Newsletter April 2023

Young In Time

The young heart is humbled by the wonder of things.

It is astounded by the boredom and lethargy of age.

The young heart knows that those who have grown old
find young awe in life misplaced.

They know that these “elders” have unlearned the celebration of seeing a slug in a wakeful moment of forgetfulness, when the world articulates itself, as for the first time.

For the young, it is speaking, again, for the first time.

To be young is to have life speak for the first time into the heart.

It is the crush that is focused on another person, a person who is somehow also the whole world. It is a crush on life.

Youth does not believe in age.

It does not believe in the dead weight of times heavy chains,

that the heart will give way to dullness and routine,

that the song of time, even in its terror, will play itself out.

Youth does not believe in death.

It does not believe the vitality of the world has put it together, a flower of life, and that it will also take it apart, petal by petal.

The young heart calls out a pledge:

I will never sell out!

I will never lose hope!

I will never abandon justice!

This pledge echoes in the halls of universities. From the lecture halls the veil of silence responds.

It threatens to suffocate the friends by turning them into specimens of dead thoughts.

It threatens to erect a shadow wall, with bricks of death, before their faces, and taking the ones that are loved, to take the world.

What does the truth feel like?

A living person.

III

Youth is an image of the spirit.

The young heart will turn into a stooped, sorrowful figure of dusk, if the spirit is not found.

The young heart knows the spirit is invincible.

It must strive to participate in the living spirit, becoming invincible through trial, hypocrisy, crisis, even death.

The glory of youth can find itself in time.

The sun of youth only sets if the spirit fails to set the heart aflame.

Dear Friends of the Youth Section Worldwide,

At the end of a life dedicated to thinking Dominique Janicaud reflected on the core of philosophy as wonder:

Wonder in the face of being, in the face of the very fact that there is being, this astonishment could be hailed and held precious, since it may be the most philosophical act of all.

Here, in wonder, there is a starting point for connecting to existence, to connecting with life, but does the starting point have to come at the end of a life of philosophy? One does not have to be an age worn philosopher for this. One does not have to be like Socrates, who completes his decades long journey of winding thought, traversing fields and canyons, only to understand how little he knows. In an important way this awe belongs not to the tried philosopher, but to youth, to the young heart. Anthroposophy is a practice of situating life so that it’s awe-some, awe-ful character can articulate itself, so that out of this awe a living knowledge, a knowledge irradiated by the spirit can emerge.

But today it is a difficult time to claim a native sentiment of youthfulness. It is difficult to claim awe. It is not easy for young people to own the value of an abandon to the strange wonder of things, of change, of being. It is much easier to be wise in an old way, to be cool and collected, not affected, to keep a sober view on controlling life and utility. Part of this is connected to the fact that the last generation to believe in the awesome, in the good, were severely disappointed in time and everyone seems to be the wiser for it. They are parents and grandparents today. Another difficulty young people are facing is connected with their animating 6 avatars in various online digital spaces that most often conceal more than they reveal. Young people today point out how these new techno-terrains of time and life isolate them even while they are lauded as miracles of connection.

The idealistic fantasies and stories in the style of the 60s failed in many ways. Idealistic stories and intentions are not enough today. What is needed are robust powers of awe and reverence for life, powers that get stronger with use and that can become capacities to understand life, to develop into a living philosophy. These capacities can bring along a balancing effect on the isolating influence of our new digital way of life.

In any case there is a natural affinity between the young heart that senses the call of the spirit and anthroposophy. Young people certainly feel that the hearts capacity for wonder, for love, directed to existence, can allow the world to articulate its own meaning and majesty. Anthroposophy is a path that involves strengthening awe and reverence for experience to a point where a new, and living, understanding becomes possible. Many young people have already met this spirit in some way as it can be found in many a waldorf school or many a bio-dynamic farm.

It can also be found in between the lines of the offerings in this newsletter. It is largely to this life between the lines that this year is dedicated. I arrived at the Goetheanum as the new leader of the Youth Section in January. I am picking up threads and making connections with affiliated youth groups and initiatives around the world and cultivating an openness to what might be waiting to emerge in the next decade. One task that I can already see clearly, and that I am working on with Jacinta Gorchs and Gabriele Nys, is welcoming contact from everyone we can and then spinning these contacts on toward others. We are inviting conversation, and then sharing the good word in the next circle we find ourselves in.

This newsletter is a humble and exciting beginning in this direction, and there are more to come,

Nathaniel Williams

On behalf of the Youth Section team at the Goetheanum

YOUTH SECTION CO-WORKERS' GATHERING 2023

JUNE 21st - 25th, 2023

Today, 99 years after the founding of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum, we are ringing the bells to call on young people who are working out of the spirit of Anthroposophy with other young people.

