Dear Friends,
Among the
many events that took place during the summer season, the following were of
special interest for the life of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada and for
the General Anthroposophical Society as well.
Bodo von Plato
My wife
and I had the great pleasure of travelling with Bodo von Plato from July 24th
to August 9th as he visited Vancouver, Nelson, Calgary, Toronto and
Montreal. This tour gave us the opportunity to meet with friends and members in
these centres as we explored together the main theme Bodo wished to share:
Anthroposophy and its influence on our daily lives - how Anthroposophy can give
us tools to meet the requirements of our everyday existence. (See Elisabeth
Carmack’s account of the Vancouver gathering.)
This
session focussing on inner work helped to deepen our sense of this contemporary
enigma through conversation and exercises. Thanks to Bodo’s warmth and
openness, he was able to create a space in which each participant could feel he
or she was truly being heard.
Travels across Canada
We were unfortunately
not able to visit the Maritime Provinces on this journey, but our travels were
nevertheless sufficient to give Bodo a true sense of the manifold cultural
diversity of this country. Thanks to Philip Thatcher’s explanations, he was
able to enter into some of the secrets of the totems carved by West Coast First
Nations. He was delighted by the magnificence of the Rockies and was
particularly astonished to learn that bears could sometimes be seen in a town
like Nelson! He got a first-hand look at the meteoric development of the city
of Calgary, greatly appreciated the exhibition of paintings of the Group of
Seven in the McMichael Museum, and acknowledged the pioneering spirit of a
fledgling Waldorf school north of Montréal (L’École Imagine).
Our
sincerest thanks go out to Bodo and to all those who helped in the planning of
this pan-Canadian event : John Bach and
Moniqiue Walsh(Vancouver), Rudica and Trevor Janz as well as Ariel-Paul
Saunders (Nelson), John and Margaret Glanzer (Calgary), Jeff Saunders, Mark McAlister
and Grant Davis (Toronto), Hélène Dubé, Jean Balekian and Renée Cossette
(Montreal).
Gathering in
Spring Valley
The
Collegium of the School of Spiritual Science in North America and the North
American Class Holders met on August 20th to explore specific
questions concerning the holding of Class Lessons. This gathering was held in
the context of the spiritual research carried out by the General
Anthroposophical Section. In small groups, we exchanged ideas concerning the
tasks for which the School for Spiritual Science assumes responsibility. Virginia Sease shared her impressions on “The Esoteric Dimensions of the Michael
School: challenges and possibilities.” Another question we studied was the
relationship of the School to the Society and possible ways of tightening the
links between the two by organizing events and undertaking spiritual research
together.
Vienna
On our way
to the Goetheanum, my wife and I spent several days in Vienna. Besides taking
advantage of the opportunity to enjoy some much needed vacation time, we were
there to seek out places where Rudolf Steiner had lived, worked and studied.
This imperial city has preserved many of the facets of its glorious past, even
down to the famous Viennese coffee savoured and served in great style. In these
sumptuous surroundings imbued with history and tradition, it is not difficult
to imagine Rudolf Steiner seated in one of these establishments, totally
absorbed in an article he was writing or in earnest conversation with some
illustrious contemporary. But in order for the picture to be complete, one
would have to add a layer of thick smoke wafting through the café, something
our modern sensibility could no longer tolerate.
During our
daily strolls, we made a stop at the very station where Steiner would disembark
from the train upon returning from one of his many journeys or from visiting a
relative or even when having travelled alongside Felix Foguski, the herb
collector. The original structure no longer exists, having been replaced by a
modern station. Upon arriving at the station, we were surprised to come across
a crowd made up of many various peoples and ethnic groups – hundreds of
exhausted and famished immigrants. Many were sleeping on cots, children were
crying. Fortunately, volunteers were
there to hand out food, blankets and toys. This makeshift camp looked like a
place one would see in the aftermath of a battle, the desperate conditions of
human beings having experienced suffering and fear and having crossed a major
part of Hungary on foot. One of the volunteer was able to inform us as to the
aid the Austrian government was offering to these people, chartering busses to go
to meet them in order to lessen the suffering of their journey. Here, our
attention was rudely shifted from the historical charm of this city to the
urgent needs of the present time.
Michaelmas 2016: preparing the 100th anniversary of
the Christmas Conference.
The
meeting held in Dornach from September 9th to 11th had as
its theme the three fundamental exercises set forth in the Foundation Stone
Meditation: Practice Spirit-recalling;
Practice Spirit-meditating; Practice Spirit-envisioning. Participants from
various parts of the globe were present at this gathering, the aim of which was
to exchange ideas and prepare elements of the programme for the upcoming 2016
Michaelmas celebration designed to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the
Christmas Conference.
What is
our connection to the Christmas Conference? How do we live anthroposophy today?
What is the role of the Goetheanum? How do we view the future of the General
Anthroposophical Society? These were
among the questions raised during the gathering.
In view of
this event, the extended Executive Committee would like to hear your
suggestions and your questions. It is hoped that preparatory work can be
carried out by the members in the various groups and branches before the event
is to take place.
The 2016 Ottawa Conference
The
programme for the artistic evenings is beginning to take shape. We are looking
forward to performances by the Spring Valley eurythmy group. We shall also have
the opportunity to enjoy the humour and creative poetry of Dawn Nilo .Many may
remember her delightful antics during the Whitehorse conference in the Yukon.
The
conference preparation group met in Ottawa during the Thanksgiving weekend.
Jean Balekian, Dorothy LeBaron and Gary Burak are in the process of setting up
a conference website which should be online by the end of the month. You will
then be able to find all the information pertaining to the conference and
registration information.
With my
best wishes for Michaelmas,
Arie van Ameringen,
General Secretary
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