Chers amis,
Celui qui voyage au Goetheanum au mois de novembre ne sait jamais d'avance quel temps il fera. Parfois, il neige; le plus souvent, c’est de la pluie qui accueille le visiteur; ou encore on peut trouver un ciel clair dont la lumière du soir, près de l'horizon, donne au bâtiment un air doux, voire tendre.
Mais chaque fois que je m'y rends en novembre, une ambiance de repos pénètre tout. Les feuilles sont déjà tombées ou sont sur le point de le faire. Des vaches paissent tranquillement sur le terrain du Goetheanum. La nature a épuisé ses forces, elle se recueille en vue de l'hiver qui approche, elle se repose maintenant. Elle offre ainsi une ambiance d'émerveillement qui ouvre de l'espace pour notre activité intérieure, nous les Secrétaires généraux qui sommes là pour nous réunir avec le Comité directeur et les responsables des Sections de l’École de Science de l’Esprit. J'aimerais vous présenter ici quelques-uns des nombreux sujets auxquels nous avons porté notre attention.
Troels Ussing, Secrétaire général pour le Danemark, a donné un compte rendu du travail anthroposophique présentement en cours en Uganda, en Tanzanie, et au Kenya. Près de 2500 élèves fréquentent des écoles Waldorf dans ces pays. Contre la toile de fond historique de l’exploitation pratiquée par les Européens avides d'esclaves, d'ivoire, de caoutchouc – et qui a amené la chute des royaumes africains cohérents – Troels a fait ressortir les ressemblances que l'on trouve entre les valeurs sociales des Africains et le geste social préconisé par l'anthroposophie. Même dans le contexte social d'une grande importance accordée à l'identité de groupe et à la responsabilité envers sa collectivité, le cheminement vers une plus grande conscience de l'individualité personnelle se fait jour chez l'Africain, bien que ce cheminement soit parfois ardu. Troels a fait remarquer que le cynisme et l'égotisme de l'Européen peuvent entraver le progrès de l'Africain dans ce sens. Et pourtant, il y a de l'excellent travail qui se fait, notamment dans les écoles Waldorf, travail rendu possible par la formation offerte par des collègues d'Afrique du Sud.
Dans le numéro de septembre de Anthroposophy Worldwide (no. 7) on trouve de bons articles sur le travail en Afrique et sur la manière dont la sensibilité de l'Africain parle à notre humanité universelle.
Une de nos rencontres a été entièrement consacrée à des rapports du Comité directeur et des responsables des Sections concernant le renouvellement du mandat de Bodo von Plato comme membre du Comité directeur. Depuis quelques années, l'on reconnaît que le statut de membre du Comité directeur ne doit pas être considéré comme étant un « poste à vie »; un membre doit être libre d'assumer d'autres tâches lorsqu'il reconnaît que son destin le lui demande. Parallèlement, si au bout d'un certain nombre d'années un membre décide de rester au sein du Comité, la décision de le faire devrait se prendre à la lumière d'une révision rétrospective de son travail, révision qui se fait après une période de sept à douze ans à compter du moment où l'individu est devenu membre du Comité directeur.
Dans sa réponse à cette révision, et en réaffirmant sa volonté de continuer comme membre du Comité directeur, Bodo nous a amenés sur le terrain des responsabilités qu'il a lui-même portées pendant son mandat. Une de ces responsabilités concerne les cours d'étude au Goetheanum (en langue allemande), comportant des modules pour des individus oeuvrant au sein de différentes professions (exemple : les banquiers). Au cours de ce travail, un nombre de questions ont fait surface pour lui : Comment développer dans la vie méditative une compétence spirituelle qui soit universellement humaine? Comment développer une recherche selon la Science de l’Esprit qui attire l'intérêt et qui mérite le respect de la science officielle? (Dans ce contexte, Bodo a fait la remarque que les pratiques spirituelles les plus courantes de notre époque sont plus éloignées de l'anthroposophie que ne l'est la science de la nature.) Et comment pouvons-nous façonner un langage susceptible d'exprimer cette activité que nous nous efforçons de développer?
Depuis quelques années, une grande partie de l'activité de Bodo von Plato a été consacrée à monter les Drames-Mystères de Rudolf Steiner dans une forme renouvelée. Dans les mots de Bodo von Plato, ces drames représentent « l’élément-cœur de l'anthroposophie »; leur présentation est une partie intégrante de la tâche du Goetheanum. Pourtant, les mettre en scène de manière à ce qu'ils portent vers l'avenir implique un élément de risque, à la fois spirituel et artistique. Et monter ces drames est une entreprise coûteuse. Des 1,100,100 francs suisses requis, il reste un montant de 185,000 CHF à combler, en plus des 800,000 CHF nécessaires pour financer 20 représentations de l'ensemble des quatre drames.
