worldwide What is happening in the 10 /19

■ Editorial

October 2019 • N°10

Pause for thought 2 Entertainment Anthroposophical Society 1 Michaelic attitude 2 : Michaelic power 3 Russia: Interview with Georgy Kavtaradse 3 New Zealand: general secretary Sue Simpson announces resignation 4 Conferences in 2020 11 Membership News 11 Corrections and amendments School of Spiritual Science 4 Humanities Section: Transhumanism conference Michaelic attitude 6 Youth Section: Worldwide Steiner’s death in 1925. It is what we are building youth meeting The future we want on – against all odds. But the future is open and 6 Anthroposophic Council for Inclusive depends on our present actions both as indi- Social Development: New training in Mexico Dear readers, viduals and as a society that is forming itself in New training in Hungary freedom. Across the world, people are working 7 Social Science Section: «History has been written, the future has not», daily on creating such a «counter-friction», out Soul of Europe conference in Brussels is how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, presently the of their inner connection with anthroposophy 7 Section for Performing Arts: youngest Democratic representative in the US and within their particular social context. To Heiner Ruland Day Congress, argues for a transformation of soci- say it with Wilhelm-Ernst Barkhoff, founder of 7 Medical Section: ety. The Friday for Future student movement the gls Bank, «We can only overcome our fear Human Soul – Annual Conference expresses the same sentiments in more concise of a future we dread with images of a future and radical terms: «Unf**k My Future!» we want.» 5 Leadership: Summer retreat We read much about the increasingly polarized What kind of attitude is it that lets people be- 5 Leadership: School of Spiritual Science world, the consequences of a rampant materi- come active, inspired by anthroposophy and appointments alism on civilization, but at the same time also against all odds? Is it a quality of the «Michaelic Anthroposophy Worldwide about the awakening of young people to the attitude» that works in harmony with the spirit 8 South Africa: Southern Cross effects this has on nature, about taking respon- of our time? How can we as the Anthroposophi- Therapy Training sibility individually for the future and the birth cal Society create a fruitful source of strength for 8 Zimbabwe: All Africa Anthroposophic of a new solidarity across continents. the many active supporters of these impulses? Training 9 Israel: Presidential visit | Justus Wittich, Goetheanum Positive antidote 9 Germany: Celebrations at the first Waldorf School What kind of positive antidote is there? «Let your 1 The quotes are from a special publication of life be a counter-friction to stop the machine», 9 Malaysia: Waldorf 100 Mousonturm Art Centre in Frankfurt (de) and 10 Germany: Change! Festival Henry David Thoreau wrote in 1849 in his essay on from RheinMainMedia of 17 August 2019. 10 Germany: Filderklinik among best Civil Disobedience, a statement that still applies hospitals today when it comes to corporations, conformity Image The impulse of anthroposophy depends on our actions 10 Iceland: Art exhibition and the societal attitude of «continuing as before».1 Forum The history of the Anthroposophical Society 11 Imagination of Europe has been «written», one could say, since Rudolf Feature 12 Walking in balance of soul 2 | Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19

■ Pause For Thought Rudolf Steiner Michaelic Power

This is Michaelic power! Having confi- dence in spiritual thoughts […] You may receive this or that spiritual impulse. You devote yourself to it and become instrumental in its execution. Then it goes wrong. It doesn’t matter! You fail a second time. It doesn’t matter! And if you fail a hundred times – it doesn’t matter! No failure ever determines the truth of a spiritual impulse whose ef- fect has been inwardly understood and grasped. […] And if it takes a hundred incarnations for the powers to grow in us that are required to realize this im- pulse, nothing but the nature of a spiri- tual impulse itself can convince us of its vigour or feebleness. […] And if trust in the spirit engenders in us a strength of Entertainment soul to which this spirit is as real as the ground under our feet without which Connecting to earthly life processes through culture we could not stand, then we will be able to feel inwardly what it really is Culture is nurturing us, forming and awakening in us forces of spirit and soul. What happens if that Michael expects of us. this «nurturing» culture is reduced to mere entertainment? Then we distance ourselves from our own being and from the basis of life, the earth. Source Rudolf Steiner, ga 223, lecture of 28 September 1923 Relates to Michaelmas and 21 years of Anthroposophy Worldwide Culture is linked to our beloved earth, just as ‹I› processes and catharsis we are. Every corner of the world allows its in- Can culture still escape all this and resume its habitants to develop the cultural element best spiritual task? Can we return to our verticality? ‹Anthroposophy Worldwide. What is hap- suited to their inner needs. Stories are then told When Steiner imagined a Christianization of art, pening in the Anthroposophical Society› ap- of distant lands and heroic men capable of ev- did he not mean it? A culture and an art capable pears monthly in German, English, French and erything! In this way, humanity has always been of acting through the processes of the ‹I›, giving Spanish as a supplement to the weekly ‹Das nourished by the most suitable food. humanity the possibility of facing what comes Goetheanum›. Publisher General Anthropo- sophical Society represented by Justus Wit- Depending on where we are and on the season, to us from the future and from the present; giv- tich. Editors Sebastian Jüngel (responsible we receive the necessary fruits of the earth as ing, through the cathartic principle, the chance for the German edition), Margot M. Saar a gift, full of the elements that our organism to transform, purify and evolve, together with (responsible for the English edition), Michael needs at that precise moment. and for the earth. Kranawetvogl (responsible for the Spanish edi- Culture enables us to face what happens in Being part of the vital processes of the earth tion), Jean Pierre Ablard and Anselme Killian life, inside and out, in close relation to the place through culture, all that remains is the hope (French edition; coordinator: Louis Defèche). and time in which we live. The interdependence that we will find ourselves again, that we will Proofreader for the English edition: Amadeus Bodenstein. Address Anthroposophy World- of humanity and earth, the symbiotic relation- stop fleeing from the planet that hosts us and wide, po Box, 4143 Dornach, Switzerland, ship we have with it, must be re-established if begin to look inside ourselves, consciously re- fax +41 61 706 4465, aww@dasgoetheanum. we are to evolve further. appropriating the cultural element, with love. com • We expressly wish for active support | Gaia Termipoli, Rome (it) and collaboration. Subscriptions To receive Entertain, keep at bay, delay ‹Anthroposophy Worldwide› please apply to But what is this culture that becomes entertain- [email protected]. Digital sub- ment? Entertain. Keep at bay. Delay. The basis scriptions are free. As a supplement to ‹Das Gaia Termopoli was Goetheanum› ‹Anthroposophy Worldwide› of the artistic and cultural element is lacking, born in Urbino, Italy, in 1984. She is an is also free. If the printed edition is posted to where forces are active that bring something actor and Waldorf you directly, we ask for a donation to cover to fruition in us, something that is cultivated, teacher and is work- costs. Printed by Birkäuser + gbc, 4153 Rein- waiting patiently. ing on developing ach, Switzerland. Design concept according A process of animalisation takes place through drama teaching, in to Karl Lierl, Unterföhring, Germany. © 2019 the culture of entertainment, where human particular in the area General Anthroposophical Society, Switzerland. of special needs. At beings are trivialised, their complexity simpli- the moment she is fied, their threefoldness excluded from the start, training in creative speech and working Picture credits p. 1: Sebastian Jüngel | p. 2: spirit and soul atrophied. Everything is focused anMSchell auf Pixabay, Macarena Kralj Barreiro on stimulating and soliciting the lowest instincts in a kindergarten. | p. 3: Stanislav Tatlok | p. 4: istockphoto.com/ and animal drives that we carry in us, without agsandrew | p. 6: z. V. g. | p. 7: Sebastian Jüngel Image Entertain- | p. 8: z. V. g., Irvine | p. 9: Mark Neimann, Gov- the possibility of purification. All this allows the ment culture - ad- ernment Press Office, Charlotte Fischer | p. 10: entertainment industry to exert a powerful con- dressing the lowest Philip Weiger, Filderklinik trol over the body. instincts Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19 | 3

