# New Panels and Papers ## Panels and Papers 100 Years Rudolph Steiner ![Side shot of the Goetheanum building in Dornach, Switzerland](/sites/g/files/omnuum4701/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-10/iStock-2229030084.jpg?h=351f42f9&itok=jvjsZU90) ## expand\_more ### Sunday, December 14 ### 17:00-21:00 expand\_more ##### Biography in the Mirrors of the Biographers, or Writing the Life of Rudolf Steiner – Empirical Facts, Polemical Insinuations, and Imaginative Insights Presenter(s): [**Aaron French, Henry Holland**](/steinerconference/keynotes "Keynote Speakers") Location: The Sheraton Commander Hotel, *16 Garden St, Cambridge, MA* **Please note:** *We have currently reached our maximum capacity for in-person participation. When you register, you will have the opportunity to be put on a waitlist—if additional spaces become available, we will let you know.* In this lecture we narrate how Steiner’s two major autobiographical texts – My Life’s Course, serialized in the pages of the Goetheanum from December 1923, and the lecture given in February 1913 to the newly-founded Anthroposophical Society – were responses to malicious public polemics. We further explore how both writings color his reception until today, among readers and scholars of all hues. Seeing Steiner and his community as co-shapers of historical processes, rather than as mere victims – their opponents’ commitment to violence notwithstanding – we then zoom out to show how third-party descriptions of Steiner’s person and companions, from the 1890s and steadily through until after Steiner’s death, stamped him as an arriviste, whose popular challenge to dominant knowledge systems was well worth opposing. Aware that knowledge about anthroposophy and Steiner is created out of the societal positions of adherents, opponents, and researchers – and mindful that all research positions consist of privilege and oppression in unequal measures – we conclude by returning to our opening question: How are understandings of Steiner and his work formed in the mirror of biographical imaginations? Watch the keynote here: ### Monday, December 15 ### 9:00–11:00am: Panels 1A & 1B expand\_more Note: There are two panels happening simultaneously during this time slot: **Cader Room** and **James Room East**. Click on the *panel name* in each room to find the paper abstracts. Click on the *names of the presenters* to find their biographical information. Cader Room James Room East ## Cader Room #### **Panel:** [*Practices of Spiritual Formation*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") (5 papers) --- **Illuminations on Rudolf Steiner as a Spiritual Teacher. Unpublished Materials from the Rudolf Steiner Archive** Presenter(s): [Angelika Schmitt](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/illuminations-rudolf-steiner-spiritual-teacher-unpublished-materials-rudolf-steiner) In his comprehensive study on the history of anthroposophy in Germany, Helmut Zander (2008, I: 716) points out that the history of Steiner's impact as a spiritual teacher is largely unwritten. This talk aims to make a modest contribution to this huge topic from both the early theosophic and the early anthroposophical periods of Steiner's esoteric teaching. For this purpose, some unpublished, in part only recently discovered, materials from the Rudolf Steiner Archive (RSA) will be examined, including: hectographed diagrams in Steiner's handwriting, and meditative drawings by the Russian symbolist writer Andrei Bely (1880-1934) and the Russian graphic artist Asya Turgeneva (1890-1966). From Steiner's early theosophical teaching practice, there exist small colored cards with pentagrams and hexagrams and hectographed diagrams, which probably served as meditation templates, handed out to the members of the ES. These materials illustrate how Steiner, as a spiritual teacher of the Theosophical movement, amalgamated various elements of different Eastern and Western occult traditions, and how he strived to relate the different traditions to each other. Furthermore, the RSA's collection contains 124 meditative drawings by Andrei Bely and four meditation albums by Asya Turgeneva. Many of them bear the date of creation and a commentary, made by Steiner, who, from the summer of 1912 until 1914, closely mentored the meditation progress of the couple. These meditative drawings by Bely and Turgeneva from the last three years of Steiner's activities as spiritual teacher within the ES show no connections to Eastern occult traditions, but on the contrary demonstrate the inclusion of Christian mystic tradition elements. Through Andrei Bely, Steiner's esoteric teaching practice had a huge impact on Russian literature, as Bely integrated his spiritual experience into his writing practice and developed a new style, called “ornamental prose,” which significantly influenced Russian literature throughout the 20th century. **Inclusive Living Thinking: Spiritual Formation and Camphill Communities** Presenter(s): [Elizabeth Sanders](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/inclusive-living-thinking-spiritual-formation-and-camphill-communities) This paper explores how the intersection of practical theology and anthroposophical spiritual science can reframe inclusive community as a process of shared spiritual formation. While much of disability theology emphasizes “metaphorical reversal”—subverting dominant norms through the symbolic revaluation of disability—this paper argues that such reversals must be matched by practical methodologies of transformation. Drawing from Camphill communities and Rudolf Steiner’s methodological writings, I propose a framework in which inclusive communities (potentially) function as sites of embodied and transformative pneumatology rather than as institutions of care provision and individual development. In short, I propose that inclusive community living is itself an incarnated or embodied practice of the "living thinking" that Steiner develops throughout his Goethean and later anthroposophic methodological works. **Religious Education in Rudolf Steiner's Educational Thinking** Presenter(s): [Carlo Willmann](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/religious-education-rudolf-steiners-educational-thinking) Religion certainly plays a significant role in Rudolf Steiner's educational thinking. This is because Steiner considers religiousness to be a constitutive potential of the human being, which must be fostered in education in accordance with the psychological developmental stages of the child and adolescent. The task is therefore to gradually enable adolescents to determine their religious existence freely and consciously. Under the aspect of a holistic education, religious elements therefore find their place in the Waldorf school curriculum. Steiner is primarily concerned with an education of feelings and will, which can serve as a foundation for all religions. As a general religious education, it honors all religions and seeks to promote their common spiritual values under the banner of freedom of thought, tolerance, and mutual recognition. Such concepts can also be found to some extent in reform-oriented religious education in Steiner’s contemporary German-speaking environment, for example in the Munich Method, which represented a catechetical upheaval. Like Steiner, it also sought to harmonize religious education with the development of the child and to give it a theological foundation by referring to the image of God. While the former operates in the field of ecclesiastical-Christian understanding, Steiner focuses on aspects of training as he had previously described them in his theosophy, later supplemented by his anthroposophical understanding of Christ and the Trinity. This contribution aims to provide a critical insight into the rationale and didactics of religious education at Waldorf schools and its strengths and weaknesses. Can a religious education really be replaced by an education of feelings and will? Can it contribute in a global multi-religious context - even outside the original Christian roots - to a modern and dialogical religious education so that religions will not be in competition with each other, but rather in cooperation to give humanity lasting spiritual dignity? A few examples may shed some light. **Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophy as a Secularized Religiosity** Presenter(s): [Zohar Maor](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiners-anthroposophy-secularized-religiosity) In this paper I wish to examine Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophy as a secularized religiosity. By this term I refer to de-traditionalized substitutes of religions, catering for the needs of modern Europeans who renounced religions but still yearned for a source of meaning, identity and a non-scientific worldview. Steiner ventured to balance religious sources of inspiration and secular challenges and demands. This paper aims to explore Steiner’s ambivalent attitude to religion and his modern uses of religious traditions. Through the case of Anthroposophy, I argue, some basic features of secularized religions could be elucidated, namely a declared syncretism; the dichotomous separation between the “inner” and "outer" layers of religion; the turn to worldliness and the recurring preoccupation with questions of identity. **Epistemology as Meditation** Presenter(s): [Marcelo da Veiga](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/epistemology-meditation) This paper explores the relationship between philosophy and meditation, focusing on their historical development and practical dimensions. Philosophy is understood here as the love of wisdom—a pursuit that seeks not only critical distance but also closeness and insight into the essence of reality. In European history, philosophy emerged as a response to, and eventual replacement for, mythical consciousness. It developed into a rational, dialectical method aimed at understanding nature, human behavior, and social structures. In contrast, the older wisdom traditions of India and China emphasize contemplation and meditation as essential paths to realizing deeper understanding of reality and higher states of consciousness. A culminating concept in these traditions is Brahmavidya—a form of knowledge (vidya) that seeks to embrace (Brahma) the highest manifestation of reality. These traditions became known in the West only in the context of British colonialism, and even then, they were often misunderstood or marginalized. Rooted in a pre-European conception of science, they were largely neglected by the Eurocentric framework that came to dominate Western understandings of knowledge. To this day, Western academia tends to ignore or dismiss the idea Brahmavidya and related forms of spiritual science as inferior, despite the existence of European mysticism and the reemergence of ancient wisdom during the 19th century, notably through the Theosophical movement. In the 20th century, Rudolf Steiner—initially connected to the Theosophical movement—offered a detailed account of meditative practice grounded in epistemological reflection. His approach involves a specific form of observation that engages the spiritual dimension within subject-object consciousness. This pioneering work laid the foundation for a renewed integration of philosophy and meditation into a holistic practice that addresses both the rational and spiritual aspects of human experience. Steiner's approach to meditation, however, goes beyond the popular contemporary practices aimed at stress reduction (MBSR), and remains challenging for many, due to the complexity and abundance of his detailed descriptions of spiritual phenomena. ## James Room East #### **Panel:** [*Steiner’s Aesthetics, Modern Art, and Organic Architecture*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") (5 papers) --- **The Architecture of Living Water: Rudolf Steiner’s Aesthetic Cosmology and Spiritual Ecology of Design Practice** Presenter(s): [Maria Prieto](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/architecture-living-water-rudolf-steiners-aesthetic-cosmology-and-spiritual-ecology) This paper reexamines Rudolf Steiner’s architectural thinking as a vital expression of anthroposophy’s spiritual and ecological imagination. Focusing on the interplay between aesthetics, water, and the transformative potential of form, the study situates Steiner’s built projects—especially the first and second Goetheanum—within broader currents of spiritual modernism, ecological design, and Western esotericism. It argues that Steiner’s architecture functioned not merely as symbolic cosmology but as a material practice for cultivating perception, ethical awareness, and ecological attunement. By drawing on methods from architectural history, environmental humanities, and esotericism studies, the paper positions Steiner as an experimental designer whose work anticipated contemporary discussions on the affective and moral dimensions of space. Special attention is given to Steiner’s treatment of water as both substance and symbol—a mediator of etheric life, rhythm, and spiritual becoming. This element becomes a lens for interpreting the fluid morphologies of his architectural forms and their embodied, perceptual effects. The paper also traces Steiner’s influence on post-anthroposophical ecological design, particularly the work of John Wilkes and the Institute of Flowform, whose water-sculpting technologies draw directly from Goethean science and Steiner’s aesthetics. These installations exemplify a form of “living technology” that bridges science, art, and moral perception. Finally, the paper puts Steiner in conversation with contemporaneous figures such as Bruno Taut and the Bauhaus, exploring shared commitments to spiritualizing form while highlighting divergent ontologies of material and modernity. In doing so, the paper contributes to a growing reappraisal of Steiner as an architect of spiritual ecology—offering an underrecognized legacy of design as a cosmopolitical and ethical practice, deeply resonant with current ecological and esoteric discourse. **How Rudolf Steiner’s Personal Practice of the Arts and Skilled Craftsmanship Inspired the Creativity of His Students** Presenter(s): [Reinhold Fäth](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/how-rudolf-steiners-personal-practice-arts-and-skilled-craftsmanship-inspired) The paper's title indicates an answer to the panel's question on Steiner’s Aesthetics, Modern Art, and Organic Architecture: How did Steiner’s personal practice of the arts and skilled craftsmanship inspire or constrain the creativity of his students? Anyone who studies the art history of the anthroposophical movement, which has been around for over a hundred years, can understand the justification for the polarized question, because one can perceive phenomena in both directions: "inspired" and seemingly "constrained" creativity of Steiner's followers in the areas mentioned. My paper focuses on the pole of inspired students in the fields of painting, sculpture and Studio Furniture (as an integral part of organic architecture) who did not learn about Steiner's artistic impulses through later anthroposophical art schools. The paper will show numerous early examples from both areas – exemplary works of art, many of which have not yet been published – to provide ample evidence of inspired creativity. The theme of the panel includes the question of Steiner's aesthetics, which provides a framework for any anthroposophically inspired art production, whether judged as inspired or limited. Each judgment should reflect its own aesthetic presuppositions and be adapted to the particular aesthetic goals an artist wishes to pursue. Steiner's aesthetics deals with the apparent paradox of unrestricted artistic freedom and the simultaneous creation of a New Style that spiritually encompasses all the arts. A brief reflection on Steiner's aesthetics will therefore be integrated into the lecture. **The Dawn of Imaginative Knowledge in the Birth of Abstract Art: The Influence of Rudolf Steiner on Artistic Modernism** Presenter(s): [Arnau Ricart](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/dawn-imaginative-knowledge-birth-abstract-art-influence-rudolf-steiner-artistic) The present research aims to determine and document the influence exerted by the thought of Doctor Rudolf Steiner on the theory and practice of the main artists of the early 20th century, more specifically those who gave Western art a new direction by eliminating the representational content of the works and embracing a purely abstract language. Among these pioneering artists is undoubtedly the Russian Wassily Kandinsky, considered one of the first to explore the possibilities of this new abstract language. Kandinsky not only attended some of the conferences and lessons given by Dr. Steiner in the city of Munich, but there is evidence that he read some of the works of the aforementioned Dr. Steiner, as is evident from the presence of these works in the painter's personal library. The investigation proposes a reading of the modern art movement, not only from its visual and formal dimension, but also through a holistic approach that integrates philosophical and spiritual thought. The figure of Rudolf Steiner, is a hitherto little-recognized influence in the history of modern art, bringing us closer to a new interpretation of avant-garde movements and the development of abstract art. By revisiting Rudolf Steiner’s influence on artists such as Wassily Kandinsky it is offered a unique perspective on how art can be a means for exploration and connection to deeper dimensions of reality. This understanding can help to recover a vision of art as a vehicle for transformation and knowledge. **Visionary Dialogues: Hilma af Klint, Rudolf Steiner, and the Spiritual Aesthetics of the Third Realm** Presenter(s): [Alexis Braun](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/visionary-dialogues-hilma-af-klint-rudolf-steiner-and-spiritual-aesthetics-third-realm) In the early twentieth century, Rudolf Steiner articulated a vision of art as a transformative spiritual practice—capable of restoring a diminished capacity for spiritual activity in a culture increasingly shaped by materialist tendencies. He viewed art as a vehicle for cultivating imagination, inspiration, and intuition—essential stages of spiritual knowing—and sought to bridge sensory perception and spiritual insight through what he termed a “third realm” between the material and the conceptual. This paper explores how Steiner’s personal practice of the arts—and his evolving Goethean aesthetic philosophy—inspired, shaped, and at times subtly constrained the artistic evolution of the visionary Swedish artist Hilma af Klint. Af Klint’s creative engagement with Steiner’s teachings provided both a vital source of inspiration and a complex philosophical framework that she navigated with both receptivity and critical discernment. Her evolving practice demonstrates how this lineage could both catalyze new creative directions and invite transformative divergence. In my broader research, I present af Klint as an integral artist and visionary epistemologist—an artist whose work constitutes both a visual language and a profound mode of spiritual knowing. Her engagement with Steiner’s teachings and Goethean methods deepened her capacity to create art as a revelatory and epistemic practice. Yet she extended and transformed these teachings: through collaborative process, mediumistic reception, and architectural vision, she forged a relational and spiritual aesthetic uniquely her own, developed in conversation with, yet moving beyond, the esoteric, philosophical, and cultural contexts of her time. **Art as Spiritual Pedagogy: The Aesthetic Rigor of Rudolf Steiner** Presenter(s): [Victoria Reyes](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/art-spiritual-pedagogy-aesthetic-rigor-rudolf-steiner) Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy and Waldorf education, considered art to be a vital conduit between the physical and spiritual realms. Steiner himself practiced art in various mediums—painting, sculpture, architecture, and movement, and it deeply informed his pedagogical approach. He believed that