L'été prochain, les quatre Drames-Mystères seront présentés au Goetheanum du 29 juillet au 1er août. Il s'agit de la période précédant immédiatement la semaine de langue anglaise, qui se tiendra du 2 au 7 août. Les représentations se donneront en allemand avec, par l'intermédiaire de casques d'écoute, une interprétation simultanée du texte en anglais. Le thème de la semaine anglaise lui-même sera Entering into the 21st Century Spiritually. De plus amples renseignements sur les deux événements paraîtront au début de 2010.
Un troisième fil conducteur de nos rencontres était celui de la vie de la Société anthroposophique – fil qui a été au centre de chacune des réunions auxquelles j'ai assisté jusqu'à présent. La tâche de la Société anthroposophique est de cultiver la vie de l'âme dans l'individu et dans la société en se fondant sur une véritable connaissance du monde spirituel. Une telle société doit : affirmer la liberté spirituelle de chaque membre individuel; cultiver la confiance entre membres; rendre possible des rencontres et réunions entre membres grâce auxquelles le karma peut agir; travailler en vue d'une culture de paix rendue possible par la lutte intérieure personnelle livrée par chaque membre individuel au-dedans de lui-même; et être au service de l'humanité en conformité avec l'esprit de notre ère. La reconnaissance de ces gestes a résonné de multiples façons et à de multiples moments au cours de nos rencontres, et a été exprimée d'une manière particulièrement claire et précise lors d'une présentation de Paul Mackay.
Au cœur même de chacun de ces gestes se trouve notre conscience du seuil, élément essentiel à toute véritable connaissance de soi à notre époque. La conscience du seuil est ce qui nous différencie de beaucoup d'autres mouvements spirituels.
Depuis quelques années, j'en suis venu à reconnaître que le festival de l'Avent est en fait celui du Dévoilement du Seuil. La lumière du monde extérieur cède la place à l'obscurité pour qu'une autre lumière puisse briller. L'Avent nous incite à laisser aller la lumière extérieure, à permettre à l'obscurité de descendre. L'Avent nous invite à percer du regard cette obscurité et de percevoir ce devenir qui est ce que nous sommes en réalité.
C'est là une façon possible d'exprimer cette expérience. Les paroles qui suivent peuvent en représenter une autre, paroles écrites par David Zieroth, ami de longue date, ancien parent de l’École Waldorf de Vancouver, et lauréat du Prix de Poésie du Gouverneur Général pour l'année 2009.*
The light that breaks with fall
slants against our eye
eager to penetrate flesh,
proclaiming no other way except our own.
We are the winter residence of light.
(La lumière qui point avec l'automne
Darde ses rayons obliques contre notre œil
cherchant à pénétrer la chair,
proclamant nul autre chemin que le nôtre.
Nous sommes la demeure hivernale de la lumière.)
Mes meilleurs vœux pour l'Avent et pour les Nuits saintes,
Philip Thatcher,
Secrétaire général.
*extrait de « Winter Residence », The Weight of My Raggedy Skin (Polestar, 1991)
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
"Crisis of Money" Conference
"Crisis of Money" Conference at the Christian Community, Nov 13-16
- by Douglas Wylie
Daniel Hafner warmly welcomed John Alexandra and mentioned that Rudolf Steiner had indicated to the Christian Community priests that it was part of their task to bring the Three-folding social concepts into the world. The conference consisted of warm hearted lectures, thoughtful discussions and lively movements. Jonathan Snow provided us all with Eurthmy exercises which were simple enough but challenging in way of coordinating – both individually and together as a community. I had the pleasure of presenting Rudolf Steiner’s lectures on World Economy give to Economic University students in 1922.
John opened each lecture with a quote from Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural speech which brought to our awareness the karma working behind the social organism exemplified when one considers the gross injustices of war. Over the course of John’s very broad, nicely paced and stimulating lectures, he talked of the war time and parallels when Rudolf Steiner developed three-folding social concepts. The picture John brought compared the social organism of Culture, Politics (Rights) and Economy with the soul make up of the human being of Thinking (Head), Feeling (Lungs/Heart); and Willing (Metabolic). In one of the discussions he facilitated he brought to light that the correspondence between the Social organism and our Human organism is not so readily apparent.
