General Anthroposophical
Society Anthroposophy Worldwide 5/16
Switzerland/Ukraine: ‹Art Helps Healing› Music Festival
“We need something like this every year”
The Euromaidan revolution in Kiev has instilled in many Ukrainians a deep sense of hurt, grief and uncertainty regarding the future. The Swiss association for the development of anthro- posophical curative education in the Ukraine therefore organized a music festival in coopera- tion with the Kiev orchestra Animatum and the Light-Eurythmy Ensemble Arlesheim (CH).
Anthroposophy Worldwide 5/2016
Anthroposophy Worldwide 1 Switzerland/Ukraine: The “Art
Helps Healing” music festival School of Spiritual Science General Anthroposophical Section:
2 For members of the School of Spiri- tual Science Sergei Prokofieff’s book in English translation 2 Studies and Further Education
Anthroposophical Society 3 Spain: new country representative
Ana Lizán
2016 Annual General Meeting Executive Council statements 4 Seija Zimmermann
5 Bodo von Plato 6 Joan Sleigh 7 Constanza Kaliks 8 Minutes of the AGM
14 Obituaries: Thomas Schmidt and Ruth Finser
15 Obituary: Sonja Vandroogenbroeck 15 Membership News
Forum
10 Why are we not getting through to the public?
12 Working with the mantras of the School of Spiritual Science Goetheanum
13 Stage: new production of Goethe’s Faust 1 und 2 (unabridged) 16 Visions for the Art Collection at the
Goetheanum
■ Anthroposophy worldwide
T
he military conflict in the Ukraine is now concentrated on the eastern part of the country. The situation in Kiev has calmed down. But with every Ukrainian having been affected by the events either personally or through their family and friends, their sense of fear and grief is still tangible. And there are economic problems on top of that. Yet, out of the realization that arguing with the standpoints of the enemy camps will achieve nothing the idea was born for an initiative called “Art Helps Healing”. Does not the experience of art dispel the sense of fear and powerlessness from our hearts? Sergey Kopyl, the leader of the Kiev branch of the Anthroposophical Society, and other helpers supported this initiative wherever they could.Deeply moved
From 1 to 3 April 2016 four well atten- ded performances, presented by the Light- Eurythmy Ensemble Arlesheim and the Kiev chamber orchestra Animatum, were shown in several large auditoriums. Ad- mission was free because we knew from former visits that the majority of Ukraini- ans have no money for artistic perfor- mances. The chamber orchestra played, among other pieces, Joseph Haydn’s “The Seven Last Words of our Saviour on the Cross” as well as a concerto for violin and orchestra by Dmitri Shostakovich. The pro- gramme of the Light-Eurythmy Ensemble was received with equal enthusiasm.
The Swiss Consul Christoph Späti ope- ned the festival. The subsequent reception was alive with conversations and encoun- ters and people were reluctant to tear themselves away. The festival certainly
moved many people deeply – ourselves included. Christoph Späti thought that it needed such an initiative every year so that the arts could contribute to the he- aling process.
Experiencing beauty
A ten-year old child said to me, “I didn’t know what beauty was. Now I do know.” I had to think of the many children in the world who are fleeing their homes with or without their parents, and who have not experienced beauty for a long time, or who may even never have known beauty.
Since the year 2000 the association for the development of anthroposophical cura- tive education in Ukraine (based in Arles- heim, CH) has helped to establish a digni- fied approach to special needs education and made it possible for Ukrainian col- leagues to attend a three-year part-time training. These colleagues are now either working in newly founded schools or they help to bring about changes in state institu- tions. | Barbara Hasselberg, Arlesheim (CH) Евритмія . Музика . Поезія
Мистецтво зцілює
1
-3
квітня
За підтримки: Посольства Швейцарії в Україні - Швейцарського товариства підтримки лікувальної педагогіки в Україні - Центру освіти “Брама”
1 квітня, 19.00 Будинок архітектора - Б.Грінченка, 7 Евритмічна вистава
- вступне слово - Крістоф Шпеті, представник Посольства Швейцарії в Україні - “Ліхт-Евритмі-Ансамбль” (Швейцарія) Керівник Томас Зуттер - Ганна Рогальська (фортепіано, Київ) та Роман Батьковський (скрипка, Київ) Міжнародний фестиваль
“Мистецтво зцілює“:
“Ліхт-Евритмі-Ансамбль”
(Швейцарія) та музиканти Києва Проект Едуарда та Барбари Хасельберг (Швейцарія) Подарунок від Швейцарії -
ВІЛЬНИЙ ВХІД
2 квітня, 19.00 Будинок архітектора - Б.Грінченка, 7 Концерт камерної симфонічної музики - Камерний оркестр “Animarum” Диригент Віталій Протасов (Київ)
3 квітня, 17.00 Будинок художника - Львівська пл, 1-5 Евритмічна вистава для всієї сім’ї (діти від 8 років) - “Ліхт-Евритмі-Ансамбль” Керівник: Томас Зуттер (Швейцарія) - Ганна Рогальська (фортепіано, Київ) та Роман Батьковський (скрипка, Київ) - Ольга Беш (евритмія, Івано-Франківськ) та Олександр Васін (рецитація, Київ)
The poster for the “Art Helps Healing” music festival
General Anthroposophical Section
To the Members of the
School for Spiritual Science
A
s of this May 2016 issue of Anthropos- ophy Worldwide it will be possible for members of the School for Spiritual Sci- ence to order the second volume concern- ing the Lessons of the First Class by Sergei O. Prokofieff entitled: “The Esoteric Path through the Nineteen Class Lessons”. The translation from German into English was undertaken by Simon Blaxland de Lange. It consists of 420 pages with colour illustra- tions in book cloth with embossing. In An- throposophy Worldwide 10/2014 a short description of the content can be found written by Paul Mackay.Those who have already acquired the first book, “The First Class of the Michael School and its Christological Foundations”, trans- lated by Maria St. Goar, have been patiently waiting for this second volume in English.
On this occasion I would like to person- ally thank Maria St.Goar and Simon Blax- land de Lange – also on behalf of the many members of the School who thereby gain access to these significant works. | Virginia Sease, Leadership Collegium of the General Anthroposophical Section, School for Spiri- tual Science at the Goetheanum
A n t h r o p o s o p h y W o r l d w i d e
• Publisher: General Anthroposophical Society, represented by Justus Wittich
• Editors:Sebastian Jüngel (respon- sible for this edition), Margot M. Saar (responsible for the English edition).
Address: Wochenschrift ‹Das Goetheanum›, Postfach, 4143 Dornach, Switzerland, Fax +41 61 706 44 65, info@dasgoetheanum.ch
• We expressly wish for active support and collaboration. . © 2016, General Anthro- posophical Society, Dornach, Switzerland
T
he current academic year started in October 2015 with more than 40 full- time students. Application for the new academic year, which will start on 3 Oc- tober 2016 and finish on 30 June 2017, is now open. The first study term is running for the third time in Spanish/Portuguese.Further study courses are available in Ger- man and English.
