Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Grassroots Conference - Spring 2009

It was an honour to be invited to the Grassroots conference in Ottawa this spring and an occasion for me to remember my brother Dan Huston who lived in Ottawa at the time of his passing on June 20th, 2004. The Grassroots conference is mainly a local event created to bring the people who work with anthroposophy in the Ottawa-Gatineau area together. It is an excellent opportunity for individuals to share areas of interest with others and at the same time, create a space to work together.
Friday evening began with a short talk from each of the presenters in order to enable people to choose their workshops for the next day. Maggie Nadelle opened the conference with a talk on "Where am I” which created a very good imagination of the progress of anthroposophy over a period of many years. The circle was then opened to a conversation which was really lively and full of inspirations. To close the evening, Part IV of the Foundation Stone was read in French and in English.
To open the conference on Saturday morning, Part I of the Foundation Stone Meditation in French and English was read. Following this, James Brian gave his talk on forming and working in groups, entitled 'Practicing Moral Intuition, Moral Inspiration and Moral Technique together'. He did an amazing job of quoting The Philosophy of Freedom and applying it to the working together of a group of people. The challenge to create a common mental picture: the moral imagination and how to realize or carry out the mental picture were just two small considerations which were reviewed in this presentation. After this enlightening talk, Part II of the Foundation Stone was read.
Then everyone divided into two groups. Cameron MacInnes offered a workshop on practical thought training exercises. I attended Barbara Schuster's workshop on the Challenge of Thresholds and Global Initiation. Where do we meet the Guardian in our lives? At what point, do we leave the comfort zone and move into a new consciousness? Many people made worthy contributions which brought us a new understanding of this topic.To open the afternoon, Part III of the Foundation Stone Meditation was read in French and in English. There were then two workshops for people to choose from. Hilde Paz offered clay sculpture which worked from the horizontal to the vertical. Simultaneously, I gave a talk on the relationship between the Rhythms of the Christmas conference and the seven Occult Seal pictures. The afternoon was brought to a close as Sylvie Richard led us through a series of eurythmy exercises. Passing rocks and balls from one to another helped us to be more aware of our neighbour as well as focus on giving and receiving. At the end of the exercises, all of us came together for the bilingual reading of Part IV of the Foundation Stone Meditation.
It was a very fulfilling conference which succeeded in its goal of bringing those together from the Ottawa-Gatineau area. I am sure that my brother Dan gazed down in love from the spiritual worlds and through the inspirations which we all received during the conference, we "wove together in the Spirit where human thoughts are woven." M.Huston

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

About Robert Powell

Robert Powell, PhD, is an internationally known lecturer, author, eurythmist and movement therapist. He is founder of the Choreocosmos School of Cosmic and Sacred Dance, and co-founder of the Sophia Foundation of North America. (He received his doctorate for his thesis on the History of the Zodiac, and he is on the adjunct faculty of Wisdom University. He teaches a gentle form of healing movement: the sacred dance of eurythmy (from the Greek,
meaning “harmonious movement”) as well as the cosmic dances of the planets and signs of the zodiac, and through the Sophia Grail Circle he facilitates sacred celebrations dedicated to the Divine Feminine. Robert offers workshops in Europe and North America and, with Karen Rivers, co-founder of the Sophia Foundation, leads pilgrimages to the world’s sacred sites (1996 Turkey; 1997 Holy Land; 1998 France; 2000 Britain; 2002 Italy; 2004 Greece; 2006 Egypt; 2008 India).

Class Holders In Canada

British Columbia:

Bert Chase, North Vancouver, BC
604-988-1470
Brigitte Knaack, Kelowna, BC
250-764-4710
Olaf Lampson, Duncan, BC
250-746-1740
Christian Reuter, Kelowna, BC
250-764-4587
Patricia Smith, North Vancouver, BC
604-988-3970
Philip Thatcher, North Vancouver, BC
604-985-3569

Alberta:
John Glanzer, Calgary, AB
403-286-8480

Ontario:

