Spiritual Farming

"When you resist a temptation or renounce something desired below, you set in motion by this very fact forces of realisation of that which corresponds above to that which you come to renounce below. It is this that the Master designates by the word 'reward' when he says, for example, that it is necessary to guard against practising righteousness before other people in order to gain their regard, 'for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven' (Matthew vi, 1).

Reward is therefore the action that one sets in motion above by the renuncia- tion of desire for things below. It is the 'yes' from above corresponding to the 'no' from below. And this correspondence constitutes a basis for magical realisation and for a fundamental law of Christian esotericism or Hermeticism. Let us guard ourselves from taking it lightly, for here is given to us one of the principal keys of sacred magic. It is not desire which bears magical realisation, but rather the renunciation of desire (that you have formerly experienced, of course). For renunciation through indifference has no moral — and therefore no magical — value."

In biodynamics, we collect what would normally disperse to the universe, particularly the reproductive energy of innocent flowers. We collect this outward moving desire, contain it, and then introduce this energy to the roots of plants. How often do essential oils diffuse down into the soil? Not often! Once these precious etheric oils have been produced, they have a tendency to radiate up and out, but not down and in. In biodynamics we collect what would normally nourish the atmosphere and bring it down to nourish the root (or "brain") of the plant. This retention of what would naturally go to the production of seed is gifted to the brain of the plant, providing a spiritual vitality unlike compost made from other elements of the plant.

Ahriman would try to take everything to himself, the impulse of egotistical black magic. Lucifer, by contrast, wishes to disperse back to the universe this same serpent energy. But that is really the same thing: Ahriman in us wishes to rob others, and Ahriman outside us also wishes to take from everyone, including from you. Lucifer and Ahriman are virtually unthinkable without each other -- they are two sides of a single process. Ahriman keeps what he takes, but untransformed. Lucifer returns to the universe what was received, but untransformed. By contrast to these twin evils, the Christ impulse retains and sublimates life into a new form, which is the spiritual basis of fertility in the farm organism. The Christ impulse receives in order to give ever more in service of others, thus overcoming both Ahriman and Lucifer.