Impressions from the Ontario Member's Meeting, 30 November 2013

- by Treasa O'Driscoll

Forty members of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada gathered at the Christian Community Church on the outskirts of Toronto on November 30. The time had come for a collective review of the Society’s statement of purpose. (See text at the end of this article.)  Drafted in 1953, the original incorporation document was signed by Isabel Grieve, Elsie (Whitehead) Andress and Erna Schon, the occupation ascribed to all three was that of housewife.

One can only guess at the vision and timeliness of their united front. John A. McDonald’s retrospective remark about the shaping of the Canadian Constitution might well be applied to these pioneering women:”Destiny being their guide, they ‘builded’ better than they knew.” The flourishing initiatives that have enriched anthroposophical cultural life in Canada owe a debt of gratitude to their enterprise.

And we were there to wonder at it all.....

Council member, Dorothy LeBaron, welcomed us warmly and set a tone of mindfulness as we sat expectantly in a large circle. The statement of purpose was read out and everyone had a chance to share impressions with the person sitting in the next chair. The buzz of talk revealed that there were as many different points of view being aired as there were people in the room. Fortunately we were not striving for consensus! 

Some had worried that we were congregating to substitute one set of words for another but their fears were soon allayed. An intuitive, hands-on approach to the issue at hand was what artist and teacher, Regine Kurek, ever attuned to the music of what happens, had in mind. She would skillfully and lightheartedly conduct our experiment in colour and form in a two-hour process of discovery.

Divided into two groups of twenty, we clustered around large blank pages spread out on tables that stood some distance apart. Regine invited us to bring some vexing situation, private or public, to mind and then, with deliberate brushstrokes, to apply an artistic representation of the problem on the blank page.  When each person had taken a turn it was somewhat startling to note that the overall impression was one of fragmentation, isolation and protest- that accurately reflected the state of our world.

Relief came when Regine suggested we approach the painting with a healing impulse. Silence reigned as the fervour of creativity took hold and a harmonious weaving of colour brought us into closer collaboration, the work transforming before our eyes into a beautiful picture! The isolated ‘I’ had merged into the communal ‘we’!

We then broke into groups of five to reflect on our experience and the light it shed on the statement of purpose and its revision. These were animated discussions in which sympathy and antipathy were permitted to co-exist. We returned to the process accordingly enlivened and resonating with the question:”What is seeking to come forth and how can I serve?”

Step three of the process gave rise to some angst for we were not to rest on our laurels. Group A was now instructed to take the place of Group B and vice versa and both groups were charged with the task of building on each other’s painting. I had great difficulty in carrying out this step - and when I did tentatively intervene my brushstrokes seemed woefully out of place. Perhaps more time was needed for the exercise-our meeting was drawing to a close....

Returning then to Painting A with other group members, I was delighted to observe how complete our picture now appeared. Somebody from Group B was inspired to insert two eyes - one open, one closed - into the centre of the page, its impact reminiscent of The Treeman in the paintings of Bosch. We named the painting, Seen and Unseen. A line from Kathleen Raine afterwards came to mind.....not in the seen but in the seer, epiphany of the commonplace......

I am full of admiration for members of the present council, Mark McAlister, Regine and others working behind the scenes who brought this meeting about. I hope it provided grist to the mill of their further deliberations on the statement of purpose. Dissemination of principles( included in the 1953 document) is obviously not the strong point of a society that has a relatively small membership given its sixty years of existence. However, mutual support and soul nourishment, along with a love of ideas, make for strong connecting links between members as evidenced on November 30^th, 2013.

To sum up - if anybody asks me about the gathering, I will simply say: “It was not about something, it was that something itself! Time seemed to stand still as it ran its course."                                                                                          

Treasa O’Driscoll

www.novalisproject.com

Our Purpose, as stated in the Charter:

a) to promote and foster the study of the science of Anthroposophy and the dissemination of its principles, according to the teachings of Dr.Rudolf Steiner, and thereby to promote and foster the development of human brotherhood and the moral, artistic and cultural life of humanity;

b) to enter into such trust arrangements as may be necessary or desirable to enable the use of the income and capital of such trust fund or funds as may be created by or for the Corporation for the study and propagation of the science of Anthroposophy and the more effective carrying out of the objects of the Corporation.

 

Report from the Ontario members’ meeting, November 30 2013

- by Dorothy LeBaron and Mark McAlister

Dorothy LeBaron and Regine Kurek led us through a process with conversation and painting groups.  In the course of the afternoon, we were challenged to loosen up established patterns and explore new social processes.  The following is a summary of comments from participants.

Behind all our work is the recognition of the human being at the center, the striving for a human way of working.  We need to develop new capacities of listening and heart thinking – these will give us the flexibility to cope with the dynamic equilibrium of inner and outer movement.  They will also generate the courage for us to trust in the ever present help of the spiritual world.

