The Waldorf or Anthroposophical conception of Easter is very different from what you will find in any mainstream Christian church. Waldorf Easter entails doctrines of evolution, the Sun God, Atlantis, elemental beings, clairvoyance, invisible human bodies, and so on. Waldorf teachers may or may not explain any of these doctrines to their students. Generally, secrets will be kept secret; but the spirit underlying the Waldorf celebrations will resonant with occultism.

“We see countless elemental beings [nature spirits] in spring just around Easter time ... [W]e see them come together in a general cloud (red) and form a common mass within the Earth soul (green). But in doing so these elemental beings lose their consciousness to a certain degree and enter into a sort of sleeping condition.” — Rudolf Steiner, THE CYCLE OF THE YEAR AS THE BREATHING-PROCESS OF THE EARTH (Anthroposophic Press, 1984), p. 40.

[R.R. rendering of a Steiner diagram;

scroll down.]

Below are items from the Waldorf Watch News,

(Please remember that these items were originally 

posted days or even weeks apart.

For that reason, I often reiterated basic important points, 

knowing that some readers

did not see the previous items and were 

coming upon these points for the first time.)

March 10, 2018

SPRING, AND THE SUN GOD,

AT WALDORF  

Waldorf schools worldwide are generally preparing, now, for their annual spring festivals. Waldorf schools typically hold festivals celebrating each season of the year in its turn. At one level, these festivals are reenactments or revivals of ancient seasonal festivities. At another level — deeply connected to the first — they are religious observances.

Here is how Waldorf teacher Henk van Oort describes Easter in his disappointingly brief, but still informative, guide to the Anthroposophical worldview:

"Easter — festival related to springtime...when new life and growth appear in nature ... Anthroposophy also draws attention to the Resurrection of Christ in the ether body of the earth. The resurrected etheric Christ nurtures this resurgence of life, and can be experienced by those who develop their perceptions in a special way ... In the rhythm of the four seasons, spring is most suitable for celebrating this festival because it takes place when the planet is most receptive to Christ's life-giving forces." — Henk van Oort, ANTHROPOSOPHY A-Z (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2011), p. 35.

As you may infer from this, an Easter observance at a Waldorf school is likely to be rather different from what you will find elsewhere. The Easter Bunny and Easter-egg hunts will probably be absent or downplayed, and even the apparently Christian elements may have a strange cast.

Van Oort tells us of the "etheric Christ." Who or what is this? To understand, you need to know that the Christ revered in Waldorf schools and other Anthroposophical institutions is not the Son of God as he is usually described in Christian churches. No, the Christ of Anthroposophy is a different being: He is the god who has ruled the Sun. He is, in brief, the Sun God — the same god worshipped under a plethora of strange names by many ancient peoples. Here is a statement offered by Anthroposophist Margaret Jonas:

“The rituals through which one can contact gods and goddesses of old offer a deep sense of satisfaction. However, times have changed, spiritual beings evolve also and are known by other names. Christ, the Sun God, who was known by earlier peoples under such names as Ahura Mazda, Hu or Balder, has now united himself with the earth and its future evolution.” — Margaret Jonas, Introduction to RUDOLF STEINER SPEAKS TO THE BRITISH (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1998), p. 5.

Anthroposophists believe the Sun God has descended to Earth on various occasions. Once, he came down and performed the activities attributed to Christ in the New Testament. After his Crucifixion, he arose from death and returned to his home in the Sun. But recently, he came down to Earth again, in a manner of speaking. As van Oort says, Christ came down to the "ether body of the earth" — he descended into the supernatural region that, Anthroposophists believe, surrounds and infuses the physical Earth. This descent was Christ's "Second Coming." Mainstream Christians anticipate the Second Coming as a future event, but Anthroposophists believe this event — as redefined by Rudolf Steiner — has already occurred. The Sun God dwells now in the etheric body of the Earth, according to Anthroposophical teachings. [For more on these and related matters, see "Christ Events", "Sun God", and "Was He Christian?"]

A spring festival or an Easter celebration at a Waldorf school is, at its most fundamental level, one of the Anthroposophical "rituals through which one can contact gods and goddesses of old," as Jonas puts it. Specifically, it is a ritual through which we can contact "the resurrected etheric Christ," as van Oort puts it. (Bearing in mind that for Anthroposophists Christ is the Sun God, then Christ qualifies as one of the "gods and goddesses of old.")

If you attend a Waldorf spring festival, will you find any of these Anthroposophical beliefs openly professed? Probably not. Anthropophists think they possess secret spiritual wisdom that must be concealed from the uninitiated. To know or see what Anthroposophis think they know and see, you must have a special power of perception. You must become clairvoyant. This is what van Oort means when he says "The resurrected etheric Christ...can be experienced by those who develop their perceptions in a special way." The special way is the clairvoyant way. Belief in clairvoyance underlies almost everything in the Anthroposophical community, including Waldorf schools. [See "Clairvoyance", "Inside Scoop", and "The Waldorf Teacher's Consciousness".]

