In this edition
From the Goetheanum
Meeting One Another Reminder
Meeting one another:
Adola McWilliams
Sarnia Guiton
Kaitlin Brown
Deep Connections Across Canada: A Virtual Meditation Group Works
Poem: Taking Care
Confluence of Three Rivers update
Society for Biodynamic Farming and Gardening in Ontario Newsletter
Nature Institute
Obituary: Michael Lange
Membership Update
Anthroposophy Worldwide #11
Events and information:
Strengthening our Society through Karma Consciousness
Nalm News and courses
Perennial Roots Farm - Winter 2022 Biodynamic Study Group
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The individual and the state
Dear members,
As an infectious disease, Covid-19 is more than a medical phenomenon. Because of its pandemic spread special laws pertaining to pandemics were activated across the world, gradually transferring the power to act to state governments. At the highest level of urgency, the power to act is entirely in the hands of the state executive while professional medical expertise has been reduced to an advisory role. As a result of this, Covid-19 is now as much a socio-political as a medical phenomenon.
Responsibility – for oneself and for the world
From a socio-political point of view there are two sides to this question: firstly, how far does the state have to take its official guidelines in order to contain the pandemic? Secondly, when does the state need to stop imposing emergency regulations so as to not violate basic human rights? In many countries, views on these questions are divided today. While resistance is being expressed against the state interference in Italy, France and Switzerland, for example, there are demonstrations against the government in Brazil, for instance, because of the lack of vaccinations among other things.
In the present situation, the question as to how much responsibility should be conferred to individuals and how much to the state also lives within the Anthroposophical Society and movement. The individual freedom, for which we each take responsibility, is part of human dignity and a fundamental value of anthroposophy. I think that active anthroposophy must be rooted in self-responsibility.
While personal responsibility may easily refer to one’s own self, it applies as much to the world – the socio-political world included – in which we live as individuals. The challenge therefore consists in perceiving our communal responsibility out of our self-responsibility. Are we able to do that? Can we achieve this in our anthroposophical institutions where we assume responsibility together?
The more we wish and are able to do this, the more the state can and should withdraw. Precisely because the state, as a modern secular institution, is based on the autonomy of its citizens, it must step back from its self-assumed compulsive assumption of responsibility for the health of each of us.
Ueli Hurter, Goetheanum
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Group II, Human Being series
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Meeting One Another
In the vastness that is Canada we celebrate those times when we can come together, to be with one another. The separation we have experienced over the past year has affected us deeply. We have longed to be with one another. This is our strength.
As we come closer to the point of renewal, of re-inauguration, at Christmas 2023 we seek to support this longing to meet each other month by month through the eNews. To make this possible an invitation is given to each of you to share your story.
How did you meet anthroposophy? What led you to join the Anthroposophical Society?
With 500 words, and a photo, share your journey with us. We all look forward to meeting you.
Send your contribution to:
The first three contributions from this invitation last month are printed below.
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Adola McWilliams – Duncan, British Columbia
An Interview with Adola
How did you meet Rudolf Steiner's work?
Anthroposophy came with my mother's milk and my father's sunshine; I was surrounded with books by Steiner and Tomberg. My father could have met Steiner and was devastated that he didn't, his friend, Dr. Karl Konig, also never met Rudolf Steiner.
As a teenager I was interested in Anthroposophy out of my own initiative.
At around age 17 I read the French version of Existentialism – which is very different than German Existentialism - the French have good questions but no answers. My father would say, “Like an onion you peel one layer after another, but you never find the centre.” Although I was steeped in Anthroposophy growing up, you could say that it was reading Existentialism and not finding answers that led me to Anthroposophy out of my own free will
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Sarnia Guiton – Nairobi, Kenya
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, I met a classmate at nursing school in London, England whose education had been very different from mine. I was fascinated and learnt about Waldorf education for the first time. Fast forward 21 years, I was married and living in Canada, and I was determined to be a Waldorf teacher, but I couldn’t leave my family to go to Detroit or Sacramento. Neither did I want to waste time with Anthroposophy – who needs that? Werner Glas firmly put me right on that and no, training by correspondence was not an option. A few years went by. Family circumstances changed, financial help was forthcoming, and I was able to join the 1985 class at Rudolf Steiner College, moving to Sacramento with my two daughters able to attend the Sacramento Waldorf School.
With a Quaker background and having had neighbours whose daughter was in the Moonies, I was watchful. This Anthroposophy, whatever that was, was it a cult?
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Kaitlin Brown – Blockhouse, Nova Scotia
I was first introduced to anthroposophy while volunteering at a small Waldorf school initiative, Sisonke School in the village of Port St. John’s, in the Transkei region of South Africa when I was 19 years old. The agricultural lectures were my first Steiner readings as at 19 years’ old after growing up in Northern Alberta in a very mainstream atheist home I had the sudden realization that as a human being I was a part of nature and not something foreign. Out of that realization I dedicated my life to being a naturalist. I travelled around to many different farms gathering skills such as organic gardening, biodynamic animal husbandry, natural dying, hand crafting my own clothing, natural building, herbalism, among many other practical self-sustaining skills. In 2009, I met my soon to be husband and had my first child In December 2010. With the blessing of expecting a baby I turned my study to the incarnating human being. I read and re-read education of a child, among many other Steiner books on the topic of incarnation and Waldorf education. In 2011, I visited my first Waldorf school in Durban, South Africa. I can clearly remember the impression it had on me. Firstly, it was strikingly different from the mainstream schools in South Africa which are mostly large cement buildings with bars over the windows and electric fences all around them. This school I saw as “rolling hills and bunny cages.” At that first Waldorf school site I decided I wanted to be a Waldorf kindergarden teacher.
