As far as we know, Rudolf Steiner gave indications for form drawing on three occasions. Each time he presented new elements out of which with some imagination one could build a structure of teaching  material for the first five elementary grades - to the  moment when the actual teaching of geometry begins.  His indications illuminate entirely different aspects of form drawing, but these do not exclude one another. One should study them together, then one realizes that they do supplement one another. Rudolf Steiner gave the first elements of form drawing in 1919 in Stuttgart. in his basic courses for teachers he spoke for the first time about form drawing  and described it as a means of educating the temperaments. With the participants. who were to be the teachers of the first Waldorf School. he worked out forms and colors for the various temperaments and led each of these over into its opposite. Rudolf Steiner suggests that on the very first day of school the teacher should have the children do certain color exercises, also have them draw a straight line and a curved line on the blackboard. He stresses the value, the pedagogical importance, of this  exercise. This simple line drawing and its repetition the next day make a lasting impression upon the children. From the point of view of form drawing it is noteworthy that Rudolf Steiner lays out at once from the very beginning, for the children to create and experience, the two polaric principles of form: the straight, radiating line and the curved line, the first as an expression of thinking, the second as an expression of the will, seen from the point of view of the soul. Learn Form Drawing via this online course.

Supplies needed:
- Pencils (black/colored/soft - good quality such as Staedtler or Lyra)
- Sketchpad (9" x 12", medium weight/65 lb., good quality such as Canson)
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Co-Creating a New Grail Ritual

"There is a knighthood of the 21st century whose riders do not ride through the darkness of forests, but through the forests of darkened minds. Out of them shines healing. They must create inner justice, peace, and conviction in the darkness of our time.” ~ Karl König

​The medieval initiation story of Parzival (also written Percival, Perceval, Parsifal and Peredure), a knight who goes in search of the Holy Grail, has been an archetypal and spiritual inspiration for many great thinkers, including Rudolf Steiner. There are several retellings of this story, most famously Wolfram von Eschenbach’s medieval epic poem and Richard Wagner’s opera Parsifal.

Wagner’s Parsifal does not include Feirefiz, the Black brother of Parzival, as Eschenbach’s story does. Why is this? It appears to be the tragic outcome of a worldview that places the white European narrative first - at the cost of other experiences, cultures, and races. 

Using the Parzival narrative as a foundation, and an exploration of themes of light and dark within music and art, this workshop series will explore questions around brother and sisterhood, inclusion, and race. We will also explore how ritual can be a healing structure to connect with the ostracized Other and build wholeness and inclusion in our society. Seen through this lens, the story of the quest for the Holy Grail can be reimagined more as a collective or collaborative social process, a journey to the Other, than as a singular quest for individual enlightenment.

What: Exploring the Grail mysteries over the course of three workshops (plus a bonus performance session!). We will hear presentations on themes of color, tone, sound, ritual and more. We will also have the opportunity to explore our biographies and converse in pairs and groups. See below for the schedule and more details! 

When: May 22, June 5, and June 19, at 1pm Eastern/10 am Pacific for 75 min. via Zoom

Can't join us live?  Each gathering will be recorded and posted in our Participant Portal (link emailed upon registration).

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By Sarnia Guiton

Can you imagine founding a Steiner-Waldorf school without assuming tuition as income? No?

Neither can I. And yet ... After 40 years in Waldorf education, I retired to Kenya in East Africa. Despite retirement, I still feel connected - does one ever disconnect? I found there are 4 schools here, 3 of the more usual kind, relying on tuition fees, and another with a very different philosophy. The Rudolf Steiner School, Mbagathi, was the first Steiner-Waldorf school, founded here in 1989, and has been growing ever since. It is referred to as the ‘Mother’ school of East Africa. The mission of the school is to educate underprivileged children through sponsorships and donations, as their families live in great poverty, hence affording basic needs is a daily struggle. The feeding of children is a primary concern, education is rarely possible. The educational approach at the Mbagathi School is Steiner/Waldorf pedagogy, and it relies on sponsorships and other donations from various sources.