Faculty member Robin Schmidt thinks that the students don’t see themselves as
“split in language groups because they live together in the student houses.” The artis- tic courses and afternoon seminars which are part of the “Anthroposophical Studies in English” are open to all students. If a stu- dent does not speak English, there is always someone who will interpret spontaneous- ly. The students also go on trips together, to Chartres and Paris, Colmar and Strasbourg (FR), or to Florence (IT). For all other courses the students are divided into language groups, each with its own programme. The number of places in each language group is limited to ensure that the anthroposophi- cal studies can be conversation-based.
Study programme
The Anthroposophical Study Pro- gramme encompasses three main areas:
the study of anthroposophical works, art courses and seminars:
- In daily sessions the students enter deeply into Rudolf Steiner’s main works in order to acquire fundamental knowl- edge of the ideas and exercises that are part of anthroposophy. These main an- throposophical works are “The Philos- ophy of Freedom”, “Theosophy”, “How to Know Higher Worlds?” and “Esoteric Science”.
- Artistic activities such as painting, draw- ing, clay-modelling, music, artistic speech and eurythmy aim to inspire a “creative approach to life and profession.”
- In addition, students can attend semi- nars on various research topics offered by Goetheanum staff members or guest lecturers (in English and Ger- man).
New ventures
Starting with the next academic year students in the German foundation course will have the possibility to choose as their main subject “Anthroposophy through Eu- rythmy”. The musicians and eurythmists Stefan Hasler and Klaus Suppan will be re- sponsible for this course and they will be assisted by eurythmists Tanja Baumgart- ner and Sivan Karnieli. Plans are underway to set up a similar course in the Visual Arts under the auspices of Marianne Schubert.
Other part-time courses on offer in- clude “The Foundations of Anthroposo- phy” and “Anthroposophy and Art”, each of which is spread across six weekends.
The main faculty members responsible for the various study courses are Virginia Sease and Joan Sleigh (“Anthroposophical Studies in English” and “Advanced Anthro- posophical Studies”), Constanza Kaliks
“Estudio en Español y Portugués”) and Robin Schmidt and Bodo von Plato (Ger- man study programme). | Sebastian Jüngel General Anthroposophical Section: Studies and Further Education
A creative approach to life
The Anthroposophical Studies at the Goetheanum have a new face on the internet.
The new website is designed to address readers between 18 and 35, for instance young people who have just finished school or a Bachelor degree. Application is, however, independent of age.
„The Esoteric Path through the Nineteen Class Lessons“ is intended only for mem- bers of the School of Spiritual Science and unavailable through bookstores. To order a copy, write to Verlag am Goetheanum, Hü- gelweg 53, CH 4143 Dornach, email sekre- tariatSP@goetheanum.ch or send a fax to +41 61 706 4201. In each case please quote the reference HSB2SP!
The cost is € 40.00 (plus postage). It is pos- sible to pay with Visa, Mastercard or PayPal.
Please mail your credit card data with your order (number of credit card, expiry date and security number).
Contact: Goetheanum, Studium und Weiterbil¬dung, Postfach, 4143 Dornach, Switzerland, phone +41 61 706 44 14, studium@goetheanum.org
Info: www.studium.goetheanum.org Facebook:
www.facebook.com/goetheanumcampus Discussing Rudolf Steiner’s works
Photo: Anna Krygier
Sebastian Jüngel: You have been the rep- resentative of the Anthroposophical Soci- ety in Spain for a year now. Do you remem- ber what it was like when you were first offered this post?
Ana Lizán: When I agreed to join the coun- cil there was tension among the council members and only a few people were prepared to get actively involved. I am not working full-time and thought that I could take on this task and maybe even change the dynamics within the council.
Jüngel: Was the decision to become the country representative difficult or easy?
And why was that?
Lizán: Irrespective of it being an easy or hard decision, I certainly felt that it would involve a lot of responsibility, and I also had my doubts as to whether I was the right person for the job.
Building a social life
Jüngel: What image would you use to describe the mood within the Anthropo- sophical Society in Spain?
Lizán: I feel strongly that the members have the need to live anthroposophy in very individual ways. Our movement and the various fields of work are growing at the moment. In our country we live in- tensely in the sentient soul – while always striving to develop the consciousness soul.
Jüngel: What tasks do you see for yourself as a result of this?
Lizán: We have members who pursue an- throposophy individually and only come to the branch meetings; others build a social life by working in the fields of medi- cine, education, farming etc.
Jüngel: What does Spain or the Spanish mentality bring to the Anthroposophical Society?
Lizán: In addition to our country’s contri- bution I have a close relationship with the council members and I am planning an Ibero-American Congress for the summer of 2018 and another congress with repre- sentatives of the Anthroposophical Soci- eties in the Romance-speaking countries:
France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Roma- nia and the South-American countries.
Will forces and enthusiasm
Jüngel: What can the Anthroposophical Society in Spain learn from the General Anthroposophical Society?
Lizán: Probably how to organize things – our folk character has something to do with this. In Spain we are trying to make good use of the opportunities we have for exploring and deepening anthroposophy.
Jüngel: What kind of spiritual impulses do you find in Spain generally? And how does the Spanish folk soul manifest itself?
Spain: new representative Ana Lizán
The soul lives in the light
Following a transition period from March 2014 to March 2015, during which Michael Kranawetvogl “filled in”, the kindergarten teacher Ana Lizán is now the country represen- tative for Spain. Ana wishes to bring the speakers of the Romance languages more closely together and advocate more social cohesion in her own country.
Will and enthusiasm: Spanish qualities that Ana Lizán is dealing with
Lizán: We live strongly in the will in Spain and we have a lot of enthusiasm. This is tangible in the initiatives I mentioned earlier, in Waldorf education, agriculture and in the arts. Our country has produced wonderful artists. Many act initially out of a will impulse but then embark on a long journey of empirical learning. But there are also those who have taken it upon themselves to spread anthroposophy by sharing what they know and what they have experienced.
Jüngel: What needs doing in Spain?
Lizán: We need to gain deeper knowledge of the spiritual world and a more profound understanding of the consciousness soul.
This is a difficult task because there is so much light in our country, which pulls us out into the outside world – the Spanish soul lives in the light outside. There is still a lot to do!
Jüngel: Do the Spanish-speaking coun- tries in the world share the same kind of awareness and the same concerns? And what is this awareness? What are these concerns?
Lizán: As I said, there is an initiative to organize a conference of the Romance- speaking countries. I will make contact with the South-American countries. We definitely wish to work together because we are keen to get to know each other’s concerns, but also because we want to share our experiences of anthroposophy and of how we have moved on in our an- throposophical work.
Enjoying learning
Jüngel: What role does Constanza Kaliks as a member of the Executive Council at the Goetheanum play for you?
Lizán: Constanza Kaliks is a great gift for the Spanish-speaking countries. Language can be a real obstacle, but with her help it can be overcome. She is also a great help because she is the leader of the Youth Sec- tion, and that is an area where we want to become active.
Jüngel: Is there anything that others may find surprising in you?
