 PRAYERS aka “Morning Verses” and Hymns Here are two prayers, written by Rudolf Steiner, that students in many Waldorf schools recite each morning. Various wordings are used; I will take the texts from the book PRAYERS FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2004), which consists of multiple prayers Steiner composed. The use of the following prayers in Waldorf schools certainly indicates that the schools — despite frequent denials — are religious institutions. What else can we find by studying these prayers? I’ll suggest how Anthroposophical tenets peek out from between the lines: MORNING VERSE FOR THE FOUR LOWER CLASSES “The Sun with loving light [1] Makes bright for me each day; The soul with spirit power [2] Gives strength unto my limbs; In sunlight shining clear I reverence, O God, [3] The strength of humankind, [4] That thou so graciously Hast planted in my soul, That I with all my might May love to work and learn. [5] From Thee come light and strength, To Thee rise love and thanks.” [6] MORNING VERSE FOR THE FOUR UPPER CLASSES “I look into the world; [7] In which the Sun shines, [8] In which the stars sparkle, [9] In which the stones lie, [10] The living plants are growing, The animals are feeling, [11] In which the soul of man Gives dwelling for the spirit; [12] I look into the soul Which lives within myself. God’s spirit weaves in light Of Sun and human soul, [13] In world of space, without, In depths of soul, within. God’s spirit, ‘tis to Thee [14] I turn myself in prayer, [15] That strength and blessing grow [16] In me, to learn and work.” [17] [1] How can the Sun, a ball of flaming gases, send “loving” light? Steiner taught that Christ is the Sun God who came to Earth. In this sense, the Sun has sent us the loving light of Christ's spirit. The Sun's loving beneficence is the great spiritual truth enabling human evolution, according to Steiner.  [2] Why is there reference to both soul and spirit? In Anthroposophy, these are not the same. The soul is an inner spiritual element of each human, revised and altered during the process of reincarnation. The spirit, on the other hand, is an unchanging spiritual essence coming from the mighty spirit realm. [3] Note that the children address God. They are praying. [4] What is the strength of humankind? It is our spiritual capacity to rise into the spirit realm (Steiner said we can do this through eurythmy, for instance — most Waldorf schools require eurythmy); the strength of humankind is also our ability to reincarnate and evolve to higher and higher states of consciousness. No other creature on or in the Earth can do this; we have a spiritual ego, an “I”, while animals and such beings as gnomes (which Steiner said live in the earth — this is why gnome figures are often present in Waldorf classrooms) do not have "I"s. [5] The main forms of work and learning stressed by Steiner entail the arduous task of spiritual “science” — Steiner's new religion, which he called Anthroposophy (meaning human wisdom). Waldorf schools are often weak academically, in part because they focus on implanting Anthroposophical attitudes and beliefs rather than academic knowledge, which Steiner disparaged as the product of dead materialistic thinking. [6] The importance of light (the “loving” light of the Sun, i.e., Jesus) is reinforced here, and the prayerful nature of this “verse” is underscored by the love and thanks offered to God. [7] Looking "into" the world is quite different from looking at it. Looking "into" suggests looking within, under the surface of apparent reality. This would be fine, except that Waldorf teachers often think that below the surface are gnomes, Norse gods who are alive and well, and so on: occult hogwash that they often convey, one way or another, to their students. A second meaning of looking "into" the world involves alienation. Steiner taught that there are at least two "higher" worlds, the soul world and the spirit world. Waldorf students, even if they are not explicitly informed of this doctrine, are urged to feel themselves separate from the world around them, the material world — what some would call the real world. The students do not look around themselves at the real world, they look "into" the real world from a vantage point outside it (specifically, the vantage point of the enclosed, insular, "higher" Waldorf community — as it were, a higher world). [8] Like the prayer recited by younger children, this one gives priority to the Sun (implicitly Jesus, the Sun God). In this case, the reference may pass casual inspection, since there is no reference to the Sun’s “love” or any other religious concept. Indeed, various lines in both prayers may seem unobjectionable — they seem more or less consistent with ordinary religious belief. Concealment, as Steiner himself said, which was part of Steiner's objective. The prayers, like