general anthroposophical society anthroposophy worldwide...winter retreat 2014 anthroposophy in the...

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General Anthroposophical Society Anthroposophy Worldwide 1/15

January 2015No. 1

Anthroposophical Society1 Initiative: Articles on the 2015/16

Theme for the Year3 Announcement of Annual General

Meeting

Goetheanum Executive Council4 Qualities Needed by an Executive

Council Member4 Constanza Kaliks

6 Germany: Gioia Falk, New General Secretary

7 Holland: Jaap Sijmons, New General Secretary

8 2015/16 Theme for the Year10 Germany: Visits to Branches13 Summer Conference North14 Theodore van Vliet †15 Members Who Have Died15 Hella Wiesberger †

Goetheanum2 Mystery Dramas

Still on the Schedule3 Goetheanum Leadership:

Winter Retreat 2014

Anthroposophy in the World2 World: Anthroposophical

Clothing Design (Appeal)12 Israel: State-Recognized Training

for Eurythmy/Waldorf Teachers13 Greece: Painting Course on Patmos

School for Spiritual Science Social Sciences Section12 2015 Annual Meeting13 Soul of Europe Conference

Forum14 The November 2014 Members’ Day

Feature16 Meditation in East and West

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General Anthroposophical Society

Initiative: Articles on the 2015/16 Theme for the YearIt is the first time that the Theme for the Year will not be presented in one article, but in contributions from several authors over the course of the next twelve months. These will be based on Rudolf Steiner’s statement: “Know your self and your self will become the world;/Know the world and the world will become your self.”

Each year the annual theme of the Gen-eral Anthroposophical Society aims to

provide a stimulating focus for the work of those members who wish to engage in a process of common consciousness with the Goetheanum Leader-ship. During our an-nual autumn meet-ings with the General Secretaries (now rep-resenting seventeen countries worldwide) we consult on the theme for the following year.

Currently in 2014/15 we are attempting to penetrate, through an attitude of complete acceptance, a core anthroposophical con-cept, namely “The ‘I’ knows itself – in the light of Michaelic world affirmation.” Through this theme we wish to examine a quality of self-knowledge which can come into being when we fully engage with and accept the world. We suggest that we continue to make this Michaelic quality of self-knowledge a central focus of our studies, contemplation and an-throposophical meetings in 2015/16. In addi-tion to “world-affirmation” we would like to add “world-connection.” By expanding the theme, the fundamental anthroposophical self-knowledge and self-development evolve to an active engagement in the world. In this spirit, we can come to understand the mean-ing of Michaelic self-awareness in an ever new and deepening way.

Articles on the Theme for the Year

The members of the Goetheanum Lead-ership, as well as the General Secretaries, intend publishing a variety of contributions on a monthly basis. The first will be an article by Helmut Goldman, the General Secretary

of Austria (see p. 8). These contributions will articulate different perspectives, showing how connection to the world can be achieved through self-knowledge, and connection to the self by experiencing the world.

“The ‘I’ knows it-self – in the light of Michaelic world af-firmation and world connection” can contribute in a calm and powerful way to-

wards a transformation – also in terms of the Anthroposophical Society – of: “Know your self and your self will become the world;/Know the world and the world will become your self.”

Take Hold of the Future through the Past

The following meditation contemplating the stream of time, given by Rudolf Steiner on 24th December 1920 to Ita Wegman, may serve as a possible deepening of this year’s theme: “We are a bridge/between our past/and future existence;/The present a moment,/the moment as bridge./Spirit grown soul/in matter’s enveloping sheath comes from the past;/soul growing to spirit/in germinal spheres/is our future path./Take hold of the future through the past,/hope for what’s coming through what became./So grasp existence/through growth;/so grasp what’s growing/in what exists (English trans: Matthew Barton in Finding the Greater Self. Meditations for Harmony and Healing. Sophia Books, 2002) | For the Goetheanum Leader-ship, Christiane Haid and Bodo von Plato

“Know your self and your self will become the world;

Know the world and the world will become your self.”

Translation by Joan Sleigh, with Sue Simpson and Jan Baker Finch

2 | Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 1/15

■ Anthroposophy in the World■ Goetheanum

Anthroposophy Worldwide appears ten times a year, is distributed by the na-tional Anthroposophical Societies, and ap-pears as a supplement to the weekly Das Goetheanum. • Publisher: General Anthro-posophical Society, represented by Justus Wittich.• Editorial staff: Sebastian Jün-gel (responsible for the German edition); Douglas Miller (for the English edition); Michael Kranawetvogl (for the Spanish edition); Louis Defèche (for the French edi-tion); Wolfgang Held, Philipp Tok.We seek your active support and col-laboration. Contact: Wochenschrift Das Goetheanum, Postfach, CH–4143 Dorn-ach 1, Switzerland; fax +41 (0)61 706 44 65; [email protected]. To receive Anthroposophy Worldwide, apply to the Anthroposophical Society in your country, or subscriptions are available for CHF 30.– (€25.–) a year from the address above. An e-mail version is available to members of the Anthroposophical Society only at: www.goetheanum.org/630.html?L=1. © 2015 General Anthroposophical Society, Dornach, Switzerland.

R udolf Steiner’s concept of “cloth-ing art” points to an independent

genre of art (The Arts and Their Mission, GA 276), one that may be directly com-pared with that of architecture. His cre-ative work includes examples of stage costume, eurythmy apparel (e.g., the eurythmy figures), suggestions for litur-gical vestments, and design notes for wearable fashion (see Hedwig Hauck, Handwork and Handicrafts. From Indica-tions by Rudolf Steiner); these are based

on his spiritual anatomy. Such impulses have been realized in many forms by tex-tile workers, artists, and lay people, and they have been worn. It remains only to collect them systematically and preserve them. Dear readers, do you know where treasures of this sort might still be found in chests, boxes, and cartons?

A publication based on documents, analysis, and interpretation in the con-text of the anthroposophical picture of the body would have two significant results: it would secure the traces of the historical development in this area, and it would encourage a new creative process. Preliminary studies like those done for the Aenigma exhibit cata-logue (March 19 to August 1 in Olomouc and later in Halle; www.olmuart.cz/ en/aenigma-anthroposophical-art--369) have shown that Rudolf Steiner’s artis-tic input is not just adapted to the styles of the 1920s, but goes beyond the de-cades as a source for an endless variety of design impressions. | Heide Nixdorff, Kleinmachnow (Germany)

World: Anthroposophical Clothing Design

Appeal: Research ProjectA research project on anthroposophical clothing design is being conducted in collabo-ration with the Art Section at the Goetheanum. Culture and textile researcher Heide Nixdorff is looking for examples of textile objects that have been inspired by Rudolf Steiner’s artistic impulse.

Goetheanum Stage

Mystery Dramas Still on the Schedule

B etween Christmas and New Year more than 700 people (mix of old

and young) had a chance in snow-cov-ered Dornach to experience the desti-nies revealed in Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery dramas—performed by the acting and eurythmy ensemble of the Goetheanum stage. More than any lecture or study, a concentrated artistic experience of this sort is a real event that takes place be-tween people on the stage and those in the auditorium; it has a special quality at the Goetheanum. Also impressive were the music by Elmar Lampson (who con-ducted as well) and the quiet, perfect way the completely new stage served to support the performance.

The stage management (Mar grethe Solstad, Seija Zimmermann and Nils Frischknecht) had decided earlier to ask Gioa Falk and Christian Peter (along with the ensemble) to continue these per-formances until 2017. Of course, there will be no performances between Eas-ter, 2015 and the premiere of Faust I & II at Easter, 2016 to allow for time to focus full attention on that production. | Justus Wittich, spokesman for the Goetheanum Leadership

… along with two women’s dresses

Examples of anthroposophical clothing design: Lady’s suit, short jacket, collar and child’s dress …

Information about everyday objects—sin-gle pieces, ensembles, accessories—artistic patterns, photos, and documents can be sent to: Sektion für Bildende Künste, attn. Heide Nixdorff, Postfach, 4143 Dornach, Switzerland, [email protected]

Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 1/15 | 3

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mighty task for the General Anthropo-sophical Society.

Tasks for the Next Years

What has been achieved to this point is naturally rudimentary when compared to the goal. However the Goetheanum Leadership tried to develop this perspec-tive, and especially to take a concrete look at the tasks and prospects for the next years. We hope to collect these presenta-tions during the spring and publish them in the fall. One example of this develop-ment was Evolving Science 2014, an “idea workshop” by the Natural Science Sec-tion (see Das Goetheanum No. 1–2/2015 for full details). The Social Sciences Sec-tion has also established significant im-pulses for public events to be held during 2017 to 2019. A major working meeting at the Goetheanum during Michaelmas 2016 will bring together representatives of anthroposophy from the School, the Society, and practical fields to consider steps for the next seven to ten years.

Much attention has been given to the major renovation work at the Goethea-num that will be completed in 2015. In the course of that it became clearer that we need to take up the architec-tural concept of the second Goetheanum more consciously—especially the east-west orientation with an emphasis on

In December the Goetheanum Leader-ship gathered for its winter retreat—

including Michaela Glöckler, who had recently recovered. The cooperative work that developed over the past two years made it possible for the first time for the eleven sections to give an exhaustive presentation of their research over the past decades and currently.