This is where teacher training sessions are held for teachers from all over Africa – other than South Africa. There were 80 at the last session. Yes, 80! Waldorf education is alive and well in Africa! Most children at this school come from desperate situations, poverty, abuse, malnutrition, often with no competent or no living parents, and every other calamity you can imagine. Some need to board for safety reasons, some walk a few miles to and from school every day – some alone and some with an ‘auntie’. Some are lucky enough to come on a school bus. Outdoor shoes are lined up outside the classrooms, children stand at the door to shake hands with their teacher, you can hear the morning verse – ‘The sun with loving light makes bright for me each day…’

The Christian Community Children’s Service and Muslim children’s instruction are provided once a week. They are all fed meals with food from the large biodynamic garden and farm. The children grow strong and thrive on healthy food and Waldorf education. They laugh a lot and ask questions of visitors, while being respectful. They know how to play! The mood of the school is uplifting and inspiring.

How can they do this? How is this possible? Answer: Sponsors.

Of course, it’s a constant struggle, but the courage continues, year after year, the classrooms are full with 32 children with no space for yet one more desk, and costs have gone up here in Kenya as everywhere else in the world. Sponsorship can take different forms and can be paid per month, per term or annually. Sponsorship for a child is US $83 p.m., $333 per term or $1000 p.a.  Boarding for those in greatest need is the same. These can also be shared with another sponsor. A class can be sponsored for any amount manageable per year, although with increase in costs they need about $1000 per class per year to pay for the school supplies that can only come from Europe, as well as the many general costs. Now that the cost of basic foods here in Kenya has almost doubled, a donation specifically for the meals program would also be deeply appreciated. Can you support this courage and this extraordinary school? The school has an excellent website. Take a look – it’s moving and inspiring! steinerschoolmbagathi.co.ke

Hi! I am Bronia Evers and I’m very much looking forward to teaching an online workshop as part of the WAPASA conference. As a storyteller, puppeteer and visual artist based in the UK, it is truly exciting to be able to connect with other like minded folk across the globe through such a richly woven virtual event.

My workshop is called Create a crankie theatre with scrolling scenery. If you’re wondering what a crankie theatre is, one way to describe it could be as a ‘homemade storytelling machine’!  

A crankie theatre is a box built with two vertical rods inside. The rods are ‘cranked’ or turned to move an illustrated scroll through the box. Crankies are a basic, accessible form of kinetic art that predates cinema, television, and the digital age. I love making crankie theatres because they offer us an opportunity to simplify and slow down our storytelling by speaking and drawing directly from the heart.

I have made crankie theatres big and small out of wooden crates, old suitcases, and even matchboxes. The design that I’ll share in the online workshop is based on a recycled cardboard shoebox. The materials for this project are inexpensive and should be easy to source from around your home and neighbourhood. During the workshop, participants will learn how to build their own crankie box, and will also be given guidance on developing an illustrated scroll to go inside it.

This workshop is designed for adult participants. It may be of interest to teachers, storytellers, playworkers, therapists, artists and others who work with both children and adults. In the past I have successfully adapted this crankie theatre design for use in classroom settings.

This will be a practical workshop with a focus on making and doing. We will also touch briefly on the history of crankie theatres, and refer to examples of their use in contemporary performance and in education.

www.broniaevers.com
Instagram: @bronia_Evers
www.facebook.com/onemomentintimestories

Gaby Gonzales is a soil scientist, architect, third-generation Mexican farmer, founder of Compostas del Duero and Alliance Cultural Sphere board member. She recently shared about a field trip she led on April 8 at the Experimental Permadynamic Strawberry Field in Zamora, Michoacan, Mexico.

Working with, valuing, and awakening the soil is our duty as human beings and good stewards of the earth. The only true hope for the future is fostering the restoration of the soil beneath us. 

On April 8, more than 15 local farmers and community members gathered at the farm. We talked about compost, microbiology, astral influences, natural processes, and our inner power to reconnect with the soil. It was a powerful sharing among people from many backgrounds, mostly workers with the earth. Each one shared their experiences and love for what they do. It was a powerful gathering of like-minded souls and created a weaving for the future. It was beautiful to feel the importance of the work on this piece of land, which is unfortunately surrounded by the conventional-industrial agriculture mindset. This strawberry field, though set up in a similar mono-crop fashion as the neighboring fields, was cultivated entirely differently through Biodynamic and permaculture practices.