■ Antroposophical Society

Russia New Zealand «We need great artists» Georgy Kavtaradze, born in 1942, is in charge Resignation announced of the Sophia Branch in St Petersburg, trans- Sue Simpson will resign her position as general lates works by Rudolf Steiner and has found- secretary at the next agm of the Anthroposophi- ed Damascus publishing, also in St Petersburg. cal Society in New Zealand in August 2020. The senior lecturer for economic history at Petersburg University stresses that Russia «is Close on fourteen years ago I took on the posi- wired differently» from the West. tion of general secretary for New Zealand. Look- ing back over these years I realize how privileged Stanislav Tatlok What makes one a modern I have been to work with so many diverse and in- anthroposophist? teresting people both nationally and internation- Georgy Kavtaradze The first generations of an- ally. My decision to resign now was based on an throposophists had a clear awareness, a strong inner knowing that it is time to let go and hand conviction and an inner core that I no longer see the reins over to someone else. This will bring in the next generations. They used to embody the possibility for fresh impulses and initiatives. anthroposophy, a process that was helped by the Moving forward, I would like to support the pressures they experienced in the Soviet situa- Society, council and general secretary, while be- tion. The members of the new generation have ing free of responsibilities that come with roles. to overcome obstacles my generation did not A central focus will be strengthening eurythmy know in order to attain anthroposophy. If they would get stuck on the surface of consciousness in New Zealand and working with Pacifica Eu- succeed, they will develop a strength that we without penetrating deep down. That is a big rythmy College in Brisbane, Australia. never had. This is true for a wide range of people. problem! We have to find our own way. Tatlok Will the Anthroposophical Society retain Engagement with world needs Merging with modern culture its essence and structure or will it transform Over the years of coming to the Goetheanum my Tatlok What is the mission of anthroposophy itself into something entirely new? experience was how the world consciousness has in Russia today? Kavtaradze It should not be kept as it is. My strengthened amongst the Goetheanum Lead- Kavtaradze In my view, our task is to introduce impression is that the main focus is shifting ership, country representatives, treasurers and anthroposophy into our modern culture whilst to smaller groups, where real life is happening. council members. The Goetheanum Leadership making sure that it will not lose its identity. has found a way of truly co-working that brings Tatlok What positive changes have occurred in Awareness of role-models in the arts positive potential for the future. A danger I see is the anthroposophical movement in Russia in Tatlok There is a demand today in Russia for when we as members expect too much of a group the past twenty years? spiritual practices, often sought as a way of such as the Goetheanum Leadership or councils. Kavtaradze People understand that anthroposo- achieving personal success. In the Society we struggle with fairly constant phy meets their spiritual needs and that one Kavtaradze Look at the recently published book criticism that has a place but can also destroy. can become engaged in diverse initiatives. We Carmalogic, which has 840 pages. It picks up on As regards the Society, I think if it is to strength- have the ‹Mobile Teaching Seminar›, for instance, the need for spirituality but does it from the en, there needs to be greater engagement with that takes place in varying cities and has been elitist perspective of Russian and European soci- world needs, from the members, especially those attended continuously for the last thirty years ety. Anthroposophy offers a number of spiritual in the School of Spiritual Science. All our study by ever new interested people. practices in connection with karmic knowledge. will be fruitless if it doesn’t connect with the Tatlok How could the anthroposophical move- Tatlok Rudolf Steiner wanted to see anthropo- world. My sense is that the Society will be vis- ment in Russia be improved? sophical art in harmony with the other arts. Is ible when there is real interest and engagement Kavtaradez It is going through a process of that possible? with first our immediate environment, inclusive growth, but it needs to overcome its ‹book Kavtaradze I am sure it will be, but for that to of organisations and individuals, that in turn can character›. happen we need great artists such as Gerard expand to embrace a wider world. | Sue Simpson, Tatlok There is a view that says that Russia, un- Wagner and . Havelock North (nz) like Brazil for instance, will not be able to play Tatlok What is the role of art in the modern a leading role in the next cultural epoch. What world? Web www.anthroposophy.org.nz do you think? Kavtaradze Art is seen as entertainment – it Kavtaradze Who can look so far ahead to know ‹tickles› the nerves, but does not run deep. That’s how the world will change in 1500 years? Russia’s why it is fading away. But there will be role- path is different from that of the Western world; models, we just have to see them. at present it has to copy the West in order to hold on to its place in the modern world. People in the West are primarily guided by the intellect and Based on a Russian to German translation by they work intensively on the contents of spiritual Jonas Lismont. science, which then gradually sink down into Web www.anthroposophie-ru.org the depths of their soul. The same path, if pur- Image Georgy Kavtaradze - «overcoming the sued in Russia, would mean that anthroposophy book character» 4 | Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19

■ School of Spiritual Science

Conferences in 2020

Anthroposophic Medicine, Agriculture

12 to 17 January 2020 Shaping the Future. Empowering Changemakers in Food and Farming (German, English), Section for Agriculture, Goetheanum (ch) Web www.sektion-landwirtschaft. org/en/events/events/shaping-the- future-2020