Every week this summer the Goethea-num Leadership had discussed the cur-rent tasks in the Sections. The catalyst was a question about the scientific and methodological quality of anthroposo-phy posed by Chris tiane Haid, Constanza Kaliks, and Seija Zimmermann in the spring (Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 4 and No. 7–8/2014). The description of individual research approaches always produced a fire of enthusiasm. The over-all form of the School for Spiritual Science became clear in outline.

This showed how comprehensive the Goetheanum is as a School for Spiritual Science: in the inner path of schooling through the Class lessons, in special is-sues raised in the professional sections, in their efforts that flow into the various practical fields, as well as in their needs and developmental concerns. Thus an-throposophy is a spiritual science based on knowledge in individual schooling, one intended to have a cultural effect—a

the west entrance as the Goetheanum’s main entrance, the question of the out-side stairway to the terrace (unused until now), and the two atriums (not yet really given full attention).

Focus on the Goetheanum Building

Plans for reconfiguring the ground floor were described in detail at the 2014 annual general meeting, and objections and reactions were taken into account (in regard to plans for the exterior stairway on the west—set aside for now—and the previously planned redesign of the Group Room). This fall, work was already begun on the new parking configuration and a new northern approach to the main en-trance on the west.

Supported by the new leader of the Art Section (Marianne Schubert), the building administration (led by Martin Zweifel) consulted with three architects and finally brought plans prepared by ar-chitect Yaike Dunselman to the Goethea-num Leadership’s winter retreat. After discussion, Paul Mackay (responsible for the building) and Justus Wittich (respon-sible for finances) decided to solicit bids for the renovation work.

The necessary construction is to be done in stages from summer 2015 to Easter, 2016, and it includes moving the reception and ticket desk to the west entrance, concentrating art and post-card sales inside the bookstore, moving the cafeteria’s new kitchen arrangement (with food safety in mind), and providing an new opening from the south atrium into the Foundation Stone Hall. The cost of about 1.5 million francs will be covered by current reserves and funds budgeted for maintenance. A more com-plete description of the renovations on the ground floor is planned for an up-coming issue of Anthroposophy World-wide. | Justus Wittich, spokesman for the Goetheanum Leadership

Goetheanum Leadership: Winter 2014 Retreat

Making the School for Spiritual Science EffectiveIn its winter retreat (December 8–10, 2014) the Goetheanum Leadership looked at the research done by the individual Sections over the course of their history. The degree to which the School for Spiritual Science comes to expression in its activities is becoming increasingly clear, as well as the infrastructure needed at the Goetheanum.

During Evolving Science 2014: Physicist Wilfried Gabriel and Johannes Kühl, biologists Wolter Bos and Jan-Albert Rispens with biologist Kathrin Studer and physicist Alexander Murrell

General Anthroposophical Society

Annual General Meeting

The Annual Meeting and regular General Meeting of the General

Anthroposophical Society will take place on March 27–29, 2015 at the Goetheanum in Dornach (Switzerland).

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All members of the Executive Council emphasize that a nomination is not

a typical job appointment. The goal is to find people with qualifications for cur-rent tasks. There are, of course, special-ized jobs in the Executive Council (e.g., treasurer). Seija Zimmermann speaks of the Executive Council as an organism: “An organism always seeks optimal con-ditions for its tasks, those we see coming toward us.” During the past few years “optimal conditions” have been clarified and evaluated against the “whole situ-ation of the Anthroposophical Society worldwide, and the state of the world.” (Bodo von Plato) One result was the new seven-year (renewable) term for Execu-tive Council members.

Challenges in Changing Time

With the longest time on the Execu-tive Council (31 years), Virginia Sease, has seen changing conditions for member-ship: “I was the first non-European mem-ber, the first with English as my mother tongue.” And Seija Zimmermann recalls that prior to her appointment the expec-tation was still “to write books and give lectures.” She adds jokingly: “There I am already a disappointment. My colleagues have accepted that.”

Paul Mackay cites as today’s needs “a feeling and sense for people” and “readi-ness to work collaboratively in Executive Council activities;” Bodo von Plato points to a “creative relation with anthroposo-

phy, a relation to now.” Virginia Sease says diverse age groups are desirable; the best age for appointment is under 50.

“She just can’t be fooled”

But why Constanza Kaliks as the first “internal appointment?” (Justus Wittich) Answers pointed to many concrete quali-ties like “sense of direction” (Mackay), “clarity, clear thinking” (Zimmermann), “Michaelic strength” (Mackay), “inde-pendence” (Zimmermann), “cosmopoli-tanism” (Sease), “familiarity with today’s world,” “intellectual capacity,” and her “critical and authentic connection with anthroposophy”—in short: “She just can’t be fooled.” (von Plato)

Joan Sleigh starts with a motif: the search for the right configuration in the Executive Council. “The constella-tion changes with a new member; it is in metamorphosis.” Virginia Sease adds: “The desired constellation is related to changes in the Anthroposophical Soci-ety: How are emphases changing—also geographically, linquistically?” I sense that the Executive Council sees in Con-stanza Kaliks and her connection to South America someone who—as an Ex-ecutive Council member—can represent the third-most-spoken language in the Anthroposophical Society (after German and English). And Virginia Sease adds: “We are happy that the leader of the Youth Section is again in the Executive Council.” | Sebastian Jüngel

Goetheanum Executive Council

Was Makes an Executive Council Member?The Goetheanum Executive Council’s decision to ask the Annual General Meeting to confirm Constanza Kaliks as a new Executive Council member led to queries about how such nominations are arrived at. All the Executive Council members spontane-ously came together to talk about the (changing) criteria.

Executive Council Tasks

W hat does the Executive Council actually do if the Goetheanum Leadership is also involved with the Anthroposophical Society? The Executive Coun-

cil leads the General Anthroposophical Society. Executive Council members are confirmed by the Annual General Meeting and report to it; their tenure is limited. The Goetheanum Leadership appoints its members; they are not confirmed by the members. Within the Goetheanum Leadership the members of the Executive Council are responsible for the General Anthroposophical Section. The Executive Council shares responsibility to a certain degree with the Goetheanum Leader-ship, with special responsibility for the General Anthroposophical Society and the General Anthroposophical Section. | Sebastian Jüngel

Sebastian Jüngel: What was your view of the Goetheanum from Brazil?Constanza Kaliks: Today anthroposophy lives in very diverse cultural contexts. In Brazil (where I was born and worked al-most 20 years as a teacher) anthroposo-phy has developed a life of its own—as in other places. To me this diversity can be felt in the relationship to the past for instance: In Brazil—which is so young—the social structure is only a couple of hundred years old—in contrast to places where the past seen as native is over a thousand years old! The youth in Brazil have great expectations for the future—that a new middle class is arising, that it is possible to be a student as a young person!

Larger Responsibilities

Jüngel: What does that mean for the de-velopment of anthroposophy?Kaliks: The anthroposophical movement lives in and from the reality of individual human situations. That requires a great openness—and presents a great chal-lenge: this practical reality means that anthroposophy (inaugurated in a certain place and under certain circumstances) finds new forms that allow anthropo-sophical life to develop organically in each context.In many places it was the members of the Anthroposophical Society that founded a new school for instance; today’s circum-stances are markedly different in regard to modern structures, values, and chal-lenges. The responsibilities confronting every person today have temporal and spatial dimensions that are quite dif-ferent from those of 100—or even 20—years ago. My question is: How can the Anthroposophical Society enter increas-ingly into what is happening today—and into the reality of those individuals con-nected with the Society?Jüngel: Where do you see the similarities and differences between Section work and Executive Council work?Kaliks: It is still a little early to say. The Youth Section is a place for young peo-ple and their questions, questions that arise from an initial contact between their own (often nearly inexpressible) intentions and the reality of the world, questions that are felt to be quite exis-tential. The Anthroposophical Society provides a space for human relationship,


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for an expansion and enrichment of the spiritual horizon in and through an en-counter with the other. The point of con-tact between the two concerns would certainly be encounter and cooperation with people who are learning about an-throposophy or for whom anthroposo-phy is important. Conversation, meet-ing, learning about questions, intentions, ideas—these all belong to Youth Section work, and will surely be a part of Execu-tive Council activity.

Sensitivity to an Awareness for Unforeseen Circumstances

Jüngel: Should your appointment also be seen as call for help from an outdated Society to involve youth more strongly?Kaliks: The impression that the Anthro-posophical Society is outdated is an is-sue in some places. In general—and not necessarily in keeping with the reality everywhere—I have more the impres-sion that the conditions of membership are changing: Much of what might have seemed odd a few decades ago for a soci-ety interested in the spiritual element in the world now seems more familiar. That brings the reasons for joining the Anthro-posophical Society closer to the reality of many people. But it also may be this very closeness and familiarity with the exis-tence of spiritual life that delays consid-eration of membership. Here we come to specifics about the Anthroposophical So-ciety. One theme of great interest to the Goetheanum Leadership—and me per-sonally—is world affirmation: the spiri-tuality that is waiting to be recognized in the world, a spirituality that sought in the affirmation of existence in the world.Jüngel: How do you see the relation-ship between young and old in your own country? What tasks does it present?Kaliks: In Brazil—as elsewhere in South America—the intergenerational relation-ship is in flux. Of course, you will find that younger people bring, expect, and want something new, but that is not necessari-ly done in opposition to older people. The

social challenges in Brazil are enormous, but they affect every generation: social injustice, the need for equal educational opportunities for all…Today society as a whole is faced with questions we—young people as well as old—often lack the experiential back-ground to answer. Questions about cen-tral aspects of human life are being asked today, and we all have few answers that do not also draw more on the past. Today quite new elements of experience be-come relevant, a sensitivity to an aware-ness for unforeseen circumstances. It is here that I see a very close relationship between the tasks of the Youth Section and those of the General Anthroposophi-cal Society.

