xxxvi
Introduction to the Book
Section 4: voiceS from the field
This final section steps outside of the formal research academy to showcase voices from the field:
individual practitioners who have ploughed their own furrows to explore humans’ relationship with
nature including for the purpose of agriculture. Coming from a variety of non-mainstream worldviews, they provide examples of the practical, positive impacts of subtle agroecological phenomena and techniques on the physical-material dimension of agriculture and related fields, as well as
describing their own unique journeys outside of the mainstream academic or industry pathways.
Chapter 23 (Lovel) considers the etheric realms as a foundation for exploring the use of
radionics with the biodynamic preparations. It weaves a story that starts with an overview
of the advance of Western science, from Kant’s empirical realism through to the emergence
of quantum theory and how this tends to support Goethe’s concept of subjective reality. It
explains how Scottish physician Maxwell developed the concept of an ether as an extremely fine
stationary field which supports the propagation of light and electromagnetic frequencies, a concept which hasn’t since been disproved. This provides a backdrop for relating the author’s own
learning experiences when developing his market garden, during which he took up the practice
of applying biodynamic preparations as well as the concept of the soil food web. The chapter
explains how the author’s experiments with radionics – a technology based on the wave or etheric aspect of nature – have enabled him to be more efficient and effective through applying the
biodynamic preparations as wave patterns. In this sense, according to the author, the farm can
be viewed as a living organism that breathes and grows in cycles to become increasingly alive
and coherent within its boundaries.
Chapter 24 (Menestrina) delves into the subtle life of the bee and its importance for the proper
functioning of ecosystems. It explains how poor breeding practices, as well as agrochemical and
electromagnetic pollution, have weakened their health status. The chapter stresses that we need to
re-learn about bees: their intricate life, their social organisation and their role as biological indicators of the dangers facing humanity. It also advocates new approaches to bee-friendly beekeeping
and for everyone to help create a bee-friendly world, because the needs of bees are increasingly
understood as being aligned to our needs. Chapter 25 (Charter) considers another essential part
of nature and agriculture, in the form of the dynamic role of water. It seeks to make sense of some
unconventional ways of working with water in agricultural practice, in particular the rhythmic stirring or ‘dynamisation’ used in biodynamic farming, but also other methods used to support animal,
plant and soil life. To do so, it examines the basis for understanding the healthy development or
‘forming’ in living organisms and then looks closely at the way water forms itself in flow. Whether
exploring from the conceptual perspective of projective geometry or a perceptual perspective of
Goethean observation, the same principles are arrived at of the spiritual working in the physical,
perceptible world. Dynamisation is examined in terms of water’s changing relationships to its spatial environment, and the movement of water induced in Flowform vessels is also explored and their
use within agriculture is discussed. Questions are raised regarding research into life processes and
the reproducibility of results.
Chapter 26 (MacManaway) explores the practice of land whispering as the practical application of consciousness and subtle energy awareness in agriculture. The author explains how
he was raised with an understanding that all of nature is, at source, a vibrational, interactive
intelligence, with our physical, experiential world being a reflection and expression of that
vibrational content and tone. The chapter discusses and provides examples of five modalities:
communication with the ‘spirit realms’; understanding earth meridians; engaging with elemental consciousness; engaging with nature spirit consciousness; and healing and renewal of residual human energies. Following this, Chapter 27 (Massy) reflects from a farmer’s perspective
on a farm training event held by the previous author (MacManaway). The author compares the
material in the course with his own experiences, those of other farmers in Australia, and the
worldviews of Australian indigenous communities, reflecting on subtle energy, its uses in the
Introduction to the Book
Section 4: voiceS from the field
This final section steps outside of the formal research academy to showcase voices from the field:
individual practitioners who have ploughed their own furrows to explore humans’ relationship with
nature including for the purpose of agriculture. Coming from a variety of non-mainstream worldviews, they provide examples of the practical, positive impacts of subtle agroecological phenomena and techniques on the physical-material dimension of agriculture and related fields, as well as
describing their own unique journeys outside of the mainstream academic or industry pathways.
Chapter 23 (Lovel) considers the etheric realms as a foundation for exploring the use of
radionics with the biodynamic preparations. It weaves a story that starts with an overview
of the advance of Western science, from Kant’s empirical realism through to the emergence
of quantum theory and how this tends to support Goethe’s concept of subjective reality. It
explains how Scottish physician Maxwell developed the concept of an ether as an extremely fine
stationary field which supports the propagation of light and electromagnetic frequencies, a concept which hasn’t since been disproved. This provides a backdrop for relating the author’s own
learning experiences when developing his market garden, during which he took up the practice
of applying biodynamic preparations as well as the concept of the soil food web. The chapter
explains how the author’s experiments with radionics – a technology based on the wave or etheric aspect of nature – have enabled him to be more efficient and effective through applying the
biodynamic preparations as wave patterns. In this sense, according to the author, the farm can
be viewed as a living organism that breathes and grows in cycles to become increasingly alive
and coherent within its boundaries.
Chapter 24 (Menestrina) delves into the subtle life of the bee and its importance for the proper
functioning of ecosystems. It explains how poor breeding practices, as well as agrochemical and
electromagnetic pollution, have weakened their health status. The chapter stresses that we need to
re-learn about bees: their intricate life, their social organisation and their role as biological indicators of the dangers facing humanity. It also advocates new approaches to bee-friendly beekeeping
and for everyone to help create a bee-friendly world, because the needs of bees are increasingly
understood as being aligned to our needs. Chapter 25 (Charter) considers another essential part
of nature and agriculture, in the form of the dynamic role of water. It seeks to make sense of some
unconventional ways of working with water in agricultural practice, in particular the rhythmic stirring or ‘dynamisation’ used in biodynamic farming, but also other methods used to support animal,
plant and soil life. To do so, it examines the basis for understanding the healthy development or
‘forming’ in living organisms and then looks closely at the way water forms itself in flow. Whether
exploring from the conceptual perspective of projective geometry or a perceptual perspective of
Goethean observation, the same principles are arrived at of the spiritual working in the physical,
perceptible world. Dynamisation is examined in terms of water’s changing relationships to its spatial environment, and the movement of water induced in Flowform vessels is also explored and their
use within agriculture is discussed. Questions are raised regarding research into life processes and
the reproducibility of results.
Chapter 26 (MacManaway) explores the practice of land whispering as the practical application of consciousness and subtle energy awareness in agriculture. The author explains how
he was raised with an understanding that all of nature is, at source, a vibrational, interactive
intelligence, with our physical, experiential world being a reflection and expression of that
vibrational content and tone. The chapter discusses and provides examples of five modalities:
communication with the ‘spirit realms’; understanding earth meridians; engaging with elemental consciousness; engaging with nature spirit consciousness; and healing and renewal of residual human energies. Following this, Chapter 27 (Massy) reflects from a farmer’s perspective
on a farm training event held by the previous author (MacManaway). The author compares the
material in the course with his own experiences, those of other farmers in Australia, and the
worldviews of Australian indigenous communities, reflecting on subtle energy, its uses in the