Muck and Mind: Encountering Biodynamic Agriculture, an Alchemical Journey by Jonathan Michael Code

Technology, in the form of 'genetic engineering,' now extends into the realm of life. But life is not mechanical. To begin to comprehend life, a fundamental shift in our approach is required; one that seeks to comprehend the qualities of the living organism as a whole, and in relation to its whole environment, which extends, ultimately and logically, to the outer limits of the cosmos. This fundamental shift of approach lies at the heart of biodynamic agriculture, which stands as the qualitative opposite of the genetically manipulative approach to agriculture in nearly every way. The major difference between these two approaches, however, lies not in their methodology, but in the modes of consciousness that underlie them. By offering us a glimpse into his own wrestling with the thinking behind both biodynamics and genetic engineering, Jonathan Code, teacher, gardener, alchemist, points the way toward a "deeper understanding for how our work with the land, with plants and animals, may be a catalyst not only for the transformation of compost and soil, but also for a transformation of consciousness."