May 2010 Letter to the Community

Dear WeStrive Community,

One of the most compelling and consistent arguments in the social renewal movement rests upon the importance of education. Education has been seen as the golden key to instilling moral social values and fostering human responsibility in young and old alike. It has been critical to shaping the developing mind of young ones and in empowering citizens of the world to create and affect real change.

Education has led to the sharing of information, wisdom and the expansion of creativity. Education fuels ideas; it begins at a very young age, often at the knee of a parent.

As a theme, it’s an incredibly broad concept, so within the context of this eNews issue, we've narrowed our focus just a little, in order to look at how we educate ourselves—so that we can better understand new, emerging ways for young people to expand their classroom education into the world and for older people to take up their education, inspired by the world, in order to focus on it.

In April, we looked at the theme of social entrepreneurship and sought to understand how innovative ideas are formed. William Bento walked us through the realization of an idea; Jane Lorand challenged our thinking and perception of the world and asked us to act out of a changed perspective and we learned of a new initiative in Fiji, which sought to bring healthy education to the developing minds of its youngest citizens.

In this issue, we present not just different ways of thinking about education, but different ways in which you can actually participate in education. The Focus Initiative Forum in Dornach, Switzerland last month was abuzz with many questions about reimagining education—particularly for those in their post-high school years. How do we continue our own education? How do we access information? Who teaches us and what kinds of education do we need or seek so that we can continue to do the work we are inspired to do in the world? Join us as members of our community explore their own ideas and offerings around education and look for a month-long series of articles in the WeStrive Chronicle to carry the thread along.

Lastly, I am moved to ask: how do you educate yourself and what inspires you to learn? Join me in a conversation at WeStrive.org.

In Striving,

Leslie Loy
On Behalf of the WeStrive Leadership Council

New Content
Reimagining Health Today by Robert Hickman
Robert Hickman shares his inspiration for a new research study on the impact of Waldorf education on young people in the world today. Inspired by questions related to health and wellbeing, Hickman seeks to understand what sort of value system former Waldorf students and graduates use in making decisions in the world. Read more…

Wow Day: Waldorf Pupils Help Waldorf Pupils Worldwide by Olivia Girard
Olivia Girard brings to us the impetus for Waldorf One World (WOW) Day, a universal day when Waldorf students around the world fundraise for Waldorf-inspired initiatives in developing nations. She shares her vision for 2011 and invites Waldorf schools to feel the power of a movement as they inspire in their students the confidence to help others receive the same kind of education they get. Read more…

Backpackers USA: Research. Community. Nature by Kathleen Morse
Backpackers USA is inspired by a six-week intensive initiative that took place last autumn in Dornach. Motivated by what emerged from the six-week peer-led educational experience, a group of young people in the States has come together to create an actual backpacking experience in the Hudson Valley. This is a unique opportunity for young people to give to local communities, engage in dialogue and conversation, travel a vast expanse of nature and history and to imbue themselves with the call of the world. Read more…

Resurgence Research Residency with Frank Chester by Bill Day
We are pleased to announce that a new research residency is being offered at the Threefold Education Center in Spring Valley, NY. Those interested in learning more about possible spiritual scientific research methodologies or practices are encouraged to look into applying for a fellowship position. Read more...

WeStrive Member Survey

Have thoughts on the WeStrive.org website? Want to share your suggestions for how we can actually meet your needs or your wishes? Please take ten minutes to fill out our survey so that we can improve WeStrive.org and the WeStrive Community Network Offerings. Take the survey and help us help you. Click here to take the survey.

WeStrive Leadership Council Positions Now Available

• Job Title: eNews Editor As many of you may recall, Michael Harrington stepped down from his position as the WeStrive Content Editor; the eNews, which has continued due to the dedication of its Leadership Council, needs a new editor. Interested in joining the Editing Team? Help gather content, interview organizations, leaders, and to help highlight the work, ideas and research of those who are living striving lives. Click here to read the eNews Editor job description. Email leslie@westrive.orgfor more information or with questions.

   

• Job Title: Content Intern Are you interested in an intern position, to learn the skills necessary for possible future paths in publications? Do you like the written word? Perhaps you love to do research? LILIPOH Magazine and WeStrive have teamed up for a joint intern position that will seek to serve both organizations in archiving articles and gathering new materials and articles to post on the WeStrive Chronicle. Click here to read the Content Intern job description. Email leslie@westrive.orgfor more information or with questions.

Upcoming Events

• AE Days
  April 23-July 2 (London, United Kingdom)
  The seminar is now available in modular form in London on alternate Fridays, from April to July 2010. For more information, please click http://www.anthromedia.com/articles/economics/events/2010/aedays/.
  
• Sexuality and Consciousness (Chatham (town of Ghent), New York)
  May 12-16
  Lisa Romero will give an evening talk on Sexuality and Consciousness (especially for young audiences). On May 14-16, Lisa will keep a workshop on The Inner Path and Anthroposophy (a Foundation course). Contact David Anderson at david@wtdtheater.org.
  
• Steiner Artistic Retrospective (Stuttgart, Germany)
  May 13-October 3
  There is a retrospective exhibition in Germany on Steiner's art works and contributions to the development of modern art. It is taking place in Germany and will be from May 13-–October 3; it is being organized and hosted by a few museums in Wolfsburg and in Stuttgart. The titles of the exhibitions are: Die Alchemie des Alltags (The Alchemy of the Everyday) and Rudolf Steiner und die Kunst der Gegenwart (Rudolf Steiner and Contemporary Art). For more information, visit Steiner Artistic Retrospective.
• Future Now! 2010: World Christian Community Conference
  May 21-25
  The future is what we make of it. Life gives us the opportunity to create and form the future.
  As a religion, Christianity is not only restricted to the commemoration of historical facts, but most importantly, Christianity today seeks the reality of the presence of the Christ here and now. Through the awareness of the Coming of the Christ, Christians can find and shape a new relationship to the world.
  This international conference of the Christian Community is meant as a celebration of true meeting in the spirit of Whitsun.Lectures, workshops and other events will give us the unique opportunity to find the substance of the Second Coming of the Christ through the inspiration of the Christian Community. Which new impulses can we actively bring into the world?
  For more information, visit http://westrive.org/content/future-now-2010-world-congress-christian-community.
• Sexuality and Consciousness (Spring Valley, New York)
  May 22-23
  Lisa Romero will give a workshop for youth ages 16-25 on Sexuality and Consciousness through the Christian Community in Spring Valley (contact Jessica Mansbach at mansbje@gmail.com or the Christian Community in Spring Valley for more information).
  
• The Inner Path and Anthroposophy--A Continuation (Spring Valley, New York)
  May 29-31
  Rudolf Steiner gave many exercises and meditations to strengthen the soul through its journey of developing consciousness. Together we will explore the inner path, the birth of the higher self, the spiritual year, and how exercises can bring us closer to our own experience of these processes. Lisa Romero will give a workshop, for those who have attended a previous workshop. This is a three day commitment. Contact David Anderson at david@wtdtheater.org.
  
• The Role of the Horse in the Farm Organism (Spring Valley, New York)
  June 5 Rudolf Steiner taught that every farm should aspire to be a self-contained individuality, or organism, a condition that requires having the appropriate kinds and number of livestock on the farm. Among all the farm animals, the horse is as important as ever for generating fertilizer, while its usefulness as an energy-independent, nonpolluting source of work energy is greater than ever. In this one-day workshop, farmer Mac Mead will present a comprehensive picture of the role of the horse in the farm organism at the Pfeiffer Center. For more information, visit http://westrive.org/content/role-horse-farm-organism.
• The Inner Path III (Spring Valley, New York)
  June 5
  Lisa Romero will give a workshop on The Inner Path for those who have attended the two previous workshops. Contact David Anderson at david@wtdtheater.org.
• Sense Festival (Jarna, Sweden)
  June 15-June 20
  Sense Festival is about bringing people together to celebrate community.

  Participants of the Youth Initiative Program (YIP) in Ytterjärna, Sweden are holding a space for their growing international community to meet with this inspiring local community in action, this June 15-20. These 5 days of summer celebrations will be all about thinking globally and acting locally. It is hosted at YIP, in the beautiful and natural home of this inspired new form of education, which is effectively providing a platform for the empowerment of youth initiative.

  With this area being known for its innovative culture of sustainability and community living, the opportunity is to co-create an event whereby both spheres of community can engage in grounded action through consciously designed and meaningful learning spaces and activities, in celebration of this One Year of Making Sense.

  This is a festival of learning, a new form of meeting that allows you to share in the essence of YIP and really meet your hosts, the 38 emerging young change-makers who embody a unique quality of youth empowerment. Being immersed in an intense training of how to make positive social change in the world, we are inspired to share our learning with you, and to open the space of Sense Festival to your dreams and aspirations.

  We aim to provide you with a powerful source of connection and celebration this summer. Check-out sensefestival.se.

• Youth Vision Quest (Inyo Mountains, California)
  A wilderness rite of passage for young people age 16-22, to take place in the high desert Inyo Mountains of Southern California. We've run this program for about 15 years, for Summerfield Waldorf School and students from other schools, and it's had a life-changing impact on many participants. The program takes place in three phases: Severance, which involves leaving friends, family and community behind and journeying to a wild place, preparing there for solitude; Threshold, or crossing a boundary into the liminal or sacred world, spending 3 days alone; Return, or re-entry into the world you left behind, with people, family, and community awaiting. This is a classical rite of passage that can be used to mark one's journey to adulthood, healing, self-discovery, and deep communion with the natural world.
  For more information, visit http://westrive.org/content/youth-vision-quest.
• You Yourself - Lead Yourself: A Wanderseminar (Selfoss, Iceland)
  June 30-July 14
  The "wanderseminar" (including the conference) takes place from June, 30 – July, 14 2010. The seminar is international and will proceed in Nordic languages, German and English. English translation will be provided when a lecture is given in any of the other languages.
  The seminar is divided into three parts:
  1. trips and hikes through the Icelandic landscapes
  2. the conference itself with lectures and workshops as well as shorter excursions, 3. new trips and hikes.
  The price for the entire wanderseminar is NOK 11.000 and includes all trips, food and accommodation at the Waldorfschool, in huts, youth hostels and eventual camping, as well as the conference itself (7 - 11 July). Those who prefer staying in hotels pay that themselves. Hotels are not available everywhere so during the first part of the seminar one night will be spent in a hut and the same is for the last part of the seminar.

  The conference itself takes place at Solheimar (the first home for curative education in the Nordic countries, founded in 1930 by Sesselja Sigmundsdottir). Participation only in the conference costs NOK 7.000 (everything included). You can chose to only take part in the first part of the Wanderseminar and the conference itself. Please visit http://westrive.org/content/your-self-%E2%80%93-lead-yourself for more information.

• Changing Times--Changing Music (ANAWME Music Conference) (California)
  June 19-July 23
  The “New Music” and its natural place in Waldorf pedagogy with Manfred Bleffert & Andrea Lyman

  A summer workshop for Waldorf class, early childhood, & specialty music teachers. Join us for a week that will echo in your classroom for years to come! Check out www.WaldorfMusic.org.

• UndJetz?! 2010 (Witten, Germany)
  August 8-August 14
  The success of this conference for returned long-term volunteers has led to a new group coming together to prepare it once again for 2010. Dates are to be 8 – 14 August and it will take place in Witten, Germany. Those of you who are able to read the German reports and program for 2010 can visit their site here…

Have an event you want to share? Please add it to the WeStrive calendar and we'll include it in the next eNews!

Feedback
WeStrive is always looking for ways to expand and improve. If you have any questions, comments or concerns do not hesitate to contact us.

Donate Now
We love what we do and we have needs. A recent discussion among several participants at Focus Forum led to conversations on how much abundance lives in this network and how we can share that. Support the efforts of the Leadership Council, by continuing to contribute to the development of WeStrive.org. Donate today. Like the WeStrive.org site but see possibilities for improvement? Anything is possible—co-create WeStrive.org with us by donating something for our programmer, James, to continue his work. Share with us so we can mutually thrive in our striving! If you are interested in giving click on the donate button on the front page of http://www.westrive.org.

Like this WeStrive eNews? Forward this email to a friend. Spread the word and help us reach 1,100 members!

Unsubscribe instantly from these emails by clicking here.