John used the analogy of a “scrim” that is used in theatre, which both “hides and reveals” to illustrate how the countenance of the social organism does not show what is working behind it and he challenged us to become conscious of this behind-the-scenes Spirit. He also used the analogy of a seed, with huge inherent, yet unseen creative potential, growing to a finished “knowing”. This knowing is an”un-creating” because when something is known it is finished and the creative element ends just as the blossom is the end of the plant growth. Rudolf Steiner’s 3-folding ideas have this quality.
On Saturday John focused on Capital and money. He brought to focus the difference between industrial research, being relatively short lived compared to fundamental research, such as the development of Calculus that still produces today, for example. Both types of research arise from a sequence of events whereby no one individual can claim absolute ownership. As such the “free” capital produced ought to be seen and used towards culture, where it arose originally. It is especially important to direct such Capital towards early education to develop socially and culturally adept adults. Of course this is only a glimpse of the offering John presented.
I took the opportunity to talk on the World Economy lectures as a way to deepening my own understanding of Steiner’s work in this regard. I was pleased to hear that what I presented about the current economy with all its false concepts, and the exercise of putting Steiner’s diagram 5 into bodily movement, was well received. A very lively discussion and wonderful questions followed.
Furthering our understanding on Sunday morning, John brought a religious flavour as he talked wonderfully about money with references to Christ’s deeds and the Holy week. He introduced this by indicating the one can see the creative spirit working behind the storyies in the bible. The story becomes the “scrim” as mentioned above.
This event, which drew more than 65 participants was a great success and I took personal satisfaction in the fact that, as a new Council member for Anthroposophical Society in Canada, I was able to offer something of a long standing interest, practice and study to the community. The 3-fold social concepts that Rudolf Steiner brought towards a new consciousness tends towards the goals of the Anthroposophical Society of creating a caring of the soul that is not so prevalent in our current social world social. Thanks to John, Daniel and Ute Konig and the many others, especially Melanie Nason, as event coordinator, for bringing such a wonderful important experience to our community.
- by Douglas Wylie
Daniel Hafner warmly welcomed John Alexandra and mentioned that Rudolf Steiner had indicated to the Christian Community priests that it was part of their task to bring the Three-folding social concepts into the world. The conference consisted of warm hearted lectures, thoughtful discussions and lively movements. Jonathan Snow provided us all with Eurthmy exercises which were simple enough but challenging in way of coordinating – both individually and together as a community. I had the pleasure of presenting Rudolf Steiner’s lectures on World Economy give to Economic University students in 1922.
John opened each lecture with a quote from Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural speech which brought to our awareness the karma working behind the social organism exemplified when one considers the gross injustices of war. Over the course of John’s very broad, nicely paced and stimulating lectures, he talked of the war time and parallels when Rudolf Steiner developed three-folding social concepts. The picture John brought compared the social organism of Culture, Politics (Rights) and Economy with the soul make up of the human being of Thinking (Head), Feeling (Lungs/Heart); and Willing (Metabolic). In one of the discussions he facilitated he brought to light that the correspondence between the Social organism and our Human organism is not so readily apparent.
John used the analogy of a “scrim” that is used in theatre, which both “hides and reveals” to illustrate how the countenance of the social organism does not show what is working behind it and he challenged us to become conscious of this behind-the-scenes Spirit. He also used the analogy of a seed, with huge inherent, yet unseen creative potential, growing to a finished “knowing”. This knowing is an”un-creating” because when something is known it is finished and the creative element ends just as the blossom is the end of the plant growth. Rudolf Steiner’s 3-folding ideas have this quality.
On Saturday John focused on Capital and money. He brought to focus the difference between industrial research, being relatively short lived compared to fundamental research, such as the development of Calculus that still produces today, for example. Both types of research arise from a sequence of events whereby no one individual can claim absolute ownership. As such the “free” capital produced ought to be seen and used towards culture, where it arose originally. It is especially important to direct such Capital towards early education to develop socially and culturally adept adults. Of course this is only a glimpse of the offering John presented.
I took the opportunity to talk on the World Economy lectures as a way to deepening my own understanding of Steiner’s work in this regard. I was pleased to hear that what I presented about the current economy with all its false concepts, and the exercise of putting Steiner’s diagram 5 into bodily movement, was well received. A very lively discussion and wonderful questions followed.
Furthering our understanding on Sunday morning, John brought a religious flavour as he talked wonderfully about money with references to Christ’s deeds and the Holy week. He introduced this by indicating the one can see the creative spirit working behind the storyies in the bible. The story becomes the “scrim” as mentioned above.
