DOCSLIB.ORG

In Recognition of Rudolf Steiner's Threefold Commonwealth

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
In Recognition of Rudolf Steiner's Threefold Commonwealth Pacifica Journal A bi-annual newsletter published by the Anthroposophical Society in Hawai'i No. 53, Vol.1 2018 One Hundred Years: engagement. Further, such a threefold practice would assure In Recognition of Rudolf Steiner's that every person matters, and what matters to each person matters to the whole. Threefold Commonwealth A bit of further definition will help. By freedom, Steiner John Bloom, San Francisco, California, USA. meant it in the spiritual sense rather than political. Each person must be left free to form her or his identity, free to understand [First printed in RSF Newsletter, August 22, 2017] the experience, to create and celebrate rites and rituals with each other in forming culture. By equality, he meant that, in group decision-making, it was one person, one vote. That is, a lasting agreement needs to be made between parties that respect each other as equals. By brotherhood (or sisterhood), economic life concerns itself with the production and circulation of goods and services out of the community rather than self-interest. Economics needs to be managed by all the parties or their representatives (producers, distributors, and consumers) such that all parties needs are met. What might this idealistic imagination look like in practice? Steiner suggested that each of the domains needed its own governing body, which could engage through its expertise and understanding of its domain. And further, representatives from each domain would meet to be sure that there was alignment and coherence across the sectors. In our current state of affairs Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) in democratic governance, the tendency of government is to truly provide culture in the form of education rather than as- One hundred years ago in 1917, amidst the disasters of suring the right to an education and to manage the economy World War I in Europe, Rudolf Steiner—an Austrian phi- beyond setting regulatory policy that protects all parties. The losopher, scientist, and leading spiritual thinker—formulated government has come to directing economic activity through an innovative approach to organizing cultural life, political taxes, incentives, and policy that favors certain industries or and economic life in order to prevent a repetition of another constituents over others. In the Threefold Commonwealth, destructive war. His social theory, based on his profound the government’s job as a representative of the people is to understanding of the human being, drew upon the ideals create and enforce laws (agreements) and assure the rights of of the 1784 French Revolution—liberté (freedom), egalité its citizens. That is, of course, a rather restrictive view of gov- (equality), fraternité (brotherhood)—yet applied them in an ernment and Steiner himself said that such a change would unprecedented way. To develop and maintain a dynamic and not happen overnight. To get there will require highly ethi- just life across all society, he indicated that freedom is the key cal individuals who fully exercise the free cultural life, along principle in the domain of culture and spirit, equality in that with a radical transformation of economic life away from the of rights and agreements, and brotherhood in economics. self-interest competitive drive of a market economy to what This threesome of practice is the foundation for organizing Steiner called an associative economy that engaged all parties. an empowered self-governing citizenry that would find its au- This activity would include setting prices and determining the thority, responsibility, and accountability through active civic best entrepreneur to use a given means of production for the Anthroposophical Society in Hawai'i, 2514 Alaula Way, Honolulu, Hawai'i Email: [email protected] , www.anthrohawaii.org broader benefit of the whole community as part of building emerged needed, so the individualized free human spirit seeks community wealth. an environment different from that required by the group soul Today, elements of threefolding are applied around the from which it has emerged. That environment is the threefold world. Perhaps the most evident is the Community Supported social order. Without this and held back in old forms of social Agriculture movement, which had its roots in Steiner’s idea of structures originating in the theocratic group soul societies, associative economics. RSF Social Finance has developed its the emerging individualized consciousness soul feels cramped, Community Pricing Approach, in which we bring together unfree and unable to fulfil itself. investors, ourselves as the intermediary, and borrowers once Since Steiner gave us the threefold social order, money a quarter to set the interest rate for the upcoming quarter. and the financial system have grown even further beyond the Further, the tremendous growth of the cooperative movement reach of human intelligence and control. This is made clearly is one manifestation of the associative economic approach in visible in, for example, the inability of any government or in- which the notion of ownership operates from the framework of dependent organizations to come to any practical idea of how mutuality and interdependence. The emergence of the Benefit to halt the continuing widening gap between the rich and the Corporation as a new corporate form is one way in which as- poor, between those who have immense wealth and those who sociative concepts are finding their way into legal structures. cannot provide for themselves even the basic necessities for a Rudolf Steiner developed his ideas about the Threefold life worthy of a human being. Commonwealth and many other of his practical insights, such One of the main causes of the