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March e-news from the team of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum
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March Newsletter 2019

Youth Section
Goetheaum - School of Spiritual Science


 


"Mut! Den lernt man schnell oder gar nicht. […] Mut, sich zu sagen: Das Leben der Welt muss in seinen Fundamenten neu gegründet werden."

"Courage! We learn it fast or not at all. (...) Courage to say to ourselves: the life of the world must be constructed anew from its foundations."

Rudolf Steiner's address to the youth on the 20 July 1924 in Arnheim.

 
Warm spring greetings from the Goetheanum!
Dear Youth-Section friends worldwide,

The year started full of strength for all the upcoming initiatives. Below you can read about the International Students Conference, organised by a group of students from different schools in Germany together with the Youth Section's team. Ronja and Till are leading this huge endeavour for young people from all around the world to meet and develop one of the essential tasks for each one to experience: Courage.

Living is also relaying in the acts of courage of so many people! How much courage was needed to create environments of freedom and peace for children to grow in a way to develop towards their own singular and unique destiny? How much courage is needed today to create this environment all around for those who are coming and meeting the challenges and the beauty of being part of our society? How much courage is needed to stand for the life of our planet, to search for peace, to stand for our ideals? Celebrating 100 years of Waldorf Education is asking ourselves about courage to engage. To engage in participating, in becoming, in asking, knowing, doing.

We are more than happy and so much looking forward to welcoming the students in April for "Courage!"

In this newsletter you will also read about the February Days - around the questions on Art and Spirituality -, the gathering for the young members of the School of Spiritual Science, the upcoming events in Italy, Latvia and Halifax, about the International Youth Section Gathering at the Goetheanum in June, the Mystery Drama Conference and glimpses about our Research Project.

"What makes me courageous?" was a recent question in preparation to the Conference.  Courage is all around - we are asked to remind ourselves to live courageously.

Constanza Kaliks
 

Upcoming Youth Section Goetheanum Events

Spring - Summer 2019
 
"Courage"
International Students Conference 2019
23 - 27 April
Goetheanum, Switzerland

700 students from all over the world will gather at the Goetheanum to find new ways to be courageous in the face of the challenges of our present times.

There is still time to register, will you join us?

What meaning does courage have for young people from all around the world? What role does it play in current times, and what influence does it have in intercultural encounters and striving of personal and societal development? How can we let courage guide us throughout our lives?

During our five-day conference in April we want to create a space of intercultural and intergenerational exchange, in which the participants will learn not only about sociological and psychological approaches regarding the question of courage and fear, but also they will have the chance to experience group dynamics and reflect on how they will develop over the five days that they will spend together with the other participants. They will be able to observe within themselves and share with each other how they individually perceive their personal development, within this group of approximately 700 young people from all around the world. Our workshop and conversation-group facilitators and keynote speakers for this conference come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, because it is our goal to discuss the theme of courage from various perspectives.

As students from around the world, we want to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Waldorf school movement. We want to critically reflect on the past 100 years and also to create visions and ideas for the coming 100 years. What does the Waldorf movement need courage for? What does every individual within the movement need courage for, in order to sustain and develop Waldorf education? What are the challenges we are confronted with nowadays as Waldorf schools, and how can the new generation of students help co-create the future of the movement?

We are very excited to announce that we will have the chance to go to Basel with all participants during the conference to perform our "creative intervention" where we will be able to share our insights, ideas and questions with the public in the city center.

Also there will be a common question for every day that we will discuss about together and that will be dealt with in lectures and conversation groups so we can have a common experience and fruitful discussions also in the breaks.

In the nights there will be a night cafe with a bonfire to continue the discussions, dance, get to know each other and enjoy the togetherness, to get inspired and learn from each other and about different cultures.

We want to warmly invite all high school students in the Age of 15 to 19 years old to come and participate in our conference from April 23 to 27, 2019. For more information, registration, and scholarship possibilities have a look at our website isc19.com.

We also want to warmly invite everyone to spread this information about our conference.

Ronja Eis and Till Höffner
Youth Section at the Goetheanum and ISC 2019 team members

 
 
"Living Questions in a Time of Conscious Becoming"

24-25 May

Emerson College, England


You are all warmly invited to participate in the first UK sharing of insights from "(Re)Search: The Spiritual Striving of Youth – Defining Our Reality", a research project carried out by the Youth Section at the Goetheanum.

The gathering will take participants through the research team’s journey to find suitable questions and approaches to qualitative social research in connection to spiritual science.