This event, which drew more than 65 participants was a great success and I took personal satisfaction in the fact that, as a new Council member for Anthroposophical Society in Canada, I was able to offer something of a long standing interest, practice and study to the community. The 3-fold social concepts that Rudolf Steiner brought towards a new consciousness tends towards the goals of the Anthroposophical Society of creating a caring of the soul that is not so prevalent in our current social world social. Thanks to John, Daniel and Ute Konig and the many others, especially Melanie Nason, as event coordinator, for bringing such a wonderful important experience to our community.
November Art Therapists Conference (AAATNA)
- by Vibekea Ball
This post contains the full text of Vibeka's article. If you would like to see the photos as well, visit the AAATNA website. -Ed.
Our guest speaker, Regine Kurek, deliberately took off her Arscura hat and put on her AAATNA hat. This was necessary for her, since the conference took place at the studio of Arscura School for Living Art, also the home of The Christian Community north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Regine was one of the co-founders when AAATNA shifted from New York to Toronto, but she has not been part of the executive for some time.
Regine started the conference by reminding us how important it is for us to be proud of what we have to offer to the world through our Anthroposophic roots. Future recognition can arise out of people seeing us for what and who we are, rather than trying to fit in and “be like everybody else” in the art therapy community. On Friday afternoon we began with an artistic exercise, the instructions being to paint a picture of “me as a flower or tree in the landscape of Anthroposophy”. This very interesting process became the source of self assessment and insight as we listened to the parable from the bible of “The Sower of Seeds”. In this story we heard of four ways that the seeds were able to grow or not and used this image to see how we use the seeds of Anthroposophy in our life. To do this, we looked at our picture in small groups and helped each other to objectively “see” our roots, stems, blossoms or crowns in the landscape. After this we continued in the small groups and were asked to share with each other what we found accessible and “worked” for us and what is a challenge in Anthroposophy, as we meet it. These qualities we shared in the large group.
The shift in the room was amazing as we shared and one participant pointed out how a listening mood seemed to fill the room. Regine asked if perhaps the ‘Being of Anthroposophia’ had visited and become interested…..... Before we shared dinner together, we went back to our paintings to bring something new - a transformation. The paintings changed dramatically as we reviewed our relationship to Anthroposophy.
In the evening lecture, Regine brought us a picture of the heavenly hierarchies and their working in the world. We touched on the task and our relationship to our angel, but the main focus was on the Archangels and their interest in supporting us to develop a language for our work. Archangels want to support communities, especially groups of people who are teachers, therapists and reformers. Their guidance can help us to identify our work and how to work out of a spiritual source. She talked particularly about Michael who is also a time spirit since 1879 and wants to help us re-spiritualize our understanding of the work. We heard of the seven Archangels who guide human civilizations in 350 year segments. Four of those have a particular importance for us as art therapists.
After Michael we looked at Raphael and his special leadership for healers. The story of Tobias and his journey, became a healing journey for us. Finally, Gabriel, the one who announces to Mary that she will bear a child, was introduced with qualities of deep listening, caring and support. Mary hears all this and “keeps it in her heart”. This approach to healing is a very gentle, caring gesture. Uriel, the spirit of Mid-summer was touched on but might be the topic of a later seminar because of the cosmic nature of this archangel.
We took all this into our sleep and returned the next morning to a brief overview of the need for watercolour technique for therapeutic painting and also for the need to work less into the “astral body” but more into the “etheric”. The more physically ill or weak a person is, the less talk there should be so the colour can really do its work… We also were given a colour circle for breathing: Exhaling into spring (peach blossom) to summer (greens) and then inhaling into autumn (reds and golds) and winter (violets and blues).
The day now turned to quite another task: We had the honour of meeting someone who was willing to tell us her struggles with lifelong health issues. We recognized a real illness picture and now gathered into three groups for the next two intensive sessions. In the groups we had a facilitator and focused intensely on one stream, either Gabriel, Raphael or Michael. Each group worked with a story and then a picture, building a possible healing path through one particular gesture. We were “building the temple” into which we then invited our patient (imaginatively, in reality she had left the room).
After lunch we set out to paint a picture together as a group from this earlier conversation and study-preparation.
In the final sharing in the large group we then became witnesses for each others’ processes and realized just what an amazing and deep journey we each had experienced in our groups. Each group had worked through obstacles and difficulties in their painting process but come out with a picture and a message. By that time our “patient” rejoined us and was eager to listen to what was shared in the three groups about their painting process.
