◊ [Religion] “[I]n terms of cosmology, philosophy, and religion, anthroposophic goals were never intended to be merely theoretical but to enter social life in a direct and practical way....” [p. 3] Steiner generally insisted that •Anthroposophy is not a religion, and •Waldorf schools do not convey Anthroposophical teachings to the students. Both claims are untrue. Here, to give one slight example, we see Steiner acknowledging that Anthroposophy has religious purposes. Perhaps he didn't think through what he was saying, but in a statement such as this he come closer to the truth than he often did. Anthroposophy tries to bring cosmology, philosophy, and religion into social life in a direct way. One avenue for this direct way is provided by Waldorf schools.

◊ [Religions, Old and New] “[A]ncient religion was never seen as mere faith — this happened only in later times — but that religions were based on direct experience and insight into spirit worlds.” [p. 38] Steiner refused to call Anthroposophy a religion for a variety of reasons. He liked to say that Anthroposophy is a science (which it is not), which caused him to say that Anthroposophy is not a religion (which it is). He understood that a "scientific" approach to spiritual matters would set his religion apart and attract followers from many diverse of circles. He especially wanted to differentiate Anthroposophy from religions that rely entirely on faith. He claimed that Anthroposophy allows people to directly explore the spirit realm through the use of clairvoyance. This is what the old religions did (providing "direct experience and insight into spirit worlds") and it is what Anthroposophy theoretically does now. Thus, we come upon one of many contradictions Steiner stumbled into. Despite his denial, the logic of his statement is that Anthroposophy is a religion like the powerful, ancient religions. Once again, Steiner evidently did not think through what he was saying, but his words tell us that Anthroposophy is a religion.

◊ [Anthroposophical Religious Lessons] “[T]his is how our free, nondenominational, religion lessons came about. These were given by our own teachers, just as the other religious lessons were given by ministers. The teachers were recognized by us as religious teachers in the Waldorf curriculum. Thus, anthroposophic religious lessons were introduced in our school. “ [p. 125] I wonder if he thought through these words, either. Steiner was explaining that he allowed Catholic and Protestant ministers to come into the Waldorf school and provide lessons in religion. But, additionally, "free, nondenominational, religion lessons" were offered in the Waldorf school. Who taught these religion lessons? Waldorf teachers. What did their efforts amount to? "Anthroposophic religious lessons were introduced in our school.“ How could this be? Because Anthroposophy is a religion.

◊ [Conveying Religion Properly] “We must not teach accepted dogmas or fixed formulas as ethical and religious instruction; rather, we must learn to nurture the divine spiritual element that lives in the human soul. Only then shall we guide children correctly, without impinging on their inner freedom to eventually choose their own religious denomination. Only then will students be spared inner uncertainty on discovering that one adult is a member of the High Church while another may be a Puritan. We must succeed in enabling students to grasp the real essence of religion.” [p. 283] This is a concise statement of the religious goal of Waldorf schooling, "to nurture the divine spiritual element that lives in the human soul" and thereby to help students "grasp the real essence of religion.” In other words, Waldorf teachers provide the correct spiritual guidance children need, exposing them to true religion. In other, other words, Anthroposophy is a religion and Waldorf schools train their students in this religion. The picture is clouded a bit by Steiner's insistence that students will be free to choose their own religions later in life. In a sense, of course, this is true. Every child becomes an adult who theoretically can make free spiritual choices. But after a child has spent many years in a Waldorf school, being "guided" "correctly" toward the "real essence" of religion, s/he will likely choose to continue embracing Anthroposophy.

◊ [Non-Theoretical Religious Character] “[I]n keeping with its true spirit, the anthroposophic movement is always prepared to enter every branch of human life. Imagine that a different movement of a more theoretical religious character had decided to build a center....” [pp. 5-6] We will get off the subject of religion in a moment, but note that here Steiner distinguishes between Anthroposophy and movements that have "a more theoretical religious character." There is nothing theoretical about the religious character of Anthroposophy. Anthroposophy is a definite, real religion that expects concrete actions from its adherents, as in teaching at Waldorf schools or otherwise spreading Anthroposophy into "every branch of human life." (Concerning a movement's "center": Anthroposophy built its center — the Goetheanum, in effect a cathedral — in Dornach, Switzerland, just where it should be: "The Goetheanum was built as [sic: at?] the right and proper place for the anthroposophic movement." [p. 5])

◊ [Not Merely Religious] “[A]nthroposophy is in its right element only when it can fertilize every aspect of life. It must never be seen merely as a philosophical and religious movement.” [p. 7] True. Anthroposophy is not merely " a philosophical and religious movement". It is also an educational movement, a cultural movement, an artistic movement, and so forth. But among its attributes are its "philosophical and religious" elements. OK. Enough about religion. [If you're still in any doubt, see "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"]

◊ [Avoiding the Harmful Intellect] “[I]f children are being educated only in an intellectual way, their inborn capacities and human potential become seriously impaired and wither away. For some, this realization has led to a longing to replace intellectuality with something else. One has appealed to children’s feelings and instincts. To steer clear of the intellect, we have appealed to their moral and religious impulses.” [p. 16] Educating children "only in an intellectual way" would be a mistake. Other elements of a child's nature also need to be fostered, as Waldorf teachers often say. But note that Waldorf schools actually go to an extreme of anti-intellectualism. Steiner taught that the intellect is deadly and, indeed, it is under the mastery of the horrible demon Ahriman. “The intellect destroys or hinders.” [Rudolf Steiner, WALDORF EDUCATION AND ANTHROPOSOPHY, Vol. 1 (Anthroposophical Press, 1995), p. 233.] If we emphasize intellect, 

◊ [Science: Bad] “[A]n intellectual, natural scientific philosophy reduces the reality of human existence to a mere illusion [because science is not spiritual] ... [E]ven if people today do not recognize the way science affects their attitudes toward life, the negative consequences are nevertheless real. But the majority are not prepared to face reality. Nor do such theories remain the prerogative of an educated minority, because they reach the masses through magazines and popular literature, often in very subtle ways. And, against the background of this negative disposition of soul, we try to educate our children.” [p. 21] Waldorf schools not only distrust intellect (what we might call thinking), they distrust modern science and modern knowledge generally. They have more interest in the "wisdom" of the Ancients (which is actually ignorance) than in the knowledge available to us in the modern world. [See "Steiner's 'Science'" and "The Ancients".]

