The healthy social life is found
when in the mirror of each human soul
the whole community finds its reflection,
and when in the community
the virtue of each one is living.
This is the Motto of Social Ethic.
-Rudolf Steiner
“Verses & Meditations”
Tap on a Café Guest Speaker’s name, alphabetically featured below
to scroll to their page section for viewing their linked Café recording.
< new recordings are posted below, after each session within a week >
Kim Marie, November 22, 2024
Kim Marie dedicates her life to the awakening of Inner Wisdom through holistic life and spiritual coaching. For over 15 years, she’s offered mentoring, workshops, courses and deep-dive programs that support women (and a handful of men) to find the magic of believing in themselves and living their full potential. 2024 marks the 11th annual edition of her Sacred Nights of Winter journal, which takes participants on a journey through the Holy Nights, and supports them to align with their True Self while preparing to meet the year ahead. Her Solaceprogram invites women to walk a path of embodying wisdom throughout the year. Her newly published Sacred Seasons Journals support connection to Soul and Nature all year long. All of Kim’s work is inspired by her study of Anthroposophy, Esoteric Christianity, Indigenous and Archetypal Wisdom, and her ability to bring practicality to spirituality. Tap here to learn more.
*View Kim’s past Café recordings from 12/3/21, 11/21/20 and recently:
Rafał Nowak, November 15, 2024
Rafał Nowak was born in Krakow, Poland. He’s lived in the United States since 1999. Rev. Nowak studied at the seminaries of The Christian Community in Chicago and Stuttgart. He was ordained in 2015 in Stuttgart and has since worked with congregations in Darmstadt, Germany, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and currently Denver. Since 2019, he is the director of Camp Tamarack, a summer children’s camp of The Christian Community in Sierra Nevada. Since 2022, he has been a visiting priest at the Christian Community affiliate in Austin, TX. Rafal is married and has three children.
Neill Reilly, November 8, 2024
Neill Reilly was born and raised on Long Island, NY. He was graduated from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in Philosophy. He was also graduated from The Waldorf Institute at Adelphi University with an M.A. in Waldorf Pedagogy. Neill taught High School English for seven years at two Waldorf Schools and a Catholic school. He coached Basketball, Track and Lacrosse. He also directed plays. After teaching, he worked as a salesperson at Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, and Jefferies and Company; and at numerous financial technology firms.
Neill has written two books Songs and Dreams and Look at What We Can Become. The latter includes a portrait of Prof. Fritz Koelln and four other Michaelic individuals. His essays and poems have appeared in Being More Consciously Human, the Bowdoin Alumni Magazine and other publications. View Neill’s past recordings from 2-5-21, 8-5-22, 8-19-22, 9-16-22 + (related PDF), 6-30-23 + (related PDF), and 8-18-23 and recently:
Christian Peter, November 2, 2024
Christian Peter completed his training in acting and speech formation at the Goetheanum (1976-80); and was a permanent ensemble member of the Goetheanum stage, where he performed in significant roles (1980-2004). His most notable portrayals include the main characters from Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery Dramas, including Benedictus, the Guardian of the Threshold, and Ahriman, and the pivotal roles of Faust and Mephisto in Goethe’s Faust I and II. He has additionally directed several productions, including a choral speaking program with a large orchestra, Albert Steffen’s Barrabas, Sophocles’ Antigone, and Goethe’s Faust I and II in 1999 and 2016–2017. He also directs the current four Mystery Dramas at the Goetheanum.
Ines Katharina Kinchen, October 25, 2024
Ines Katharina Kinchen and her 15-year old son Marquise live in the forest of the mountains of Eastern Tennessee, about 35 minutes north of Asheville. Here, they are tending to 40 acres of sacred land, the Emerald Ark, a biodynamic forest farm and bee sanctuary. Ines is a former Waldorf teacher. She is currently working as the program coordinator for Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary in Floyd, Virginia, as well as teaching adult education programs within the Emerald Ark School of Resonance Medicine and Earth Healing. Tap here to subscribe to her HumanBEEing YT channel.
Tap to view Ines’ Café recordings from 1-14-22, 11-18-22 and recently:
Donald Samson, October 18, 2024
Donald Samson has been working with Waldorf Education for the past 34 years as a classroom teacher, a subject teacher and over the last eleven years as a pedagogical mentor. He is the author of a fantasy trilogy: The Dragon Boy, The Dragon of Two Hearts, and The Dragon, the Blade and the Thread. He has more recently published a fairytale fantasy, The Yonder. He has also written two works of historical fiction. At the Hot Gates is used around the country as a classroom reader in Waldorf fifth grades. He hopes that latest novel, Eleven, set in 14th century Switzerland, will find popularity as a sixth-grade reader.
Kimberly Lewis, October 11, 2024
Kimberley Lewis has two decades of experience in early childhood education, specializing in Waldorf pedagogy. As a lead preschool and kindergarten teacher, she designed and implemented nurturing, holistic curriculums for children ages 2-6. Her deep commitment to fostering supportive learning environments extended to mentoring teachers and serving on school boards and committees. Kimberley has also published articles on early childhood education, sharing her insights on parent engagement and child development.