Much will probably be hidden from you, therefore, if you attend a Waldorf spring festival. But the occult doctrines we are discussing here are the sorts of things that lie below the surface of vernal observances in a Waldorf school. The main question is not whether you might discern these things on first acquaintance, but what effects these things may have on Waldorf students over the long run. Much will be hidden from the kids, too. But when the kids are led through a long sequence of Anthroposophical religious observances, season after season, year after year, the effects on them should gradually accumulate. The effects should produce a subtle conditioning process, a quiet form of indoctrination leading susceptible children toward the mysterious, mystical Anthroposophical vision. [See, e.g., "Indoctrination".]

"Festivals — like towers in a landscape, the annual festivals mark important moments in the calendar as observed in fields of work inspired by anthroposophy ... [The festivals] reflect cyclical spiritual events ... Celebrating the festivals enables human beings to get in touch with both nature and spirit ... [Festivals] offer an opportunity for us to develop greater awareness of the course and aim of human life on earth."  — Henk van Oort, ANTHROPOSOPHY A-Z, pp. 45-46.

Anthroposophists think that understanding the meaning of life ("the course and aim of human life") comes down to understanding or at least embracing Anthroposophy. (The roots of the odd word "Anthroposophy" are the Greek terms for human (Anthropo) wisdom (sophy).) The festivals represent one way Waldorf schools try to shepherd the people in their orbit toward the "wisdom" of the occult belief system known as Anthroposophy.

March 19, 2018

EASTER, ATLANTIS,

AND THE GODS

Atlantis as it is sometimes conceived.

This is not an Anthroposophical image, 

but it locates Atlantis where Steiner said it existed. 

(Europe and Africa are to the right; 

the Americas are to the left.)

[Public domain image.]

At this time of year, Waldorf schools typically sponsor spring festivals. These events are generally disguised Easter observances modified by the inclusion of numerous esoteric and pagan beliefs.

Esotericism is muted in many Anthroposophical texts dealing with Easter. But in some instances, the esoteric rises to the surface.

Here are excerpts from an Easter lecture given by Rudolf Steiner. Esotericism, in this instance, leaps out. Many readers, especially Christians, may be surprised — Steiner's lecture wanders far from anything found in the Bible. (I have added some footnotes to help readers who are not conversant with Anthroposophical beliefs.)

Today we shall go back [to] the middle of the Atlantean epoch [1], when the ancestors of present-day humanity were living in the West, between Europe and America, on the continent now lying beneath the waters of the Atlantic Ocean [2] ... When we look with spiritual perception [3] at the soul-life of these antediluvian [4], Atlantean peoples, it is seen to be quite different from the soul life of post-Atlantean humanity.... [5]

Let us look...at the middle of the Atlantean epoch. Man's consciousness in those times was essentially different. When in the morning he [6] entered into his physical and etheric bodies [7] he was not confronted with sharply outlined images of the outer, material world. [8] The images were much less distinct and definite, rather as street lamps in thick fog may appear to us [today]....

At night, when the Atlantean left his physical and etheric bodies, the world into which he passed [9] was not a world of darkness and silence; the image he then perceived were hardly fainter than by day ... [T]he whole space around him was filled with colour-forms and tones, with impressions of smell, taste and so forth. But these colours and tones, these impressions of warmth and cold of which he was conscious, were the garments and mantles of spiritual beings [10] who never descend to physical incarnation, beings whose names and images are preserved in the myths and sagas. Myths and sagas are not just 'folk-tales'; they are memories of visions which people perceived in olden times [11] ... At night they really were surrounded by that world of Nordic gods of which the legends tell. Odin, Freya, and all the other figures in Nordic mythology [12] were not inventions; they were experienced in the spiritual world with as much reality as we experience our fellow human beings around us today. The sagas are the memories of the experiences actually undergone by people of ancient times, in their shadowy, clairvoyant consciousness. [13]

— Rudolf Steiner, THE FESTIVALS AND THEIR MEANING (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1996), part 2: Easter; 

lecture 6: "Easter: Mystery of the Future", pp. 196-198.

Anthroposophical Easter observances are different from what you will find almost anywhere else. To what extent Waldorf spring festivals reflect Anthroposophical belief in Atlantis, clairvoyance, invisible human bodies, multiple gods, and so forth — this will vary from school to school. Generally, these beliefs are likely to be kept hidden from the prying eyes of outsiders. But as Steiner himself has revealed, these beliefs carry the true meaning of holy days such as Easter, from the Anthroposophical perspective. Remember that the book we have sampled is titled THE FESTIVALS AND THEIR MEANING — emphasis added.

◊

Waldorf Watch Footnotes

[1] I.e., the period when humans lives on Atlantis. Steiner taught that the Atlantean Epoch was the fourth great epoch of human life on the planet Earth. [See "Early Earth", "Lemuria" and "Atlantis".]