This year there are groups from around the world seeking a new affiliation with the Youth Section. Core members from these groups will be present at our meeting. We want to find a form for mutual and clear affiliation and connection with the Youth Section for all

YOUTH SECTION IN GERMANY
Summer 2023

In Germany we are in an exciting process: we are preparing for our Youth Section’s founding ceremony which will take place on the 30th June - 2nd of July 2023! As many people are surprised to hear, in a country where there are so many projects, initiatives and conferences lead by young people connected to anthroposophy, there is no official youth section, yet.

We are a core group of 8 young people, aged 25-34 spread across Germany who are excited to be preparing the founding celebration for the youth section in Germany.
A few weeks ago, we spent a weekend in Dornach at the

Youth Section house and in the Goetheanum, and it was amazing to feel and see the „flow“ between us all. The last years have been tough at times, filled with unclarity and a lack of clear commitment which makes our recent fiery and light filled meetings all the more joyful and relieving. Slowly we are establishing our own forms of communication and methods of leading meetings that are truly in line with our greater purpose of creating Herzensräume - “heart spaces”. Spaces of encounter where words can be spoken that are filled with meaning and honesty.

This gathering is intended for young people seeking an understanding of the inner work and orientations at the heart of the anthroposophical movement and the School for Spiritual Science, and their relationship to modern culture and society.

During the weekend challenges of contemporary spiritual culture, introductory spiritual practices and tasks for the future will be explored. Besides presentations there will be time during the weekend for individual practice and opportunities for discussion. We are only able to accommodate 30 participants for this gathering.

Hosts: Nathaniel Williams (Leader of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum) and Patrick Kennedy (Co-director of the Seminary of the Christian Community for North America)

INTERNATIONAL

YOUTH CONFERENCE

IN GEORGIA

AUGUST

9th - 13th, 2023

We are the Youth Society Parzival from Georgia. In 2019 after years of working with anthroposophy we decided to officially form an organization that would transfer and translate anthroposophical impulses and ideas into physical forms and projects in our own society. With the support from our relatives, friends, society, and fund organizations we managed to build a weekend school mostly with our hands in a small village called Matsevani. At the moment, we teach 30 kids with the principles of Waldorf pedagogy and we also host a youth seminar where

10 young adults have a space to connect with themselves and their biography and find ways to continue their life path. We do this entirely for free.
But this letter is about our present big endeavour - with the help of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum to co-organize and host an International Summer Youth Conference “Principles of Healthy Social Life” here, in our newly built school surroundings, in the fields and woods of the village where we would love to one day form a commune. We think each person who attends the conference also takes part in its creation as everyone brings his/her own experiences, thoughts, and impulses and shares them with others - so this is everyone’s conference. We would like to use these 5 days to move forward with our thoughts, and to find ways of working toward social health within existing social forms in our own communities. We are waiting with open hearts for other like-minded young people who have similar concerns or urges to take a deep look at topics of social threefolding and what we can do now. We hope to see you in Georgia this Summer from 9th to the 13th of August!

Question! Encounter! Play! is an inclusive arts project that aims to bring together young asylum seekers in Switzerland and young people in Europe. During the project, participants with and without experiences as refugees, live and work together for a week in the Goetheanum’s surroundings. Guided by members and collaborators of the Youth Section, the participants create a theatre play from scratch that considers their biographical journeys. Parts of the script and music, the stage and costume design are developed collaboratively out of the weaving of talents and collective initiative during the week.

The Youth Access and Project Fund is being developed out of the social awareness necessary for a global youth movement. The Section for the Spiritual Striving of the Youth, or the Youth Section, is not a physical location. It is alive in the global network, and its life depends on interaction, exchange and give and take. This give and take happens through mutual interest, initiative, and spiritual connection, but it also takes place through sharing resources and shifting them where they are needed as we set out to do things together.

This way of working with a fund will ensure that our global, diverse team can show up for one another. One pressing example of this is our upcoming network gathering. Many who would like to attend are future leaders of our movement and society and many are facing challenging social-economic situations. They are inquiring directly with their country societies (if these exist) for support, and we are asking everyone to try to fund their own travel and costs, but this is simply impossible in some cases. Of course, this is only one of many similar situations we will face in the coming years so talk of this fund, and its perennial replenishing, will be part of our ongoing work. To contribute to the fund, follow the link below and select “Youth Access and Project Fund” in the “Purpose” drop-down menu..

STUDENT ASSOCIATION

SPRING EVENT

AT THE GOETHEANUM

APRIL 30TH, 2023

An initiative from students for students with the wish to create visibility, exchange and support between all the anthroposophical schools in the surrounding area of the Goetheanum.

"What brings us together?"

During this event we want to:

Follow up on the first event that took place in November 2022.

Explore the interest in creating a student association in the near future.