◊ [Technology] "I do not object at all to the use of typewriters ... Nevertheless, I find it is important to realize its implications ... We can clearly see what is happening inside the human body once we have reached the stage of clairvoyant imagination. In objective seeing such as this, every stroke of a typewriter key becomes a flash of lightning. And during the state of imagination, what one sees as the human heart is constantly struck and pierced by those lightning flashes. As you know, typewriter keys are not arranged according to any spiritual principle, but according to frequency of their use, so that we can type more quickly. Consequently, when the fingers hit various keys, the flashes of lightning become completely chaotic. In other words, when seen with spiritual vision, a terrible thunderstorm rages when one is typing.” [pp.145-146] Not only do Waldorf schools distrust intellect (what we might call thinking), science, and knowledge (what we might call truth), they have a deep aversion of modern technology, such as televisions and computers. We can see the roots of this attitude in Steiner's very peculiar statement about typing. Obviously, watching too much TV or playing too many computer games is bad for kids, but typing? Just imagine what Steiner would have said about electric typewriters! “The exploitation of electric forces — for example in information and computing technologies — spreads evil over the Earth in an immense spider’s web.” [Richard Seddon, THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM AND BEYOND: From the Work of Rudolf Steiner (Temple Lodge Publishing, 1993), p. 24. Seddon was an Anthroposophist.] (By the way, the standard typewriter layout — QWERTYUIOP — was designed to slow down typing, not speed it up.) In general, Steiner's followers consider computers and other electronic devices to fall within the realm of Ahriman. [See "Spiders, Dragons and Foxes".]

◊ [Types of Knowledge] “If you want to arrange these levels of higher knowledge in a more or less systematic order, we can say, first of all, that in ordinary life we have knowledge of the material world, which we could call naturalistic knowledge. Then we come to knowledge gained through imagination, which has a kind of artistic nature. The next step is knowledge attained through inspiration, which is, in essence, a moral one. Finally we reach knowledge through intuition, which is like religious experiences, but only in the sense just described [that is, it is goes beyond ordinary religious feeling and provides objective knowledge of spiritual matters].” [p. 74] Steiner liked lists and hierarchies. He liked to rank things. [See "Rankings".] He ranked types of knowledge from the lowest (natural sciences, ordinary knowledge of the physical world) to imagination to inspiration to intuition to clairvoyance. Yes, clairvoyance. His entire system depends on the existence of clairvoyance. The problem is that clairvoyance does not exist, or at a minimum we have no real evidence that it exists. [See "Clairvoyance".] Thus, Steiner's entire system — including Waldorf education — has no basis in reality.

◊ [Clairvoyance] “Lower forms of clairvoyance, such as telepathy, telekinesis and so on — described correctly or wrongly — occur abnormally in human life and are simply the result of this premature aging in the central period of life. When this process of aging occurs at the proper time, people experience it in a healthy way, whereas if it appears in the twenties, a person gains clairvoyance of a low order.” [p. 53] Here we see Steiner ranking things again. There are low forms of clairvoyance and high forms, he said. Of course, his own form of clairvoyance — "exact" clairvoyance — is highest. [See "Exactly."] Note, too, the very strange proposition that young people will develop the wrong kind of clairvoyance if they mature too quickly. Waldorf schools aim to retard the maturation process, aiming to keep kids young as long as possible. [See "Thinking Cap".]

◊ [Steiner’s Own Clairvoyance] “I will need to use the insights of clairvoyant consciousness to give you a clear description of what happens in young children ... When young children sleep, the soul and spiritual members leave the physical sheaths (just as in any adult) and reenter at the moment of awaking. In children, however, there is still no significant difference between conscious experiences while awake and unconscious experiences during sleep.” [pp. 214-215] It is very good of Steiner to share with us the fruits of his clairvoyance. (In this case, the fruits include information about two of our non-physical bodies, the astral body and the “I” —  they leave the physical body at night and return in the morning. Surprise!) Sadly, his clairvoyance seemed to misfire an awful lot. [See "Steiner's Blunders".]

◊ [Incarnation and Freedom] “Anthroposophy shows us that — apart from what a person may have developed even before birth or conception while still in the spiritual world and apart from what one will meet again after death — the very purpose of earthly incarnation involves enlivening the impulse toward freedom. This impulse depends completely on plunging into an earthly body. This freedom can be realized only during physical incarnation; we can attain freedom only while living on earth, and when we enter other worlds, we can take with us only the degree of freedom we have attained here on earth.” [p. 102] "Freedom" is a refrain used throughout Anthroposophy and Waldorf schooling. The Steinerian concept of freedom is terribly limited, however. [See "Freedom". While you're at it, you might also look at "Democracy".] The other main element in this quotation is the concept of reincarnation. Steiner taught that we live many, many lives, returning to Earth over and over as we try to evolve upward spiritually. This is a core concept behind Waldorf schooling.

◊ [Incarnation and School] “Incarnating human beings must first penetrate the body before establishing a relationship with the external world. First, the head forces are active. Later, these forces are poured into the muscles, then into the skeletal system, and after sexual maturity is reached, adolescents are able to enter the world. Only then can they stand properly in the world. This gradual process of incarnation needs to be considered if if we want to find the right choice and presentation of class material.” [p. 184] We enter each new life on Earth slowly, Steiner said. Waldorf teachers should bear this in mind when selecting "the right choice and presentation of class material.” Of course, if there is no such thing as reincarnation, then Waldorf teachers make these choices on the basis of exactly nothing.

◊ [Backward Evolution] “The constitution of fish, on the other hand, occurred during a later period of earthly evolution than that of the human being, and even then it met different outer conditions.” [p. 168] Another key Anthroposophical doctrine is that we evolve. Good people evolve upward, bad people evolve downward. Also, we did not evolve from animals; animals evolved from us. This is why (contrary to all evidence — what we might call truth) Steiner said that fish came later than humans.