Lizán: I love going on long journeys and I love making dolls – but there is little time for these things now because I’m busy with anthroposophy and Waldorf educa- tion …. ó
Ana Lizán’s answers were translated from Spanish to German by Michael Kranawetvogl.
Seija Zimmermann:
everyone is actively
involved
C
onstanza Kaliks and I recently visited the Snellman School in Helsinki (FI): an anthroposophical further education insti- tute that includes a Waldorf teacher train- ing. When Constanza Kaliks asked the lec- turers at the Snellman School during our visit why the education system in Finland was so successful, one of them said, “We have to go back to the nineteenth century to the thinking of Johan Vilhelm Snellman and Uno Cygnaeus. Our success is built on the ideas and actions of a few thinkers who lived 150 years ago!Doing something together
In 2015 we had a summer conference here entitled “The North at the Goethea- num”. The conference itself passed very quickly. But what had happened before?
To answer this we need to go back to the year 1949. At the time people in Dornach were arguing about Rudolf Steiner’s estate. At the same time three young men met in the North: Arne Kling¬borg, Jörgen Smit and Oskar Borgman Han¬sen. They said: we want to meet but no one is allowed to speak of the conflict in Dornach. We want to do something together.
Together they represented Norway, Sweden and Denmark. They said: we will start with a summer meeting of mem- bers and friends and get to know each other through such summery get-tog- ethers. What are you doing in your coun- try? How does culture manifest in your country? I want to know more about this. After some years Finland also joined and then Iceland, too. Now they were five countries.
These countries looked at each other and asked what they could do together.
At the political level there was a forum called the Nordic Council which was re- sponsible for cultural cooperation. It awards a prize for literature, for instance.
In anthroposophical circles this meant that not only the councils of the national societies meet once a year – these mee- tings are hosted by one of the countries in rotation (this April it was in Järna) – but the representatives of the various fields of life, that is, the special needs
teachers, physicians, educators etc. from the various Nordic countries also come together regularly.
When I joined the Executive Council at the Goetheanum ten years ago I asked myself whether the five countries could not organize something together here at the Goetheanum. They are used to mee- ting anyway. Why should the Goethea- num not be included in this experience?
Once the thought was out it took on a life of its own in these countries: first in the councils, then among members and friends. Some felt inspired by the idea, others didn’t. Yet, gradually it grew and a preparatory group formed to collect ideas and suggestions. The wealth of ideas was so overwhelming that the Goetheanum could have turned them into several conferences. But we had to choose from the enormous range of of- fers what we could fit into four days. And because we couldn’t always travel to meetings we had countless skype confe- rences and email discussions.
Organizing something for all at the Goetheanum
The reduced and structured program- me then had to find a place at the Goe- theanum, because the Goetheanum has its established procedures and routines.
There was not much scope for moving things around. I had many opportunities to point out that the Swiss love time- keeping!
We had lots of work groups. It is part of the Nordic approach not to give so many lectures but work actively tog- ether in groups. More than half of the nineteen work groups were based on ar-
tistic activities. This is also typical of the North: everything is formed artistically.
Seventy to eighty people were invol- ved in organizing this conference. And this involvement showed. Nobody thought “Ok, I’ll see what they have to offer and whether I learn anything new”, because everyone was actively engaged and carried others too. People knew what it meant to come here. And these organizers even paid for their own con- ference tickets!
I am looking forward to the end of April. Because that is when we meet with the councils of these five country socie- ties in Järna (SE) in order to look back and to hear about the resonance this confe- rence has had so far in the North.
I speak of this in such detail (I mentio- ned a development earlier that took 150 years in Finland) because this Nordic conference at the Goetheanum was six- ty years in the making. And the confe- rence itself is not the end of a process.
The question now is what will happen next. Will the Goetheanum be the place where the country societies from all over the world will meet? Not only to hold their annual conferences or AGMs here – as the French do, or the Italians will do in early June 2016 – but to organize something for the benefit of all. This is what the Goetheanum needs. We can- not speak of a global society as long as we do not put this into practice.
Membership news
I need to change to another topic now and present the annual statistics. On 31 December 2015 the General Anthroposo- phical Society had 45,160 members, while there were 46,101 members on 1 January 2015. 615 members died. 585 people left the Society or we have lost touch with them. It is an enormous amount of work for the secretaries of the national societies and groups to try and find members who have disap- peared. Members seem to have immen- se confidence in us because they think that the Goetheanum always knows where they are, even if they move coun- try. I should also mention the number of new members: 1169 people joined the Society in 2015. ó
Bodo von Plato:
Inner mobility
A
s part of my contribution on the spiritual situation of our time and the work of anthroposophy I would like to draw your attention to a poet who most of you may not know. The Leba- nese writer Nadia Tuéni (1935 - 1983) re- ceives growing interest in francophone countries. She was married to a diplomat who, like her, stood up – in Lebanon and beyond – for the Christian religion, for an empirically based Christianity in the Arabic-Islamic countries.The better I get to know her work the more deeply I feel that she does much to support Christianity beyond the confines of religion, and this transcends her po- etry like a strong unifying force. A force that not only seeks to instil tolerance between different religions, but makes spiritual experience the starting point and foundation of human and social interaction. This is different from toler- ance. Tolerance paves the way for this unity, but what is eventually required is mutual recognition.
Nadia Tuéni sees poetry as the true experience of the earthly and human world on the journey towards freedom.
“La poésie est une terre totalement vécu, […] un apprentissage de la liberté.” (Po- etry is a world that has been wholly ex- perienced […] an education in freedom) – an education in freedom for people
who bear responsibility for this earth together.
Working together
During my journeys and encounters last year as an Executive Council mem- ber, I observed two things: concerns and wishes which, in my view, play a promi- nent part within the anthroposophical movement and Society today. One is the question of working together. Wherever you go, working together is what people wish for, complain about, try out; it is being discussed and structured, one ar- gues about it and passes judgement on it. The details vary depending on place and context, but the longing to be able to work together, to work something out together, to have something to do with one another, is ubiquitous. It even seems to exceed the former preoccupation with opposites such as revelation versus finding out for oneself, developing ideas versus taking action. The question now is whether the inspiration for revelations, insights or actions arises from individu- als or from the community.
There is a considerable qualitative difference between revelations received in isolation and communicated to oth- ers and revelations arising as the result of a joint effort. The same applies to insights, ideas and actions. The longing for this togetherness and the searching for methods, exercises and – this brings me to my second observation – the inner mobility needed to achieve it are grow- ing immensely.
Capacity for change
So this is my second observation: The wish for change that lives in so many places is so urgent, not because the val- ues of the past or present have lost their validity, but because people sense that something new wants to come and that this can only happen when they change, when the situation changes.
Someone asked Rudolf Steiner in 1912 what a spiritual being looked like.