5 to 8 February 2010 Spirituality in Agriculture. Annual international con- Humanities Section ference of the biodynamic movement (German, English, French, Spanish), How do you know you are human? Section for Agriculture, Goetheanum (ch) Web www.sektion-landwirtschaft. Future technology promises to free us radically from original human experiences such as illness, org/en/lwt/2020 old age and death. By uploading the content of the human mind onto a machine human beings will become immortal, in other words life will no longer depend on the body’s decline or death. 9 to 15 February 2020 English Train- ing in . A part-time training with nine one week Around 2500 years ago, illness, ageing and death self, because he taught compassion and love. modules over three years, Medical Sec- tion at the Goetheanum, Emerson Col- were key enlightening experiences on the path Through him these qualities came into the world lege (gb) and other venues Web www. of the 29 year old Prince Siddhartha Gautama, and through the Christ they became living deeds. emerson.org.uk/anthroposophic- the later Buddha. He left behind a safe and pro- The key here is the You we turn towards and in medicine?mc_cid=7d906e62d6&mc_ tected life at the royal palace in order to learn which the ‹I› awakens to itself. eid=b985350377 about the world, seeking to avoid illness, old With both ways of thinking and living, the 6 to 8 March 2020 100 Years ‹Spiritual age and death. question as to why we come to live in a physical Science and Medicine›. Research con- First he learned about asceticism, became body on earth remains open. Christ’s sacrifice ference (German, English), Medical pupil to various teachers without finding an of incarnating in a human body has given an Section, Goetheanum(ch) Web infor- mation available soon answer to his questions until, at last, he achieved entirely new quality to physical incarnation: enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, during a now the body can be an instrument that allows 19 to 21 March 2020 Specialist confer- meditation that lasted 49 days, during which the human ‹I› to make its home in the world ence ‹ and he withstood many temptations and overcame through the senses. But in inhabiting our earthly Hybrid Varieties› (Save the Date) (Ger- man, English), Section for Agriculture, many demons. Sickness, old age and death and body, we don’t only have the task to develop this Goetheanum (ch) Web www.sektion- the suffering they caused were for him an ex- body but also that of spiritualizing the world as landwirtschaft.org/veranstaltungen/ pression of our imprisonment in the earthly we learn to know it through observation. We aktuelle-veranstaltungen/einzelansi- world and in our physicality. To conquer this can then become the place where the world cht/news/detail/News/fachkonferenz- biodynamische-landwirtschaft-und- suffering meant to overcome the «thirst for ex- knows itself. hybridsorten istence and reincarnation», which implicates, as The question Sophia the robot asks, «How do a distant developmental goal, freeing oneself you know you are human?» must therefore be 10 to 13 June 2020 The Dignity of from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. taken seriously and can be understood through the Child. International congress on pregnancy, birth and early childhood the renewal of the Apollonian words in Rudolf (depending on demand in German, Buddha’s motives distorted Steiner’s Foundation Stone Meditation: «Hu- English, French, Mandarin, Russian, If we look at the intentions of transhumanists man Soul, know yourself in the living weaving Spanish), Medical Section, Education Section, Goetheanum (ch) Web med- against this background, they seem like a distor- of spirit, soul and body (ga 260) | Christiane Haid, sektion-goetheanum.org/fileadmin/ tion of Buddha’s inner motives. What, according Goetheanum user_upload/aktuelles/DE/Vorankue- to Buddha, should be achieved through spiritual ndigung_Kleinkindkongress_ activity and inner development is replaced by a DE_2020.pdf Conference ‹Das Ende des Menschen? II. Wege machine in transhumanist thinking. The striving durch und aus dem Transhumanismus. (The 12 to 20 September 2020 The Human for freedom from the wheel of birth and rebirth end of the human being? Ways through and Being is a Bridge. A hundred years of becomes an ‹eternal› life of earthly mental con- out of Transhumanism), in German only, 18 to 20 October 2019, Goetheanum Anthroposophic Medicine (depending tents, here on earth. Here we see two polar op- on demand: German, English, French, Web www.goetheanum.org/tagungen/das- posite gestures: freeing oneself from the earth Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, ende-des-menschen-ii Spanish), Medical Section, Goethea- and remaining attached to it. Image The human body - more than a sophisti- num (ch) Web www.crossingbridges. Buddha’s teachings had other important and cated machine care (from October) forward-looking qualities that are absent from transhumanism with its focus on the individual Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19 | 5

■ Goetheanum | School of Spiritual Science

Goetheanum Leadership to the Rhine, that also became the home of and other sections. A first outline of how the Rudolf Steiner Publishing in 2011. From here three potential section leaders envisage their we could see the Swiss chemical plants, one of new task resulted in unanimous support for the Is there something like the most productive scientific and economic proposal at the September retreat. a Michaelic attitude? conglomerations in the world. And if one looks The new appointments will come into force at this view from a distance, the Vosges Moun- with the agm at Easter 2020 and the subsequent tains for instance, the Goetheanum seems to School of Spiritual Science Easter Conference. In order to allow for a view of the Goethea- be situated just behind them! How does the will continue to devote most of his num from different angles, the new spokes- Goetheanum relate to the economic life? What time to his task as director of the In- persons Ueli Hurter and Justus Wittich chose kinds of tasks arise for the School of Spiritual Sci- stitute and carry the Institute’s anthroposophical three different venues for the Goetheanum ence as a result? It seemed only natural that the basic research into the Section work. Claus-Peter Leadership retreat on 2 to 4 September. Also, Goetheanum Leadership had its first in-depth Röh will primarily be responsible for the work of decisions were made regarding the leader- discussion of the present climate situation from the First Class of the School of Spiritual Science ship of the General Anthroposophical and the the perspective of all the sections. while gradually reducing his activities on behalf Visual Art Sections. Other topics of the retreat included the forth- of the Education Section before handing that It was clear at the beginning of this retreat that, coming reaffirmation of Joan Sleigh in 2020 and task over. Constanza Kaliks will initially continue following the Goetheanum World Conference a wide range of issues, from the Faust perfor- as leader of the Youth Section, supported by her at Michaelmas 2016 (where we listened to the mances at the Goetheanum to the future rela- energetic and competent team of co-workers, views of members worldwide), the new internal tionship of the Goetheanum and Weleda. | Ueli and combine this work with her new tasks as co- structure with the goals and projects of the Hurter, Justus Wittich, Goetheanum leader of the General Anthroposophical Section. Goetheanum should be finalized by the end of With regard to the Visual Art Section, the 2019. Our questions in 2020 will focus on how Goetheanum Leadership has taken up the rec- the relationship between the Goetheanum and Goetheanum ommendations of another search group and the world can be transformed in the next three unanimously proposed to the Section a possible years (until 2023/2024) and on ways of celebrat- School of Spiritual Science: solution for a limited period of three years, which ing the forthcoming anniversaries. new appointments Marianne Schubert was happy to accepted at Fundamental to the present working year is the end of a period of consultations. This means the study of Rudolf Steiner’s Michael Letters, In January 2018, the responsibility for the General that Marianne Schubert will be able to retire at particularly with the question in mind whether Anthroposophical Section, which had been led the end of the year as planned, following her there is something like a Michaelic attitude that by all Executive Council members together since active commitment and the network-building we can together spiritually approach, formulate 2000, was transferred to Bodo von Plato, Paul she has achieved in her time in office since 2014. and make effective from out of the life of all Mackay and Joan Sleigh. After the resolutions Christiane Haid has also agreed to accept, in the sections and the Anthroposophical Society. at the 2018 agm, Joan Sleigh offered to continue addition to the Humanities Section, the leader- What contribution can the Goetheanum and the to lead the Section provisionally for which we ship of the Visual Art Section for the next three many initiatives and institutions that have arisen thank her wholeheartedly. years and form a steering group made up of from anthroposophy make towards the world’s In June 2018, a search group (consisting of René representatives of the various specialist areas. healing and further development? Becker, Florian Osswald and Justus Wittich) was | Ueli Hurter, Justus Wittich, Goetheanum appointed which asked for time to consider the Three different perspectives options. Given the comprehensive possibilities The two spokespersons had chosen an unusual and tasks of the section in question, the group exercise in approaching this task. On the first day had many conversations, received numerous let- we came together in Wachsmuth House, close ters and explanations and, on 8 March 2019, in- to the Goetheanum building, and in our lunch vited members of the School of Spiritual Science Read and order break we looked at the physical location of the for a public consultation day. At the Leadership Anthroposophy Goetheanum: on a former battlefield, where retreat in June 2019, the search group submitted the Swabians last fought the Swiss in 1499. How their recommendations to the Goetheanum Worldwide did Rudolf Steiner deal with this fact? And how Leadership. Their proposal included among other www.anthroposo- do we deal today with the concrete questions things a group of three, of which one at least regarding the life of rights in our Society? should be a member of the Executive Council. phie.org/en On the second day we were guests at the They also suggested that the group work closely oldest surviving curative education centre, the with the other sections within the Goetheanum Sonnenhof in Arlesheim (ch). Looked at from the Leadership. After extensive conversations, the reality of this school the task of the Goethea- search group proposed Constanza Kaliks, Claus- num seemed very different, an impression that Peter Röh and Peter Selg as leaders of the Gen- was deepened further when we walked around eral Anthroposophical Section. the nearby hermitage at lunchtime, reflecting The proposal was followed by intensive dis- on the legend of Saint Odile as a symptomatic cussions within the Goetheanum Leadership phenomenon of Western esoteric life. and with the proposed candidates concerning, On day three we then met at Ackermannshof, among other things, the implications these ap- a cultural and research institute in Basel, close pointments would have for other areas of work 6 | Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19