Tap to view Kimberly’s Café recording from 11-17-23 and recently:
Bastiaan Baan, October 5, 2024
Bastiaan Baan was born in Haarlem, the Netherlands. After Waldorf School he worked during his teacher training in a ghetto school for drop-out children in Los Angeles (‘the roughest place of the world’). Following his studies, he taught at Gandhi schools in the slums of big cities in India, before he became a Waldorf teacher in Bergen, the Netherlands. He later studied at the priest training of the Christian Community in Stuttgart, Germany, and was ordained as a priest in 1981. From 2012 until 2018 he worked as a director at the North American Seminary of the Christian Community in Spring Valley. Now back in the Netherlands, he continues to work as a priest, teaches at the priest training in Stuttgart and gives lectures and conferences in several countries. Bastiaan has also published a series of 11 books on spirituality and anthroposophy with six of them being translated into English. (A full list of Bastiaan’s books will be linked to his recording.) Bastiaan’s latest book in English, which he will discuss at our Cafe, will be available later this year from Floris Books and is entitled: ‘Trust in the Future – Facing Uncertain Times with Confidence’.
Andrew Linnell, September 27, 2024
Andrew Linnell is past president of the Boston branch of the Anthroposophical Society and a member of the School for Spiritual Science and its Natural Science Section. He is co-founder of MysTech, an organization seeking to realize Rudolf Steiner’s indications on Mechanical Occultism. He retired from a 42-year career in the computer industry in 2013 and has since focused on Anthroposophical work including his role as admin to a number of Anthroposophical Facebook groups. He is the father of three and the author of two children’s books, three art history books, and seven MysTech study guidebooks. These books are available at Rudolf Steiner Bookstore in Seattle and worldwide via Amazon.
*View our Café recordings with Andrew from 7-17-20, 2-27-21, 7-9-21, 4-22-22, 7-8-22, 4-7-23 [+PDF], 9-29-23, 2-9-24 and recently.
Gopi Vijaya, September 20, 2024
Gopi Krishna Vijaya, PhD is a physics researcher from Bangalore, India who completed his PhD in Physics (Solar Energy) at the University of Houston. He is currently working as the Science Director at the Foundation for Cultural Renewal and is a researcher for RSRS (Reciprocal System Theory) in Salt Lake City, USA. He has held a fellowship at The Nature Institute in 2021, is a member of the Natural Science Section of the Anthroposophical Society in North America, and has published multiple articles on topics touching on Astronomy, Reciprocal System, Solar Energy, Technology and Society, and General Physics, including a new look at color in the light of Goethe’s color studies. For more information on Dr. Vijaya, please explore: https://www.gopivijaya.com.
Carol Kelly, September 13, 2024
Rev. Carol Kelly was ordained in The Christian Community on March 17, 2001. She has worked as a congregational priest in Spring Valley and Washington DC and is currently active in the Taconic/Berkshire congregation. She was the Director of The Christian Community Children’s Camp for 23 years. She is a choir director and has great enthusiasm for working with teen-agers and young adults in navigating an ever-changing and challenging world.
Anne de Wilde, September 7, 2024
Anne de Wild is a mother of 4 grown up children and works as a naturopath and biography worker in her own practice in Basel, Switzerland. Together with Chris Burke, a psychology professor at Lehigh University, PA she founded the Hummingbird Principle, a platform to bring Biography and Social Art into the world. They are working with the big and small questions of our time and create thoughts, workshops, and hope to inspire all kinds of people around the globe. There will also be a work book coming out soon, called The Hummingbird Principle, Seven Lenses to Become More Human.
*View our Café recordings with Anne from 3-2-24 and recently:
Chris Burke, September 7, 2024
Chris Burke has a Ph.D. in psychology and has taught at Lehigh University since 2008. He bumped into anthroposophy a few years later, and since then he’s been working to bring these two worlds together. He received training in anthroposophical biography work from the Center for Biography and Social Art, where he met Anne de Wild. Together, they launched an initiative called The Hummingbird Principle, which supports individuals in meeting the challenges of modern life through biographical exploration. They have brought biography workshops to conferences around the world and have contributed biography work to the Applied Anthroposophy Course since its inception in 2020. They have a forthcoming book, also called The Hummingbird Principle, that takes a deep dive into the planetary archetypes and how to work with them in daily life. He also offers private biographical consultations to a small number of clients. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his family, cooking, woodworking, or playing the guitar. He lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with his wife Jerilyn and three amazing children. Learn more: www.thehummingbirdprinciple.com and www.riverbendbiographical.com.
*View our Café recordings with Chris from 4-28-23 and recently:
Timothy Kennedy, August 30, 2024
Timothy Kennedy has been a part of anthroposophical communities throughout his life. He has sought to find an Anthroposophy of the will, and through steady practice, and a lot of grace, is finding balance in his inner and outer work. He has led the largest natural building and design company in the US for 24 years, administrates the global Natural Building Network online and has been in development on a 700 acre project integrating regenerative farming, ecological restoration and healthy housing for 100+ humans. He recently joined the Western Regional Council of the Anthroposophical Society in America in hopes of furthering the life of Anthroposophia in the West.
*View our Café recordings with Timothy from 9-10-21, 3-22-24 and recently:
Patricia Kaminski, August 23, 2024
Patricia Kaminski is the Executive Director of the Flower Essence Society, a worldwide collegium of practitioners who research and heal with the subtle essences of plants. She is also the Developmental Director of Terra Flora, a Demeter-Certified Biodynamic Garden, Nature Sanctuary and cottage industry in Nevada City, California.
*View our past recording with Patricia from 9-22-23 and 8-16-24.