specific colors, shapes, and forms possess inherent spiritual qualities and that these are aligned with the developmental stages of the human being. This is at the core of Waldorf pedagogy. Steiner’s artistic style and beliefs about form and color have inspired numerous artists of his time and beyond. Edith Maryon collaborated with Steiner on the monumental sculpture The Representative of Humanity, embodying his spiritual ideals in visual form. Liane Collot d’Herbois developed a therapeutic painting approach based on Steiner’s philosophies, layering colors to evoke healing experiences. Beyond Europe, artists like Akira Kasai and Amanda Sage were inspired by Steiner’s ideas and reflected the global impact on spiritual art. However, it can be argued that Steiner’s specific artistic directives have sometimes been applied with rigidity or exclusivity among some of his followers, potentially constraining individual creativity. This can happen, for example, when teachers apply art's therapeutic indications but, in doing so, inadvertently disregard the cultural context of the students in front of them and thereby create a constraint. Steiner perceived art as a dynamic expression of the human experience, deeply intertwined with the spiritual and cultural currents of its time. He believed that art should not remain static but evolve in response to the changing consciousness and needs of humanity. This work will explore the complex nature of Steiner’s artistic legacy—how the integration of art and spirituality inspired profound creativity in one way while concomitantly constraining artistic autonomy. I posit that if we stand back far enough, we might see that the perceived paradox of being both inspiring and constraining can be reconciled through the lens of contextual complexity. Structured indications and agile, contextually informed approaches can coexist, fostering art that resonates with both timeless spiritual principles and contemporary human experiences. ### 11:00–11:15 Break expand\_more Time for a walk, stretching, or enjoying some refreshments. ### 11:15–13:00: Panels 2A & 2B expand\_more Note: There are two panels happening simultaneously during this time slot: **Cader Room** and **James Room East**. Click on the *panel name* in each room to find the paper abstracts. Click on the *names of the presenters* to find their biographical information. Cader Room James Room East ## Cader Room ##### Panel: [*Steiner and Christianity*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") *(4 papers)* --- **"Christianity as Mystical Fact" within the Theosophical Context: Steiner’s Innovative Approach to Esoteric Christian History** Presenter(s): [Camden Roy](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/christianity-mystical-fact-within-theosophical-context-steiners-innovative-approach) This paper examines Rudolf Steiner’s early work, Christianity as Mystical Fact (1902) within the context of Theosophical interpretations of early Christian history. Contemporary Theosophists such as Annie Besant and G. R. S. Mead constructed narratives of Christian history which emphasized the decline from an original mystery tradition, either through the rise of an exclusivist Catholic Church or the decline of suitable initiates. Steiner, by contrast, presents early Christian history as one not of decline, but of evolutionary development. Drawing on similar sources as Besant and Mead, Steiner develops a dual-trajectory model of Christian initiation that embraces both esoteric and gnostic currents which continue from the pre-Christian Mysteries and a uniquely Christian universalizing faith-based path inaugurated by Christ. Steiner’s dual-trajectory model of the Christian Mysteries is an innovative intervention within the Theosophical discourse surrounding early Christianity at the turn of the century. In the esoteric current of his model, he embraces the diversity of early Christian belief identified by Mead in Fragments of a Faith Forgotten (1900) and allows for its continued development by the Christian mystics whom Besant had identified in Esoteric Christianity (1901). Steiner’s attention toward the universalizing aspects of early Christian history moves beyond Theosophical approaches, allowing him to embrace controversial figures such as St. Augustine within his lineage. This study builds upon Helmut Zander’s work on Rudolf Steiner’s Christology to offer new perspective on Steiner’s relationship to Theosophy as it pertains to discourse surrounding Christianity. Through a comparative study of Mead, Besant, and Steiner’s constructions of early Christian history, Steiner’s continuities with and radical departures from the Theosophical Society’s views are highlighted. Even at this early date, Steiner had already innovated upon the existing Theosophical models and provided the basis for his later, more extensive, Anthroposophical perspectives on Christianity. **Intersection of Esotericism and Human Transformation in Rudolf Steiner’s Christology** Presenter(s): [Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/intersection-esotericism-and-human-transformation-rudolf-steiners-christology) This study explores the transformative potential of Rudolf Steiner's esoteric Christology, where Christ is revealed as a cosmic reality that intersects with human evolution and spiritual growth. Steiner's spiritual science offers a profound understanding of Christ's role in shaping human consciousness, facilitating inner transformation, and awakening higher states of awareness. Through an in-depth analysis of Steiner's works, this research examines the esoteric dimensions of Christ, including the Christ impulse, the Mystery of Golgotha, and the Resurrection. It highlights the significance of Christ as a catalyst for human transformation, enabling individuals to transcend limitations and realize their spiritual potential. The intersection of esotericism and human transformation is explored through the lens of Steiner's Christology, revealing the potential for individuals to experience spiritual rebirth, inner awakening, and a deeper understanding of their place within the cosmic order. This study demonstrates how Steiner's esoteric Christology offers a powerful framework for personal transformation, spiritual growth, and self-realization. By examining the cosmic dimensions of Christ in Steiner's work, this research provides new insights into the transformative power of the Christ impulse and its relevance to contemporary spiritual seekers. It offers a rich foundation for those seeking to explore the mysteries of the human condition, the nature of consciousness, and the potential for spiritual evolution. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of Steiner's spiritual science and its applications for personal transformation, spiritual growth, and esoteric knowledge. **Rosicrucian Principles as a Lens for the Mystery of Golgotha** Presenter(s): [Mary Graham](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/how-steiners-mystery-golgotha-rosicrucian) This paper traces background elements belonging to the creation of the Eucharist service of the Christian Community. Steiner mentioned Rosicrucians often and their principles can be traced throughout his work. Because the Rosicrucian approach to Christianity was similar to his own, this paper uses two Rosicrucian principles as a lens to look at the centerpiece of his Christology: the Crucifixion/Resurrection process that he called the Mystery of Golgotha. Steiner’s interpretation/experience of this Mystery of Golgotha was foundational in his creation of the Eucharist service for the Christian Community. Steiner saw the Mystery of Golgotha as the Old Mysteries becoming a historical fact, but one that has reverberations through time. One such after-effect that also displays traces of the Rosicrucian principles of *transmutation* and of *macrocosm-microcosm* is what Steiner called the etherization of the blood. According to him, this was one way for the individual to tune into the resurrected Christ. The Eucharist service of the Christian Community, which presents another way of cultivating a connection to the Risen Christ, is a ritual of offering that finds its archetype in the Mystery of Golgotha. Steiner maintained that the original Christian Mass reflects an initiation rite of the mystery schools, which suggests a triadic source for his creation of The Christian Community’s liturgy: the Traditional Mass, initiation, and the Mystery of Golgotha. **In the Circle of Twelve: Rudolf Steiner as Bodhisattva** Presenter(s): [Kevin Dann](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/circle-twelve-rudolf-steiner-bodhisattva) From 1904 until 1924, in dozens of lectures and books, Rudolf Steiner repeatedly described the Principle of the Twelve as a central aspect of nearly all the ancient Mystery streams – both East and West – and made stunning new revelations about this principle within the context of Christian–Rosicrucian mystery teachings. He also actively integrated this principle in his development of new impulses for pedagogy, natural science, and the arts. Though he gave over 100 lectures (most between 1909 and 1912) that touched on the nature and role of the Bodhisattvas, Rudolf Steiner never spoke of his own position within Earth’s most significant Circle of Twelve – the Twelve Bodhisattvas around the Logos, who, incarnating century–after–century, perform deeds of service to Christ in order to advance the divine plan of world evolution. This paper will discuss Rudolf Steiner’s role as the Aries Bodhisattva – the Bodhisattva of thinking who bears the Sun Archangel Michael – through his previous incarnations and also within the context of the other members of the Circle of Twelve Bodhisattvas who incarnated in the 19th and 20th centuries. ## James Room East ##### Panel: [Steiner’s Goethean Vision of Participatory Research](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") (4 papers) --- **Rudolf Steiner's Philosophy of Art** Presenter(s): [Luke Fischer](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiners-philosophy-art) Rudolf Steiner is often seen by those who lack a genuine familiarity with his work as a cultural anomaly or as an outsider to the mainstream European tradition. However, as Owen Barfield (the foremost British exponent of anthroposophy) and Steiner himself sought to illustrate in various lectures and books (including The Riddles of Philosophy and The Riddle of Man), he is in fact a successor of German idealism and romanticism. It is, moreover, only by situating Steiner’s thought in connection to these broader traditions that his originality and relevance can be justly appraised. Beginning with a consideration of Steiner’s early lecture “Goethe as Father of a New Aesthetics” (1888), this paper will specifically show how Steiner developed his philosophy of art, which is a key to much of his thinking, through drawing on the aesthetics of both Schiller and Goethe, and distinguishing his own position from that of Schelling and Hegel. “Goethe as Father of a New Aesthetics” contains the seed of Steiner’s later ideas about art and his practice as an artist in various disciplines (including architecture, drama and eurythmy). Moreover, the ideas in this early lecture played a vital role in the development of Steiner’s theory of knowledge and ethics in his most important philosophical work, The Philosophy of Freedom (1893). As Steiner writes in his autobiography, at the time of his contemplation of a Goethean aesthetics: “true knowledge, the manifestation of the spiritual in art, and the moral will in man became in my thought the members which unite to form a single whole.” This paper will elucidate how Steiner’s philosophy of art responds to German idealism, provides the stepping stone to his Philosophy of Freedom, and plants the seed for his theory and practice as an artist in his theosophical and anthroposophical periods. **Goethe, Steiner, and the Evolution of Science** Presenter(s): [Jon McAlice](/publication/goethe-steiner-and-evolution-science) From the perspective of my work as a practitioner in education and research in the life sciences, I discuss key features of a Goethe-Steinerian approach to scientific inquiry. I focus on essential elements of this participatory way of knowing that finds expression in Goethe’s own practice of science and that Steiner elucidates and develops further in his own work. As a phenomenological practice, the intent is to let phenomena illuminate phenomena to reveal their connections. This only becomes possible when a careful study of phenomena is wedded with a heightened awareness of thinking and with its ongoing transformation. Instead of imposing conceptual frameworks, thinking can become ever more flexible by participating in the diverse phenomena of a field of study, giving keen attention to what this interaction reveals. Ultimately, thinking can develop into a spiritual organ to perceive the relations that give phenomena their meaning. The practice is based on an expanded understanding of experience that encompasses phenomena given to the senses and to the mind, and it entails a radical commitment to experience in all inquiry. From this perspective, the shortcomings of purported theoretical and mechanistic “explanations” in science become clear and can be articulated. At the same time, the expanded view of phenomena and experience, which is mainly implicit in Goethe and made explicit by Steiner, opens up an understanding of the relation of Goethe’s natural science to what Steiner developed as spiritual science. Steiner went beyond Goethe’s natural science in developing his spiritual science, while recognizing the deep concordance between their approaches and the importance of Goethean natural science into the future. **Beyond Survival: Kenotic Love, Honeybee Wisdom, and the Spiritual Science of Evolution** Presenter(s): [Terra Malmstrom](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/beyond-survival-kenotic-love-honeybee-wisdom-and-spiritual-science-evolution) This presentation explores kenotic love—self-emptying love—as a transformative tenet within human and ecological evolution through Steiner's anthroposophy (spiritual science) and the symbolic wisdom of the honeybee. In Steiner's Bees lectures, Steiner portrays the hive not merely as a biological marvel but as a moral organism: a living embodiment of cooperative service, devotion, and altruistic community. Building on Goethean science's call for immersive, participatory observation, this research treats the honeybee not as an object of detached study but as a living moral presence—revealing evolution as an unfolding of spiritual principles rather than mechanistic survival. This presentation positions the hive as an archetype for developing human consciousness beyond egoic individualism and mechanistic Darwinian frameworks. It critiques the Darwinian extension of Newtonian thinking, which omits purpose, interiority, and moral meaning from evolutionary narratives. This topic is located in Panel Three, which discusses Steiner's Goethean approach and the growth of participatory spiritual science. The piece extends the criticism of Newtonian thinking from Steiner and Goethe by considering Darwinian evolution as its biological successor, a framework that, like Newton's, excludes purpose, interiority, and moral meaning from nature and, more specifically, evolution. This research uses the honeybee as more than metaphor; the honeybee itself becomes a living expression of evolution guided by spiritual principles. The research combines contemplative inquiry with neuroscience, anthroposophical cosmology, and Waldorf pedagogy to study kenotic love in natural and human systems. The inquiry establishes that love functions as the leading transformative force defining our upcoming era. Instead of survival, there is thrival of the altruistic. This study advocates for a renewed connection with nature because its wisdom has transitioned from being concealed to being disregarded. It invites readers and practitioners to embrace an evolutionary shift that moves beyond competition toward communal relationships. **Spiritualizing Science, Scientizing Spirit: Boundary Work among Anthroposophists in Post-Truth Europe** Presenter(s): [Armanc Yildiz](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/spiritualizing-science-scientizing-spirit-boundary-work-among-anthroposophists-post) Rudolf Steiner famously called Anthroposophy “spiritual science.” In founding the Anthroposophical Society, Steiner aimed at bringing together occult knowledge, natural science, and Christianity. Despite their official discourse, which does not deny natural science but sees it as “one layer of reality,” their followers did constitute one of the two largest groups in demonstrations against Covid-19 measures in Germany, the other group being the Neo-Nazis. This paper examines how Steiner’s concepts about science are mobilized within contemporary anthroposophical circles and beyond, particularly focusing on their official training programs conducted at their global headquarters in Dornach, Switzerland. Employing Thomas Gieryn’s concept of “boundary work,” I look at how they try to strike a balance between spiritual knowledge that originates from the writings of Steiner and their subjective experience, and scientific knowledge of the body. In these trainings, they engage in a double movement: On the one hand, they employ a scientific language to talk about spiritual phenomena, thus authorizing their spiritual knowledge. On the other hand, they spiritualize science by claiming the centrality of subjective experience for an understanding of reality, that is at once physical and spiritual. By focusing on a variety of exercises offered to develop the spiritual organs of the “new human,” I ethnographically engage with Anthroposophy as an object of study that connects science and spirituality in a post-truth and post-pandemic Europe. ### 13:00–14:00 Lunch expand\_more Time for a walk, stretching, or enjoying some refreshments. ### 14:00–16:00: Panels 3A & 3B expand\_more Note: There are two panels happening simultaneously during this time slot: **Cader Room** and **James Room East**. Click on the *panel name* in each room to find the paper abstracts. Click on the *names of the presenters* to find their biographical information. Cader Room James Room East ## Cader Room ##### **Panel:** [*Social Threefolding, Politics, Economy, and Community I*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") (5 papers) --- **Belonging in Camphill: Spiritualized Disability and Staggered Knowledge Systems as an Anti-Statist Communal Alternative** Presenter(s): [Katie Horan](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/belonging-camphill-spiritualized-disability-and-staggered-knowledge-systems-anti) In this chapter, I consider how people with different relationships to disability, practicality, science, spirituality, religion, and philosophy cultivate belonging within a Biodynamic garden. I argue that Camphill communities cultivate a twofold sense of belonging, primarily by employing Biodynamic Agriculture’s staggered knowledge system such that people with conflicting relationships to Spiritual Science can coexist amicably. The possibility of a spiritual reality, whether taken seriously or viewed with incredulity, is grounded in practical behaviors that unifies residents. Thus, belonging itself is rooted in shared behaviors that are postured towards spiritual reality. Since the setup of knowledge builds upward from practical insight, everyone who is a participating member of the community has satisfied the knowledge requirement to belong. A secondary argument I make is about disabled belonging. The concept of spiritual reality provides a lens for positively interpreting the behavior of residents with disabilities when they do not complete material tasks or satisfy standards by presuming they have strong spiritual capabilities. Since nondisabled Coworkers are predisposed towards taking spiritual reality seriously in the garden, so too they are prepared to affirm the spiritual capacity of their disabled neighbors. This fosters belonging by extending the criteria through which someone can be “competent,” creating a strong precedent to