increasing wealth of the as biodynamic farming and Waldorf education, in response to few, and of the power of money itself, is the fact that today the reality of his times. He sought an evolution of social life our present legal system makes it possible for certain matters, and all its aspects and would celebrate, even ennoble, what it properly belonging to the sphere of rights such as land, labour means to be human in the face of an increasingly dehuman- and shares in a business, to be owned and treated as economic izing culture. products, which they are not, and sold on the market at ever increasing profit for the holder without any actual reciprocal economic value being created. Anyone who observes life as it is today, and understands something of what Steiner pointed The Threefold Social Order to as the threefold nature of society will see other such distor- Has it been Forgotten? tions creating similar social aberrations. By Michael Spence 1. The Question When one looks at all that has been achieved and that is still being developed within the fields of work initiated by Rudolf Steiner one can indeed be truly impressed. In education, ag- riculture, the many forms of art, medicine, therapy, Christian Community and others there are people deeply committed to the work and to taking further what Rudolf Steiner gave. But next to all this there seems to be one glaring exception – the Threefold Social Order. In this there has been minimal, if any, achievement. In fact it seems to have been largely forgotten or ignored. In 1917, towards the end of the First World War when Europe was in chaos, and for the next four years Rudolf Steiner dedicated an enormous amount of time and energy to promot- But, despite all the huge commitment of time and work ing the ideas of the threefold social order. He gave very many Steiner gave to it and the importance he placed on it, what has lectures to members and to the public, he wrote articles and been achieved in this field? Is there anywhere where something a book and also touched on the subject when lecturing on of what he gave has been brought to practical expression? It other subjects. He met and discussed these ideas with leading seems that now, despite the very great and urgent need for it, people in government and business. He saw it as important, we have nothing to show or give the wider world. and not just because there was an opening at that time for new I was privileged to work with Francis Edmunds at Emerson ideas. Humanity had reached a point in its evolution of the College where I met and began working with these ideas in consciousness soul when the form of its earthly social structure 1967. When he founded the College, he did not consciously set had to be given a form more appropriate to its needs. As the it up on the basis of the threefold social order. In later discus- newly emerged butterfly requires a different environment in sions with him I came to recognise that in all his wisdom he which to unfold its wings than the caterpillar from which it did not have much more than a fairly rudimentary knowledge 2 of it, but he did recognise its importance. He had been one of not include the more esoteric aspects of the threefold social the leading teachers at Michael Hall School in England. He set order. I sensed that amongst such people, rather than amongst the college up intuitively on the foundation of his deep under- anthroposophists, there would be many who, out of the experi- standing, out of anthroposophy and his experience of young ence of their practical work, would recognise the sense of much people, of the needs of the human being as a threefold being of it. The question for me was how to reach them. living at this particular time in human evolution - the time of This book was based on some 25 years of study and on the awakening of the consciousness soul. In doing this he, and striving to understand what the practical foundation of my those who worked closely with him, could not help arriving at work became for me, as bursar of Emerson College,.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Globalization, Post-Materialism and Threefolding
    id43049218 pdfMachine by Broadgun Software - a great PDF writer! - a great PDF creator! - http://www.pdfmachine.com http://www.broadgun.com GLOBALIZATION, POST-MATERIALISM AND THREEFOLDING http://www.cadi.ph/Features/Feature_11_Post_Mat.htm 07/26/2007 GLOBALIZATION, POST-MATERIALISM AND THREEFOLDING[1] By Nicanor Perlas[2] Abstract The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and the Battle of Genoa in July 2001 in Italy captures the present power configuration of the world. Three worldviews are struggling for control over the future of the planet. These three worldviews are characterized and labeled, broadly, as Jihad, McWorld, and Civitas. McWorld is the world of the dominant materialistic modernity that governs the world. Jihad is the fundamentalist response of tradition, not just Islam, to McWorld. The world of Civitas is the world of post-materialism seeking a more spiritual approach, different from McWorld and Jihad, to world challenges. An elite form of globalization associated with McWorld has taken over the planet with disastrous consequences. This elite form of globalization is forcing humanity to ask fundamental questions about the nature and meaning of ’s relationship with it. human existence, about societies and civilizations, and about the nature of nature and humanity The questions of McWorld cannot be answered from the consciousness of McWorld nor Jihad. It requires a post-material consciousness, perspective and action to address the problems spawned by elite globalization today. Fortunately, there is a massive awakening throughout the world today in connection with a more spiritual approach and response to the challenge of McWorld. Ronald Inglehart documents the broad contours of this new awakening.
