MAY 2022
Greetings!
Annual General Meeting and Conference
June 24, 25 & 26, 2022
So, what does it mean to be

human now?
Annual General Meeting and Conference
June 24, 25 & 26, 2022


The goal of this year’s conference is to create a continuum in time whereby the theme and experience of the Conference is not an isolated event but rather one that builds and develops as we go from this year, into next year and towards the world-wide commemorative events of the fire on December 31,1922 and for the refounding of the Society at the Christmas Conference 1923/1924.

In person at Saugeen Academy Hanover and Glencolton Farm, Durham, Ontario.
Or in person with your local branch or group.
Keynote speaker

Christoph Wuerscher
Christoph Wuerscher was born in Kitchener, Ontario and grew up in the United States. His parents had been very active in a resistance movement known as the “Confessing Church” before leaving Germany in 1939. Conversations around the dinner table frequently touched on moral, social and spiritual issues. Although Christoph determined to become a psychologist in Grade 7, it took more than two decades before he received his license to practice.  While he was at Queen’s University in Kingston, pursuing his doctorate in Clinical Psychology, he was introduced to The Christian Community and the ideas of Rudolf Steiner. Both resonated deeply within him and greatly influenced his life and his work. As a clinical and organizational psychologist, he has learned a great deal from sharing in the lives of veterans, police officers, young offenders, executives, politicians, musicians, seminarians, and their spouses and partners. Recently retired, the question of what it means to be human in our times is near and dear to his heart, and he is looking forward to engaging with others on the topic.
Letter from Hélène Besnard

Dear friends,

Thank you to the Vancouver group for sharing, in the E News of April 2022, their work and experience with the Foundation Stone of the Christmas Conference 1923-24, and for inviting us to do so.

In Quebec, many people, as elsewhere, recite and meditate on the text of the Meditation as such and/or the daily rhythms in an individual way.

As for a group or shared work: The recitation of the Meditation of the Foundation Stone is often part of the anthroposophical events, the life of the branches, the festival gatherings, etc.

Arie van Ameringen, besides having initiated and edited the book, The Foundation Stone and the Challenges of our Time, Perceval editions, has organized in the past decade some events to further deepen the importance of this priceless gift of Rudolf Steiner.
In 2017, Diane Huguette Beauséjour (pioneer of anthroposophy in the Eastern Townships) asked me to prepare with her some meetings towards the 100th anniversary of the Christmas Conference 1923-24. As we are 230 kilometers away from each other, we exchanged by phone or in person at each other's home for a few days, as much as possible. In 2019, we invited Arie to join our planning as well as Carol Meyer, astrosophist.

The group of four finally had an extended meeting on March 13 and 14, 2020, in Montreal. We faced then the beginning of the health restrictions. About 15 participants continued the work, each at home, but in together, until Pentecost 2020. The organizers then met in a park or at Arie's house to prepare a gathering during the Holy Nights.
It could only take place in the Laurentian region, north of Montreal, with two of the four organizers, because we were forbidden to leave our respective regions.
Nevertheless, a meeting 'miraculously' took place in the fall of 2021 at the Rudolf Steiner School of Montreal, and another one during the Holy Nights 2021, in a private home. We are planning a meeting on May 29, 2022 in the atmosphere of Pentecost, again at the R.S. School in Montreal.

Each event put forward the three aspects of the Foundation Stone: the etheric stone itself and its laying in the heart of each person, the Meditation, and the seven Rhythms, with more emphasis on one or the other aspect depending on the meeting. Each time we added eurythmy, a complementary artistic activity: modeling, drawing... a meditative moment and very important exchanges.

An anthroposophical group in Cowansville, south of Montreal, has been studying Prokofieff's book: The Encounter with Evil and the Victory Over It through the Science of the Spirit for some time. The Foundation Stone of Good, which will also support our May 2022 meeting. A study group in the Laurentians is also looking into it.
The eurythmists of Ensemble Interval are working regularly on the Foundation Stone Meditation in eurythmy, hoping to present it in 2023 or 24.

Alongside with this process towards the 100th anniversary of the Christmas Conference, Chantal Lapointe and I organized meetings called FOR CHILDREN, with the Foundation Stone as a basis to examine our responsibility for the next generation in the current context. Eight meetings of seven to fifteen persons were held in less than two years.
I would also like to mention an essay on an 'Easter Play' that I wrote ten years ago, the structure of which is based on the Meditation of the Foundation Stone with Recalling, Sensing- presence, Beholding, Christ-Sun. The text refers mainly to the fifth Gospel, the book: From Jesus to Christ and the Easter Imagination.

The play had been presented three times before the current health measures came into effect; it was offered again, solo, three times around Easter 2022. I will gladly send it (in English, the translation will need adjustments) to anyone interested. It is a humble essay that you can simply read or perform with a group, modified and improved.

May we grow together through the current events by standing firm in the face of dehumanizing forces, thanks to the Spirit of the Foundation Stone.
Warmly,
                                Hélène Besnard

Dear members and friends of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada,
 
It is with great joy and hope that I come to you to ask you to contribute to our fundraiser. This campaign is aimed at helping us finance our graduation trip to the Goetheanum, where we are to obtain our eurythmy diplomas. The event will be held from June 22 to July 5, 2022.
 
We are three Canadians who are part of the first graduating class of the eurythmy training programme given in Mexico City. Two of us are from Edmonton, and I am from Quebec. I was able to book the whole group on Air Canada flights.
 
If you can and would like to help this dream come true, please donate or share the link below. Any amount, no matter how small, can make a difference.
 
You can also follow us on Instagram Auriel Eurythmy and forward this email to anyone you think might contribute.
 