The Quest for Human Connection

Jüngel: In Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 1–2/2012 you noted a “youth for which we scarcely have any pictures of the fu-ture.” What picture do you have for the future of the General Anthroposophical Society?Kaliks: The Anthroposophical Society is a place for people to meet one another, people who have found anthroposophy and but who then go on to join it in very diverse ways; despite and because of this very diversity they seek human connec-tion. Thus ours is a Society that recog-nizes the spiritual in life very concretely. My question is: How does such a Society live in the larger society so that it retains its own character and can still be open to the whole range of reality, a Society that is permeable and still creates a space for what can happen through a life with an-throposophy?Jüngel: What makes the Goetheanum, the General Anthroposophical Society, an esoteric institution today?Kaliks: Today we live in a world that is saturated with media for communica-tion. It is a reality that I receive e-mails every day, that young people can speak via Skype, and they often pose questions that are quite existential through these

Goetheanum Executive Council: Nomination of Constanza Kaliks

“Connecting with the Reality of Human Beings”Constanza Kaliks (47) has led the Youth Section since 2012. She teaches in the studies and developmental program at the Goetheanum where she began Spanish and Por-tuguese as a language of instruction. In conversation, Constanza Kaliks emphasized a general view of the world rather than speaking of all-too-personal experiences.

New things require openness: Constanza Kaliks

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means of communication. Young people do not necessarily write letters, and many cannot afford a trip to the Goetheanum.The Goetheanum is an institution that is known worldwide and in the most diverse circles; people want to be in contact with those who are working lo-cally—that can certainly not be stopped or prevented! But for that very reason the spoken and heard word has not become less important; instead it seems to me that its importance has become much clearer. Nothing can take the place of a personal conversation—but that does not mean that communication media should be avoided if it is the only possible form of communication.

Openness instead of Agenda

Jüngel: Are you approaching your new task in a more wait-and-see mood as you prepare for what you will find there, or do you have some expectations?Kaliks: It is a task that can be take shape through life itself. New things require openness rather than an agenda. And also trust. That sounds simple, but for me it very deeply connected with Rudolf Steiner’s intentions in founding the An-throposophical Society. There is no way to institutionalize spaces in which some-thing happens based on such efforts with others. After all, the Goetheanum should be an institution that supports such things. In the shared work done by the Goetheanum Leadership I see this approach being taken with great consis-tency. That is very encouraging. ■



Falk: My own focus is clearly on the path of anthroposophy through the arts. We are in the fortunate situation that Rudolf Steiner did not view the arts as an ad-junct or even decoration for life, but as a source that can provide us with deci-sive, substantial elements central to life. Today’s problems are often so complex that a creative, wholistic approach is needed. This can also come from a rec-ognition of the processes taking place in our entire social organism. We can have an artistic experience when we ask: Are we really healthy or are we “corroded by acid?”Jüngel: Since you also have a real famil-iarity with both the Goetheanum and the Anthroposophical Society in Germany from within: what are the strengths and weaknesses of each?Falk: One strength is that there is much about anthroposophy that can be deep-ened. Deepening requires a foundation along with a certain readiness to move forward. That provides continuity. This is a valuable force in our Society. I think the weakness comes when we isolate ourselves.

Wishes for a Solution-Oriented Anthroposophical Society

Jüngel: What sort of ideal Anthroposoph-ical Society do you plan to work toward as General Secretary and personally?Falk: This “ideal” Society would be solu-tion-oriented—and that includes global questions. A mercurial element is a strong part of the Society, and an obser-vant approach to our problems can lead healthy initiatives for the future…■

Sebastian Jüngel: Since you have lived in Dornach for a long time, take a look at Germany from the Swiss standpoint. What do you “see” there?Goia Falk: A national Society with a lot of tradition but also one with the cour-age to try to find new ways of thinking about the substance of anthroposophi-cal concerns.Jüngel: And take a look at the Goethea-num as General Secretary of the Anthro-posophical Society in Germany. In what ways does it look different from the Goetheanum you know very well from inside?Falk: For me there is a spiritual Goethea-num. The Goetheanum’s tasks for the world Society are immense: There has to be a global perception and there also has to be a place for new things to happen. That is what we expect from outside. From inside you can see how significant forces are working against that.

Success through the Interplay of Various Approaches

Jüngel: You bring together various points of view through your work as a stage eu-rythmist, teacher, or your research (on the Mystery dramas, for instance). Which aspects of these different viewpoints seem valuable to you?Falk: Between Christmas and New Year we again had performances of Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery dramas here at the Goetheanum; they have taken on enor-mous value for me. Not only because they contain so much, but also because we can notice how a growing public in our time can find its way into them—un-der the most diverse conditions.Moving on the stage as a eurythmist and studying the text are very different activities for instance. But I have the im-pression that it can become easier over the course of years to become involved so that the one capacity can profit through the other. I do not see my work in “teaching” as mainly transmission of knowledge. Instead I see it more as a

preparation for the experiences that can be opened up through art and anthro-posophy.Jüngel: The Anthroposophical Society also brings together different cultures (streams). How do the relationships among these cultures look within the Anthroposophical Society in Germany?Falk: I find that there are an unbeliev-able number of approaches and cultural contributions that live and meet in our national Society. Today there has been much success through specialization. But there is also less obvious success through an interplay of various approaches. That was very interesting to Rudolf Steiner and it also lives in the Society, but it still needs development. It requires a readi-ness to put one’s own area into service.

Quiet Support and Cultivation

Jüngel: Will the Anthroposophical Soci-ety have to reorganize in view of the di-minishing number of members? What is the thinking in Germany about that?Falk: This question is quite present. There are the most diverse efforts to resolve it. New committees are formed, problems are addressed; there are attempts at dia-logue and new initiatives. But not to be underestimated are the many quiet and effective people who support anthropos-ophy and cultivate it!Jüngel: What do these new committees do? And what problems are addressed?Falk: There are no “marching orders” or any assumption that “young people” or “older people” should solve the prob-lems; as yet the work has been individual. But the fact is that the question is strong-ly there, and it leads to an openness. The committees and responsible groups in a few centers have gone through changes or renewal, often after far-reaching pro-cesses. The working collegium of the na-tional Council has also been reorganized since last fall. Jüngel: You are co-General Secretary with Hartwig Schiller. Are there different areas of responsibility? What are they?

Germany: New General Secretary Gioia Falk

Reporting ObservationsFor decades Gioia Falk (58) has been active as a eurythmist. She was the artistic direc-tor for the new production of Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery dramas at the Goetheanum. After serving on the council of the Anthroposophical Society in Germany for two years, she became its General Secretary (together with Hartwig Schiller) in autumn 2014.

Putting her own area in service: Gioia Falk

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Sebastian Jüngel: You are starting af-ter a difficult process of rebuilding (Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 7–8/ 2014). What were these difficulties?Jaap Sijmons: The question of how to reconstitute something as vital as a well functioning Council in not always so easy to answer in a practical way. Expe-rienced, talented young members need to be found, ones who have time, trust one another, and see a common goal. Basically, being in a rush and also being hesitant were to blame for the situation.

Freeing from Outer Constraints

Jüngel: As General Secretary you repre-sent the Anthroposophical Society inter-nally and externally. How would you de-scribe the task of the Anthroposophical Society a 20-second news report?Sijmons: “Anthroposophy has the poten-tial to free us from the constraints in our surroundings, and can unite head knowl-edge and heart’s experience in a new hu-manity. It takes only the courage to trust the higher self in you and others. Is there anything more wonderful than working together in a Society with such people?”Jüngel: Paul Mackay (Goetheanum Ex-ecutive Council) has characterized the General Secretary as the “point of con-tact regarding the development of the General Anthroposophical Section” (An-throposophy Worldwide No. 12/2014). How does the task of leading the Society differ from that of a leader for the School for Spiritual Science?Sijmons: In the Society’s constitution Rudolf Steiner drew a clear distinction between the Executive Council as the leadership of the Society and as the leadership of the Goetheanum. But this leadership of the Goetheanum carries a heavy load in organizing Section work, and it often seems as though there is little difference. The responsibility for developing anthroposophy as a spiritual science is lodged with the School which give impulses for the anthroposophical movement. The Society has been de-

scribed by Rudolf Steiner as its “sheathe.” I feel that a council member should—in the ideal case—ensheathe and consider the whole, and then take up initiative. A position in both must also be possible, as in the first Executive Council and leader-ship of the School, so that the two are not separate—as they were before the Christmas Conference, a situation that gave rise to a new form for the Society. The General Secretary has a mediating role between the two.