We would like to share how, through a living methodology based on openness, trust and an honest interest in human dialogue, it was possible to unveil young people’s current perspectives on topics such as education, relationships and spirituality. We will also talk about the questions living in us today, how these are being explored and the experience of "Conscious Becoming", a fascinating phenomenon arising from the project participants’ testimonies.  

Everyone attending this sharing is encouraged to bring their own questions to the gathering, as to enable an active dialogue during the meeting. We look forward to meeting you there!

To find out more about (Re)Search: The Spiritual Striving of Youth – Defining Our Reality, visit www.youthsection.org. For more information about the gathering and the project, contact the team at mail@youthsection.org.
 
 

"International Youth Section Gathering"
28 - 30 June
Goetheanum, Switzerland


A very warm invitation goes to all the young people taking initiative in the Youth Section's work at an international level. After the successful meeting in The Hague in 2017, where new projects and initiatives were born, we will gather again to find new visions for our common future work. Some of the questions inspiring this meeting include:

What does it mean to be a human being in our times?

Which motivations are leading each of us to our decisions and initiatives?

How can we build communication and working bridges between the different generations?

How can we develop the needed qualities in order to work in fraternity?

Which kind of spaces do we need in order to meet each other and work together?

Which is our relationship with the Anthroposophical Society and with the School of Spiritual Science?
 
 
 
"Spirituality - Fear and Health"
Mystery Dramas Conference
29 July - 4 August
Goetheanum, Switzerland

Join us in a five-day journey through the stories of the Mystery Dramas and their characters. Together with the General Anthroposophical Section and the Medical Section at the Goetheanum, we have prepared a special programme for students and young people under 30... and a special price too! Check out the programme and the where to register below. We hope to see you here!
 
 

Event Reports

Winter 2019
 

Art and Spirit:
The Role of the Arts Today


Review of the 2019 Youth Section at the Goetheanum’s winter annual conference

This year’s theme for the Youth Section’s winter annual conference was "Art and Spirit: the role of the arts today". The organising team’s motivation behind this topic was to discuss the idea of art as a bridge in the path of knowledge between science and spirituality, and to ask questions such as: why does the artist seek knowledge of reality out of an observation of nature and its revelation of the supra-sensible? What is the meaning of art in a spiritual path such as Anthroposophy? and of course, what is the role of art for our contemporary societies which are seeking and striving in new ways towards the spirit? As the programme began to take shape and the collaborators brought their own impulses, these questions sharpened and took new magnitudes.
"From my personal experience, it was impressive to see deep questions arising among the participants, such as inquiries regarding the strive for spirituality and the urge for creating art in a materialistic culture that many times tends to discourage our creative thinking. It was very motivating hearing from and speaking with people from different backgrounds and different parts of the world who share similar concerns as me. It was refreshing to realize that art can not only be a tool for self-development, but it can also act in a wider extension and lead to a huge transformation as a whole community". Mayumi Matsumiya, Brazil.
The conference opened with the "Goetheanum Experience", a tour-session on the landscapes, architecture and art works housed in the Goetheanum. The leading question was "where can we discern spirit in matter?". Marianne Schubert (Visual Arts Section, Goetheanum) led an observation of the main and surrounding buildings, shedding light on the thoughtful processes that were involved in Rudolf Steiner’s designs. We were also able to see models of the first Goetheanum and compare its shapes with the current building, allowing our own thinking activity to wonder about why two such different forms for the same spiritual school. This was a great example of how truly spirit and matter are not separated from each other, but in a constant creative dialogue, shaping and influencing each other and us in the process.

Benno Otter (Garden Park, Goetheanum) guided us through an experience that opened our eyes and hearts to the designs of the garden and its pathways leading to different resting and contemplative spots around the main building; all of which form the unity of the campus for the School of Spiritual Science. Here, it was possible to think of harmony as a central element of landscaping as art. Concepts such as balance between the distances and the introduction of foreign elements that are imbued with meaning, often can arise the visitor of the Goetheanum’s gardens.

With Caroline Chanter (Rudolf Steiner Painting School) participants observed and sketched The Representative of Humanity’s wooden sculpture, and entered deep discussion about the beings represented in the art piece, their qualities and possible tasks: what can we learn about the ahrimanic and luciferic forces, and the human archetype, all of which live in each of us, by looking at the detailed work carried out by the artists? A final group worked with Christian Hitsch, who was responsible for the great painting and remodelling project of the Main Hall. He drew all their attention towards the painted ceiling, glass windows and sculpted columns that surround the main stage at the Goetheanum. Two hours was simply not enough to answer all the questions about the incredible details and narratives that are waiting to be discovered in every corner of what could be described as the Goetheanum’s heart.