[2] i.e., Atlantis.

[3] I.e., clairvoyance. Virtually all of Steiner's teachings — which form the belief system underlying Waldorf education — result from his claimed use of clairvoyance. [See "Clairvoyance".]

[4] Atlantis was "antediluvian," according to Steiner, because we lived on that continent before it was destroyed by a mighty flood. Steiner taught that this was the same Flood described in the Hebrew Bible. Noah, Steiner said, was an occult initiate who led survivors from Atlantis to other, drier locations on the Earth. [See, e.g. "Old Testament".]

[5] According to Steiner, we now live in the fifth great epoch of life on Earth — the "Post-Atlantean Epoch." [For an overview, see "Epochs".] Here he says the soul life or spiritual life of people during the Atleantean Epoch was different from our soul life today. In particular, Steiner discusses the perceptions people had during Atlantean times as compared to the perceptions we have today.

[6] I.e., the resident of Atlantis.

[7] Anthroposophists believe human beings have four bodies: the physical, etheric, astral, and ego bodies. At night, the astral and ego bodies ascend to the spirit realm, while the physical and etheric bodies remain on Earth. In the morning, the astral and ego bodies descend from the spirit realm and rejoin the physical and etheric bodies. Steiner refers to this when he says "[I]n the morning he entered into [or re-entered] his physical and etheric bodies." [For more on our four bodies, see "Incarnation".]

[8] By contrast, Steiner taught, today we live during an epoch of harshly physical incarnation, and our present-day consciousness presents us with sharp images of the physical world.

[9] I.e., the spirit realm. Steiner taught that there are two "higher worlds" above the physical world: the soul world and the spirit world. [See "Higher Worlds".] Here, Steiner tells of the astral and ego bodies ascending from Earth into the spirit realm at night. Those bodies — representing our higher, truer selves — leave the physical and etheric bodies behind on Earth. 

[10] I.e., the residents of the higher worlds — gods. Anthroposophy is polytheistic. [See "Polytheism".] When we ascend into the spirit realm, what we experience there are the gods themselves, or at least their garments and mantles.

[11] I.e., myths and sagas preserve ancient humanity's visions of the gods and the higher worlds. Steiner said much the same about fairy tales. 

“Fairy tales are never thought out [i.e., invented]; they are the final remains of ancient clairvoyance, experienced in dreams by human beings who still had the power ... All the fairy tales in existence are thus the remnants of the original clairvoyance.” — Rudolf Steiner, ON THE MYSTERY DRAMAS (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1983), p. 93.

Waldorf schools immerse young students in many myths, sagas, and fairy tales because Steiner taught that these stories are spiritually true.

[12] Odin and Freya are Norse gods. Steiner taught that Norse myths — the myths of northern Europe — are particularly true. For this reason, Norse myths receive special emphasis in Waldorf schools. [See "The Gods".]

[13] Steiner taught that ancient humans had natural clairvoyant powers, which we have largely lost today. But he promised his followers they could develop a new, better form of clairvoyance by following his instructions. [See "Knowing the Worlds".] Waldorf schools attempt to lead students toward clairvoyance through their emphasis on imagination, which is deemed a precursor or preliminary stage of clairvoyance. [See, e.g., "Thinking Cap".]

According to Steiner, the clairvoyant consciousness of the Atlanteans was "shadowy," but its was true. The Atlanteans saw the gods "with as much reality as we experience our fellow human beings around us today."

March 20, 2018

EQUINOX, NATURE SPIRITS, 

AND THE EARTH'S BREATHING

Today is the vernal equinox, at least in the Northern hemisphere. Spring begins today, here in the North. (For folks below the equator, fall is beginning now.)

At Waldorf schools, the coming of spring is marked by spring festivals. When these festivals have a distinctly religious tenor, as they often do, they center on the Sun God — as we have seen. [1] When religion is downplayed in these festivals, as sometimes happens, then other conceptions move to the forefront. [2] But the underlying religious doctrines of Anthroposophy ultimately prevail.

Seen in their less sectarian form, the annual festivals at Waldorf schools are modern versions of ancient, pagan celebrations of the cycle of the seasons. The spring festival is, superficially at least, a particularly joyous observance, for it marks the return of warmth, and growth, and renewed life. Winter has passed; frigid death is receding; the Sun is climbing ever higher in the sky.

Steiner taught that the Earth is a living being. [3] It breathes in and out with the seasons. In effect, this is what the seasons are: They are the breathing process of the Earth. Here are excerpts from a Steiner lecture in which he discusses some of these matters:

Easter occurs at the time of the bursting and sprouting life of spring. At this time the Earth is breathing out her soul-forces, in order that these soul-forces may be permeated again by the astral element surrounding the Earth, the extra-earthly, cosmic element. [4] The Earth is breathing out her soul. What does this mean?