dignify Villagers. I will consider how the practice of Biodynamic Agriculture connects with people of different identities and relationships to the technique. By outlining four profiles of my research participants, I will demonstrate how belonging is cultivated across dis/ability distinctions and different resonances with the Biodynamic approach to knowledge. Each profile closely follows the experience and opinions of a resident of Camphill and their interview responses. **Anthroposophical Anarchism and the Decentralization of the Spirit** Presenter(s): [Oliver Ray](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/anthroposophical-anarchism-and-decentralization-spirituality) This paper argues that Rudolf Steiner’s political and philosophical trajectory, particularly through The Philosophy of Freedom and the praxis of Social Threefolding, represents a spiritually grounded, anti-statist form of democracy rooted in ethical individualism and anarchist thought. Contrary to interpretations that view Steiner as retreating into esotericism or turning away from democratic engagement, I contend that his work constitutes a radical rethinking of both democracy and statehood from a non-materialist, anti-authoritarian standpoint. Drawing on overlooked biographical and theoretical intersections—such as Steiner’s friendship with individualist anarchists like Benjamin Tucker and John Henry Mackay, and his declared alignment with Stirnerian egoism—this paper introduces the term anarcho-anthroposophy to situate Steiner within a wider spectrum of anarchist traditions. This reframing challenges prevailing assumptions that anarchism must be materialist or atheist, and asserts that Steiner’s insistence on monism, spiritual freedom, and non-coercive social evolution positions him within a lineage of anarchist thinkers who oppose both state authority and metaphysical absolutism. The paper also addresses Steiner’s nuanced critique of Marxism—not as a dismissal of proletarian struggle, but as a rejection of economic determinism and the Party as authoritarian structure. His work with working-class education in Berlin, his rejection of party dogma, and his critique of social democracy as a new form of power all support this interpretation. Rather than offering a blueprint for a utopian state, Steiner's concept of Threefolding—which separates cultural-spiritual life, legal-political life, and economic life—can be read as an effort to dismantle the monolithic stateand foster decentralized, freely associated communities. Finally, this paper addresses the core paradox often raised by both critics and adherents: How can Steiner’s supersensible insights be compatible with anarchist principles that reject authority? By examining Steiner’s distinction between a guideand an authority, and his repeated insistence that no spiritual teaching be accepted on faith or coercion, I suggest that Steiner’s esotericism is, at its core, a form of radical epistemological liberty. Through this analysis, the paper positions Anthroposophy not as a bourgeois spiritual retreat but as a latent revolutionary philosophy—one that envisions the self-aware, morally imaginative individual as the foundation for a post-statist, community-based society. **Rudolf Steiner and Democracy — Understanding His Relationship to the Democratic Impulse Through the Organizations He Helped Design** Presenter(s): [Seth Jordan](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiner-and-democracy-understanding-his-relationship-democratic-impulse-through) Rudolf Steiner’s relationship to democracy can be easily confusing. At times he seems to articulate a political vision akin to direct democracy (“the truly political element… must allow the judgment and feelings of every single responsible adult to come to expression”), while at other times he ridicules the modern faith in parliaments and rejects the basic tenets of Western-style democracy (“\[Central European political development\] should not be the imitation of Western European so-called democracy”). This research explores this confusion and how it can be resolved through a deeper analysis of his threefold sociology. Fundamental to this analysis is an understanding of the basic social laws he articulated, especially his “fundamental sociological law” (or “law of individualism”) and his “fundamental social law” (or “law of socialism”). These two laws demonstrate the inevitable tension between the individual and the collective, a balancing act that Steiner resolves by showing how individual freedom is the guiding star of cultural life, and how collective solidarity (meeting everyone’s needs) is the guiding star of economic life. When it then comes to political life, we find the collectivist (democratic) element has its rightful place in making laws concerning that which every adult citizen is equally fit to judge, and the individual element has its rightful place in refraining from making laws wherever individual expertise is required. The research then turns to the organizations that Steiner consulted. We see how every institution, because of its circumstances and purpose, balances these competing interests differently. In the “college of teachers” at the first Waldorf school, for instance, some decisions were made democratically while others were made according to mandates given to individuals. This was understood to be a balance between democracy and aristocracy — what Steiner referred to as a “republic.” **Rudolf Steiner’s Bodily Co-operation as Value Co-creation in Economics Fraternity** Presenter(s): [Karim Ullah](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiners-bodily-co-operation-value-co-creation-economics-fraternity) In this commentary, I interpret how the Steiner’s co-operation binds social ecosystem to co-create value at multiple bodily encounters of individuals. Value is a perceived collective benefit of and for the agents in an economic ecosystems and it is determined by the beneficiaries as collective expression. Steiner’s co-operation promotes mutuality, and it invites the economic agents to co-create value through bodily interactions, rather than producing and then selling such value to others for profit. Such value is both co-created and co-consumes by the individuals in an ecosystem with zero waste of the ecosystem as a whole and for the sustainability thrive. The motive of value for profit create excess use of resources and their flow and is found to be a common pre-text of most of the financial crises that this World has faced. Steiner’s stance of awareness of each other needs in co-operation is central to self-sustainability in the ecosystem. Such awareness triggers the co-operator’s mind to cognize temporal and spatial needs and consequent adaptation in corresponding behaviours to make these fit well with the set of behaviours emerging during encounters. The Steiner’s idea of need awareness is also embryonic to the realization of value in these encounters as and when experienced, unlike the Adam Smith’s economics of production and then exchange of value. The ecosystemic view of value co-operation as expression of individuals may appears humanistic if taken bodily (physical, etheric, astral, and self) and spiritual if taken as lightened up through a deepened niche of knowing in individuals. **From Conflict to Connection, Social Healing Through Waldorf-Inspired Practices** Presenter(s): [Eyal Bloch, and Thom Schaefer](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/conflict-connection-social-healing-through-waldorf-inspired-practices) Three decades of field work in conflict zones have revealed the transformative potential of social healing initiatives rooted in Waldorf education principles. This paper presents "A Walk as a Social Healing Impulse," drawing on experiences from diverse conflict environments and inspired by Rudolf Steiner's holistic educational philosophy—focusing on imagination, creativity, and community building—to foster resilience, empathy, and democratic engagement among children and communities living amidst strife. Our central case study is the "Peace Olympics"—festivals organized by the AllinPeace movement founded by Eyal Bloch—which brought together over 250 children from eight conflict-affected regions, including Kosovo, Belgrade, Israel-Palestine, Cyprus, Turkey, China, Greece, and France. These events created neutral spaces for children of diverse backgrounds to encounter one another beyond conflict boundaries, planting seeds of possible futures. The profound wisdom emerging from these encounters is captured in participants' poetry: "We are different but the same/In our hearts a common flame/Through our games and art we see/The world as it could truly be." Such authentic expressions reveal children's capacity to transcend deeply entrenched societal divisions when given the appropriate environment. Our work is grounded in the conviction that social healing begins with transforming memories of past traumas into impulses for a better future. The Peace Olympic festivals integrate Waldorf-inspired practices like Spacial Dynamics, experiential learning, and social artistry, enabling participants to encounter the "other" and develop empathy. As one 11-year-old Palestinian participant wrote: "Yesterday enemies, today friends/Where hatred ends, healing begins." Longitudinal research, including Schaefer's Master's thesis, documents significant reductions in negative stereotyping (83%) and increases in self-esteem and tolerance among participants. The initiative's impact extends beyond children to institutions, exemplified by partnerships with military organizations like the Greek Air Force repurposed as vehicles for peace. Additionally, the festivals' celebration of marginalized leaders—such as Blind Zulu who ran from Olympia to Delphi—has spawned the extrAbility movement, redefining heroism and leadership. In the words of a young Greek participant with disabilities: "Not by sight but by heart I ran/Showing others what truly can/Be achieved when we dare to dream/Beyond limits, beyond what seems." We present this "From Conflict to Connection, Social Healing Through Waldorf-Inspired Practices" as a proven, adaptable model for conflict transformation and democratic education, offering practical insights for policymakers, educators, and civil society actors seeking to address community conflict and strengthen democracy in the 21st century. ## James Room East ##### **Panel:** [*Goetheanism in Practice*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") *(5 papers)* --- **Integrating Anthroposophical Principles into Climate-Smart Agriculture: Lessons from Steiner's Goethean Vision** Presenter(s): [Binta Moustapha](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/integrating-anthroposophical-principles-climate-smart-agriculture-lessons-steiners) Soybean production is crucial for Nigeria's food security and economic stability, with women contributing significantly to agricultural practices. Climate change affects 70% of Nigerian farmers, compromising crop yields and food security (FAO, 2020). This research investigates Rudolf Steiner's biodynamic agricultural principles, grounded in anthroposophy—a philosophy emphasising interconnectedness—and Goethean science, in climate-smart soybean production by women farmers in Nigeria's Gwagwalada Area Council. How does Steiner's Goethean vision inform biodynamic agriculture's ecological and social sustainability in soybean production? What insights can enhance climate-smart soybean production practices among women farmers? **The Further Development of Natural Science through Rudolf Steiner's Reception of Goethe** Presenter(s): [Matthias Rang](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/further-development-natural-science-through-rudolf-steiners-reception-goethe) As a monist, Rudolf Steiner was convinced that spiritual and scientific knowledge do not contradict but complement each other. Thus, on the one hand, he tried to base his spiritual science on the methods of natural science; on the other hand, he was convinced that spiritual knowledge could fertilize natural science. From his student days until his death, he defended Goethe's theory of color as a contribution to the development of natural science out of spiritual conviction, even though it was considered disproved and Goethe's polemics against Newton were regarded as misguided. Like no other, he succeeded in inspiring researchers for experimental development in this field. In this contribution we look at the research results that have been achieved in the field of color theory over the last one hundred years, inspired by Rudolf Steiner. In particular, we look at new experiments that have originated from these approaches and ask what they contribute to natural science. Not all hopes have been fulfilled, but the work that has been done allows a reassessment of Goethe's theory of color from a scientific perspective. In particular, the newly developed experiments show that, following Newton, optics was built on a subclass of experiments. This subclass allows the formulation of a complete optical theory. However, it was only after the development of the new experiments that symmetries and conservation laws were formulated, which until then had been the implicit, but unspoken, basis of optics. Finally, the new experiments suggested the abandonment of ontological concepts, as had already been done in other areas of physics. **Organic Inquiry, Spiritual Science, and New Possibilities for Research Methodologies** Presenter(s): [Alison Davis](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/organic-inquiry-spiritual-science-and-new-possibilities-research-methodologies) Although Rudolf Steiner characterized spiritual science as a participatory “path of knowledge,” he did not present it as a research methodology, nor do any of the foundational texts of anthroposophy elaborate processes that researchers can follow to formulate research questions or methodically gather, interpret, and communicate data. This fact alone makes it difficult for spiritual scientists to conduct research within institutions, especially universities. This paper proposes that organic inquiry, a research methodology founded in the late 1990s by a team of transpersonal psychologists who wanted to integrate the sacred into their work (Clements, Ettling, Jenett, and Shields, 1999,) is a suitable methodology for spiritual scientists. Organic Inquiry is a participatory, qualitative research methodology closely related transformational theory (Mezirow, 2000), wholeness science (Braud and Anderson, 1998), and other holistic paradigms that intentionally works with spiritual influences, emphasizes the interwovenness of researcher, participants, and reader, and values transformation over information. This paper will provide an overview with visual aids that compares the key features, ontology, epistemology, methodology, and guiding questions of spiritual-compatible research methodologies, with an emphasis on organic inquiry and spiritual science. Then it will compare axiomatic overviews of those research methodologies with those of the positivist paradigm. **Organic Geometry** Presenter(s): [Russell Arnold](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/organic-geometry) Rudolf Steiner mentioned synthetic projective geometry several times in his lectures, particularly in connection with the development of imaginative cognition and the forces of life, inspiring a large body of anthroposophical mathematics over the last century. One of the core themes in these developments is the possibility of viewing the fundamental constituents of space as things other than points, yielding novel relationship between whole and part. For instance, if lines are taken as fundamental constituents, a point can be viewed as being composed of all the lines converging on it. Other possible choices of fundamental constituents include spheres and planes. Relationships between these entities can be contemplated directly without recourse to points. Such relationships form organic structures and configurations. Studying the metamorphosis of such organic structures, with conic sections as fundamental constituents in a goethean mode of thinking led the Norwegian Waldorf teacher Morten Eide to the independent discovery in the 1980s of a powerful theorem which unifies many well known theorems of projective geometry such as Desargues, Pascal, Monge and Poncelet to name just a few (this theorem, the Penrose 8-Conic Theorem, was first discovered by mathematical physicist Roger Penrose as a student in 1950s, but was left unpublished until a recent joint work with Morten and the presenter of the present paper). **Rudolf Steiner’s Participatory Insights into the World of Microbes in Nature and Humans as an Outcome of His Goethean Research Approach** Presenter(s): [Meinhard Simon](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiners-participatory-insights-world-microbes-nature-and-humans-outcome-his) Rudolf Steiner’s approach to study nature in a participatory way based on Goethe’s pioneering research has been adopted and applied in quite a few research fields, like botany, zoology, landscape ecology, and pharmacy. One field, almost unknown with its greater implications in ecology and medicine 100 years ago, has been little studied with this approach: Microorganisms, today well known as the microbiome. One reason why this field has been largely neglected in Goethean-based participatory research may be the fact that microorganisms can hardly be approached by phenomenology-based studies and are not physically observable, like plants and animals. It is surprising, though, that Rudolf Steiner, more than 100 years ago, conceptualized microorganisms, their role and significance in nature and man, compatible with their state-of-the-art view today and far ahead of the accepted concept of microorganisms at his time. This is obvious from lectures in medicine and agriculture and indicates how Rudolf Steiner grasped the concept of microorganisms with the Goethean approach. I will present three examples highlighting Steiner’s participatory and modern view in understanding microorganisms in the context of their occurrence. I) He strongly criticized the concept of pathogenic bacteria as the prime cause of a disease and emphasized that these bacteria rather reflect that the human body was susceptible to this disease. II) He emphasized the importance of the digestive system and the intestinal flora for the development of the brain and developing thoughts. Today, the gut-brain axis is a hot research topic in life sciences but 100 years ago nobody was even thinking of this relationship. III) The horn manure preparation is a distinct means in biodynamic farming. He emphasized that it enriches distinct microorganisms and life and formative forces which are transmitted to the soil and crop plants. This enrichment of such microorganisms has recently been proven. ### 16:00–16:15 Break expand\_more Time for a walk, stretching, or enjoying some refreshments. ### 16:15–18:15: Panels 4A & 4B expand\_more Note: There are two panels happening simultaneously during this time slot: **Cader Room** and **James Room East**. Click on the *panel name* in each room to find the paper abstracts. Click on the *names of the presenters* to find their biographical information. Cader Room James Room East ## Cader Room #### ***Panel:*** [*Social Threefolding, Politics, Economy, and Community II*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") (5 papers) --- **Social Injustice: LEF vs DEI** Presenter(s): [Daniel Joseph Polikoff](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/social-injustice-lef-vs-dei) Rudolf Steiner worked with a heightened sense of spiritual as well social emergency in the wake of the turmoil bred by WWI. In 1917, in answer to a request by a German diplomat, Steiner sketched the first draft of his own “social justice” theory—the Threefold Social Organism. When the window for its practical implementation closed, Steiner—always responding to initiatives from others—turned his attention to other endeavors. Yet Waldorf education, the formation of a Youth Branch, and the founding of the Christian Community all can be understood as movements answering to the urgent call for