    [Show full text]
  • Society Anthroposophy Worldwide 12/17
    General Anthroposophical Society Anthroposophy Worldwide 12/17 ■ Anthroposophical Society Preliminary invitation to the 2018 December 2017 • N° 12 Annual Members’ Conference at the Goetheanum Anthroposophical Society What do we build on? 1 2018 Annual Members’ Meetings «What do we build on?» will be the motif of a conference to which the Executive Coun- 3 2017 Christmas Appeal cil and Goetheanum Leadership would like to warmly invite all members. The confer- 16 Christmas Community and ence will form part of the Annual Meeting and agm at the Goetheanum from 22 to 25 General Anthroposophical March 2018. Issues discussed will include future perspectives of the Anthroposophical Society Colloquium Society and a new approach to this annual gathering of members. 18 General Secretaries Conference 19 Italy: Youth Conference Seeking We would like to call your attention at this Our-Selves early date to the Members’ Conference 20 Footnotes to Ein Nachrichtenblatt which will be held just before Easter 2018. 20 Newssheets: ‹being human› As part of the development the Goethea- 24 Obituary: Hélène Oppert num is undergoing at present, the Annual 23 Membership News Conference as we know it and the agm, which is included in the Annual Conference, Goetheanum are also intended to be further developed 4 The Goetheanum in Development and newly designed. Discussions will fo- 5 Communication cus on future perspectives for the Anthro- 5 The Goetheanum Stage posophical Society and the continuation of the Goetheanum World Conference at School of Spiritual Science Michaelmas 2016. We would like to pres- 6 Youth Section ent the 2018 Members’ Conference as an 7 Natural Science Section event where members come together in The Members’ Conference: a place for 8 Humanities Section dialogue and conversation and rejoice in meetings and conversations (2016 9 Pedagogical Section meeting one another.
    [Show full text]
  • Camphill and the Future
    DISABILITY STUDIES | RELIGION M C KANAN THE CAMPHILL MOVEMENT, one of the world’s largest and most enduring networks of intentional communities, deserves both recognition and study. CAMPHILL A ND Founded in Scotland at the beginning of the Second World War, Camphill communities still thrive today, encompassing thousands of people living in more CAMPHILL than one hundred twenty schools, villages, and urban neighborhoods on four continents. Camphillers of all abilities share daily work, family life, and festive THE FUTURE celebrations with one another and their neighbors. Unlike movements that reject mainstream society, Camphill expressly seeks to be “a seed of social renewal” by evolving along with society to promote the full inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities, who comprise nearly half of their residents. In this Spirituality and Disability in an Evolving Communal Movement multifaceted exploration of Camphill, Dan McKanan traces the complexities of AND THE the movement’s history, envisions its possible future, and invites ongoing dia- logue between the fields of disability studies and communal studies. “Dan McKanan knows Camphill better than anyone else in the academic world FUTURE and has crafted an absorbing account of the movement as it faces challenges eighty years after its founding.” TIMOTHY MILLER, author of The Encyclopedic Guide to American Inten- tional Communities “This book serves as a living, working document for the Camphill movement. Spirituality and Disability Communal Movement in an Evolving McKanan shows that disability studies and communal studies have more to offer each other than we recognize.” ELIZABETH SANDERS, Managing Director, Camphill Academy “With good research and wonderful empathy, McKanan pinpoints not only Cam- phill’s societal significance but also how this eighty-year-old movement can still bring potent remediation for the values and social norms of today’s world.” RICHARD STEEL, CEO, Karl König Institute DAN MCKANAN is the Emerson Senior Lecturer at Harvard Divinity School.