It was observed that we had a profound experience of being in the presence of spiritual guidance, that we were able to give something meaningful to another person who was carrying a destiny with life long health challenges and that we had reversed the therapy process by being the ones “doing the work”, offering it up and being changed on the way. The person who received the healing had a profound sense of awe in seeing her challenges as if from the outside and being able to become more objective.
In the end it was clear that we all felt “yes, we have work to do and we, as Anthroposophic Art Therapists have something very special to offer to the world”. An intense but profound and worthwhile experience was had by all. Thank you, Regine.
Looking to the future, Regine suggested that perhaps those of us who feel so inclined might consider taking up a research field from our work this year and that our next conference could be carried by members, bringing individual presentations, as well as inviting interested art therapists of other streams to our conference.
Some comments from participants:
- from Wendy Wardle, AAATNA member & conference participant:
“When I walked through the door and saw all the tables covered in white tablecloths, ready for dinner and through the other door more tables with carefully set out paints, sponges, and paintbrushes, I realized how much I had been looking forward to experiencing a conference led by Regine Kurek,. Everyone involved had worked so hard to create this atmosphere . What a welcome sight to see that they were expecting us and everything was ready. It was like entering a treasure trove. Talking with the other members during the breaks was a wonderful opportunity for us all to learn and share our experiences in the ‘wide world’. It was fascinating to hear how each of us had a different way in how we take this work out into the world. The gifts I received from the conference were an understanding of our relationship with the Archangels, a greater appreciation of Anthroposophy and the sure knowledge that a community of people, working together, can heal themselves and others. Thank you for the opportunity to experience this.”
- from Angela Smith, AAATNA Member & conference participant:
“The recent AAATNA conference was a wonderful opportunity to network and further develop my understanding of anthroposophical art therapy through the experience of a community art process . The facilitators did an excellent job leading us through the artistic exercises, and I personally found the experience very powerful. My thanks to the facilitators and organizers and especially to Regine Kurek for an informative and well organized conference.”
As Wendy said above, it was lovely to have time to socialize over two dinners and a lunch, and to hear what other people are doing in the world with the work. Two of the meals were catered at the Studio. On the Saturday evening we went for a truly creative meal, as you can see by the photos, at Jazireh, a local Persian restaurant.
This post contains the full text of Vibeka's article. If you would like to see the photos as well, visit the AAATNA website. -Ed.
Our guest speaker, Regine Kurek, deliberately took off her Arscura hat and put on her AAATNA hat. This was necessary for her, since the conference took place at the studio of Arscura School for Living Art, also the home of The Christian Community north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Regine was one of the co-founders when AAATNA shifted from New York to Toronto, but she has not been part of the executive for some time.
Regine started the conference by reminding us how important it is for us to be proud of what we have to offer to the world through our Anthroposophic roots. Future recognition can arise out of people seeing us for what and who we are, rather than trying to fit in and “be like everybody else” in the art therapy community. On Friday afternoon we began with an artistic exercise, the instructions being to paint a picture of “me as a flower or tree in the landscape of Anthroposophy”. This very interesting process became the source of self assessment and insight as we listened to the parable from the bible of “The Sower of Seeds”. In this story we heard of four ways that the seeds were able to grow or not and used this image to see how we use the seeds of Anthroposophy in our life. To do this, we looked at our picture in small groups and helped each other to objectively “see” our roots, stems, blossoms or crowns in the landscape. After this we continued in the small groups and were asked to share with each other what we found accessible and “worked” for us and what is a challenge in Anthroposophy, as we meet it. These qualities we shared in the large group.
The shift in the room was amazing as we shared and one participant pointed out how a listening mood seemed to fill the room. Regine asked if perhaps the ‘Being of Anthroposophia’ had visited and become interested…..... Before we shared dinner together, we went back to our paintings to bring something new - a transformation. The paintings changed dramatically as we reviewed our relationship to Anthroposophy.
In the evening lecture, Regine brought us a picture of the heavenly hierarchies and their working in the world. We touched on the task and our relationship to our angel, but the main focus was on the Archangels and their interest in supporting us to develop a language for our work. Archangels want to support communities, especially groups of people who are teachers, therapists and reformers. Their guidance can help us to identify our work and how to work out of a spiritual source. She talked particularly about Michael who is also a time spirit since 1879 and wants to help us re-spiritualize our understanding of the work. We heard of the seven Archangels who guide human civilizations in 350 year segments. Four of those have a particular importance for us as art therapists.