social renewal. In related yet distinct ways, each reveals Steiner’s firm belief that a vital and cohesive social life depends upon a reawakening of the spiritual capacities of the human being. Over the last decade or so, modern “critical social justice theory”—a movement originating outside anthroposophical circles—has exerted a profound influence on Waldorf education. The adding of an eighth foundational principle to the AWSNA “charter” of Waldorf education exhibits the ideological as well as practical force of the movement carried forward under the aegis of the concepts of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Yet while we hear a great deal about DEI, Steiner’s own social theory, one premised upon a different triad of founding principles, has been largely neglected. The two triadic sets of terms, while superficially analagous, are profoundly different in kind. Whereas the ideals of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, as elaborated in the context of Social Threefolding, represent a social theory firmly grounded in Anthroposophy generally and Steiner’s Philosophy of Freedom in particular, the concepts of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—as conceived and applied today—represent an anti-anthroposophical counterforce that effectively undercuts the spiritual ground of Waldorf education. The cause of social justice calls for critical review of contemporary trends and renewed attention to Steiner’s own social theory. **Rudolf Steiner's Aesthetic Culture, Ecology and Economics** Presenter(s): [Nathaniel Williams](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiners-aesthetic-culture-ecology-and-economics) This paper is a contribution to a better understanding of a narrow facet of Rudolf Steiner’s work, namely the significance of his understanding of aesthetic culture and its connection with ecological sensibilities and economics. While aesthetics has largely been narrowed in conventional usage to refer to beauty and art, it was introduced by Alexander Baumgarten in the 18th century as a term that could denote knowledge gained through perception. While Steiner did not explicitly draw on Baumgarten’s philosophy he did embrace the role of aesthetic judgement as it was developed in Goethe’s natural scientific method of delicate empiricism as intuitive understanding, and by Schiller in his Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Mankind. Steiner explicitly situates his associative economics, first articulated at the end of his life, within this legacy of aesthetic judgement. Steiner presents the concept of economic association, a transformation of Goethe’s notion of intuitive understanding, within a cooperative framing, as capable of facilitating valid economics judgements, or true price. Steiner’s notion of aesthetic culture can be seen as encompassing not only the arts and humanities, but also the natural sciences and economics. The paper is a contribution toward a deeper understanding of the argument put forward by Dan McKanan in Eco-Alchemy: Anthroposophy and the History and Future of Environmentalism, which frames the influence of anthroposophy as central to the emergence of the modern environmental movement and social-cooperative economics. The paper develops an interpretation that can help explain important ways that Steiner’s comprehensive notion of aesthetics facilitated this influence. The portrayals of Rudolf Steiner’s economic theory and orientation, as they have appeared in the works of Peter Staudenmaier, are also reviewed in this light revealing the limits of an excessively critical approach to understanding. **Anthroposophy`s Contributions to Sustainable Development** Presenter(s): [Johannes Kronenberg](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/anthroposophys-contributions-sustainable-development) This contribution explores anthroposophy’s historical and contemporary contributions to sustainable development. For over a century, anthroposophically inspired initiatives—such as biodynamic agriculture, Waldorf education, complementary medicine, inclusive social development, the arts, and more—have offered practical responses to ecological and social challenges across cultures and continents. Steiner’s concept of anthroposophy as a “path of knowledge” connecting the spiritual in the human being with the spiritual in the universe laid the foundation for a spiritual science rooted in both sensory and supersensory understanding. In light of current socio-ecological crises, the search for culturally and spiritually grounded responses to sustainability challenges is gaining interest. Technocratic approaches often dominate sustainable development discourses, leaving deeper cultural-spiritual dimensions aside. Meanwhile, recent scholarship challenges the dominant historical narrative of the crisis’ origins, tracing global-scale injustice and ecological breakdown not merely to industrialisation but to colonial expansion since 1492. In this trend of widening and deepening the understanding of sustainable development as a meta-discipline, Steiner offered an integral worldview which extends the current definition of sustainable development. This presentation builds on the publication On the Earth We Want to Live – Anthroposophy’s Contributions to Sustainable Development (Kronenberg & Lammerst van Bueren, 2025), comprising over 75 authors. Some 28 contributions come from anthroposophically inspired enterprises and 16 papers explore worldview and transdisciplinary foundations. The contribution seeks to engage professional and academic communities in an inclusive dialogue, highlighting anthroposophy’s integral approaches to sustainable development and inviting critical reflection. Can Rudolf Steiner be recognised as a pioneer of sustainable development who bridged conceptual insight with practical application? What unfulfilled potential does anthroposophy hold for the future of sustainable development? These guiding questions inform the session and point towards possible educational and research pathways. The paper is presented by the Section for Agriculture at the Goetheanum, representing its ongoing work at the intersection of anthroposophy and sustainable development. **The Dialogue of Social Creation: Rudolf Steiner and the Beloved Community** Presenter(s): [Christopher Schaefer](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/dialogue-social-creation-rudolf-steiner-and-beloved-community) Steiner described a conversation, a human encounter, as the archetypal social phenomenon. If one ponders this statement and combines it with inner experiences of being in dialogue with another then the following insights can emerge: 1)The natural world is a divine creation but we, human beings, are the creators of the social world. Families, shops, schools, companies, towns and nations are our creation, reflecting our nature, consciousness and values. 2\) The archetypal social phenomenon through which the social world is created is the meeting and dialogue between two or more people. 3\) What is revealed through dialogue is the mutuality of our karma; we find ourselves through our meeting with others. 4\) Not only do we awaken to our destiny through others, it is in dialogue that we experience the spirit directly, through our mutual presence as ego beings and through the reality of spiritual inspiration in conversation. 5\) Dialogue and encounter is one of the best methods of transforming evil in our times for we must overcome anti-social forces in ourselves to truly listen to another, to develop interest, empathy and to practice love, which Steiner defined as acts to serve the needs of the other, the group or the community. 6\) In conversation we also have three soul-spirit experiences which form the basis of a healing social life in ourselves and in society. In western societies we desire freedom in our thought life, to express our opinions without interruption or judgement; a sense for equality of participation in our feeling life, and an opportunity to contribute to the result of the conversation or project with our deeds. Having a sense for freedom in our thoughts, experiencing our equality with others in the realm of rights, and being able to contribute to the wellbeing of others and the community is essential to the experience of our humanity. It is also the basis of a healing society which Steiner described as The Threefold Social Order. These statements paraphrase many of Steiner's social insights and reveal how our relationships with others can be seen as a modern mystery school in everyday life. They also describe central elements of the Beloved Community, an imagination for our time first described by Josiah Royce in the early 20th century, then made the basis of the civil-rights movement and non-violence by Martin Luther King Jr., and finally applied to all life forms, to the world of inter-being, by King's friend and the proponent of engaged Buddhism, Thich Nhat Hanh. **Bernard Lievegoed and Gudrun Burkhard as Second-Generation Interpreters of Rudolf Steiner** Presenter(s): [Angela Assis](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/bernard-lievegoed-and-gudrun-burkhard-second-generation-interpreters-rudolf-steiner) Rudolf Steiner bequeathed a developmental sketch—septennials, fourfold anthropology, cosmic rhythms—whose practical application he left largely uncharted. This paper probes how two pivotal second-generation figures, Dutch psychiatrist Bernard Lievegoed (1905–1992) and Brazilian physician Gudrun Burkhard (1929–2022), transformed that open framework into influential therapies and leadership tools, thereby igniting debates over doctrinal fidelity and institutional authority within anthroposophy. Drawing on newly consulted NPI archives (Driebergen), Artemisia records (São Paulo), and 2024 oral-history interviews, the study combines intellectual history with organisational-studies analysis. Close readings of Steiner’s GA 183, 293, 298, Lievegoed’s Phases (1968/1979), and Burkhard’s Biographical Work (2002) are triangulated against correspondence, and training manuals. The paper identifies four axes of contestation: 1\. Hermeneutic authority—textual fidelity versus experiential innovation; 2\. Institutional autonomy—NPI and Artemisia operating beyond Goetheanum governance; 3\. Expansion of the septennial model—from corporate lifecycles to elderhood beyond age 63; 4\. Geographical translation—Dutch pragmatism and Brazilian spiritual egalitarianism shaping reception. By testing Sergei O. Prokofieff’s charge that “psychologising” drains Steiner’s supersensible core, the analysis shows instead how Lievegoed and Burkhard preserved esoteric intent while extending its social reach. Their contested biographies reveal anthroposophy’s capacity for plural, transregional reinvention—an insight that complements recent critical editions and Anglophone scholarship highlighted by this centenary conference. In situating therapeutic and organisational practice within a century-long struggle over Steiner’s legacy, the paper invites fresh dialogue on who may speak for anthroposophy in the twenty-first century and how its ideas migrate across cultures, professions, and generations. ## James Room East #### **Panel:** [*Anthroposophical Biographies*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") *(5 papers)* --- **Marie Steiner-von Sivers, “Novalis,” and the Founding of the first Anthroposophical Society; Köln, Germany, December 1912** Presenter(s): [Bruce Donehower](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/marie-steiner-von-sivers-novalis-and-founding-first-anthroposophical-society-koln) Rudolf Steiner placed enormous emphasis on the German early romantic poet Novalis (Friedrich von Hardenberg, 1772-1801). This aspect of Rudolf Steiner’s anthroposophy is often underestimated, even by dedicated anthroposophists. Whereas Goethe and Goethe’s scientific writings and Goethe’s theories of aesthetics represent the well-known exoteric side of anthroposophy, Novalis is the often-unperceived esoteric side of anthroposophy. Rudolf Steiner’s Christology becomes incompressible without an understanding of Rudolf Steiner’s unique reading of Novalis, whom he identified as the herald of anthroposophy. This reading of Novalis evolved during the very dynamic, formative theosophical years of the anthroposophical movement, 1902 – 1914. During these years, Rudolf Steiner’s intimate collaborator, the theosophist Marie von Sivers, played a decisive role. She and Rudolf Steiner collaboratively presented Novalis and Novalis’s poetry at theosophical events. These events occurred in the context of the impending split of the German Section of the Theosophical Society (under the leadership of Rudolf Steiner) from the worldwide Anglo-American Theosophical Society. These are also the years of conflict over the context and importance of Buddhism, the so-called Boddhisattva conflict, and the lectures concerning the reappearance of the etheric Christ. Rudolf Steiner’s unique reading of Novalis, which he arrived at in collaboration with Marie von Sivers (not yet his wife at that time), provided the justification for his split from the Theosophical Society—it provided the justification for the anthroposophical movement (in contradistinction to theosophy), and it eventually provided the justification for the founding of the first anthroposophical society in Köln, December 1912. Indeed, this unique reading of Novalis is foundational to an understanding of Rudolf Steiner’s Christology, without which his anthroposophy makes no sense. From a literary perspective, if anthroposophy were a novel written by Rudolf Steiner, Novalis would be the all-important protagonist, without whom the plot would fall apart. **Historicizing Karl König: Biography and the Spiritual Legacy of Camphill** Presenter(s): [Katherine Sorrels](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/historicizing-karl-konig-biography-and-spiritual-legacy-camphill) This paper examines the carefully curated biography of Karl König (1902–1966), founder of the Camphill movement, in relation to questions of Jewishness, memory, and the spiritual authority conferred by anthroposophical leadership. Drawing on archival materials, König’s own writings, and recent historiographical critiques, I argue that König crafted a narrative of his life that both downplayed and excused his Jewish ancestry. While König’s anthroposophical commitments offered a framework for personal transformation, they also enabled him to distance himself from his Jewish identity in ways that subtly aligned with prevailing antisemitic norms within mid-twentieth-century esoteric and spiritual movements. As the founding spiritual figure of Camphill, König’s self-fashioning has had lasting consequences. Contemporary Camphill communities, deeply invested in his memory, maintain a reverential, often hagiographic version of his biography. This guarded narrative resists critical scrutiny, not merely to preserve König’s reputation, but because his spiritual authority remains central to the movement’s sense of purpose and legitimacy. I argue that this dynamic inhibits Camphill members from reckoning with the latent antisemitism in König’s life and work. It also forecloses opportunities for a more honest, historically grounded engagement with the movement’s origins. I propose that we view König’s conflicted relationship with Judaism it as a historically situated aspect of his leadership and legacy—one that reflects broader tensions within anthroposophy about race, identity, and spiritual hierarchy. Historicizing König does not require rejecting Camphill’s achievements, but it does require relinquishing the mythic biography that allows him to have personality quirks, but never deeper moral or intellectual complexity. In doing so, Camphill communities might recover a more truthful relationship to their past—and a healthier foundation for spiritual life in the present. **The Self Can Become Spirit: Andrei Bely on Rudolf Steiner's Teaching on the Consciousness Soul** Presenter(s): [Henrieke Stahl](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/self-can-become-spirit-andrei-bely-rudolf-steiners-teaching-consciousness-soul) The Russian symbolist writer and cultural philosopher Andrei Bely (1880–1934), a personal student of Rudolf Steiner, was one of the most important figures who promoted the development of anthroposophy in Russia. After anthroposophy was banned by the Soviets in 1924, Bely continued his anthroposophical work underground. His extensive writings on Steiner's philosophical and anthroposophical work shaped the further development of anthroposophy in Russian underground culture until its comeback in the Russian Federation. Bely's greatest work on anthroposophy is a literary-cultural study in two huge volumes, written in 1926-31 in the Soviet underground. The work deals with Steiner's teachings on the soul and cultural epochs, applying them to European cultural history since ancient times. The focus is on the concept of the “consciousness soul,” which gives the work its title. Bely's translation of the anthroposophical term reflects his specific understanding of this concept: “The History of the Becoming of the Self-Conscious Soul.” In 2020, I published the manuscript together with Russian colleagues in a text-critical, annotated edition in the archive series of the Russian Academy of Sciences “Literaturnoe nasledstvo.” Bely explains the concept with the help of an analysis that combines Steiner's philosophical writings with his anthropology and Christology, and compares it with the theory of knowledge and science, especially that of (neo-)Kantianism. Bely sees the originality of Steiner's term in the fact that, on an epistemological basis, it describes a form of knowledge as self-creation that can transform the human ego into a spiritual substance for eternity. The paper will highlight the innovative content of this concept in Bely's interpretation and critically evaluate it against the background of its historical and philosophical contexts. **Michael Chekhov’s Biography as an Artistic Expression of Rudolf Steiner’s Spiritual Science** Presenter(s): [Ismar Smith Rachmann](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/michael-chekhovs-biography-artistic-expression-rudolf-steiners-spiritual-science) This presentation offers an anthroposophical reading of the biography of Michael Chekhov (1891–1955), highlighting his theatrical pedagogy as an artistic expression of Rudolf Steiner’s (1861–1925) spiritual science. Addressed to the anthroposophical community and all those interested in the developments of Anthroposophy in the field of the arts, this text seeks to contribute to the recognition and deepening of the spiritual legacy present in Chekhov’s work. A nephew of the playwright Anton Chekhov (1860–1904), Michael Chekhov began his training at the First Studio of the Moscow Art Theatre under the direct guidance of Konstantin Stanislavski (1863–1938), who regarded him as one of his most brilliant and instinctive students. However, Chekhov soon began to seek paths beyond those proposed by his mentor, particularly due to a series of psychic crises that would play a decisive role in transforming his artistic and existential vision. He first encountered Steiner’s work through reading the book Knowledge of the Higher Worlds (CHEKHOV, 2005), and shortly afterward through a transformative encounter with the symbolist writer Andrei Bely, an anthroposophist who influenced him deeply regarding the Spiritual Science (KNEBEL, 2017). The relevance of presenting this biography at an anthroposophical congress lies in the fact that Chekhov represents one of the most powerful artistic translations of Anthroposophy in the 20th century. His actor training methodology incorporates principles derived from Eurythmy, conceptions of the human threefold nature (thinking, feeling, willing), the etheric body, and Imagination, while also introducing the vision of the actor as an instrument of the spirit. The aim is to emphasize Chekhov’s importance for today’s anthroposophical context, as a living bridge between art, inner development, and spiritual service. In times of fragmentation and mechanization, his work emerges as a call to conscious gesture and moral