Founded in 1986, Cape Ann Waldorf School is a member of the worldwide organization of over 1,000 Waldorf schools in 60 countries around the world. Offering a classical academic curriculum, Waldorf education supports the natural development of children at each specific age by engaging their imagination, feelings and active bodies in the joy of learning. Waldorf Education is based on a profound understanding of human development that addresses the needs of the growing child, making learning deeply meaningful and satisfying. While mainstream schools often emphasize an intellectual approach to education, Waldorf schools balance thinking, feeling and physical activity in all lessons, educating "head, heart and hands" and teaching the right subject at the right time. Confident, compassionate and creative thinkers, our students are ready to go forth with a strong sense of self, reverence for life and service to their communities. We warmly invite you to learn more about the advantages of a Waldorf private school education for your children. More ...
Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland , the United Kingdom , and northern France , celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter. Rudolf Steiner published "The Education of the Child in the Light of Anthroposophy" in 1907. In this publication Steiner presented the basis of the educational approach that later would become the foundation of what is today known as Waldorf Education, and has been developed from the beginnings of the first Waldorf School founded by Rudolf Steiner and Emil Molt in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919 to being today a worldwide movement that has established itself all over thee world as the most innovative and dynamic educational movement in our modern time. In "The Education of the Child in the Light of Anthroposophy" Steiner developed first the basic ideas that later became the cornerstones of this new form of education. Steiner addresses the nurture versus nature and the clash of cultures and worldviews surrounding this theme from a spiritual point of view. Steiner presented the basic concepts of the essential nature of the human being in body, soul and spirit, and Steiner discusses the physical body, etheric body, astral body and ego. Steiner presents the background to what is truly age appropriate education with the idea that the child in growing up recapitulates the development of consciousness of humanity while going through stages or phases of incarnation. Steiner outlines the differing educational approaches necessary to teach children during early childhood, during the grade school years, during high school and during later life as an adult. More ... Physical Body, Etheric Body, Astral Body and Ego versus Super-Ego, Ego and Id Can we express to others the concepts of physical body, etheric body, astral body and ego?How does this structure differ for instance from Sigmund Freud’s psycho-analytical model, how does it relate? In Anthroposophy we speak of a fourfold articulation of the human body: the physical body as physical-material structure, held in common with the mineral world; the life or etheric body, the source of life and growth, held in common with the plant world; the consciousness or astral body, held in common with the animal world; the ego or "I" of the human being, the faculty of self-awareness unique to humanity. Psychoanalysis in contrast has this definition: “Id, ego and super-ego are the three parts of the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche; they are the three theoretical constructs in terms of whose activity and interaction mental life is described. According to this model of the psyche, the id is the set of uncoordinated instinctual trends; the ego is the organized, realistic part; and the super-ego plays the critical and moralizing role.” The Threefold Diary by Conrad Rehbach A Daily Journal and Workbook This is a workbook to be used as a daily diary/daily journal, observing life in a threefold way, in body, soul, and spirit. It is a guide to a transformational experience in self-development. The new revised second edition includes fine art black and white photography and quotes by Goethe, Brecht, Morgenstern, and others. From the Introduction to "The Threefold Diary": The diary (or daily journal) that you hold in your hand has been created in such a way that you are able and even encouraged to use it in a threefold way. You are asked to write down your daily observations in a threefold way. You will discover - over time - that this activity is transformative for your perception of your life’s events, preparing you for a deeper and more meaningful understanding of your own biography and the time you live in. Of course, you should develop your own approach and interpretation of the task at hand. As an example, a sample threefold diary entry will be presented here: Body: Today I observed wild life in my backyard. There was a squirrel that ran up and down one of the trees, while emitting certain sounds. Then the squirrel disappeared behind some bushes and did not return. Soul: The observation of the squirrel filled me with a joyous feeling, hope and the feeling of endless possibilities, as the squirrel darted this way, then that way. When the squirrel disappeared, a deep melancholy entered my soul, and I became aware of a slight fear of the unknown, as I pondered the question of where the squirrel had gone now. Spirit: I became aware of the fact that we live within a very narrow field of observation that we call reality. At times we forget that there is another reality “beyond those bushes”, which our thoughts might be able to explore in the same way – and with the same ease – as the squirrel who went there, as if to show me the way. Good luck on your journey through the days, weeks, and months ... a time you might participate in, in a whole new way … "Sometimes when I pick up a new book, I can tell before I even open the cover that there is something magical about it, something exciting and wonderful. I had this experience when The Waldorf Book of Poetry arrived. Here, in one place, is one of the greatest collections of poetry ever brought together. The love that has gone into the selecting this anthology is evident on every page. There isn’t a single great poem I’ve thought of that I haven’t found inside the covers of this book. This is the book that will feed the hearts and minds of children for years to come." —Nancy Parsons, www.waldorfbooks.com The Waldorf Book of Poetry is a fantastic resource full of poems to use in the Waldorf classroom. I can’t tell you how many hours I have spent poring through poetry books trying to find something appropriate to use with my students. Every time I do it I’ve thought that certainly countless Waldorf teachers before myself have spent the same hours trying to find just the right poem. David Kennedy has taken all that work and compiled it into one volume full of poems appropriate for all kinds of situations. Usually it’s pretty simple to find rhymes and poems to use with the younger grades but in this book I found poem after poem that was perfect for my sixth graders and even older students. I can’t recommend it enough! —Meredith Floyd-Preston, awaldorfjourney.com. More info ... The Wise Heads of Kings, the Simple Shepherds' Hearts: Consciousness Soul in Storytelling10/18/2013
The Seattle Branch of the Anthroposophical Society asks that you join us in welcoming Mary Anne Kirkwood who is making a West Coast tour from her base in San Francisco.