Hélène Besnard, Ottawa ON, 613-730-0691
Ingrid Belenson. Spring Bay, ON, 705-282-8509
Michael Chapitis, Toronto ON, 416-925-7694
Werner Fabian, Ivy, ON 705-424-3574 
Brenda Hammond, Ottawa, ON 613-425-0505 
Sylvie Richard, Ottawa, ON 613-613-591-2495 
Herbert Schneeberg, London, ON 519-641-2431 
Greg Scott, Thornhill ON, 905-737-5019
Heidi Vukovich, Markham, ON 905-927-2286 
Ute Weinmann, Barrie, ON 289-597-5616 
Elizabeth White, Guelph ON, 519-821-7210

Quebec:

Arie van Ameringen, Dunham, QC
450-295-2387
France Beaucage, Montréal, QC
514-384-1859
Eric Philips-Oxford, Montréal, QC
514-524-7045

Nova Scotia:

Arthur Osmond, 902-466-7735

Monday, April 20, 2009

Dennis Klocek: Healing Imagination Conference

Imagination has many faces. At its root, imagination is the faculty of forming and dissolving inner pictures. Imagination ranges from disturbed fantasy to flights of genius, the difference being that a genius controls the inner picture forming process and a disturbed person does not. Alchemically the task of forming and dissolving images is known as healing mercury or manas and involves being aware of the process by which inner pictures arise in the soul in response to the sensory stimulation of daily life. This task has great implications for a media-driven society. To create healing mercury in the soul it is necessary to explore the abyss of our own image -forming processes. We do this by shining the little lamp of our thinking into the feeling responses that arise from sensory experience.

In this workshop we will examine the process of inner picture formation through visualization exercises. The exercises will be placed in the context of a series of questions enacted with a partner. The question sequences are designed to highlight the ways in which inner pictures link to particular feelings. Some of the responses are more universal, others are more personal to an individual’s unique soul constitution. The key to the process of working with imagination is to distinguish the archetypal responses from the personal responses. That capacity allows one to control inner images.

LOCATION: at the ecole Rudolf Steiner Montreal

SCHEDULE: Begins at 7pm on Friday May 29 and concludes at 3:30pm on Saturday May 30

COST: General admission - $125.Student /Senior : $85.Reduced Price for 2 events (Healing Imagination Conference and Meditation Retreat : $225. (Student/Senior : $150.)

MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION:call 514-369 9242 or E-mail.

Current activities of Dennis Klocek:

  • Founder of the Coros institute, dedicated to dialogues between individuals in the sciences, the arts and business with a commitment to spiritual values arising from the contemplative life
  • Director, Consciousness Studies Program at Rudolf Steiner College
  • International lecturer
  • Author of many books including: The Seer’s Handbook; Drawing from the Book of Nature; Biodynamic Book of Moons; and Weather and Cosmos
  • Visit Doc Weather for weather predictions and articles on climatology.

Dennis Klocek: Meditation Retreat

The Teachings of Isis: From Anxiety to Insight - A meditation retreat led by Dennis Klocek

The journey of isis searching for the lost Osiris is a potent mythological image that can inspire a new approach to transforming anxiety into insight. The Isis myth will be used as a backdrop for soul-transforming exercises to uncover and identify the hidden sources of anxiety in every day life. These revealed elements will be explored further through dialogue using the mythic language of symbol. Topics will include:
• death of the spirit in the material world as a source of unconscious anxiety
• working on the essential steps of separating the soul forces in the process of
self-development
• re-uniting effectively the soul forces and forging new insights into dreams,
destiny and karma.

LOCATION: at the ecole Rudolf Steiner Montreal

SCHEDULE: May 30/31, 2009, beginning at 7pm on Saturday May 30 and concluding at 3:30pm on Sunday May 31

COST:
General admission : $125.
Student /Senior : $85.
Reduced Price for 2 events (Healing Imagination Conference and Meditation Retreat : $225. (Student/Senior : $150.)

MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION:
call 514-369 9242 or E-mail.

Current activities of Dennis Klocek:
  • Founder of the Coros institute, dedicated to dialogues between individuals in the sciences, the arts and business with a commitment to spiritual values arising from the contemplative life
  • Director, Consciousness Studies Program at Rudolf Steiner College
  • International lecturer
  • Author of many books including: The Seer’s Handbook; Drawing from the Book of Nature; Biodynamic Book of Moons; and Weather and Cosmos
  • Visit Doc Weather for weather predictions and articles on climatology.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Sergey Prokofieff in Montreal

Mr Sergey Prokofieff will give three lectures next July 2009 in Montreal.

