The White Rose (from 1943 to the present):
Valour clothed in gentleness - Part 2 of 2
Michel Dongois
Let us continue our voyage into the history of the White Rose. This movement that fought to resist the regime in Nazi Germany can be a powerful source of inspiration for our times.
As the White Rose Impulse has long been a source of inspiration for me, I was invited to give a lecture and slide show on this theme to the Montreal members of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada in 1997. In the wake of my presentation, the Atelier d’art social de Montréal organized a participation workshop called
The White Rose, a 20
th
Century Manichean Quest.
The idea behind the workshop was to discover a modern link to the spiritual realities hidden in the term “Manichean.”
A Manichean Quest
The prevailing concept today sees the two principles of good and evil as being in constant combat with one another – in the past, the present, and the future; but this concept gives us only a partial vision of the true situation, according to Denis Schneider, the Atelier’s founder. He goes on to say that in the Grail impulse and in the Faust story there is an aspiration towards transforming evil by realising that it is merely the good which is not in its rightful place and that the good must engage with evil in order to bring about a metamorphosis. “But the notion of answering evil with good is in its very essence a Christian impulse; it acts as a leaven in evolution.”
Denis Schneider points to what Rudolf Steiner brought as a new impulse; he encourages us to keep ourselves from falling into the good-evil duality by envisioning the situation in the form of a dynamic triad: the Representative of Man strides forward, in perfect balance, between Lucifer (who draws us towards the heights) and Ahriman (who drags us down into the depths). “Let us attempt to imagine the social artists of the White Rose movement by characterising the moral stature of the call to awakening they addressed to their fellow citizens. There was no personal will involved which would have made them feel superior. They had no desire to exert control over the freedom of thought of their fellow human beings.”
My slide presentation was followed by a workshop and conversation resulting in our coming to terms with the relationship between light and darkness. As we drew white roses on a black background, the reality of the play of light and darkness was revealed as if by magic. The darker we made the background, the lighter and brighter shone the white surface of the paper.
Denis then brought to our minds the image of ancient Greek soldiers, who, after having combed their long hair, breathed in the fragrant scent of a red rose to give them courage before battle. “As for the scent of the White Rose, we can imagine how it imbued the courage of the members of the movement with gentleness.” He also pointed out that the White Rose movement was born in 1943, at the same time that Saint-Exupéry was writing
The Little Prince.
“Gentleness in the act of taming, respect for the rhythm of a non-violent approach – both of which are Manichean traits – were cultivated in the exchanges between the members. Good
embraces
; evil
excludes
.”
The Mothers of the Polytechnique Victims
Could the rose impulse have healing qualities? I wondered about this when I learned that the Montreal Polytechnique school, with no apparent connection to the events in Munich, created an Order of the White Rose in 2014. As a healing balm placed on the lingering wounds, these flowers appear at each commemoration of the shooting during which Marc Lépine, on December 6, 1989, killed 14 young women and wounded several others. Among its other activities, the Order of the White Rose awards scholarships every year to promising young female engineering students.
My work as a journalist led me to interview Monique Lépine, Marc’s mother, in 2013. “It took me 17 years to emerge from the mental abyss into which my son had plunged me.” This woman, who is a nurse, ..........
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Anthroposophical Prison Outreach Canada (APOC)
Anthroposophical Prison Outreach Canada (APOC) is still in its infancy. We have mailed posters and two books – Knowledge of Higher Worlds and Theosophy – to all prison libraries in federal institutions. We have provided information packets to a few inmates who responded to our invitations. We have a book list prepared to share with prisoners who wish to engage with our lending library. We have prepared a detailed Facilitator’s Guide for delivering a 7 week seminar on the 6 Introductory Exercises at a prison. We will shortly mail to federal prisons a third book and a number of newsletters prepared by Anthroposophical Prison Outreach in the U.S.
However, we have reached a cross-roads of sorts. To move forward and develop more meaningful connections with prisoners, it will be necessary to engage over the phone and via email frequently with prison administrators, librarians and chaplains. This will require an ongoing time commitment during the work week (Mondays to Fridays). Unfortunately, this is practically unfeasible for the current leader of the initiative, Tim Nadelle, who has a demanding full-time career.
APOC, therefore, is seeking new leadership, a person willing to take on the role of Director. This will be a volunteer position, as APOC does not have funding for any full-time staff. The Director will be responsible for building and driving APOC’s vision for the future, for strategic decision-making, for communicating with prison employees and for organising APOC’s operations. It may also require expanding the small group of volunteers supporting the initiative. It will sometimes be necessary to roll up your sleeves, buy stamps, print labels and other materials and mail packages. A volunteer commitment of ten hours per week on average, during the work week, would likely suffice.
