THE ANTHROPOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF THE HUMAN BEING
by TASHA PLATONOVA
INTRODUCTION
What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason!
How infinite in faculty! in form and moving,
how express and admirable! in action, how like an angel!
in apprehension, how like a god!
– William Shakespeare Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2.
This verse from Shakespeare’s Hamlet expresses admiration for the composition of man so vividly.
Whether there is irony in Hamlet’s words or not, he speaks about the grace and beauty of movement, the “angel-like” ability to act, and the “god- like” capacity to comprehend. Indeed, of all created beings, man is the most complex, beautiful, and nearly impossible to define. Can we fully understand ourselves? We can only look at ourselves from various perspectives; indeed, it is a study of a lifetime.
Anthroposophy sheds some light on the answer to those questions through a multidimensional approach to looking at a human being as an integral part of the macrocosm.
Steiner’s work spans religion, art, and science, elaborating on core concepts such as the threefold nature of humans: thinking, feeling, and willing, and the fourfold division of world evolution encompassing minerals, plants, animals, and humans.
This essay explores the threefold and fourfold human being and the sevenfold holistic view of human structure, offering insights into human nature through personal experiences, metaphors, and creative work.
PERSONAL METAPHOR FOR HUMAN LIFE
Before my encounter with Anthroposophy, my perception of the world was fragmented. I sensed a deeper layer to life, yet I struggled to grasp the bigger picture. In art school, I was taught a principle that resonated deeply with me: ‘Start your work not with the details, but with the whole, then add the details, and finally, reintegrate these details into the whole.’ This approach instilled in me a sense of inner confidence that things can be seen and done holistically.
Speaking of the bigger picture, I like to think of human life as a journey through a valley aiming to climb a mountain, carrying an evolving toolbox. We incarnate in the material world to achieve spiritual goals, risking entrapment in matter. Our challenge is to reconnect with our true spiritual essence.
THE MATERIALISTIC VIEW ON HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS
In today’s natural science worldview, we have an analytical perspective on our existence, treating humans as well-determined beings, essentially reducing us to the product of the brain. Natural science does not see the brain as perceiving the spirit; instead, it sees the brain as generating it (Holland, 2000). Our entire spiritual and soulful life—thoughts, emotions, feelings, memories, and motives—are considered brain products that are believed to be able to enhance our spirituality.
UNDERSTANDING THE CONSTITUTION OF MAN
Steiner (1908) observed that the constitution and activity of human beings are far more complex than people can envision today; there are living processes, forces, aspects, and principles that are both visible and invisible. We are not mere products of matter; we originate from the World Spirit, meaning that evolution begins not with the activity in the physical world but with the activity in the spiritual world. (Steiner, Gospel of John, 1908). All forms, life, and consciousness originate from it; nothing that has begun to exist would exist without it.
In Christianity, the World Spirit, the Trinity, reveals itself as God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I interpret this through metaphors: God the Father as the “sculptor” forming substance, God the Son as the “therapist” giving life, and God the Holy Spirit as the “philosopher” creating consciousness. Together, these influences structure humans as a threefold being of Spirit, Soul, and Body, each with a threefold nature.
THREEFOLD NATURE OF HUMAN BEING
The ancient Greek understanding of humans as body, soul, and spirit was altered by the Fourth Council of Constantinople (869–870), leading to the view that humans consist only of body and soul.
This decision led to the widespread view in Western thought that humans are composed solely of body and soul, neglecting the spirit (Rahner, 2004).
However, Steiner’s lectures, such as “The Study of Man” (1919), detail the threefold nature of human beings: Spirit, Soul, and Body, each with a triadic nature (see Figure 1: Sketch.
Understanding the Composition of Man). In his lectures “The Study of Man” (1919), given to Waldorf teachers, Rudolf Steiner described humans’ threefold nature in the most detailed way: Spirit, Soul, and Body. Each of these elements also has a threefold nature.
BODY: THE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION
Our bodies interact with the world, enabling us to perform tasks and express our will. Imagine a gardener working in a garden, using his muscles to tend to the plants. Similarly, our physical bodies, composed of the head, trunk, and limbs, reflect our threefold nature and play crucial roles in our interaction with the world.