We know that he tended to be reluctant when it came to such questions. In this case he responded with an entire lecture cycle – “Spiritual Beings in the Heavenly Bodies and in the Kingdoms of Nature”
(GA 136). At the very beginning of the first lecture he said, “The spiritual world is hidden from our earthly perception,
from the knowledge and skills we have here. It is characteristic of the spiritual that we will only see it once we have made a real effort, however small it may be, to bring about a change within our- selves.” There is consequently an indi- vidual measure for gaining knowledge of the spiritual world which is usually concealed from us: our particular capac- ity for change. Is this not an incredibly precise spiritual-scientific answer to the questions that live in the Anthroposoph- ical movement today?
The School of Spiritual Science and the Society
Could it be that the anthroposophi- cal movement and Society feel such a strong yearning for change because they sense that the spiritual impulses which are coming towards us want to be rec- ognized?
The necessary change may not hap- pen because one among us experiences a revelation, but rather because of the way we each change and the way we connect with one another as a consequence of this change. This could make it possible for the School of Spiritual Science, which Rudolf Steiner founded almost 100 years ago, to be deepened, to open itself and continue to develop. Today’s Anthropo- sophical Society is growing ever more aware of its task of promoting a School of Spiritual Science that recognizes the spirit and makes sure this spirit can take effect in our challenging times – through the changes we undergo as individuals, on the way to “a wholly experienced earth”. ó
Executive Council
Statements
The members of the Executive Coun- cil at the Goetheanum have written summaries of their activities in 2015.
Justus Wittich’s financial report was published in Anthroposophy World- wide 3/2016 and Paul Mackay pre- sented his account on another occa- sion (see Goetheanum World Confe- rence supplement).
Joan Sleigh:
Mutual support
I
continue where Bodo von Plato has left off and will speak of an incident that occurred in Africa: A school community gathers to celebrate Rudolf Steiner’s birthday. After a short eurythmy presen- tation, one of the pupils carries a beauti- ful chair onto the stage. One of the teach- ers, attired with a traditional African shirt and headgear, steps on the stage, holding a decorated walking stick in his hand. He sits down on the chair, his upright bear- ing and strong presence commanding silence.He then tells entertaining anecdotes from Rudolf Steiner’s life, reminding his listeners in the end that Rudolf Steiner once asked the pupils of the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart (DE), “Do you love your teachers?” He then says, “I am not going to ask you that question. But I would like to thank Rudolf Steiner.” Then he asks all the pupils to call out at the top of their voices, “Thank you, Rudolf Stei- ner.” His presentation, which was much longer than arranged, provoked an uproar among the teachers because many of them felt that their colleague had behaved as chiefs used to do in the past.
Traditional cultural behaviours
This situation, which is certainly not uncommon even if the exact circum- stances may differ, gradually deteriora- ted and caused a stir in the college of teachers. The conflict between the Afri- can teacher and those who had come from Europe rumbled on for a while be- fore it finally erupted. Now all the tea- chers are asked to participate in a pro- cess – a step that had proved unavoidab- le. The end is open: there may be a law- suit or dismissal, teachers handing in their notice… but there could also be mediation and the search for a solution that all can accept.
Why do I tell you this story? I think some of the symptoms contained in it are characteristic of our time and, in a way, also of the Anthroposophical Socie- ty everywhere in the world:
– divisions and misunderstandings due to culture-based behaviours
– a lack of communication skills
– the appeal to change, to think, act and present oneself in new ways
– intercultural encounters in mixed so- cieties
– the necessity to approach questions of leadership and structures together in new ways
– making time and space for open and constantly changing encounters – the challenge – and chance – of having
to deal, on a daily basis, with the pro- blem of learning to work together, even if this implies calling one’s own convictions and habits into question, or accepting the differences of others or the fact that we cannot always un- derstand each other.
From observation to participation Through my visits to different coun- tries and cultures, my work with the stu- dents at the Goetheanum and my own research into the question of empathy, three concepts have emerged for me, a kind of archetypal triad of perception, participation/engagement and integra- tion. It can happen, however, that a la- tent threshold of resistance, complacen- cy or habituation creeps in at the transi- tion between either of these steps.
When reviewing her experience of Rudolf Steiner’s book “How to Know Hig- her Worlds” (GA 10), a student told me that her studies had helped her take the step from observing life to participating in it. I realized then how easy it is to get stuck in the one or other part of this pro- cess.
– Perceiving: watching, observing, con- templating – looking around to see and get to know new things, based on a quality of devotion and self-extensi- on, of being at one with oneself.
– Participating: Entering into problems or needs; recognizing what one finds in order to affirm, shape or transform it; realizing one’s own intentions.
– Integrating: pausing and reflecting on what has evolved or what one has done, looking back with a question, integrating what is new, or what one has newly learned, into what was the- re before.
It seems to me that our Society is also called upon today to take the step from observation to participation. Develop- ments that have so far smouldered un- der the surface – cultural conflicts, for instance – have become apparent. The important question we need to ask is whether it will be possible to take the step towards integration or inclusion, towards a true interest and the accep- tance of otherness.
I give you another example, also from Africa: the transformation of apartheid as a result of Nelson Mandela’s coopera- tion with Frederik de Klerk in 1995.
Mandela’s social skills – even if they see- med to be directed against his own people – made it possible for de Klerk to take the humanly right decision, against his own government and people. These two totally different men found their own truth helped by the other, and, in supporting each other they made the impossible possible.
Even though the situation in South Africa has changed since then – the eco- nomic and social foundations are bligh- ted by corruption – an example has been set, “with the approval” of the world:
perceiving and recognizing each other can effectively transform an entire coun- try. What is now needed is maybe the reflection on and integration of potenti- al, the step of rising above oneself, or extending oneself.
My experiences are meant to illustra- te the following impulses and questi- ons: new leadership tasks or qualities within the Anthroposophical Society;
marrying objective recognition of others with acceptance and the will to take ac- tion; leadership from the inside; aware- ness of the world society, for instance by creating an office for international af- fairs at the Goetheanum, and a well maintained and representative English website. ó
Constanza Kaliks: Cour-
age for the future
I
had the opportunity last year to travel and gain deeper insights during my vis- its, conversations and encounters into the activities of the Anthroposophical Soci- ety in different places worldwide. During my travels I focussed on the initiatives of young people because both my tasks – as representative of the Anthroposophical Society and of the Youth Section – are closely connected.Interweaving
We often speak of networking today – being well connected increases one’s chances of being successful. Naturally, I have to connect with many people, be- cause that allows me to widen my view of the segments of reality of which I can ever only see a part. The term “networ- king” sounds somewhat mechanical, however. The image I received last year regarding the work within our Society was more that of an interweaving.
In the course of the twentieth century anthroposophy has woven itself firmly into the fabric of reality. It has deeply im- printed itself in many different ways in all kinds of places all over the world. In some of these places it has formed spe- cific connections and contours within this interwovenness; in others it is still looking to form such a unique connec- tion with a specific environment.
I was able to witness, in many diffe- rent ways, how anthroposophy happens wherever people have intentions or ho- pes, or where they connect. People con- nect with one another in countless
places and anthroposophy makes it pos- sible for them to deal consciously and actively with the questions of our time.
Being interwoven has become a global reality.