Lecture on July 29 , evening, for members and friends.
Title: The Mystery of Golgotha and the Spiritual Communion

Lecture on July 30, late afternoon, for members and friends.
Title: Why do we become member of the First Class?

Lecture on July 30, evening, for members of the First Class.
Title: The Christological Path through the Nineteen Class Lessons

For more information, contact Arie van Ameringen.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Cornelius Pietzner - April Letter

Dear Members,
Turning the clocks forward one hour at the end of March is a reliable sign that spring is determined to (also) come to Dornach, despite unseasonable weather! And with it comes a flurry of preparatory activity that includes the Annual General Meeting and Festival, the meetings with General Secretaries and Country Representatives, the International Treasurer's Meeting, and the premiere of the 2nd Mystery Drama, "The Soul's Probation". Indeed both the 1st and 2nd Mystery Drama will be performed at the Goetheanum twice in early April. This issue of Anthroposophy Worldwide contains an interview with the two Directors reflecting a new way of working together.

Of course, this is not all. There are large and small events also taking place, such as the very recent Conference on Owen Barfield (in English) as a representative and worthy articulator of the Consciousness Soul. Also the Easter Conference, one of the most important yearly festival Conferences, has the theme of Rudolf Steiner's Fifth Gospel. There is much of importance happening to be sure, and also many considerations for the future. We see this in the world Society in many countries (and in the world Society at the Goetheanum), in initiatives of the School of Spiritual Science (such as the 19 Lessons Conference in London in August), and the Goetheanum itself, where, for instance, we continue to make steps in the presentation of our financial life and the flows and designations of funds. It is quickening to experience the Anthroposophical Society in its multi-dimensionality and broad spectrum of undertakings. This is evident in the arts and theater and in so many practical areas and initiatives. It gives a genuine sense of a real cosmopolitan impulse and can serve as a necessary, inspiring and connecting complement to our individual and perhaps very focussed awareness and undertakings.

With best regards for Easter,

Sincerely,

Cornelius Pietzner
For the Executive Council

Foundation Stone Conference At 2009 AGM

March 24, 2009
Dear Friends,

This year's annual general meeting of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada is scheduled for the weekend of May 15-16, 2009. We would like to let you know that a mini conference on the theme of the Foundation Stone Meditation will accompany this AGM, and warmly invite you to participate.

The weekend will begin with a Friday evening lecture by Philip Thatcher, general secretary, titled: “How the Soul Gestures of the Foundation Stone Meditation live within the Anthroposophical Society”. The evening will close with a performance of The Foundation Stone Meditation by The Northern Star Eurythmy group.

On Saturday morning we will begin with a class lesson and conversation, followed by the AGM from 1:30 – 5:00 pm.

Our conference will then continue in the evening by gathering for artistic activity and sharing, thus deepening our theme of “How the Soul Gestures of the Foundation Stone Meditation live within the Anthroposophical Society”.

Further details and a registration form will be sent in a second mailing with the official AGM notification.

Please put this year's AGM and conference on your calendar. It will be another wonderful opportunity to share together and build community.

For the conference committee,



Regine Kurek

ASSEMBLÉE GÉNÉRALE ANNUELLE 2008

ASSEMBLÉE GÉNÉRALE ANNUELLE de la Société anthroposophique au Canada
et de la Fondation Rudolf Steiner
tenue le samedi 17 mai 2008, à 13H30
à la Vancouver Waldorf School
2725, St. Christopher’s Road, North Vancouver, Colombie Britannique

S'il vous plaît me demander une copie du procès-verbal.

Minutes Of The 2008 AGM

ANTHROPOSOPHICAL SOCIETY IN CANADAAND RUDOLF STEINER FOUNDATION

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Saturday, May 17, 2008, 1:30 p.m.
Held at the Vancouver Waldorf School, 2725 St. Christopher’s Road North Vancouver, B.C.

Please contact me if you would like a copy of the minutes.