Neurosensory System: The head, robust on the outside and intricate inside, houses our brain and sensory organs. It serves as the command centre for thoughts and perceptions, guiding our Consciousness.
Rhythmic System: The trunk, with its ribcage like a rhythmic engine, contains the heart and lungs. It drives the pulse of life, with blood and breath flowing in a rhythm that bridges the states of wakefulness and sleep.
Metabolic System: Our limbs enable movement and interaction with the world. Working quietly and continuously, the digestive system fuels our Body, allowing us to act and engage with our surroundings.
SOUL: THE MEDIATOR
The Soul is the hardest part of man’s inner being to define. It is individual and influenced by sense impressions. It mediates between the two worlds: exterior and interior, outer and inner, physical (body) and spiritual (moral) (Zeylmans van Emmichoven, 1982).
According to Steiner, it unfolds in three modes we know but do not necessarily associate with the notion of the soul to the psyche: thinking, feeling, and willing.
Thinking is like a clear sky—rational and conscious. Thinking happens inside us. It helps us be aware and separate from the outer world and our emotions. It allows us to see and understand things clearly.
Willing is our inner fire, driving us to act and experience life. Willing starts inside but shows itself through our actions. It connects us to the world. Our actions, driven by inner intentions, help us unite and interact with others and our surroundings.
Feeling arise between Thinking and Willing, like a flowing river, dreamlike and less structured. It colours our experiences and responds to our interactions. It swings between opposing emotions and helps us connect with our inner and outer worlds.
SPIRIT:THE ETERNAL ASPECT
According to Steiner (1923), the Spirit transcends individual personality, connecting to universal spiritual truths through imagination, inspiration, and intuition.
Imagination is the creative force that allows us to visualise and form pictures in our minds. Dreams are a manifestation of this limitless creativity, sparking ideas and insights.
Inspiration arises when we transcend our daily selves through spiritual practices, feel oneness with creation, or engage in creative activities. Nature’s beauty can also ignite our inspiration.
Intuition is at play when everything aligns perfectly, guiding us to do the right thing at the right time. Living in harmony with life enhances our spiritual intuition, reflecting the deeper connection between the physical and spiritual worlds.
To conclude, the threefoldness of the human being’s organisation can be found in every place of its constitution. Some examples of the threefold constitution in the human being’s physical organisation are given in Appendix 1.
TRANSFORMATION OF HUMAN BEINGS AND THEEVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Steiner considers human evolution to be the evolution of Consciousness. Zeylmans van Emmichoven, referring to Steiner, defined consciousness as a condition in which the Soul finds itself through the work of the “I”, or Ego (1982). Humans have achieved this unique ‘I’ organisation in the current phase of Earth’s development, setting them apart from the lower kingdoms of creation /minerals, plants, and animals. According to Steiner (1923), humans currently are composed of four developed bodily principles and three latent ones. He refers to higher aspects as the Spirit and lower as the Body, with the three additional preparatory elements of the Soul overlapping.
So, in Anthroposophy, the human being is seen as consisting of multiple aspects, precisely seven and nine, when considering those overlapping tree elements of the Soul. The nine-fold aspects of the human being are shown in Figure 2, a scheme from Steiner’s work The Apocalypse of St. John:
Steiner (1906) also suggested that the above components should not be taken linearly but looked at holistically, as intervened, and therefore, comprise a sevenfold composition of human beings (See Figure 3). Steiner explained that we start with the physical body, the etheric (or life) Body, the astral Body, and the ‘I’, constituting the fourfold structure humans have developed until now. Looking to the future, Steiner envisions us developing three higher aspects: the Spirit-Self or Manas, the Life- Spirit or Budhi, and the Spirit-Man or Atma, which makes humans complete (The Apocalypse of St. John, 1908).
These seven aspects of the human being reflect the operative principle of the number 7, which, as a sacred number (See more in Appendix 2, The Spiritual Significance of Numbers), manifests throughout the physical world as a reflection of spiritual law in a multitude of ways and can be seen repeatedly throughout the world and human experience.
