The Life of the Earth in the Cycle of the Year
So much of agricultural work is attuned to the flowing life of the changing seasons and the cycle of the year. Spring brings early plantings, summer and autumn bring growth and harvests, while winter is a time of comparative rest. In biodynamics, we also have the making of the biodynamic preparations at specific times of the year. Why bury the preparations in the winter earth? How is the life of the earth in winter different from the life of the earth in the summer? The following readings bring pictures of the breathing of the earth over the cycle of the year from Rudolf Steiner’s many lectures. It is highly recommended to read the full lecture cycles on this topic: The Four Seasons and the Archangels (CW229, Rudolf Steiner Press 1996), The Cycle of the Year (CW223, Anthropsophic Press 1984) and Michaelmas and the Soul-Forces of Man (CW223 Anthroposophic Press 2012).