imagination. **Pioneering Aspects of Marie Steiner-von Sivers‘ Work and Anthroposophy‘s Contribution to Theatre** Presenter(s): [Gaia Termopoli](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/pioneering-aspects-marie-steiner-von-sivers-work-and-anthroposophys-contribution) The 100th anniversary of Rudolf Steiner’s death marks a turning point in the anthroposophical discourse. It invites a renewed examination of anthroposophy’s contributions to various academic disciplines, viewed in the light of developments over the past century. This calls for a new perspective for the coming 100 years—one that engages in a living dialogue with the spirit of our time in order to clarify what contributions anthroposophy can make today and in the future. The Paper, as part of the PhD at the Institute of Theatre Studies, University of Bern, with a dissertation project titled Marie Steiner-von Sivers as a Pioneer of Directing, aims to examine the contributions of anthroposophy to theatre studies and the pioneering work of Marie Steiner-von Sivers (1867–1948) in the fields of theatre directing. The work takes as paradigmatic example the preparatory and training course in speech formation and dramatic art, which emerged from her collaboration with her husband, Rudolf Steiner, and took place in September 1924 in Dornach, Switzerland. But what role does Marie Steiner-von Sivers play in the development of Rudolf Steiner’s theatrical conception? The thesis of the present work is that the development of Rudolf Steiner’s theatrical conception cannot be separated either from the work of Marie Steiner-von Sivers and from the development of Anthroposophy understood as a theory of knowledge. The research project focuses on the pioneering elements in the work of Marie Steiner-von Sivers and her contribution to the theatre out of anthroposophical knowledge. A methodological approach is employed that combines feminist, theatre-historiographical, staging analysis and archival research methods. ### 18:15–19:30 Supper expand\_more Time for a walk, stretching, or enjoying some refreshments. ### 19:30–20:45 Keynote expand\_more ##### Becoming a Spiritual Teacher — Rudolf Steiner's Early Years Presenter(s): [**Martina Maria Sam**](/steinerconference/keynotes "Keynote Speakers") Location: **Cader Room** Rudolf Steiner, who was previously known as a Goethe editor and author of philosophical and literary works, surprised his contemporaries when, from the age of 40, he appeared as a spiritual teacher seeking to build on Western spiritual traditions, German Idealism in particular. What makes someone a spiritual teacher? What inner impulses moved him from an early age? What challenges – trials, life crises, experiences of failure – did he encounter on his path? Based on the comprehensive study of original sources and of Rudolf Steiner’s own words, this talk will provide an outline of the first forty years of his life. ## Tuesday, December 16 ### 9:00–10:00 Keynote expand\_more ##### Steiner’s Impulse in the Holy Land: The Jewish-Israeli Reception of Anthroposophy Presenter(s): [Boaz Huss](/steinerconference/keynotes "Keynote Speakers") Location: **Cader Room** Anthroposophy has become a significant presence in contemporary Israeli society. Two branches of the Anthroposophical Society operate in Israel, along with an Anthroposophical kibbutz in the Upper Galilee. Waldorf education, based on Steiner’s pedagogical principles, is highly popular, with hundreds of Waldorf kindergartens, schools, and training centers across the country. In addition, several Anthroposophical remedial homes and villages support people with special needs. The widespread success of Anthroposophy in Israel raises intriguing questions. How did the spiritual teachings of Rudolf Steiner, rooted in Western esoteric traditions and incorporating numerous Christological themes, resonate within Israeli Jewish society? How do Israeli Anthroposophists engage with Steiner’s negative views on Judaism and Zionism? This lecture will explore the reception history of Anthroposophy in Israel, from its beginnings in Mandate Palestine to the present, focusing on the efforts of Israeli Anthroposophists to reconcile their Jewish and Israeli identities with their Anthroposophical commitments. ### 10:15–12:15: Panels 5A & 5B expand\_more Note: There are two panels happening simultaneously during this time slot: **Cader Room** and **James Room East**. Click on the *panel name* in each room to find the paper abstracts. Click on the *names of the presenters* to find their biographical information. Cader Room James Room East ## Cader Room ##### **Panel:** [*Historical Roots of Anthroposophical Medicine, Education, and Social Therapy*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") (5 papers) --- **Educating Children with Complex Destinies: Locating Steiner’s Paradigm and the Lauenstein Prototype in the Contested Space Between Humanistic Social Pedagogy and Eugenic Child Psychiatry in 1920s Europe** Presenter(s): [Jan Goeschel](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/educating-children-complex-destinies-locating-steiners-paradigm-and-lauenstein) In 1924, Rudolf Steiner gave his course on supportive (curative) education to a group of young people engaged in the anthroposophical youth movement, who established an educational home for children with developmental disabilities in Jena (Germany). Based on a hermeneutic review of primary sources and secondary literature, this presentation examines how Steiners paradigmatic orientation towards the established profession of “Heilpädagogik” and the practice prototype established at the Lauenstein Institute are located in the contested space between an existing humanistic and progressive social-pedagogic conception of the field, as exemplified by Heinrich Marianus Deinhardt (1821-1880) and Johannes Trüper (1855-1921), and the eugenic medical-psychiatric attempts to appropriate the “Heilpädagogik” term gaining ascendancy at the time. The findings are also discussed in terms of their relevance for anthroposophically oriented supportive and inclusive education practices today. **Unique Features of Steiner’s Last Book and the Value of the Anthroposophic View of the Human Being** Presenter(s): [Michaela Glöckler](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/unique-features-steiners-last-book-and-value-anthroposophic-view-human-being) Anthroposophic medicine (AM) exists on all continents; as medical practices and therapy centers offering various treatment-modalities and in Central Europe even in the form of some recognized regional hospitals. Besides conventional methods this medical approach includes specific anthroposophic medicinal products, nursing techniques and external applications, artistic therapies, healthy lifestyle and nutrition counselling, body work, therapeutic eurythmy, and meditative practices. The basis for this therapeutic direction is Steiner's final book, which he was able to complete shortly before his death in collaboration with the Dutch physician Dr. Ita Wegman (1876–1943) entitled: *Fundamentals of Therapy, an Extension of the Art of Healing through Spiritual Knowledge* (FoT). The worldwide presence of AM confirms its integrative medical approach that goes well beyond “tolerant cooperation” of different complementary modalities. AM, as presented in Steiner/Wegman’s book, is based on a rigorous anthropological-philosophical method of understanding that encompasses active principles of any spiritual, psychosomatic and natural science-based healing method. Because all ancient and modern medical systems are either partly or entirely based on five principles: the materially tangible processes and facts, the laws of life, which manifest through rhythmic processes, the dynamics of soul and mind, personality formation and finally the fifth essential principle in the being of man, named by Aristotle *pempte ousia*, the fifth essential. Steiner explained and redefined all the five, making them imaginable and thus observable and practicable for daily use. This not only gave rise to the anthroposophic understanding of man. It provides the opportunity for mutual understanding of the different medical systems. But it also accounts for the fact that, unlike animals which are controlled and driven in their development by instincts, humans must compensate for their instinctive insecurity and “physiological imperfection” through learning processes – through self-consciously controlled thinking, feeling, and willing. According to Steiner/Wegman, this particular physical-mental constitution predisposes humans to illness. **The Faculties of the Mind in Waldorf Education: the Epistemological Foundations of the Theory for the Enlightenment of the Practice** Presenter(s): [Natalia Golovanova](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/faculties-mind-waldorf-education-epistemological-foundations-theory-enlightenment) Waldorf Education's spiritual view of the human being, and of the child in particular, clearly distinguishes it from other progressive educational movements. This distinction necessarily comes to the fore in teacher training. One of the pillars of the education based on Steiner's philosophy is the threefold nature of the human being: the founder of the pedagogy believed that there are three active faculties in every student — thinking, feeling, and willing — which develop gradually and progressively, passing through a seven-year stage until they are fully activated at the age of 21. The sources of this theory are obviously esoteric and spiritual, although it is possible to draw parallels between this doctrine and other theories of the child’s development that also involve several stages until the full development of all faculties. At the same time, the roots of this conception can be found in Steiner’s philosophical period. I would thus like to return to the origins of these ideas in the writings of the young Steiner and to their roots in the philosophical tradition, as well as to address the question of the shift in epistemology that occurred in Steiner's work between the 1890s and the 1920s, particularly with regard to the theory of faculties. This work is based on my doctoral dissertation defended in 2025 at the University of Upper Alsace (Mulhouse, France), which seeks to articulate the philosophy of education on which Waldorf education is based. I will offer for discussion some findings regarding the role of the other faculties in the pedagogy, as well as the changes in the concept of thinking in Steiner's later work. This will provide a better understanding of the meaning of the intellect and intellectual education in the pedagogy based on Rudolf Steiner's conception of the human being. **The Sacred and Profane (Intercultural) Roots of Waldorf Education** Presenter(s): [Matthias Fechner](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/sacred-and-profane-intercultural-roots-waldorf-education) In my contribution I would try to explain that Steiner did not create the idea of ‘Waldorfschule‘ in 1919 as an hermetic, inalterable entity, but rather as an ongoing and dynamic project to which some of his more experienced teachers, namely Robert Killian, were able to contribute substantially. Killian, who joined ‘Waldorfschule‘ Uhlandshöhe in 1920, had previously taught at state schools in Alsace and at ‘Landerziehungsheim‘ Haubinda, founded by Hermann Lietz. Hence, many pedagogical concepts, which from the 1890s onwards were initially put into practice at German ‘Landerziehungsheime,‘ could later be found at Uhlandshöhe and other schools, transfered by dedicated teachers like Killian. Moreover, I try to argue that these concepts were not merely transplanted by individual teachers, but rather adapted to the specific needs of a school, drawing on the strong current of reform education and contemporary educational trends. E.g., ‘Epochenunterricht‘ was, arguably, introduced first at Berthold Otto’s ‘Hauslehrerschule‘ before it caught on at Haubinda mainly for organizational reasons, until it was geared to students’ needs at Odenwaldschule and, at long last, experienced a spiritual transformation within the Waldorf movement. This transfer of knowledge worked, in fact, both ways. During the Third Reich, after most Steiner schools had been closed, Waldorf teachers like Robert Killian, Karl Ege or even René Maikowski found a means to survive working at ‘Landerziehungsheime‘ bringing valuable spiritual insights to otherwise fairly profane institutions. In the case of Odenwaldschule personal ties even strengthened the transfer of knowledge. Robert Killian would strongly support headmaster Heinrich Sachs, not only during the Second World War, but also in 1945/6 following the latter’s controversial removal by the US military administration. And after Sachs’ untimely death in 1946, his wife Elisabeth would meet Karl Ege again, while founding a Camphill community in Hillsdale, NY. Finally, I would like to draw attention to the fact that educators, and especially Waldorf teachers, have – hopefully – never acted as uncreative automata, but rather as agents of change. Thus, it certainly seems instructive to henceforth take a closer look at their biographies (and their estates), in order to gain more valuable insights into the dynamic processes within many educational institutions and concepts. **Translating Anthroposophical Curative Education to Israel: Challenges and Adaptations** Presenter(s): [Ron Eilon](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/translating-anthroposophical-curative-education-israel-challenges-and-adaptations) This paper tracks anthroposophical social initiatives in Israel in the mid-20th century. It follows the migration and transfer of anthroposophical ideas, people, and texts and the transnational translation of social work knowledge and practice from European culture to Israel in its first decades. Archival material was collected from official, institutional, and private archives in Israel, Switzerland, Britain, and Germany, and some data was obtained through oral history interviews. Transnational correspondence between anthroposophists in Palestine, later Israel, and those in Europe and Britain up to the late 1960s reveals efforts to tackle the newly founded state’s most burning struggles in order to adjust, realize, and embed an anthroposophical practice of care. The paper proposes that transnational translation of anthroposophical curative education played a significant role in the reception of anthroposophy in Israel, through a process in which European cultural aspects of anthroposophy were adjusted, and its universal human aspects were prioritized. ## James Room East ##### **Panel:** [*Waldorf Education in Global and Decolonial Contexts*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") (5 papers) --- **The Pedagogical Impulse of Rudolf Steiner as a Contribution to the Perspectives Demanded by the Educational Challenges Posed by the Epistemologies of the South** Presenter(s): [Constanza Kaliks Guendelman](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/pedagogical-impulse-rudolf-steiner-contribution-perspectives-demanded-educational) This study explores the convergence between aspects of the "epistemologies of the South," as articulated by Boaventura de Sousa Santos, and the pedagogical approach developed by Rudolf Steiner. Santos identifies two essential components of southern epistemologies: respect for the knowledge and lived experiences of the other, and the practice of participatory action research. Although originating in Central Europe over a century ago, Steiner’s educational philosophy embodies these principles and remains relevant to contemporary contexts marked by cultural diversity and social vulnerability. At the heart of Steiner’s pedagogy is a view of the human being as a being in constant becoming. His educational impulse aligns with the four pillars of learning outlined by Jacques Delors in the 1996 UNESCO report: learning to know, to do, to live together, and to be. Steiner emphasizes the values and priorities that correspond closely to Santos's concepts of knowledge ecologies, intercultural translation and practice-based learning. Interdependence and solidarity, seen as essential human characteristics, form the ethical and pedagogical basis of Steiner’s approach. His emphasis on reciprocity resonates with 20th-century humanist educational thought, particularly that of Paulo Freire. The research underpinning this analysis draws on literature from Global South scholars, Steiner’s own writings and lectures, and empirical data gathered from South American schools serving diverse and socially vulnerable populations. A central characteristic of Steiner-inspired schools is collaborative teacher development through shared inquiry, dialogue, and ongoing reflection—practices that constitute the “heart of the school” and embody the principles of participatory action research. The analysis thus suggests that Steiner's educational model, while historically and geographically distinct, is relevant to contemporary educational demands and provides a framework that contributes to diverse socio-cultural realities. **Whose Archetypes? Reexamining Rudolf Steiner’s Spiritual Child in the Context of Race, Translation, and Storytelling Pedagogies** Presenter(s): [Peng Liu-Nelson](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/whose-archetypes-reexamining-rudolf-steiners-spiritual-child-context-race-translation) This paper critically engages Rudolf Steiner’s concept of the “spiritual child” by tracing how his civilizational model—organized through post-Atlantean cultural epochs—informs the racialized construction of universality in Waldorf Early Childhood Education (WECE). While Steiner’s pedagogy emphasizes reverence for children’s inner development and has inspired transformative practices across class and ability lines, it also embeds a Eurocentric spiritual hierarchy that privileges Indo-European stories and aesthetics as archetypal. This vision, filtered through linguistic and cultural translations, continues to shape WECE storytelling curricula in the U.S., where non-European cosmologies are often marginalized or tokenized. Building on Knight’s (2023) application of Wynter’s Man 1 and Man 2 framework to Waldorf kindergartens, I extend the critique to Steiner’s own spiritual anthropology, examining how the spiritual child ideal risks universalizing whiteness. In response, I turn to Jo-ann Archibald’s (2008) Indigenous Storywork to propose a relational, place-based pedagogy of storytelling grounded in respect, reciprocity, and plural cosmologies. Storywork reorients storytelling from fixed archetypes to living practices, foregrounding protocols, memory, and land-based knowledge. Through this juxtaposition, I argue that WECE must be critically re-engaged not as a neutral spiritual method but as a historically situated tradition requiring conscious transformation. To honor Steiner’s legacy today is not only to preserve his insights, but to translate and critically revise them in dialogue with decolonial educational frameworks and Indigenous story practices. **Discussing the Spiritual and Holistic Perspectives of Waldorf Education from the Viewpoints of Anthroposophy and Mahayana Buddhism** Presenter(s): [Chih Hung Wang](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/discussing-spiritual-and-holistic-perspectives-waldorf-education-viewpoints) In his work "Outline of Esoteric Science," Rudolf Steiner introduces the evolutionary history of the Earth, demonstrating that Anthroposophy adopts a distinct evolutionary perspective, albeit from the scale of the Earth and humanity as a whole. Although these views, which are difficult to empirically verify or distant from everyday reality, may not easily resonate or have practical application, Anthroposophy maintains the same evolutionary perspective in the aspects of social development (threefold social order) and human growth (pedagogy) within the realm of everyday life. The anti-authoritarian characteristic of Waldorf education is rooted in the fundamental belief in a spiritual view of life. In other words, the spiritual self should be its own authority, evolving through repeated reincarnations while contributing to the overall civilization of