Making the School Accessible

Jüngel: What research within the School in Holland has impressed you especially?Sijmons: Much of the meditative work is not publicly visible. I don’t intend to slight anyone if I mention the following: Kees Veenman (physics) and Wil Uit-geest (art) have done research on color theory. I hope Wil Uitgeest will soon finish his doctoral dissertation in Am-sterdam on color theory in Goethe and Merleau-Ponty. Both have a connection with color therapy. In the area of medi-cine (based at the Bolk Institute), Erik Baars and Machteld Huber have both done interesting research. Machteld Hu-ber recently received her doctoral degree at Maastricht on the anthroposophical concept of health and she published an essay about it in the British Medical Jour-nal. I would also like to mention the phe-nomenological-astronomical work of Liesbeth Bisterbosch. These people are taking up impulses that Rudolf Steiner discussed or developed with Zeylmans van Emmichoven, Ita Wegman and Elisa-beth Vreede, all from Holland.Jüngel: But the research has been hardly perceptible. What can be done?Sijmons: We are trying very practical things. In April there will be a “School day” for our members where the Sec-tions will give public presentations and make themselves a visible as possible.Jüngel: In Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 12/2014 you formulated this as a task: “the whole Anthroposophical Society


Holland: New General Secretary Jaap Sijmons

Trust the Higher Self in You and OthersJaap Sijmons (55) has been the General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in Holland since last summer. He received doctorates at two Dutch universities: Utrecht University (Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy) and Groningen University (health law). He is an attorney in a large firm and a professor of health law at Utrecht.

Courage to trust the higher self; Jaap Sijmons

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needs to be enlivened in the countries by the Goetheanum impulse.” How does this find its specific expression—in detail and in each culture?Sijmons: That should be up to individuals and free collaboration. During the sym-posium on the Rudolf Steiner and the Alchemy of the Everyday exhibition in the Rotterdam Kunsthal we found that a theme like Metamorphosis and Inversion gave lasting inspiration with its spiritual orientation and “fresh look” at the seem-ingly familiar. But those who have no connection to the events of our time will not be heard. Be intensely contemporary, like Rudolf Steiner in his time!

Uniting with Others

Jüngel: What do you plan as General Secretary of one of the largest national Anthroposophical Societies?Sijmons: First, to work cooperatively with my Council colleagues and cultivate a connection with members who are ac-tive and full of initiative and who put the work into larger contexts. I want to re-late us to what lives at the Goetheanum and our neighboring countries. Ron Dun-selman, the previous General Secretary, still likes to travel, and he shows that we do have national Societies but—in real-ity—we belong together.Jüngel: Ron Dunselman, your predeces-sor, once pursued tennis as a competitive sport. Do you have a similar interest?Sijmons: Not really. I like music—I play pi-ano now and again for relaxation. Mostly the old masters: Bach, Beethoven, Cho-pin, etc. Ron was a professional. Early on I accepted that I am just an amateur. ■



Does not the world produce thinking in our heads with the same necessity as it produces the blossom on a plant?

(The Philosophy of Freedom, Chapter 5)

World affirmation1 can never be affirmation of one detail or one

aspect of the world. One cannot affirm evil, for instance, but one can learn to af-firm, or at least inwardly accept, a world that encompasses evil. The affirmation relates to the wider world context in-cluding the human being. Interestingly, we find this world affirmation even in Ru-dolf Steiner’s very early work, in writings that seem to suggest to some people that he is an atheist or even a materialist because he radically rejects any views of the beyond that—from the point of view of Michaelic world affirmation—must be seen as escapist. Such views often come with the attempt to relinquish responsi-bility to the world beyond and are there-fore, in essence, a flight from freedom.

Affirmation of Modern Humanity

Michaelic world affirmation is affirma-tion of modern humanity, of our position in today’s world and in the world of our thinking, feeling and will. The conscious-ness soul with the specific developmen-tal potential it holds, especially since the beginning of the Michaelic Age in 1879, opens up new prospects for human self-knowledge: conditions and possibilities that belong to our world reality and form the basis for the freedom we can affirm and accept as our task.

Michael and Human Thinking

In the Michael Letters of 1924/1925 Rudolf Steiner described the cosmic journey towards human reality in which the transition from the intellectual to the consciousness soul is a crucial step. Rudolf Steiner characterized this step in the second Michael Letter:2 our thinking loses the inspiration it (still) had in the age of the intellectual soul, and “actively brings [the ideas] out of our own spiritu-

al life.” With the old inspiration we lose the “spiritual substance of the world,” however, and our (naïve) “courage to use our own mind”3 is initially restricted to “sense perception.”

Although this courage cannot be in-tellectually or theoretically, explained, it is justified because an entirely new possibility has emerged within our in-nermost being. “But while human vision in this era had to be restricted to the outer physical world, the experience of a purified spirituality that consists in it-self has evolved within the human soul.” Our courage is rooted in this “spiritual-ity that consists in itself,” but it is not yet conscious of itself, of its inner founda-tion. The sentences which follow are the essence of Michaelic world affirmation: “In the Michaelic age, this spirituality must not remain an unconscious experi-ence; it must become aware of its own nature. This4 means that the Michael being enters the human soul”. We must no longer seek “spirituality” in a tradi-tional “higher” world but in the world in which we live: out of the dead thoughts of our object-consciousness we must wake up to this spirituality. This waking up to the oneness of the human being with the world that we need to recreate through our own inner spiritual activity constitutes the challenge we are facing now and in the future. We are free today from the coercive impact of old inspira-tions and we can look for the wellspring in which our freedom and our thinking originate. This is the Michaelic path in the world. If we do not take this step, we may be led into luciferic spirituality, or we may end up understanding and creating only dead contents in the world because our thinking has died or become detached. “So much depends on the fact that our ideas cease to be merely ‘think-ing’ but, in thinking, become ‘seeing’.”5

From Dead Thinking to Living Thinking

In his lecture cycle on the “Karma of the Anthroposophical Society”6 Rudolf

Steiner dramatically described the cos-mic origin of our relationship with the world: A “cosmic storm” in the fifteenth century caused “the Seraphim, Cheru-bim and Thrones to transfer the cosmic intelligence from the human heart to the neurosensory system or head organiza-tion. […] Before this occurred, human be-ings were heart beings. After that, they became head beings. Intelligence has become our own.” This meant, however, that the true, living thinking was forgot-ten for the time being. As free human be-ings we can decide to take hold again of the living thinking at any time; but the results of this thinking—the ideas—at first seem like forgotten and therefore dead.

In the same lecture cycle Rudolf Steiner also outlined the task we have as a result of this cosmic-human evolu-tion. “After this intervening period, dur-ing which the vividness of thinking is darkened, humanity must strive to take

General Anthroposophical Society: 2015/16 Theme of the Year

World Affirmation in KnowledgeRudolf Steiner inscribed the verse on which the 2015/16 Theme of the Year is based in Elisabeth Vreede’s copy of the Calendar of the Soul: “Know your self and your self will become the world;/Know the world and the world will become your self.” Helmut Gold-mann looks at how self-knowledge and world affirmation are related.

Literature for the 2015/16 Theme of the Year

Rudolf Steiner: Anthroposophi-cal Leading Thoughts (GA 26), Michael Letter of November 16, 1924, “The World Thoughts in the Working of Michael and in the Working of Ahriman.”

Rudolf Steiner: Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts (GA 26), Mi-chael Letter of August 31, 1924, “The Condition of the Human Soul before the Dawn of the Mi-chael Age.”

Rudolf Steiner, Karmic Relation-ships, vol. 3, Lectures of July 1, 1924 and July 28, 1924.

Rudolf Steiner, Awakening to Community (GA 257), Lectures of February 28 and March 4, 1923.

Rudolf Steiner: Inner Aspect of the Social Question (GA 193) Lecture of February 11, 1919.

Rudolf Steiner: Letters to the Members (from GA 260a), letter of February 3, 1924.


hold of the living thinking again, for hu-man beings will otherwise remain weak and lose their own reality to the reality of thinking.”7

Self-knowledge in Thinking

In the fi rst place, this task refers us back to our own selves: an act of free-dom is required. We can each of us de-cide to embark on such inner develop-ment: it is our answer to a “question” that the world asks. This affi rmation of a situation is not a theoretical step; it is existential and it means and demands our ability to cope with ourselves—it is a dramatic soul event: we must overcome the oblivious selfi shness that is fed by dead thinking.

This needs inner independence and autonomy because we now have respon-sibility and this responsibility we cannot relinquish. But as seekers who bear re-sponsibility for ourselves, we can fi nd each other in a new way: in what Rudolf Steiner referred to as “anthroposophi-cal community building”. He described this in the eponymous cycle, especially in the lecture of 27 February in the crisis year 1923: the possibility of a new com-munity-building arises as a result of the fi rst spiritual awakening in group stud-ies where a new, reverse cult can arise from conversation. It seems as if Rudolf Steiner recommended this path to the members because it would help to con-solidate the Anthroposophical Society. —Community building has a foundation and a practical way of application:

Gaining Knowledge as a Community

Its foundation is what Rudolf Steiner often referred to as spiritual idealism,8 an idealism that has been acquired and that is based on will activity – as op-posed to the kind of idealism that is innate, acquired or intellectually culti-vated. In our context here, it means the absolute acceptance of others as they are, absolute tolerance. – Another motif of world affi rmation! Its practical appli-cation is described by Rudolf Steiner as the true task of the branches and groups: to experience how anthroposophy lives in the other person. “… what is impor-tant in the Anthroposophical Society is the life that is cultivated within it.”9 The striving of each individual to really un-derstand ideas that are “not restricted

to the external physical world” gener-ates life, and the ensuing instances of life can meet each other. In repeatedly expe-riencing the striving for knowledge of people whom I make an eff ort to meet, I can awaken to the—initially uncon-scious—experience of the “purifi ed spiri-tuality that consists in itself” and that is the source of all striving for knowledge. It is as if, in community my own initiative to gain knowledge becomes a perceptive organ for this “spirituality” —in others, in myself and between us.