It means that certain elemental beings [5] which are just as much in the periphery of the Earth as the air is or as the forces of growth are — that these unite their own being with the out-breathed Earth soul in those regions in which it is spring. These beings float and merge with the out-breathed Earth soul. They become dis-individualized; they lose their individuality and rise in the general earthly soul element. We see countless elemental beings in spring just around Easter time in the final stage of the individual life which was theirs during the winter. [6] We see them merging into the general earth soul element and rising like a sort of cloud (red, yellow, with green). I might say that during the wintertime these elemental beings are within the soul element of the Earth, where they had become individualized; before this Easter time they had a certain individuality, flying and floating about as individual beings. During Easter time we see them come together in a general cloud (red), and form a common mass within the Earth soul (green). But by so doing these elemental beings lose their consciousness to a certain degree and enter into a sort of sleeping condition. Certain animals sleep in the winter; these elemental beings sleep in summer. This sleep is deepest during St. John's time [7], when they are completely asleep. Then they begin once more to individualize, and when the Earth breathes in again at Michaelmas, at the end of September [8], we can see them already as separate beings again.

[Image from the book;

color added.]

Steiner goes on to explain that spirituality becomes suppressed as earthly life burgeons in the spring and summer. In this sense, we become alienated from the spirit realm during these seasons. Autumn and winter — when earthly life withers and fades — enable us to become more sensitized once again to life beyond the Earth. (The following quotation is teasingly disjointed. For a brief summary, see footnote 10.)

[Image from the book;

color added.]

It is true that spring is fair, and it is a fine capacity of the human soul to perceive the beauty of the spring, the growing, sprouting, burgeoning life. But to be able to perceive also when the leaves fade and take on their fall coloring, when the animals creep away — to be able to feel how in the sensible [9] which is dying away, the gleaming, shining, soul-spiritual element arises — to be able to perceive how with the yellowing of the leaves there is a descent of the springing and sprouting life, but how the sensible becomes yellow in order that the spiritual can live in the yellowing as such — to be able to perceive how in the falling of the leaves the ascent of the spirit takes place, how the spiritual is the counter-manifestation of the fading sense-perceptible; this should as a perceptive feeling for the spirit — ensoul the human being in autumn! [10] Then he would prepare himself in the right way precisely for Christmastide.

Man should become permeated, out of anthroposophical spiritual science [11], by the truth that it is precisely the spiritual life of man on Earth that depends on the declining physical life....

— Rudolf Steiner, THE CYCLE OF THE YEAR AS BREATHING PROCESS OF THE EARTH 

(Anthroposophic Press, 1984), lecture 3 [Easter], pp. 39-42.

Ultimately, according to Steiner, the cycle of the year reaches its pinnacle not at the height of summer but in the depths of winter. The cycle leads to Christmastide — the birth of Jesus, the human being into whose body the Sun God will incarnate. [12] The spring festival, then, marks a period when we are moving away from the pinnacle of the year. But as the seasons roll around, we will again approach the celebration of the Sun God's impending arrival on Earth. [13]

◊ 

Waldorf Watch Footnotes

[1] See the news item for March 10, above: "Spring, and the Sun God, at Waldorf".

[2] See, e.g., the news item for March 19, above: "Easter, Atlantis, and the Gods".

[3] In some ways, he anticipated the Gaia hypothesis, favored by many ecologically minded folks nowadays. Steiner's version was more occult, however — more mystical. And this is the vision that still prevails within Anthroposophy.

[4] I.e., the spiritualized cosmic environment that pervades the universe, according to Steiner. Here on the physical Earth, we tend to be insensible to that environment. But "the astral element surrounding the Earth, the extra-earthly, cosmic element" is the truer reality, Steiner taught.

[5] I.e., invisible beings that are the essence of natural forces, Steiner taught — these beings are usually referred to as nature spirits. Steiner affirmed the ancient teaching that there are four elements: earth, air, water, and fire. The elemental beings within the earth are gnomes, those within the air are sylphs, those within water are undines, and those within fire are fire spirits or "salamanders". [See "Neutered Nature".]

[6] The winter festivals at Waldorf schools center on Christmas and/or the winter solstice. In Anthroposophy, Christmas marks the birth of the human being(s) in whom the Sun God would later incarnate. [See "Was He Christian?"]

[7] The summer festivals at Waldorf schools (somewhat rare, since school is often not in session) occur around June 24, St. John's Tide, or the summer solstice. St. John is John the Baptist.

[8] This is the time of autumn festivals in Waldorf schools, around the autumnal equinox. St. Michael, as revered in Anthroposophy, is the Archangel of the Sun; he is the militant champion of Christ, the Sun God. [See "Michael".]

[9] I.e., things we can sense — things that are perceptible with our ordinary senses. The spirit realm, by contrast, is "supersensible" — we cannot perceive it with our ordinary senses, so clairvoyance is required.