In Memory of HUGUETTE BIGRAS-CHAURETTE

Once upon a time there was a good king who had a son and two daughters by a first marriage. In honor of the birth of a third princess, the only offspring of his second marriage, the king gave a magnificent feast. The three good fairies of the kingdom arrived and stood lovingly around the cradle. The first fairy gave the infant a heart as pure as gold, the second offered her a will as strong as stone, and the third bestowed upon her thinking and speech clear as crystal. The fourth fairy, the one who, though never invited, always manages to find her way in, bent over the cradle and cast a spell on the infant. She predicted that when the child reached the age of 14, she would be bitten by a snake and die. The three good fairies could do nothing to ward off the spell. Nevertheless, they revealed to the king that he, and he alone, with his human hands and heart, could save his child from death.
The little girl grew to adolescence surrounded by kindness. Yet all the loving care in the world could not keep the snake from biting her as predicted. Her father, whose hands and voice were as calm as his heart, breathed sufficient strength into his daughter’s heart to allow her to overcome the sickness. However, the young innocent heart, though having lost none of its courage or generosity, had now been greatly weakened in its physical aspect. This weakness was such that the princess, aspiring to take a vow of poverty, was refused entry into a convent.
For that we can be thankful! For the young girl’s heart of gold, which beat fast, very fast, sometimes as fast as that of a bird, was in fact the heart of a carrier pigeon, the heart of a messenger who needed the world every bit as much as the world needed her. How could she ever have survived caged in, even for a noble cause? She might truly have died had that come to pass.
The princess took a husband and became Queen of her household. Thanks to the wealth left to her by her father, and to her extraordinary talent for managing that wealth, the Queen was always able to receive the help she needed to take care of her four children, three sons and a daughter. For the education of her lovely offspring, she set out to find the wisest governess of the kingdom. The Duchess of Simons, who hailed from foreign lands and who was seeking a place to bestow the fruits of a profound Wisdom onto to young children, was soon invited to care for the children several hours a week, as well as other children from the neighborhood.
The Queen offered her new-found friend a tower, a round tower where the little ones could hold hands to form a circle and dance and sing rounds, to share in experiencing the arts and more importantly to experience the art of sharing. Thanks to this fortunate association, the Queen learned much from the many books of Wisdom brought by the Duchess, Wisdom which was not only aimed at children, but also at grownups. In other towers, here and there, she studied this Wisdom with several other seekers and from then on, and for the rest of her life, would be intent on applying it.
And the very life that was transforming her also transformed her children into fine young men and women quite ready to go off on their own to discover the world. And our lovely messenger bird moved to a new town, and then settled near the shores of a great river so that her now seriously-ill husband could breathe the invigorating air and she could devote all her loving attention to him. The couple took wonderful trips together. But then the morning came when the faithful companion, held standing upright in his wife’s arms and looking at the rising sun, began his journey into the Other World.
Henceforth finding herself with no particular responsibilities, our lovely bird could open her wings and fly as she wished… She was offered the comfort of a second marriage. She chose rather to fly off to a neighboring land to deepen her knowledge of the art of educating young children that she had discovered with the Duchess of Simons. When she returned, she built a new tower, set close to a clear river. Knights arrived to help her in this endeavor. Other towers were erected, so that many young souls could become “children with hearts as pure as gold, as strong as stone and as clear as crystal.” An entire castle, a castle-school, developed, and our friend, leaving the circle-rounds and the other teaching in the hands of the knights, sat for several more decades at the castle’s great round table as administrator and wise counselor. She, who was never supposed to have reached adulthood, thus became “Grandma” to an entire kingdom!
Then, when her delicately transparent heart could no longer bear the hectic life of the castle, Grandma wished to build one last tower, a more tranquil place in which souls nearing the end of their earthly journeys could find a welcome home. Though her dream of a tower could not come to fruition, the turret where she built her last nest nevertheless became a haven in which all who wanted to share their life experiences could find refuge from time to time. She who had known how to knit the lives of children and adults together in a great social weaving, was now knitting a place for new meetings… just as she continued to knit those warm wool shawls for so many people. And the waters of life continued to flow, but more and more simply and more and more slowly. Although she still had to endure several violent whirlwinds, she did so with great courage.
Then came the day when the heart of our beloved bird began to beat faster than her knitting needles, faster than the hands of the clock which told that the Hour was near. Her heart started to beat faster and faster as it opened up, and she could see that it had begun to sprout two large white wings. Then came the night; the two great wings, bright, strong and pure, beat slowly but resolutely. Then, at sunrise, they carried the Queen’s heart upward, so high up into the firmament that it flew beyond the Rainbow.
And we, who do not doubt for one moment that such a heart can never be destroyed, know full well that it indeed lives on.