    [Show full text]
  • Land and at Thegoetheanum Indornach/Switzerland 201 9 Report Fromtheagriculture Conference
    Section for Agriculture Sektion für Landwirtschaft Section d’Agriculture Sección de Agricultura Land and economy agriculture between the farm and the world Report from the Agriculture Conference Bild: Jasminka Bogdanovic, Kreis: Ueli Hurter at the Goetheanum in Dornach/Switzerland 2019 Inhalt Contents Individual Sovereignty as a Pathway to African Self-Reliance 4 Maaianne Knuth The threefold social order in our time 5 Gerald Häfner New economic forms through associations 6 Änder Schanck Renewing the local economy in rural India 9 Choitresh Kumar Ganguly / Manisha Kairaly Regional collaboration with supermarkets 11 Imprint Aline Haldemann / Christian Butscher Publisher: School of Spiritual Science – Section for Agriculture at the Goetheanum, Jean-Michel Florin, Ueli Hurter The farm economy – from limitation to diversity 12 www.sektion-landwirtschaft.org Christoph Simpfendörfer Editor: Ueli Hurter Working from the past and the future 15 Logo symbol: Rudolf Steiner Helmy Abouleish / Mona Lenzen-Abouleish Cover picture: Jasminka Bogdanovic / Group: Ueli Hurter Photos and diagrams in the text: By the relevant author, if not stated What is agriculture’s role in the global economy? 16 otherwise Volkert Engelsman Portray pictures of the authors: Heinrich Heer Design and layout: Johannes Onneken Farming between cosmos and market 18 Legal notice: In passing their manuscript on to the publisher authors Ueli Hurter and patent holder agree to its complete or partial publication. No liability will be accepted for the incorrect designation of a protected The vision: a 100 per cent organic world 21 title. Reprinting or translation requires permission from both author Patrick Holden and editor. Printing: WBZ, Reinach, Switzerland What effect do marketing channels have on farms? 22 Contact address: Section for Agriculture, Hügelweg 59, 4143 Dornach, Themed session with Klaus Wais & Alexander Gerber Switzerland, Tel.
    [Show full text]
  • Amrine, Frederick: a World of Reconciliation In
    arts & ideas IN THIS SECTION: Even anthroposophists A World of Reconciliation have trouble appreciating in Light of the Second International Congress the scope of Rudolf Steiner’s vision and of the Anthroposophical Movement insight. Fred Amrine gives us a sequence here—two by Frederick Amrine essays of his own, a review of an important book, and The Second International Congress of the Anthroposophical Move- translations of key ment, which unfolded before an audience of 2,000 in Vienna over excerpts from Rudolf eleven days in June 1922, was the largest public event that the move- Steiner, which can open our eyes to the necessities ment undertook during Steiner’s lifetime. It was a sequel to the highly of a truly global culture for successful First International Congress at Stuttgart of September 1921. humanity, both as Steiner Two great intentions animated the program: reaching out to a wider saw those almost a century ago, and as seen public, and defending anthroposophy against growing attacks by mak- now by some remarkable ing it more immediately visible within public life. contemporaries of ours. Vienna’s renowned Musikverein was the venue. Mornings featured lectures by a long list of The reviewed book by Boaventura de Sousa anthroposophical luminaries: Hahn, Schwebsch, von Heydebrand, Stein, Rittelmeyer, Uehli, Pe- Santos, whose call for likan, Kolisko, Blümel, Baravalle, Leinhas, Husemann, “feel-thinking” and “feel- Unger, Heyer, and Schubert. In acting” sounds so very the mid-afternoon, there were The main themes familiar to students of breakout discussions organized that ran through Steiner, might find a place by discipline: Chemistry, Edu- Steiner’s lectures on all our shelves.