Stephanie Georgieff, August 10, 2024
After nearly thirty years as a practicing Naturopath and Acupuncturist, Stephanie Georgieff has chosen to transform her healing vocation into writing and lecturing on various aspects of Christian Spirituality and its relationship to emotional and physical health. She has lectured throughout Europe and North America on various subjects, but her passion is on the Middle Ages and the Divine Feminine. Georgieff hosts a podcast “The Black Madonna Speaks,” writes for numerous publications and has her own Blog: The Heart of the Black Madonna. The Black Madonna, Mysterious Soul Companion is the first in a series of books examining how the Black Madonna as an art form offers healing insights to our collective past and present. These volumes also explore the invitation humanity has from the spiritual world to co-create a healthy and peaceful future.
*View our recordings with Stephanie from 8-5-23 and recently:
Jean Yeager, August 2, 2024
Jean Yeager was from 1992-1994 Managing Editor of Biodynamics. 1996-2006, Administrative Director of the Anthroposophical Society in America. Today he is an award winning writer, playwright, and blogger. His One Act play, “Prisoner #101065 Public Speaking Report On The Life And Times of Tupac Shakur with Commentary by Niccolò Machiavelli” was recently named 3rd Place Winner in the National Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival. He and his wife Marietta live in Rutland, VT where they are active in local Restorative Justice activities. Contact via: jwyeager2@gmail.com. Tap for his web site, blog, and book.
*View our recordings with Jean from 5-20-22, 6-23-23 and recently:
*Tap for ANTHRO SOCIETY GOOGLE FORM TO CAPTURE RESPONSES
Christina Sophia, July 26, 2024
Dr. Christina Sophia has led a lifetime of service, research, and founding initiatives. After meeting Anthroposophia in childhood, she was introduced by her to Rudolf Steiner while studying medicine in Cambridge. This meeting set her life on a trajectory of endeavors including the founding of Waldorf Schools, teaching, and healing initiatives – gained from the cosmic Michael School. She currently has an online Soul/Spiritual Integral Psychology practice, based on Spiritual Science: bringing new ways of healing from the shattering impact of destiny disturbances. Dr. Sophia’s therapeutic practice extends to patients and clients from around the world and her presentation on the ‘Trials of Initiation’ are drawn from her work over the past decades.
View our recordings with Christina Sophia from 5-10-24, 5-24-24, 6-7-24 and recently:
Sundeep Kamath, July 19, 2024
Sundeep Kamath is a Demeter/Biodynamic Advisor, recognized by the Section of Agriculture at the Goetheanum & the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International. He advises multiple projects in Azerbaijan, Bhutan, China, India, Iran, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Türkiye. He successfully advised the first Demeter certified project for production in the ASEAN region (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and is the advisor for several associations like Demeter China & Demeter Türkiye. He is also the authorized representative of Europe’s largest Demeter (only) product company sourcing from various countries in Asia for the German market & developing local & International markets in a mindful way by using Associative Economics.
Sundeep is the former Secretary of the Biodynamic Association of India & a former Board Member of IFOAM Asia. He has also served on the Executive Committee of the Anthroposophical Society in India. His contributions around the globe help promote and support organic and biodynamic agriculture for creating sustainable lifestyles. He collaborates with federal, regional and local governments for policies and practices to promote organic and biodynamic agriculture.
Luigi Morelli, July 12, 2024
Having worked with spiritual science over the last forty years, Luigi Morelli approaches American culture and history by weaving it with its myths, legends and stories in a scientific and imaginative manner; all of this he relates to the present forms of “American practical spirituality”. Explore millenniumculmination.net for details.
Social change from a cultural perspective has been a closely related interest to the above. It has come in vocational/life experience through working with people with special needs in intentional communities of Camphill and L’Arche International and living in cohousing over the last eight years. Communal living, with its blessings and challenges, has been a constant source of inspiration for implementing social processes and bringing to life new social forms.
*View Luigi’s Café recordings from 10/15/21, 6/10/22, 3/10/23, 6/14/24, 6/28/24 and recently:
Tobias Kaye, July 6, 2024
Tobias Kaye adopted Anthroposophy in his late teens after searching through a few other streams of development for something to match the richness of his upbringing. Born on a Biodynamic farm and Waldorf educated he has focussed his inner life on service to Christ on the path of initiation/awakening. Since he was given this image, at the age of 30, the Sounding Bowls have become his main guide, and enabled his desire to bring something of value. Today, Tobias also runs groups, guiding people in the seven developmental processes through Steiner’s legacy, particularly the Foundation Stone Meditation. Tobias also writes. Recently contributing a chapter on tree communication for a forthcoming book. Tap here to explore and subscribe for his newsletter.
*View Tobias’ Café recordings from 12/2/23 and recently:
Gillian Shoemaker, June 14, 2024
Gillian Schoemaker was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and trained in painting and interior design at the Mackintosh School of Art. From an early age, she was enthralled by the mythology and culture of Ancient Greece, and made her first visit alone, aged 18. This evolved into an exploration of the evolution of consciousness within the western stream of the cultural epochs. She has been active within the Camphill Movement for many years, and completed the Eurythmy training in the Camphill Ringwood/Botton School. She subsequently lived in the original Camphill Schools in Aberdeen, Scotland as teacher and therapist, and as performer in both the Botton and Aberdeen stage groups. Since 1997, she has been a part of Beaver Run, Camphill Special School, and a member of the Pennsylvania Eurythmy Group. Gillian is adjunct faculty of the Association for Anthroposophical Psychology, and the Training for Eurythmy Therapy in North America, and the faculty of the Camphill Academy for Curative education.