[10] In brief: It is easy to find beauty in the spring, but we should find true beauty in autumn and winter, when earthly (physical) life subsides and super-earthly (spiritual) life becomes more manifest. Then, in the colder seasons, "the gleaming, shining, soul-spiritual element arises" and "the ascent of the spirit takes place."

[11] The phrase "anthroposophical spiritual science" is effectively redundant. Steiner taught that Anthroposophy is true spiritual science — that is, Anthroposophy is the true investigation of the spirit realm through the use of exact clairvoyance. In reality, however, Anthroposophy is a religion. [See "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"]

[12] Steiner taught that there were actually two Jesus children. They merged to become the vessel for the Sun God. [See, again, "Was He Christian?"]

[13] Concerning Christ's identity, as conceived in Anthroposophy, see "Sun God".

March 25, 2018

PALM SUNDAY

AT WALDORF

Today is Palm Sunday. Here is an account of the Waldorf observance of Palm Sunday, written by a Waldorf teacher:

Palm Sunday — the Sunday preceding Easter ... This event in often celebrated in the lower classes [sic] of Waldorf schools in a festival that interweaves pagan and Christian elements. The children make a cross of two sticks and decorate it with garlands of boxwood, nuts and sweets. In the middle of the cross a circular twig is attached as a symbol of the sun. A hen, made of bread, is placed atop this as a symbol of vigilance. The children then walk through the school with their palm sticks, singing about springtime and Easter. The procession can be extended by visiting an old people's home....

— Henk van Oort, ANTHROPOSOPHY A-Z 

(Sophia Books, Rudolf Steiner Press, 2011), 

pp. 89-90.

◊

Waldorf Watch Response:

The presence of pagan elements in what is otherwise a Christian ritual must strike many readers as odd, if not wholly inappropriate. But pagan beliefs are woven throughout the Waldorf worldview. Indeed, because the teachings of Anthroposophy diverge so much from the doctrines of established religions, Anthroposophy itself might be termed pagan. [See "Pagan".]

The centrality of a Sun symbol in the cross made by the students reflects one of the key pagan beliefs of Anthroposophy: The Christ revered in Anthroposophy is the Sun God, the same god worshipped in various religions under such names as Hu, Baldr, Apollo, and so forth. [See "Sun God".]

Other pagan beliefs reflected in the Waldorf ceremony described above include the superstition than a watchful hen may foretell death, and the belief that use or misuse of bread will bring good or bad luck. [See, e.g., THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF SUPERSTITIONS (Oxford University Press, 2005).]

Overall, the Anthroposophical observance of Easter and the period leading to Easter has as much to do with ancient seasonal rites as with events in the Christian calendar. [See, e.g., the Waldorf Watch news item for March 10, 2018: "Spring, and the Sun God, at Waldorf".]

An aside: ANTHROPOSOPHY A-Z is a useful reference work that sometimes reveals more than the author, perhaps, intended. On the other hand, it is short (140 pages) and cursory. It by no means fulfills the implicit promise of its title — it is not, by any means, a full account of all the main themes in Anthroposophy. Nonetheless, anyone interested in the thinking behind Waldorf schools would do well to consult it occasionally.

March 28, 2018

SPRING MINISTRY

AT WALDORF

During the Waldorf school year, three major festivals are usually observed: the fall, winter, and spring festivals (Michaelmas, Christmas, and Easter, each observed with admixtures from non-Christian traditions). During these festivals, multiple Anthroposophical beliefs are enacted. Often, students are encouraged to affirm these beliefs. But on other occasions, faculty members minister to the students without making the meaning of their actions explicit.

Here are some indications concerning Easter observances at Waldorf schools. To understand the indications, you need to know that Anthroposophy teaches that human beings have twelve senses, associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac. Moreover, human beings are reincarnating spirits whose recurrent lives on Earth are meant to enable them to evolve to higher spiritual levels. Waldorf teachers seek to aid students in this process, which is the core of the Anthroposophical creed.

The following, written by a Waldorf teacher, is from a Waldorf journal project:

How can we [Waldorf teachers] create new festivals that give lifelong strength to the children we teach? Today's children require tactile experiences. Those incarnating today have strong social awareness and they long to "touch" the world with their full beings. Considering the twelve senses allows us to facilitate this need....

At Easter/Passover we are at the time of nature's rebirth ... Our feelings are being stirred by the movements of the natural world....

How can we bring these experiences to children? The answer lies in the activation of their [twelve] senses....

— David Mitchell, "Working with the Festivals through the Twelve Senses", 

MICHAELMAS - Waldorf Journal Project #15 (Waldorf Publications, 2015), 

pp. 60-61.

Mitchell then lists twelve sets of activities meant to exercise Waldorf students' twelve senses. These recommendations typify the sort of Waldorf ministry that may seem meritorious or at least unobjectionable. In some instances, occult Anthroposophical doctrines nearly emerge into plain view — for instance in discussions of the "meaning of colors" — but generally they remain hidden. (References to "rebirth", "transcendence", etc., are also suggestive.)