◊ [Temperaments and Bodies] “To a certain extent, sanguine children display the opposite characteristics of the melancholic or phlegmatic child. Young melancholics are immersed in bodily nature. Phlegmatic children are drawn outward to the spheres of infinity, because they are so strongly linked to their ether body. The ether body always inclines outward toward infinite totality; it disperses into the cosmos just a few days after death. Sanguine children live in what we call the astral, or soul, body. This member of the human being is different from the physical or ether bodies inasmuch as it is not concerned with anything temporal or spatial. It exists beyond the realm of time and space.” [p. 210] Some Waldorf teachers think that Steiner's greatest educational contribution was his doctrine that children fall into four categories: sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic, and choleric. These are actually the ancient "temperaments" or "humours" — a system of classification that science tossed out long ago. It is junk. But in Waldorf schools, it is gospel — and students are segregated on the basis of these nonsensical categories. [See "Humouresque".]

◊ [Temperaments and Teaching] “[A]part from the adopted features that children have unconsciously copied from their environment, they also bear their very own individual characteristics when they enter school. They are less pronounced than similar characteristics found in adults, features that we associate with melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic, or choleric temperaments. Nevertheless, the children’s nature, too, is definitely colored by what could be called their temperamental disposition, so we can speak of children with melancholic, phlegmatic, sanguine, and choleric tendencies. It is essential for teachers to acquire a fine perception of the manifold symptoms and characteristics that arise from children’s temperamental dispositions and to find the right way of dealing with them.” [p. 209] So, just as Waldorf teachers must make decisions based on the doctrine of reincarnation, they must make decisions on the basis of "temperament." All such decisions are, obviously, baseless. (In making these decisions, Waldorf teachers should use their powers of clairvoyance. But this too is nonsense. Or they may consult horoscopes, but this too is...)

◊ [Authority and Teeth] “[The] sense for authority in children between the change of teeth and puberty must be respected and nurtured, because it represents an inborn need at this age. Before one can use freedom appropriately in later life, one must have experienced shy reverence and a feeling for adult authority between the change of teeth and puberty.” [p. 151] Steiner taught — and therefore Waldorf teachers believe — that children grow up in seven-year stages, ages 0-7, 7-14, and 14-21. Some Waldorf teachers think that this is Steiner's most important educational contribution. But, sadly, it too is baseless. [See "Most Significant".] About teeth: Steiner said that baby teeth fall out when the etheric body (another of our non-physical bodies) arrives. Go figure. [See "Coming Undone".] About authority: Steiner said that Waldorf teachers should be unquestioned authority figures. "The situation is that we need to create a mood, namely, that the teacher has something to say that the children should neither judge nor discuss." [Rudolf Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER (Anthroposophic Press, 1998), p. 494.]

◊ [Karma] "Since our will is woven into all our actions, we can see everywhere how destiny confronts us in the events of life. One could quote many others who, through observing ordinary life, reached the same conclusion. When we look at life’s external events, we find confirmation of the hidden truths of karma." [p. 103] Here's another basic Anthroposophical doctrine you may want to mull over: karma. Steiner said it is real and really important. [See "Karma".] But it too is...

◊ [Avoiding Illness through Geometry] "Those who can look more deeply into life know that many people have been saved from neurasthenia, hysteria, and worse afflictions simply by learning how to observe triangles, quadrilaterals, tetrahedra, and other geometrical realities in the right way." [p. 207] The entry for this quotation in the book's index is "Illness, avoided through proper teaching of geometry, 207." I hope you're taking all this down. This is how Waldorf teachers think. Really. I'm not making this stuff up. Do you want people who think this way to make decisions about your child? (Does Tommy feel ill? Well, then, he'd better do some geometry.) Steiner, not incidentally, attributed all sorts of important powers to geometry (which happened to be one of his favorite subjects when he was a boy). For instance, “Basic geometric concepts awaken clairvoyant abilities.” [Rudolf Steiner, THE FOURTH DIMENSION: Sacred Geometry, Alchemy, and Mathematics (Anthroposophic Press, 2001), p. 92.] I'm not making this stuff up.

◊ [Dreams] “Adults tend to dismiss [children's] dreams as childish nonsense, but if you can experience their underlying reality, children’s dreams, so different from adult dreams, are in fact very interesting. Of course, children cannot express themselves clearly when speaking about their dreams, but there are ways of discovering what they are trying to say. And then we find that, through images of spirit beings in their dreams, children dimly experience the sublime powers of wisdom that help shape the brain and other physical organs. If we approach children’s dreams with a reverence in tune with their experience, we see a pervading cosmic wisdom at work in them. From this point of view (forgive this somewhat offensive statement), children are much wiser, much smarter than adults. And when teachers enter the classroom, they should be fully aware of this abundance of wisdom in the children. Teachers themselves have outgrown it, and what they have gained instead — knowledge of their own experience — cannot compare with it in the least." [p. 94] Again, we see Steiner and Waldorf rejecting knowledge in favor of fantasies, in this case the dreams of children. What a way to run a school! Keep the kids young, work with their karmas, their temperaments, and their states of reincarnation, and bow before their dreams. By the way, Steiner said that Waldorf teachers should also consult their own dreams; he taught that his followers can develop the power to dream accurately and truly, so that the contents of dreams become reliable information. [See "Dreams" and "Thinking Cap".] Concerning the "ways of discovering what they are trying to say" — the central tool Steiner claimed to use for all investigations was clairvoyance. As for "spirit beings" in children's dreams, these are the gods. Anthroposophy, you see, is polytheistic. [See "Polytheism".]