When something happens – anywhe- re in the world – young people feel di- rectly affected by it. We increasingly rea- lize that our own identity is also shaped by the events in the world. It is becoming ever more apparent that the ‘I’ constitu- tes itself based on the way it experi- ences, and interlinks with, the world. In- terweaving is the reality today and, as Rudolf Steiner said in the address he gave to young people in Breslau on 9 June 1924, the spirit of our time seeks to enter into this woven fabric in order to carry a new soul mood into the world.
Maybe it is one of the tasks of the An- throposophical Society to weave a struc- ture into the overall fabric of society and
contribute to its further development.
At the same time, we each have the opportunity to participate in the questi- ons of the world. Young people express these questions clearly and precisely when one speaks with them.
Being human
The issues – to name but three ex- amples from recent weeks – range from having to celebrate religious festivals in Germany with people with special needs although one’s own culture is different, to the concerns of a single mother-to-be who decided to use an anonymous sperm donor, to problems regarding di- gital technologies and how they have taken over so much of our lives today. In all these cases we need to leave deeply ingrained traditional images behind.
When we are dealing with human beings all other circumstances take a backseat. New ways of interweaving be- come possible. Will our society be able to embrace a soul constitution that has hu- manity woven into its very heart?
Within the fabric of today’s society the Anthroposophical Society has wo- ven its own texture and this can make a difference: it helps us, wherever we are, to be part of an emerging reality. We are called upon to interfere with this fabric, to face the great challenges awaiting us after a hundred years of contributing to its weaving. We may be hesitant or fear- ful, wishing to remain with the potentia- lity. But that will not change the texture of our interweaving. We need courage to say ‘yes’ to the emerging reality. Then our Society can become an ever growing part of the world and we will be able to actively serve the spirit of our time. ó
Only a few more
days to the next
Faust performance
See page 13 for more details Medical Section
World Eurythmy Therapy
Conference
iThe Art of Healing based on the
Science of Life
16–21 May 2016
In English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian
Information/registration:
www.goetheanum.org/7742.html
Communication at the Goetheanum
Thank you for your help!
Last month’s appeal to our readers to send information on media coverage of our events to the Goetheanum Com- munications department has proved successful. We very much appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Keep looking out! | Sebastian Jüngel
Contact: kommunikation@goetheanum.ch
General Anthroposophical Society
Minutes of the 2016 Annual General Meeting
19 March 2016
Venue: Goetheanum, Main Auditorium 9 a.m.: The Annual General Meeting (AGM) begins
1. Welcome and opening of the meeting Justus Wittich opens the meeting on behalf of the Executive Council, stating that the invitation to this meeting was published in good time in the Society’s newsletter and that the meeting is therefore quorate. Approximately 230 members are present in the Main Audi- torium.
Mathias Forster (Arlesheim/CH) and his team (Paul Zebhauser, Ioana Farca¬sano, Oscar Aparicio, Keith Sagal, Marilha Balieiro, Alexandru Ceplinschi) are in charge of counting the votes. Oli- ver Con¬radt is the minute taker.
All contributions are simultaneously interpreted into English and French.
2. Executive Council statements and discussion Seija Zimmermann, Bodo von Plato, Joan Sleigh and Constanza Kaliks pre- sent the Executive Council statements (see pages 4 to 7).
During discussion Christoph Lu¬kas (Otzberg/DE) asks for more detailed in- formation about the initiatives of the Executive Council. Bodo von Plato pro- ceeds to expand on his report, descri- bing his work at a school in France.
3. Motion to amend the Bylaws
Justus Wittich moves on to the only motion previously submitted, which proposes that procedural rather than de- cision minutes should be taken during annual general meetings. Moritz Chri- stoph (Bad Säckingen/DE), who repre- sents the motion, explains that the ap- plicants wish to change their motion into a concern for this year and that they ask the general meeting to take up the motion in freedom. Julius Wittich ex- presses his gratitude for this step saying it coincided with the intentions of the Executive Council, and he asks the minu- te-takers of the conversation groups on future visions and of the Speakers’ Cor- ner sessions to send their reports to Oli- ver Conradt or Sebastian Jüngel (editor of Anthroposophy Worldwide). In additi-
on to the minuted decisions, the AGM and the Annual Conference will be docu- mented in detail in Anthro- posophy Worldwide.
Justus Wittich announces the Speakers’ Corner groups:
– When can young people take over? (Constanza Ka- liks, Joan Sleigh)
– Rudolf Steiner’s image to- day (Johannes Nilo, Bodo von Plato)
– The keeping – killing – ea- ting of animals (Ueli Hur- ter, René Becker)
– How can we deal with the social threefolding impul- se today? (Gerald Häfner) – Do the anthroposophical
branches have a future?
(Franziska Bücklers, Seija Zimmer¬mann)
– How can the Rudolf Stei- ner Estate Management Foundation, the Rudolf Steiner Archives and Ru-
dolf Steiner Press be supported?
(Heidrun Scholze, Justus Wittich) – Free initiatives
10.30 to 11.15 a.m. Coffee break
11.15 a.m. - 12.45 p.m. Speakers’ Corner:
The reports of the Speakers’ Corner ses- sions and of the conversation groups on future visions are available online at www.goetheanum.org/gv2016.html 12.45 – 3 p.m. Lunch break
4. Presentation of the Annual Financial Statement for 2015 and discussion
Paul Mackay chairs the remainder of the AGM.
Justus Wittich presents the 2015 an- nual financial statement and the budget for 2016, speaking in vibrant images of the future funding of the Goetheanum (cf. the Treasurer’s Report in Anthroposo- phy Worldwide 3/2016).
The present treasurer’s advisory group consists of Julian Schily and Alexan¬der Thiersch (DE), Marc Desau-
les (CH), Pim Blomaard (NL), Daniel Hå- kanson (DK), Ma¬rianne Schubert, Ueli Hurter, Paul Mackay and Frieder Sprich (Goetheanum). Pim Blomard speaks on behalf of the advisory group: The Goetheanum’s finances are transparent and can be discussed. The advisory group advocated operational reserves which have been included in the annual finan- cial statement. Liquid funds were an im- portant topic. Even if membership num- bers are falling slightly one can say: the- re is money, there is interest, and now the money needs to flow.
Auditor Urs Santschi speaks of his work and the new legal requirements regarding annual financial statements.
He recommends adopting the annual financial statement.
During the discussion, Eduard Willa¬reth (Arlesheim/CH) proposes to levy a charge of one Cent on all “anthro- posophical products”, such as Demeter for instance, which is then to be paid to the Goetheanum. With membership numbers going down, one needs to look into new financial concepts. Many enter-
The opening day of the Annual Conference: photo exhibition “Faust 2016”
prises have grown from impulses that were, and are, fostered, researched and developed at the Goetheanum. It there- fore seems reasonable, in the interest of the continued entrepreneurial develop- ment, to introduce this kind of monetary flow from the enterprises to the Goe- theanum. Even with a low levy charged on each product the necessary funds could be raised because of the quantity of products sold. Eduard Willareth asks the Executive Council to look into this matter. Justus Wittich, Ueli Hur¬ter, Marc Desaules and Paul Mackay respond to the proposal.