the entire Waldorf curriculum, have Anthroposophical content, but measures are taken to disguise this. [9] This line, too, is or seems innocuous; It maybe recited without stirring Anthroposophy within a child’s soul. Still, we should note in passing that Steiner said all stars, not just the Sun, are the dwelling places of spirits; and he advocated astrology, as when using the stars in casting horoscopes. [10] Some schools use the word “repose” instead of “lie”. The Waldorf school I attended did. Why would they? Steiner taught that stones are alive, at least in that they are part of the Earth, which he said is alive, breathing in or out every six months or so. To be precise: "The maha-para-nirvana plane [is where] "the solid stone has its life." [Rudolf Steiner, THE FOUNDATIONS OF ESOTERICISM (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1982), lecture 5, GA 93a.] [11] Like all the other lines in this verse so far, these lines about plants and animals seem innocuous. Plants grow; no denying that. Animals feel; no denying that. The difference between plants, animals, and humans, according to Steiner, is that all three have etheric bodies (nonphysical “bodies” in addition to physical bodies), animals and humans also have “astral bodies”, but only humans have “I”s. Also, animals have no real capacity for thought or even memory — in this sense, the resemble subhumans who also lack "I"s and who can only remember words, not sentences. [12] Now the prayer begins to place Anthroposophical concepts at its surface. These two lines differentiate between soul and spirit — see note #2, above. I apologize for the syntactical flaws in the prayer — Steiner wrote it, not I ("I"). [13] The distinction between soul and spirit is repeated, and the light of the Sun is mentioned again. Significantly, there is also a reference to “God’s spirit”. Although Steiner taught that a monotheistic God may exist one day, at present we live in a polytheistic universe, swarming with gods, both good gods and evil gods. Young children are given a prayer that addresses “God” because a sole god is an easy concept for young minds to grasp. But here, the older children are nudged toward a more sophisticated Anthroposophical concept. “God’s spirit” is the divine impulse, not yet perfectly realized in the One True God. This spirit can be found almost everywhere, including within one's own soul. Someday, we will transform ourselves "into what is called in Christianity 'the Father'", as Steiner put it. [Rudolf Steiner, THE LORD’S PRAYER (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2007), p. 17.] Some schools use the alternate wording "In sunlight and in soul-light,/ In cosmic space without,/ In depths of soul within." Again, these are words I think I remember reciting. What is soul light (or "light ... of human soul")? "Soul light" has a specific meaning in Theosophy and, by extension, in Anthroposophy. "The fifth level of the soul world is the level of soul light." [Rudolf Steiner, THEOSOPHY (Anthroposophic Press, 1994), p. 119.] The soul world is the realm our souls access, whereas our spirits access the spirit world. Soul light is the clarity attainable in the soul world. But Theosophy does not put sufficient emphasis on Christ, Steiner decided, so in Anthroposophy he sought to correct this error. Our souls can shed light when they are activated by the Christ Impulse, the spiritual impetus that enables us to be like Christ. Also, our souls shed light through the faculty of clairvoyance (which in Waldorf schools is prepared for, theoretically, through emphasis on imagination, intuition, and inspiration). [14] Some versions of this prayer refer to “Creator spirit” instead of “spirit of God.” The point is much the same as above — a spirit exists, but it is not God per se. Indeed, in Anthroposophy, there is no single Creator as seen in the Bible; certainly Jehovah is not the Creator. A creative spirit flows through the good gods, who participate in the process of creation and evolution, but Jehovah did not create the universe. Jehovah is just one of several “Elohim”. [15] Here, the verse explicitly refers to itself as a prayer. Some schools disguise this by substituting such words as “To Thee, Creator Spirit,/ I turn myself to ask...”