◊ [Overt vs. Covert] "Please understand that a Waldorf school — or any school that might spring from the anthroposophic movement — would never wish to teach anthroposophy as it exists today. I would consider this the worst thing we could do. Anthroposophy in its present form is a subject for adults and, as you can see from the color of their hair, often quite mature adults. Consequently, spiritual science is presented through literature and word of mouth in a form appropriate only to adults. I should consider the presentation to students of anything from my books THEOSOPHY or HOW TO KNOW HIGHER WORLDS the worst possible use of this material; it simply must not happen. If we taught such material, which is totally unsuitable for schoolchildren (forgive a somewhat trivial expression used in German), we would make them want 'to jump out of their skin.' Naturally, in class lessons they would have to submit to whatever the teacher brings, but inwardly they would experience such an urge. Anthroposophy as such is not to be taught in a Waldorf school. It’s important that spiritual science does not become mere theory or a worldview based on certain ideas; rather, it should become a way of life, involving the entire human being. Thus, when teachers who are anthroposophists enter school, they should have developed themselves so that they are multifaceted and skillful in the art of education. And it is this achievement that is important, not any desire to bring anthroposophy to your students. Waldorf education is meant to be pragmatic. It is meant to be a place where anthroposophic knowledge is applied in a practical way." [pp. 122-123] So, inevitably, in the end we circle back to the question of the role played by Anthroposophy in Waldorf schools. Steiner and his followers have often denied that they teach the kids Anthroposophical doctrines. In a sense, this is more or less true, depending on the teacher and students in any given Waldorf school. But in a larger sense, it is false. Notice that Steiner says, above, that teaching Anthroposophy "as it exists today" would be wrong, since the material is beyond kids' grasp. But this leaves open a large door. What if a Waldorf teacher found a way to bring Anthroposophy down to the kids' level so they could grasp it? Indeed, Steiner told Waldorf teachers to do this: “The problem you have is that you have not always followed the directive to bring what you know anthroposophically into a form you can present to little children. You have lectured the children about anthroposophy when you told them about your subject. You did not transform anthroposophy into a child’s level.” [FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, pp. 402-403.] And Steiner acknowledged that, despite any denials, "Anthroposophy will be in the school." [FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, p. 495.] No, the truth is, Waldorf schools are meant to draw students and their parents toward Anthroposophy. That's why the schools exist, and all the denials are merely smoke blown into the faces of the unwary.

When Anthroposophists blow smoke, they may or may not know what they are doing. A crucial doctrine of Anthroposophy is that the deepest wisdom is "mystery" wisdom — it is occult, hidden. Only initiates should have access to the "truths" of mystery wisdom; the rest of us are unequipped to handle it. [See "Inside Scoop".] Thus, Anthroposophists think they are acting properly when they withhold certain kinds of information from outsiders. 

Even when dealing with "truth" that stands at a lower level than "mystery wisdom," Anthroposophists often want to withhold it. Steiner explicitly instructed Waldorf teachers in particular to keep the general public in the dark, as when he said "We should be quiet about how we handle things in the school, we should maintain a kind of school confidentiality. We should not speak to people outside the school, except for the parents who come to us with questions, and in that case, only about their children...." [FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, p. 10.] An even more dramatic — and shocking — example: "Imagine what people would say if they heard that we say there are people who are not human beings [i.e., they are subhuman] ... [W]e do not want to shout that to the world. Our opposition is already large enough ... We do not want to shout such things out into the world.” [FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, p. 650.] [See "Secrets".]

So Waldorf faculties want to keep mum about various matters. We may see the results as dishonesty; Waldorf teachers may see it very differently. They think that they are serving the Truth — that is, Anthroposophy — in all of their actions, and thus they probably think that their actions are virtuous. They may even believe some of the denials and claims that they regularly make. They may believe that, truly, Anthroposophy is not a religion; and, truly, Waldorf schools do not promote Anthroposophy; and, truly, Waldorf schools foster freedom. They would be mistaken in all of this, but they would be honestly mistaken. Like Steiner, Anthroposophists often have an odd relationship with truth. Indeed, becoming an Anthroposophist requires you to detach yourself from the truth — the real universe — and enter a fantasy realm instead. From within that fantasy realm, perception may be quite blurred. For this reason, the ultimate victims of Anthroposophy's distortion of reality may be Anthroposophists themselves — they convince themselves that what is false (Anthroposophy) is true, and what is true (modern science and scholarship) is false. Membership in any cult such as Anthroposophy usually depends on willing self-deception. [See "Fooling (Ourselves)", "Deception", and "Why? (Oh Why? Oh Why?)".]

Anthroposophists may be good, caring, compassionate people who are entirely sincere in what they think and do. The same may be said of Waldorf teachers. But none of this excuses what Waldorf teachers do to youngsters. An informed adult may make a conscious decision to join a cult. But children are in no position to make such a choice, and Waldorf schools do not present them with such a choice. Instead, Waldorf schools immerse children in an Anthroposophical atmosphere week after week, month after month, year after year. The ultimate result — whether or not all Waldorf teachers understand this — is to pull children toward Anthroposophical occultism. This is what Waldorf schools are set up to do; this is the outcome Waldorf schools are designed to achieve, whether or not all Waldorf teachers understand this.

— Roger Rawlings

“The spiritual world is always round us, and we can work more consciously if we note the transition as we move from the earthly world to the spiritual world and vice versa. Thus at night we can say as we enter sleep, ‘Now I am entering the spiritual world,’ and in the morning as we awaken, we can say, ‘Now I am entering the earthly world.’” — Helmut von Kügelgen, essay #1 in WORKING WITH THE ANGELS (Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America 2004), p. 3. 

Here we have the central error of Anthroposophical thought. Anthroposophists think that when they go to sleep, they are entering the spiritual world, and they tell themselves that the experiences they have then are more significant than the experiences they have when awake. The truth is somewhat different. When people fall asleep, they are asleep, and the experiences they have then — dreams — have no real meaning at all. 

Anthroposophists make the same mistake about their waking experiences, mistaking their fantasies and delusions for clairvoyant wisdom. In general, Anthroposophists think they often enter or at least perceive the spiritual world. They are mistaken, but this error forms the core of their ideology.

Here are items from the Waldorf Watch "news" page:

"A growing question in Waldorf kindergartens and schools is to what extent is Waldorf education bound to the Christian religion and to what extent is it more universal. The answer points towards the modern mysteries, for Waldorf education is centered around the Christ as a Universal Being who has helped humans in their development from the beginning of time. Rudolf Steiner speaks of the Christ in the present time as dwelling in the etheric world surrounding the Earth through which each incarnating soul passes ... Waldorf education strives to create a place in which the highest beings, including the Christ, can find their home, but it is not connected to one religion or another.” — Joan Almon, WHAT IS A WALDORF KINDERGARTEN (SteinerBooks, 2007), p. 53. Almon is a Waldorf teacher and co-general secretary of the Anthroposophical Society of America. 