Sing and dance led by our special guests from the "Michael School of Music".

Do some clay work with our friends from the Sculpting School

And more...

Please confirm attendance:

studium@goetheanum.ch

GENERATION
WIND OF SPIRIT

CREATING A BOOK TOGETHER WITH MESSAGES FROM THE YOUTH

An invitation from Michael Hille:

I warmly invite you to participate in a courageous project entitled Generation Wind of Spirit.

My intention with this project is to investigate, understand and experience the work of the Good Spirit of human and earth development that is living in you, your generation, and in the transformation of our cultures:

how does the spirit work in the young generation, in your individual development, and in the emergence of a new art of encounter with oneself self, another, and the world?

michael.hille.1@gmx.de

GUERREIROS SEM ARMAS
WARRIORS WITHOUT WEAPONS
BRAZIL

Do you believe that it is possible for us to join forces to build a better future for you, for others, and for the world?

Are you looking for an opportunity to be part of a global community of leaders capable of carrying out transformational projects and generating real impact?

Guerreiros Sem Armas is the international Leadership training run by Instituto Elos, which brings together 60 young people from all over the world annually in Brazil to enhance their abilities for making changes in their personal and professional lives, both on an individual and collective scale.

SONNERDEN
EIN ZUKUNFTSDORF

‹‹Die Angst vor einer Zukunft, die wir fürchten, können wir nur überwinden durch Bilder von einer Zukunft, die wir wollen.››

Wilhelm-Ernst Barkhoff

In der Mitte von Deutschland liegt die schöne Rhön – dort haben wir 2020 begonnen am Zukunftsdorf SonnErden zu bauen. Ein weltoffener Ort der Leben, Lernen und Arbeiten verbindet.

Im Sommer 2023 wollen wir mit den zweiten ‹DaSeinsWochen› wieder viele Wandelinteressierte zusammenbringen. Unter dem Motto „Kopf, Herz & Hand verbinden“ laden wir ab Ende Juli 2023 Macher:innen und Expert:innen ins Dorf ein, um zukunftsweisende Projekte umzusetzen. Auch das Open-Stage-Kunstfestival wird vom 6. bis 8. August wieder stattfinden.

With the intention to explore social, political, economic, and cultural questions in the light of anthroposophy, we asked ourselves: what is the task of youth within the social organism?

You will find here the free access link to the interviews on GoetheanumTV that are a small record of a series of face-to-face meetings that took place in the Youth Section at the Goetheanum throughout the year 2022 on the theme of Social Threefolding.
You can also subscribe to GoetheanumTV to see content from other Sections online.

These encounters inspired us to organise a larger event for this year's "February Days" on the same theme. Rosario Gabrielli, member of the organising team, wrote a beautiful article describing how the event unfolded. Link to the article below!

In addition, we are sharing the link to access the lectures that were given by:
Max Ruhri from the Free Community Bank in Basel, Holger Willms from Ways to Quality, Cristóbal Ortín from the Christian Community Zurich / Social threefolding association in Switzerland and, Götz Feeser from the Presencing Institute / Theory U.

Our deepest gratitude to each of them!

We are aiming to have a second event late this year to explore this further. Stay tuned!

INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS' CONFERENCE 2024

The International Students’ Conference brings together high school students from around the world for a five day program to dive deeper into a present theme.

The conference is organised by the Youth Section at the Goetheanum in collaboration with the board of the students’ representatives of Waldorf school in Germany, the Waldorf SV as well as other students from around the world.

The first meeting of the team from 17th to the 19th March was already a wonderful, hope-giving and empow- ering experience that leaves us with a lot of strength and will to get going!

How can the work of Anthroposophy be renewed and strengthened in a rapidly changing world? After more than 100 years of existence, what are its next steps? How can we take the experiences, challenges and achievements of the Anthroposophical Movement, Society and School of Spiritual Science into the future? Together we want to reshape the world movement that emerged from Anthroposophy!
We look forward to hearing different perspectives and questions from your Anthroposophical work. We are interested in your ideas and viewpoints on how the movement can progress, given the challenges and needs of our time.
A transdisciplinary working conference at which common challenges and questions of our time will be worked through, and artistic interventions, impulses for the future and encounters will be given space.

In 1924 Rudolf Steiner called to the youth of his time with the words, "stick together with an iron will". This was to overcome the great differences in perspectives and because, in Steiner’s words, “Sticking together is what is most necessary if we hope to accomplish anything today with regards to life’s great issues. […] Eventually, you may realise that the greatest of your youth was knowing how to stay together." (Steiner, R. in "Youth & the Etheric Heart" CW 217a)

In this spirit, we would like to appeal to our members and friends to support young people to come together. We would be very grateful for your support and will to help young people find their way to the Goetheanum!