. My memory is that we used these alternate words at the Waldorf school I attended. It is significant, however, that the Anthroposophical Press uses the word “prayer”. (The original German is “Will bittend ich mich wenden” meaning “pleadingly I want to turn” to you “Zu Dir, O Gottesgiest”, meaning “to you, O spirit of God”.) [16] The students ask for blessing from God or God's spirit. They are praying. [17] The prayer ends with references to learning and work, as did the previous prayer. See note #6. ◊◊◊◊ If you think I may have strained too hard to find hidden meanings in these prayers, I would just ask you to remember who wrote them: Rudolf Steiner, the father of Anthroposophy. And remember whom he wrote them for: students in Waldorf schools. Steiner said this about such schools: “[W]e have to remember that an institution like the Independent Waldorf School with its anthroposophical character, has goals that, of course, coincide with anthroposophical desires." [Rudolf Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER (Anthroposophical Press, 1998), p. 705.] Waldorf schools have an "Anthroposophical character", and their goals coincide with those of Anthroposophy. The prayers I have quoted are Anthroposophical; I didn't inject that meaning into them; Steiner put that meaning in them. Any school that requires students to recite these prayers is, for this reason alone, an Anthroposophical religious institution. (And any school that permits recitation of these prayers, or that promotes them in any other fashion, probably is as well.) And, of course, there is a great deal of other evidence that qualifies most Waldorf schools as religious institutions.  One other point worth noting: PRAYERS FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN ends with a lecture by Steiner: "Life between Birth and Death as a Mirror of Life between Death and New Birth." Complete with diagrams, the lecture lays out some of Steiner's thoughts about reincarnation, arguing that our life here reflects our previous life in the spirit realm. To most people's minds, what he says is loony, e.g., “What takes place between conception and birth is in reality the interaction between sun and moon, and this is essentially a repetition of events which took place earlier during the Old Moon period of the earth." [Ibid., p. 63.] Steiner's ideas about life, and childhood, and education are irredeemably occultist. “[B]irth is a repetition of the influence of the Old Sun. Things which occur even before that, which are reflected in the period when we are educated, are a repetition of the Old Saturn stage of the earth." [Ibid., p. 63.] Such concepts lie in the background of the Waldorf prayers. In brief, Waldorf education is designed to impart Anthroposophical concepts and even terms. In longer brief, Waldorf schooling is designed to be, at a minimum, a "repetition of the Old Saturn stage of the earth." You don't need to know what the Old Saturn stage was in order to know that something extremely bizarre — nay, occult — is going on. (But if don't know and really want to know, "Saturn" or "Old Saturn" was our original evolutionary period, which occurred on Saturn, although Saturn then was of course different from what it is now: It was "Old" Saturn. Following Saturn, we had evolutionary stages on the Sun and the Moon, although the Sun and Moon then were of course... As you may have noticed, we are now in the Earth phase of existence. We will move along to Jupiter, Venus, and Vulcan. Whether we will find Spock on Vulcan remains to be seen.) No, I didn't read too much into the prayers. If anything, I read too little into them. ◊◊◊◊ On the other pages here at Waldorf Watch, I provide extensive documentation concerning Steiner's doctrines and their appearance in Waldorf schools. I won't repeat all that now. But you can easily find the references by using the Table of Contents, the Index, or the "Search this site" function. — Roger Rawlings Some illustrations on each page are closely connected to the essay on that page; others are not — they provide general context.  Waldorf student art courtesy of PLANS [http://waldorfcritics.org/]  Praying hands by Albrecht Durer (1471-1528); an image popular in at least some Anthroposophical circles.  [R. R., 2010.] Images of praying (here, Christ prays in Gethsemane) are common in many "nondenominational" Waldorf schools. Medieval and colored images often find special favor. [http://www.fromoldbooks.org/.] For more about Anthroposophical prayers, please see "Power Words". Steiner wrote many prayers and meditations for his followers to use. Perhaps the most important is the Foundation Stone Meditation, which Steiner said was divinely inspired, coming to him ”out of the will of the spiritual world.” He offered the meditation to guide his followers as they undertook the supremely important task of establishing the General Anthroposophical Society, the central body of worldwide Anthroposophy, headquartered at the Goetheanum. [See Sergei O. Prokofieff, THE FOUNDATION STONE MEDITATION (Temple Lodge Publishing, 2006).] This lengthy meditation ends in what is explicitly a prayer, addressing Christ (the Sun God) and asking for blessings: Godly Light, Christ-Sun, Warm Our hearts, Enlighten Our heads — That good may come, What we From hearts found, What we From heads Direct with single will. Warm and Woolly? An anthroposophical experiment. By Kristín A. Sandberg and Trond K.O. Kristoffersen The Steiner