■ School of Spiritual Science

Council for Inclusive Social Development

New training in Hungary From 20 July to 31 August, the second module of a new training in anthroposophic curative education and social therapy took place in Budapest (hu).

After Nicoletta Kovacs and Ovidiu Recan had spent a year at the Camphill School in Beaver Run (Pennsylvania, us) and had taken part in the training at the Camphill Academy, their long- cherished wish to start an anthroposophic cu- Youth Section Council for Inclusive Social Development rative education training in Hungary began to take shape. Once they were back in Hungary in Building bridges Mexico: new training the summer of 2018, they contacted everyone across borders From 14 July to 2 August the first module of who had expressed an interest and almost 40 a new training in anthroposophic curative people came. From 28 to 30 June 50 young people from education and social therapy took place in When Jan Göschel visited in November 2018 nineteen countries and five continents came Cuernavaca (mx). for preliminary talks, the main focus was on the together at the Goetheanum to share their theme of «Becoming a relationship artist». For thoughts on youth life in the 21st century. Mexico has a very active Waldorf school move- the first module in April 2019, Rüdiger Janisch We started with our dreams, visions and what ment and the interest in anthroposophic special from Beaver Run was invited as a lecturer. By wants to come from the future, then we worked needs education has been growing steadily over studying architecture, sculpture, painting and with observations of the present time and how the years. Introductory events have been offered the motifs of the First Goetheanum, the course we work and live with them, ending with the again and again, all of them very well attended. members experienced the building impulse for topic of building bridges between the emerging The wish for training possibilities has grown a spiritual-social Goetheanum as the source for future and today’s reality. stronger every year. Now it has become possible the culturally renewing impulse of anthroposo- The open, free space created made it possible to start a course that will stretch over several phy. On the basis of this experience, the group to experience the urgency but also the joy and years and that is open to teachers, educators, began to practise perception without judgment. productivity of such gatherings. The tremen- therapists, social workers, psychologists and dous confrontation with the everyday feeling physicians. Recognizing supersensible formative forces of loneliness in a world of ‹social› networks, The course is sponsored by Gita - Centro Antro- During the second module in July the students fear and strong pressures became apparent, posófico de México, an organization based in were asked to describe someone close to their but also the will to start new and potent social Cuernavaca that has provided courses in Wal- heart with words, gestures and illustrations. initiatives such as the Elderberries Threefold dorf Education, organizational development, art Sonja Zausch accompanied this module with Café and community in Los Angeles, or Free therapy and general anthroposophy for many social-artistic eurythmy and Andrea Janisch with Colombia and their M.C. Richards Program in years. The new Curative Education and Social Spacial Dynamics and basal stimulation. The New York (starting September 2020). Therapy course was possible thanks to Doris students tried to deepen their perception with The Youth Section Worldwide seems to experi- Unger, a co-founder of the Cruz des Sur train- movement as well as modelling, geometry and ence a strong momentum: many young people ing organization that is active in several cities speech. These activities allow the supersensi- take responsibility and express their commit- in Argentina. She will be a course coordinator bly active formative forces in body and soul to ment to connecting both to the Goetheanum and mentor on the new training. awaken and be phenomenologically recognized. impulse and to sharing the endeavor to bring Jan Göschel, a member of the leadership team Once the powers of perception have been ex- fruitful inspiration into action. There is a shared of the Anthroposophic Council for Inclusive So- tended in this way, it is also easier to distinguish aim that is characterized by a wide diversity cial Development, was present at the launch whether a person’s disorders and special abilities of ways of approaching youth work. The next and spoke about the impulse of anthroposophic belong to the physical, etheric, astral or spiritual Youth Section Worldwide Gathering will be held curative education and social therapy at a time level. In the second part of the summer module in 2021 (location to be announced). | Johannes of instability and uncertainty. a connection was established between these Kronenberg, Goetheanum Over the next years, more colleagues will faculties and the relevant therapies. support the initiative. We hope that the course In between the modules, the course members participants will take with them the inspiration meet in order to deepen what they have learned Web www.youthsection.org and means to realize new practical initiatives and to prepare for what lies ahead. | Rüdiger Image Young people from 9 countries and 5 continents within the field of inclusive social development Janisch, Glenmoore (pa, us) in Mexico. | Jan Göschel, Goetheanum

Web www.inclusivesocial.org Image Training course inspires initiative Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19 | 7

■ School of Spiritual Science

Social Science Section Medical Section Europe and the eu Human Soul The tenth «Soul of Europe» Conference took The Annual Conference of the Medical Section place in Brussels this year, right in the middle from 12 to 15 September, which attracted 700 of the eu Institutions. It was held from 21 to people to the Goetheanum, focused on reso- 23 August and attracted 150 participants. nances of soul and body.