The gathering was a moment of recognition that we were planting a seed in the minds of these farmers and their communities to actua­lly see the potential of their work differently, to thrive, and become examples for regenerative agriculture for the future in this region. So many doubts, so much of a need to speak and be heard, and so much feeling was going on that we all kept talking until late, which meant we ran out of time to make Barrel Compost! But people were very interested in its power to reintroduce microbiology into the soil and transform organic matter into the richest humus. So, hopefully, we'll get a chance to make this BC with a few from the group soon. More ...

New Edition. Now Available on Amazon: A Maypole Dream by Marjorie Rehbach and Christine Nietert.  An Illustrated Story for Young and Old ... a must have book for celebrating Spring!

When the bright colors of spring failed to appear after winter one year, the fairies wanted to find them and bring them back to earth. How did they manage? Walking through the woods, one spring morning, the story of “A Maypole Dream” appeared, as a gift, to the author. It is a tale which brings gratitude for the nature spirits back into our celebrations of the miracles of the seasons. The book contains this story and beautiful illustrations, and can be enjoyed by young and old – all those who love the weaving colored ribbons of the Maypole dance! More ...

Hermanus Waldorf School is situated 5 minutes from the centre of Hermanus, in Sandbaai, close to Zwelihle and Mount Pleasant. The school began as an integrated Kindergarten at the Camphill School in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa in 1994. In July 2001, the whole school moved to our present location, a 2-hectare plot leased from the Hermanus Municipality in Sandbaai . We have two Kindergarten classes and the Primary School goes up to Class 7. www.hermanuswaldorf.co.za

"95% of our children in the school come from the disadvantaged black and coloured townships adjacent to our school, with many of our pupils, the children of asylum seekers to this country.
"Hermanus Waldorf School relies on support from national and international donors, both for building improvements and to allow some of its pupils to attend the school." -HWS

We’re excited to announce that the next Biodynamic Conference will be held November 8-12, 2023 at the beautiful Westin hotel near Boulder, Colorado, and will serve to launch the US celebration of Biodynamic Agriculture’s 100th anniversary throughout 2024.

​Save the date to join us as we host our first conference as the Biodynamic Demeter Alliance, with inspiring speakers, workshops, hands-on opportunities, tastings, exhibits, community-building opportunities, and so much more — all showcasing the interrelated cultural, certification, and marketplace aspects that encompass Biodynamic agriculture in the US today. More ... 

Should curricula in other countries be based on a European ideal? Does that even exist? And what can European Waldorf schools learn from other cultures? Sven Saar, who is internationally active in teacher education, offers suggestions.

Does it make sense for children in Indonesia to knit socks (which no one would wear in that country) with wool imported from Europe, just because that is «on the curriculum» for fifth graders?

Should the Oberufer Christmas plays be performed in Japanese Waldorf schools?

How do mentors respond when Thai colleagues ask, «Besides Norse Mythology, what stories can I tell in fourth grade?» This is about more than finding the right answer: the fact that the question is even asked reveals a status problem which is worth investigating.

In the first phase of the worldwide spread of Waldorf Education, experienced and wise colleagues carried their proven practice with a lot of persuasive power to countries where they met open ears, hearts and a hands-on pioneering spirit among parents and initiators. Waldorf schools grew rapidly in capital cities, with an enthusiastic clientele of native educated middle-class and emigrant Europeans who found here familiar values and an internationally tested, child-centered curriculum. Today, many of these schools successfully lead young people to university entry, perform impressive artistic work, and are financially and socially stable and established. And yet one often comes across questions like the ones cited above, which indicate that people working here can experience themselves as part of an imported culture, having more or less accepted that what lives locally as wisdom and tradition is somehow inferior to the European Waldorf style.

This is aggravated by the problem that even after decades, most of these countries are unable to finance thorough teacher education due to a lack of state support. This is why – and this is happening more and more often in Europe as well – teachers find themselves in positions of responsibility in schools right after their first acquaintance with the Waldorf world, and are more interested in classroom strategies than in the foundations. In order to create a stable daily routine, one needs maps and signposts. A list of traditions, even one that appears foreign and old-fashioned as it, comes in very handy.

The Waldorf Decolonization Impulse deals with the question of what is authentically Waldorf: even in 19th century phase of political and cultural colonialism, not all Europeans were high-handed exploiters: some of them went to non-European countries with a sincere ethical sense of mission (at least from their point of view) and yet created and left behind much suffering, because they failed to listen to the locals. It is high time to come to terms with this damage and also to ask questions of ourselves: despite our high regard for all the admirable pioneering achievements – which aspects would and do we have to approach differently today?