movement appears ever so charming: Postman Pat’s Greendale meets the musical Hair. With its funny architecture, natural materials, soft colours and organic food they appear to be an important, valuable alternative for people who hold a child centred view of development and want only the best for their children. Green values and art! If only that were true! However, all that glistens is not gold. ...It is a human right to believe in angels, demons and the divine visions of one single person ... The Steiner-movement bases its experiment on Rudolf Steiner’s occult visions found in the passing phase from sleep to awakening. They choose to hold obscure [i.e., conceal] their religious foundation and secure 85% state funding for an alternative science of education, even though their pedagogical methods and their whole worldview is faith-based. The Steiner-school presents its pedagogy as independent of their religious views. This is, in fact, contrary to the actual praxis and the teachings of Rudolf Steiner himself: “It is obvious that knowledge of the human being must be the basis for a teacher's work; that being so, he must acquire this knowledge for himself, and the natural thing will be that he acquires it through Anthroposophy. If, therefore, we are asked what the basis of a new method of education should be, our answer is: Anthroposophy must be that basis. But how many people there are, even in our own circles, who try to disclaim Anthroposophy as much as possible, and to propagate an education without letting it be known that Anthroposophy is at the back of it." [1] ...R. Steiner made the soul a subject of research. His research, however, was by no means scientific, in the sense we know it. Steiner had, as far as we know, no children. He never undertook any educational scientific research and he never actually taught children. Steiner teachers call this Spiritual Science. R. Steiner maintained that there were people living at the same time as the dinosaurs, and that these people were incorporeal. These revelations underpin the teaching of Steiner teachers, implying that they have a conviction that the development of the child is a microcosm of the historical development of humankind. They believe the pupils have been reincarnated from previous lives. This entails the need for children to learn about historical events at the right time so that their subconscious recognizes them from their previous lives. The Steiner Schools claim they bring up children to be free. According to R. Steiner, and Steiner teachers themselves, anthroposophy is the only way to obtain true freedom. The so-called “experiment” of the Steiner movement exists in a very hierarchical world of ideas. The true freedom will enable you to free yourself from the vices preventing your advancement in your earthly lives. Steiner’s thoughts about reincarnation imply also the rather interesting observation that European culture, funnily enough, is seen as more advanced than other cultures. African and Asian cultures have not, as yet, reached the higher evolvement of enlightenment. But beware! This is nobody’s fault; we’ve all been there. It’s just one of those things. We shall not dwell upon what Steiner claims about the Indians and the Jews here and now. But according to Steiner’s spiritual science some races are more developed than others due to their geographical placement on earth. The Steiner School’s idea of differentiated teaching rests upon the teacher’s analysis of the child’s process of incarnation. This can lead to most interesting experiences for the child and the parents. If, for instance, the child does not place their foot down firmly, it means the child probably was superficial in his/ her previous life. [2] Steiner teachers refer to children with ADHD or Aspergers syndrome as children with difficulties incarnating. That is, somehow a beautiful image, but oh so open to analysis... The child with ADHD is a part of the millennium mythology and struggles with forces of death (Luciferic forces). Not so beautiful, perhaps? It is ever so possible Ritalin is not the ultimate answer for all these children, but as a parent you should know that eurythmy (magical movements stimulating body and soul) seek to help your child to incarnate, and that learning difficulties or Special Educational Needs are seen as difficulties inherited from a previous life. Why does the journalist not ask about these things? The worldview of the Steiner movement is truly experimental! Orchards and organic food are far more mainstream. Anthroposophical medicine too bases itself on an epistemy that is an alternative to a Western biological outlook; holistically alluring. Therefore head lice, measles and whooping cough flower epidemically in these communities. All is part of the development of the soul. Freedom? Experiment? They speak of children as souls with different, but mapped personalities, as if the soul itself is in fact a scientific matter only the anthroposophists can truly understand. ...Funny, isn’t it, that these Steiner Schools, unlike any other Norwegian or Swedish school, start each day with a religious prayer! But is it always this religious? Always. Not outspoken, not declared, but always implied. In all the rituals, the celebrations, the decorations and in the teachers’ views on child development. [Nowegian Waldorf Critics, http://waldorfcritics.org/active/articles.html#WalGen] [1] Rudolf Steiner, THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD, GA 311, trans. Helen Fox. (Anthroposophic Press, 1982-1988), pp. 19-20.
