Q. What role does clairvoyance play at Waldorf schools? What does this mean for an evaluation of the schools?
A. Rudolf Steiner claimed to be clairvoyant. His entire system, Anthroposophy, depends on clairvoyance. If the things he "saw" by using "clairvoyance" don't really exist — if Steiner was fooling himself or at least trying to fool us — then his entire system collapses, which destroys the basis for Waldorf education.
Steiner said Waldorf teachers should develop their own powers of clairvoyance or, at a minimum, they hould accept the guidance of clairvoyants such as himself. He put the matter this way: "Not every Waldorf teacher has the gift of clairvoyance, but every one of them has accepted wholeheartedly and with full understanding the results of spiritual-scientific investigation [i.e., the use of clairvoyance] concerning the human being. And each Waldorf teacher applies this knowledge with heart and soul...." [1]
Many Waldorf teachers affirm the need for clairvoyance. Thus, one has written: "Must teachers be clairvoyant in order to be certain that they are teaching in the proper way? Clairvoyance is needed...." [2]
Another Waldorf teacher has added, “Reference has been made throughout this book to what has been variously termed spiritual perception, enhanced consciousness or knowledge of higher worlds [these are synonyms for clairvoyance]. There follows a short summary here on the path which can be taken to attain such experience ... [T]his is the same path that should be followed by every teacher who takes his vocation seriously.” [3] The path is the one set out by Steiner telling his followers how to develop clairvoyant powers. [See "Knowing the Worlds".]
The great problem in all this is that, as far as anyone truly knows, clairvoyance is a delusion — it does not exist. [See "Clairvoyance".]
[1] Rudolf Steiner, WALDORF EDUCATION AND ANTHROPOSOPHY (Anthroposophic Press, 1995), Vol. 2, p. 224.
[2] Waldorf educator Eugene Schwartz, THE MILLENNIAL CHILD (Anthroposophic Press, 1999), p. 157.
[3] Waldorf educator Roy Wilkinson, THE SPIRITUAL BASIS OF STEINER EDUCATION, The Waldorf School Approach (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1996), p. 115.
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