I work as a mentor, conducting almost daily seminars and courses with people in Asia and Africa who want to give fresh, authentic impulses to their communities. Often their ideals are social ones: they have encountered Waldorf education in expensive middle-class schools and now want to make it accessible to children whose parents cannot afford prohibitive school fees. Some want to establish Waldorf schools in rural areas, in the local language and dialect, and have to explain their impulses without using English or French. Usually a few friends find each other, rent some rooms and off they go – this is reminiscent of the first English Waldorf school, which started in London in 1925 with seven children and five teachers. There is often no time or money for training – should that mean the impulse of a people-oriented reform education will have to wait? These pioneers are often very serious about Waldorf education, seeking to understand it from the inside, and not just adopt traditional values and practices. They are developing curricula and processes that fit their culture and the 21st century, rather than taking the roundabout route still followed in many places in Europe: «What did Caroline von Heydebrand have to say about this? What did Steiner suggest? What did our mentor bring thirty years ago from Stuttgart?»

It is certainly helpful to be informed by established good practice – but that is not automatically suitable for orientation, especially if one is moving in a completely different context of time and space.

Instead, the new pioneers go directly to the sources: They ask not only what Steiner said, but what he meant, and how that might be translated into local contexts. For example, it makes sense all over the world for ten-year-old children to learn about house building and farming practices, because the acquisition of these skills gives them stability in a necessary developmental crisis. This does, however, not have to be clothed in Hebrew mythology or involve imagery connected to the Middle Ages, as is customary in Europe, and it certainly should not assume the four seasons of the northern hemisphere. At the equator, agriculture follows quite different rhythms, and local curricula must be designed accordingly.

Incidentally, considering decolonization also makes sense in a European context: Is it really still appropriate to talk about ‹Voyages of Discovery› in seventh grade? It does not detract from the undoubted courage of Columbus if his journeys are also viewed from the perspective of local people: America, Africa, Asia or Australia did not have to be ‹discovered›. People already lived there, and they had it no worse than Europeans. Every misguided, adventurous, charismatic Columbus was followed by an unscrupulous Pizarro, bent only on submission and exploitation. The Indian subcontinent, for example, had the highest GDP on earth in the 16th century, before the Portuguese went on their ‹voyages of discovery› and put an end to prosperity. From the European point of view, highly developed cultures increasingly became passive trading partners or, even worse, suppliers of slaves, and that long overdue narrative needs to find its way into our classrooms.

We are also on the way to finally overcoming well-intentioned yet fatal clichés: ‹African culture› does not exist, nor do ‹African› music, language or politics. There are over 1500 languages on the continent, 250 of them in Nigeria alone. Simplifications and superficialities (sentences like «African houses are built of mud and straw» can still be found in many a third-grade book) are the result of a Eurocentric culture clinging on to the belief that it has discovered Africa and wrongly regarding and presenting itself as superior.

By Sven Saar

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​A group of sculptors studied vertical lines at the Goetheanum in order to come closer to the forms of the first Goetheanum’s small cupola.

Intensive studies of the forms of the upper horizontal line, the architraves in other words (Anthroposophy Worldwide 5/2022), were followed, from 30 September to 2 October 2022, by in-depth work on vertical lines. We sculpted the first column, its capital, the throne at the foot and the segment of the architrave above, trying also to include the cupola painting above the column in our observations.

For the sculptors, these weekends are research into the forms that were lost in the fire. By working on a model, we try to experience the language of the forms and their movement or flow. As we work, we share our thoughts and insights. For instance the gravity of the throne at the foot of the column, the depth of the seat and how it is integrated in the surroundings with its protective roof and surfaces point to a still entirely spiritual quality. The impression of a spiritual stream flowing to the throne from above is evoked by the extremely slender and tall column in conjunction with the form of the architrave above. It appears like a drop falling down from a broad base. At the end of the sculptors’ meeting a complete colour image of the first column stood before my soul and had to be caught immediately in a sketch so that it would not disappear again.

‘When the soul begins to experience what lives in the forms of the building, the immediate forms will vanish from the soul and what lives in the forms, the language of the forms will reveal the path of the soul into the expansive spheres of the spirit,’ Rudolf Steiner said in his lecture of 10 October 1914 (GA 287). More ...