This is an opportunity to bring anthroposophy within the reach of some of society’s most disenfranchised people, to really make a positive difference in their lives. Our colleagues in the U.S. have been running Anthroposophical Prison outreach for almost twenty years and have helped thousands of prisoners find inspiration and a path forward. If anyone is interested in learning more about this leadership role, please contact Tim Nadelle. Tim’s email address is
tnadelle@yahoo.c
a
. Or just contact the Anthroposophical Society’s Administrator,
Jef Saunders
, who can introduce you to Tim.
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Dear readers,
The General Anthroposophical Society’s recent Annual Conference and agm were attended by more than 500 members. Entitled ‹In the Heartbeat of Time›, this gathering had moving moments in the plenary sessions as well as in other encounters.
It was evident that a new movement had entered into the relationship between the members, who had come from near and far, the Goetheanum Leadership and the Executive Council. There had been active involvement of young members both in preparing and presenting the conference. The representatives of the different countries had organized stalls in the Foyer and were leading the work groups. Lively discussions and consultations on possible future amendments to the Society’s Statutes took place.From reflections on the inner heartbeat and life of the Anthroposophical Society and its School of Spiritual Science the topics addressed opened up to the question as to the effectiveness of Anthroposophy in the world: with the big «birthdays» of social threefolding and Waldorf Education as a background, the audience heard deeply touching contributions on the future of education in deprived areas (Alejandro Ranovsky, AR), on trauma education (Melanie Reveriego, DE) and on psychotherapy for severely traumatized adolescents (Rob Gordon, AU). Wolfgang Rissmann (DE) spoke impressively of a soul exercise that involves «walking at the right pace», while Gerald Häfner (Goetheanum) highlighted the importance of social threefolding in world history. Li Zhang from China spoke about the growth and challenges of Waldorf Education in her country. The Annual Conference was immediately followed by a major international conference on Early Years Education.We thank everyone who took part in and helped to shape this Annual Conference, which made many joyful encounters possible, as well as intensive work on countless topics and the sharing of questions regarding the future development of the Anthroposophical Society. Next year, the series of centenaries will continue with the hundredth birthday of Anthroposophic Medicine. And we, the four members of the Executive Council, will continue to explore further impulses for the future. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude, on behalf of the Goetheanum Leadership, that the members of the Society have reaffirmed Justus Wittich for another period in office – a decision that also had the unanimous support of the conference of country representatives. We are looking forward with confidence to the tasks that lie ahead.
With warm greetings,
Constanza Kaliks, Matthias Girke, Joan Sleigh
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News from the Vancouver Mystery Drama Group
Marie-Reine Adams is back from England and now living at Camphill, Glenora Farm in Duncan on Vancouver Island. She has had much experience workingwith Goethe’s
The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily
and Steiner’s Mystery Dramas and is looking forward to rehearsals with us as we lead up towards a Fall 2019 start, working with Steiner’s 1st Mystery Drama,
The Portal of Initiation
. We will practice once a month in Vancouver and plan for a performance in the spring or summer of 2020. Marie-Reine will be using a new translation by Richard Ramsbotham who lives in Britain.
On April 6th she along with the artist, Joan Bahner, led us with drama exercises and pastel drawing exploring Goethe’s fairy tale and its transition to Steiner’s 1st Drama.
On the last weekend of May, Michael Burton will lead workshops and a lecture on the same theme. Michael, a speech and drama artist living in New Zealand, has had extensive experience working with the fairy tale and three of Steiner’s four Mystery Dramas. He recently published an original Mystery Drama that follows on from the events of Steiner’s fourth Drama. Called
When the Will Awakens,
he spent six years working on it and says of it that it is an attempt “to come as close as possible to a recreation of what Steiner might have written if he’d been able to express in written form a metamorphosis of his earlier characters, ideas and events.”
Those of you who were here last Easter may have met Michael when he brought his play on the Threefold Social Organism,
This War is Not Inevitable
to Vancouver. This play had two successful runs in North America in 2018. Michael has forged deep connections within our community and we look forward to seeing him again.
On June 16th
,
Jason Yates from North Vancouver’s Cascadia Society for Social Working will speak about the
Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz
, a Rosicrucian manifesto with which Goethe was very familiar.
The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily
can be understood as a metamorphosis of the same story. This event will take place at the Christian Community after the service.
On the last two weekends of August, we look forward to welcoming Richard Ramsbotham to BC.
