Capillary Dynamolysis

Visualisation methods for planetary and etheric formative forces David J. Heaf

The idea that cosmic bodies other than the Sun and the Moon influence life processes on earth is an ancient one, but is nowadays regarded as superstition. However, if such influences really exist, then it ought to be possible to study them by appropriate scientific methods. When Rudolf Steiner repeatedly reminded those listening to his lectures, especially farmers, doctors and scientists, of the vital significance of cosmic influences for life on earth, a number of people became interested in developing the techniques necessary for their study. When asked by scientists in 1920 how to do this Steiner said that 'whilst the substances are in the solid state they are subject to the earthly laws, especially gravity, whereas if a body is dissolved, thus entering the fluid state, it comes once again into the sphere of influence of the planets' (quoted by Kolisko, p. 32). Following ancient tradition, the Sun will here be referred to as a planet.

Steiner also gave indications which led to the development of techniques involving the use of substances in the liquid state for the study of etheric formative forces (Pfeiffer, p. 8). Here we are particularly concerned with forces which mediate in bringing about form manifest in physical substances, forces which put Isaac Newton's legendary apple on the tree in the first place. Like gravity and other forces of inorganic nature, etheric forces can only be seen, in the usual sense of the word, if they are allowed to bring about changes in visible objects. Just as iron filings can be used to visualise the pattern of magnetic forces, so too the forms brought about by etheric forces can be visualised by appropriate techniques. Fyfe emphasises that to bring these forces to manifestation 'first of all, substances must be in solution, secondly this must be brought into movement, thirdly there should be some degree of chemical reaction, and fourthly the experiment should develop as far as possible two dimensionally, on surfaces, and in relation to time.'

Correlations between terrestrial phenomena in the biosphere and planetary movements have been the subject of several hundred scientific papers in the past few decades. Influences of the Moon and other planets on trees and herbaceous plants have been studied for more than twenty years by Edwards and his colleagues...

In contrast to chromatography, capillary dynamolysis is not analytical but picture-forming. Also, whereas chromatography can contain its own controls in the form of standard solutions applied, and thus allows comparisons to be made to a large extent independently of the surroundings, capillary dynamolysis is applied in this context specifically to studying environmental influences. Whilst Kolisko on the whole standardised such conditions as the type and the orientation of the paper as well as the concentration, amount and age of the salt solutions, ambient conditions were accepted for temperature, lighting and humidity.

With this at first apparently simple but in fact highly complex visualisation system, Kolisko went on to examine the correlations in movements of the various planets with capillary dynamolysis patterns of the salts of the particular metals which ancient tradition has associated with particular planets. This tradition is at least as old as Egypto-Chaldean times and the relationships were recorded in the sixth century AD, although not in quite the same order as appeared in later alchemical works.