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Encounter
Marianne Lüdicke
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Deep Connections Across Canada: A Virtual Meditation Group Works |
At the Encountering Our Humanity conference in Ottawa in 2016, a small group of members gathered with the intention to share research and experiences from our meditation. Beginning in early 2017, this group of 9 members from across Canada met regularly until August 2021, when we brought this impulse to a close. We would like to briefly share something from this experience.
Although we met on Zoom, we found that we were able to create a virtual circle and an environment and mood of trust and openness. A more active listening space was formed with our cameras turned off. At the beginning of our meeting, we all envisioned the group seated at a circle by successively naming ourselves in a clockwise “direction” around the circle. In this way, we had the opportunity to feel the presence of our colleagues to the right and left of ourselves despite being thousands of kilometers apart. At the centre of this circle, we envisioned an altar space where we placed a verse for each session.
We experienced a deeply social way of working together, such that when we met, we could very quickly enter into this connection with each other. We then learned to work together in a meditative fashion, where silences were also part of our conversation.
We worked at the beginning with parts of the book Meditation by Heinz Zimmermann and Robin Schmidt. Sometimes people would contribute an exercise we could all engage in, then share our experience. At other times, we would arrive at our meeting without an agenda prepared, and find our way in the activity of meeting together. This felt very creative.
We wanted to share with you that this took place. It feels like this way of working together is happening more and more in our engagements with each other. Can this lead us towards strengthening the Anthroposophical Society, as we approach our 100th anniversary?
John Glanzer, Patrice Keats, Judy King, Dorothy LeBaron, Arie van Ameringen, Heidi Vucovich, Ute Weinmann, Christoph Wuerscher, Douglas Wylie
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Archangel Michael
Margarita Woloschin
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These days when we say ‘take care’
do we really mean ‘beware’?
Beware of falling into fanaticism
(which would certainly delight Lucifer);
or beware of succumbing to fear and lies,
thus living in the power of Arhiman?
Let’s rather take it as ‘Be aware’ –
of how we speak,
what we say,
how we interact,
engage with others.
Be aware of the elemental spirits
around us
in nature,
in our homes
and elsewhere;
Be aware of our loved ones
and others who have passed
who wish to help;
And always, always
Micha-el and all the company of heaven.
Brenda Hammond
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Check the link below to find branch information in your area. |
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Confluence of Three Rivers Branch |
Beginning this month, the Confluence of Three Rivers Branch will have a room of its own! A group of us has committed to renting at Polaris School and Centre on Donald Street. Although the space is not large, it will be suitable for holding the Lessons of the School for Spiritual Science as well as providing a venue for study groups and talks.
We are still in the early stages of planning, but intend to have a limited number of books and pamphlets to borrow or read in situ. We intend to host such events as a monthly reading to the dead, as well as the occasional poetry salon. Our hope is to help the school and enliven and expand Anthroposophical life here in our National Capital Region.
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The mission of the ‘Society for Biodynamic Farming and Gardening in Ontario’ is to promote, develop, and guide the application of biodynamic agriculture methods, in accordance with the principles set forth in the agriculture course given by Rudolf Steiner in Koberwitz in 1924. |
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Dear Friends,
Witnessing the development of the Covid-19 pandemic over this past year, we saw the need to widen our inquiry. The result is a new in-depth article we’ve just published:
In the article we describe viruses more carefully in their physical and biological characteristics and then consider the COVID-19 pandemic as an ecological, social, and worldview phenomenon. Our goal in viewing viruses and the pandemic from multiple vantage points is to move beyond the many one-sided — and therefore misleading — considerations we encounter in both popular and technical literature. We hope the article provides some valuable insights, and stimulates questioning and broader thinking about what is no doubt a riddle-filled and still evolving feature of life on the planet today.
Warm greetings, Craig Holdrege
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Michael Lange
0ctober 11, 1939 - September 12, 2021
Michael was born in an ambulance that had broken down on the way to the hospital. This was in Hamburg, Germany, a month after WW2 had been declared. His father was an aspiring sea captain, away at sea on the famous sailing vessel, the Padua. His maternal grandfather was a sail-maker on that ship. The grandfather introduced his granddaughter to the mariner.
Michael and his mother, Ruth, lived in an old neighbourhood by the River Elbe. His first memory was looking out the window to see hundreds of planes coming up the river from the west, dropping things. His sister, Marion, was born three years later. Those years were spent surviving and running to bomb shelters until finally, the great fire-bombing sent thousands walking away from the city towards the east.