For years the annual «Soul of Europe» confer- The idea that positive life forces – spiritual ideals, ence was held in Eastern European countries. love, and hope – have a positive effect on body Now the impulse has acquired something of a and soul resonated in all eight lectures and 45 pendulum gesture: from Tbilisi (Georgia) in 2018 workshops of this conference, which was entitled via Brussels (Belgium) this year, it will be held in «Human Soul! Motion and Emotion – Living Reso- Yekaterinburg (Russia) in 2020 and likely move nance». The workshop «Pastoral Medicine – an to London in 2021. impulse for the future», presented by Matthias The participants received an impressive insight Girke and Tomáš Boněk, was attended by 100 into the European Union’s functioning, its insti- Section for the Performing Arts people! A Science Space and Poster Sessions pre- tutions and problems. Mario Damen conducted sented the most recent scientific studies on An- a tour of the European Parliament, explaining Heiner Ruland Day throposophic Medicine, while music, singing and its processes and the various organs, finishing On 7 September the third Heiner Ruland Day eurythmy provided scope for artistic expression. in the parliamentary chamber itself, with space was celebrated, this time at the Goetheanum, In his lecture on «The Principle of Resonance: for its over 700 meps and countless interpreters. in an event organized by the Swiss Associa- Affectivity, Interaffectivity and Neurobiology», Gerald Häfner and Paul Mackay pointed to- tion for Music in Extended Tonality. Thomas Fuchs, professor of philosophy, psychia- wards shortcomings and inadequate structures: try and psychotherapy at Heidelberg University, the eu is steered by bodies formed by national The work of Heiner Ruland (1934–2017) is cul- combined medical and philosophical aspects: a governments, without much influence by citi- tivated in many places. From the 1960s, the broader look at the interaction of resonances in zens. Civil society carries little weight, large lob- instrumentalist, composer, teacher, therapist, body, soul, and mind makes the purely neuro- bying organisations exert a lot of power. Mon- writer and lecturer devoted himself wholly to biological view of the brain prevalent in today’s etary institutions don’t contribute to a healthy the study of the innovative Schlesinger Scales, mainstream science seem like a thing of the past. social life. During the conference, however, exploring ways of making them fertile for con- Alexander Gerber and Michaela Glöckler were temporary music. Joining forces to build bridges able to point to certain successes of their profes- Aside from the premiere of works by Oskar It was a wonderful experience in times of nation- sional lobbying work on behalf of biodynamic Peter and Johann Sonnleitner, the main focus of al seclusion to hear about the European-Middle- agriculture and anthroposophic medicine. this day was on instrument making and singing. Eastern Research Collaboration for Integrative Attendants could listen to a new basset horn de- Oncology, led by Thomas Breitkreuz and Eran Europe is more than just the eu signed by Peter Kraul, with which it is possible to Ben-Arye. The working group on manual thera- Europe is often identified with the eu. But the play a whole range of intermediate tones thanks pies, external applications, the overcoming of eu is not Europe. Europe crucially also contains to newly developed hole-boring techniques and communication barriers and professional ethics Switzerland and Norway, Russia and the Ukraine. valve mechanisms. The sound is lucid but sub- was partially open to all conference members. The contributors of the conference focused dued, particularly in the ‹in-between tones’ that That bridges can be built with joint forces on the «soul» of Europe. Some of the leading are achieved by special fingering combinations. became visible when physicians, nurses and thoughts included those of Christine Gruwez (be) Another new instrument was an alto lyre with 24 researchers from Europe, Israel, Palestine, Iran, who said that Europe was not found in its insti- strings per octave (and a correspondingly smaller Turkey, Egypt and Jordan stood together on the tutions, nor was it an idea – it lies where the two tonal range). It was presented by Christian Ziller. Goetheanum stage, holding hands, pooling their aspects meet, where forms unite with future He and Peter Kraul even went as far as develop- energy productively and amicably in order to potential. Andrei Zhiltsov (ukr) described how ing a new technique for playing their instrument. help human beings all over the world – an image European structures become comprehensible in The singers Claudia Nicolai, Meret Roth, Atsuko that will continue to resonate in all of us as a the light of a long spiritual history. Christiane Murata, Heinz Bähler and Moritz Achermann glimmer of hope. | Ariane Totzke, Goetheanum Haid (Goetheanum) addressed homelessness performed songs by Heiner Ruland, some of and the consciousness soul. Stephan Kirste which were more like folk tunes while others Web www.medsektion-goetheanum.org (de) and Jaap Sijmons (nl) offered philosophi- were derived from the extended tonalities. cal approaches towards developing a European We heard, for instance, five verses from Rudolf consciousness. | Hans Hasler, Lahti (fi). English Steiner’s Soul Calendar, set to music for a trio, by Sven Saar in which word and tone came together in deep unity. Or the cantata «For the Earth is Being» for baritone, choir and instruments. The way the For details of the next conference visit www. soulofeurope.net music soared up as it expressed humanity’s and the world’s Christ-induced renewal was among the most deeply stirring moments of this event. | Christian Ginat, Dornach (ch) 8 | Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19

■ Anthroposophy Worldwide

South Africa Zimbabwe Eurythmy Therapy Inner development as culture The Southern Cross Eurythmy Therapy Train- The second All Africa Anthroposophic Training took place from 27 August to 3 September 2019 in ing started its second training from 24 June to Kufunda, Zimbabwe, with 120 participants. The training offers a holistic approach to human life 20 July with nine students in Cape Town. that balances body, mind and soul to find inner peace. Marco Ephraim, an anthroposophic physician from Holland, provided a glimpse into the meta- Springing out of ipmt South Africa (the train- Michaela's sessions. In our facilitated groups we morphosis manifest in the human skeleton. ing for anthroposophic doctors), the All Africa learned 'the opening' to another being, with Beginning from the earliest stages of em- Anthroposophic Training was founded in 2018 knowing nothing, no judgement. Open to learn, bryogenesis, through foetal maturity, infancy, representing many African countries. In 2019, the observing and experiencing was my daily food. childhood and adulthood we could observe the 120 participants were all astounded at the trans- There is life in everything in nature whether it steady transformations. formative process that had happened since then. is living or dying. The plants’ mission is to grow The marked polarities between the enclosed and bear fruit. Plants are the bringers of life to form of the skull and the radial forms of the Bringing light, healing the earth. Humans bring life to the universe and limbs are balanced by the striking forms in the and spirit into matter the two are one because they need each other. ribcage reflecting the dynamic between think- Participants looking at nature with new eyes filled ing/planning and will/action. The rhythmic quali- with wonder and joy, studying deeply, working Finding the inner self ties of feeling arising from this tension that is with Knowledge of Higher Worlds, doing Euryth- I have learnt to also observe my inner self- expressed in our rhythmic breathing and blood my together, with Michaela Glöckler's masterful growth; that I am the one who nurtures my circulation is beautifully expressed in the bones. lectures awakening thinking and perception and inner soul to grow. This takes a lot of practice Noticing the transformations along the spinal giving meaning to life through her wisdom and and l need to find my inner tranquillity. Medi- column was a fine exercise in careful observation. spiritual knowledge, having the Act of Consecra- tation helps to deepen what one knows and The connections we found between the shoulder tion celebrated for those who chose every morn- find the changes needed to feel one’s self and blade and the vertebra were quite astonishing. A ing, bringing light and healing and spirit into develop thinking. central theme was finally the metamorphosis of matter while the younger generation enjoyed I realized that I’m in a position to slowly get bones leading to the form of the larynx. | Richard the sacred dance brought by Marianne Knuth. to know and learn from my inner self. Healing Cox, Noordhoek (sa) I am truly grateful to all those who came of- as growth and growth as healing; growth as fering their expertise in biodynamic agriculture, impulse. In the flow of growth there is beauty. anthroposophic medicine, , Humans can learn from plants and mimic The Core Group child development and special needs, African nature as plants only take the water and nu- The Core Group for this training consists of the economic life through the threefold social ques- trients they need to survive and share the rest eurythmy therapists Julia O’Leary and Christiane Janowski (South Africa), Ursula Browning (uk) tion, anthroposophic nursing, story-telling and with other plants, share with Mother Nature and Patrice Orange (Australia). Pieter Wilder- celebrating festivals - these workshops all rich the beauty and freshness. Release oxygen to vanck from the Klinik Arlesheim (ch) oversees in content and sharing. give to human life. the training on behalf of the Medical Section at To the participants who brought the wisdom The first sprout of a plant is where life shows the Goetheanum. of African culture and healing and opened our its power of survival. Training flyer anthroposophysa.org.za/wp- eyes to the rich heritage of African life, I too The biodynamic approach was so great as content/uploads/2013/09/Eurythmy-Therapy- Training-email-version-Final.pdf need to express my sincere gratitude. most Zimbabweans were so happy to embrace What a wonderful celebration of cultures and this method of farming. | Admire Yemurai Gwa- Image Course members - fascinated by the spine meetings were experienced as individuals met tidzo, Kufunda (Zimbabwe) in a striving to reach social competence. We look forward in anticipation to our next Images Anthroposophy training in Africa aaat which will take place in Tanzania in 2020 Next training module All Africa Anthroposophic | Julia O'Leary, Cape Town (za) Training 2020, Tanzania aaat 2019 was an Aha moment for me because Web www.allafricaanthroposophictraining.org it was a deep reflection of my inner spirit through Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19 | 9