Therefore, the seven aspects of the human being, as described by Steiner, are:
- Physical Body: The physical body, which has structure and can be studied and understood through science, is tangible and rooted in the mineral world. It embodies all the physical forces of the universe (Steiner, An Esoteric Cosmology, 1906). The physical body is built from biological materials, Matter, and a solid structure, like a ship that navigates us through the course of life. It allows us to interact with and experience the physical world.
- Etheric Body (or Life Body): Steiner (1906) explains that the etheric body somewhat resembles the physical body but is He states that the physical body would every moment have the same fate as the corpse at death, it would fall to pieces were it not permeated by what can be called the etheric body or life body. He describes it as luminous and fluidic, containing currents of diverse colours, with the heart being a vortex of forces and streaming currents. In his work Esoteric Cosmology, he describes it as a master architect shared with plants, as the builder of every living organism, providing the force of growth, rhythm, and reproduction in both plants and humans (1906).Simply put, it is the life force in all living things, channelling vital life force energy (often referred to as “chi” in Chinese mythology or “prana” in Sanskrit) that powers the growth, healing, and vitality of the physical body. We share this body with plants, or “plant kingdom”.
- Astral Body (or Sentient Body): Steiner (1906) explains that the astral Body extends beyond the physical form like an For a child to show the first signs of awakening Consciousness, a physicality that can be stimulated and ignited by direct contact with the external world is required. To be stimulated means to have the capacity for feeling, not to be indifferent to what is encountered. Our astral Body helps do it. Each time the source of stimulation disappears, it calms down. It is the vessel for all our impulses, desires, and passions. It is the part of us that experiences joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, constantly in motion with the ups and downs of our emotional life (Steiner, An Esoteric Cosmology. 1906).Unlike rooted plants, animals can feel, instinctively act, and move freely. They possess a basic level of consciousness, and the ‘astral body’ allows them to express themselves. We share the Astral body with animals, or the “animal kingdom.”
- The Ego, “I”, or “I Am”: Steiner describes this as the unique core of each of us, the thread that weaves through every part of our Our ego, or sense of “I”, is shaped from the moment we are born, influenced by our environment, genetics, and the echoes of our past lives. Humans stand upright and are uniquely aware of their consciousness and memories. Unlike animals, humans can recall specific events and thoughts, express ideas through speech, and control instincts and impulses. Each person has an ‘I’ setting us apart from other kingdoms. According to Steiner, the “I” or Ego is the core of our personality, body, soul, and spirit (Zeylmans van Emmichoven, 1982).The above four elements constitute the four-fold or primary structure of the human being. They are interconnected, each influencing the others and linking humans to the development of the Earth’s “kingdoms of nature,” as described by Steiner (1981) (See Figure 3, creative summary of the fourfold concept).
Figure 3.
In Steiner’s words, the development of our individual soul members is deeply tied to the development of consciousness as the primary mission of our earthly journey (Steiner, Cosmic Ego and Human Ego, 1912). He emphasises that our current stage of evolution revolves around this “I,” distinguishing it as our highest aspect, while our physical body is the most basic (Steiner, The Influence of Spiritual Beings Upon Man, 1908). This process, Steiner suggests, is not just about this lifetime but spans across many, with each incarnation adding to the depth and richness of our individual “I.” The ‘I’ is the main driver for transforming our lower bodily principles— the astral, etheric, and physical bodies—into their spiritual counterparts: the Spirit-self, Life-spirit, and Spirit-man.
HIGHER TRIAD
According to Steiner (1923), these are the higher or “purified aspects” of the human being, the higher triad is the actual ‘higher self’ or true spiritual ‘I’, or our imprint in the spiritual world, and consists of:
- Spirit-Self (or Manas): The Spirit-Self is the true “I” of a person. As the bearer of self- consciousness, the Spirit Self represents the Holy Spirit: past life experiences and intentions for the future. In everyday life, the influence of the Spirit Self manifests in inspiration and illumination. Steiner describes this as the process when ‘I’ has fully worked upon and taken control of the astral body, eliminating all unconscious impulses, instincts, and passions (The Apocalypse of St. John, 1908). I think of it as the transformation of raw, chaotic emotions into a clear, harmonious inner light.