*View Gillian’s Café recording from 1/20/23 and recently from:
Alan Thewless, June 14, 2024
Alan Thewless was born in Sheffield, England and moved to the USA in 2002. He carries a deep involvement in education as a healing art and has worked as a Waldorf Teacher and Special Educator for nearly 30 years. In the USA he completed studies in Anthroposophically extended psychology (Psychosophy) and Music Therapy. He has been a student of Astrosophy for over 30 years and regularly writes, gives courses and lectures on this subject, and on education, internationally. Since 2016 he has been author of the Holy Nights Journal, a pathway of contemplation and journaling through each of the Holy Nights of Christmas. He is a lyre maker and also project archivist for the Eckersley Shakespeare trust. He is also on the adjunct faculty of the Association for Anthroposophic Psychology.
*View Alan’s Café recording from 11/26/21 and recently:
Richard Steel, June 1, 2024
Richard Steel was born in Oxford, England and studied linguistics before moving to Camphill in Germany in 1972. He completed the Camphill Seminar for Curative Education and lived and worked in community with young people with multiple disabilities for 36 years. Richard and his family also spent time in Camphill in North America.
In 2008 Richard founded the Karl König Institute which now has offices in Scotland, Germany and North America. He began publishing a new edition of König’s works which currently comprises 24 volumes in English and German. The Institute’s aim is to make Karl König’s healing impulses widely available for meeting the world needs of today – and for this purpose Richard also lectures in Europe, Great Britain and Scandinavia.
Richard’s exploration of the Calendar of the Soul was lit up over five decades by what Rudolf Steiner and Karl König brought. And after Richard gave a yearlong series of talks on the Soul Calendar and König’s drawings, his new English translation of the 52 verses was published in 2023. See: Publications.
*For up-dated events and to join mailing lists, please visit: Karl König Institute and Kaspar Hauser Research Circle.
View our recordings with Richard Steel from 9-2-23 and recently:
Andrea Rentea, May 17, 2024
Andrea Rentea M.D. has been a practicing anthroposophic physician for over 40 years. The Paulina Medical Clinic that she co-founded in Chicago, in 1983, enjoys an international reputation. She graduated in 1975 from the Chicago Medical School and after her residency at the University of Illinois, she spent five years in Europe studying anthroposophic medicine. She is a member of the Physicians’ Association for Anthroposphic Medicine. She joined the Anthroposophical Society in 1972, the 1st Class in 1974, and has been a Member of the Christian Community since the 1960’s. She is a co-founder of the True Botanica Company and the Lili Kolisko Institute of Anthroposophic Medicine.
*This was a special, one time only Café live presentation that was unrecorded
Aaron Mirkin, May 4, 2024
Aaron Mirkin was born in Scotland, but spent most of the first part of his life in South Africa. After completing a degree in Chemical Engineering, he worked two years in the petroleum industry and then two years in the film industry. Fortunately he found Anthroposophy when he was 25 and then worked for nine years as a biodynamic farmer at Camphill Village Alpha near Cape Town. Here he was married and had three children. Following a burnout and year’s sabbatical, he moved with the family to Germany for five years and completed the Christian Community priest’s training in Stuttgart. After ordination in 2001 he worked eight years in the Johannesburg congregation and is currently in the Stroud congregation in England where he has been for the past 14 years.
*References : Tap for Presentation Notes & Related Article
Edward Schuldt, April 26, 2024
Edward Schuldt’s work with the Beatitudes was propelled by his research into the nature of evil and takes its point of departure from the indication Rudolf Steiner gave that the antidotes to the evils of the nine layers of the sub-earth are found in the Beatitudes. Edward’s decision in 2016 to share what had been a private activity came as a result of experiencing the hostility between people that has become such a strong characteristic of the social and political life of today.
Edward has returned to the Midwest after leaving Camphill Village Minnesota for Camphill Copake in 1993. In his post-63 life, he is looking forward to beginning once more the in-person lectures and workshops that he gave throughout the Midwest during his time in Minnesota.
View our recordings with Edward Schuldt from: 4-02-21, 5-28-21, 6-25-21, 7-30-21, 8-27-21, 9-25-21 ,11-19-21 , 12-17-21, 1-28-22 , 3-04-22, 7-29-22, 9-09-22, 11-5-22, 12-9-22, 2-3-23, 3-17-23, 4-12-24 and his most recent offering:
Lynn Jericho, April 19, 2024
Lynn Jericho devotes her thinking, feeling and willing to the ancient admonition “O Human Soul, Know Thyself!” For thirty years she has been counseling and mentoring individuals and groups on their paths to self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-expression. Her blog on imagineself.com has over 3000 followers. Since 2004, she has been guiding people around the world through the Holy Nights with her inspiring Inner Christmas Messages. (240 messages). Beyond Inner Christmas, Lynn has offers guides for Inner Advent, Inner Epiphany, Inner Lent, Inner Easter, and Inner Pentecost.
*View our Café recordings with Lynn from 6-12-20, 12-18-20, 11-5-21, 10-7-22, 11-25-22, 3-15-24 and recently:
Daniel Hafner, April 6, 2024
Daniel Hafner is a member of the Anthroposophical Society and the School for Spiritual Science. He works as a priest in the Christian Community, currently in Nuremberg, Germany, but soon elsewhere. Beginning this September, he will be leading a full-time introduction to Anthroposophy for young people. Tap here to connect via email.