■ Anthroposophy Worldwide

Malaysia Waldorf 100

Waldorf 100 is also celebrated in Malaysia by twelve Waldorf Schools and countless kinder- gartens. People there are increasingly dissat- isfied with the mainstream school system.

Germany Hot, happy and colorful! Malaysia, with a popu- Celebrations at the first lation of 33 million, is snuggled into the south- ernmost peninsula of the Eurasian continent Waldorf School between the South China Sea and the Indian Israel On 7 September the 100th birthday of the Ocean’s Andaman Sea. A very multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country, 60 per cent of the Presidential visit very first Waldorf School was celebrated fes- tively in Stuttgart in the presence of premier Malaysian people practice Islam, 20per cent On 1 September the new building of the New Winfried Kretschmann. are Buddhist, and 10per cent are Christian, leav- Dvir Waldorf School for Special Needs was ing the remaining 10per cent as Hindu, Daoist, festively opened by Israel’s President, What an occasion! The venue was the Lieder- Confucian, and other beliefs. As a former Brit- Reuven Rivlin. halle in Stuttgart, with prominent politicians ish colony, its second language after Malay is The New Dvir School had grown and needed a and representatives of the Waldorf world pres- English, but Chinese is also widely spoken. Since new building. Once a building had been found ent, a packed auditorium and a rich and diverse the general public doesn't have confidence in and renovated, it was opened by Jerusalem’s programme: the 100th birthday of the Stuttgart the changing curriculum of schools, many in- mayor Moshe Leon and Israel’s President Reuven Uhlandshöhe Waldorf School was celebrated ternational schools are popular in the major Rivlin. During the celebration Reuben Shaliv’s in style. It started with an orchestral piece cities here. There are now twelve Waldorf school book «Special Needs Education» was handed by Sebastian Bartmann followed by words of initiatives – some more like homeschools - , kin- over to the President. Reuven Rivlin quoted welcome spoken by pupils of the school in 24 dergartens and a teacher training program with Rudolf Steiner’s concept of the «art of educa- languages. Baden-Wurttemberg’s premier Win- visits from foreign mentors. tion», in which he recognized Steiner’s search fried Kretschmann expressed the wish that the for innovative forms of learning and educating Waldorf School may retain its own identity and A middle pathway that harmonized with the reformed Jerusalem lauded its «strong sense of empathy», while between the extremes of life education system that encompasses a hundred Stuttgart’s mayor Fritz Kuhn hoped that it may Kelip Kelip is the largest Waldorf School on schools, including New Dvir. continue to be the «yeast in the reform dough of the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the capital The New Dvir school was founded in 1997 on the state school system». Other speakers includ- city. Together with seven others it belongs to the initiative of parents of children with special ed representatives from the Uhlandshöhe Wal- a federation called Steiner Education Malay- needs, followed in 2001 by the foundation of a dorf School, the teacher training seminar Freie sia. These sem schools have been celebrating Kindergarten, Ofek. Eventually both institutions Hochschule Stuttgart, the Education Section at Waldorf 100 with students, parents, teachers were in such high demand that they merged into the Goetheanum and the Association of Waldorf and the wider community. the New Dvir School in 2004, which has since Schools. One of the central statements was that At one of the celebrations in September, a then been under the patronage of the city of an independent development of individuals and visiting mentor presented a picture of the im- Jerusalem and the ministry of education. Around society needs independent schools that are not portance of education as an art at a time when three years ago, a pedagogical cooperation influenced by political and economic interests. many schools are one-sidedly promoting sci- started with the nearby Seligsberg secondary An interesting bit of background information: ence, technology, engineering and mathematics. school, and the New Dvir school has now moved the politicians and Henning Kullak-Ublick, who Especially in this digital age, we must not lose to their premises. is on the board of the Association of Waldorf track of what it is to be human and how the arts New Dvir is a multicultural school for children Schools (de), were among the founders of the serve as a critical mediating factor in this regard. from the city and beyond, whatever their fam- German Green Party and studied Rudolf Steiner’s It is art, in the very broadest sense of the word, ily’s orientation: religious, secular, Arab, ultra- ideas of . that provides the fulcrum and balance between orthodox or anthroposophical. The 28 students A Japanese drummer ensemble and a Namib- the thinking and doing person. Waldorf educa- who are between 6 and 21 years old are spread ian school choir brought life to the auditorium, tion provides the heart that creates a middle across five classes. followed by a mammoth school festival with pathway forward between the extremes in life Israel has 28 Waldorf elementary and seven artistic presentations from pupils of all the Stutt- that often tear us in two. secondary schools with 7000 students all in all. gart Waldorf Schools and a panel discussion The teachers and parents of the Malaysian | Sebastian Jüngel, with Udi Levy, Dinhard (ch) that concluded with a special request: may the Waldorf movement are in search of this bal- school implement its ideals even more radically ance in education even without official rec- in practice because the problems in the world are ognition from their government. | Van James, Image Reuven Rivlin at the New Dvir School enormous and there is so much to do.| Mathias Honolulu, Hawaii (us) Source (in Hebrew) adamolam.co.il Maurer, Stuttgart (de)

Image Winfried Kretschmann - «Keep your iden- tity» Source Erziehungskunst 11/2019 (extracts) 10 | Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19

■ Anthroposophy Worldwide

Iceland Art Exhibition

Up until 5 January 2020, the exhibition 'Lots of tiny people' at the GerðarsafnKópavogur Art Museum will ask about spirituality in art.