Waldorf schools usually deny that they are religious institutions — except when they admit that they are. The schools also usually deny that they are specifically Christian — except when they claim that they are. The truth is that Waldorf schools are very religious, but the religion involved is not Christianity — it is Anthroposophy. Here are some of the Anthroposophical doctrines peeking out from the above quotation. Bear in mind that these come from a SteinerBooks discussion of Waldorf kindergartens: 

• “Modern mysteries”: Anthroposophy consists of “occult” or “mystery” knowledge of the spirit worlds attained through clairvoyance. In this sense, "mysteries" are occult spiritual truths.

• “Christ as a Universal Being”: The Christ in Anthroposophy is not the Son of God, rather he is the Sun God, a god centered on the Sun who (according to Anthroposophical belief) has been worshipped by various peoples in various ways throughout history. Christ came to Earth as described in the Bible, Steiner taught, but Christ also influenced human evolution at other times. 

• “Christ ... dwelling in the etheric world”: In Anthroposophical doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ has already occurred, but not on the physical Earth; instead, Christ now dwells in the invisible “etheric” world beyond the Earth. 

• “Incarnating souls”: This concept is crucial to Waldorf education; Waldorf teachers are less interested in conveying knowledge to their students than in helping the students to incarnate here on Earth. 

• “The highest beings”: These are gods. Anthroposophy is polytheistic, it recognizing a vast number of gods arranged in a hierarchy that extends from spirits just a bit higher than humans to gods vastly higher than humans. 

• “create a place in which the highest beings ... can find their home”: Anthroposophy is centered on human beings, not gods. Indeed, Anthroposophy teaches that the gods worship us, and we will one day evolve to be higher than all but the highest. The universe is, or will be, ours, and we make it a fit place for the gods to dwell. Waldorf schools, as an active extension of Anthroposophy, seek to realize this ideal, to the greatest extent possible, here and now. 

• “Not connected to one religion”: Anthroposophy is a religion, but a very odd one. Among its odder doctrines is the belief that it is not a religion, per se, but a “science” — specifically, the “occult science” or “spiritual science” described by Rudolf Steiner in such books as AN OUTLINE OF OCCULT SCIENCE. As indicated previously, this “science” is the use of clairvoyance to study the higher worlds. 

[For more on these matters, see, e.g., “Everything”, “Sun God”, “Polytheism”, “Why? Oh Why?”, “Is Anthroposophy a Religion?”, "Was He Christian?", “Incarnation”, etc.]

"You ask me to define ‘anthroposophy.’ But to do so would be to destroy it.” — Waldorf educator John Fentress Gardner, private correspondence.

Waldorf teachers generally acknowledge that their educational methods arise from Anthroposophy, but they very often try to avoid explaining what Anthroposophy is.

This is — at least sometimes — a conscious ploy, an effort to stave off scrutiny. Waldorf education is built on many occult beliefs, and Waldorf teachers often realize that they must not admit this in public. As Rudolf Steiner said, “[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. At the moment, though, if that connection were made official, people would break the Waldorf School’s neck." [Rudolf Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER (Anthroposophic Press, 1998), p. 495.] So mum’s the word.

At another level, however, the disinclination to pin down the meaning of “Anthroposophy” is genuine and heartfelt. Anthroposophists believe that their system is a living, evolving spiritual force that transcends ordinary human concepts and categories. Possibly they are right about this. (And possibly they are wrong. One definition of “Anthroposophy” that Anthroposophists usually reject but that is often borne out in practice is this: “Anthroposophy is what Rudolf Steiner taught.” Whereas Anthroposophists like to think that they are free to attain their own spiritual insights and thus create their own forms of Anthroposophy, to a very large extent what they really do is to take their beliefs from Steiner’s lectures and books.)

The practical problem in all of this, if you are interested in Waldorf schools, is that you can hardly form a sensible judgment about the schools if the faculties refuse to explain their fundamental worldview. So allow me, please, to offer the following. It is by no means complete, but it is sufficiently accurate that many Anthroposophists themselves would likely accept it.

The word “Anthroposophy” was conceived by Rudolf Steiner, the author of such books as OCCULT SCIENCE and HOW TO KNOW HIGHER WORLDS. The word comes from the Greek and means “human” (anthropo) “wisdom” (sophia). How is this wisdom obtained? Through the use of “spiritual science,” a concept that Steiner adopted from Theosophy and applied to his own teachings. For Anthroposophists today, “Anthroposophy” and “spiritual science” are virtually synonymous. The “science” Steiner described (and that many Waldorf teachers try to practice) is the use of clairvoyance to gain “objective” knowledge of the spirit realm and its residents — including human beings, since we are essentially spirits (we visit the spirit realm every night, and we reside there between our earthly incarnations). 

Perhaps you believe in the spirit realm. Perhaps you believe in clairvoyance. Perhaps you think that by sharpening your own clairvoyance you can attain what Steiner called “exact clairvoyance,” which will allow you to make independent, objective investigations of the spirit realm. If so, fine. Then the Waldorf way of thinking is probably acceptable to you. 

In any event, you should know what Steiner's followers mean when they speak (or whisper) the word “Anthroposophy” inside a Waldorf school. Don’t quietly allow Waldorf teachers to avoid your questions. Most of the activities found in Waldorf schools have their roots in Anthroposophy. Waldorf teachers owe you and your child an honest exposition of this crucial fact.