HUGUETTE BIGRAS- CHAURETTE
1922: September 15, Huguette Bigras is born in Laval-sur-le-Lac, Quebec.
1925: Huguette contracts rheumatic fever, and survives, it is said, thanks to the care and strength of her father. The valves of her heart, however, are permanently damaged.
1947: She marries Jean-Pierre Chaurette, notary.
1948-1954: She gives birth to 4 children, despite her fragile physical condition. Her financial situation, which she manages astutely, will allow her to receive the help she needs.
1952: She meets Madeleine Simons while looking for a kindergarten for her children – a meeting which is a turning point in her destiny. Madeleine wants to open a Waldorf kindergarten, and Huguette makes that possible by offering a room in her own house. Children of other families are welcomed to join.
1954: Huguette becomes the first French-speaking member of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada.
1966: The Chaurette family moves to Quebec City, where Huguette starts Canada’s first French-language Anthroposophical study group and opens the province’s first Anthroposophical bookstore.
1974-76: Her husband is diagnosed with cancer. The children are all now living on their own. The couple moves to Petite Rivière St-François, a magnificent site on the banks of the St-Lawrence River. They travel quite a bit, most notably to Dornach. On July 11, 1976, Jean-Pierre dies in his wife’s arms, standing upright, gazing at the sun as it comes up over the horizon.
1976-78: Huguette does her Waldorf kindergarten teacher training in Spring Valley.
1978: Huguette opens “l’Eau Vive” Waldorf kindergarten in Montreal, which eventually gives birth to the École Rudolf Steiner de Montreal.
1980: She becomes one of the founders of the school, where she works as a crafts teacher but soon becomes the school’s astute and efficient administrator, a position she will hold for many years. She welcomes new families with great warmth, and it is little wonder that everyone calls her “Grandma Chaurette.”
1988: Despite her declining health, she becomes the first French-speaking Class reader in Canada.
1996: Her wish now is to create a Co-Housing project, but since this does not come about, she rents an apartment in the same building as her coworker in this project (and the one who will become her close friend and caretaker to the very end), Inge-Barbara Bastian. In no time, her apartment becomes a space for meetings, games and human exchanges for other tenants in the building, who all say that she brought them together as a new family.
1999: Open-heart surgery (quadruple bypass and replacement of two valves) grant her ten more years of life.
February 17, 2009: At sunrise, Huguette crossed the threshold. She who was not supposed to live to adulthood leaves four children, 13 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and hundreds of friends, both adults and children whom she took into her heart as her own adopted brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren.

It is with deepest gratitude for all she has given, both of her personal wealth and her qualities of initiative, brotherhood and courage, that we wish her well on her new journey, knowing full well that she will continue to work for the Anthroposophical cause and for the True Human Ideal.