humanity. This paper will discuss how the progressive and anti-authoritarian stance of Waldorf pedagogy, based on the spiritual perspective of Theosophy (Anthroposophy), is implemented in the curriculum at various stages, leading to the establishment of an ideal social image and the cultivation of new-generation citizens. From this perspective, the discussion of Waldorf pedagogy reveals subtle dualistic concepts embedded in its "holistic view of the curriculum," such as individuality and collectivity, material life and the spiritual world, and so on. Additionally, considering the spiritual aspects of its philosophical foundation, the paper will also discuss the liberation path, the Bodhisattva path, and the concept of reincarnation in Mahayana Buddhism, the harmonious integration of principle and phenomena in the Huayan Sutra, and the development of Waldorf education in the East. **Root and Renewal: Biodynamics, Cultural Legacy, and the Future of Waldorf Communities** Presenter(s): [Claudia Nagy](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/root-and-renewal-biodynamics-cultural-legacy-and-future-waldorf-communities) This paper explores the spiritual foundations of biodynamics as both a legacy of Rudolf Steiner and a universal agricultural wisdom shared across cultures. As a first-generation Hungarian-Chinese woman with ancestral ties to Steiner’s homeland, I reflect on the ways biodynamics—as practiced today—must evolve to honor its multicultural echoes if it is to survive and thrive for the next hundred years. Drawing on the curative intentions behind Waldorf pedagogy and agriculture, I propose that genuine inclusivity is not only a moral imperative but also an esoteric necessity. I examine parallels between biodynamic practices and Indigenous agricultural systems across the globe—highlighting how the same spiritual principles manifest universally, even when unrecognized by dominant anthroposophical frameworks. Waldorf education and biodynamic farming, at their best, are anti-authoritarian, curative, and spiritually awake. Yet they risk stagnation when insulated from critical reflection and broader cultural dialogue. This paper is both a critique and a devotion—an offering to the Waldorf movement that asks: how can we truly live into the spiritual intentions of Steiner’s work in a world that is no longer Eurocentric, but interconnected and diverse? By anchoring my inquiry in biography, land, and ancestral voice, I seek to renew a pedagogical impulse that heals—by remembering its shared roots in humanity. **Weaving Spirit and Practice: Reclaiming the Radical Nature of Waldorf Education** Presenter(s): [Liz Beaven](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/weaving-spirit-and-practice-reclaiming-radical-nature-waldorf-education) Waldorf education is possibly the best-known example of the practical application of Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual-scientific work. Beginning with a single school in Stuttgart, it has grown steadily into a worldwide movement. At its heart lies Steiner’s profound image of the human being as a spiritual being in development, a spiritual reality that can be researched, and a pedagogy that demands imagination, freedom, and continual renewal. Drawing deeply from both theosophical spirituality and progressive educational ideals, Steiner offered a holistic, anti-authoritarian vision of schooling. Education, he insisted, was to be not a fixed system but a responsive “living art”, with the teacher as artist. The history of Waldorf education displays a persistent paradox, in which a movement founded on creative freedom has often turned toward codification. Although Steiner repeatedly urged that education is an artistic process and should evolve responsively to individual and cultural needs, Waldorf education has frequently sought to define and standardize its methods, forms and traditions. What began as spiritual insight risks being limited by dogma; what was intended to inspire and be initiative-filled risks becoming prescriptive. This central tension between Steiner’s vision of an education rooted in dynamic spiritual and pedagogical freedom and the emergence of a movement limited by system and form is the basis of my inquiry. Steiner’s educational ideas are situated within the broader context of progressive education and theosophical concepts; within this, he asks for teachers to engage as spiritual researchers, observing each child, the times, and their own path of inner development. Steiner’s dynamic, radical indications have been fixed in place. Waldorf education is challenged to return to its founding impulse, a weaving of spiritual inspiration and practical, responsive application, to meet the needs of today. By doing so, this “new art of education” will provide a truly transformative, spiritually grounded approach. ### 12:15–13:00 Lunch expand\_more Time for a walk, stretching, or enjoying some refreshments. ### 13:00–15:00: Panels 6A & 6B expand\_more Note: There are two panels happening simultaneously during this time slot: **Cader Room** and **James Room East**. Click on the *panel name* in each room to find the paper abstracts. Click on the *names of the presenters* to find their biographical information. Cader Room James Room East ## Cader Room ##### **Panel:** [*Historical, Textual, and Empirical Reflections on Anthroposophy, “Race,” and Racism*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") *(5 papers)* --- **The Conduct of Anthroposophical Doctors, Pharmacists, and Educators during the Nazi Era (1933–1945)** Presenter(s): [Peter Selg](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/conduct-anthroposophical-doctors-pharmacists-and-educators-during-nazi-era-1933-1945) A comprehensive study conducted between 2016 and 2025 examined the behavior of anthroposophical doctors, pharmacists, and curative educators during the Nazi era. The study explored how these professionals operated within a biopolitical dictatorship that, on one hand, sought to exterminate those deemed “unworthy of life” based on racial ideology and, on the other, aimed to optimize the “desirable” life. Critics of anthroposophy have argued that its proponents benefited from the Nazi regime’s support of “natural medicine” and alleged ideological similarities. However, this was not substantiated by the historical analysis. Instead, the research revealed that anthroposophical doctors, pharmaceutical producers, and curative education institutions demonstrated significant resistance to Nazi policies. The study highlighted that, while individual behaviors ranged from resistance to conformity, the broader picture showed the inherent incompatibility between National Socialism and anthroposophy. This was particularly evident in the contradictions between the racial ideology of the Nazis and the humanistic, individualized approach of anthroposophic medicine. Anthroposophic medicine as such, grounded in Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual science, was never accepted within the Nazi system. Despite some high-ranking Nazi officials privately using anthroposophic remedies or consulting anthroposophic doctors, the regime considered anthroposophy a threat. In 1941, a report from the Reich Security Main Office stated: “If one accepts the totality of ideological thinking and its effect on the overall opinion and attitude of human beings, there can be no doubt that followers of anthroposophy must inevitably become opponents of National Socialism, or at least remain alien to it.”¹ Note 1\. Quoted in Uwe Werner, Anthroposophen in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus (Munich: Piper, 1999), 383. **Organic Thinking as a Prerequisite for Discussions on Race with a Special Emphasis on India-Britain** Presenter(s):[ Gopi Krishna](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/organic-thinking-prerequisite-discussions-race-special-emphasis-india-britain) Racism is emotionally charged, due to its being present at the nexus of power, prejudice and morality. While this emotion is certainly grounded in a desire to value the core of humanity, the reasoning process that accompanies emotion does not always have a clear grounding. In this presentation, I will be examining the differentiations in the reasoning process, including the processes of defining, stereotyping and categorizing strengths and weaknesses, thinking about moral actions of individuals and groups, as well as moral judgment. With the help of examples drawn from both mathematics and botany, I will show the critical importance of a systematic development of organic thinking which forms a prerequisite especially for deciding on the crucial question of whether Steiner’s work is a ‘spiritualization of prejudices’. Drawing on the history of relations between the races in the Indian subcontinent (beginning with the British conquest of India up to the relation between Annie Besant and Krishnamurthi), both successes and failures in the reasoning process will be highlighted through the study of specific events, such that the need for organic thinking will be shown to be a critical part of a genuine evaluation of this relationship. The continued repercussions of the failures in the reasoning process echoing into the 21st century will be described, showing how the historic experience can shed light on the approach to race relations today. **Decoupling Racial Stereotypes from the Body of Knowledge Utilized in a Network of Organizations Managed by Meditation Practitioners in Brazil** Presenter(s): [Rogerio Calia](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/decoupling-racial-stereotypes-body-knowledge-utilized-network-organizations-managed) In a network of organizations managed by meditation practitioners in Brazil, how to decouple racial stereotypes from its body of knowledge? How to more effectively respect the rights of black individuals interacting with anthroposophical organizations without racially discriminatory stereotypes being reinforced in Brazil? Are there alternatives to Dan McKanan’s (2017) field observations of “hermeneutics of veneration” causing study groups to uncritically accept stereotypical sentences in books authored by Rudolf Steiner? An organizational science action-research methodology was performed following the approach of Otto Scharmer’s “Theory U”, in order to find some steps towards answering these questions. Dialogue interviews with black individuals in the context of anthroposophical organizations and a contemplative inquiry meditation for mental receptivity to insights were instrumental to create simple potential solutions to be tested in focused social experiments (“prototypes”). In the first prototype, a group of decision makers in Brazil accepted the recommendation to decouple racial stereotypes from two books. A second prototype proposed a change management communication plan to be tested, which was based on Robert Livingston's approach for racial equality in organizations and based on the implementation of Steiner's “ethical individualism” concept applied as practical criteria for the change management process. In this communication plan, a change management coordinating team is recommended to ask key questions individually to meditation practitioners representing anthroposophical humanism in Brazil, in order to invite them to support the decision above to decouple racial stereotypes from the two books. Evaluation of resulting answers and reactions to those key questions will provide additional data for checking to what extent the ideas of “ethical individualism” can be applied as practical criteria to a new evidence based change management process, in order to decouple racial stereotypes from the body of knowledge of a network of organizations managed by meditation practitioners in Brazil. **Facing Contradictions: Navigating Race and Diversity in Rudolf Steiner's Spiritual Science** Presenter(s): [Cory Eichman](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/facing-contradictions-navigating-race-and-diversity-rudolf-steiners-spiritual-science) Distinguishing between a Seer’s spiritual vision and the cultural context from which it arose can be a tangled, divisive thread. Rudolf Steiner’s work is no exception. Although he strove to develop a ‘universal’ spiritual science, he was looking at the spirit world through the lens of a European male of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Socially progressive for his day, and in some respects ours as well, Steiner was still part of a world outlook embedded within the globalization rooted in European colonialism. Nowhere is this perspective more evident than in his descriptions of race and peoples. His frequent emphasis on the individuality, regardless of gender, race, nationality, or religion, lead many to insist he had no racist views. However, there are enough references in his work to the ‘white’ race being the most progressive that they cannot be ignored. Steiner’s views changed through the course of his public life. He eventually broke away from Theosophy’s declaration that Aryans are the leaders of modern humanity. His spiritual research revealed a breaking apart of humanity well before the end of the Ice Age, with one group emerging as central. In the Age of Social Darwinism, it seems he assumed this division was the conventionally identified races with the central position held by Indo-Europeans. I believe his vision instead pointed to the multiple Hominid species living simultaneously, the evidence of which didn’t emerge until after Steiner’s death. All Homo sapiens, that is all peoples, carry human evolution forward. Reinterpreting his spiritual research potentially opens up a decentralized, multi-cultural perspective on spiritual science, the seeds of which can be found in what Steiner was striving for. The issues of race and diversity highlight how our times are defined by the ongoing challenges around ‘de-personalizing’ truth. **Completing the Circle: Rethinking Cultural Evolution Beyond Eurocentrism** Presenter(s): [Chiaki Uchiyama Ed.D.](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/completing-circle-rethinking-cultural-evolution-beyond-eurocentrism) This proposal explores Rudolf Steiner’s evolutionary framework of human consciousness through the lens of cultural epochs and reconsiders its implications for contemporary understandings of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Drawing from Steiner’s lectures—particularly At the Gate of Spiritual Science and Egyptian Myths and Mysteries—the Western European epoch is situated not as the culmination of human development but as a midpoint in a larger arc of evolution. While this stage represents the rise of intellectual materialism, individuality, and freedom, it is intended to be followed by a re-spiritualization of consciousness that integrates these qualities with cosmic and universal wisdom. Contrasting with Hegel’s view of Western consciousness as the apex of human freedom, the anthroposophical model foregrounds a more balanced and cyclical view of evolution. Without this broader understanding, Steiner’s insights risk being misinterpreted as Eurocentric or hierarchically biased. The paper argues that such misreadings overlook the inclusive and forward-looking nature of Steiner’s vision, which recognizes the essential contributions of all cultural streams. Importantly, when considering the latter half of evolution, Africa emerges not as a lesser point of origin but as a future bearer of deep spiritual potential, symbolizing both the beginning and the end of the evolutionary circle. This perspective reframes human history as a dynamic interplay of spiritual and material qualities across all peoples. It challenges the notion of cultural superiority and instead presents each race and epoch as holding a unique evolutionary task. Ultimately, the evolution of consciousness points toward a future where individuality and spiritual unity coexist. Recognizing the spiritual contributions of all cultures allows for a more holistic and inclusive vision of human development—one that transcends hierarchy and affirms the sacred diversity of the human journey. ## James Room East ##### **Panel:** [*Steiner in Dialogue*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") *(5 papers)* --- **Reading Steiner and Whitehead** Presenter(s): [Ryan Boynton](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/reading-steiner-and-whitehead) Any academic effort to explain, understand, or otherwise account for Steiner's work needs to address and engage the relation between one’s own approach to the pursuit of knowledge and the approach that Steiner implied or advocated—including his explicit critiques of conceptions of knowledge and knowing typical of the academy of his day, especially as these continue to inform present academic practice. I will suggest that a fruitful path into Steiner's work—in a manner that helps us to engage these questions in ways that can genuinely disturb us—is provided by his age-mate Alfred North Whitehead. There is a compelling similarity in the world-pictures arrived at by Steiner and Whitehead, made all the more intriguing because they arrive from opposite directions: Steiner starts from the problem of how to articulate his own uncommon experience of spiritual realities in a form that could facilitate the cultivation of that experience by others; Whitehead from how to frame a speculative system of general ideas in terms of which all aspects of experience can be interpreted. I am persuaded that by reading Steiner and Whitehead in and through and off of one another, each can be seen to offer constructive criticism of how the other met the task before him. And this engagement offers us as present readers significant aid in overcoming the obstacles of our own assumptions—about the character of reality, the activity of knowing, the process of communicating (and the role of language in that process)—that are implicitly or explicitly challenged by Steiner’s work. Steiner brings far wider experience to Whitehead's project; Whitehead brings a more direct, clear, and (in terms of meeting the contemporary reader) ultimately more effective critique of the obstacles that stand before a serious entertaining of the possibilities toward which all the forms of Steiner's efforts gesture. **Rudolf Steiner’s Elemental Phenomenology: From Goethe’s Participatory Method to the Metamorphosis of Consciousness** Presenter(s): [Matthew David Segall](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiners-elemental-phenomenology-goethes-participatory-method-metamorphosis) Rudolf Steiner’s Spiritual Science is an application of the Goethean method of observation beyond the world of the physical senses. While it includes the study of so-called “etheric” processes of metamorphosis in nature, Spiritual Science is also recursive, involving the observation of observation itself—that is, observation of the metamorphosis of the researcher. Steiner’s description of the process of cosmic evolution—which includes the deeds of various angelic and demonic beings—may at first seem incredible, to put it mildly, to today’s more materialistic common sense. My paper explores the historical precursors and onto-epistemic presuppositions of what I call Steiner’s Elemental Phenomenology in the hopes that its philosophical justifications can be clarified. Such clarity is unlikely to convince skeptics, but it may at least allow for honest critical assessment to replace incredulous scorn. The key desideratum, for Steiner, is to overcome the modern bifurcation between moral and physical dimensions of the universe. For example, in Steiner’s earliest cosmic phase—Old Saturn—the only discernable quality is a spiritual warmth arising from the sacrificial self-immolation of the Thrones offered to the Cherubim. Steiner insists our experience of heat is not merely a consequence of molecular kinetic energy but an expression of this primordial sacrifice. Most secular intellectuals have come to accept that a materialistic version of evolutionary theory provides a satisfying—empirically adequate and rationally consistent—account of how human beings came to be. But glaring philosophical gaps remain unaddressed. The onto-epistemic status of consciousness in an evolving cosmos is