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Looking For Investors For Waldorf Schools
The Vidar Foundation helps connect borrowers from socially worthy projects with lenders who want to invest their money in ways that can help the world to heal. Like our much larger counterpart in the USA, the Rudolf Steiner Foundation, we seek out and support initiatives in education, health, cooperatives, and sustainable agriculture here in Canada.
We are currently seeking investors for two worthy Waldorf schools ready to expand; one very young and vigourous, and one more mature. The six year old Okanagan Waldorf School near Vernon, BC, is building a larger Early Childhood Center to expand their outreach, kindergarten program, and enrolment. They have already secured $800,000 in grants and gifts for their building, which is going up this month. The well established Halton Waldorf School in Burlington is now 30 years old, with 200 students, and is ready to take the last big step and open a high school (see next article).
Both schools are financially sound, with track records of balanced budgets and steady growth, committed and energetic faculties and boards, and assets in land and buildings that far exceed the loan amounts needed. Both schools have had very significant contributions of time and money from their parent communities, and each needs about $500,000 more to help them grow and thrive.
Our current economic model is causing great environmental and social harm. Large multinational corporations are driven only by profit, no matter what the cost to our land, air, water, social fabric, or political systems. When we give our savings to a bank or mutual fund, we have no knowledge or control of where it is used in the world, for good or for harm. In his economics lectures, Rudolf Steiner emphasized that we need to bring increased consciousness to our financial dealings: to know where our money is, and what it is doing in the world.
Please consider investing in one of these secured projects, committing some of your life energy and will to stand behind these parents. They are working not just for their children, but for the many children to come who will benefit from what they are creating. We can know where our money is working in the world, and help it to heal.
Contact us at vidarfoundation@gmail.com, or phone Ingrid Belenson (Toronto)(905)709-4664, Reinhard Rosch (Ottawa)(613)838-2639, or Trevor Janz (Nelson, BC) (250)352-1208, for more details.
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General Information and Upcoming Events
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Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto Offers First-Ever Retreats for Young Adults (18-35)
This year, for the first time ever, the Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto will be offering retreats for young adults, between the ages of 18 and 35. Two different retreats will be offered on two different dates and in different locations.
In the world we live in today, there is great need for deeper understandings of what lies behind the material. Many are suffering from the dissonance created by the disharmony of our modern civilization. These weeks will help us to penetrate the greater currents at work in the world today and to find a way to bring harmony back into our lives and the world around us.
1. At Glencolton Farms in Ontario in July 19th - 25th, 2019
The first will be July 19th to 25th at Glencolton Farm near Durham Ontario. This is the farm of Michael Schmidt and Elisa van der Hout. The theme for the week will be “Experiencing Anthroposophy on a Biodynamic Farm”. This is billed as a seven-day retreat for young adults from around the world, interested in deepening their knowledge of anthroposophy and nature.
2. At Wakefield, in the Gatineau Hills in August 2019
The second retreat will be from August 18th to 24th, near Wakefield, in the Gatineau Hills of Quebec. There the focus will be deepening knowledge of art, anthroposophy and the natural world. Although this retreat will be held in Quebec where both French and English are spoken, this retreat will be conducted in English.
EXTRA: Waldorf Alumni/ae World Festival
POSTPONED UNTIL 2020
There may be young people who would like to take part in one of these young adult retreats but who cannot themselves afford to pay the costs involved. If you would like to help make it possible for more young people to attend these events, please consider sponsoring a young person to attend by making a tax-deductible donation to the RSCT's sponsorship fund. Your sponsorship could make a difference in their lives.
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Newsletter from Society for Biodynamic Farming and Gardening
In this Newsletter:
Talk by Patrick Johnson, ‘biological farmer,’ at the Society AGM
Preparation Digging Day at Hack Farm May 15th (weather permitting)
News and Events
Early Memories of Learning with Maria Thun, by Rosemary Tayler
This is a condensed version of my presentation I gave at the AGM.
Agata Glazar.
Biodynamic Course in Grand Digue, New Brunswick, by Rosemary
Tayler
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We are keen to form a relationship with you.
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Spiritually Striving Youth in North America
Thank You to Members Who Have Supported Us!
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Branches & Groups
Calgary Branch
Contact: Christine at
*******
Duncan
Events
Contact:
*******
Huronia Branch
Contact Janine at
705-728-1443
*******
Montréal
Institute Rudolf Steiner Quebec
Montreal Branch (English)
*******
Nelson, BC
*******
Nova Scotia
Ascension and Whitsun Celebration
June 2
nd
at 61 Celtic Drive, Dartmouth
*******
Saugeen Cedar Branch
*******
Thornhill Branch
Next branch meeting - June 6th
********
Thornhill Group
Nicanor Perlas, see main panel Ontario events
*******
Toronto Branch
Next branch meeting - June 4th
*******
Vancouver
Nicanor Perlas, see main panel Ontario/Vancouver BC events
*******
Membership Update
Deceased
Donna Martin (Thornhill), 29th April 2019
******
Editorial Notes
The eNews is published 10 times per year for members of the Anthroposophical Society In Canada.
