The Anthroposophical headquarters, the Goetheanum (second design, by R. Steiner; impression by R. Rawlings).

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Rough sketch of a rough sketch

Steiner made, planning a window

for the Goetheanum.

[See THE GOETHEANUM GLASS WINDOWS

by Georg Hartman

(Philosophisch-Anthroposophischer Verlag,

1972).]

[R.R. sketch, 2009]

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A triptych designed by Steiner for the Goetheanum. The iconography of the windows at the Goetheanum is peculiar, derived from the belief system Steiner created: Anthroposophy.

[R. R. copy, 2010.]

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Anthroposophic mystic seal (see R. Steiner, MYSTIC SEALS AND COLUMNS (Health Research1969), seal #5; R.R., impression).

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R.R. impression, detail from a painting intended for the ceiling of the Goetheanum. See THE GOETHEANUM CUPOLA MOTIFS OF RUDOLF STEINER (SteinerBooks, 2011), p. 93.

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Steiner's design for the eurythmy building (the Eurytheum) to be built on the campus of the Goetheanum, impression by R.R. See Rudolf Steiner, ARCHITECTURE (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2003), p. 207.

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An impression of eurythmy as performed at the Goetheanum. See GOETHEANUM (Philosophical-Anthroposophical Press, 1961), p. 31. Sketch by R.R.

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Entryway to an organic structure as designed by R. Steiner and sketeched by R. Rawlings.

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Waldorfish mandala. Steiner taught that geometry awakens clairvoyance. [R.R. impression.]

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Waldorf dream factory. [R.R. impression.]

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[R.R., 2010; my interpretation of the sketch in Steiner's BLACKBOARD DRAWINGS 1919-1924.]

To figure out whether Waldorf education is right for your kids, you may need to learn how to interpret the unique language spoken by Anthroposophists. Here is another example — not good, not so very bad, but occult.

“Here on earth we have solid things that can be weighed, and attached to these objects that can be weighed are the colours, the red, the yellow, whatever our senses perceive as being attached to the objects. When we sleep, yellow is a freely floating being, not attached to anything, but weightless, freely weaving and floating.” — Rudolf Steiner, BLACKBOARD DRAWINGS 1919-1924 (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2003), p. 108.

If you assume that Steiner was speaking about what we see in our dreams — for instance, we may see yellow floating around freely, detached from any object — this statement may seem a bit silly but otherwise fine. But Anthroposophists find much more in Steiner's words.

When we sleep, Steiner taught, parts of our higher nature leave our bodies and travel to spirit realms. Among the many spirits they meet there are various colors. The colors, including yellow, are "beings" or spirits. They are, in fact, spiritual agents that shepherd us to the spirit realm and bring the spirit realm to us. (Art classes in Waldorf schools have this process in mind.)

Specifically, Steiner said that our physical bodies and "etheric" bodies remain on Earth while we sleep, but our "astral bodies" and spiritual "egos" travel to the higher, spiritual worlds where they consort with all manner of spirits or gods. This is helpful, Steiner said — it strengthens and guides us when we return to Earth in the morning and resume our karma. You see, we live many, many lives, in a long process of reincarnation. We alternate between lives on Earth and lives in other worlds.

This, and much more, is what lies behind the apparently mild quotation you see above. When investigating Waldorf schools, if you encounter language that strikes you as odd or mysterious, don't pass by silently. Ask questions. Probe. Dig. Read. Work to understand what you are being told (and what is being concealed).

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When, on the lecture stage, Steiner propounded his weird medical teachings, he sometimes drew blackboard illustrations — but they added little. He drew an image like this when saying the following:

"The intake of breath that goes down into the body from the head wants to shape itself into a mummy. And it is only because the body works against this and brings about exhalation that this mummy is changed back again."

— Rudolf Steiner, BLACKBOARD DRAWINGS 1919-1924 (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2003), p. 71.

[My sketch of Steiner's sketch, 2009.]

Apology

As is perfectly obvious, I am not a talented artist.

As may be less obvious, I don't think I'm a talented artist — or even a semi-talented one. I know I'm not.

I offer my sketches, renderings, copies, and scribbles only because I cannot afford to hire actual artists to illustrate my websites. I'm reduced to presenting what I can afford — my own feeble approximations of art.

So please accept this apology. I know I am not a talented artist. I do the best I can, knowing that my best is barely passable.

I apologize.

— Roger Rawlings