À la mémoire de HUGUETTE BIGRAS-CHAURETTE

Il était une fois un très bon roi, qui avait eu de sa première femme, un fils et deux filles. En l’honneur de l’arrivée d’une troisième princesse, unique enfant de son second mariage, le roi donna une magnifique fête. Les trois gentes fées du royaume se présentèrent et entourèrent aimablement le berceau. La première offrit à l’enfant un cœur pur comme de l’or, la suivante, une volonté ferme comme le rocher, et la dernière, lui octroya une pensée et une parole claires comme le cristal. La quatrième fée, celle qu’on n’invite jamais, mais qui s’infiltre toujours, se pencha aussi sur le bébé. Elle prédit que, vers 14 ans, la nouvelle-venue serait piquée par une vipère et en mourrait. Les trois bonnes fées ne purent rien pour conjurer le mauvais sort. Cependant, elles dévoilèrent au roi, que lui seul, avec ses mains et son cœur d’humain, pourrait alors éviter la mort de sa fille.
La fillette grandit dans la bienveillance. Toute cette sollicitude ne put pourtant empêcher la vipère annoncée de piquer l’adolescente. Son père, de ses mains et de sa voix aussi calmes que son cœur, lui insuffla la force de surmonter la maladie. Le cœur ingénu, qui ne perdit ni de sa vaillance, ni de sa générosité, ni de sa foi en la vie, resta néanmoins affaibli dans son pendant physique. Cette faiblesse fut telle qu’on refusa même la princesse au couvent où elle aurait voulut faire ses vœux de pauvreté.
Heureusement ! Car le cœur d’or de la jeune femme qui battait, battait parfois aussi vite que celui d’un oiseau, était un cœur de pigeon voyageur. Le cœur d’une messagère dont le monde avait grand besoin et qui avait besoin du monde. Comment aurait-on pu l’enfermer ? Même pour une noble tâche ? Elle en serait peut-être morte pour de bon.
La princesse trouva époux, et devint reine du foyer. Grâce aux richesses léguées par son père et à son don particulier de gérer les biens, la souveraine put toujours recevoir l’aide nécessaire pour prendre soin de ses quatre enfants, trois fils et une fille. Pour sa belle couvée, elle espérait trouver la gouvernante qui lui semblerait la plus avisée du royaume. La Duchesse Simons, venant de pays lointains et qui cherchait un lieu pour prodiguer aux petits, les fruits d’une profonde Sagesse, fut bientôt invitée à veiller quelques heures par semaine, sur les enfants de notre héroïne et ceux du voisinage. La reine offrit à sa nouvelle amie une tour, une tour toute ronde, pour que les bambins s’y donnent la main et fassent ensemble des rondes, pour y partager les arts et surtout l’art de partager. Grâce à cette heureuse association, la reine apprit beaucoup de tous les livres de Sagesse apportés par la Duchesse, Sagesse qui s’adressait aussi aux adultes. En d’autres tours, ici et là, elle L’étudia avec quelques autres chercheurs et essaya désormais, et pour toute sa vie, de L’appliquer.
Et la vie qui la transformait, transforma aussi ses enfants en adolescents qui devinrent des jeunes gens prêts à partir dans le monde pour apprendre la vie. L’oiselle voyageuse changea de ville, puis s’installa auprès d’un grand fleuve pour assurer à son mari, gravement malade, un air vivifiant et toute sa présence attentionnée. Les époux firent ensemble de beaux voyages jusqu’à ce que le fidèle compagnon entreprenne dignement, dans les bras de sa femme, debout devant le soleil levant, le passage vers l’Autre Monde.
Désormais sans responsabilités particulières, l’oiselle pouvait ouvrir ses ailes à sa guise… On lui proposa le nid serein d’un second mariage. Elle choisit de s’envoler en pays voisin pour approfondir l’art d’éduquer découvert avec la Duchesse Simons. À son retour, elle érigea une nouvelle tour, tout près d’une rivière d’Eau Vive. Des chevaliers vinrent pour la supporter dans cette tâche. D’autres tours furent érigées, pour que les enfants puissent y devenir des êtres humains « au cœur pur comme de l’or, ferme comme le rocher, clair comme le cristal. » Tout un château, un château-école se développa et notre amie, laissant aux autres chevaliers le soin des rondes et de tout l’apprentissage, se tint encore plusieurs décennies à la grande table ronde en tant qu’administratrice et conseillère. Celle qui ne devait jamais atteindre l’âge adulte devint ainsi la« Grand-Mamie » de tout un royaume !
Lorsque son cœur transparent ne put plus suivre la vie trépidante du château, la grand-mamie aurait voulu ériger une dernière tour, plus tranquille, pour accueillir ceux qui arrivent à la fin de leur vie. Son rêve ne put se réaliser, mais au havre où elle fit son dernier nid, elle construisit néanmoins une tourelle où se réfugièrent par moments tous ceux qui voulaient partager leurs expériences de vie. Celle qui avait su emmailler des mains d’enfants et d’adultes en un grand tissage social, tricotait maintenant un lieu de nouvelles rencontres, comme…de chaleureux châles pour tous et chacun. Et l’eau de la vie coulait toujours, mais de plus en plus simplement, de plus en plus lentement…à part quelques violents tourbillons qu’elle abordait pourtant avec courage.
Or, voici que vint le jour où son cœur d’oiseau, son cœur s’est mit à battre plus vite que ses aiguilles à tricoter, plus vite que les aiguilles de l’horloge où sonna l’Heure; son cœur ouvert se mit à battre de plus en plus vite et à voir battre deux grandes ailes blanches qui venaient de lui pousser. Or, vint la nuit, où deux grandes ailes, claires, fermes et pures, se sont mises à battre doucement mais résolument, pour, au lever du soleil, emporter le cœur de la souveraine si haut, si haut dans le firmament, qu’il est passé de l’Autre Côté de l’Arc-en ciel.

