Medicine and Mysteries by Walter
Holtzapfel
A few weeks ago, the translation
of Walter Holtzapfel's Medicine and
Mysteries came out with Mercury
Press one year after the passing of the
author. The original German was
published in June, 1984 and is the
pearl of Holtzapfel's work. Those
who know Holtzapfel's work can testify
to his solid knowledge of the subjects he
writes about - mostly curative education –
and his practical way
of dealing with them, with great
attention to detail.
This book is no exception, but the
subject is what makes it special: the
book. Fundamentals of Therapy in relation
to the renewal of the Mysteries of
medicine. Those who have bravely
taken up Fundamentals of Therapy of
which title and size are so promising,
have soon experienced the reality of
this fact. It is the answer to Ita Wegman's
question to Rudolf Steiner in
August of 1923 in Penmaenmwar,
England: Is it possible to renew the
Mysteries of medicine? Thus it is not
a simple, thin book to learn about
anthroposophical medicine; it is a
Mystery book. That means that one
has to be constantly active in reading
it for it stretches our thinking, our
feeling and our will to their limits and
beyond so that healing qualities can
grow in us in this process. For us lazy
thinkers, critical experiencers and
fearful willers in the 20th century,
this is no minor task.
Walter Holtzapfel has worked
with Fundamentals of Therapy for
many years, and the fruits of his
work are in Medicine and Mysteries.
Through his thorough knowledge of
the Old Mysteries, he was able to
experience in its chapters the essences
of some of these old mysteries
that Rudolf Steiner spoke about extensively
in the cycle. Mystery Knowledge and
Mystery Centers in Novem-
ber/December 1923 as a preparation
for the Christmas Foundation meeting
(GA 232). For instance, he shows
the 6th chapter of Fundamentals of
Therapy, entitled "Blood and Nerve"
to be related to the Hibernian Mysteries
with their two statues, "Science"
and "Art."
Walter Holtzapfel describes how
the principles of these mysteries are
presented medically in the book,
Fundamentals of Therapy and makes it
possible for us to experience and
work with these Mystery principles
through our struggle with the book.
The English edition is based on a
good translation. Unfortunately, not
all of the illustrations have come out
well.
Altogether, Medicine and Mysteries is
a great asset for those interested
in medicine, in Fundamentals of Therapy
and in the study of the Mysteries.
Christa van Tellingen-van Heek, M.D.
Raphael House
7953 California
Fair Oaks, CA 95628