The Icelandic artists Gudrún Vera Hjartardóttir and Sigrún Halldóra Gunnarsdóttir /Úavon are working with the question of how their spiritual interest in anthroposophy relates to their artistic Germany Germany process and work. This seems to be natural as art has always been a place to investigate the The first Change! festival One of the best hospitals realm of the unknown, to access deeper mean- From 15 to 18 August the first Change! festi- According to a German media study the an- ing and the sublime. val took place at Hohenfels Castle near Lake throposophic Filderklinik belongs to the top Inspired by the idea that spiritual experience Constance in Southern Germany. 150 mostly ten hospitals with 150 to 300 beds in Baden can come to expression in various ways, not younger people took part. Wurttemberg. just through words or as a private matter, cu- riosity about how it engages with the culture As I walk through the castle gates the inner The faz Institute, a major publishing and media and society of the early 21st century has led to courtyard is already filled with life. It looks co- house in Germany, evaluates both objective collaboration with Gerðarsafn Kópavogur Art lourful and busy. Then the church bells ring in criteria and the views of patients before decid- Museum (is) and the artworks of pioneer mod- the first of a series of Change festivals, entitled ing which are «Germany’s Best Hospitals». «We ernist sculptor Gerður Helgadóttir. Like many of «Let’s change the world – together!» are ranked third of the acute care hospitals with the Icelandic pioneering modernists she became What is this about? About changing the world, a comparable number of beds in the State of involved with spirituality later in life, which can a step at a time! Each for him- or herself and Baden Wurttemberg; in the Stuttgart region be found reflected in her art work. everyone together! But how can the world be we are even in first place,» says Nikolai Keller, changed? So many questions – but the festival the Filderklinik’s ceo. The Filderklinik is the only Expressions of spiritual experiences provides plenty of food for thought. There are holistically oriented hospital in Baden Wurt- Inviting international artists and experts and lectures and practical workshops that provide temberg that is also among the 25 per cent who making contact with institutions brought us inspiration for a change in thinking of how we were voted best in all of Germany. to Rudolf Steiner's blackboard drawings. Even deal with nature. The programme is shaped by 2200 recent quality reports from German hospi- though these drawings were not intended to everyone together, as everyone presents their tals were evaluated by experts for this study. Ad- be art, bringing them into dialogue with con- individual impulses and questions, on the basis ditional data considered for the study came from temporary artworks – by , Joseph of which new joint initiatives can be founded. hospital and medical services guides published Beuys and Gerður Helgadóttir – gave us access After all, change can only happen if people who by health insurers, the government and users. to a visual language and allowed us to read them have courage and visions stand up to bring about The Filderklinik was founded in 1974 as a charita- as attempts at articulating deeper meaning and the change they wish to see in the world. ble institution for primary and (partially) regular experiences, involving the senses rather than At the end of each day everyone joins in with care, following an impulse from the Stuttgart just the intellect. festival hymn, sung in three parts, this time Mahle Foundation which supports innovative Most contributors will create new works for around the campfire rather than in the court- projects worldwide. It follows the holistic and this exhibition or present works that relate to yard. Enthusiastically, we sing «I will never give complementary approach of Anthroposophic the topic of a spiritual dimension in the arts. In up … as long as I am breathing, until the world Medicine, caring for patients from the region addition we will provide a wide-ranging pro- is singing.» What a promise! Singing, thinking but also from further afield. gramme of performances, lectures, workshops and feeling this promise requires courage and The hospital’s 219 beds and six day-clinic places and guided tours to facilitate further discussion, awareness of the responsibility each of us has are divided among five specialist wards (internal research, artistic development and to nurture for the world. medicine, surgery, gynaecology and obstetrics, and celebrate the diversity of contemporary The time is ripe for inner and outer change – paediatrics and neonatology, and psychosomat- art and artistic practice in the future. | Jasper everyone agrees on that as the festival draws ics. In addition there are departments for anaes- Bock (is), Sigrun Gunnarsdottir/Úavon (is) and to a conclusion. And Hohenfels Castle will be a thesia and diagnostic radiology and a private Jon B.K. Ransu (is) place that provides space for the impulses of a out-patient clinic. | Christoph Fasel, Stuttgart (de) world-changing movement. | Magdalena Ries, Web gerdarsafn.kopavogur.is/en/events/ Freiburg (de) upcoming-events Image Filderklinik – best care award

Image Changing the world – planting trees For the study report (in German) visit _iads. Web festival.eos-erlebnispaedagogik.de fazcdn.net/asv/beste-krankenhauser/Deutsch- lands-beste-Krankenhaeuser-2019.pdf Web www.filderklinik.de Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 7–8/18 | 11