“Waldorf schools present themselves as aimed at a ‘holistic’, child-centred and age-appropriate education towards freedom. This depiction is misleading, since for anthroposophists, these words have very specific meanings that cannot be easily inferred by an outsider if he has not been initiated into Steiner’s occult teachings. Freedom means freedom for anthroposophy. Child-centred and age-appropriate refer to anthroposophical dogmas on childhood development, depending on mumbo-jumbo conceptions surrounding the number 7.” — Peter Bierl, “A Pedagogy for Aryans” [http://waldorfcritics.org/active/articles/BierlFinal.htm]

People who attended Waldorf schools are sometimes praised for having “interesting minds.” They are “original” thinkers; they think “outside the box.” This sounds fine, and it would seem to support the claim that Waldorf schools prepare students to make original, free choices in their adult lives. But what outsiders see in Waldorf grads is not so much originality as the product of an unconventional form of mental training. Waldorf students are taught to rely on their imaginations and intuitions, to “feel” more than “think”. Ultimately, Waldorf teachers believe in clairvoyance, not rational thought, and the effects of this belief trickle down into the consciousness of Waldorf students. [See “Thinking Cap” and “Steiner’s Specific”.]

What does this mean for freedom? Waldorf teachers want their students to reject normal thinking and normal values. They believe that most of modern culture is wicked, most of modern technology is demonic, and most of modern science is wrong. The “freedom” they advocate is the freedom to reject convention and even rationality. What they want is for people to start choosing the one true path, unconventional though it is: the path of Anthroposophy. 

For freedom to be meaningful, we must have a variety of potentially good choices to select from — each person can opt for what s/he wants while others make other choices. But this is not what Waldorf education contemplates (even if some Waldorf teachers think it is). We have only two real choices, according to Anthroposophical teachings, and only one of them is good. We may “freely” choose to follow the teachings of Rudolf Steiner and his adherents, in which case we will evolve to marvelous spiritual heights; or we may “freely” turn our backs on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner and his adherents, in which case we will — sooner or later — lose our souls. This paradigm abolishes freedom. We can go one way and live, or go the other way and die. No sane person would take the second option, which means that all sane people are compelled to take the first option.* [See “Freedom” and “Hell”.]

Waldorf faculties attempt to train children in unconventional forms of thought, inculcating unconventional values while directing kids toward unconventional life choices. The freedom Waldorf schools want is the freedom to choose their own odd religion.

(Returning to Bierl’s statement, above: He mentions the Waldorf conception of “holistic” schooling and the strange power of the number 7. You can get a taste of Waldorf’s unconventionality by looking into “Holistic Education”, “Magic Numbers”, and “Most Significant”.)

* Anthroposophical thinking allows a slight bit of wriggle room — very slight. You can elect a form of Anthroposophy that is a bit more Gnostic, or one that is a bit more Rosicrucian, or a bit more Hindu-ish, or a bit more Buddhist-ish — but these are minor shadings. All “true” forms of spiritual science must, for instance, recognize the central importance of Christ. (So much for overly Hindu-ish or Buddhist-ish approaches.) And Christ must be recognized as the Sun God. (So much for mainstream Christianity. [See “Sun God”.) Very little variation is permissible. The path suited to modern humans, Steiner said, is the Rosicrucian/Anthroposophical path. Those who take this path are less dependent on a guru than if they were to take other paths, but still the ultimate options available are just two: 1) Anthroposophy, advancement, life or 2) anti-Anthroposophy, doom, death.

Steiner did not hesitate to speak of “the path” — the one and only good choice. “Those who come to me wanting to hear the truths available through esotericism and nevertheless refuse to walk the path are like schoolchildren who want to electrify a glass rod and refuse to rub it. But, without friction, the rod will not be charged with electricity. This is similar to the objection raised against the practice of esotericism.” — Rudolf Steiner, FIRST STEPS IN INNER DEVELOPMENT (Anthroposophic Press, 1999), p. 25. You can’t electrify the glass rod without rubbing it; you can’t hear “the truths” without walking “the path.” Steiner goes on to say “No one tells you to become an esotericist. People come to esotericism of their own volition.” [Ibid.] There, volition: freedom! But what happens to those who don’t walk the path? Their doom is terrible. [See “Sphere 8”.] Only those who want to see mankind destroyed refuse to accept Steiner’s one-true-way: “[O]nly those who are willing to see human beings pass into the Eighth Sphere can have any valid objection to this spiritual-scientific Movement.” — [Rudolf Steiner, THE OCCULT MOVEMENT IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1973), lecture 5, GA 254.

[Nanaimo.]

“Locally handmade Waldorf Inspired home decor - $10 (Nanaimo) - We are a pair of local mama friends who have come together to offer lovingly handcrafted items for you and your loved ones...for children, adults, house and home! We love the beauty (both visual and tactile) of natural materials and hope our items will bring a little joy and magic to your space.”  [5-7-2011 http://nanaimo.en.craigslist.ca/hsh/2368306370.html]

Waldorf schools often serve as portals into an alternative world: the world of Anthroposophy. There is much beauty in these portals and in that world. Steiner stressed the need for schools to surround children with beauty, and Waldorf schools often accomplish this. The purpose is occult — ultimately, the purpose is initiation into the occult system Steiner devised, Anthroposophy. But there is no denying that, on the surface at least, Waldorf schools are often very attractive. [See “Magical Arts”.]

In addition to stressing beauty, the Anthroposophical lifestyle contains other appealing elements: natural materials, simple wooden and woollen toys, organic foods, an unhurried daily pace, green values, and the like. The obverse side to these attractions, however, is that most of the advantages of contemporary life are rejected. Anthroposophical life generally turns its back on the modern world and moves in a retrograde direction, back into the darkness of superstition and mysticism. Steiner, of course, claimed that his thinking was progressive and forward-looking, but really it was largely medieval. [See “Superstition”, “Magic”, "The Ancients", and “Occultism”.]

If you become enamored of a Waldorf school and its Anthroposophically centered community, you may find yourself drawn further and further into an all-encompassing way of life. You can find books on how to raise your children in a proper Waldorf way, how to be a proper Waldorf mother, how to be a proper Waldorf housewife, how to make bread the Waldorf way, how to make Waldorf soups, and so on and so forth. You can confine yourself to Waldorf-style songs, Waldorf-style poems, Waldorf-style prayers. You can outfit your home with Waldorf-inspired furniture and decorate your walls and windows with Waldorf-inspired art. You can ingest Waldorfish vitamins, and use Waldorfish herbal medicines, and anoint yourself with Waldorfish skin-care products. You can let Waldorf take over all parts of your life. [See, e.g., the array of books shown in “Nov. 1-15, 2010” at the Waldorf Watch Annex.]