*View our Café recordings with Daniel from 5-6-23 and recently:
Kerst deJong, March 8, 2024
Kerst de Jong was born and raised in the province of Friesland in The Netherlands. He studied mechanical engineering and traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. He came to Camphill in the UK in1990 and he has been living in Camphill Village Copake in upstate NY since 1998. For eight years he was the Executive Director of the Village and presently he is the president of the Camphill Association of North America. But he prefers to spend his time in the woodshop in Camphill Village.
Alice Stamm, February 23, 2024
Alice Stamm was born in Connecticut and after college was fortunate to work and study in Europe for ten years where she studied eurythmy as well as therapeutic eurythmy. Returning to the States she has done eurythmy in schools and Camphill communities, and in performance work as well. At present retired, she teaches kindergarten eurythmy in both independent and public charter schools in the Sacramento area and Davis, CA.
*View our Café recordings with Alice from 1-7-22 and recently:
Harlan Gilbert, February 16, 2023
Harlan Gilbert grew up in the Chicago area. His educational journey led him through several US colleges, a Waldorf teacher training in England (Emerson College), and a eurythmy training in Switzerland. While Harlan’s early career was in computer programming and architectural design, since 1989 he has been active as a Waldorf educator, international anthroposophical lecturer, and writer. Harlan and his wife, an artist and educator, live in Chestnut Ridge, New York.
Angus Jenkinson, February 3, 2024
Angus Jenkinson has had a varied career across education, business, academia, and government. He is recognised and active across multiple scientific and practice disciplines including anthroposophical.
Doug Miller, January 26, 2024
Dr. Douglas Miller served as a professor of German and as an administrator at the University of Michigan-Flint for more than 40 years. Now retired, Dr. Miller lectures and writes on anthroposophical topics including the life of Rudolf Steiner, the history of the Anthroposophical Society, and the esoteric of the First Goetheanum. For several years he was also the editor of the Anthroposophical Society in America’s News for Members and of the English-language edition of the Goetheanum’s Anthroposophy Worldwide. He translated and edited a modern collection of Goethe’s scientific studies published in 1988, and continues to explore this aspect of Goethe’s writings with special emphasis on the Theory of Color.
Jennifer Goodman & Laura Embrey, January 19, 2024
Jennifer Goodman, M.Ed. is an anthroposophically based counselor, weaving together therapeutic approaches in her sessions. With over 20 years of experience, she supports adults, children, and teens in their self-development and relational wellbeing. She brings a powerful connection to the teachings of Rudolf Steiner and the Waldorf world through her deep work with Steiner’s planetary soul styles, Waldorf-based parent coaching and child counseling, and Social Inclusion work with schools and children. In addition to a master’s degree in education and anthroposophical counseling from Antioch, N.E., she is a certified Waldorf Collaborative Counselor, a Magic Makers Coach, a Simplicity Parenting Coach, and a Social Inclusion Coach. Jennifer’s robust background also includes Biographical Counseling, Social Mediation, Kashmir Shaivite and Vedantic philosophy and meditation, and therapeutic arts.
Laura Embrey most recently worked at Camellia Waldorf School as Pedagogical Director. Previous to this, she worked at a Waldorf-inspired charter high school, George Washington Carver, where she taught English. Before this, Laura worked at Sacramento Waldorf School in both lower and high schools. She has both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley. She has published nine form drawing books and one novel. She serves on the board of trustees at Camellia Waldorf School and teaches online form drawing workshops to adults all over the world. She lives with her husband, David Wiant, and their beloved cat in Fair Oaks, CA.
*Please email: soulstylescourse@gmail.com for ‘A Taste of Transformation through the Planetary Soul Styles’ course details.
Kristena West, January 12, 2024
Kristena West M.A. is a dream teacher, a social and community artist and a teacher of men and women’s groups focused on gender reconciliation. She spent many years studying shamanic traditions and researching how Anthroposophy connects with traditional wisdom. Kristena received her Masters in Cross-Cultural Sacred Iconography, her life long question, “What Makes Art Sacred?” led her to the question, “What makes a Human being Sacred? Her graduate exhibition in 2002, Deities Dialogues and Dreams; Extra-Ordinary Conversations with Ordinary People showcased the installation, Lifting the Seven Veils of the Divine Sophia. Kristena is the author of two books; Alchemy the Magical Union of Soul, and Olaf Asteson. Kristena is a life-long student and teacher of dreamwork. Learn more: here. View Kristena’s previous Café recording from 5-13-22, 12-2-22 and recently:
Jonah Evans, January 5, 2024
Jonah Evans grew up in Sacramento, California and attended the Waldorf school and The Christian Community throughout. He later received a BA in psychology from Sacramento State University. After four years at seminary around the world, Jonah was ordained as a priest of The Christian Community in 2008. He has worked in South Africa, New York and for the last ten years in Toronto, Canada. In 2018 Jonah was asked to co-direct The Seminary of The Christian Community together with Patrick Kennedy. Just recently, he was asked to become the North American Lenker. His favorite subjects are Christology and Pastoral Counseling. He has been married for twenty years and has three lovely daughters.
