Etheric forebone

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The etheric forebone. Drawing from GA 266b, p. 119

The etheric forebone, occasionally also called the elementary backbone by Rudolf Steiner (Lit.:GA 147, p. 65f), a kind of second spinal column, is an etheric organ which in future will be formed at the front of the human being as a counterpart and complement to the backbone, with which it will later join to form a closed system. Through spiritual training, if it is done in the right way, this development is already anticipated to a certain extent today (Lit.:GA 266b, p. 119).

The forebone, which descends in front from the head, is organised by the joint activity of the epiphysis and the pituitary gland and already announces itself today in the chain of lotus flowers, which are, however, not etheric but astral organs. These soul organs, which are formed and activated in the astral body through meditation, imprint themselves in the etheric body and thus gradually form the forebone. It lies behind the sternum, which, however, man will no longer have in the 7th post-Atlantean age, when the forebone reaches maturity.

„The currents, which generally lie in the etheric body, result in their interaction in such a structure, which lies forward in the human being, as in the physical body lie backward the bone formations of the backbone with the spinal canal. In the physical body we have this vertically running backbone with the spinal canal, and in the etheric body we have a flowing together, a radiating together in a kind of counter-backbone, which, however, if we look at the physical body, lies on the front side of the human being. And just as the nerve cords, but also, for example, the rib bones, emanate from the physical spine, so the radiations and currents mentioned run in the etheric body in such a way that they do not now emanate from this counter-spine, but flow together in it, so to speak, and work together with all that they have at the front of the human etheric body. This gives an immensely beautiful, magnificent, tremendous etheric organ, which, however, consists especially in a glittering, luminous, resounding, in all kinds of heat effects discharging, but also inwardly speaking entity, and which reveals itself especially in this way during the sleeping state of man. And if you look more closely, you will get an idea of how this organ then permeates that which I have characterised as lotus flowers. So that you can see how through this organ, which, flowing together from the etheric body, produces itself and then forms the lotus flowers with the currents of the astral body, how through this organ the human being continues to find his connection with the outer astral, cosmic world.“ (Lit.:GA 224, p. 40f)

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.
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