The potentially all-inclusive nature of Anthroposophical life is one reason some people call Anthroposophy a cult. The other major reasons are that Anthroposophy consists of peculiar spiritual teachings, and it depends almost wholly on the pronouncements of a single individual, Rudolf Steiner.

Think carefully before entering a Waldorf portal.

"Anthroposophists generally practise what they preach ... but only up to a point. We certainly have no difficulty in rejecting most of the world's recognized authorities, along with the orthodoxies of politics, economics, medicine, science, art, agriculture and education that they represent — except when they just happen to fit in with something that we are pushing. As a group we believe that we have access to knowledge that puts us in a superior position, and the tendency to let this feeling of superiority show is one of the most off-putting features of the anthroposophical personality." — Waldorf teacher Keith Francis. [See "Ex-Teacher 9".]

What is "the anthroposophical personality"? I would hesitate to generalize, except that an Anthroposophist has raised the issue. So, looking back over a lifetime spent around, among, and in discussions with Anthroposophists, I would suggest this:

There is a layer of sweetness. Anthroposophists believe in angels and fairies and living spirits in the heavens and earth. But there is also smugness, a sense of superiority — Anthroposophists think they know more than anyone else about almost everything (and what they don't know isn't worth knowing). There are traces of pseudo-intellectualism: Anthroposophy is a complex system; adherents read brain-jarring tomes by Rudolf Steiner and others, and they develop intricate rationalizations to support what they read. There is inflexibility. Anthroposophy is The Truth, and anyone who assails it is probably demonic, while anyone who leaves the fold is beneath notice, having chosen The False. There is a countercultural inclination, a certain rebelliousness: Authorities are distrusted while the inviolable authority of the Self is affirmed. Overall, the Anthroposophical personality is defined by delusion. Believing that the heart is truer than the brain, Anthroposophists think that what they feel must be true. Believing in clairvoyance or "higher consciousness," Anthroposophists think that what they sense must be true. And thus rationality withers. Believing only what they wish to believe, Anthroposophists cut themselves off more and more from reality, they become more and more remote, and more and more defensive (because, despite their determined efforts, a shadow of doubt haunts the Anthroposophical night).

"Castlecrag's Anna Davis in the labyrinth she created at the Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School." 

[Photo: Elenor Tedenborg; North Shore Times]

From the North Shore Times, Australia: 

"Anna Davis makes a labyrinth at Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School

“Castlecrag’s Anna Davis, who graduated from Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School last year, is a deeper thinker than most. 

“’I’ve always been interested in the question of the meaning of life and religion,’ she said. ‘We did a lot of study on ancient religion and moved to modern systems and beliefs.’ 

“...As a practical component of [a research project] she constructed a labyrinth on the school grounds. 

“’The labyrinth is very relevant as a tool for the search of meaning, and is used all over the world.’” [2-20-2012 http://north-shore-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/anna-davis-makes-a-labyrinth-at-glenaeon-rudolf-steiner-school/] 

The curriculum at most Steiner and Waldorf schools includes extensive exposure to world religions. The underlying reason is that Anthroposophy — the Waldorf religion — is an amalgam of many religions. Thus, teaching students about various religious traditions is a primer for Anthroposophical belief. 

Steiner and Waldorf schools sometimes have labyrinths on their grounds, and often the teachers lead students through spiral walks, tracing the path that a soul is said to travel as it approaches spiritual truth. These constructions and walks have clear religious intent, although the students and parents may not be explicitly informed of this intent. For those who penetrate even slightly below the surface, the spirals serve as muted confessions that Steiner / Waldorf schools are religious institutions. [See, e.g., "Spiritual Agenda" and "Soul School".]

A candle-lit Waldorf spiral ceremony.

See News Archive, December, 2010

and October, 2011.

Waldorf students being led on a spiral walk on a beach.

See News Archive, September, 2011.

Disguised religious ceremonies are often enacted in Waldorf schools.

Spiral ceremonies, ceremonies in darkened spaces, ceremonies involving candles, reverence, worship...

These ceremonies often seem more or less Christian, and yet threads of paganism run through them.

(See Steiner's statement about spirals at the end of this section.)

Suncoast Waldorf School

"Each Winter the whole school celebrates the Festival of Whitsun, or Pentecost, 

in a hall beautifully bedecked with flying white doves made for the festival by the Lower School classes. 

This is the festival of the Holy Spirit, the divine force that became an inner flame, giving inspiration to the Apostles, 

so that they could carry Christianity into the world each with their own understanding, beyond distinctions of race or culture. 

Twelve candles representing the twelve disciples are lit from one central candle by a child from each of our twelve classes."

—  Taikura Rudolf Steiner School

 

"Our Annual Advent Spiral will take place at Tin Mountain Conservation Center on Sunday, December 5th in the evening.

This event, for children four to nine years old, is an opportunity to experience the mood of the season. 

The children walk through a spiral of evergreen boughs carrying candles in apples. 

They light their candles from a single candle in the center and as they walk out of the spiral they place their lit candles along the path. 

The darkened room is gradually illuminated by the shining of the many candles, just as our inner striving brings the light of understanding into the world. 

Your family is invited to attend and children between the ages of four and nine are welcome to participate. 

This is a magical evening — please watch your newsletter for more details to come!"

— White Mountain Waldorf School

 

"After singing roll, I choose a child, perhaps this would be the child of the day (or my little helper) to come up and light the candle on the nature table. 

The candle is lit out of reverence, to set a mood, much like you would at church or at the dinner table. 

Then the child returns to his place and we say our morning verse which was written by Rudolf Steiner:

 'The sun with loving light/ makes bright for me each day./ The soul with spirit power/ gives strength unto my limbs. /In sunlight shining clear/ I do revere O God,/

 the strength of humankind,/ which thou so graciously/ has planted in my soul,/ that I with all my might,/ may love to work and learn./ 

From Thee come light and strength./ To Thee rise love and thanks.'

 ...[T]he candle is blown out and the class sits down." 