After Michael we looked at Raphael and his special leadership for healers. The story of Tobias and his journey, became a healing journey for us. Finally, Gabriel, the one who announces to Mary that she will bear a child, was introduced with qualities of deep listening, caring and support. Mary hears all this and “keeps it in her heart”. This approach to healing is a very gentle, caring gesture. Uriel, the spirit of Mid-summer was touched on but might be the topic of a later seminar because of the cosmic nature of this archangel.
We took all this into our sleep and returned the next morning to a brief overview of the need for watercolour technique for therapeutic painting and also for the need to work less into the “astral body” but more into the “etheric”. The more physically ill or weak a person is, the less talk there should be so the colour can really do its work… We also were given a colour circle for breathing: Exhaling into spring (peach blossom) to summer (greens) and then inhaling into autumn (reds and golds) and winter (violets and blues).
The day now turned to quite another task: We had the honour of meeting someone who was willing to tell us her struggles with lifelong health issues. We recognized a real illness picture and now gathered into three groups for the next two intensive sessions. In the groups we had a facilitator and focused intensely on one stream, either Gabriel, Raphael or Michael. Each group worked with a story and then a picture, building a possible healing path through one particular gesture. We were “building the temple” into which we then invited our patient (imaginatively, in reality she had left the room).
After lunch we set out to paint a picture together as a group from this earlier conversation and study-preparation.
In the final sharing in the large group we then became witnesses for each others’ processes and realized just what an amazing and deep journey we each had experienced in our groups. Each group had worked through obstacles and difficulties in their painting process but come out with a picture and a message. By that time our “patient” rejoined us and was eager to listen to what was shared in the three groups about their painting process.
It was observed that we had a profound experience of being in the presence of spiritual guidance, that we were able to give something meaningful to another person who was carrying a destiny with life long health challenges and that we had reversed the therapy process by being the ones “doing the work”, offering it up and being changed on the way. The person who received the healing had a profound sense of awe in seeing her challenges as if from the outside and being able to become more objective.
In the end it was clear that we all felt “yes, we have work to do and we, as Anthroposophic Art Therapists have something very special to offer to the world”. An intense but profound and worthwhile experience was had by all. Thank you, Regine.
Looking to the future, Regine suggested that perhaps those of us who feel so inclined might consider taking up a research field from our work this year and that our next conference could be carried by members, bringing individual presentations, as well as inviting interested art therapists of other streams to our conference.
Some comments from participants:
- from Wendy Wardle, AAATNA member & conference participant:
“When I walked through the door and saw all the tables covered in white tablecloths, ready for dinner and through the other door more tables with carefully set out paints, sponges, and paintbrushes, I realized how much I had been looking forward to experiencing a conference led by Regine Kurek,. Everyone involved had worked so hard to create this atmosphere . What a welcome sight to see that they were expecting us and everything was ready. It was like entering a treasure trove. Talking with the other members during the breaks was a wonderful opportunity for us all to learn and share our experiences in the ‘wide world’. It was fascinating to hear how each of us had a different way in how we take this work out into the world. The gifts I received from the conference were an understanding of our relationship with the Archangels, a greater appreciation of Anthroposophy and the sure knowledge that a community of people, working together, can heal themselves and others. Thank you for the opportunity to experience this.”
- from Angela Smith, AAATNA Member & conference participant:
“The recent AAATNA conference was a wonderful opportunity to network and further develop my understanding of anthroposophical art therapy through the experience of a community art process . The facilitators did an excellent job leading us through the artistic exercises, and I personally found the experience very powerful. My thanks to the facilitators and organizers and especially to Regine Kurek for an informative and well organized conference.”
As Wendy said above, it was lovely to have time to socialize over two dinners and a lunch, and to hear what other people are doing in the world with the work. Two of the meals were catered at the Studio. On the Saturday evening we went for a truly creative meal, as you can see by the photos, at Jazireh, a local Persian restaurant.
December Letter from Philip Thatcher
Dear Friends,
If you travel to the Goetheanum in November, you can expect any kind of weather. Some times it snows; rain is always more than a possibility; other times the skies are clear and the evening light lies low to the horizon, giving the Goetheanum and its surroundings a gentle, even tender touch.
A mood that pervades every visit I have made in November is a mood of rest. The leaves have either fallen or are about to drop. Cattle graze contentedly on the Goetheanum grounds. Nature has spent herself, is gathering herself in toward the coming of winter and is now at rest—a wonderful mood that opens a space for the inner activity ahead for those of us who will meet for several days as General Secretaries, together with the Executive Council and the Section Leaders of the School for Spiritual Science. Among the considerations taken up this past November, I would like to bring the following items.
