General Secretary’s December Letter

04 Dec General Secretary’s December Letter

Dear Members,

The meeting of the Goetheanum Executive Committee with the General Secretaries and Section Leaders was held in Dornach from November 1^st to 4^th. Among the points on the agenda: a) a review of the Michaelmas Conference and b) looking ahead to the 100^th anniversary of the founding of the General Anthroposophical Society in 2023. (See the November edition of Anthroposophy Worldwide.)

During our conversations and exchange of ideas, the following points were brought up concerning the Michaelmas Conference:

• The Executive Committee was observed as having been remarkably open to what was brought by the conference participants. This listening quality was indeed laudable but did not lead to clear decisions as to how to proceed. In fact, for many the Goetheanum’s primary function is to provide a place which allows human beings to truly meet one another.
• What can lead to a greater awareness of what is coming towards us from the future? How can we create a listening space within the Society that will allow members to truly voice their concerns? What must we change in our language or in our ways of expressing ourselves? Should we not make a greater effort to understand other spiritual streams?
• We must foster a new culture of working together. It is clear that by opening up this space, those who are in a position of “authority” – those who have the task of “leadership” – become more vulnerable. A way must be found to allow the “horizontal” dimension of meeting and opening up to others to coexist with the “vertical” aspect of inner work.
• How can we find the spirit again, but in a new way? The conference participants wondered what we could do for the world that would be completely new? How can we work towards establishing a more creative human culture?

Preparing for the 100^th anniversary of the General Anthroposophical Society (2023)

The Goetheanum Michaelmas Conference had been designed according to the three panels of the Foundation Stone Meditation:

Spirit recalling

Spirit sensing

Spirit beholding.

Although the Foundation Stone Meditation is the key element carried by the organizers of the significant event envisaged for the year 2023, the Goetheanum has not as yet laid out specific plans for the celebration.

On the other hand, several countries have already determined themes for the coming 7 years. The Swiss Society has been quite active in this regard. In the USA, there are plans to take up one of the six subsidiary exercises each year as a preparation for the 2023 commemoration.

As for our Canadian Society, the 1923 Christmas Conference and the Foundation Stone were the central focus of the annual meeting of Council members with Class Holders in October.

Here in Canada, the Foundation Stone could certainly be a theme that we might all take up, perhaps as the theme for our coming AGM’s? It would remain to be seen how the various groups across the country could harmonise their research and share news of their progress. Would it be conceivable that each group undertake an artistic, social or scientific project in which anthroposophy is at work, and report on their results during our AGM’s and members’ conferences?

The essential thing to keep in mind when preparing this type of commemorative activity is not to focus exclusively on the past, but to cultivate living impulses that can bear fruit for the future of mankind.

         Challenges of our Times

The recent world events (our attention is immediately drawn to the elections in the United States) call upon us to look beyond the facts in order to understand the forces at work behind these events. One thing that has struck me recently is the fact that the way we read the news has changed radically. We have only to think of the false information carried by social media outlets and how this appeals to raw emotions. Experts in the media field agree that during the last twenty years a post-factual era has emerged. By appealing to criteria which provoke purely emotional, rather than cognitive, reactions, we come to consider this false news data as being true. Among these we can include rampant conspiracy theories and the controversy surrounding President Obama’s birth certificate.

Let us recall the words this president spoke on November 17^th in the presence of Angela Merkel:

« If we are not serious about what is factual and what’s not – and particularly in an age of social media where so many people are getting their information in soundbites and snippets off their phones – if we can’t discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems.”

Rudolf Steiner often encouraged us to be vigilant and extremely cautious regarding reported facts, for such false reports can hide forces which are attempting to spread chaos. He always reminded us how spiritual work could bring help in such a context.

Olaf Asteson

At this time of year when the days grow shorter and darker as we approach Christmas, our souls seek inner light. The ancient Norwegian legend of Olaf Asteson offers an archetypal image of the spiritual journey experienced during the nights leading from Christmas to Epiphany. The following is an excerpt from the Dream Song of Olaf Asteson:

Come listen to my song!

The song of a nimble youth

         Of Olaf Asteson will I sing,    

         Who lay and slept so long.

He laid him down on Christmas Eve  

         And soon lay deeply sleeping

         Nor could be awakened

Until the people went to church

Upon the thirteenth day…

And then, at the end, after going through the many trials: ……

Michael stood in majesty

And weighed the souls of men

Upon his heavenly scales,

And near him, judging, stood

The Lord of Judgment, Jesus Christ

In Brooksvalin, where souls

         World judgment undergo.

Blessed is he who in earthly life

Unto the poor gives clothes!

He need not fear the freezing wastes

Of ice in Brooksvalin,

Thus speaks the Balance.

And World truth

Sounds forth in spirit heights.

And young and old

they all gave heed,

To Olaf’s words they harkened

That told them of his dreams.

You have slept long indeed…

Awaken now, O Olaf Asteson!

This tale recounts the spiritual path which takes Olaf Asteson through the world of the elements, the evil earthly forces. As he seeks for truth and devotion, he meets Michael and the Christ and pleads for compassion. If understood rightly, this tale can encourage us to gather up the fruits of the Holy Nights within us and find inspirations strong enough to carry us throughout the entire year.

(See Rudolf Steiner’s lecture of December 31^st,1914 – Art as seen in the light of Mystery Wisdom, lecture four).

Warm wishes for the Christmas season and a New Year filled with peace and happiness.

Arie van Ameringen

General Secretary.