Please send correspondence and articles in either Word doc or iWork pages without formatting except for paragraphs to
BACK ISSUES are available on our website:
You will need the password: ASC
Contact Info
Anthroposophical Society in Canada
# 130A - 1 Hesperus Rd.
Thornhill, ON
L4J 0G9
Administrator
416-892-3656
877-892-3656
Members website
please note you will need to use the password
ASC
to access the members only page
Council
President
Treasurer
Secretary
General Secretary
School For Spiritual Science
For list of Class Holders,
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Ontario, February - June 2019
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Nicanor Perlas to Speak on "Humanizing Artificial Intelligence" and "Social Threefolding", June 26 & 27
Both talks will be in the TWS Music Room
The Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto, in cooperation with the Thornhill Group of the Anthroposophical Society, and the Money for a Better World group at Hesperus, is looking forward to welcoming author and activist Nicanor Perlas to Thornhill, where he is scheduled to speak June 26th on "Humanizing Artificial Intelligence" and June 27th on "Social Threefolding". Both events will take place at 7:00 pm in the evening, in the music room of the Toronto Waldorf School.
Earlier in June he will be speaking at various events across the United States.
or
B
RITISH COLUMBIA
June 29, 30, 2019 in Vancouver
On Saturday, June 29th there will be a book signing
(Humanity's Last Stand: The Challenge of Artificial Intelligence)
at Banyen Books and Sound and an evening lecture,
On Sunday, June 30th, Nicanor will hold a workshop on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and the Threefold Social Order.
For more information contact: Anthony Perzel at 778-885-3415 /
ajperzel@telus.net
(for the Nicanor Perlas Planning Group)
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Manitoba - June
Earthship Building Workshop at Myriad Village
Learn how to build an earthship as an example of a passive solar house system, using recycled materials, with special features through hands-on-experiences with master builders.
Workshop1: June 3rd - June 8th tire pounding - insulation - greenhouse windows - prep tire wall for roof
Workshop2: June 10th - June 15th roof construction - water catchment - windows - bottle design walls
$350 per workshop (includes 3 daily, 80% organic meals. *pay $150 for the 2nd workshop if you participate in both.
Camping options available with amenities (water, toilet)
To register or for more information:
or phone 204-430-6943
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Section for Social Sciences
Dear friends,
We are very pleased to announce, by this letter, the Soul of Europe 2019 conference to be held in
Brussels
from
23 to 25 august 2019
. You are cordially invited to participate!
This conference is organized by an enthusiastic group from the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. The conference is offered by the Anthroposophical Society of the Netherlands and was co-organized under the auspices of the Social Sciences Section of the Goetheanum.
With cordial greetings of Europe!
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Switzerland & France, August
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Sophia Services presents ...
In Search of the Centre—in Depth
Dornach, Arlesheim & beyond...
August 25 to September 8, 2019
These pictures are so familiar to us and yet...
• Have you gone behind the scenes to explore the whole Goetheanum, seen the Representative of Humanity sculpture and Gerard Wagner’s original paintings from the Second Goetheanum?
For further information please contact Sarnia Guiton:
604-740-0676
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Anthroposophy Worldwide - 2019
We will continue to provide a link for anthroposophy worldwide for the time being. Please refer to article below concerning direct delivery from the Goetheanum.
If you would like to see the archive of past issues, go to:
Archiv
then enter password AWE-2018
Anthroposophy worldwide to your inbox
If you are a member of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada (ASC), you are also a member of the General Anthroposophical Society (GAS) centred at the Gotheanum, Dornach, Switzerland. The GAS is currently pursuing a policy of direct email communication with members.
Anthroposophy Worldwide, which reached its 21st birthday this year, is available ten times a year by email. You can now receive it in pdf form directly from the Goetheanum. Please send them your email address – to ensure correct identification add your name and postal address – using the online forms, which are available in English, French, German and Spanish at:
anthroposophie.org/abo.
S
elect ENGLISH (EN)/FRENCH (FR) on the welcome page.
Fill out the form. If you have problems filling in or submitting the form, you can also send your data informally to
abo@dasgoetheanum.com
.
Many Thanks,
Editor
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