Troels Ussing, General Secretary for Denmark, reported on anthroposophical work underway in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. There are close to 2500 students attending Waldorf Schools in these three countries. Against the background of European penetration of the African continent in search of slaves, ivory and rubber, and the resulting collapse of coherent African kingdoms, Troels noted the similarities between the social ethos of Africans and the social gestures of anthroposophy. Within a strong emphasis upon group identity and responsibility, the journey toward a heightened sense of individual consciousness goes forward, although the journey can be a difficult one. Troels observed that European cynicism and egotism can hinder Africans along that path. Yet good work is being done, especially in the Waldorf Schools, with the support of teacher training carried by colleagues from South Africa.
The September issue of Anthroposophy Worldwide (No. 7) has some good articles on work in Africa and ways in which African sensibilities speak to our common humanity.
We spent one session receiving a report from the Executive Council and the Section Leaders on the renewal of Bodo von Plato’s role as a member of the Executive Council. In recent years there has been a recognition that membership on the Executive Council should not be regarded as a “life term”; members should be free to move on to other work if they recognize that such a destiny moment has come. Likewise, if a member stays on after a number of years, the decision to do so should be taken in the light of a review of that member’s work, within a period of seven to twelve years after one first joins the Executive Council.
In speaking to his review and to his willingness to continue as a member of Executive Council, Bodo led us into the areas of responsibility at the Goetheanum that he has been carrying. One area of responsibility concerns study opportunities in German at the Goetheanum, including study modules for those in various professions, e.g. for bankers. A number of questions arise for him along the way: How to develop in the meditative life a spiritual competence that is universally human? How to develop spiritual scientific research that can engage the natural science of today? (In this context, Bodo observed that the spiritual paths typical of today are farther removed from anthroposophy than is natural science) And how can we develop a language able to articulate this developing activity?
Over the past few years, much of Bodo von Plato’s activity has been devoted to staging Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery Dramas in a renewed form. These dramas are, in his words, the “heart piece of anthroposophy”; staging them is integral to the task of the Goetheanum. Carrying them into the future, however, requires an element of spiritual and artistic risk in staging them. Producing the dramas is also a costly endeavour financially. Of the 1,100,100 Swiss francs needed for the production thus far, 185,000 CHF remains to be raised, along with a further 800,000 CHF needed to fund twenty performances of all four dramas.
This coming summer the four Mystery Dramas will be performed at the Goetheanum from July 29th through August 1st, the days just preceding the English Week, from August 2nd through August 7th. The performances will be in German, with actors speaking a translation of the text into English through headphones. The theme of the English Week itself will be Entering into the 21st Century Spiritually. More information about both events will be coming early on in 2010.
A third thread that ran through our meetings concerned the life of the Anthroposophical Society—a thread that has been present in every General Secretaries’ meeting in which I have taken part. The task of the Anthroposophical Society is to nurture the life of the soul, in the individual and in society, based on a true knowing of the spiritual world. Such a society must affirm the spiritual freedom of each individual member; cultivate trust and confidence between members; make possible encounters and meetings of members through which karma can work; work toward a culture of peace out of each of us working through his or her inner battles; be at the service of humanity out of the spirit of our time. The recognition of the above gestures sounded in varied ways during our meetings and was brought in a particularly clear and succinct way in a presentation by Paul Mackay.
At the core of each of these gestures is our consciousness of the threshold, integral to a true knowing of ourselves in our time. The awareness of the threshold is what distinguishes us from many other spiritual paths.
In recent years I have come to recognize Advent as the Festival of the Unveiling of the Threshold. The light in the world without gives way to darkness, so that another light may shine forth. Advent encourages us to let go of the outer light, to let the darkness fall and then to gaze into and through that darkness to the becoming that is who we truly are.
That is one way of saying it. The words that follow could be another way, words by David Zieroth, a long-time friend, former parent of the Vancouver Waldorf School, and winner of the 2009 Governor General’s Award for Poetry*:
The light that breaks with fall
slants against our eye
eager to penetrate flesh,
proclaiming no other way except our own.
We are the winter residence of light.
With good greetings for Advent and the Holy Nights,
Philip Thatcher,
General Secretary
* From “Winter Residence”, The Weight of My Raggedy Skin (Polestar, 1991)
If you travel to the Goetheanum in November, you can expect any kind of weather. Some times it snows; rain is always more than a possibility; other times the skies are clear and the evening light lies low to the horizon, giving the Goetheanum and its surroundings a gentle, even tender touch.
