The Ether of Life
A guest post by Ursula Rütimann, 03/09/2026
Like the chemical ether, the Ether of Life can be imagined as a force active in polar movements. It rises and immediately descends again. Flame‑like, one current moves upward while a complementary current strives downward. It moves weightlessly and continually in counter‑movements.1
The Ether of Life is described as appearing in shades of rose or pink. The ethers themselves do not possess actual color, yet they can work upon us as if they were colored.
An imaginal gesture expressing the activity of the Ether of Life
An imaginal gesture expressing the activity of the Ether of Life
The following contemplative exercise describes how an initial sense of the activity of the Ether of Life can arise. It is likewise taken from Heinz Grill’s book on nutrition. Enjoy exploring the practice.
“Take a few seeds and observe them. At first,
their outer form becomes perceptible. Upon this observation, you may
allow the imagination to arise that the specific plant is already
archetypally contained within these seeds. Gradually, the following
imaginative process may unfold like a logical fantasy, thinking
through the further possibilities: the seed dies, and the sprout
begins to thrive. However, the sprout also dies, and an initial
formation of root and stem emerges. Eventually, this too recedes,
giving way to an ever‑developing structure of leaves, blossoms,
and fruits. After the seeds are once again laid down in the final
stage of this cycle, the plant generally dies away completely.”
Internship
If you’d like to learn more about the four ethers through nutrition, or if you’re looking for a new direction in the field of nutrition, why not come to Lundo, Italy, for an internship at the Forum for Holistic Vegetarian Cooking Art? We on the kitchen team look forward to meeting you!
1 Heinz Grill, Ernährung und die gebende Kraft des Menschen, Stephan Wunderlich Verlag 2013 (only German, the opera is actually being translated in English)