Justus Wittich supports this concern, briefly mentioning where similar sche- mes have been in place for some time or are being discussed: the Pedagogical Section receives one Euro for every Wal- dorf pupil in Germany, which adds up to a total of 90,000 Swiss Francs per year.
Hartwig Schiller, the general secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in Germa- ny, was one of the initiators of this fun- ding scheme. Will other countries follow suit? Experience shows that it takes a
long time to put such new ideas into practice.
During the discussion of Eduard Willareth’s proposal the question keeps coming up as to whether the School of Spiritual Science needs to be kept separate from such financial arrangements. Si- milar questions have been discussed for some time with the farming movement or Weleda.
Ueli Hurter describes the international set up of the biodynamic movement. In 1997 the association “Deme- ter International” was foun- ded in order to allow inde- pendently certifying organi- zations all over the world to work together more closely.
However, the BioDynamic Association (IBDA) holds the property rights in the brands on trust. All national biody- namic associations are IBDA members, meaning that most people, whose exi- stence is linked to the biody- namic impulse, are represen- ted among the owners of the shared brands. The IBDA, on the other hand, is connected with the Section for Agricul- ture through the bylaws and the council members. Ueli Hurter comments on Eduard Willareth’s proposal that the idea seems plausible but that it will come up against obstacles because of the biodynamic movement’s federal structure. In talks with the Goetheanum it was be important to establish that it can enter into contracts as well as de- monstrate its actual contributions and its knowledge of market requirements.
Marc Desaules speaks about an initia- tive, “FondsGoetheanum”, which was launched in Switzerland seven years ago and which goes back to a suggestion Ru- dolf Steiner made on the final day of the 1923 Christmas Conference: to present the fruits of anthroposophy once or twice a year in a newspaper supplement.
“FondsGoetheanum” wants to reach people who use and acknowledge the products of anthroposophy without being members of the Anthroposophical Society. So far, the initiative has genera-
ted around one million Swiss Francs in donations, half of which was used to support research in Switzerland and the other half to support the Sections at the Goetheanum. “FondsGoetheanum” was made possible with start-up funding and is only now, after seven years, begin- ning to finance itself.
Paul Mackay speaks as president of the Weleda board of directors. The dona- tions and contributions from instituti- ons to the School of Spiritual Science which are listed in the annual financial statement are mostly from Weleda.
Weleda’s board of directors found it ne- cessary to bring clarity to its relationship with the Goetheanum. The General An- throposophical Society and the Arles- heim Clinic are major shareholders of Weleda. This is another reason why it is important that the donations from Weleda go directly to the School of Spiri- tual Science. The Weleda board of direc- tors wishes to encourage other anthro- posophically inspired enterprises and institutions to support the School of Spiritual Science with donations.
The 2015 financial statement is ap- proved by a large majority (no opposing votes, three abstentions).
5. Election of auditors
The proposal to reappoint Santschi &
Partner Treuhand AG for the financial year 2016 as auditors of the General An- throposophical Society is approved by a large majority of the general meeting (no votes against, no abstentions). Urs Santschi expresses his gratitude for the trust invested in his firm and accepts the decision.
6. Motion to discharge the Executive Coun- cil
The Annual General Meeting dischar- ges the Executive Council with a clear majority (one vote against, six abstenti- ons).
7. Conclusion of meeting
The Annual General Meeting conclu- des at 4.15 p.m. | Minute taker: Oliver Con- radt; chairs of the meeting: Paul Mackay, Justus Wittich; on behalf of the vote coun- ters: Mathias Forster
The opening day of the Annual Conference: photo exhibition “Faust 2016”
Photo: Sebastian Jüngel
T
he main reason for this failure is that the sup- porters of the idea made two mistakes in the decades fol- lowing World War II. One was that they got stuck in theoriz- ing about how to solve social problems such as the ques- tion of money, the associative order of the economic life, the ownership of land or in- dustrial corporations etc. As part of this process diverse ideas were developed and then published in books or anthroposophical journals as proposed solutions – and one hoped that the public would embrace and try to imple- ment them.Thought-out concepts are no solutions
Understandably these ex- pectations were not met, not only because the propositions in question were made by an- throposophists, but primarily because it was, methodically, the wrong move. One simply cannot theorize on how the one or other social question may be resolved and then ex- pect other people to put one’s theories into practice. Rudolf Steiner called this utopian.
One particularly striking example is the individual who – very committed to social-scientific questions – drafted a constitution for the reunification of Germany af- ter the turnaround in Central Europe in 1989. His draft had of course no chance of being realized. It is also understand- able that most members of the Anthroposophical So- ciety have little interest in such theories, because they
feel they are not competent enough to form an opinion on such specialized scientific matters.
Leaving others free
If we seek to find more support for the social three- folding concept and for Ru- dolf Steiner’s social-scientific ideas, we must take into ac- count that he presented his suggestions on how to solve the social problems of his time mainly as ideas; even if he made concrete propos- als, these were meant as ex- amples, because ideas can be realized in different ways depending on the prevailing circumstances.
This can be illustrated with the example of Goethe’s ar- chetypal plant, from which the most diverse plant forms have emerged. Similarly, Ru- dolf Steiner said on 11 June 1922, in a lecture on the main aspects of the social question, that his book on this question had basically “been misun- derstood at all levels. […] The book was meant as an appeal not directed at the thinking about all kinds of institutions, but as an appeal directed at human nature itself. […] Peo- ple basically took what was given in order to illustrate the main point for the main point itself.” The example he used was that of the circulation of capital and how it could be transformed, or his observa- tions on pricing, the value of labour etc. His intention was to explain “how humankind could develop social thinking, feeling and will.”1
Working together
In the introduction to his book Towards Social Renewal Rudolf Steiner explained how he wished his ideas to be understood, “The ideas pre- sented in this book have been wrested from an observation of life itself – through which, I trust, they may also be under- stood.”2 This means that if we wish to contribute to solving a social problem on the basis of Rudolf Steiner’s social ideas, we must first develop these ideas, then examine the prob- lem in question in the light of these ideas and connect with the people involved before finding a possible solution to- gether with them.
When we study a problem intensely, intuitive ideas for its solution may arise in us. This needs no clairvoyance. But it needs a flexible thinking that takes the thoughts of oth- ers into account. The “moral imagination” Rudolf Steiner refers to in his Philosophy of Freedom can help with this, because the two can make an important contribution to finding an appropriate solu- tion which can be supported by all involved. It also needs a
“moral technique”, however, for putting the jointly found solution into practice, and this requires us to know the exact circumstances of the problem, to find funding and so on.
Social institutions
During the Section confer- ence, Gerald Häfner described how, in Wurttemberg in 1919, Rudolf Steiner’s attempt to im-
plement the social threefold- ing idea had to be abandoned due to strong resistance from the party and union leaders, and the trade associations.