Christopher Schaefer, December 15, 2023
Christopher Schaefer, Ph.D. is a retired adult educator who for many years taught at both Emerson College in England and at Sunbridge College in New York. He has also been an organization and community development consultant for most of his life working both with Waldorf schools and Camphill Communities as well as with many more conventional organizations. He is the co-author of Vision in Action: Working with Soul and Spirit in Small Organizations, Partnerships of Hope: Building Waldorf School Communities and Re-Imagining America: Finding Hope in Difficult Times. He lives with his wife, Signe, in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. View Christopher’s previous Café recording from 9-11-20 and recently:
Selected articles by Christopher Schaefer:
Looking for Hope in Difficult Times
Decoding the Trump Virus
A Tri-Sectoral Imagination of the American Future
Adam Blanning, December 8, 2023
Adam Blanning MD is one of three co-leaders for the Medical Section of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum, in Switzerland. He teaches and lectures nationally and internationally on topics of holistic health and human development. He practices anthroposophic medicine in Denver, CO, USA and is the author of Raising Sound Sleepers: Helping Children Use their Senses to Rest and Self-Soothe. View Adam’s Café recordings from 4-17-2020, 2-25-22 and recently:
Tobias Kaye, December 2, 2023
Tobias Kaye adopted Anthroposophy in his late teens after searching through a few other streams of development for something to match the richness of his upbringing. Born on a Biodynamic farm and Waldorf educated he has focussed his inner life on service to Christ on the path of initiation/awakening. Since he was given this image, at the age of 30, the Sounding Bowls have become his main guide, and enabled his desire to bring something of value. Today, Tobias also runs groups, guiding people in the seven developmental processes through Steiner’s legacy, particularly the Foundation Stone Meditation. Tobias also writes. Recently contributing a chapter on tree communication for a forthcoming book.
Patrick Kennedy, November 24, 2023
In April of 2006, Patrick Kennedy was consecrated into the priesthood in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to attending the seminary in Stuttgart, Germany, Patrick studied and worked in the field of early childhood education and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz in cultural anthropology. He has worked as a priest in the congregations in Devon, Pennsylvania and the Greater Washington, D.C., area. Then, in Chestnut Ridge, New York, he took up the roles of both seminary director and resident priest in the local congregation. In July 2019, Patrick, his family, and the entire seminary moved to the Toronto area. View Patrick’s recording from 5-21-21 and recently:
Ben Cherry, November 10, 2023
Ben Cherry, born and brought up in the UK, has spent most of his adult life in other parts of the world. During the past fifty-four years, he has worked in or traveled extensively through Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America and has visited or taught in schools on all five continents. He has an MA (Cambridge), 1st MB (Birmingham), Diploma of Education (Australia). His recent articles include:
- Facing Evil, Standing Tall
- The Pandemic of Fear (And the Medicine of Love)
- The Medicine of Love (Within the Pandemic of Fear)
His search for peace and for answers to the huge social, cultural and environmental issues he encountered as a young man, especially through his experience as a teacher and journalist in Vietnam during the war, led him through many spiritual streams to the work of Rudolf Steiner forty-six years ago, in a school for severely disadvantaged children in England, where he worked as a gardener. He was later invited by the UK government to found and co-lead a centre for refugees fleeing from Vietnam in the aftermath of the war. View Ben’s Café recordings from 7-3-20, 9-4-20, 7-2-21, 2-18-22 and recently:
Oldřich Hozman, November 4, 2023
Oldřich Hozman is a member of the General Anthroposophical Society since 2008 and its School of Spiritual Science since 2017. At various conferences in Dornach/Goetheanum, he accompanies and leads art workshops of contemplative observation of the 2nd Goetheanum (i.e. World Eurythmy Conference, 2016). He presented his work and had presentation of Therapeutical features of organic architecture on Year Medical Conference 2018 in Goetheanum. He lectures and he is a member of Anthroposophical Society in Czech Republic since 2008. He lectures mainly about 1st and 2nd Goetheanum principles, about twelve senses.
As an architect steeped in Rudolf Steiner’s design principles, he lectures about Waldorf School architecture principles. Hozman supports the holistic view on the creation of a healthy environment and architecture. Since 2009, he personally organizes every year seminar and workshop of anthroposophical plastic works and wood carving of goetheanistic forms. At various international conferences, he lectures on new approaches to architectural design in harmony with nature. As an author, he also writes and contributes in magazines for Waldorf teachers about anthroposophical and Waldorf School architecture principles.
Jamie York, October 27, 2023
Jamie York is a Waldorf math educator, teacher-trainer, math missionary, and the lead author of Making Math Meaningful books. He spent 21 years teaching middle school and high school math at Shining Mountain Waldorf School (in Boulder, Colorado), and has also taught at a college prep boarding school in New Hampshire, at a university in Nepal, a Waldorf school in Holland, and served on the faculty at the Center for Anthroposophy in the Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program for 18 years. As a math missionary, Jamie traveled across the U.S. and internationally offering workshops for teachers so they can re-imagine mathematics and inspire their students. Jamie’s website, online math workshops, and books are resources for Waldorf teachers around the world. His latest creation is Jamie York Academy, which offers online classes to students in grades 5 through 12.
*Please view: A Math Teacher’s Geometric Dream House, as presented in Jamie’s 10-27-23 Café recording:
Lesley Waite, October 20, 2023
Lesley Waite is a recently ordained priest of the Christian Community Movement for Religious Renewal, and lives and works out of Wellington, New Zealand. She grew up in the Scottish settlement of Dunedin, New Zealand, and was blessed with as close to a classical education as one might receive in the twentieth century. Her interests have focused on work and research in education and anthroposophy. For over twenty years Lesley has been a member of and contributor to the New Zealand branch of the Section of Social Sciences.
