The Threefold Human Body
Threefolding Is a simple yet profound framework utilized to study dynamic phenomena. Basically, you have two ends called poles and a center mediating exchange between the two symbolized by the lemniscate below. You can apply this framework to phenomena in your everyday life like the water cycle. The two poles consist of clouds and the earth, while exchange consists of rain and evaporation. Threefolding can also be applied to ephemeral concepts like the Holy Trinity: Father Son and Holy Spirit. We mirror the motion of the threefold when crossing ourselves to invoke the trinity.
Dynamism is essential to this framework which is why gifs are used for visual explanation. The center rhythmically mediates movement between the poles. East Asian culture’s symbol for the threefold, the ying / yang, is often misunderstood as a static binary when in actuality it is a dynamic threefolding. The black and white poles of the ying / yang contain a small dot of the other within and the line between the two is wavy all hinting at dynamic exchange.
The Threefold Human
As applied to the human body, we have a nervous pole in the head and a metabolic limb pole in the legs and guts. In between, we have a rhythmic center which includes our cardiovascular system. To make matters a bit more complicated, a threefold can exist within a threefold. Within the nervous pole, there exists a threefolding – the nervous pole eyes, metabolic pole mouth, and the rhythmic intermediary of the nose.
Functions
The threefold can be applied to the organs themselves as well as their functions. The nervous systems receives sensory information from the outside world and generates internal thought. The metabolic limb system implements our will out to the world through action and movement . In between, we have the rhythmic cardiovascular system responding, shunting resources such as blood and air as needed between the two poles. We call this medium between thinking and willing – feeling.
Treatment Applications
Threefold theory can be used in a myriad of ways to guide medical treatment. One example is selecting a treatment method that targets a threefold aspect. Based on germ layer theory, the skin and topical applications will target the nervous pole, oral medicines will target the metabolic pole, and subcutaneous injections will target the rhythmic system.
Additional Exploration
Threefolding is essential to AEM thinking because it is dynamic. AEM does not think in isolated facts but interconnected processes. Initiating dynamic thinking processes inherent to threefolding opens your being to the higher worlds AEM explores.
Most anthroposophical reference texts will include some introdution on threefolding. Check out the resources section for some examples. Continue to read different perspectives for a broader comprehension of how threefolding plays out in both the human body and the world at large.