■ Forum ■ Antroposophical Society

An imagination A challenge Controversies and tensions are on We have been informed that the following 33 members have of Europe the rise everywhere in the world. Se- crossed the threshold of death. In their remembrance we are vere economic, political and military providing this information for their friends. | Membership Of- During the tenth Soul of Europe crises are threatening to tear the fice at the Goetheanum Conference, which was held from 23 world apart. This serious situation Ilse Seebert Staufen (de) 14 March 2018 to 25 August 2019 in the heart of Eu- cannot be resolved through power Anna Nyberg Åbo (fi) 1 April 2018 rope’s political capital, Brussels (be), or ideologies but only through open Warren Haddon Chatham/ny (us) 17 October 2018 the attendants had the chance to spaces and encounters. Can Europe Ursula Steinke (de) 10 December 2018 visit the European institutions and make a contribution to this? Many Esther Due Tranbjerg (dk) 21 December 2018 breathe in the mood around the Eu- are looking to Europe with this ques- Lee Brown Hypoluxo/fl (us) 16 February 2019 ropean quarter. In this environment, tion in mind. Pirkko Milton Helsinki (fi) 30 May 2019 and inspired by the conference con- Creating spaces for Europe to Gunther Haberland Bremen (de) 13 June 2019 Marguerite Linder Truchtersheim (fr) 29 June 2019 tributions and conversations, one meet, from Yekaterinburg (where Eugenie Dünkelmeyer Borchen (de) 30 June 2019 could come to a new understand- the Soul of Europe conference Maximilian Gysin Basel (ch) 4 July 2019 ing of the idea of Europe: Why do will take place in 2020, from 9 to Christine Kalkhof Freiburg (de) 6 July 2019 we expect so much of Europe? If 12 July) to Brussels must mean Isabel Frazer Aylsham (gb) 11 July 2019 one tries to grasp the idea of Eu- above all learning to take others Birgit Steiner Felde (de) 14 July 2019 rope one is immediately faced with seriously wherever they live and Elisabeth Ruf Basel (ch) 16 July 2019 contradictions: Europe is a conti- work – whether in anthroposophi- Marlene Pitzer Wetzlar (de) 26 July 2019 Gertrud Tamoschat Braunschweig (de) 30 July 2019 nent, divided into east and west; cal or eu institutions – and to meet Alice Brændestrup Århus C (dk) 31 July 2019 and yet the idea of Europe cannot be them as who they are. For in such Otmar Donnenberg Weil am Rhein (de) 10 August 2019 delimited geographically because, an honest encounter they can both Reinhart Schade Nuthetal (de) 14 August 2019 while the borders in the West are become freer, Europe can become Anna Bergman Kerikeri (nz) 15 August 2019 clear, those in the east are not. more European and will be able to Christiane Schreiber Kassel (de) 16 August 2019 make a gentle but fundamental Lena Eschmann Arlesheim (ch) 17 August 2019 Contrasting images contribution to the whole world. Luise Neukom Thalwil (ch) 17 August 2019 Sonnhild Sommer Frankfurt a.M. (de) 18 August 2019 Europe is home to many, but is the | Jonas Lismont, Dornach (ch) Susanne Schäffer Berlin (de) 20 August 2019 feeling of being homeless not part Irmtraud Balle Berglen (de) 22 August 2019 of humanity’s reality today? Could Leena Tiusanen Tampere (fi) 14 August 2019 Jonas Lismont and Louis Defèche, Europe consequently be seen as a Gudrun Heuser Winsen/Luhe (de) 25 August 2019 both co-workers of the Goethea- Hans Ritter Arlesheim (ch) 26 August 2019 home for the homeless? Over and num’s communications depart- above that many may expect Europe ment, offered a workshop at the Margaret Sumner Wellingborough (gb) 26. August 2019 to emerge as a political and eco- Soul of Europe conference in Joy Hammick Southwold (gb) 27 August 2019 Joan Phillips Ferndown (gb) 1 September 2019 nomic power within the global com- Brussels, entitled ‹What imagina- tions for Europe?› petition. But one can also sense that The Membership Office registered 62 new members in June Europe’s identity is not (or no longer) Web www.soulofeurope2019.eu and July 2019. Fifteen left the Society between 10 August and determined by questions of power. Web www.soulofeurope.net 6 September 2019. Our ideas about this continent are therefore contentious. Could this tension be a first aspect of its iden- tity? Contrasts always imply the po- tential for a space emerging whose identity or substance is not born Corrections and amendments from these – controversial – univer- An error occurred in the editing of a report on the Anthroposophi- sally-valid thoughts, but from unique cal Society in Great Britain’s summer conference, published in and situation-related encounters. In Anthroposophy Worldwide 9/2019, page 3: this space neither abstract truths, The conference title was Seeds of Strength – Deepening the In- nor efficiency or usefulness are -im ner Life of Soul. portant, but solely the encounter The «Saturn Path» theme was not «introduced incidentally» but of free beings who together form was part of James Dyson’s lecture. a social substance. This space is On anthroposophie.org the editors published an image of the fragile but urgently necessary. At artist Gudrun Schlaak, which the Anthroposophical Society in gb the individual level people want to used with her permission for their conference flyer. be understood and recognized as in- If you would like to read Antje Schmidt’s original report (in Ger- dividuals and they want to support man) please contact her at [email protected] others. If this is not possible they A further report (in English) with photos is available per email might try to meet this need in other from Sibylle Eichstaedt (editor): [email protected]. ways, by developing nationalist or | Sebastian Jüngel, Antje Schmidt extremist tendencies for instance. 12 | Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 10/19

■ Feature

Contemplation Another opportunity for practice is in spiritual Walking in balance of soul community building. People of the most diverse backgrounds and temperaments come together We are walking beings, establishing, as we walk upright, a delicate balance again and again. because they have similar spiritual questions Wolfgang Rissmann looks at walking as a way of exploring one’s own inner freedom and and concerns. Here it is even more obvious that balance of soul, both of which can be seen as a basis for community building. the solution can be found neither in intellec- tual discussion nor in power impulses. What is required is the ability of each In the second verse of the Foundation Stone individual to form in his or her Meditation it says, «Practise Spirit-Awareness own consciousness an idea of in balance of soul». How do I achieve this bal- the diversity of people gathered ance of soul? together, of their different ways A simple exercise can help: I walk on even ground, of thinking and feeling, and their straight on, in open countryside or on a quiet initiatives. Only then, in a sec- road. I walk evenly, without stopping, maybe ond step, can the open space for half an hour, not too fast and not too slowly. appear in which the talents, Then I accelerate and walk as fast as I can. After abilities and concerns of each in- a while I slow down and again walk very leisurely. dividual can come to expression in a community. Rudolf Steiner Not too fast and not too slow expressed this in the famous When I walk fast I become tense, feel my muscles, verse he gave to feel my accelerated breathing and heartbeat; in 1920: «The healthy social life I no longer perceive my surroundings clearly. is found when in the mirror of When I walk slowly, I relax, lose myself in the each human soul the whole world around me or in my own memories and community finds its reflection dreams. The task therefore is to walk neither and when in the community the too fast nor to slowly. virtue of each one is living.» How can this be achieved? By alternating a few times between fast and slow walking, I gradually Christ-will find my own rhythm, where I feel balanced and The spiritual community-build- can be aware of my surroundings and my own ing we strive for in the Anthro- body at the same time. When I observe myself posophical Society and all its more closely I find my own rhythm increases spheres of life is a question of my wellbeing and opens a space between being rhythm. The spiritual power and fixated on my own body and losing myself into essence that is effective behind the world around. I feel how, as if from outside, and in all rhythmic processes is a sense of wellbeing arises in my middle. People addressed in the second part of who suffer from burnout or depressive moods the second verse of the Founda- often tell me about this experience, if they prac- tion Stone Meditation: It is the tise this way of walking regularly. Christ-will whose effectiveness The ancient Babylonians had the following say- is always both grace and gift. ing: «Behold a man walking. Walking not like a | Wolfgang Rissmann, Ahrens- dotard, and not like a child. Walking like a healthy, burg (de) not like a sick man. Walking not too fast and not too slowly. And you will behold the measure of the Sun’s passage.» «Practise Spirit Awareness in the balance of soul» tween entering deeply into the other and re- can mean to look not at one picture, but at two turning to oneself. Encounters are a question Wolfgang Rissmann presented these thoughts at the Goetheanum during the Annual General next to each other and to wander rhythmically of rhythm not of cleverness or moral ap- Meeting of the General Anthroposophical Soci- between the two, or between two words, or peals. As we rhythmically oscillate between ety on 14 April 2019. between two different thoughts. This oscillating I and You, a space is created for something soul activity allows something new to arise in else that can appear like a gift from outside. Image Finding one’s own rhythm - Gradiva, Acropolis Museum Athens the alternating movement. The experience of Something new emerges. balance acquired in the walking exercise can An archetypal image of this process can be found be transferred to the mind. in the Gospel of St Luke, chapter 24, where two men are walking to Emmaus, talking about the Encounters are a question of rhythm riddles they have experienced. A third appears We experience a similar process as we encoun- towards the end of their journey and joins them. ters others people. For a real meeting to take As they sit together eating later, the two recog- place, there needs to be a swinging to and fro be- nize in the third the resurrected Christ.