It is amazing that our Charter was founded in 1953 by three housewives. What a wealth of accomplishment has come out of this initial group. We honour them. We have inherited riches and fruits from them. It feels like the first 60 years have been a gift. Now it feels like something else is required of us. We have the responsibility to do something with what we have been learning.  We need to reach into the future. We need to cross the threshold.

In the artistic process, we took a step, faced this threshold.  Rather than just having a discussion about the purpose of our Society, we engaged in an artistic process. At times, it was painful experience - it felt like it was beyond our capacity to be fully in it.  We had to let go, to sacrifice everything to do with our selves, and have the trust of not knowing.

We stepped into something that is really alive.

 It felt like we were responding to the conditions of today.  What is possible now socially? How can someone new connect to us (the Society) and find a space? It can be challenging. In one of the painting processes, some judgments kicked in. An attitude of “we know how to fix this” was there. How much is this a reflection of an attitude in our Society towards the world?

Can we learn to move between I and We – to find a rhythm (expansion and contraction) between the self and the community.  I will always need a social context to fulfill my destiny.  Respecting and giving room for the other raises our consciousness. Working together redeems the separateness and loneliness of the individual – Together we create a harmonizing, a powerful force.

Can we learn to be inclusive but not intrusive? To understand the many individual reasons why someone would step into this experience?   How do we create safe spaces for others – in which they are free to BE?  Are we prepared to recognize and meet the Double when he appears?

These social processes always seem disjointed at first.  The painting activity helps to find a unifying gesture that can pull it all together.

Youth Section Meeting in New Hampshire - October 2013

- by Ari-Paul Saunders

Over the week of October 9th to 16th I traveled to the North Eastern United States to participate in two different events. While on route, I spoke with a class called feminist perspectives on agriculture at Rutger’s university, in New Jersey.  I spoke about my experiences with biodynamics as agriculture that enlivens the earth through farms that foster increased diversity and fertility in an ecosystem.  I wondered how this ties into feminism, and realized that biodynamics is very connected to what I think of as feminism.  It is an agriculture that values all parts of the whole equally, providing a wide, embracing gesture in contrast to the singular thrust that is involved in much of agriculture today.

The first meeting I attended was a gathering for young teachers interested in Waldorf education.  We gathered in Philmont, NY, in the generosity of a dear friend’s home.  There were around twenty teachers present, mostly from the North-East corridor, from New Jersey up to Montreal.  Our work was led by Jon McAlice, a fine mentor whose sensitivity for the dynamics at play in our group was phenomenal.  Our leading question(s) for the weekend centered on the most basic: what do children need ? We were encouraged at many junctures to see through a child’s eyes.  We wondered: if everything we know about schools was stripped away and a group of kids were placed in our care, what would they need of us?  What would we do to meet these needs?  

The whole group agreed that this form of meeting together is important and needed and could we please do this again?!  The ball has been set in motion to reconvene again sometime in the early part of Spring.  The form consists of coming together around a piece of writing as a source of inspiration.  Then, throughout the weekend moving from large group conversations related to the theme to breakout groups delving deeper into the questions that are arising.  Add to that many good meals , singing whenever possible and some artistic work and you get the picture.

Following this, I headed up to Gilsum, NH.  For a couple of years now, the initiative team of the North American Youth Section has held meetings in conjunction with the AGM of the Anthroposophical Society in America.  This year, we organized a two day meeting on the coat tails of the AGM.  We had twenty five people in attendance of whom six or seven were elders offering their support.  Two themes ran concurrently throughout our work together.  One looked at the history of the Youth Section.  We heard the stories of four people who were involved with the Youth Section at different times, weaving together a tapestry of meaning.  At the same time, we gathered together in focus groups to study research.  What is it? How do we do it?  In what ways are we already doing it?  How can we do more of it?  The energy between us all was palpable as meeting upon meeting grew to joyous crescendos of connection.  Many people came away with a more grounded understanding of what the Youth Section is and how we are already a part of it.  We celebrated the work we are already doing in the world, recognizing that the Youth Section is so much more than we can put a name to.    There was a sense of renewal, of new bonds forged and new impulses seeded.  There was an overall feeling that, as Bob Dylan once said “the times they are a changing”, both within the anthroposophical movement and in the world.  New capacities are awaking within all of us and there is more and more of a will to understand one another and work together.

Both events were incredibly fruitful, adhering to and enriching my concept of youth work.  They were lively, spontaneous, joyful and full of dedication.  While the work of social renewal is slow and steady, there is  much to look forward to in the coming year.

Seminar at Acadia University

- by Maggie Keppie

On November 14 of this year Maggie Keppie offered an introductory talk on anthroposophy as part of a Thursday lunchtime seminar series at Acadia University in Wolfville.  The series offers free talks on a variety of topics to members of the university community and the public at large.  Members of the audience come from all walks of life, are generally retired, and typically number about 20 to 25 for any given seminar.  Thirty people showed up for Maggie's talk, including a few who had read some of Rudolf Steiner's works earlier in their lives, several with experience in bio-dynamic farming or Waldorf education, and one who knew and used Weleda products.