    [Show full text]
  • Society Anthroposophy Worldwide 3/14
    Position: linke obere Papierkante, Größe 100% General Anthroposophical Society Anthroposophy Worldwide 3/14 ■ Anthroposophical Society General Anthroposophical Society: Culture of Will Intention—Discussion—Decision There are many decisions to make at the Goetheanum, big and small. Doing so involves March 2014 a practice of will formation that ranges from the inception of an intent to a discussion No. 3 and then to its execution. Now a review is planned for a small project in connection with Annual Conference and General the planned renovation of the Goetheanum terrace—with discussion by members. Meeting at the Goetheanum uring an Executive Council meet- 2 2014/15 Theme of the Year D ing Heinz Zimmermann once of- 4 Invitation to the Annual Conference fered to explain the difference between 5 Invitation to the an intention and a decision. He said that Annual General Meeting an intention has the character of explor- 6 Discussion and Decision on ing a certain developmental direction, Amending the Bylaws but would not set it in stone. After the 6 Motions 1 to 3, Concerns process of discussion has taken place, 8 Motions Not Accepted the issue would finally be made ready for a decision. Anthroposophical Society This differentiation among inten- 1 Culture of Will tion, discussion (drafting), and decision- 2 Executive Council and Circle of making describes a decision process Sebastian Jüngel Photo: Seven Meet and it creates transparency about each Discussion : Exterior stairs or interior spaces? 10 Spain: Antroposofía en el Mundo stage in the formation of will. Each step Launched is characterized by its own assumptions possible to add architectural emphasis to 11 Ireland: Society’s 25th Anniversary and social practices.
    [Show full text]
  • From Goethe and Kaspar Hauser to Rudolf Steiner P
    ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! CONTENTS' ' ' ! Karma and Reincarnation Teachings and the Path of Spirit Recollection p. 2 ! German Modern Culture: from Goethe and Kaspar Hauser to Rudolf Steiner p. 8 German Folk-Spirit and German Culture p. 9 German Classical Culture and German Liberalism p. 10 Kaspar Hauser’s Biography p. 14 Kaspar Hauser’s Death and Its Consequences for German Culture p. 17 The Fate of German Liberalism p. 21 Threefolding and the Impulse of Spirit Recollection p. 25 Fundamental Sociological Law p. 28 CONTENTS! Fundamental Social Law p. 30 Threefolding and Anthroposophy p. 33 History of the Anthroposophical Social Impulse p. 34 About John Henry Mackay and the Ahrimanic Temptation p. 37 Teaching at the Workers’ University p. 39 Elaborating the Threefold Social Order p. 41 Threefolding, Spirit Recollection, and Manicheanism p. 46 Notes and References p. 53 Bibliography p. 61 ( ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOCIAL THREEFOLDING IN RELATION TO RUDOLF STEINER’S MISSION The present essay explores the relationship between Steiner’s revela- tions on karma and reincarnation and his work on threefolding. I want to draw the attention of the reader first of all to the deep connection between these two themes. Following this, I endeavor to show that both teachings had a central role in Steiner’s life task, and that his own biography becomes more fully understandable when both are taken into account. Steiner’s personal unsparing investment in spreading the ideas of threefolding, and ensuring their realization to whatever extent possible, also becomes more fully understandable. In the book Rudolf Steiner’s Life Tasks in Relation to World Karma, I explored Steiner’s task in relation to that of Karl Julius Schröer.
