Eurythmy is part of anthroposophic medicine. It is an art of movement that is used as a form of therapy. Eurythmy therapy was developed by Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy.
What is eurythmy therapy?
Eurythmy is part of anthroposophic medicine. It is an art of movement used as a form of therapy. Eurythmy can be translated as “beautiful movement.” Eurythmy is an integral part of anthroposophy. Anthroposophy is a worldview that was brought to life by Rudolf Steiner. Part of anthroposophy is anthroposophic medicine, which is not scientifically recognized. It is a holistic complementary medicine that is practiced in many countries as a supplement to conventional medicine. Eurythmy was developed by Rudolf Steiner himself. It is based on the instructions of the British writer, painter, social philosopher and artist John Ruskin. Steiner created eurythmy as a kind of sign language and understood it as an expressionist expression of art. Through the body, that was to be expressed which could not be expressed through language. For this purpose Rudolf Steiner developed many different forms of eurythmy to pieces of music or to poems. These are called choreographies and are taught in special eurythmy schools. Steiner taught the first eurythmy student in 1911, and over the years there were more and more eurythmy productions. Already in 1924 the first eurythmy schools were founded in Stuttgart and in Dornach. Today eurythmy is a subject taught at Waldorf schools. There the art of movement is taught from the first to the eleventh grade. Eurythmy is also practiced in Waldorf kindergartens. Eurythmy therapy is offered in anthroposophical hospitals or doctors’ offices, among other places. In contrast to eurythmy, the exercises in eurythmy therapy are performed alone.
Function, effect and goals
Eurythmy therapy is a special form of eurythmy. It was also developed by Rudolf Steiner. The physician Ita Wegmann was also involved in its development. Eurythmy therapy is an individual therapy. The patient is guided by anthroposophical therapists who have learned eurythmy therapy at a school. The costs of eurythmy therapy can be covered by statutory health insurance. Despite a corresponding ruling by the Federal Social Court, the provision of anthroposophic medicine and thus eurythmy therapy is only included in a few framework agreements of the statutory health insurance funds. According to anthroposophy, the cause of illness lies in a disturbance of the bodily, mental and spiritual levels of the person affected. The specific exercises of eurythmy aim at re-harmonizing the disturbed areas through movements. The sensations and feelings of the person should flow from the outside to the inside. Thus a reversal is achieved. Normally, emotions and sensations flow from the inside to the outside through gestures and facial expressions. This is to influence the sensations positively. They harmonize the individual levels and thus ensure a harmonious balance. Eurythmy therapy is thus based on a holistic view of the human being. Anthroposophists assume that physical illnesses also often have their causes on the soul or spiritual level. Conversely, a mental disorder can also have an organic cause. Eurythmy therapy is intended to connect all levels through its gentle movement sequences and thus promote a health-promoting exchange between the individual levels. Eurythmy therapy is used in independent practices, in clinics, schools, kindergartens, curative education and social therapy facilities, in sanatoriums and in rehabilitation centers. The movement exercises can be performed lying down, standing up or sitting down. Even patients who are barely able to move themselves can perform eurythmy therapy with the help of the therapist. In children, eurythmy therapy is mainly used to treat postural disorders, bed-wetting, perceptual disorders, developmental disorders and sleep disorders. Also defective vision or behavioral problems are possible indications. In rehabilitation, eurythmy therapy is mainly used in the field of internal medicine. Thus, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, allergic diseases, neurodermatitis and cancer are treated with eurythmy therapy.For older people, eurythmy therapy is often used preventively to maintain health. The mental and physical mobility are in the foreground. The life forces are also to be strengthened and stimulated by the movement exercises of eurythmy therapy. Furthermore, eurythmy therapy is used in cases of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and stroke. This is to improve or at least maintain the current state of health.
Risks, side effects and dangers
Antroposophic medicine, and therefore eurythmy therapy, are usually considered pseudoscientific. Conventional medicine mostly evaluates treatments based on the results of controlled and randomized trials. The therapeutic decisions of anthroposophy, on the other hand, are mostly based on findings obtained from individual cases. Critics attribute the treatment successes of anthroposophic medicine to the care of the therapist. They claim that the therapist’s empathic care leads to an improvement of symptoms in the patient. Another theory is that the treatment successes are based purely on the placebo effect. Most doctors therefore recommend eurythmy therapy at best as a preventive procedure. Serious illnesses should not be treated with eurythmy therapy. The procedures of anthroposophic medicine are usually free of side effects. However, there is a danger if serious diseases are overlooked and not treated with conventional medicine. Therefore, a doctor should always be consulted before using eurythmy therapy. In anthroposophical hospitals, eurythmy therapy is also not usually used as a solitary therapeutic method, but always in addition to other therapeutic methods. Those who do not wish to forego eurythmy therapy in their treatment should therefore seek out an experienced anthroposophic physician. Only this person can develop an adequate treatment plan and also assess when conventional medical therapy methods may need to be used for treatment after all.