All this lives in every real conversa-tion—if only as a seed. The answer re-fers us back to ourselves and our cre-ative potential: an answer that merely replicates what has been heard or re-peats old thoughts is not an answer. But in the weaving of listening and answer-ing a fi rst awakening can take place—as something one cannot strive for in the ordinary sense, but that is given as a grace. This is why conversation is “more life-giving than light”.10 | Helmut Gold-mann, General Secretary of the Anthro-posophical Society in Austria


1. Rudolf Steiner: Anthroposophical Lead-ing Thoughts [GA 26], Michael Letter of November 16, 1924, “The World Thoughts in the Working of Michael and in the Working of Ahriman.”2. Ibid. Michael Letter of August 31, 1924, “The Condition of the Human Soul before the Dawn of the Michael Age.”3. Immanuel Kant, “Beantwortung der Fra-ge: Was ist Aufklärung?”, Berlinische Mo-natsschrift (December, 1784) pp. 481–494.On-line: http://www.uni-potsdam.de/u/philosophie/texte/kant/aufklaer.htmEnglish: https://archive.org/details/An-swerTheQuestionWhatIsEnlightenment.4. Emphasis added by Helmut Goldmann. 5. Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts, Mi-chael Letter of August 31, 1924.6. Rudolf Steiner, Karmic Relationships, vol. 3, “The New Age of Michael,” Lecture of July 28, 1924.7. Ibid., Lecture of July 1, 1924.8. Rudolf Steiner, Awakening to Commu-nity [GA 257], Lectures of February 28 and March 4, 1923; Rudolf Steiner: Inner Aspect of the Social Question [GA 193] Lecture 3, Zurich, February 11, 1919.9. Rudolf Steiner: Letters to Members (from GA 260a), letter of February 3, 1924. 10. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: The Tale of the Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily.

English translation by Margot Saar

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E very branch is different, more so than I had expected—even though a

basic structure has been developed that (I would guess) is similar throughout Ger-many. The point of reference is always anthroposophy approached through Ru-dolf Steiner’s work (seldom secondary lit-erature or freeheld lectures) and through reading and conversation. This sets the basic structure of the evenings. But the differences show how similarities vary according to people’s individual quali-ties. Unlike a working group, each branch also considers itself as part of the larger organism of the General Anthroposophi-cal Society. Any member worldwide can take part in branch meetings. This makes it easy for me to “drop in” occasionally.

Taking Contents to Heart

A suprapersonal etheric structure in branches has built a foundation for the anthroposophical movement with a de-cades-long continuity of weekly meet-ings. That often goes unnoticed, but it is spiritually real and has potency. The conduct of the evenings may be based on habit, but the thoughts of anthroposo-phy need to be newly grasped each time.

This “branch structure” has patiently and steadfastly persisted through new beginnings, dissonance in the School for Spiritual Science, and quarrels about method. That is easy to undervalue. What would the great lecturers, occa-sions, events—even the Class lessons—be without a core audience from the branches! Here I do not want to go into how this “etheric corporeality” also has its shadow side, how the branch struc-ture is not the only one that must be held to. I just want to look at how it has un-dergone changes since the middle of the 20th century.

Let us go back two generations. Branch evenings in Frankfurt am Main during the 1950s were described to me this way: People squeezed into the nar-row children’s seats in a state school, someone brought a large photograph of

Rudolf Steiner (carefully wrapped) that was set up in front, the branch leader read a lecture by Rudolf Steiner from the teacher’s podium, then the picture was packed up again and everyone went home satisfied. There was no need to talk about the contents of what was read—the contents were taken to heart. Anthroposophy was accepted without question as the truth. There is something very pure about this approach.

The next development was an ex-change about what was heard. At the beginning expectations were frequently so high that only a few dared say any-thing. The comments related to what Rudolf Steiner had said and made no reference to the situation of the attend-ees. Thus it might be that someone had just personally received the report of a death, but he would not have mentioned it even if the theme of death had come up. Today we might say this represents a wide chasm between the spiritual level and the reality of life. It was enough to remain objective within the context of Rudolf Steiner’s work, a goal striven for in a basic mood of reverence. Words were exchanged only among a few, and they did not yet create conversations. In any case, the step had been taken from pure acceptance to a shared effort at understanding. But people wished to understand only Rudolf Steiner and the content of anthroposophy.

Reflecting on Oneself

The yearning for a shared exchange did not arise until the 1980s. It was in the air after the student movement and other upheavals. There was a need to re-late general truths to one’s own life—to individualize them. That was often true even of older members. To clarify this I will depict a scene in a branch during 1984. The heretical movements (Ca-thars, 12th–14th centuries) came up in during the discussion of a motif in the summary of a lecture by Rudolf Steiner. A lady with white hair suddenly said force-

fully: “When I hear this, it reminds me of the RAF (Red Army Faction).” Her in-ner connection was probably the social isolation (even persecution) experienced by a group claiming such lofty human ideals. After an awkward moment and uncomprehending silence, an equally el-derly man said the two were not at all comparable; it was completely wrong. The lady insisted: “Why? These people raised questions like heretics in their time. Those are serious questions.” The man got carried away, and said: “The heretics had no questions, none at all!” Then the answer: “So! And they were born as heretics!” The branch leader in-tervened…

Today’s young people take their start from personal experience. They do not know what to do with the two steps de-scribed above, and they are quick to say so (unlike earlier generations). That hap-pened with two 18-year-old participants during a conference at the center. They basically posed the following question as a test: “Do I find what we are reading in my life?” or “Where do you experience what you know through anthroposo-phy?” There is mostly a stunned silence. Even I had to collect myself. The tradition of concentrating only on understanding Rudolf Steiner’s text has become too ha-bitual. That would be the third step: a relationship to one’s own life.

Moments of Spiritual Communion

A fourth step is (or could be) that peo-ple in a branch share a mutual perception of these three steps. Then understanding

Emerging from the abyss of the individual, together with many spirits (based on a notebook entry by Rudolf Steiner): Graphic by Uwe Battenberg

Germany: Observations and Thoughts during Branch Visits

Steps toward Essential EncounterSince her report in Anthroposophy Worldwide No. 11/2013 Barbara Messmer has trav-eled from the Frankfurt am Main center on through Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland. She experienced branch work there on three evenings: the people, the pro-cess, the use of Rudolf Steiner’s work, the conversation, the atmosphere.



would have to expand to the thoughts

and soul state of the other people. An-throposophy comes in the form of their life of soul and spirit and not only in the words spoken by Rudolf Steiner. Today a branch evening is not alive if such work is neglected. If understanding succeeds, personal experience can be transformed into individual truths. What Rudolf Stein-er wrote in his March 16, 1924 letter to the members on “Individual Formulation of Anthroposophical Truths” is notewor-thy. He explicitly compared pure spiritual science to individual remarks by branch members.

But it is often difficult to understand a person, especially when a comment is made spontaneously in conversation. During a branch meeting I experienced how a young intern in the institution where the branch met had a well known modern painting suddenly appear be-fore her inner eye during a discussion of the dramatic tension between good and evil powers (Michael and Ahriman). She spoke of it spontaneously and de-scribed her direct experience with halt-ing words. I am sure that some were unable to do anything with it. In such perplexity it is easy to say “Back to the text!” The crumbs others acquire seem to offer too little nourishment. It is too bad since such moments might present a chance to practice bringing the indi-vidual treasure of truth out of subjective comments. Rudolf Steiner also saw that: “Every such individual expression will contribute something of value towards an understanding of the truths of an-

throposophy.” Of course it is often nec-essary to begin by finding the key to the soul-spiritual element in the other. But when such spiritual movement can be felt, moments of spiritual communion arise. Rudolf Steiner calls that an “invert-ed cultus” (in GA 257 for the first time).

In another branch I saw a lady try to formulate something new and struggle to find the words. Suddenly someone else was able to “capture” the exact word and speak it. At that moment she had im-mersed herself in the thought process of the other. And the blockage in the flow of thought was removed.

Unfortunately there are still hindranc-es to conversation: e.g., when someone raises a real question. Then there is a threat of “textual pedants” with their quotations from Rudolf Steiner (often without reference to the context); a threat of needing to know the answer to every question; or a threat of instruc-tive clarification that fails to understand the core of the question. That puts an end to any dialogue. I have experienced all those things during my branch visits (even though relatively infrequently).

Current Events

Over time, a person has disappeared who was quite prevalent earlier: the spir-itual teacher in the branch or the branch leader. Such a person is hardly to be found in the Frankfurt Center. A team (or committee) is most often responsible. Sometimes people still think they should have more to say because they have been organizers and seen to administration, events, or facilities. But members have a fine sense for who is “advanced” and grant only such people “authority” (pre-cedence) in spiritual matters. Everyone now has the same right to contribute to conversation. We more and more find that women or people with less educa-tion speak. That is an absolute benefit.