Daciana Iancu, October 13, 2023
Dr. Iancu has been an Internal Medicine physician for over 25 years and has worked in hospitals, ICUs, hospice, nursing homes and primary care. Since 2004 she has been incorporating Integrative and Holistic Medicine into her practice. In 2014 Dr. Iancu discovered Anthroposophic Medicine, fell in love with it, and decided to make this the primary modality of her practice. She currently practices in a small private setting in Northern California, where she sees patients both in person and virtually. She serves on multiple Anthroposophic Health organizations: she is one of the co-founders of Foundation for Health Creation (foundationforhealthcreation.org), co-leads the Board for the Anthroposophic Health Association (anthrohealth.org), and serves as a board member for Physicians Association for Anthroposophic Medicine. Learn more. View our Café recordings with Daciana on 1-7-23 and recently:
Eric Klein, October 7, 2023
Eric Klein was born and raised in an Anthroposophic home in New York, educated at the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, before training as a concert musician at the Manhattan School of Music. His life’s journey has gone through Harvard Business School, the Christian Community Seminary in Stuttgart, Germany before settling in England in 2002. He has worked as a performing musician, composer, conductor, teacher, teacher trainer and developer and lecturer.
Tom Altgelt, September 15, 2023
Tom Altgelt, Co-Host for the Anthroposophical Café, grew up in California and discovered anthroposophy in Germany over four decades ago, while working there as a landscape architect. You can see his biography under “About Us” on our FRAC website. Tom has published a number of articles in “Lilipoh” and “Being Human” magazines on the analogy between the life cycle of a plant and our path of inner development. He is currently on the advisory committee for the Biodynamic Agriculture conference and is the contact person for anthroposophy in Boulder, Colorado. View his Café recordings from 8-14-20, 1-9-21, NYC Branch, 4/21/23 and recently:
Florian Sydow September 8, 2023
Florian Sydow is a founding member of Kahumana Farm & Community located on Oahu, Hawaii. Over 30 years of experience in the design & building industry including organic architecture. Long time student of Goethean Science & Anthroposophy with a special emphasis on the implications of Technological Development from an Esoteric Perspective. Offering Presentations and Workshops on various Spiritual Scientific Themes. Vice Chairman of the Anthroposophical Society in Hawaii. Married to a Waldorf Teacher & Father of three Waldorf graduates.
Stewart Lundy, August 25, 2023
Stewart Lundy is an amateur alchemist, esotericist, and avid reader. As of 2023 Stewart is the Creative Director at the non-profit Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics. He helps curate the JPI Applied Biodynamics quarterly which is now migrating to the digital world on substack. He has been farming since 2010 at his own biodynamic operation, Perennial Roots Farm, where he and his wife raise cattle, sheep, and hogs, as well as run a market garden and CSA. Stewart is a regular contributor at the national Biodynamic Association conference. He offers book clubs on esoteric themes and can be contacted for consultations via stewart@jpibiodynamics.org.
Craig Wiggins, August 11, 2023
Born and raised in Joplin, Missouri as a devout, active Presbyterian, Craig Wiggins wandered about in several spiritual directions before landing at the The Christian Community in Amsterdam/The Netherlands in 1987. With the support of that community and his young family, he attended the Priest Seminary in Stuttgart and was ordained in Amsterdam on March 29, 1992. After serving the Dutch communities in Amsterdam, Arnhem, Zutphen and Groningen, he responded positively to a call to North America in 2009. Since then he has served in Devon, PA,
San Francisco and Chicago. Since April, 2019 he has been serving as Lenker (regional coordinator) for The Christian Community in North America. Craig has been a member of the Anthroposophical Society since 1985, the School for Spiritual Science since 1990. View Craig’s Café recording from 2/19/21 and recently:
Jonathan Hilton, July 28, 2023
Jonathan Hilton studied with Willi Sucher at his home beginning in 1977 and continued ongoing study and correspondence until Willi’s death in 1985. He served on the Board of the Astrosophy Research Center, which was dedicated to publishing Willi’s works, from 1992-2018. He has served as President of the NYC Anthroposophical Society, in the early 1990’s and again from 2018-2020. He has taught courses and given workshops and lectures on astrosophy at various locations in the USA over the years. In 2016, he created the Astrosophy website, with various resources in both English and other languages, including Willi Sucher’s complete works as free downloads, his own articles and book, and an introductory video course. His book, Speaking to the Stars: An Introduction to Astrosophy, was published by Steinerbooks in April, 2023 and is available through Steinerbooks and Amazon. View Jonathan’s Café recording from 2/4/22 and recently:
Alan Thewless, July 21, 2023
Alan Thewless was born in Sheffield, England and moved to the USA in 2002. He carries a deep involvement in education as a healing art and has worked as a Waldorf Teacher and Special Educator for nearly 30 years. In the USA he completed studies in Anthroposophically extended psychology (Psychosophy) and Music Therapy. He has been a student of Astrosophy for over 30 years and regularly writes, gives courses and lectures on this subject, and on education, internationally. Since 2016 he has been author of the Holy Nights Journal, a pathway of contemplation and journaling through each of the Holy Nights of Christmas. He is a lyre maker and also project archivist for the Eckersley Shakespeare trust. He is also on the adjunct faculty of the Association for Anthroposophic Psychology. View Alan’s Café recording from 11/26/21 and recently:
Lila Sophia Tresemer, July 14, 2023
Lila Sophia Tresemer is CoFounder of The StarHouse in Boulder, with David, her life partner of 30 years. Lila is a group facilitator, certified mediator, author, ceremonialist, and minister. She co-created a ground-breaking program called Women of Vision in Israel/Palestine between 2004-2012 and now leads tours to Washington, D.C., to engage with the archetypes and values of the Sacred Feminine with a focus on Sophia.