Alone, the two children managed to stay together on cattle trains, in orphanages, in foster homes, always with strangers until they found themselves with their paternal grandmother in a single room in a tenement in Wuppertal. They went to school there until grade 8. Then Michael’s father sent him off to Hamburg at 14 to become an electrician.
His parting gift was “Knowledge of Higher Worlds”.
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New Members
James Steil, Calgary, AB
Patricia Blache, Montreal, QC
Anna Collins. Newmarket, ON
Ryan Collins, Newmarket, ON
Transferred in
Thomas Lee, Toronto, ON
WELCOME
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Resigned
Manda Aufdochs-Gillespie, Manson's Landing, BC
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Deceased
Ilse (Anne-Marie) Van Vollenhoven (Hoffmann)
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Anthroposphy Worldwide - 2021
If you would like to see the archive of past issues, go to: Archive
then, if required, enter password AWE-2018
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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 prior to 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:
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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
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Strengthening our Society through
Karma Consciousness
Sundays - Nov. 21, Dec. 12, 2021 - 4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific
The Branch and Membership Development Mandate group invites you to a series of fall Anthroposophy CanadaWide Zoom calls with Arlene Thorn on the theme of karma consciousness. We started Part 1 on September 26. There will be a special ‘catch-up’ session on October 17th for those who missed this call, although members and friends are welcome to come to any of the Sunday presentations without having attended the previous calls. We will fit you in!
We hope you can join us for the series.
Susan Koppersmith
BC Council Rep.
Sunday Oct. 17-A ‘catch-up’ session for those who missed (Part I)
Karma Consciousness & Identifying Your Past Karma Exercise
Sunday Oct. 24 The Evils Hold Sway & Transforming Your Double Exercise -(Part 2)
Sunday Nov. 21 The Human as the True Bearer of the Future &Transforming Relationship Doubles Exercise -(Part 3)
Sunday Dec. 12 The Destiny of the Michael Community & Ordering Destiny Exercise (Part 4)
Topic: Anthroposophy CanadaWide
Time: This link is for sessions Oct. 17, Oct. 24, Nov. 21, Dec. 12
All sessions are at 4 pm Eastern and 1 pm Pacific
Join Zoom Meeting
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NALM NEWS
Path 1 - The Sevenfold Path - Fall - Oct. 1-3, Nov. 5-7, Dec. 2-5
Path 2 - Destiny Learning - Winter. Path 3 - Spring - Creative Spiritual Research
Observing My Child - Module 1 - Online - Seven Thursday Evenings - Oct 7- Nov. 18, 7-9 pm
Observing My Child - Module 1 - Cowichan - Dates TBA
Observing My Child - Module 1 - Ontario Waldorf Homeschoolers - Dates TBA
My Child's Angel - Module 3 - London Waldorf School - Wed. evening Oct. 13 - Nov. 24
Seven Tuesday Evenings - October 5th - Nov.16,7-9 pm
Module 1 – Home for Body, Soul and Spirit - Wednesday evenings, 7:00 – 9:00 – Oct. 6 – Nov. 17, 2021
Module 4 – My Family Biography
Saturday afternoons, 3:00 – 5:00 – Oct 16 – Nov 27, 2021
Intensive - September 20-26, 2021
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Perennial Roots Farm - Winter 2022 Biodynamic Study Group
Tuesdays 7 pm EST, January 3 - March 22 (online, based in USA)
“Course Description: Biodynamics can seem confusing and even impractical. This course is delivered by a farmer for aspiring gardeners and farmers in order to communicate esoteric concepts as clearly as possible. This course draws on years of experience and extensive research.
“Goals: Gain a comprehensive working knowledge of Rudolf Steiner’s Agriculture Course in order to develop better farms and gardens.
“When: every Tuesday at 7pm EST from Jan 3rd to March 22nd
“Price $150 (billed as $50/mo. for 3 payments, totaling $150) includes twelve live study group Zoom sessions AND access to discussion group questions AND access to the live Zoom meeting recordings.
“Requirements: Participants must attend eight (8) out of twelve (12) sessions. If a session is missed, paticipants must review the recording of the previous session. Participants will be asked to refrain from commenting on passages they have not read unless what they offer is from relevant direct experience. Participants must submit 1-3 succinct questions about the assigned reading at least 48 hours before each meeting.”
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Agricultural Conference Feb 2, 2022 – ‘Quality Through Biodynamics’
– at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland, and online:
Under the theme for the year, ‘The quality of biodynamic products and what it means for the earth and for human beings’
“…But what exactly is biodynamic quality? How is it produced during cultivation, and how is it developed or possibly even improved by processing?” … and other questions to explore.
With: Joke Bloksma, Olivier Clisson, Romana Echensperger, Maike Ehrlichmann, Jean-Michel Florin, Agata Glazar, Thomas Hardmuth, Craig Holdredge, Georg Meissner, Arizona Muse, Jasmin Peschke, Carlo Petrini and others.
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GOETHEANUM COURSES 2021/2022 |
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GOETHEANUM LEADERSHIP COURSE
Entrepreneurial Leadership in a Complex and Challenging World.
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