Drawing of the 12 Eurythmic Zodiac Gestures by Oswald Dubach, 1927

Forms Arising from the Essence of the Human Being

R. Steiner, Speech Eurythmy Course. GA 279, 10th Lecture, July 7, 1924
Automatic translation. Authorized translation

So today, let us first attempt to start from the essence of the human being, to seek the forms that can arise from this essence, and then proceed to ask ourselves: Which sounds can be associated with these respective forms? ...

Now you see a number of gestures. These gestures, in their entirety, actually represent the whole human being. One might say the whole human being, although divided into twelve individual elements, still remains complete.

You could also imagine a person performing these gestures one after another. If you visualize this, you would see even more clearly how, by making all of these gestures in sequence, the human essence is expressed in an extraordinarily powerful way.

Let us now go through this human essence. Let us begin here (Gesture IV).

Scorpio

Imagine this element in a person, which primarily represents intellect and understanding. Let us deeply imprint this in our souls: Here we have the gesture that expresses comprehension and intellect.

Leo

Now look at this gesture (I): It radiates outward like the sun, representing what we call enthusiasm, the element that primarily originates in the chest. So we can say: Gesture IV represents the head; Gesture I represents the chest, enthusiasm.

Taurus

Now we move here (Gesture X). Here, we see the head embraced by the right arm, with the left hand covering the larynx. This represents all that is an expression of willpower in the human being—the word remains silent—when a person stands firmly, embodying willpower. This gesture encapsulates the limbs, will, and action.

Thus, we now fundamentally recognize the threefold nature of the human being: intellect, feeling, and will.

Aquarius

Now we also have the gesture that unites everything we have observed. Look at how this one seeks balance (Gesture VII).

It seeks balance among all the others. One can imagine that the arms move up and down, further emphasizing the search for equilibrium. Here, balance is sought—the entire human being seeks balance. We can say this represents the human being as such or the person in balance with their three forces: thinking, feeling, and willing. I will simply write: the human being in balance. Consider these descriptions as something deeply significant.

Sagittarius

Now we move to the others. If you progress from the thinking human to the one seeking balance, you find the intermediate state where thought leads to action. Where does thought lead? To decision-making. So, Gesture V represents resolution, the thought that seeks to manifest in reality.

Capricorn

Now we arrive at this gesture (VI). You can tell from its form that something significant is happening. Gesture IV was just the thought. That thought may be brilliant, but it does not necessarily manifest. It does not even need to become a resolution. Thought can always be hindered by external conditions. In Gesture VI, the thought struggles with external circumstances: The confrontation of thought with the world. This confrontation must be processed within the whole person; only then can the balanced human being walk through the world and carry out their deeds after overcoming this struggle.

Libra

Now we move from intellect to the opposite side. What happens before one formulates a thought? There must be a process leading to understanding. Before thought emerges, there is a weighing of possibilities. In this gesture (Gesture III), you see the weighing of the preconditions for thought.

Virgo

How does such careful weighing of conditions actually come about? Here, we need to consider Gesture II in the right way. How does it arise? Think about it— we start from feeling, from enthusiasm (Gesture I). This is the *blazing enthusiasm*— something often lacking in our society, yet at least here, it is represented. But before we arrive at calm deliberation, on the journey from Gesture I to Gesture III, a rational sobering must first take place. Gesture II: *Sobering.* If you observe this gesture with an open mind, you will clearly sense this quality.

Leo

Then we have *enthusiasm*, which resides in the chest (Gesture I).

Cancer

Now, we move here (Gesture XII). This is not yet enthusiasm, or rather, let’s say, enthusiasm in this case does not lead to deliberation or judgment but transitions directly into action— into an expression of will. Between enthusiasm and will lies the *impulse*, the driving force that moves us outward, the urge to act. When someone is enthusiastic, they are initially just *ablaze*. But for action to emerge, an impulse must arise. In Gesture XII, we witness precisely this *impulse to act*.

Gemini

Now, let’s move forward. Look at what happens next. Here, the entire person is not only convinced that they *will* act (Gesture XI)— one could almost see Napoleon standing there— but also already expresses *skill* in their stance. Unlike others who simply *stand*, they *plant* themselves firmly. You will often see admirals standing this way on ships. In fact, I recommend that if you ever walk on a ship, you adopt this stance—it will help you counteract the swaying and make seasickness less likely. This is not just the *impulse* but the *ability* to act. So here, in Gesture XI, we find *the ability to act*.

Taurus

And now, in Gesture X, we have the *action* itself.

Aries

But then it moves further. When the action is completed, what remains beyond the person? You see, the individual stands within the world, looking at what has come into being through their action. It is no longer just the act itself. They have already stepped away from it, they can now *observe* it— it has become an *event*, a *fact*. The event has taken place through them, through their action. So, in Gesture IX, we have *the event*.

Pisces

Now we continue to Gesture VIII:

Here, you can see in the gesture that an event has made an impression on the person. The person has acted, the event has left a mark, and it has turned into destiny. We can say (see diagram): The event has become fate.

Now, we have encompassed the human being in all its elements. As you can see, one can depict a person through twelve elements and find gestures that correspond to these twelve aspects.