But Rudolf Steiner continued to do all he could to imple- ment the idea at least in part, for instance, by founding the Waldorf School as a start- ing point for an independent school system, introducing associative economics by es- tablishing the company “Der Kommende Tag”, and newly founding the General Anthro- posophical Society as a new form of community based on freedom.
Naming the spiritual source In the following decades the anthroposophists con- tinued to work in this sense, setting up social organisa- tions in charitable ownership – such as Waldorf schools, anthroposophical hospitals, special needs institutions, biodynamic farms etc. These then had a positive effect on the public where they became recognized and where they ensure that many people get to know about and find an interest in anthroposophy, and even become anthro- posophists. It happens rarely, however, that these people also develop an interest in the idea of the threefold social or- ganism.
This has to do with the oth- er reason why we do not reach either the broader public or most members of the An- throposophical Society with the threefolding idea: the idea is not usually present- ed in the context of Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual-scientific research, even though this is where it originates. While people expound and justify this idea and other social- scientific concepts at length, hardly anyone ever explains the deeper spiritual essence
The Threefold Social Organism
Why are we not getting through to the public?
During the annual conference of the Social Sciences Section at the Goetheanum, from 4 to 6 March 2016, the question was discussed as to why we fail to reach the public with the social threefolding idea. We could also ask, “Why are we not getting through to most members of the Anthroposophical Society with this idea?”
of the social organism.
As I mentioned earlier, peo- ple recognized, even in Rudolf Steiner’s lifetime, the need for social threefolding in external institutions, whereas his in- tention was to illustrate “how humanity can come to think, feel and act socially.” Apart from a few exceptions, this is still lacking today in all parts of the world.
Connecting with the spiri- tual world
Egoism and materialistic views are ubiquitous but they are not the soil on which social thinking, feeling and actions can grow. Such soil would need us to reconnect with the divine-spiritual world by entering deeply into anthro- posophical spiritual science, because it needs this connec-
tion so that moral intuitions and impulses can arise.
There is an interesting but little known statement by Rudolf Steiner that should be mentioned here. He spoke of someone who thought him- self very clever and profound and who wrote in an essay that society, social coexis- tence, should not be regarded as a mechanism, but as an or- ganism. Interestingly Steiner described this as “the worst Wilsonism”, adding, “I have often reiterated that the es- sence of Wilsonism is to see society in terms of an organ- ism only. But to understand social structure we need more than this concept; we need higher concepts – for social structure can never be regarded merely as an organ- ism. It has to be understood
as psychism, pneumatism, for spirit is also at work in all hu- man coexistence.”3
Fourfoldness
This shows clearly that it was essential for Rudolf Stein- er not to regard the threefold social organism as isolated from the spiritual world, but in connection with the life of spirit and soul. Just as we cannot fully understand our- selves as human beings if we only see our physical and etheric organism without considering that we are made up of body, life, soul and spirit, so, too, we are unable to grasp the whole essence of the so- cial organism if we don’t dif- ferentiate between its social forms and institutions, the life unfolding in them and the spiritual beings at work
in them. In other words, we must not regard the social or- ganism in its horizontal three- foldness only, but we also need to see and comprehend its vertical fourfoldness. And we must not forget that not humanity alone but the earth, as well, constitutes the social organism’s physical body.4 New openness
Today, many anthroposo- phists tend to conceal the spiritual dimension of the social life because they fear that it might put people off.
They are forgetting that a new openness towards the spiritual life has been evolv- ing since the end of the nine- teenth century, because the former close connection be- tween ether body and physi- cal body is gradually becom- ing looser. During World War I Rudolf Steiner said with refer- ence to Fichte’s Addresses to the German Nation and the great responsibility that rests upon the people of Central Europe, “The spiritual view of the world must flow into the human souls for the benefit of humanity. And the spirit of worlds looks to the people of Central Europe for they must be the voice for what he tries to impart to humanity in con- tinuing revelation”5 | Dietrich Spitta, Bad Liebenzell (DE) The spiritual dimension of the social life: meeting of Dietrich Spitta (right) and Paul Mackay
1 Rudolf Steiner: The Tension between East and West (GA 83), Lecture of 11 June 1922.
2 Rudolf Steiner: Towards So- cial Renewal (GA 23), Introduc- tion (tr. M. Barton).
3 Rudolf Steiner: Dying Earth and Living Cosmos. The Living Gifts of Anthroposophy (GA 181), Lecture of 16 July 1918 (tr.
M. Barton).
4 Cf. the chapter ‹Erde und Menschheit als viergliedriger Or¬ganismus›, in: Dietrich Spitta: Der soziale Organismus als My¬sterium, Stuttgart 2015.
5 Rudolf Steiner: Das Geheim- nis des Todes (GA 159), Lecture of 7 March 1915.
Photo: Sebastian Jüngel
Working with the mantra of the School of Spiritual Science
Fruits of life and roots of knowledge
A spiritual gift such as a mantra is more than its content. The qual- ity of its effect depends on the relationship one has with it. There was not enough time at the Annual Conference for Martin Kollewi- jn’s contribution; we therefore publish a written version of it here.
O
ur most precious gift – the ability to judge freely – was only able to evolve as long as we were detached from spiritual ex- perience. Only once the abstract thinking of the natural sciences had made it possible to convey spiritual contents in a compre- hensible form, without endan- gering our independence, was it possible for spiritual science to make public what used to be kept in strict secrecy. Transform- ing this form into living thinking is the task of each individual.This ensures our freedom.
Deciding to change
How is it with the School of Spiritual Science, whose forms correspond directly to the spi- rit? The content is not what makes the difference. This con- tent can be presented outside the School of Spiritual Science as long as its forms are suited to spiritual science. By them- selves, however, the forms of the School of Spiritual science would threaten our freedom.
Each spiritual experience con- veys to us the feeling, ‘You must change your life’, an expe- rience that can be devastating and paralyzing. Only when we decide from the outset that we are willing to change so as to do justice to the spiritual word also in our outer existence will we be able to hear it safely. This is the deeper reason why we need to be willing to be repre- sentatives of the School of Spi- ritual Science before we can become members.
The relationship Bodo von Plato spoke of (see page 5) ap- plies here: the extent of one’s spiritual experience corre- sponds to the extent to which
one is prepared to change. Se- mele, the mother of Dionysus, asked Zeus to reveal himself to her in his real form. When he complied she was consumed by lightning. The delicate shell of our human self can easily be burnt in the direct experience of the spirit. Only fire itself is not scorched by fire.
But how is it with those who have heard the contents of the School of Spiritual Science sin- ce their publication and yet have remained unharmed? If these contents are conveyed in a way that allows them to un- fold their original effect, there is a danger that those who hear them lose their own will. They may become blind followers or develop a tendency towards sectarianism. In most cases these contents will, however, only be absorbed by a mirrored thinking without danger to a person’s free judgment. This is what we hope for, although it goes against the purpose and meaning of the School of Spiri- tual Science.