She will be giving a lively talk entitled: The Wise Heads of Kings, the Simple Shepherds' Hearts: Consciousness Soul in storytelling. If you love to read, tell stories, or if you are human and live stories, come experience what Mary Anne has to give and be prepared to take away something for yourself. To read more about it, please go to: http://www.anthroposophy.org/calendar/event-details/article/the-wise-heads-of-kings-the-simple-shepherds-hearts-consciousness-soul-in-storytelling-copy-2-1.html And to read her interview which was published in Being Human, please go to: http://www.anthroposophy.org/nc/articles/article-detail/archive/2012/10//article/the-importance-of-being-humorous-1053.html When: Sunday 10/20 @ 4:00 - 5:30 pm Where: Huckleberry Hall @ Seattle Waldorf School (go to upper level of building) 2728 NE 100th Street, Seattle 98125 Cost: $10-15 suggested donation (no one turned away for lack of funds) Contact: Pam Engler @ 206.526.5984 or pengler@nwlink.com ALSO YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING: M.A. Kirkwood's latest novel, Claire Ange introduces us to a befuddled spirit-entity that opens portals into spirit-destiny through one's earthly deeds, all set in a humorous, contemporary narrative. Working in the imaginative-intuitive, the author explores the importance of bringing consciousness soul (the thinking heart) into storytelling, as well as humor's role in serving as an apt conduit to spiritual truths. To get more acquainted with Claire Ange, and M.A. Kirkwood, please see title entries and reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreadscom. Soothing and Stimulating: The Art and Science of Inner Equanimity with Lynn Jericho on Saturday, November 9, 2013, 10:00 am-4:00 pm at Bright Water School, 1501 10th Ave E Seattle, WA 9810
A healthy and productive life is dependent on our ability to soothe ourselves and stimulate ourselves in the right way at the right time, ideally establishing a creative, fluid experience of inner equanimity. Each of us has unique needs for soothing and stimulating in our thinking, our feeling and our willing. Our patterns and styles of soothing and stimulating ourselves develop in our childhood and evolve as we develop self-regulation in adulthood. As parents and teachers how do we soothe and stimulate children in ways that help them become appropriately self-soothing and self-stimulating? How do we evaluate what will soothe and stimulate based on the child's temperament and the sensitivity of their senses? As adults our lives flourish when we know how to manage the complex relationship between our needs for soothing and for stimulation. How do we find new, more successful ways to creatively engage with life through understanding the many ways to soothe and stimulate our souls? Using the wisdom of anthroposophy, her twenty years as a counselor, and her understanding of neuroscience and psychophysiology, Lynn has designed a workshop that provides participants with clear pictures of the role of soothing and stimulating in the development of the child and the creativity of the adult. The workshop is a soothing and stimulating mix of presentation and activities. The presentation offers basic truths and general knowledge and the activities offer personal awareness and self- knowledge. Cost $100.00 for Saturday only, $120.00 for Friday Evening Talk and Saturday Workshop. Register by November 1st and pay only $100.00 for both Friday and Saturday. More ... Sophia Institute online Introductory Courses Course IC1: What is Anthroposophy? An Introduction. Course IC2: The Path of Knowledge as Given in Anthroposophy. Course IC3: The Essential Nature of the Human Being. Course IC4: Karma and Reincarnation in the Light of Anthroposophy. Course IC5: Anthroposophy and Buddhism. Course IC6: The Heart Chakra and the Six Subsidiary Exercises. These short courses (2 - 6 weeks) give students introductions to specific themes and aspects of the world-view of Anthroposophy including an introduction to the teachings of Anthroposophy and its founder, Rudolf Steiner. The first course offers an overview of Rudolf Steiner's life and work, his teachings, the philosophical and psychological foundations of Anthroposophy, the connection of Anthroposophy to Buddhism and Christianity, and the way Anthroposophy can be seen at work in our modern world. The second and following short courses are units in themselves and each include introductions to specific aspects of the teachings of Anthroposophy including education (Waldorf or Rudolf Steiner Education), curative education and therapy (Camphill Communities and curative homes), the arts (Eurythmy, architecture, painting, etc.), medicine (Anthroposophical Medicine), agriculture (Bio-dynamic Agriculture), and social issues (Social Threefolding). More ... Five Plays for Waldorf Festivals - Richard Moore With Gilly of the Goatskin and the Churl of the Townland of Mischance - Richard Moore was one of the founder teachers of the Iona School in Nottingham. He has worked for over 25 years as a Waldorf class teacher. Through his collection of seasonal plays for Lower School classes, Richard Moore brings to light not only his rich pedagogical experience but also his profound insight into the nature of the festivals. The language is beautiful and the plays have been fine tuned through many performances. The plays are suitable for Classes One to Five. This collection is not only a valuable resource for class teachers, it is also a source of inspiration. STEINER SCHOOLS FELLOWSHIP ISBN 1-900169-18-9 Softbound 56 Pages More ... |
Sophia Institute offers a variety of programs, courses, publications and other resources to anyone interested in Anthroposophy and Waldorf/Steiner inspired education. Currently there are students from all over the world enrolled in the Sophia Institute online courses. Sophia Institute publications are available worldwide. The Sophia Institute newsletter and blog provide insights and information concerning the work of Anthroposophical initiatives, Waldorf/Steiner Schools, the Camphill Movement, and related endeavors. More ...
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