Walter Kugler, one of our guest lecturers complemented this experience with a talk on Rudolf Steiner’s artistic impulse. Particularly impressive was to see early drawings of a young Steiner who clearly possessed a natural talent for drawing and painting. A main point arose: Anthroposophy is permeated by the attempt to unveil the connections between that which appear to us as separated (science, spirituality and art), and true knowledge is to be attained out of the conscious observation of the parts that constitute the whole.
As the gathering progressed, we looked not only at the immensity of artistic work produced by Steiner but that of others who, inspired by his ideas, influenced the cultural and artistic scenes of the 20th century. Luciana Pinheiro, author of "As cores da Alma" (2018), one of the latest biographies of the painter Hilma af Klimt, delighted us with a moving lecture about the work of the artist and her connection to Anthroposophy. It was touching to learn about the precursor of abstract painting through her biography, learning how she herself as a young person also struggled with some of the questions we still strive to find answers to today, and how this led her to form alliances and friendships that defined her whole career as an artist in the early 20th century.

The conference culminated with a thought-provoking lecture by Zvi Szir (Neue Kunstschule Basel). As the audience we were asked to confront the question: what is truly art? Is art a tool for something else or can art only be art when made for its own sake? Perhaps one of the most striking ideas presented here was the conflict between the role of artistic practice in a path of self-knowledge and the role of the artist – which, for Szir, should not be confused with each other. It’s safe to say that this did not leave us indifferent, opening up a thousand new questions that we hope to continue exploring in future gatherings at the Youth Section.
The wealth of knowledge presented at lectures was complemented by the offer of artistic workshops in painting, speech, eurythmy, theatre and humour that helped us bring ideas and new learnings into practice. In the evenings we were delighted by beautiful performances from young artists. Classical and folk Irish music respectively elevated our spirits and feet off of the ground; heart-warming stories of initiation took us to places never seen before through our imagination, and with the colours and forms of eurythmy we were transported to the sea-lands of Oscar Wilde’s tale "The Fisherman and His Soul".

The theme of future conferences will arise out of the suggestions from this year’s gathering, which included questions around destiny, biography and identity. Anyone wishing to collaborate in the organisation, can get in touch with the Youth Section team on mail@youthsection.org. For more information about future gatherings, visit www.youthsection.org

Andrea de la Cruz Barral
Youth Section at the Goetheanum

 

Young Members Annual Meeting
Oriago, Italy
Lessons 4, 5 & 6 of the First Class of the School of Spiritual Science

In Oriago, Italy, 30 young members of the School of Spiritual Science from different countries met from 28 February to 03 March to work on some of the contents of the First Class of the School of Spiritual Science

Origin of the meeting

The question of an individual inner development in connection with the challenges of the contemporary time, is the starting point and the main focus of this work, which seeds were sowed back in 2017 after the initiative meeting of the Youth Sections worldwide. Inspired by the conference "Meditation Worldwide" and also by a similar work that took place at the Youth Section many years ago, a group of six people decided to deepen the contents of the First Class together with other young class members at regular meetings. Their longing is to work in such a way that more and more answers can be found to the current questions and tasks of the youth.

In 2018, for the first time, all class members worldwide under the age of 35 were invited to work on the contents of the first three class lessons and to take the three soul forces (thinking, feeling, wanting) as preparation and conversation contents. After a very positive echo and the question of a continuation of this work, the gathering in 2019 was prepared for almost a year and also carried out content-wise by the organisation group during the preparation. The invitation to hold this international meeting in Oriago, Italy, was made after the first meeting in 2018.

Accompaniment by class holders and embedding the gathering in the work of the School of Spiritual Science
Elizabeth Wirsching, Constanza Kaliks and Claudio Puglisi accompanied the participants in a process to enable the deepening of the contents and ways of working with the topics of the first six class lessons. It was also possible to have open and inspirational conversations about the structure of the School of Spiritual Science and its tasks. The range of questions covered the general structure of the School of Spiritual Science and its sections, as well as specific questions about the connection of school membership with a section and the importance of such a decision.

Through social eurythmy, led by Daphnee Littman from Israel, we had the opportunity on the one hand to encounter each other and as a group and on the other to artistically experience contents that are present in class lessons and in the knowledge process.