    [Show full text]
  • 2019-20 Handbook (PDF)
    1 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Academic Affairs 1–8 V.I Academic Affairs 22–30 Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School Attendance Policy 22 Contact Information 1 Events & Activities 24 Weather-related Closings and Delays 2 Student Evaluation 24 School Hours 3 Remediation, Tutoring and Special Needs 25 Hawthorne Valley Association Contact Information 3 World Languages 25 Faculty and Staff Directory 4 Student Exchange Program 26 After School Music Program Teacher & Home-Based Boarding Program 26 Music Store Directory 7 Community Service 26 Governance and Leadership 8 School Music Program 26 Mission Statement of After School Sports Program 26 Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School 8 After School Activities 30 II. Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School History & Waldorf Education 9-10 VII. All School Rules and Guidelines 31–47 Background 9 Safety and Civility Guidelines 32 Rudolf Steiner 9 Parking and Traffic Safety 32 Waldorf Education 9 School Email Protocol and Guidelines 33 Concerns and Complaints Policy and Procedure 34 III. Organizational Structure 11-15 Non-discrimination Policy 36 Admissions Policy 11 Statement on Bullying 36 School Leadership 11 Restorative Practice 37 The Faculty and the Council of Teachers 12 Discipline Philosophy - Lower School 38 Standing Committees 12 Discipline Philosophy - High School 38 Administrative Services 13 Drug and Alcohol Policy 39 Organizational Structure 15 Clothing Guidelines 40 Organizational Agreements 16 Concert Dress/Assembly Dress 42 School Communication With Parents 16 Medical Information 42 Parent Participation 17 Transportation 43 Parent Questions 17 Lost and Found 43 Parent Teacher Association 17 Animals in the Classroom 43 IV. Business Affairs 18–19 School Library 44 Admissions 18 Rules Specific to the High School 44 Necessary Forms 18 VIII.
    [Show full text]
  • Society Anthroposophy Worldwide 10/06
    General Anthroposophical Society Anthroposophy Worldwide 10/06 I Anthroposophical Society 2007 Initiative for Human Dignity Strengthening the Human Element Human dignity, a central issue that concerns the human being both individually and in society, will be the focus of the initiative ‘Origin Future’ in the coming year at the December 2006 Goetheanum. Vera Koppehel (Rudolf Steiner Archives), Paul Mackay, Bodo v. Plato and No. 10 Ulrich Rösch (Goetheanum), Shelley Sacks (Oxford Brooke University) and Wolfgang Zumdick (curator and journalist) are currently preparing exhibitions and projects on Goetheanum ‘Social Sculpture’ (opening in May 2007) and a congress from July 18 to 21, 2007. 1 Initiative for Human Dignity 5 Congress on Human Dignity: he Goetheanum is inseparably con- Conversation with Shelley T nected with the attempt and task of Sacks and Wolfgang Zumdick bringing to expression, calling for and fur- thering the universal human element.The Anthroposophical Society very forms of the building speak of this:of 2 General Anthroposophical Society: the creative human being and of anthro- Christmas Appeal posophy as the consciousness of the ‘hu- 6 General Anthroposophical Society: manity-element’ within the human be- Project on Soul Calendar ing. Following the burning of the first in Eurythmy with Ursula Goetheanum, Rudolf Steiner stressed the Zimmermann following as a carrying motif for the re- 7 General Anthroposophical Society: building: “Anthroposophy is not some- Meeting of General Secretaries thing belonging to a circle of people who 8 Great Britain: Conversation with separate themselves off. […] To one who Preparing for ‘Origin Future’ New General Secretaries Ann really stands by the true spirit of anthro- Druitt and Philip Martyn posophy, the name ‘anthroposophy’ does- for one’s own wishes and aims.