Et nous, nous qui ne doutons pas un instant qu’un cœur comme celui-là, rien ne pourra jamais le détruire, nous savons que puisqu’il n’est pas mort, il vit encore.



Huguette Bigras-Chaurette
1922: Le 15 septembre, naissance d’Huguette Bigras à Laval-sur-le-Lac, au Québec.
1925: Huguette est atteinte de rhumatismes inflammatoires, dont elle survivra, dira-t-elle, grâce à la sollicitude et la force de son père. Les valves de son cœur, cependant, resteront affaiblies pour le reste de la vie.
1947: Mariage avec Jean-Pierre Chaurette, notaire.
1948-1954: Naissances de 4 enfants, malgré sa fragilité physique. Sa situation économique, qu’elle sait bien gérer, lui permettra d’avoir l’aide nécessaire.
1952: Rencontre décisive dans son destin de Madeleine Simons, en cherchant un Jardin d’enfants pour sa petite famille. Madeleine voulait ouvrir un Jardin Waldorf. Huguette lui en donne la possibilité en offrant une salle dans sa propre maison. Des enfants de d’autres familles sont bien sûr accueillis.
1954: Huguette devient le premier membre de la Société Anthroposophique francophone au Canada.
1966: La famille Chaurette s’installe dans la ville de Québec. Huguette initie le premier groupe d’étude anthroposophique de langue française au Canada. Elle ouvre une librairie anthroposophique dans la Capitale provinciale, la première au Québec.
1974-76: Son mari est atteint du cancer. Les enfants volent de leurs propres ailes. Le couple s’installe à Petite Rivière St-François, lieu magnifique sur le St-Laurent. Les époux voyagent et notamment à Dornach. Jean-Pierre meurt dans les bras de sa femme, debout en accueillant le lever du soleil.
1976-78: Huguette fait sa formation de Jardinière d’enfants Waldorf à Spring Valley.
1978: Huguette ouvre à Montréal, l’Eau Vive, jardin d’enfants Waldorf qui sera le berceau de l’Ecole Rudolf Steiner de Mtl.
1980: Elle sera parmi les fondateurs de la dite école. Elle y donne des cours de travaux manuels, mais devient surtout, et pour des années, une administratrice avisée et efficace de l’institution. Elle reçoit chaleureusement les nouvelles familles et ce n’est pas pour rien que tous l’appellent « Grand-Mamie Chaurette ».
1988: Malgré sa santé qui décline de plus en plus, elle devient la première lectrice de classe de L’université de Science Spirituelle de langue française au Canada.
1996: Elle aurait voulu créer un complexe de Co-Habitation. À défaut de réaliser ce dernier projet, elle se prendra un appartement dans le même édifice que I-Barbara Bastian. aussi engagée dans ce projet de co-habitation. Inge-Barabra deviendra sa grande amie et fidèle accompagnatrice jusqu’à la fin. Très vite, son petit-chez soi se fera un lieu de rencontre, d’étude, de jeux, de partages humains pour plusieurs autres locataires qui diront qu’elle a su les réunir en une nouvelle famille.
1999: Une opération à cœur ouvert et greffe lui alloueront dix ans de vie supplémentaires.
2009: Le 17 février, au lever du soleil, Huguette a passé le seuil. Celle qui ne devait jamais connaître la vie adulte laissait, quatre enfants, 13 petits-enfants, 13 arrière-petits-enfants et des centaines et des centaines d’amis, de frères, sœurs, d’enfants et petits-enfants adoptés dans le cœur.
C’est avec gratitude pour tout ce qu’elle a légué de sa fortune personnelle et de ses grandes qualités d’initiative, de fraternité, de courage que nous lui souhaitons bonne route dans sa nouvelle étape, en sachant qu’elle continuera d’œuvrer pour la tâche anthroposophique et l’Idéal Humain.

Hélène Besnard