   Details from windows at the Goetheanum [R.R., 2009]. WALDORF SONGS  If Waldorf schools are not religious institutions, you might wonder why images like this appear in THE WALDORF SONG BOOK (Floris Press, 1992), by Brien Masters. (These three images appear on three separate pages of the songbook.) Many of the songs in the book have no direct connection to religion. But some are intensely religious. Some can only be called hymns or sung prayers. . Here are some titles and lines from these songs: LET US WITH GLADSOME MIND "Let us with gladsome mind Praise the Lord, for he is kind." ◊◊◊ LOVE IS COME AGAIN "Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain, He that for three days in the grave had lain." ◊◊◊ ON THIS OUR GLORIOUS EASTERTIDE "On this our glorious Eastertide, Alleluia!, [1] We sing of Him who for us has died." ◊◊◊ ONCE ON A BRIGHT SUMMER'S DAY "While John baptiz'd Jesus, came God's voice so free: 'On this day have I begotten Thee.'" ◊◊◊ ALLELUIA "Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia..." [2] ◊◊◊ I BIND UNTO MYSELF TODAY (St. Patrick's Hymn) "I bind unto myself today The strong name of the Trinity." ◊◊◊ FOR ALL THE SAINTS "For all the saints who from their labours rest, Who thee by faith before the world confest, Thy name, O Jesus, be for ever blest." ◊◊◊ TOMORROW SHALL BE MY DANCING DAY "For thirty pence Judas me sold, His covetousness for to advance ... Up to heaven did I ascend Where now I dwell in sure substance On the right hand of God, that man May come unto the general dance." [3] ◊◊◊ UNCONQUERED HERO OF THE SKIES "Thine aid we pray the foe to slay, Saint Michael." [4] ◊◊◊ ALLELUIA FOR ALL THINGS "Of all created things, of earth and sky, Of God and man, things lowly and high, We sing this day with thankful heart and say, Alleluia, alleluia." [5] ◊◊◊ GLORY TO THE, MY GOD, THIS NIGHT "Glory to thee, my God, this night For all the blessings of the light." [6] ◊◊◊ SANCTUS "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, sanctus." [7] ◊◊◊ EASTER DAY "Alleluia, alleluia: The Lord of all things lives anew, And all his works are rising too, In nova juventute." [8] ◊◊◊ ST FRANCIS' HYMN "O most high almighty good Lord God, To thee belong praise, glory, honour, and all blessing." ◊◊◊ MICHAELMAS TIME "Michaelmas time! Michaelmas time! Time is turning under the plough, Under the stars, under the signs." [9] ◊◊◊ DEO GRATIAS "Deo, Deo gratias [10] To all men of good will; There shall be peace on earth for them; Amen, Amen." ◊◊◊ LIGHT EVER GLADSOME "Light ever gladsome, Of the eternal splendour supernal, Holy and true. Born of the Father, blest we adore thee, Falling before thee, Christ Jesus." ◊◊◊ THE LORD MY PASTURES SHALL PREPARE "The Lord my pastures shall prepare, And feed me with a shepherd's care." ◊◊◊ O GOD OF HEAVEN, HEAR MY PRAISES "O God in heaven, hear my praises; Deep in my soul Thy mighty strength I feel." ◊◊◊ LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, HEAR MY PRAYER "Om bhur bhuv(a) svaha...." [11] ◊◊◊ GLORIOUS APOLLO "Glorious Apollo from on high beheld us, Wand'ring to find a temple for his praise... Sing we in harmony Apollo's praise." [12] ◊◊◊ I GAZE OUT O'ER THE MOONLIT EARTH "He came, the Holy Child, and lay in a manger cradle... O light, once born in earth's dark night, Make bright for us the path we tread." [13] ◊◊◊ COME AND SING THIS CHRISTMAS MORN "Come and sing this Christmas morn, Of the Lord of earth now born... Gloria in excelsis Deo." [14] ••••• THE SECOND WALDORF SONG BOOK (Floris Press, 1993), compiled by Brien Masters, offers more of the same. Again, not all of the songs are hymns or prayers, but a striking number are. MICHAELMAS SONG “With hearts aglow men mark the changing fresh world, When from the stars Michael’s spear is hurled. Sleepers awake, hark to the word of the world, Breaking old Summer’s dull drowsy spell. Show us the way, go with thy spear before, Forge us the future, Thou Michael.” [15] ◊◊◊ SANCTUS “Sanctus, sanctus, Sanctus, sanctus, Sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.” [16] ◊◊◊ SANS DAY CAROL “Now as white as the milk; Who was wrapp’d up in silk. And Mary bore Jesus Christ, And the first tree in