We need to build soul-spiritual bridg-es among people. And as early as 1924 Rudolf Steiner wanted a fifth element for branch evenings: inclusion of current events. That need was there in the ex-ample from 1984. This means bringing anthroposophy into connection with what whole human groups and nations experience. At this point I have found current political themes mentioned in one branch. But there, too, not many

members were inclined to take it up. Ap-parently the “world out there” disturbs the efforts for spiritual knowledge.

One more experience: A branch eve-ning took up Rudolf Steiner’s perplexing statement that we can be assured that we are a unique I only during deep sleep. Someone mentioned that torture by sleep deprivation was the surest way to break a person, and thus it was practiced in dictatorships. There it was again—an awkward, startling moment, even a jolt out of a beautiful ascension to the spirit. And a protective skin began to develop immediately. The comment was not re-jected, but it was not addressed—work continued on the text. Later, “moral ide-als” appeared in the lecture—and there was great enthusiasm.

This year, Markus Osterrieder’s book on Rudolf Steiner and the First World War gave rise to branch events that emphasized political and social ques-tions through a connection with history. Many members were happy. But these issues disappear again, and “normal” branch life continues. Here a question arises as to whether consciousness of events on our earth—today basically an understanding that countless people are suffering—does not need just as much attention as anthroposophy. Do we not in fact concern ourselves with anthro-posophy so that we can understand and handle current events?

Bringing More and More People into Our Spiritual Consciousness

Although a few members give oc-casional presentations about current events, branch evenings lack the gesture of taking seriously the pendulum swing between current events and permanent truths. We need the four steps described above in order to do this: an individual-ized anthroposophy that is given and received, and an attempt to understand the other person through his or her spiri-tual process. These efforts can widen out to a larger horizon through which an ap-proach to the time spirit might grow—indeed, the same spirit that inspires our anthroposophical movement. A practice of bringing more and more people into our spiritual consciousness would be a capacity that leads to the Christ Be-ing. | Barbara Messmer, Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

Emerging from the abyss of the individual, together with many spirits (based on a notebook entry by Rudolf Steiner): Graphic by Uwe Battenberg


I t is true that implementa-tion of our educational plans

has had feet of clay since the government coalition fell at the end of 2014. New elections should take place in mid-March 2015. But we have been assured by the appropriate ministry that they will be maintained.

Eurythmy also recently re-ceived a lot of attention from the government. Thus the Cul-ture Ministry suggested the Jerusalem Eurythmy Ensemble for the Jerusalem Arts Festival (March, 2015). American Jan Ranck and colleagues founded the ensemble 25 years ago; in 1992 the Jerusalem Eurythmy Academy was founded to train euryth-mists. In the same year the Waldorf Seminar began in Jerusalem; in 1996 it became part of the public David Yellin College of Education. This was possible because two open-minded people met: the director of the college and Arie Ben-David, a cofounder of the seminar. From that point the training did not need pri-vate financing, and graduates receive a Bachelors of Waldorf Education.

There is a great diversity: Jewish, Is-lamic, Christian, and non-religious stu-dents, anthroposophists and people who have not (yet) heard of anthroposophy.

The Rabbi Nodded: It’s OK

At first a few religious students asked their rabbi whether it is OK to study an-throposophy and Waldorf Education. Arie Ben-David invited the rabbi to his house. They had two long conversations. Finally the guest nodded: This was not the type of situation where the meat had fallen into the milk—which would have been unkosher. He had no objection.

Of course this cooperation also elicits counterforces. A top political level began to suspect machinations by a Christian sect. Arie Ben-David disarmed that by explaining they were still far from being

Christian. But even so they would stand among people like Leonardo, Raffael, Johann Sebastian Bach, and other great figures. This put an end to the argument.

The eurythmy academy was integrat-ed into the Waldorf seminar beginning in 2008 so full-time study would end with an academic degree. Plans are to expand the college’s Waldorf program as an in-stitute for various branches of research. Master classes and training in anthropo-sophical therapies would be possible.

Today many graduates of the acad-emy are active as eurythmy teachers. “It is not easy,” says Jan Ranck. There is no material reward for artistic work. But anyone who has seen eurythmy ensem-ble performances during their regular tours in Europe knows that these perfor-mances create cathartic effects between emotional drama and Jewish humor. In April—during the international pro-fessional eurythmy conference at the Goetheanum—you can see an example of the ensemble’s work during the inter-national professional eurythmy confer-ence at the Goetheanum | Ronald Rich-ter, Berlin (Germany)

■ Anthroposophy in the World■ School for Spiritual Science

Jerusalem Eurythmy Ensemble in action

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Social Sciences Section

Esoteric of Profession in the Social RealmThe Social Sciences Section will hold its annual conference for Section members and friends on March 13–15 with talks on the theme Creation from the I, and (for the first time in the new approach to the Section’s work) twelve working groups for professions and fields.

U nlike medical-therapeutic, peda-gogical, or agricultural professions

(for instance), the range of work in the social area is very diverse and can scarce-ly be put under any single heading other than “social.” This year’s annual Section conference offers a chance to meet in twelve working groups for professions and fields. Groups include classical fields like family and age, law and the social sciences, economics and organizational development as well as different areas like “currency reform,” “working with the Class lessons,” “esthetics in the so-cial realm” and “the threefold society and the 1919 workers’ council move-ment.” With “communication and public relations” the Section includes for the first time a professional group that has had no real connection to the School up to now; it has been loosely organized into initiatives like the conferences for anthroposophical press and public re-lations workers and editors (KoPRa). A new theme, “economy for the common good,” will also have a working group.

The social science professional groups and fields will meet together dur-ing the general program to consider the foundations for their specific work, their own path of schooling, under the theme “Creation from the I.” Rudolf Steiner’s lecture “Involution, Evolution, and Cre-ation from Nothing” (June 17, 1909; GA 107) and the 8th Class lesson can serve as preparation. Participants do not need to be Section members or members of the School (except for some special events), and all are invited to bring ideas, experiences, and research for discussion. | Sebastian Jüngel

Conference Creation from the I, annual conference of the Social Sciences Section, March 13–15. Info: sozial.goetheanum.org/index.php?id=5273

Israel: State-Recognized Eurythmy and Waldorf Teacher Training

The Whole RangeIt is a fact that new Waldorf schools and kindergartens are being founded every year in Israel. It is also a fact that the Israeli minister of education is considering parts of the Waldorf model for the entire education system country-wide. But the Jerusalem Wal-dorf Seminar has long been part of a state-supported college.

Jerusalem Festival of Arts: alturl.com/9pjar Eurythmy Conference: alturl.com/jz2mz


■ Anthroposophy in the World

Greece: Painting Course on Patmos

Colors Create Pictures and TalesOn September 8–14 six people interested in color met Esther Gerster on the island of Patmos where volcanic forms are reminiscent of an underwater landscape to grow closer to St. John’s Book of Revelation in an experience of color: two painting units ev-ery day, morning and evening—with siesta, swimming, and relaxation between.

■ School for Spiritual Science

T he overwhelming power of blue—the sea and the clear sky—auto-

matically take our gaze into the distance as we approach. With a moderate wind there is a wonderful play of light with small rainbows on the waves; these capture our attention, only occasionally drawn away when dolphins surface. A good sign according to the experienced travelers on board. It is the ideal start to week of painting. And at the beginning of September it is still hot—we will need to find a way to deal with that.

“Redeeming” Red and Blue in Yellow

We began by examining the colors red and blue in our studio, a terrace of the white and winding studio hotel with an open view of sunsets where the red sun sinks from the blue sky into the sea of a somewhat different blue; it is accompa-nied by all the color nuances that excite the ether. We experienced the character of the two colors: the one is concentrat-ed, more condensed and tends toward a point, while the other loses itself, is expansive, diverging, but also accepting and protecting.

The first four days began with an ear-ly-morning visit to St. John’s cave where he received the revelation, and to the monastery in St. John’s cloister. During these days we intensified our sensitivity to “our” colors. The red and blue in the visual arts can be found everywhere on Patmos. The colors create pictures and tales in images. They take on their own life. In perception and in creation. We ex-changed ideas and knowledge with one another and with our paintings.

Our shared work with various Bible versions of the Book of Revelation and with texts by Wolf Ulrich Klünker and Rudolf Steiner led us to places that have their effect on us as people today and in the future.

With Esther Gerster’s non-directive support we found an approach in our painting to Rudolf Steiner’s fourth seal on the theme of St. John’s revelation,

and we shaped “our colors” into the red and blue columns. Until the very end we really could not properly fix the concen-trated quality of the red in the water and the blue in its tendency to spread on the solid background. And meanwhile there was a strong feeling of incompleteness, illness, perhaps somewhat brought on by the high temperatures…—until the fifth day when each of us had adjusted to the climate, which had a redeeming quality for the painting. We added yellow, cen-tered from above—the light permeating everything, radiating, illuminating. The eternity in the blue is captured, the con-centrated quality of red is mitigated, and it all comes together. The airy element becomes visible, the solid element be-comes tangible. A unity arose with and in the light. Gazing at the sea in the evening made it clear: an eternity without light, without redemption, without Christ, is unthinkable.