The key question is whether the premises for this ministry, such as the existence of twelve senses, are true. If not, then much that is false lurks just below the attractive Waldorf surface.

The twelve senses and their associated springtime (Easter) activities:

[1]  Sense of Touch ... amnesty international [sic] letters written, deeds done for the disadvantaged

[2]  Sense of Life ... experience a sunrise followed by neighborhood breakfast

[3]  Sense of Movement ... long walk with spaces for quiet reflection

[4]  Sense of Equilibrium ... contra dancing, folk dancing, Maypole dancing

[5]  Sense of Smell ... bread-baking, discuss smells that interest you

[6]  Sense of Taste ... taste salty items

[7]  Sense of Sight ... decorations with purple and yellow; discuss the meaning of colors

[8]  Sense of Warmth ... early morning walks in the brisk air; afternoon talks in the warm sun

[9]  Sense of Hearing ... make music together with all instruments

[10] Sense of Word ... read naturalists' writings of rebirth in nature

[11] Sense of Thought ... tell biographies of sorrow and its transcendence

[12] Sense of Ego ... share three deep questions in small groups with each person responding, "What three personalities influence you and why?"

— David Mitchell, "Working with the Festivals through the Twelve Senses", 

MICHAELMAS, pp. 62-63.

People outside Waldorf schools usually speak of five senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste). This is oversimplistic, and indeed science today tells of other senses, such as the sense of balance. The Waldorf/Steiner list, however, is mostly unfounded except when it includes the five traditional senses. "Senses" such as the sense of life or the sense of thought are mystical mumbo-jumbo.

[For more on the twelve senses and their connections to the zodiac, see "What We're Made Of". For more about the Waldorf view of nature, see "Neutered Nature". For more about the "meaning of colors," see "Mystical Colors". For more about human "personalities" according to Waldorf belief, see "Humouresque" and "Temperaments". For more about human spiritual evolution, see, e.g., the entries for "evolution" and "evolution of consciousness" in The Brief Waldorf / Steiner Encyclopedia. Concerning the "full beings" of Waldorf students — the whole child, often referred to in Waldorf PR materials — see "Holistic Education".]

— R.R..

March 30, 2018 

APOLLO, HU, 

AHURA MAZDA, BALDER...

Most Waldorf schools are currently arranging and staging their annual spring festivals. In recent coverage here, we have looked at some of the auxiliary and even pagan beliefs built into these festivals. Now, as we approach Easter Sunday, we should focus on the central theme of the festivals occurring at this season in Waldorf schools.

Waldorf spring festivals may be staged at almost any time during the spring months, but they are always tied, at their core, to the Christian holy day of Easter. Despite this tie, there are important differences between orthodox Christian observances of Easter and the rituals enacted in and around Waldorf schools. Whereas Christianity is one of the world's major monotheistic faiths, the religion underlying the Waldorf movement — Anthroposophy — is polytheistic. Anthroposophy reveres gods who purportedly rule over the planets and stars in the cosmos. Among these is the Sun God. 

The founder of Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner, taught that the Sun God incarnated on the Earth; he dwelt here in the body of a man named Jesus. Steiner taught that this god is the spirit who has become known as Christ. The Sun God, or Christ, resided on the Earth for three years. He poured his spiritual influence into the Earth, thereby changing the course of human evolution. After that, he returned to the Sun. He now resides in the etheric sphere surrounding the Earth. [See the “news” item for March 10, 2018: “Spring, and the Sun God, at Waldorf”.]

A book published by a Waldorf teachers' association helps us recognize the position of the Sun God at the center of Waldorf Easter observances.

EASTER 

(Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America, 2008).

Various texts reproduced in the book underscore the importance of the Sun and its god in Waldorf Easter rituals. Thus, for instance, on we find this:

“Christ was no earthly man. He was a Sun-Being dwelling in [i.e., incarnated in] the body of Jesus….” — Rudolf Steiner, EASTER, p. 12.

Here is a key verse, appearing early in the book:

“Easter-Mood

When out of world-wide spaces

The sun speaks to the human mind,

And gladness from the depths of soul

Becomes, in seeing, one with light,

Then rising from the sheath of self,

Thoughts soar to distances of space

And dimly bind

The human being to the Spirit’s life.”

— Rudolf Steiner, EASTER, p. 3.

This verse summarizes the Waldorf/Anthroposophical conception of Easter. The Sun, or the Sun God, “speaks to the human mind.” The reverent recipient of the Sun’s message receives “gladness [that] becomes…one with light” — that is, the soul attains joyful connection with the Sun and its illumination. This leads to resurrection as conceived in Anthroposophy: the rising of the individual human out of the limits of the self and into union with the divine. “Then rising from the sheath of self…The human being [rises] to the Spirit’s life.”