Using a power point presentation to share pictures of the Goetheanum as it was first constructed, Maggie pointed out its unique architecture, organic style, and comprehensive artistic expression.  From this, the question arose:  Who was Goethe, for whom this astonishing building was named? And related to this, Who was Rudolf Steiner, who designed and oversaw its construction?  This led to a brief look at the 18th century Enlightenment in Europe, and its connections with Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism.   Maggie then indicated how the gift of a copy of Goethe's Rosicrucian fairy tale, The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily, to Rudolf on his 21st birthday had made a lasting impression, especially in light of the deep wisdom he had already encountered through Felix, a licensed herb gatherer, and an individual whom Rudolf Steiner calls in his autobiography simply, The Master. 

Themes and interests arising from these contacts continued to occupy Rudolf Steiner throughout his life, as he first pursued his own academic studies in philosophy and science, and then went on to write and edit numerous books and essays.  Further slides illustrated some of these, before highlighting the profound change that came about in Rudolf Steiner's public life at the turn of the century when he connected with Madame Blavatsky's Theosophical Society and began speaking openly and lecturing widely about his spiritual insights and understandings.

Rudolf Steiner disengaged from theosophy after a few years in order to develop his new focus of anthroposophy.  Together with his future wife, Marie, Rudolf Steiner encouraged this new energy to blossom and come to expression in a variety of ways.  Using a wide selection of pictures to illustrate eurythmy, the mystery dramas, the threefold social order, Waldorf education, biodynamic farming, and anthroposophical medicines, Maggie directed attention to the many varied aspects of applied anthroposophy that arose in Europe during and immediately following WWI with such promise. 

All of this underscored the importance of the Goetheanum, and pointed to its function as the centre of anthroposophical endeavour at the time.  So the horror of the night of fire when this astonishing building was destroyed came as a real shock to Maggie's audience, echoing - albeit faintly - something of the horror and shock that must have affected all those in the anthroposophical community at the time the fire actually raged. 

Affirmation of Goethe's initial inspiration, as well as of anthroposophy itself, of course soon emerged as the Goetheanum was built anew out of fire-proof concrete.  To bring her talk to a close, Maggie used slides again to document the strange beauty of this second Goetheanum, and to point out that it continues to serve as a focal point for anthroposophical endeavour throughout the world.

During the hour-long presentation all members of the audience showed clear interest in the topic and gave full attention to Maggie and the slides she presented.   Regrettably, there was no time for questions, discussion, or response immediately following the talk, although later a number of people did make a point to acknowledge Maggie's evident passion and preparation for the presentation, the huge scope of the topic, the fact that few people had even heard of anthroposophy although they could now sense something of its import, and their interest in having a short course to allow more in-depth exploration and discussion of at least some of what had emerged in this seminar.

Tributes for James Gillen

Zeb Landon.  I heard today from Maria (Herb Schneeberg's mother) that James' passing on appeared immanent. I knew he was fragile but I was nevertheless surprised. But then, I couldn't help feeling a strange sort of excitement, that James' would take it in stride and was even looking forward with acceptance and anticipation, as James especially might do ...

I'm glad that Laurie and I were able to briefly visited him and Victoria in their apartment only a few weeks ago.

William Bento.  This news comes as a shock since I did not know he was struggling with the illness that has taken him away from us. James was always a stalwart friend to me and I shall always remember him a priestly knight among knights. May he be received into the ranks of the Heavenly Christian warriors with fond welcome.

Bruce McCausland.  I remember James from his early 20s when he first joined the Society. He was a faithful attendee, and I always looked forward to long conversations with him about his latest researches and findings. A brilliant mind and a dear friend. He will be missed sorely and I join my dear friends Mark, Christina ("Teena") and William in their solemn salute of farewell.

Christina Bould.  …it is quite amazing how many souls, that I know, and the not known are passing over the Threshold at this time.

I can't recall James's last name, can you also let me know how old he was and the circumstances that caused his death?  At the hour of the funeral I will be travelling to Auschwitz for a conference, so thoughts will be with those across the Threshold, in other words I will be with all the Living Seedlings.

Susan Koppersmith... I knew James mainly in Toronto in the early 70s though I did meet him here in Vancouver twice. There was one memorable time in 1979 when I was sick in Lions' Gate Hospital with a raging infection and fever and possible cancer spread. He and Victoria visited. He didn't say much (thank goodness, as I was incoherent) but I remember so well his gaze. His eyes were bright and he was smiling and and he looked at me as if my spirit was completely well and thriving. Not one ounce of pity. Such a healing gesture--- and I will always remember it.