    [Show full text]
  • Biodynamics in the World Newsletter July 2018
    Biodynamics in the world Newsletter July 2018 Dear members and friends of Biodynamic farming, “Seek the truly practical material life Peter Proctor’s favorite quote was the one next to this editorial. But seek it so that it does not numb you to the spirit which is active in it. It is a daily challenge for us working in organizations: what is our impact Seek the spirit, but seek it not in passion for the for the real practical life on the farms and in the companies? Are we ins- super-sensible. pired and can we inspire? Seek it because you wish to apply it selflessly in practical life in the practical world. Our yearly member’s assembly is always an occasion to reflect on this Turn to the ancient principle, together. With the focus on training and marketing our meeting in Swit- Matter is never without spirit, spirit is never wit- zerland tried to find answers to real needs. hout matter In such a way that we say It was inspiring to work with more than 60 people from 21 countries. We will do all things in the light of the spirit, And we will so seek that light of the spirit that it If you feel inspired by our newsletter, let us know if you want to evokes warmth for us in our practical activities." continue receiving it. Rudolf Steiner § Agricultural Section at the Goetheanum Conference Report: Agricultural Conference 2018 – The Preparations Now available in German, English and French. § 2nd International Olive Growers Meeting in Greece § Further Training: Dynamic Perspectives on Nutrition In April 2018 the professional group of olive growers Jasmin Peschke is offering personally tailored further met in Greece.
    [Show full text]
  • “Bringing a Universal Impulse to Filipino Localities” Three Biographies on the History of Waldorf Education in the Philippines
    Volume 11 Number 2 pp. 70-85 Hosted at www.rosejourn.com Research on Steiner Education “Bringing a universal impulse to filipino localities” Three biographies on the history of Waldorf Education in the Philippines Thijs Jan van Schie Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Leiden University, the Netherlands ABSTRACT. Based on three biographies of key actors, this article discusses the introduction of Waldorf education – an alternative educational approach rooted in an early twentieth-century European spiritual philosophy, called anthroposophy – in the Philippines. It examines which encounters, networks, ideas, articulations, and actions have been decisive in these biographies. It adopts a combined biographical and ethnographic approach, called ethnography of global connections (Tsing, 2005), focusing on concrete trajectories of globalizing projects in so-called zones of awkward engagement. Waldorf education in the Philippines can be seen as such a globalizing project, in which certain knowledge is presented as cosmopolitan and universally applicable and is advanced to new Filipino localities by enthusiastic school founders. Keywords: Waldorf education, ethnography of global connections, biographical method Introduction When I first arrived at the Gamot Cogon Waldorf School, in rural Panay, I was struck by the beauty of the green oasis that surrounded it, full of bamboo bushes and flower gardens, in the middle of almost fluorescent green rice fields. Scenic footpaths meandered between the classrooms, organically designed in a hexagonal nipa hut style. Sounds emitted from the classrooms, where the morning rituals had started. Children were singing and reciting poems and tongue twisters; I heard clapping and stamping and laughter; the shrill and tentative sounds of recorders, and a guitar; it was a joyful and lively cacophony, cutting through the morning calm.
    [Show full text]
  • Announcement Pages for Public Talks of Orland Bishop And
    A Public Talk on Awakening to the American Spirit Orland Bishop of Los Angeles, California Wednesday evening, August 31, 2005, 7:30 p.m. Unitarian Church Parish Hall, Main Street, Peterborough Cost: Adults: $10, Sr. Citizens and Students $5 Hidden Forces of the American Dream How do we create vital agreements to sustain the Spirit of America and its world task? Orland Bishop combines a deep dedication to human rights advocacy and cultural renewal with an extensive study of medicine, naturopathy, psychology and indigenous cosmologies. He was a research fellow with the Center for the Study of Violence and Social Change at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles and has consulted with many human development organizations. As director of Shade Tree Multicultural Foundation in Los Angeles, he has pioneered approaches to urban truces and mentoring at-risk youth that combine new ideas with traditional ways of knowledge. Shade Tree reaches into gang and drug cultures where many young people expect to die before the age of 20. “These young people feel that they are not welcome in the world, in the culture and in the future,” explains Mr. Bishop. Shade Tree employs a unique process that draws on both contemporary and ancient practices, particularly that of the South African tradition of Indaba or “deep talk.” Hidden Forces of the American Dream refers to the creative, still unused powers available to the American people and land that were released through tremendous sacrifices made over the course of American history by Native Americans, African slaves and waves of immigrants.
    [Show full text]