The Threshold - Shifting - Process of Knowledge

"The Threshold" as a necessary experience and existing aspect of the process of knowledge  accompanied us in our work, both in the various content-related talks, in social eurythmy and through geometric exercises led by Constanza Kaliks. The moment that follows the threshold experience - the shifting – was experienced through these exercises too. Every process of knowledge which is immanently participative includes boundaries and turning points in the attempt to enter into dialogue with the realities encountered. The path of the class lessons shows how this dialogue can look in its diversity, and becomes a possibility to unfold forces that may support one's own being. Even if the process of knowledge on this path becomes more and more familiar, it is always necessary to go through it again and again.

Love - Counterforces and Balance - Nature and "Subnature"

In the preparation for the meeting, the team dealt with topics that are on the one hand deeply connected with the path of the class lessons and on the other hand contain very relevant questions of the present time. What is love and what role does it play on the path of knowledge? What role do the opposing forces play in this and what is their effectiveness? How is "subnature" expressed in relation to nature in the work "The Michael Letters" and where do we experience "subnature" today? How can we find an appropriate way of dealing with it? In short contributions, discussion groups and plenary sessions, these topics brought us to exchange personal experiences and gain new approaches for one's own questions. Thus seeds for further work were sown!

Commitment and future

In the last plenum it became visible how valuable it is nowadays to create spaces where an exchange can take place about the contents of the class lessons, the knowledge process as young class members and how common ground can be experienced. Even new class members who were not at the previous year’s gathering could immerse themselves in the contents in such a way that it was not noticeable for them that they were there for the first time.

The wish for a continuation of this meeting is firm and the preparation group will soon start to work on the required next steps!

Ioana Viscrianu
Youth Section at the Goetheanum

 

International Gatherings and News

Youth Section Worldwide

Spring - Summer 2019


 
"Tierra y Hombre"
18 - 20 April
La Choza, Argentina

"May we have the courage to be alone and the bravery to take the risk to be together."
Eduardo Galeano

To participate in the next gathering organised by the Youth Section in Argentina, titled "Earth and Man", and to find about thIs Easter programme, you can send them a message!
 
 
"Indaba Youth Training Week"
25 June - 3 July
Adazi Free Waldorf School, Latvia

We hope our dear friends of the Youth Section in Latvia had a very happy gathering for the Baltic Waldorf Youth Conference, which is happened this past weekend in Latvia. This is not the only event that they have been busying themselves with, however! This summer they will host an intensive and unique training week facilitated by wonderful international mentors and facilitators. If you are 18 - 35 and interested in participating in this very special gathering, you can click below to access all the information about the experience:
 
 
 


"Coraggio Giovanni"

Youth Conference Italy

July 11-14
Sicily, Italy

Yes, "courage" is definitely the international theme for the Youth Section movement worldwide this year. Our dear friends in Italy have prepared a wonderful conference programme that invites youth to come together in one of the most beautiful places in Sicilian land. The programme is packed with activities, including lectures by Joan Mele on the Social Threefold Order and art, eurythmy and speech sessions with Italian practitioners. You can see the full programme below:
 
 
"Questions of Courage"
North American Youth Section Conference

August 8-11
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Courage is not only the theme of this year's International Students Conference. It is also the heart of the North American Youth Section gathering for 16 - 35 year olds. This conference will be all about "bringing to life what lies just outside the margins of the comfortable, stirring the deeper questions that articulate the soul and move us in our more intimate moments…In gathering together we hope to find inspiration to re-imagine new futures, new possibilities for our earth and humankind." We cannot wait to participate and hear what the youth of North America have to say about being courageous in our times.
 
 
 
Waldorf Alumni Festival
August 7-12
Halifax, Nova Scotia

In parallel to the North America Youth Conference, the Waldorf Alumni Festival will also take place in Halifax. Here, ex-Waldorf school students from all over the world and of all ages can meet to celebrate their school years, as well as to explore ways in which as an alumni one can contribute to the future of education. To buy tickets, visit the beautiful website:
 
 
 
Welcome to the newly formed Youth Section in Perú!

There could be no better way to end this newsletter than to share with you all the wonderful news that a new Youth Section has been formed in Peru. Young Peruvians came together this month to discuss questions about karma, relationships, ethics, climate change, religion and of course... courage!

"Our first gathering was incredible... We discussed many themes, the first being courage. To start with we will each express our ideas about the chosen theme, later on we may invite others - friends, teachers, etc. - to talk about their experiences too. We have decided for it all not to remain only as a conversation, but to turn it into collective action. Without a doubt it was a refreshing and motivational gathering" Youth Section Peru Team Member

We look forward to hearing more about what a
ll the groups and young people connected to the Youth Section are working on, so please stay in touch!


With our best spring wishes,

Andrea, Constanza, Ioana, Ronja and Till
Youth Section at the Goetheanum

 
 
 

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