— Former Waldorf teacher Lani Cox ["Ex-Teacher"]

 

“One Alamo woman hopes to open a Waldorf school in San Ramon [Texas, USA], bringing this experiental [sic] learning style to the Tri-Valley.  

Dana Jain, a longtime Waldorf teacher, Luna Loca restaurant owner and resident of Alamo since 2002, 

is in the early planning stages of opening a Waldorf school in the location previously occupied by Mudd's restaurant.

 Jain has organized a Wednesday evening candle-lit 'Spiral of Light' ceremony, to help acquaint parents with Waldorf education ... 

The Spiral of Light activity typically occurs in a Waldorf first grade and appealed to Jain when she discovered the Waldorf method in 1974. 

Children will walk a short spiral of branches toward a central light. At the center, the children will light a candle, and return outward through the spiral, 

leaving a candle along the path making the spiral increasingly lit with each child's journey.”

— News item, December, 2010

 

— Martimas lantern walk

Martinmas is the festival of St. Martin

 

"The Advent Spiral, a kindergarten and lower grades festival, is one of light, movement, and symbolic change. 

A spiral of greens or ribbons of cloth is laid out on the floor and decorated with crystals, shells, plants, and carved animals representing the kingdoms of nature. 

Each child walks to the center, carrying an unlit candle, which is lighted from the tall brightly-burning candle there. 

Moving outward, the child places the candle somewhere along the spiral pathway, bringing it to light. 

This passage reflects winter's dark growing to a close and the renewed promise that spring light and life will begin again.

The Advent Spiral is also perhaps the most deeply moving community festival of the year.

 As part of the Adult Education program, opportunity is provided for adults to walk the spiral and experience its beautiful and powerful symbolism. 

Children are also welcome if they can honor the mood of quiet contemplation."

— Austin Waldorf School

Advent is the religious festival preceding Christmas

 

— Sanderling Waldorf School

 

— Waldorf School of Lexington

 

— Waldorf School of Princeton

 

— The Waldorf Hub

 

Anthroposophists, having studied Steiner, usually know what various Anthroposophical symbols denote. Many parents and some teachers at Waldorf schools do not know. They should make the effort to learn. Here, for instance, is a statement Steiner made about the spiral as a symbol. Note that he was discussing a religious holiday, Christmas. The Anthroposophical meaning of the spiral symbol in the observance of Christmas (and the period leading to it: Michaelmas and Advent) involves astrology, Atlantis, and the Aryans. This is just one instance of the occultism that lurks behind the symbolic ceremonies enacted in Waldorf schools.

"Earthly events are determined by what occurs in spiritual realms. Take the sign of Cancer, for example. Its true significance is not always known, but this sign, which consists of two intertwining spirals, when rightly understood points to the dawn of a new age. Whenever an important event occurs in the world, whenever one stage of evolution is superseded by another thereby bringing something new into the world, two such spiral movements intertwine. One spiral of the sign of Cancer indicates the end of the Atlantean culture; the other, the beginning of the Aryan culture. Our ancestors thus perceived in the heavens the outward sign for the rise of the new Aryan culture. At a later time the sun entered the sign of Gemini, the Twins. This is the sign of good and evil, the sign that governed Persian thinking. Then the sun entered Taurus. Here we have the third post-Atlantean period with its veneration of the Bull in the Egyptian Apis cult, the Babylonian cult of the Bull and its sacrifice, and the Mithraic cult of ancient Persia. Man brought the sacrifice of the Bull down to earth from the heavens where it was inscribed." — Rudolf Steiner, SIGNS AND SYMBOLS OF THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL (Anthroposophic Press, 1967), lecture 1, "The Birth of the Light", GA 90f. [For more on this, see "Advent Spiral at Waldorf" at Open Waldorf.]

Occasionally Anthroposophists make plain the real nature of Waldorf schooling. They are especially prone to do this when they are primarily addressing each other. But sometimes they let things slip when addressing a general audience, although their statements in that situation may contain elements that seem less than sincere. (See the third quotation, below.) Books like the ones shown here are rare, but in today's Internet-connect world, they are easier to find than they once were. 

[Rudolf Steiner College Press, 1995]

[Rudolf Steiner Press, 1996]

[Anthroposophic Press, 2004]

“Rudolf Steiner dealt with the Christ Impulse [the spiritual-evolutionary power given us by Christ] in pedagogy even before the founding of the first Waldorf school in 1919 ... I have made an attempt to bring many of these indications together and especially to follow the ‘golden thread’ of teaching out of the background of the Father (and Mother) forces in the early grades, of the Son forces in the middle grades, and through the Holy Spirit in the high school.” — René Querido, author, in the preface to THE ESOTERIC BACKGROUND OF WALDORF EDUCATION: The Cosmic Christ Impulse.

"To foster the connection between [Waldorf] teachers and the Third Hierarchy [of gods] Rudolf Steiner gave information which could be considered a kind of prayer or meditation. The actual words are available only to the college members [i.e., members of a Waldorf school's inner circle, the "college of teachers"] ... When united in common striving, the archai [gods three levels above man], in particular the Spirit of the Times (Michael), gives to the group the light of wisdom and the creative forces of intuition." — Roy Wilkinson, author, THE SPIRITUAL BASIS OF STEINER EDUCATION — The Waldorf School Approach, pp. 122-123.

“The instruction in religion based on spiritual science [i.e., Anthroposophy] is increasing [in the Waldorf School], and more and more children come to it. Some have even deserted other religious instruction to go to the anthroposophic religious lessons. It is quite understandable, therefore, that people should say that these anthroposophists are rather bad people, since they lead children to abandon their Catholic and Protestant religious lessons for the religious instruction based on spiritual science. We do all we can to discourage them from coming, because it is very difficult for us to find religious teachers in our own area. Nevertheless, despite the fact that we never planned on this instruction except in response to parents’ requests and the unconscious requests of children (to my great distress, I might almost say), the demand for anthroposophic religious instruction constantly increases. And now thanks to this anthroposophic religious instruction the school has a completely Christian character.” — Rudolf Steiner, lecturer, THE SPIRITUAL GROUND OF EDUCATION, p. 115.