perhaps the central question underlying not only our spiritual aspirations, but also the basis of scientific knowledge itself. Why is the universe intelligible, and how are we to account for our own existence as intelligent agents capable of scientific inquiry? My paper will flesh out how Steiner’s Elemental Phenomenology attempts to answer these questions by first directing our attention back upon itself. **Spirituality and the Reconstruction of Scientific Epistemology: Goethe, Steiner, and Spiritism Beyond Newtonian Reductionism** Presenter(s): [Sara Siqueira, Amanda Siqueira, Samuel Andriotte, Gabriel Pádua, Fernando Costa](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/spirituality-and-reconstruction-scientific-epistemology-goethe-steiner-and-spiritism) In response to the epistemological constraints of Newtonian science, Goethe proposed a vision of knowledge grounded in the active participation of the observer, a dynamic relation in which the knower is internally transformed through disciplined engagement with the living processes of nature. Rudolf Steiner adopted and radicalized this participatory epistemology, advancing a spiritual science where cognition itself becomes an instrument of perception, capable, through ethical and inner development, of accessing lawful dimensions that remain inaccessible to reductive, mechanistic approaches. In parallel, Spiritism articulated a convergent epistemological project. Rooted in the intelligibility of spiritual laws and the continuity of consciousness beyond bodily existence, Spiritist philosophy likewise positioned consciousness not as a byproduct of matter, but as a primary ontological foundation underlying reality. Both Steiner’s and Spiritism’s models reject limiting science to the measurable and material, advancing instead an expanded epistemology that incorporates inner experience, ethical responsibility, moral development, and non-physical realities as essential domains of scientific investigation. This framework opens pathways for addressing empirical domains that strain classical models: non-local consciousness, verified survival phenomena, and transpersonal cognition. Examples include veridical near-death perceptions, telepathy studies, reincarnation cases, evidential mediumship, instrumental transcommunication, altered states of consciousness, and direct spiritual perception, all of which lie beyond the reach of Newtonian paradigms. Far from abandoning scientific rigor, Steiner’s Goethean science and Spiritism expand its methodological boundaries, offering a coherent, ethically grounded approach to investigating the full spectrum of consciousness and existence. By bringing Steiner’s participatory spiritual science into dialogue with Spiritism, this study advances not merely a historical parallel but contributes to the reconstruction of spiritual science as an epistemological alternative to materialism. It challenges the foundations of modern science by exposing the limitations of any scientific model that excludes consciousness, interiority, and meaning as intrinsic to the very structure of existence. **Social Threefolding and Democracy: Reassessing Rudolf Steiner's ideas through Hannah Arendt’s Lens** Presenter(s): [Armin J. Steuernagel, Philip Kovce](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/social-threefolding-and-democracy-reassessing-rudolf-steiners-ideas-through-hannah) This paper examines Rudolf Steiner’s Kernpunkte der Sozialen Frage (The Core Issues of the Social Question) through the lens of Hannah Arendt’s democratic theory. Written in the aftermath of World War I, Steiner’s proposals for a threefold structure of society—freedom in cultural life, equality in political life, and solidarity in economic life—have recently been criticized as undemocratic (Zander). Drawing on Arendt’s reflections on the political realm, truth, and totalitarianism, I argue that Steiner’s ideas, far from undermining democracy, anticipate key strategies for its preservation. Both thinkers advocate for the autonomy of cultural institutions and for the separation of economic imperatives from political deliberation, warning against the dangers of politicizing truth and cultural life, and of bureaucratizing the political sphere by burdening it with the management of the sphere of necessity (economic life). By aligning Steiner’s threefold model with Arendt’s vision of a free and pluralistic public sphere, this paper seeks to shed new light on the relationship between democracy and Steiner’s threefolding, while at the same time highlighting the potential of Steiner’s proposals to address contemporary democratic challenges, such as rising bureaucracy and political encroachments into cultural life. **Steiner and Sri Aurobindo on Spiritual Evolution and Philosophy** Presenter(s): [Dr. Ashmita Khasnabish](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/steiner-and-sri-aurobindo-spiritual-evolution-and-philosophy) The paper will propose a comparative analysis between the philosophy of the Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo, and Rudolf Steiner based on the interstice of their philosophical ideas between transcendence versus immanence or dualism versus non-dualistic philosophy. According to Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy of Supra-mental consciousness, the bliss or what Steiner calls intuition or spiritual freedom could be attained through ego-transcendence. Sri Aurobindo describes it almost like a psychoanalytical process in Life Divine: the mind has to go up through higher mind, illumined mind, intuition and over mind to the super mind level of consciousness to reach super mind through ego-transcendence. Once that is achieved which is called ascent, one has to bring it down to the body and this is called descent. Once the ascent and the descent occur concurrently, the goal of the supramental consciousness is achieved As the process of ascent and descent is non-dualistic and cannot be achieved through dualism, likewise, Steiner’s philosophy valorizes non-dualism. In his book Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path, he deconstructs this eternal battle between matter and spirit and dualism. Both Steiner and Sri Aurobindo strive to achieve this harmony between the inner and the outer self and believe that it could be achieved through the evolution of the spiritual consciousness. Sri Aurobindo talks about ego- transcendence but Steiner explains in the following way: “What dualism seeks only beyond the observed world, monism finds in this world itself” (131). It resonates with the concept of Brahman or the concept of the absolute in Hindu philosophy that the whole world is manifestation of Brahman and therefore there is no distinction between myself and my fellow human being. Finally, it will discuss how Steiner’s anthroposophical views on spiritual bodies and the cultural epochs resonate with the philosophy and show the path for the modern spiritual world. ### 15:00–15:15 Break expand\_more Time for a walk, stretching, or enjoying some refreshments. ### 15:15–16:55: Panels 7A & 7B expand\_more Note: There are two panels happening simultaneously during this time slot: **Cader Room** and **James Room East**. Click on the *panel name* in each room to find the paper abstracts. Click on the *names of the presenters* to find their biographical information. Cader Room James Room East ## Cader Room ##### **Panel:** [*Steiner’s Philosophical Outlook I*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") *(4 papers)* --- **Rudolf Steiner Discovers History: Transitions between Philosophy and Theosophy** Presenter(s): [Dr. Ansgar Martins](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiner-discovers-history-transitions-between-philosophy-and-theosophy) This paper examines Rudolf Steiner’s intellectual transition from philosophy to theosophy between 1899 and 1904, drawing on lectures and texts recently published in new volumes of his Gesamtausgabe. It identifies three central transformations: the emergence of a historical consciousness, Steiner’s engagement with ancient philosophy and mystery traditions, and the influence of Jewish philosophy on his evolving conception of the "post-Atlantean cultural epochs." First, Steiner’s late 1890s writings, notably Welt- und Lebensanschauungen, mark a shift from epistemology to intellectual biography, signaling a growing historical awareness. This development continues in Mysticism at the Dawn of the Modern Age and Christianity as Mystical Fact, where Steiner’s interest in ancient spiritual cultures becomes increasingly pronounced. Second, the paper highlights Steiner’s openness around 1900, a period characterized by exploratory engagements with historiography and philosophy. Rather than offering fixed systems, Steiner’s work at the turn of the century reflects a search for a worldview capable of integrating scientific knowledge and spiritual life. This dynamic is particularly evident in his portrayal of Philo of Alexandria as a foundational figure for Christianity, underscoring the critical role of Jewish mysticism. Third, the paper traces how Steiner’s understanding of Jewish traditions evolved, illuminating the complexity behind his development of the "post-Atlantean cultural epochs." Initially emphasizing a distinct "Jewish cultural epoch," Steiner later reconfigured this phase within a broader "Chaldean-Egyptian cultural epoch," demonstrating a gradual shift in his cultural-historical models. Rather than framing this period as either rupture or continuity, the paper analyzes Steiner’s transitional phase as a creative and experimental response to the philosophical challenges of his time. **Philosophical Implications of Steiner’s Waldorf Pedagogy. A Critique of Ideological Criticism** Presenter(s): [Jost Schieren](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/philosophical-implications-steiners-waldorf-pedagogy-critique-ideological-criticism) Waldorf education is one of the world's most successful models of alternative education. With 1,283 schools and 1,922 kindergartens, the education founded by Rudolf Steiner with the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart in 1919 is now represented on all continents and in over 71 countries (cf. Waldorf World List 2024.) However, the practical success of Waldorf schools is counteracted by a widespread critical attitude towards the theories based on Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophy. These are considered to be ideologically charged, in that they are not scientifically justified on the one hand and are not considered to be scientifically justifiable on the other. Despite the fact that since around 2000 there has been an increased (educational) scientific debate about Waldorf education the ideological criticism of Waldorf education remains unbroken. The current media (in Germany) unanimously attest to Waldorf education as an esoteric, obscure, unscientific ideology. A rather reflexive apologetic response to the existing accusations of ideology, as is sometimes the case on the Waldorf side, is not helpful, as it rejects the offer of critical self-reflection, which in itself is fruitful. After all, not all accusations of ideology are unfounded; against the background of a revelation-like reception and representation of anthroposophy and a rather ‚fossilized‘ (versteinert in German) Waldorf culture that has been adopted as a recipe, they are quite justified. Therefore, this contribution does not pursue a strategy of defending Waldorf education, but rather takes a self-critical look at Waldorf education as well as the ideological criticism that is leveled against it. The central question pursued is aimed at examining and questioning the ideological content of Waldorf education against the background of current ideological (unspoken consensual) assumptions. This ideological content is currently being sharply criticized as an ideological doctrine of faith. In the eyes of its critics, Waldorf education thus undermines the standard of a scientifically based pedagogy and is denied participation in an academic debate on an equal footing. **From Nature to Spirit: Rudolf Steiner’s Impulse for a New Understanding of Goethe** Presenter(s): [Iris Hennigfeld](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/nature-spirit-rudolf-steiners-impulse-new-understanding-goethe) This paper explores how Goethe’s approach to nature reaches a threshold where consciousness turns from the external object toward itself — a movement made explicit only through Rudolf Steiner’s work. As Steiner himself puts it in his foreword to the 1918 new edition of "Goethe’s Theory of Knowledge: An Outline of the Epistemology of His Worldview" (1886), Goethe’s epistemology — which is not explicitly articulated in Goethe’s own texts — “speaks of a nature of knowing that paves the way from the sensory world into a spiritual one.” This insight epistemologically underpins the transition from the science of nature to the science of spirit. Steiner revealed the implicit spiritual dimension in Goethe’s natural philosophy and laid the foundation for a science of the spirit, addressing non-sensory phenomena. Goethe’s method seeks the inner core of reality accessible only to the spirit, relying on what Steiner refers to as the productivity of consciousness. Central to Goethe and Steiner’s epistemology is the idea that consciousness must not only focus on its contents but also detach from them and, as Steiner states in "The Philosophy of Freedom" (1894), observe itself in its own activity. Steiner highlights this self-observation as essential for genuine spiritual knowledge. This process, described as a methodically guided inner training, cultivates new cognitive or spiritual faculties — “fully conscious imagination” (bewusste Imagination) — which Steiner identified as a crucial future task for humanity. Adopting an immanent-critical approach grounded in phenomenology and its call “back to the things themselves,” this paper seeks to understand Goethe and Steiner on their own terms, resisting reductive interpretations that impose external philosophical categories. Ultimately, Steiner’s development of Goethe’s sensorial imagination into conscious imagination offers not only a new epistemological method but also a path toward cultural renewal. Contrary to narratives of cultural decline, this approach envisions perception and knowledge as active, formative forces constituting reality — pointing toward a Goethe who is truly “yet to come.” **Rudolf Steiner's Nietzschean Phenomenology: Philosophy as the Art of Thinking** Presenter(s): [Jeffrey Hipolito](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiners-nietzschean-phenomenology-philosophy-art-thinking) This paper contends that Rudolf Steiner’s philosophical writings offer, in response to the Marburg Neo-Kantian school then ascendant, a highly original synthesis of other nascent philosophical currents: a Nietzschean emphasis on philosophy as an art of self-overcoming, a development of Franz Brentano’s approach to phenomenology, and his own invention of a Goethean philosophy as a means to provide them an epistemological ground. I take a brief look at each branch in turn. The work of Nietzsche resonates most obviously in Philosophy of Freedom, in which Steiner defines the philosopher as an “artist in the realm of concepts.” I show how this view is central to his book, and how it had already been anticipated in Steiner’s book about Nietzsche, Fighter for Freedom. The second part of this paper shows how the Nietzschean emphasis on freedom as an artistic activity harmonizes with Steiner’s development of the phenomenology of Franz Brentano, some of whose lectures Steiner attended: though philosophy is an art form, it is a precise one. This section of the paper establishes that the primary significance of Brentano for Steiner is the former’s attempt to establish a rigorously scientific phenomenology of thinking itself, thereby paving the way to Steiner’s own concept of “spiritual science” as a phenomenology of spiritual experience. Much of anthroposophy is an expansion of the method established and practiced with too much self-limitation by Brentano. The paper’s final section takes up Steiner’s early book, A Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe’s Worldview. If Nietzsche showed that the philosopher is an artist of concepts and Brentano showed that that art is also a precise science, Goetheanism establishes what concepts are while navigating the pitfalls post-Kantian idealism. The book’s final section, on aesthetics, returns us to our beginning: the art of philosophy. ## James Room East ##### **Panel:** [*Practice of Waldorf Education*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") *(4 papers)* --- **Studying the Art of Teaching: Waldorf Teacher Education as a Transformative Process** Presenter(s): [Peter Lutzker](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/studying-art-teaching-waldorf-teacher-education-transformative-process) In this contribution the fundamental relation in Waldorf education between the self-development of a teacher and the learning of her pupils will be examined. The self-development of the teacher will first be discussed in the context of Rudolf Steiner’s understanding of teaching as an art. From this perspective, the importance of the arts as a cornerstone of Waldorf teacher education programs and the connections between artistic practice and attaining artistry in teaching will be elucidated. The nature of practice as a transformative process will be discussed, along with the potentials of experiencing transcendence through art. Another perspective on attaining artistry in teaching will be considered in the context of the studies of pedagogical anthropology based on Steiner’s threefold view of the human being viewed from physical, soul and spiritual dimensions. The potential consequences of these studies for understanding and attending to child and adolescent development will be examined. As a way of deepening these studies, the potentials of contemplative and meditative practices will be discussed. The publications and work of Arthur Zajonc regarding the integration of contemplative studies in different university programs will be viewed as paradigmatic for Waldorf teacher education. Although Zajonc’s own spiritual path was rooted in anthroposophy, his work and writings have drawn from a broad range of meditative practices from different religions and cultures. As Waldorf schools now exist in more than 70 countries, his approach points to the possibilities for Waldorf educators throughout the world to connect to their own spiritual traditions. Finally, at a point at which education is undergoing profound changes due to the ‘answers’ which generative artificial intelligence programs can instantaneously provide, the potential significance of artistic practice and meditation as long-term embodied processes that can contribute to both self-development and artistry in teaching will be explored. **Using Anthroposophy as a Heuristic Basis for Waldorf Education: A Response to Accusations of the Unscientific Nature of the Theory Behind the Education** Presenter(s): [Martyn Rawson](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/using-anthroposophy-heuristic-basis-waldorf-education-response-accusations-unscientific) Despite a broadly positive critical academic reception of the education there has been increasing, often ideological criticism of its anthroposophical foundations, summed up by Heiner Ullrich’s often repeated phrase, “interesting educational practice, unscientific theoretical foundation” (e.g. Ullrich, 2024). The practical success of Waldorf schools is counteracted by a widespread critical attitude towards Steiner's anthroposophy as the theoretical basis for the education. This lack of scientific status for the theoretical basis of Waldorf education is an Achilles heel for representatives of Waldorf education, who wish it would gain wider recognition and be more accessible to children, whose parents are not supporters of an anthroposophical approach. Johannes Kiersch made the suggestion that Waldorf education, in contrast to the whole of Anthroposophy, could claim to have an anthroposophical process of generating knowledge and a pedagogy