Auriel Eurythmy's graduation trip - Switzerland
 
Here is the link to copy and paste into your search engine.
 
Gratefully yours,
Nathalie Valiquette
 
Newmarket, Ontario

Part Time Childcare Opportunity
Hello Friends! We are a family in Newmarket, Ontario (approximately 25 minutes from the RSCC/TWS area) looking to see if anyone Waldorf-minded would be interested in helping us with our children part time (flexible) during the week, ages 6 months and 4 years. $25/hr, please contact ryan@ryancollins.ca if you are interested.
++++++++
Thanks,
Ryan Collins VA3RYC KO4YVB
ASC Expands Fundraising Capacity by Accepting Donations of Securities


Trillium Waldorf School is raising up to $2 million in Community Bonds as part of our Trillium Rising Campaign to purchase our school building.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE


NEW MEMBERS

Tara Amst, Mahone Bay, NS

Jonas Huston,, Duncan, BC

Zoe Macdonald, Chester Basin, NS

Welcome!


DECEASED

Eunice Podolski, Thornhill, ON (May 15, 2022)


Anthroposphy Worldwide - 2022
  



If you would like to see the archive of past issues, go to: Archive
then, if required, enter password AWE-2018
Editorial Notes 
The eNews is published 10 times per year from September to June for members of the Anthroposophical Society In Canada.  

Please send correspondence and articles in either Word doc or ipages without formatting except for paragraphs before the 15th of the month before publication. If you are including photographs please also attach a pdf showing placement. Articles over 1,500 words may be edited.

BACK ISSUES are available on our website:
Contact Info
Anthroposophical Society in Canada 
# 130A - 1 Hesperus Rd.
Thornhill, ON
L4J 0G9

Membership Administrator
Claudette Leblanc
416-892-3656 (Toronto area)
877-892-3656 (Freephone)

Communication Administrator
Jef Saunders
Upcoming Events
Full Summer Festival Course Details Just Released

The big news this year is the return to an in person Summer Festival after two years of being limited to online learning over zoom. It will be great to welcome you again to our beautiful campus here in Thornhill which we share with the Toronto Waldorf School. Now of course there is an outside chance we may end up online again depending on Ontario Public Health requirements, but we are very much looking forward to an in person Summer Festival after those two years on zoom.
Below you will find a brief overview of courses offered in each of the three weeks. We strongly suggest you download the just-released Summer Festival brochure to read all the course descriptions and presenter bios. We sent it off to the printer late Thursday and hope to have it available in a print version by next Wednesday April 13th. And of course it's available right now, as a downloadable pdf. But to access the online registration link you will need to go to the Summer Festival page on the website.
Quick Summary of Courses
Week one - July 11-15 - features grade intensives for grades one through seven designed mainly for teachers. Week two - July 18-22 - features Indigenous Waldorf or Waldorf Essentials in the morning, and courses on nutrition and biography work in the afternoon.

If online learning suits you better, we are offering one online-only course titled "Cave Paintings to Post-Modernism: History of Art and Human Consciousness" with Larry Young in week two.

In week three - July 25-29 - you can choose between The Meditative Path of the Waldorf Teacher and Meaningful Movement for Children in the mornings, while in the afternoons it's Painting in Grades 1-4 or Veil Paintingor Felting Fun with Puppets or Biodynamic Gardening.

Detailed course descriptions and presenter bios for all these courses can be found on the Summer Festival page on the RSCC website, where there are links to the full course brochure and the online registration form.

Join Our Waldorf Grades Teacher Training in British Columbia: New cohort begins July, 2022

West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy

July session at Sunrise Waldorf School, Duncan, Vancouver Island; fall & spring at the Vancouver Waldorf School in North Vancouver, BC

Part-time program over 2.5 years*, comprised of 3 weeks in July for 3 years and a week in November and February for 2 years.

This two and a half year*, part-time program of professional Waldorf teacher education is offered to those who are seeking to teach out of an understanding of Waldorf Education and what it can contribute to children today. Throughout the program, studies in Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education are interwoven with artistic and practical subjects.

Students will study books on Anthroposophy, Waldorf Education and other relevant texts. The emphasis will be on understanding all aspects of child development. The artistic courses have a two-fold purpose; to enhance personal self-development and creativity, and to provide a basis for the work of the class teacher. Courses in painting, eurythmy, speech and drama, storytelling, singing, music, clay modeling, woodwork and Spacial Dynamics, amongst others, will be offered. A major aim of the training is to awaken independent thinking, ignite enthusiasm and foster creativity.

* Program duration change from 3 to 2.5 years pending approval from PTIB

 For further information and to apply, visit our website; if you have questions please contact Lisa Masterson: grades@westcoastinstitute.org.
Summer Intensive Birth to Three Completion Certificate and Introduction to the Pikler® Pedagogical Approach: Engaging with infants and toddlers through respectful and peaceful care 

July 16 to 22, 2022

West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy, Duncan, Vancouver Island, BC. 

With Pikler® USA President Elsa Chahin, and WCI Faculty and Pikler® USA Scientific co-chair, Dr. Debbie Laurin. 

This Birth to Three course explores a peaceful and respectful approach to caring for babies and toddlers inspired by the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, Dr. Emmi Pikler, and Ute Strub. Participants will deepen their knowledge about infant-toddler care and education to provide peaceful and respectful care to babies and toddlers. This course will use a variety of experiential activities, as well as discussion and lecture.

WCI Early Childhood alumni will receive a Birth to Three certificate recognized by WECAN.
Early registration, until April 15th, open to WCI Early Childhood alumni only.
Registration open to all Waldorf Early Childhood Educators on April 16th.

For further information and to register, visit our website; if you have questions please contact Ruth Ker: ece@westcoastinstitute.org.