Greece: A Pure Life in Blue

And the eternal question for tourists in Greece is also answered: Why is it so difficult here with bus and ship sched-ules—even after 50 years of tourism. A pure life in blue! In red, punctuality al-ways requires inner efforts that may be difficult to make because of the high temperatures—we experienced that. On the other hand, the accepting quality, the hospitality of the Greeks remains—despite the obstacles in today’s Europe—and they are glad to clean, wash, and cook for everyone who visits there. And after a few days in the blue, joyful, and hospitable atmosphere we, too, did not care so much about whether the would leave in two or three hours, or perhaps not until the next day. The main thing is that the sun is shining. | Thomas Anderl, Munich (Germany)

Dates: 10–16 May 2015 in Ephesus. July 2015 in the Glyptothek, Munich. Autumn 2015, probably Aegina. Contact: [email protected].

Europe: 10 Years of “The Soul of Europe”

Timely: UkraineA series of meetings on questions about the soul of Europe began in 2005 as an initiative of the Anthroposophical Soci-ety in Holland and the Social Sciences Section at the Goetheanum. The confer-ence moved from Budapest, Prague, and Danzig to Varna (Bulgaria), and in 2015 to Simeria (Romania).

T he question of Europe’s character, its problems and tasks—especially

those of Central Europe—were consid-ered in ever-new ways. The transition from 1989 to 1991 set many develop-ments in motion, but also problematic and half-way measures in many areas: Where does Europe stand between the United States and Russia? How can social developments in eastern Central Europe be fructified with new ideas? What does “central” mean—not just geographically but also as a quality of communication and uniting?

The 2014 conference in Varna (August 28–31) had 80 participants from 9 Euro-pean countries; the emphasis was on ages past. It focused intensively on foun-dational spiritual streams from Scythi-anus to the Bogomils and the Rosicru-cians, all of which led to modern Europe. Friends of the Anthroposophical Society in Bulgaria had prepared the conference under the leadership of Bulgarian coun-try representative Traytcho Frangov.

Continuation in Romania

Now the Anthroposophical Society in Romania (together with the Social Sciences Section at the Goetheanum) is extending an invitation to the next con-ference on August 20–23, 2015 in Sime-ria. It will be devoted to the current situ-ation, especially the change of “climate” in Europe with the events in Russia and Ukraine: how can we bring about mutu-al understanding among human beings and peoples? How can we better under-stand the folk spirits and their doubles? | Hans Hasler, Mäkelä (Finland)

Conference: Soul of Europe, August 20–23, Semeria, Romania. German, English and Ro-manian. Info: www.soulofeurope.net (Program and registration in February).


■ Anthroposophical Society■ Forum

On the members’ day held on November 7–8, 2014, at the Goetheanum

Very few members attended the members’ day at the Goetheanum: fewer than 70. Only 4 members were there from Germany (perhaps because of the rail strike). The Goetheanum Executive Council began with reports: Constanza Kaliks is being suggested as a new Council member, Virginia Sease will withdraw from active partic-ipation in the Council’s work but will continue with cours-es and other responsibilities (Anthroposophy Worldwide, No. 12/2014).

Is a Critical Approach Ap-propriate for Rudolf Steiner’s Intentions?

At first there was an emp-tiness and a feeling of powerlessness. But then concentrated work began. Justus Wittich who moder-ated attentively (except for the abrupt close) suggested a discussion of Christian Clement’s “Steiner Critical Edition” (SKA). Some found the introduction to the so-called SKA 5 to be fine, while others explained that Chris-tian Clement’s approach was wrong, that he made objec-tive errors and partly mis-represented Rudolf Steiner’s intentions. A third person asked that an effort be made to end the cooperation with Christian Clement and Frommann-Holzboog publish-ers since Rudolf Steiner and spiritual science were being harmed by Christian Clem-ent. Another question was whether it made sense to handle Rudolf Steiner’s work academically and critically if the core of it was not un-derstood. Several times the wish was expressed that re-

spect be maintained as part of anthroposophical open-ness and honesty. Further contributions concerned our shared work on current events, the wish to grow together with the world, to introduce a consciousness of reincarnation and karma, and to develop new capaci-ties for cooperative work. Existential fear is a factor for many today. Another question was how the spiri-tual power of the 1923/24 Christmas Conference led by Rudolf Steiner might be activated. Where does this impulse live today? Where is it being taken up in new and fruitful ways?I suggested providing minutes for the next An-nual General Meeting that reflected process instead of decisions so that absent members might get a sense of it, and as a memory for the Anthroposophical Soci-ety. All the significant issues should be visible: the mood and progression, and the results of discussions (even incomplete ones).

Light-Soul Process

There were hints of a light-soul process in some mem-bers (sensory perception alternating with body-free thinking), an attentive lis-tening that fades away, total immersion in the matter—and this created a substance that was not there earlier and could have worked on.The conversation leaders were unfortunately too little motivated to continue to day’s end (a request by many members on the second day). Instead they ended early—at noon. There was no “closing conversation, so the initial “light-soul” quality could bear no fruit. | Heidrun Mathilde Scholze, Unter-föhring (Germany)

February 9, 1918 – October 3, 2014

Theodore van Vliet

For seventeen years it was possible (especially for

members from English-speak-ing lands) to encounter Theo-dore van Vliet when they came to the Goetheanum. Until the end of the 1990s there was an “English week” parallel to the large conferences around productions of Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery dramas or Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust. Since Theodore van Vliet had been well educated musically, linguistically, and anthropo-sophically, he was frequently involved in preparing the “Eng-lish week” and often held lec-tures in English at them.

Chicago, London, New York

Theodore van Vliet was born in a suburb of Chicago. His father was an engineer and inventor; his mother came from a farm family. He grew up with two brothers and a sister. His ancestors were early Dutch and English immigrants. His older broth-er brought him into contact with anthroposophy, and Theodore van Vliet made the effort to work through Rudolf Steiner’s Goethe’s Theory of Knowledge with his elemen-tary knowledge of German.

When the United States entered World War II, Theo-dore van Vliet was trained as a meteorologist and sent to England. In 1943—before his departure—he joined the Anthroposophical Society in America. In London he sought a connection with the local Anthroposophical Society and met his first wife (euryth-mist Elizabeth Raab) at the Raab family home. After the war she founded a studio for eurythmy and speech forma-tion in New York. Thanks to

his studies of art, music, and speech, Theodore van Vliet also taught there

Newsletter

With George and Gisela O’Neil he led the anthropo-sophical branch in New York. Under General Secretary Di-etrich von Asten he became a member of the Council of the Anthroposophical So-ciety in America. During this time Theodore van Vliet was involved in a newsletter that reported on the work and activities of the branch. For several years it was circu-lated among the members in America.

Elizabeth’s illness brought the couple back to Switzer-land (where she died in 1970). Theodore trained as a Waldorf teacher and that was how he met Erika Schwarz and her young daughter. After several years of activity in Spring Val-ley, New York, the small fam-ily returned to Europe and settled near the border with Switzerland.

One of the things that can be a great help for anthro-posophy is someone who is a member of the General An-throposophical Society and is willing to take up an initia-tive—even if the founder of the initiative is no longer able to carry on with it. This point has a close relationship to the esoteric principle of continu-

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ity in the realm of intention-ality.

A request by Friedrich Hiebel (Goetheanum Execu-tive Council member) to be-come editor of News from the Goetheanum (an editorship that fell vacant in 1976) was a happy coincidence because this completely matched The-odore van Vliet’s capacities and interests. Dora Baker had been editor since 1933. Theo-dore van Vliet was free to give the publication a new form and content. Henceforth it was called What is happening

in the Anthroposophical Soci-ety? and contained translated Section reports, conference reports, reports on issues, ex-changes with the periphery, etc. The layout (still without computer), dealings with the printer, and occasional trips to meetings in Europe made it a one-man business.

Literary Activity

In his last years (and after 17 years with News from the Goetheanum) he worked in lit-erature: an English translation of Christian Morgenstern’s

Einkehr, his own poetry and reflections on the meaning of poetry in human history. In-creasing blindness was a seri-ous hindrance—as was a seri-ous cardiac condition he bore without mechanical help so as not to lose the cosmic rhythm in his heart. Nonetheless Theo dore van Vliet remained inwardly creative, awake, and interested. In the past twelve years he lived in seclusion with his wife in a small town in the southern Black Forest. | Vir-ginia Sease, Goetheanum Ex-ecutive Council


We have been informed that the following 75 members have crossed the threshold of death. In their remembrance we are providing this information for their friends. | The Membership Office at the Goetheanum