She produces sacred living and remembrance programs online and onsite at the StarHouse. Lila is dedicated to building a global community, honoring the Feminine in Sacred Union in balance with the Masculine. Her current passion is weaving a living network for the Lineage of Sophia for men and women worldwide seeking to reconnect with Sacred Earth Activism and spiritual practices that matter — to transform in these astonishing times.
Some of Lila’s work include: “Don’t Go Back to Sleep” (a spiritual adventure novel); “The Conscious Wedding Handbook” (with David); “Sophia Gnostic Creation Story,” (an animated Creation Myth); “The Goddess of America: Sacred Activism for our Nation” (online course).
Signe Schaefer, July 7, 2023
Signe Schaefer has been a long-time adult educator and was for many years the Director of Foundation Studies at Sunbridge College. She was the founding Director of a professional development training in Biography and Social Art. Since retiring she has published three books: Why on Earth? Biography and the Practice of Human Becoming; I Give You My Word: Women’s Letters as Life Support; and most recently, She Was Always There – Sophia as a Story for our Time. She also co-authored Ariadne’s Awakening: Taking up the Threads of Consciousness and co-edited More Lifeways. A mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she now lives in Great Barrington, MA with her husband Christopher. View Signe’s Café recording from 10-1-21 and recently:
Lelan Harris, June 16, 2023
Lelan Harris, M.Div. (Reno, Nevada), is a founding member and executive director of Wise Cosmos Educational Initiative (WiseCosmos.org). He has been actively engaged in education and leadership for over 30 years in roles that include public high school teacher, pastor, researcher and author, graduate school professor, consultant, visiting scholar, Waldorf school administrator, and nonprofit executive director. He writes, mentors, trains, and consults in order to raise up new generations of spiritually mature leaders who are perceptive, integrative, and wise in partnership with humanity, earth, and cosmos. Of greater delight than any of the foregoing, Lelan has been married to Julie since 1988. View our recordings with Lelan from 5-29-20 I & II, 9-25-20, 11-12-21, 4-15-22 and recently:
Alex Tuchman, June 9, 2023
Alex Tuchman is a beekeeper, educator, farmer, author, and student of nature. As the Director of Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, Alex carries a wide variety of responsibilities on the farm, with the bees, in the classroom, and in administration. Alex arrived at Spikenard Farm in March of 2014 after three years as the Farm Manager of Loyola University Chicago’s Student Farm in Woodstock, Illinois, his home-state. Alex is an active member of the Agriculture Section of the School for Spiritual Science and a consistent contributor to the biodynamic agriculture and natural beekeeping movements and regularly teaches at conferences in the U.S., around the world, and online. Alex’s book, A Lively Hive, was published in 2021, outlining the basic biodynamic beekeeping methods that are practiced and taught at Spikenard Farm.
Ezra Sullivan, June 3, 2023
Ezra Sullivan is immersed in finding right livelihood and inner development work. In 2011 after completing highschool education, he moved to South America for three years to pursue agriculture and spiritually. There, he found Anthroposophy, through using the Biodynamic planting calendar. He was the Farm Director of Sunfield Biodynamic Farm and Waldorf School (2017 to 2022), and is spending nine months studying Anthroposophy at the Goetheanum in Switzerland (2022 to 2023). He hopes to find ways to continue his interest in raw milk dairying and the modern path of initiation presented by Rudolf Steiner.
John Beck, May 26, 2023
John Beck created the being human magazine for the Anthroposophical Society in America. His communications career began in public radio in Boston and NYC. He did technology communications for Chase for fifteen years, and was general manager of the New York Open Center. He is now developing a new media presentation for reincarnation. View our recordings with John from 6-5-20, 12-10-21, 9-2-22, 12-30-22 and recently:
Paul Gierlach, May 19, 2023
Paul Gierlach has been a Waldorf teacher since 1979. He received his training in Detroit under the tutelage of Werner and Barbara Glas, Hans and Rosemary Gebert, and Ralph Marinelli. He initially worked in the grade school before migrating to the high school as a humanities teacher. For the ten years leading up to his retirement from full-time teaching, he used what he learned to develop protocols for working in the classroom with students with different learning styles. Since his retirement in 2013, he has worked in the classroom in China and the United States and in teacher training programs. He has created a four-year program for adolescents and adults that leads them to a conscious, active participation in their perceptual world. It is called Dynamic Drawing.
Laurie Portocarrero, May 12, 2023
Laurie Portocarrero is an actor, storyteller, drama teacher and director. She has trainings in Chekhov acting and Spacial Dynamics and speech, having studied and taught movement, drama and speech in the United States, Canada, Switzerland and Australia. A long-time associate member of The Actors’ Ensemble, Walking the dog Theater, and Threefold Mystery Drama Group, she has been seen in many productions ranging from Shakespeare to Thornton Wilder to Kahlil Gibran, as well as playing Maria in Rudolf Steiner’s four mystery dramas. