Breath of Life Conference 2007

Dr Jaap van der Wal

Dr van der Wal is a medical doctor and associate professor of Anatomy and Embryology at the University of Maastricht, Holland. He has developed a passion for human embryology and how biology expresses the essence of human spiritual development and unfoldment.

After his medical education in 1973 Jaap became specialized in the functional anatomy and development of the locomotor apparatus in particular regarding proprioception (i.e.the sense for the perception of locomotion and body position). He also became a teacher of Philosophy of Science and Medical Anthropology.

Dr van der Wal says: “My passion however was and still is human embryology. The human body is a process,developing and functioning in time. The embryo moves and behaves in forms. It is in this area that I encountered anthroposophy, the Goethean phe-nomenological approach. This appeared to be the key for bridging between the domain of "natural science" and "spiritual science."

"I apply themethod of dynamic morphology to understand what we actually are doing as human beings when we still are embryos. Through this approach I discovered that science and religion, matter and spirit, macrocosm and microcosm, creation and evolution meet each other in the phenomenal process of becoming human. With respect I can find in the embryo cautious answers to questions as to the meaning of human existence".

Prof Van der Wal will be running a workshop in London on 18th - 20th August 2007. For details see www.cranio.co.uk or download a flyer here

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