Engeltje van Katwijk Rotterdam (NL) February 23, 2014Johannes Schwarz Hombrechtikon (CH) February 28, 2014Lotte Reinsperger Crailsheim (DE) March 25, 2014Marion Schlumberger Buseck (DE) June 9, 2014Gerda Ogletree Spring Valley/NY (US) June 20, 2014Mathilde Schmid Muri (CH) June 28, 2014Gertrud Klemt Herne (DE) July 1, 2014Franz Lüthi Arlesheim (CH) July 16, 2014Joachim Sartorius Winterbach (DE) July 18, 2014Edmund Spiller Schondorf (DE) August 2, 2014Ruth Caplin Danby (GB) August 9, 2014Patricia Peters Bristol (GB) August 18, 2014Peter Möri Dornach (CH) September 1, 2014Alice Munang Chestnut Ridge/NY (US) September 25, 2014Joachim Riedel Berlin (DE) September 29, 2014Frau E. Jurriaanse Zeist (NL) October 6, 2014Christine Finke Rinteln (DE) October 7, 2014Paul Margulies Great Barrington/MA (US) October 7, 2014Magdalena Fischer Hinwil (CH) October 11, 2014Hélène Bouillet Nyons (FR) October 14, 2014Manfred Schubert Herdecke (DE) October 14, 2014Gézáné Varga Budapest (HU) October 14, 2014Verena Gucciardi Beringen (CH) October 15, 2014Wagner Nielsen Århus (DK) October 17, 2014Ruth Pilgrim Marburg (DE) October 19, 2014Helmut Wegener Hannover (DE) October 19, 2014William Crow Canton/OH (US) October 20, 2014Meta Verheul Alphen a/d Rijn (NL) October 28, 2014Elke Claus Gladbeck (DE) October 31, 2014Claude Mainville Val-David (CA) October 31, 2014Børge Pehrson Hjørring (DK) November 1, 2014Ruth Sodenkamp Everswinkel (DE) November 4, 2014Sara Mild Herdwangen-Schönach (DE) November 5, 2014Jan Albert van Oyen Sommelsdijk (NL) November 7, 2014Burgi Eckert Hamburg (DE) November 9, 2014Elisabeth Chalès Zürich (CH) November 10, 2014Lieselotte Schmidt Munich (DE) November 10, 2014Elisabeth Adler Bad Liebenzell (DE) November 11, 2014

Gudrun Brauer Niefern-Öschelbronn (DE) November 11, 2014Gladys Clench Hereford (GB) November 15, 2014Ilse Meussdörffer Niefern-Öschelbronn (DE) November 15, 2014Mr. H.L.M. Rademaker Zeist (NL) November 15, 2014Ralf Kaliss Schorndorf (DE) November 16, 2014Barbara Mossner Bliestorf (DE) November 19, 2014Martin Askew East Grinstead (GB) November 20, 2014Anna Sala Lucca (IT) November 21, 2014Renate Schmidt Bad Liebenzell (DE) November 21, 2014Jean-Nicolas Bazin Saint-Jeorire (FR) November 22, 2014Nan Boyd Danby (GB) November 24, 2014Bernd Rexroth Lohr (DE) November 25, 2014Maria Eller Wuppertal (DE) November 28, 2014Katharina Germann Überlingen (DE) November 29, 2014Winfried Krings Freiburg (DE) November 29, 2014Adelheid Redemann Dortmund (DE) December 1, 2014Magdalena Castrén Helsingfors (FI) December 2, 2014Peter Henn Bickenbach (DE) December 2, 2014Ursula Schwander Uitikon Waldegg (CH) December 2, 2014Werner Pfeffer Ahrensburg (DE) December 5, 2014Ursula Korbach Nürnberg (DE) December 6, 2014Lieselotte Pflästerer Weinheim (DE) December 7, 2014Holger Vietor Bad Liebenzell (DE) December 7, 2014Marguerite Wood Box near Stroud (GB) December 7, 2014Günter Aschoff Dornach (CH) December 9, 2014Elisabeth Herzog Reiserfeld (DE) December 9, 2014Katrin de Quero Dornach (CH) December 11, 2014Jens Hansen Copenhagen (DK) December 12, 2014Hella Wiesberger Hombrechtikon (CH) December 13, 2014Karl-Heinz Niklowitz Berlin (DE) December 16, 2014Stephen Lloyd Hermanus (ZA) December 18, 2014Ingeborg Bartels Kassel (DE) December 24, 2014Geoffrey Bell Aberdeen (GB) December 26, 2014Irja Vähänissi Helsinki (FI) December 27, 2014Maria Roth Arlesheim (CH) December 30, 2014Fritz Salathé Seltisberg (CH) in December 2014 Gerd von Stietencron Stuttgart (DE) January 1, 2015

From November 11, 2014 to January 5, 2015 the Society welcomed 169 new members.

310 are no longer members (resignations, lost, and corrections by country Societies)

Oct. 20, 1920–Dec. 13, 2014

Hella Wiesberger

H ella Wiesberger studied Waldorf education and

speech formation. At the Ru-dolf Steiner Nachlassverwal-tung she first drew attention with her typing ability, and later she became a main edi-tor of Rudolf Steiner’s works (social, artistic, esoteric, in-cluding the esoteric lessons, Class lessons, and the priest’s cycles). Das Goetheanum No. 3/2015 is dedicated to her life and work. | Sebastian Jüngel


■ Anthroposophy in the World

B ased on Christian Clement’s schol-arly work in recently published vol-

ume 7 of the Critical Edition (with two works by Rudolf Steiner on the school-ing of knowledge—How to Know Higher Worlds [GA 10] and Stages of Higher Knowledge [GA 12]) some-thing is now clear after 100 years of editorial history, something that could al-ready be felt simply in the reading: Steiner’s unique ductus in these books (which originally appeared in essay form) is fed by two springs.

The Way Within, The Gaze Without

On the one hand there are elements of Eastern esotericism—and that in-cludes all the exercises directed inwardly and to-ward the moral element. There the main point is to get some distance from yourself, observe your own thoughts and feelings—especially in the subsidiary exercises, all of which can more or less be demonstrably found in Eastern esotericism, and which Rudolf Steiner recast in a new form. This is par-ticularly true of the central path of ex-ercise in Buddhism, the “noble eightfold path” which Rudolf Steiner called “the teaching of sympathy and love.”

On the other hand there are elements that Rudolf Steiner took from Rosicru-cianism—thus from Western esoteri-cism—and then developed in his own way. They consist of those exercises con-nected with outer perception through a Rosicrucian and especially a Goethean approach. They are meant to lead to a training for supersensible perceptions, even though not as the sole means.*

The approach taken by the path of schooling Rudolf Steiner intended to in-augurate (as shown in Stages of Higher

Knowledge and its continuation) con-sists of the imaginative level of knowl-edge and the next level which is that of inspiration. Therefore it might also be said that the Western approach corre-sponds more to an outwardly directed

(and artistic) imagination while the Eastern approach is directed more inwardly, more at an inspiration that is oriented toward the soul.

Today anthroposophy is mainly known and valued for its practical and artistic results in education, medi-cine and agriculture be-cause in the last 100 years in has principally followed the Western approach (which takes its start from the sensory world). But the Eastern approach of inspi-ration—directed inwardly, at the moral element, at the development of a total selflessness—has largely remained in the back-ground for reasons we can-

not go into here.

A Different Prominence

The imaginative path of meditation on which all anthroposophical practice in fundamentally based is almost com-pletely unknown in the public arena. Even in anthroposophical circles it has really become known and systematically explored only during the past ten to fif-teen years.

The meditative practices of Bud-dhism, those that actually start directly with inspiration through a practice of the eightfold path, are known in every corner of the world today. And there is a flood of offerings and literature from various Buddhist traditions ranging from Tibetan to Zen that make Buddhism and its eightfold path accessible to and ever growing population. However access to the sensory world remains closed and

it lies untouched, also in relation to any evolutionary concepts.

In and of themselves, both approach-es seem one-sided in a certain way; in fact, Rudolf Steiner even presents them as dubious in the two books cited. He clearly notes that the two approaches belong together—belong to the modern path of initiation or schooling. It is in this context that an ambitious conference of the Anthroposophical Society in Stutt-gart will present the meditative practice developed until now in anthroposophy and bring it into conversation with Bud-dhist approaches. The aim is to make a broader public aware of Rudolf Steiner’s largely unknown meditative approaches, and enter into a conversation with Bud-dhist practices at the same time.

Interspiritual Encounter

From the Buddhist side, Volker Zotz and Michael von Brück (two of the best known researchers into Buddhism) have been invited, as well as the Buddhist monk Thich Hue An (Urs Schumacher) who was employed at the Goetheanum earlier and is thus very familiar with an-throposophy. We have also invited phi-losopher Gernot Böhme and—from the anthroposophical side—Anna-Katharina Dehmelt, Steffen Hartmann and Rudi Ballreich, all of whom have had long experience in the practice of anthropo-sophical meditation (although with dif-ferent approaches).

This conversation between Buddhism and anthroposophy will mainly deal with mutual understanding. Today other cul-tures must be met on the same level and with great openness. Thus an interspiri-tual encounter can lead to a new meet-ing with long-held beliefs and we hope it can help bring about mutual enrichment. | Andreas Neider, Stuttgart (Germany)

■ Feature

Meditation in East and West

Buddhism and Anthroposophy in ConversationMeditative work is part of the foundation for spiritual activity. What is “offered” today is widely diverse, and much of it reflects Buddhist literature. Rudolf Steiner also took up some elements from the Eastern path, and he united Eastern and Western esoteri-cism. An ambitious conference brings the two approaches together.

Boddhisattva statue: Korea, seventh century

* Cf. on the two approaches: Rudolf Steiner: Andacht und Achtsamkeit. Stufen des Wahr-nehmens, ed. by Andreas Neider; Rudolf Stei-ner: Herzdenken. Über inspiratives Erkennen, ed. by Martina Maria Sam, both Basel 2014.Conference: Meditation in East and West. Buddhism and Anthroposophy in Conversation, March 6–8, Rudolf Steiner House, Stuttgart (Germany). Registration/Information: Tagungsbüro An-dreas Neider and Laurence Godard, Zur Uh-landshöhe 10, 70188 Stuttgart, Germany. Tel. +49 711 248 50 97, [email protected], www.meditationostwest.de

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