- Life-Spirit (or Budhi): This part of the human being contains the abilities we acquire during our life on Earth. It represents God, the Son within a person. Any physical, emotional, or spiritual movement is made possible by For any of our activities to become a habit or a skill, such as the ability to walk, talk, write, or read, this power must be active within us. Steiner said this body is produced “when ‘I’ turns its attention to the etheric body, the life force within us” (Steiner, The Apocalypse of St. John, 1908). It’s like turning a turbulent river into a serene, life-giving stream.>
- Spirit-Man (or Atma): The Spirit-Man represents that part of the human being which contains the spiritual archetypes of the morphological structure of the physical body. It is the most challenging task for the ‘I’ to transform the physical body. This dense, tangible form is spiritualised by the ‘I,’ evolving into the Spirit-Man. Steiner says, “When in the remotest future the ‘I’ transforms the physical body so that this is completely spiritualised by the ‘I’ itself… then the physical body develops into the highest principle of human nature, namely, Atma or Spirit-Man.” (Steiner, The Apocalypse of St. John, 1908). I imagine it as turning solid rock into pure crystal.
Steiner (1908) observed that human evolution involves several stages and aspects. There is an intermediate stage between the early development of our higher aspects in the past and their future evolution. The “I” itself is organised internally and works on an intermediate being. Steiner highlighted three additional Soul aspects of human beings that are preparatory:
However, we have started laying the groundwork for future development by learning to control our three lower aspects. We’ve learned to manage the astral body by infusing it with the ego, forming the Sentient Soul. It is related to the astral body, just as the Intellectual Soul is to the etheric body. The Intellectual Soul is a faint precursor to what the Life Spirit or Budhi will become. Similarly, the Consciousness Soul indicates that the ‘I’ has begun to work into the physical body, hinting at the future development of Spirit Man or Atma (See more about the Soul triad in Appendix 1).
Humanity today, living in its emotions, passions, and drives, still naturally goes through the stage of the Sentient Soul, which began to develop approximately 6,000 years ago. Different nations tend to develop a group soul with various nuances toward the Sentient Soul, Intellectual Soul, etc. Only a few individuals, by their willpower, can independently develop the qualities of the Consciousness Soul The speed, thoroughness, and depth of individualising these qualities of the supersensible soul vary for each person (Steiner, 1906).
Therefore, people coexist at entirely different stages of their soul development in the same century, in the same country, in the same city, and sometimes even in the same family.
ART PROJECT
“THE INVISIBLE GARDEN”
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
– Rudolf Steiner
Inspired by Steiner’s view on the nature of human beings and Magritte’s painting, I created my art piece, “Invisible Garden.” This model of the world is deliberately made from recycled plastic. Working with plastic, a material produced by humans, I wanted to reflect on the tension between the physical and spiritual worlds. The colours and design choices reflect this duality, mirroring the complexity of our world.
I made it interactive and moving, representing the multidimensional space we enter when we are born. It is a lemniscate-like game in which humans move vertically and horizontally, travel between night and day, life and death, and incarnate and excoriate as a course of life.
I made it interactive and moving, representing the multidimensional space we enter when we are born. It is a lemniscate-like game in which humans move vertically and horizontally, travel between night and day, life and death, and incarnate and excoriate as a course of life.
The model has two sides: a clear, polished “night” side and a “day” side filled with twists and obstacles. A pine cone, representing a man, travels between these worlds, symbolising reincarnation and the day-night cycle of our lives. The pine cone, from a cypress tree I found at an old Turkish cemetery, adds a deeper layer of meaning, as the cypress is often associated with death.
This metaphor reflects the human journey through life’s valleys up to spiritual heights, which my work represents.
CONCLUSION
For me, Anthroposophy is like a garden, even a ‘secret garden.’ It is not just about what grows there but about the experiences of those who work and live there. The garden is a meeting place where diversity and differences are present. It symbolises a living world, partly visible and partly invisible, like the microcosm of our existence. In medieval literature, gardens often represented initiation places, where flowers and weeds coexist, symbolising the richness of human life.