Other verses in the book address Christ as the spirit of illumination or sunlight. And the spiritual power of the Sun is reiterated over and over. Thus, for instance, we find these:

“He who illuminates the clouds,

May he illuminate…

Even me.” — p. 17

“Sun, you radiance-harborer….” — p. 18

“When I gaze into the sun,

Radiantly it speaks to me….’ — p. 18

“I can feel, when I look inward…

The soul-bright human sun.” — p. 18

“As the sun in the sky

Sends light to the Earth…” — p. 19

“God’s spirit shines

In sunlight bright….” — p. 19

“You, O my soul,

Give thanks to the light….” — p. 20

“The sun gives light…

For the sun

Does love….” — p. 20

“Light is Love … ’tis woven sunshine,

Love-beams shining from a world

of creative entities….” — p. 30

“The Canticle of the Sun

…Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun….” — p. 35

If sun verses such as these are interpreted as merely metaphorical expressions of Christian belief, they may seem unobjectionable to many parents who are considering Waldorf schools for their children. But if we take such verses as literal expressions of the pagan beliefs found in Anthroposophy, many parents will probably recoil. And, indeed, the Waldorf vision of Christ conceives him to be a god who came to Earth not from Heaven but from the Sun. 

The Waldorf Christ is the same solar spirit worshipped by many pagan peoples in the past, peoples who gave him such names as Apollo. Thus, for instance, Rudolf Steiner said the following:

“Apollo, the Sun god, was the representative of the divine spiritual beings [i.e., gods] which exist behind the tapestry of the sense world... We may now ask: What is the relation of Apollo to the Christ? ... [W]hen the Greek uttered the name of Apollo he was indeed referring to the being which later was revealed as the Christ, but he could only conceive of it [i.e., that god, Christ] in a kind of veiled form, as Apollo.” — Rudolf Steiner, THE EAST IN THE LIGHT OF THE WEST (Rudolf Steiner Publishing Co., 1940), lecture 6, GA 113.

Putting things perhaps a bit more clearly, one of Steiner's prominent followers has written this:

“The rituals through which one can contact gods and goddesses of old offer a deep sense of satisfaction. However, times have changed, spiritual beings evolve also and are known by other names. Christ, the Sun God, who was known by earlier peoples under such names as Ahura Mazda, Hu or Balder, has now united himself with the earth and its future evolution.” — Margaret Jonas, Introduction to RUDOLF STEINER SPEAKS TO THE BRITISH (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1998), p. 5.

In brief, Christ is the Sun God (aka Apollo, Ahura Mazda, Hu, Balder...) who has become deeply involved with Earthly affairs, in particular human spiritual affairs. 

Easter at Waldorf does not conform to mainstream Christian beliefs. Waldorf Easter is polytheistic and, in many ways, pagan.

We will wrap up our coverage of Waldorf spring festivals in a day or so.

[For more on the nature of Anthroposophical religious beliefs, see "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?", "Was He Christian?", and "Waldorf Worship". For more on Waldorf polytheism and paganism, see "Polytheism" and "Pagan". For more on the Sun God, see "Sun God". Steiner taught that the Sun God has come to Earth more than once: See "Christ Events". Steiner taught that other gods have also come to Earth, in the form of avatars. (Steiner said that Christ is the greatest of the avatars.) See "Avatars".]

April 1, 2018 

WALDORF EASTER:

THE GODS, 

THE STARS, AND THE PLANETS

Today is Easter. Throughout Christendom, Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As celebrated within Anthroposophy — the religion pieced together by Rudolf Steiner — Easter has a different character. The Anthroposophical Easter contains multiple pagan elements. Most strikingly, Anthroposophical Easter reveres the Sun God — the same god whom ancient peoples worshipped as Hu, or Apollo, or Baldr, etc. The Sun God is extremely important, Steiner said; but in another sense, the Sun God is just one of a wide panoply of gods. Steiner taught that there are nine ranks of gods. A chart in the book EASTER, published by an association of Waldorf teachers, lists these ranks:

"Names of the Hierarchies

"THIRD HIERARCHY (BELONGS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT)

9. Angeloi, Angels, Guardian Spirits of Humanity, Stimulators of Thought

8. Archangeloi, Archangels, Folk-Spirits, Spirits of Community, Stimulators of Speech

7. Archai, Primal Beginnings, Primal Creators, Time Spirits, Spirits of Personality, Stimulators of Will

◊

"SECOND HIERARCHY (BELONGS TO THE SON)

6. Exusiai, Creator Spirits, Spirits of Form, Revelations

(In Hebrew, the equivalent of Exusiai is Elohim)

5. Dynamis, Spirits of Motion, World Powers

4. Kyriotetes, Spirits of Wisdom, World Guides

◊

"FIRST HIERARCHY (BELONGS TO THE FATHER)

3. Thrones, Spirits of Will

2. Cherubim, Spirits of Harmony

1. Seraphim, Spirits of Love

◊

"THE GODHEAD: FATHER, SON, HOLY SPIRIT"

— EASTER 

(Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America, 2008),

p. 23.

