from lectures by Rudolf Steiner Wholly Sense Organ In this first
extract taken from Steiner’s lectures at Torquay (often referred
to as The Kingdom of Childhood) one of the most important
observations of the child from birth to age seven is presented.
This is the perception that the whole being of the child is a
great “sense organ.” The adult is able to shut out the sense
impressions of the eye and ear; in some manner ward off, choose
and discriminate among the bombardment of stimuli. But the
infant and young child is so delicately sensitive to the
surrounding environment that the sense impressions work right
into the very physiology of its being. An understanding of this
primary phenomenon should lead the teacher toward a
conscientiousness in how one speaks, the mood of soul that one
lives in daily and consequently projects into the world, the
environment provided for the growing child, the effects of
media, in short, all that comprises the influx of sense
impressions that the child will drink in as the very