that is sufficiently secured in theory. He added that this would require “a more precise anthropological and educational-theoretical justification” (Kiersch, 1986, p.555). I build on this stance to argue that in order to do this, it would be necessary to carry out a discourse analysis to establish that what constitutes Anthroposophy and then thus be able to identify parsimoniously which aspects of Anthroposophy are essential foundations for Waldorf education. On this basis Waldorf education would need to establish that its application of anthroposophical ideas was heuristic and capacity building for teachers. There would need to be a new pedagogical anthropology based on Steiner’s work but supplemented by other theory and on the basis of this a new learning theory and approach to child and youth development would be developed that met the criteria for a contemporary educational science. **Extending Steiner’s Soul Tri-Membering into Higher Education: Psychometric Diagnosis and Entrepreneurial Talent Formation in Adults** Presenter(s): [Mary Angela Nardelli, Tania Stoltz](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/extending-steiners-soul-tri-membering-higher-education-psychometric-diagnosis-and) This paper presents the Entrepreneurial University Diagnosis (Diagnóstico Universitário Empreendedor — DUE), a psychometric tool for identifying entrepreneurial potential in university students and adult learners, integrating scientific assessment with formative development. The DUE is directly inspired by Rudolf Steiner's pedagogical and anthroposophical principles—especially the soul tri-membering of thinking (cognition), feeling (emotion), and willing (action). It offers a contemporary extension of Waldorf pedagogy applied to higher education and vocational formation, guiding adults toward professional paths aligned with their inner capacities. Built upon this spiritual-scientific framework, the DUE operationalizes self-knowledge and vocational autonomy. It integrates Steiner’s vision of the human being with models from modern psychology: Gardner's multiple intelligences, Bandura’s self-efficacy, Dweck’s mindset, McClelland’s achievement motivation, and emotional intelligence. The diagnostic structure encompasses three dimensions—Mindset (thinking), Personality (feeling), and Behavior (willing)—and generates personalized feedback to guide individual development beyond mere classification. Applied to over 1,700 participants in partnership with Brazilian universities and SEBRAE’s innovation programs, the DUE functions as both diagnostic and formative. It reflects Steiner's view that education should not merely transmit knowledge but activate latent potentials for meaningful life purposes. By extending Steiner’s pedagogical framework into adult entrepreneurship education, the DUE demonstrates how anthroposophical insights can inform contemporary personal and vocational development, offering a replicable model of applied spiritual science for higher education and entrepreneurship formation. **The Process of Parents’ Self-Knowledge Experienced During the Induction of Infants** Presenter(s): [Felicia Siemsen, Tania Stoltz](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/process-parents-self-knowledge-experienced-during-induction-infants) The objective of this study is to understand the process of parents' self-knowledge experienced during induction of infants in a collective daycare and preschool environment. The study is based on Rudolf Steiner’s pedagogical perspective for observation of human nature in the physical, soul, and spiritual realms. Also, investigates a deeper understanding of the parental transformation of feelings of pain and anguish during their child’s process of transition to the school environment. The phenomenona of consciousness in subjective first-person experience in education contexts is inspired by Goethe’s approach. This is a qualitative study using the micro-phenomenological approach based on Claire Petitmengin. The data collection instruments were: microphenomenological interview; field diary entries; mothers’ notes on experiences shared with their children. First, the analysis examined the elements portrayed in a diachronic way, respecting the temporal element. The moments of transition from initial phases to the composition of secondary sub-phases were investigated. The mothers’ transformation images as corporal, dynamic, visual and auditive characteristics of the phenomenon evoked were found to have deepened in the synchronic structure. The mothers’ experiences of self-knowledge results, experienced by each participant in the induction of their children at the childcare center, present a process of development that underwent evolution, challenges, feelings, thoughts. The conclusion reached is that the parental experiences lived in the infant induction process, when shared with teachers, school and their families, favor the mothers’ inner journey and their self-knowledge as a creative lived experience. ### 16:55–17:10 Break expand\_more Time for a walk, stretching, or enjoying some refreshments. ### 17:10–18:50: Panels 8A & 8B expand\_more Note: There are two panels happening simultaneously during this time slot: **Cader Room** and **James Room East**. Click on the *panel name* in each room to find the paper abstracts. Click on the *names of the presenters* to find their biographical information. Cader Room James Room East ## Cader Room ##### **Panel:** [*Steiner’s Philosophical Outlook II*](/steinerconference/papers/abstracts "Panels and Papers") *(4 papers)* --- **Steiner’s Trinitarian View and the Philosophy of Mind. A Critique of Robert Lawrence Kuhn’s Landscape of Consciousness Taxonomy** Presenter(s): [Terje Sparby](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/steiners-trinitarian-view-and-philosophy-mind-critique-robert-lawrence-kuhns-landscape) In a recent taxonomy of different philosophies of mind, Robert Lawrence Kuhn classified Rudolf Steiner’s view as a mind-body dualism. We argue that this classification is incorrect. Rather, Steiner’s view is trinitarian and represents a unification of monism and dualism. Hence the trinitarian conception of the human being in Steiner not only challenges Kuhn’s taxonomic placement of Steiner’s view but indicates a potential fundamental limitation of the whole taxonomy. Furthermore, since other thinkers (such as Whitehead, de Chardin, and others) may potentially be classified as trinitarian, Kuhn’s taxonomy arguably needs revision. In fact, the dualism vs. monism debate mirrors limitations in current ways of thinking. The trinitarian view offers a different approach to “hard problem of consciousness”, understanding the differentiation between mind and body, and the philosophic problems that arise from this differentiation, as part of human development. **Beyond Aulasaukaulala - The Philosophical Approach to Anthroposophy in the Critical Edition (SKA)** Presenter(s): [Christian Clement](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/beyond-aulasaukaulala-philosophical-approach-anthroposophy-critical-edition-ska) Dr. Clement’s presentation will provide a summary of the history, reception, and conceptual framework of the Critical Edition of Rudolf Steiner's Writings (SKA), which has been published by frommann-holzboog in Stuttgart since 2013 under his editorship. The focus will be on the question of why, and to what extent, the accompanying introductions and commentaries in this edition place anthroposophy primarily within a philosophical context and seek to understand Steiner's life’s work from that particular perspective—despite criticism from the academic community and despite Steiner’s own views on the limitations of philosophy. **The Philosophy of Freedom as an Inner Schooling Path: Results from a Worldwide Annual Training Program** Presenter(s): [Andreas Schmitt, David Martin](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/philosophy-freedom-inner-schooling-path-results-worldwide-annual-training-program) The Philosophy of Freedom (PoF) stands at the heart of Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual-scientific œuvre. While its philosophical rigor is profound, many modern readers find it difficult to access its spiritual potential. In response, we developed a seven-month global training program based on PoF that supports individuals in cultivating inner freedom through structured, meditative thinking. Participants engage daily with curated quotations (“thought-cards”) from PoF, supported by weekly guidance, monthly peer exchange, and a dedicated app. Since 2020, nearly 2,000 participants from over 35 countries have completed the program. This contribution presents results from the 5th cycle (2023–2024), including both quantitative and qualitative data. Over 50–80% of participants reported clear improvements in concentration, insight, clarity, intuition, emotional stability, and spiritual well-being. While these findings were not statistically significant—due to the cross-sectional design—we are implementing a full pre-post longitudinal evaluation in the next cycle. We propose that PoF—when approached as a living inner practice—can serve as a valid path of contemporary spiritual schooling. At the Conference of December 14-16th 2025 in Harvard we will be able to additionally present the fresh analysis of the 2024-2025 cycle with 748 participants. Our findings suggest new perspectives on how Steiner’s epistemology of freedom might be integrated into modern adult education and interdisciplinary research on contemplative development. **Emotion, Epistemology & the Unclassified Residuum: Steiner’s Challenge to James** Presenter(s): [Christopher Germann](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/emotion-epistemology-unclassified-residuum-steiners-challenge-james) In his 1893 essay The Hidden Self, William James introduces a category of anomalous mental experience—ecstatic trance states, somnambulism, subconscious personalities—which he calls the "unclassified residuum." These cases, James argues, demand a broadening of psychology’s scope and a loosening of its physiological constraints. He proposes that a proper understanding of the self must include these "exceptional mental products," even though they defy the current limits of empiricism. Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual science picks up precisely where James hesitates. Whereas James classifies these cases, Steiner integrates them. Steiner’s view—that the "soul-spiritual" is ontologically primary—allows for a richer metaphysical interpretation of the same phenomena. For Steiner, trance states and altered consciousness are not pathological or peripheral, but signs of a supersensible dimension accessible through disciplined inner development. This paper argues that James's notion of the "hidden self" gestures toward what Steiner fully articulates: a layered ontology of the human being, including spiritual, soul, and physical dimensions. Where James catalogs the evidence, Steiner interprets it. Both thinkers emphasize inner experience, but Steiner offers a method to move beyond the empiricist limits that James himself acknowledges. The dialogue between these two thinkers—though separated by discipline and intent—opens critical space in the study of emotion and selfhood. Their shared concern is not just what the self is, but how it can be known—a question that links psychology with epistemology and metaphysics. This paper explores that link, arguing that Steiner’s approach provides a necessary philosophical supplement to James’s empirical sensitivity, especially in our contemporary efforts to integrate emotion, cognition, and consciousness studies. ## James Room East ##### **Panel:** *Constructive Anthroposophical Responses to Racism (4 papers)* --- **From Rudolf Steiner to Anthroposophy: Spiritual Science Comes of Age** Presenter(s): [Lucas Dreier](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/rudolf-steiner-anthroposophy-spiritual-science-comes-age) Among indigenous people like the Kogi of Colombia, traditional wisdom is passed on from generation to generation, but at the same time it is engaged with directly and unpredictably through divinatory practices that allow for communication with the very beings of which the tradition speaks. A parallel might be drawn with gnostic invocations of Sophia, whereby deep engagement with tradition is combined with living access to wisdom. While Helena Blavatsky framed her research as Theosophy, Rudolf Steiner stands out for his framing of Anthroposophy explicitly as a living, evolving being of wisdom with whom we can directly relate, coupled with a methodological approach that aims to be "scientific." In assessing Rudolf Steiner's legacy 100 years after his death, then, the question arises of how to think about the relationship between the legacy of Rudolf Steiner the man and Anthroposophy conceived as a living being. What if, rather than limiting ourselves merely to debates between critics of Steiner and his defenders, we were to think of anthroposophy as a dynamic constellation of ideals that Steiner, however imperfectly, pointed towards in such a way that others could take it up themselves? Could such a characterization of anthroposophy be framed meaningfully, coherently, and rigorously? And could such an approach enable us to wrestle, from within anthroposophy itself, with challenging aspects of Steiner's legacy? Building on recent scholarship, I will seek to clarify these questions through engaging with Steiner's own articulation of what characterizes anthroposophy while also considering its conceptual and epistemological scope and its corresponding methodology. In doing so, I will suggest that by clarifying the relationship between Steiner the person and Anthroposophy the being, we can elucidate the movement's history more clearly and engage with its present and future more productively. **Understanding Racism through Rudolf Steiner’s Psychosophy of the Seven Life Processes & Fallen-Life Processes** Presenter(s): [Billy J. Choi-Gekas](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/understanding-racism-through-rudolf-steiners-psychosophy-seven-life-processes-fallen) The research for this paper is derived from the work of my capstone for the Association of Anthroposophic Psychology’s 3-Year Program. The goal of this work is to begin developing an ‘Anti-Racist Anthroposphy’ using the framework of the ‘Seven Life Processes’ and ‘Seven Fallen-Life Processes’ that Rudolf Steiner provides in his lecture “The Riddle of Humanity (GA 170).” This research is only in a genesis-stage for the study of racism from specifically an anthroposophic psychosophy to develop a decolonial and anti-racist praxis, in hopes that it may continue over time with deeper work and collaboration. For now, I provide a starting place to catalyze both a study in this area, and a praxis for beginning to develop an anti-racist anthroposophy. This discussion on an anthroposophic verstehen of racism through the seven life processes and the seven fallen-life process, hopes to begin leaving you with some accessible praxis to embody an anti-racist anthroposophy. Through understanding the spiritual-science of anthroposophy and intersecting these frameworks of verstehen with the mainstream socio-cultural praxis of anti-racism, critical race theory (CRT), and critical race psychology (PsyCrit), we have a powerful opportunity to facilitate holistic healing that includes what Rudolf Steiner and anthroposophy would believe to be spiritual and karmic healing for the present and future individual, community, and world with all its Kin-dom members. **Reverent Impiety: Reading Steiner's Christian Cosmology Against His Racialism** Presenter(s): [Ashton K. Arnoldy](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/reverent-impiety-reading-steiners-christian-cosmology-against-his-racialism) This talk affirms Dan McKanan's suggestion that the "hermeneutic of reverence" practiced by good-willed proponents of Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophy "might require a dose of antiracist critique" if the movement is to persist. Careful study of Steiner’s published works and lectures reveals that his evolutionary vision includes racialist categories as the temporary outcome of descending further into solidity than providence intended. While Steiner claimed race ceased to be a force during the Atlantean epoch and would disappear in the sixth Post-Atlantean period, his writings contain inconsistencies. At times, he envisions racial unity through mutual participation in the divine Anthropos; at others, he stresses the essential differences among races, associating them with distinct moral and spiritual capacities. The notion that karmic destiny is tied to racial genealogy provides a framework for legitimizing white supremacist paternalism a posteriori. Rather than wholly dismiss Steiner as a white supremacist, this talk critiques his racial doctrine from within his Christian cosmology, arguing that the universality of Christ’s salvation contradicts racial hierarchies. Steiner’s inconsistencies raise broader epistemological questions: how much faith should one place in someone who claimed to report unfiltered spiritual facts when his racialist statements suggest otherwise? But perhaps, as Robert McDermott has suggested, there is an ironic silver lining here: “while these unenlightened statements are truly regrettable, they could have the positive effect of helping some of Steiner's followers free themselves from the fundamentalist assumption that his words should be taken as unquestioned truths instead of, as Steiner intended, progress reports to be continually checked and improved by subsequent exoteric and esoteric researchers.” The future of anthroposophy may rest upon whether its practitioners are willing to acknowledge and adequately address the issue of racialism and yet still aspire to bring the fruitful method articulated by Steiner forward by improving upon the progress reports he set forth over 100 years ago. **Embodying Love: Rudolf Steiner’s Phenomenology of Race and its Relevance for Our Time** Presenter(s): [Robert (Karp) Karbelnikoff](https://pes.hds.harvard.edu/publication/embodying-love-rudolf-steiners-phenomenology-race-and-its-relevance-our-time) Though Rudolf Steiner’s view of race has faced increasing and justified scrutiny, in this paper I suggest that Steiner made important contributions to a truly Christian, healing, and ethical understanding of race and culture that has particular relevance for our times. This contribution is easy to miss and misconstrue because: 1\. Steiner did not set out to explicate a theory of race; 2\. His view of race is embedded in an elaborate esoteric worldview filled with idiosyncratic terms and redefinitions of conventional terms; 3\. His views of race and culture evolved over the course of his life; 4\. He spoke differently about race to different audiences in differing contexts; 5\. The prevalence of racist theories in his historical context naturally prompts skepticism toward his ideas and perspectives. When the inessential, personality- and context-dependent elements in his philosophy are clarified, however, what emerges is a healing, balanced, phenomenological understanding of race that has much to offer present discourse, which tends to polarize around the fault lines of postmodern constructivist, and traditional essentialist, views of race. This paper will elucidate and explain key aspects of Steiner’s philosophy in three main categories: Ethical Individualism: Every human has a unique, divine self that both encompasses and transcends racial, cultural, and other generic influences. The Evolution of Consciousness: While races and ethnic cultures express essential biological and spiritual characteristics, these influences evolve and are now diminishing, allowing universal human values to come to the fore. Conscious Social Development: All races and cultures reflect aspects of the universal human. By engaging with people of diverse backgrounds we both enrich our humanity and make it possible to solve the problems of the modern world. I conclude by exploring the practical applications of these views to a host of contemporary race and culture related challenges.