Easter

According to some esoteric traditions, there are nine ranks of angels who serve God. Steiner’s lineup of nine types of gods reflects this concept; indeed, among Steiner's followers, the ranks of gods are sometimes referred to as types of angels. But this is misleading. Steiner taught that the nine types of spirits are not mere heavenly attendants, not mere subordinates of God. They are gods in their own right — in the polytheistic universe described by Steiner, they are deities having their own spheres of authority and power.

The nine ranks of gods exist in conjunction with the Godhead, Steiner said. The Godhead — quite different from the one and only God of monotheism — is a sort of committee of three separate but cooperative gods:

"The highest Ruler of Saturn...appears to us as the Father God, and the highest Ruler of Sun, the Sun-God, as the Christ. Similarly the Ruler of the Moon stage of Earth appears to us as the Holy Spirit....” — Rudolf Steiner, ROSICRUCIAN WISDOM (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2000), p. 100.

Seen in a different light, Steiner indicated, the Godhead is a nebulous spiritual fountainhead, a divine impulse actuating the various gods of the cosmos. [See "God".]

Here is a simplified version of the ranks of gods as conceived in Anthroposophy; this list gives the titles Steiner usually preferred. Reversing the order shown above, this list runs from the highest rank (Spirits of Love) to the lowest (Sons of Life).

1. Spirits of Love

2. Spirits of Harmony

3. Spirits of Will

4. Spirits of Wisdom

5. Spirits of Movement

6. Spirits of Form

7. Spirits of Personality

8. Fire Spirits 

9. Sons of Life 

The three highest ranks constitute what Steiner called the “First Hierarchy,” the middle three ranks constitute the “Second Hierarchy,” and the lowest three ranks constitute the “Third Hierarchy.”

 ◊ 

Anthroposophical Easter differs from Christian Easter in another telling way. The Anthroposophical version of Easter is suffused with astrology. Consider the following poem:

"Easter

Offspring of all the Worlds! Thou in the form of light,

Firm framed by the Sun, with Luna’s might,

Endowed with sounding Mars’ life-stirring hymns,

And swift-winged Mercury’s motion in thy limbs,

Illumin’ed with royal Jupiter’s all-wiseness,

And grace-bestowing Venus’ loveliness —

That Saturn’s old-world-memoried devoutness

Unto the world of Space and Time thee hallow!”

— EASTER

(Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America, 2008),

p. 15.

This “Easter” verse catalogues the astrological influence of all the planets recognized by Steiner as real members of the solar system. (Steiner taught that Uranus and Neptune are not really members of the solar system, and Pluto had not yet been discovered before Steiner died in 1925.) 

The verse is addressed to the “Offspring of all the Worlds” — incarnate souls who are the children of the planets and their powers. The roll of “worlds” begins with the Sun, as we would expect in an Anthroposophical Easter verse. But then it proceeds to the other potent orbs within the Sun’s line — the poem sketches the powers and activities of all seven planets of classical astrology. Thus, the verse speaks of “Luna’s might” — the powers of the Moon and its indwelling spirit. Next, we find reference to holy songs sung — or inspired — by Mars (“Mars’ life-stirring hymns”) and then a reference to the influence of Mercury in one's body (“swift-winged Mercury’s motion in thy limbs”). We learn that Jupiter is all-wise and Venus is truly lovely (“Jupiter’s all-wiseness” and “Venus’ loveliness”). Mighty Jupiter is the manliest of the planets (it is the king, “royal Jupiter”) — it sends forth knowledge (illumination). On the other hand Venus, the most feminine planet — the most lovely sphere — bestows grace. And Saturn? The ancients knew of Saturn’s devotion (“Saturn’s old-world-memoried devoutness”). Anthroposophy, preserving that memory, still affirms the hallowing (consecration) of the cosmos (“the world of Space and Time”) and the reciprocal hallowing (reverencing) of the “offspring of all the worlds.”

 ◊ 

Most readers — especially Christians — are likely to be surprised to find polytheism and astrology woven into the observance of Easter. But these non-Christian conceptions are present in a Waldorf publication about Easter. They derive from Rudolf Steiner's teachings (as do virtually all things in the Waldorf worldvew). So, for instance:

◊ Monotheism is incorrect. “Monotheism or monism can only represent an ultimate ideal; it could never lead to a real understanding of the world, to a comprehensive, complete view of the world.” — Rudolf Steiner, THE MISSION OF THE FOLK SOULS (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2005), p. 115. [See "Polytheism".]

◊ Astrology, rightly understood, is true. “[T]he old, real, and genuine Astrology expresses itself in the destinies of men.” — Rudolf Steiner, ROSICRUCIANISM AND MODERN INITIATION (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1965), lecture 3, GA 233a. [See “Astrology”.]

Polytheism. Astrology. Such beliefs are embedded in the Anthroposophical conception of Easter, which means they underlie the spring festivals held at Waldorf schools.

 ◊ 

Happy Easter.

—R.R.