the greenwood, It was the holly. Holly, holly. The first tree in the wood was the holly.” [17] ◊◊◊ STILL, STILL, STILL “Great, great, Great, Is the light that shines on earth; For God hath left the heavens’ high throne, On earth to dwell, for Man to share glory.” [18] ◊◊◊ THE SEVEN JOYS OF MARY “The first good joy that Mary had, It was the joy of one; To see her own son, Jesus Christ, When he was first her son, Good man, and blessed may he be, Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, To all eternity.” ◊◊◊ THE MANTLE OF ST. JOHN “The mantle of St. John On the Baptist’s Day, Morning breaks the hills upon The mantle of the Baptist, The mantle of the Baptist’s Day; Come forth the day of the Baptist, For the mantle of St. John.” [19] ◊◊◊ MARIA IM DORNWALD “Thus Mary waited for her child, Kyrie Eleison: The thoughts she pondered in her heart Bridg’d heaven and earth, so long apart: Jesus ex Maria.” [20] ◊◊◊ THREE KINGS OF ORIENT Glorious now, behold him arise, King and God, and sacrifice Heav’n sings alleluia, Alleluia, the earth replies: O star of wonder, start of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading still proceeding, Guide us with they perfect light.” [21] ◊◊◊ ST. PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE “I bind unto myself today The power of God to hold and lead, His eye to see, his might to stay, His ear to harken to my need. The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide.,his shield to ward; The word of God to give me speech, His heav’nly host to be my guard.” [22] ◊◊◊ ZACCHAEUS AND THE SYCAMORE TREE “And as the Lord came by, The beauty in his eyes He raised towards the shade, Beneath the sun-filled skies. “’Zacchaeus, come below To welcome me as guest For in your heart I’ll lodge To bring you joy and rest.’” [23] ◊◊◊ SANKT MICHAELS LIED ‘The heavenly banner thou dost bear, Saint Michael; The angels do thine armor wear; Thine aid we pray, The foe to slay, Saint Michael.” [24] ◊◊◊ PASSIONTIDE CAROL FROM ODENWALD “O Son, dearest Son O dearest Jesu mine, What will become of you on Sunday? On Sunday I shall be king And decked in royal robes And strewn, strewn with palms.” [25] ◊◊◊ CHORUS FROM TELEMANN’S ST LUKE PASSION “Now sorrow wring the heart with grief! Sorrow, sorrow now! Now sorrow wring the heart with grief! He who once gave the blind new vision Is now the victim of derision; Thorn-press’d, thorn-press’d his kingly reign so brief. Oh sorrow wring the heart with grief! Sorrow, sorrow now! Now sorrow wring the heart with grief! He whose salt tears for all people were flowing, Now with his cross to Golgotha going; He for whose blood the mob was baying, For their forgiveness now is praying, Nailed to the tree without life nor leaf, To the tree, too the tree without life or leaf. Such sorrow wrings the heart with grief! Sorrow, sorrow now! Now sorrow wring the heart with grief!” [26] ◊◊◊ SACRED SONG “When I hold him ever, When He’s truly mine, When my heart, forgetting never, Trusts till death His faith divine, Sorrow cannot hold me, Then devotion, joy and love enfold me.” [27] ◊◊◊ THE SUN IN EASTER RISING “So sing the triumph of our Lord: The word made flesh; the flesh made word; Made word with spirit winging; Earth like a star up-springing. Empty tomb in the rising light, Our sleep awaking: Halleluia, Halleluia, Halleluia." [28] ◊◊◊ PSALM 102 “Thank ye the Lord on His high Throne, And praise his holy name; Goodness and strength Flow from His hand; He at the end of time will stand; His chosen folk He then will claim. Halleluia, Halleluia, Halleluia, Halleluia, Halleluia.” [29] ◊◊◊ ECCE SACERDOS “Ecce sacerdos magnus, Ecce sacerdos magnus, Qui in diebus suis, Qui in diebus suis placuit Deo.” [30] ◊◊◊ SANTA LUCCIA “Here on the waters, Bathed in the moonlight, Zephyrs stir softly, Waves gently lapping; Yet never doubting, Trustful and trusting, Santa Luccia, Santa Luccia.” [31] ◊◊◊ THE DESTRUCTION OF SENACHERIB “And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail, And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal; And the Might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword, Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord.” [32]
 To create the paintings I have posted here at Waldorf Watch, I have followed two approaches. Some of my paintings — clearly labeled — are copies of paintings by various Anthroposophists. My other paintings are original compositions. I studied Anthroposophical art and — trying my hand at three or four large watercolors — I attempted to incorporate characteristic Anthroposophical elements. I then did numerous small variants, drawing upon elements in the large ones. Thus, I hope that my paintings and other images suggest the sort of art you may see in and around Waldorf/Steiner schools. [R. R., 2010.] P.S. I did the best I could, but I do not pretend that my paintings are very good. |
