Venus". Thus, in naming these systems of the human organism - even if we do not now go into a justification of these names - we have already indicated something like an inner world system, which we have supplemented by putting ourselves in a position also to consider the connection of the two organ systems which stand in relation to the blood system. Only when we consider the connections in this sense do we encounter in a completeness what we can call the actual human inner world.“ (Lit.:GA 128, p. 78f)

Literature

References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.