A mood that pervades every visit I have made in November is a mood of rest. The leaves have either fallen or are about to drop. Cattle graze contentedly on the Goetheanum grounds. Nature has spent herself, is gathering herself in toward the coming of winter and is now at rest—a wonderful mood that opens a space for the inner activity ahead for those of us who will meet for several days as General Secretaries, together with the Executive Council and the Section Leaders of the School for Spiritual Science. Among the considerations taken up this past November, I would like to bring the following items.
Troels Ussing, General Secretary for Denmark, reported on anthroposophical work underway in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. There are close to 2500 students attending Waldorf Schools in these three countries. Against the background of European penetration of the African continent in search of slaves, ivory and rubber, and the resulting collapse of coherent African kingdoms, Troels noted the similarities between the social ethos of Africans and the social gestures of anthroposophy. Within a strong emphasis upon group identity and responsibility, the journey toward a heightened sense of individual consciousness goes forward, although the journey can be a difficult one. Troels observed that European cynicism and egotism can hinder Africans along that path. Yet good work is being done, especially in the Waldorf Schools, with the support of teacher training carried by colleagues from South Africa.
The September issue of Anthroposophy Worldwide (No. 7) has some good articles on work in Africa and ways in which African sensibilities speak to our common humanity.
We spent one session receiving a report from the Executive Council and the Section Leaders on the renewal of Bodo von Plato’s role as a member of the Executive Council. In recent years there has been a recognition that membership on the Executive Council should not be regarded as a “life term”; members should be free to move on to other work if they recognize that such a destiny moment has come. Likewise, if a member stays on after a number of years, the decision to do so should be taken in the light of a review of that member’s work, within a period of seven to twelve years after one first joins the Executive Council.
In speaking to his review and to his willingness to continue as a member of Executive Council, Bodo led us into the areas of responsibility at the Goetheanum that he has been carrying. One area of responsibility concerns study opportunities in German at the Goetheanum, including study modules for those in various professions, e.g. for bankers. A number of questions arise for him along the way: How to develop in the meditative life a spiritual competence that is universally human? How to develop spiritual scientific research that can engage the natural science of today? (In this context, Bodo observed that the spiritual paths typical of today are farther removed from anthroposophy than is natural science) And how can we develop a language able to articulate this developing activity?
Over the past few years, much of Bodo von Plato’s activity has been devoted to staging Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery Dramas in a renewed form. These dramas are, in his words, the “heart piece of anthroposophy”; staging them is integral to the task of the Goetheanum. Carrying them into the future, however, requires an element of spiritual and artistic risk in staging them. Producing the dramas is also a costly endeavour financially. Of the 1,100,100 Swiss francs needed for the production thus far, 185,000 CHF remains to be raised, along with a further 800,000 CHF needed to fund twenty performances of all four dramas.
This coming summer the four Mystery Dramas will be performed at the Goetheanum from July 29th through August 1st, the days just preceding the English Week, from August 2nd through August 7th. The performances will be in German, with actors speaking a translation of the text into English through headphones. The theme of the English Week itself will be Entering into the 21st Century Spiritually. More information about both events will be coming early on in 2010.
A third thread that ran through our meetings concerned the life of the Anthroposophical Society—a thread that has been present in every General Secretaries’ meeting in which I have taken part. The task of the Anthroposophical Society is to nurture the life of the soul, in the individual and in society, based on a true knowing of the spiritual world. Such a society must affirm the spiritual freedom of each individual member; cultivate trust and confidence between members; make possible encounters and meetings of members through which karma can work; work toward a culture of peace out of each of us working through his or her inner battles; be at the service of humanity out of the spirit of our time. The recognition of the above gestures sounded in varied ways during our meetings and was brought in a particularly clear and succinct way in a presentation by Paul Mackay.
At the core of each of these gestures is our consciousness of the threshold, integral to a true knowing of ourselves in our time. The awareness of the threshold is what distinguishes us from many other spiritual paths.
In recent years I have come to recognize Advent as the Festival of the Unveiling of the Threshold. The light in the world without gives way to darkness, so that another light may shine forth. Advent encourages us to let go of the outer light, to let the darkness fall and then to gaze into and through that darkness to the becoming that is who we truly are.
That is one way of saying it. The words that follow could be another way, words by David Zieroth, a long-time friend, former parent of the Vancouver Waldorf School, and winner of the 2009 Governor General’s Award for Poetry*:
The light that breaks with fall
slants against our eye
eager to penetrate flesh,
proclaiming no other way except our own.
We are the winter residence of light.
With good greetings for Advent and the Holy Nights,
Philip Thatcher,
General Secretary
* From “Winter Residence”, The Weight of My Raggedy Skin (Polestar, 1991)
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