‘That Good May Become’ was the theme of a Festival of Initiative held August 10 -16, 2023 in Canada, near the geographical centre of North America, to celebrate the 100 years of the refounding of the Anthroposophical Society. (see July 16, 2023 post)
This festival, which attracted about 100 people, took place mostly outdoors on land about 40 km from the town of Gimli, a modest resort town on Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. Although a few activities, including some dinners, workshops and cultural events were held in a local well-equipped and spacious community hall, most of the events took place on the land.
Unseasonal August mist and intermittent rain on many days were challenging, but despite the moisture and - yes, even, at times, the cold - it was wonderful to be on the land with only trees - lovely, white-trunked aspen - on the horizon. A fire became a comforting warm hub.
Many mornings, all the conference participants formed a huge circle on the land and, led by Monika Pudelko, performed simple movements to the Foundation Stone Meditation, a longish verse which Steiner presented to the members of a newly formed anthroposophical society between Christmas and New Year’s, 1923/24.
This was a festival of initiative and it seemed as if each and everyone who was at the festival - both participants and presenters - personified initiative. Bio-dynamic farmers, doctors, teachers, an engineer, counsellors, musicians, researchers - all involved in interesting projects designed to push the envelope beyond the societal status quo - enjoyed meeting one another.
Another significant aspect was the age range - the youngest participants were in their twenties, the oldest over eighty and, based on the animated conversations I witnessed between old and young, each conversation was inspiring and motivating.
The program was dynamic and varied. Each morning we gathered under the large tent to hear a contemplation on part of the Foundation Stone Meditation, shared with us by a different person each day. Then we all heard a morning talk, presented on different days by Peter Selg and Constanza Kaliks from the Goetheanum, Squamish Elder Wendy Charbonneau together with Erich Otten from Thunder Bay, and Bert Chase, the General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Canadian Society.
After a break, conference participants could choose from a rich array of Working Together Groups, such as:
-looking at various aspects of The Threefold Social Organism with:
Sebastian Bilbao from Montreal - treasurer of the Anthroposophical Society Canada sebastian@econosophia.org
Listen to Sebastian speaking about Threefolding
Dr. Gopi Krishna from Utah, founder of Health Independence Alliance
and
Luigi Morelli from Vermont, author and facilitator
and
Zoom guests Dr. Kenneth McAllister, Joan Mele, Pablo Porcel and Are Thoreson.
-hearing about the subtleties of the human heart with Dr. Branko Furst from upstate New York.
The Heart and Circulation by Dr. Branko Furst
-learning about the forces of levity in physics with Dr. Gopi Krishna.
-exploring earth healing through spiritual agriculture (bio-dynamic agriculture) with Robert Karp, from Viroqua, Wisconsin, Monika Pudelko, our host, and Alex Tuchman from Spikenard Honeybee Sanctuary, Virginia
Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary
-introduction to Anthroposophical meditation with Robert McKay from Toronto, chair of the board of the Rudolf Steiner College Canada
-the healing journey - indigenous voices with Tom Altgelt, Aiona Anderson, Elizabeth Carmack, Wendy Charbonneau, Unchatwa and John Winkler.
-teaching into the future with Barbarah Nicoll and Diane Walters, both from British Columbia.
-Cain and Abel: Playback Theatre with Yiana Belkalopolos from Vancouver Island
-the Kenya project with Sarnia Guiton and Dominic Mwaura - Rudolf Steiner School, Mbagathi, in Nairobi.
Rudolf Steiner School Mbagathi
The festival included several evening performances, many of which had been prepared with the engagement of some of the conference participants. Regine Kurek led a group of painters who created beautiful banners to complement the Novalis evening hosted by Bruce Donehower and his wife Marion. Violinist Emmanuel Vukovich worked with Wendy Charbonneau, Erich Otten and young virtuoso violinist Sacha Jorba-Wu, as well as other musicians from Winnipeg to create lovely musical evenings, including the Parcival Project.
Squamish Elder Wendy Charbonneau presented Songs for Healing with Elizabeth Carmack - moving stories and songs highlighting the need to resist injustice, genocide and linguicide.
There was also unscheduled time. Predictably, during those empty time slots, additional interesting and enriching presentations were offered, such as an introduction to an intriguing project about the Philosophy of Freedom by two visitors, Andreas and Marianne from Germany, talks on a holistic way of viewing environmental challenges by Luigi Morelli, talks on the human heart by Branko Furst, biography work led by Anne de Wild from Switzerland and singing led by Marilyn Lange from British Columbia - a delightful pick me up for souls who might have been a bit dampened by moisture or cold.
The land we were on was purchased by Monika Pudelko eight years ago with the intention of forming a land-based community. Monika, originally from Germany, is a eurythmy and Waldorf teacher.
To quote from an article by Corinna Sons, which was posted in the Canadian Society’s news in September 2022:
Monika sees a threefold education centre at the heart of the emerging community in Manitoba: “I am envisioning a school where young people can acquire skills and capacities to bring the community forward, such as gardening, building, self-sufficiency, community-building, arts, and homesteading. This education centre should be integrated with trades and businesses like carpentry, mechanics, and biodynamic farming to ensure the economical sustainability of the eco-village. As with the Sekem initiative, business surpluses would flow into education.” Monika stresses the importance of a shared spiritual foundation for this work – which has been a struggle in the past: “There are quite a few people around who like the idea of land-based communal living, but hardly any of them are willing to wrestle with the ideals of brotherliness and social threefolding. Manitoba is at the centre of the continent. It needs a Christ-centered spiritual hub, to heal and work with the strong ancestral grounds.”
The last day of the festival, we were all invited to gather in Winnipeg at The Forks - the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. This is a beautiful location where for over 6,000 years, people have gathered to trade and to celebrate. After looking at the sculptures in the park, we gathered at the river and connected our souls and spirits to the flowing water, giving our gratitude to each other and to the land.
Preparations for this conference had been ongoing for over two years. About twelve people consulted regularly with each other over Zoom. As the time grew closer, Kim Hunter, who lives in British Columba, but is connected to Manitoba through family ties, visited Monika on her land. At the start of the conference, Kim shared with us that a surprising number of plans had to be changed due to earlier commitments having changed. Kim’s sister Sabrina from British Columbia came to the rescue when previous catering plans fell through. Sabrina supplied us with delicious and healthy meals and snacks throughout the conference. Some days were non-stop for her.
Kim carried myriad practical details with aplomb and caring. Charlene answered emailed questions swiftly prior to the event. Monika was a wonderful host. Terry and Jacob were a quiet support every day and never hesitated to pitch in whenever help was needed. Rusty was the kind and capable driver of the yellow school bus that took about fifteen of us back and forth to the Gimli airport barracks where we were housed. Many conference participants pitched in when help was needed. Some gave rides to those who needed extra transportation outside the regular yellow school bus rides.
Toward the end of the festival, one participant expressed the idea “that a higher force guided the whole festival - that it was perfect - the way it should have been.”
After the event one person wrote: “Our Festival will be unforgettable!”
Thank you to all who worked so hard to make this event happen and thank you to all who took part in this festival, opening your hearts to the others and to the land. I have the strong feeling that this festival was a significant event in the life of many people who were there. The meetings and insights that occurred for many at this festival deepened our commitment to realize our hope That Good May Become!
Link to the conference website:
https://thatgoodmaybecome.ca/
Check out Kim Hunter’s documentary:
https://timetoplayfilm.com/