The mantras of the School of Spiritual Science
When non-members who come across the mantras study the text that goes with them, one of two things may happen:
either they say, “I wish to work with these mantras and will therefore apply to become a member of the School of Spiri- tual Science”, or they say, “Since I don’t want to become a mem- ber of the School of Spiritual Science, but have no intention of destroying it either, I will lea- ve the mantras alone”. We can- not blame them if they fail to understand the context and
think that it can do no harm to meditate the Class mantras wi- thout having a connection with the School of Spiritual Sci- ence. We cannot breach an agreement that we have never entered into.
There must be clarity about this within the Society, howe- ver. There are those who say, “It is good when people recognize the quality of these mantras and they can do no harm by using them outside the School of Spiritual Science.” I fear, ho- wever, that this, while well- meant, is quite short-sighted and naïve. Someone may object that the School of Spiritual Sci- ence has been flourishing even though its contents have been used by outsiders for some time. Surely, there has been a definite increase in intensity and the work is so strong that this wrong usage cannot do it any harm. And yet, we witness also that the Anthroposophical Society is becoming ever greyer and that it is shrinking, while the anthroposophical instituti- ons are losing touch with the School of Spiritual Science.
The willingness to be a repre- sentative
Justus Wittich spoke of in- stitutions where only a tenth of coworkers are Class members.
This proportion, as in the Frank- furt institution he mentioned, is extremely good. There are others where no coworkers feel in any way connected with an- throposophy, even though they are the ones who represent it to the outside. These people may be ever so capable, yet it is foreseeable, if this does not change, that the anthroposo- phical fields of life will dry out in the long term.
The stream needs to flow in two directions. The practical work needs to be fertilized by the spirit knowledge of the School of Spiritual Science, which, in turn, needs to be ferti-
lized by the practical experi- ence in the world. If mantric work is done outside the School of Spiritual Science and practi- cal work is done in the fields of life without connection to the School, this stream is interrup- ted. For the individual as well as for the School as a whole, the will to represent is the prerequi- site and guarantee for the con- nection between the fruits of life and the roots of knowledge.
Seed of transformation During the Remembrance of the Dead, Paul Mackay spoke of the temptations of Christ after the baptism. We see images of this in Chartres, in one of the high windows, below the feet of the Virgin Mary. On the pa- nels between the temptation and those of Our Lady the Wed- ding at Cana is depicted, where Jesus turned water into wine.
The wedding table evokes ima- ges of the Last Supper. The composition leads us to ask, Why is it good to turn water into wine, while turning stone into bread is a temptation of the devil?
The transformation of water into wine is associated with the Virgin Mary. The soul needs to be chaste for the pure water of life to be permeated with consciousness, or for water to be turned into wine. At the Last Supper wine is turned into the blood of Christ and before that, bread into his body. How is it The cleansed soul represented by the white dove
Drawing: Johanna Schneider
with the bread? “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). With Christ’s death and resurrection the seed for the transformation of the earth was planted. They are the answer to the temptation to turn stones into bread.
In the Chartres window, the large white dove of the Holy Spirit hovers above Mary who sits on a throne. Three rays of light stretch from this dove to Mary’s crown. The cleansed soul receives heavenly thin- king. If this is led downwards, it is not only able to recognize the tempter but also to bring about transformation by connecting with the seed that has been re- ceived into the earth. This is why the transformation of wa- ter into wine is good while the direct transformation of stones into bread is evil.
Since the fifteenth century the consciousness soul has suc- cumbed to the temptation to turn stones into bread, for all it does is apply rational thinking to nature. Transformation is only possible with a thinking received through human jud- gement but detached from the body. This is why we need the School of Spiritual Science as we need our daily bread.
Maintaining the ability to judge
If, in the sensory world, we strive to act in accordance with what we receive spiritually in the Michael School, we do not need to fear for our earthly po- wer of judgement. It will grow ever stronger. A fire needs to be fed and it needs to be rekindled when it dies down. Awareness of the needs in the world and practising mantric meditation will feed and rekindle the fire of our will to represent the School of Spiritual Science. | Martin Kollewijn, Kleinmachnow (DE)
Goetheanum Stage: New production of Faust Parts 1 and 2 (unabridged)
After the premiere is before the next performance
The premiere of the new production of Goethe’s Faust 1 and 2 (unabridged) has attracted broad media attention. Five performances are still to come in the current year. Three of them will be si- multaneously read in other languages: at Ascension, at the Youth Conference in July and during the International Faust Festival in August.
T
here is something special about each of this year’s Faust performances. The premiere on 25 to 27 March was the 75th full perfor- mance since 1938, when Goethe’s Faust 1 and 2 was performed for the very first time, at the Goetheanum. The 76th performance, which will run during the Ascension Conference of 5 to 7 May, will be simultaneously read in Chinese.Constanza Kaliks and Johannes Kühl write that the play deals with the “longing for knowledge and love that we all share, and the insight that we start off as incomplete and imperfect be- ings”. Experiencing this imperfection makes us yearn to contribute to shaping and changing the conditions in the world.
Two German-speaking conferences
Both the Whitsun and the Summer Confe- rence will be in German only. The Whitsun conference (12 to 16 May) will focus on the mystery of Pentecost. Michael Debus and Christiane Haid summarize a core thought of the lectures at the Whitsun conference when they say that “Our human dignity is something we have from birth – freedom, on the other hand, evolves in our biographical death experiences”. The Summer Conference (19-23 July) is about the boundaries of ‘I’-ex- perience. In the invitation letter Christiane Haid and Paul Mackay write about the first part of the tragedy that Faust experiences the “boundaries of knowledge and science, devotes himself to magic, considers ending his own life, makes a pact with the devil, be- gins a love affair that ends in the death of his lover, and incurs guilt through it”. In Faust 2 Faust becomes guitly again but is “saved by
his constant striving and his love for Gret- chen”.
More multilingual conferences
The Youth Conference (25 to 29 July) is mostly for people under the age of 35. The conference fee is therefore reduced to 250 Swiss Francs and includes performances, meals and group accommodation. Inspired by the question “Am I Faust?”, Constanza Ka- liks and Stefan Hasler call attention to the relationship we each have with the world.
“How do the questions of the world affect me? How does the world perceive my con- stant wish to question and transform it?”
This conference will have simultaneous rea- dings in English and Spanish.
This year’s cycle of performances of the full Faust will conclude with the Internatio- nal Faust Festival (1 to 5 August). Virginia Sease, Joan Sleigh, Oliver Conradt and Johan- nes Kühl invite you to experience how rele- vant Goethe’s Faust is for us today: “To culti- vate true humanity also means to face the persistent challenges of the powers that seek to alienate us from our original spiritual iden- tity.” The International Faust Festival will have simultaneous readings in English, French and Spanish. | Sebastian Jüngel
Ticket sales and informatio:
Goetheanum Empfang, Postfach, 4143 Dornach, Schweiz, Fax +41 61 706 44 46 Telephone booking:
Tuesday to Saturday, 2 to 6 p.m., +41 61 706 44 44 Online booking: www.faust2016.ch
Less study – more life experience: Urs Bihler as Mephisto
Photo: Georg Tedeschi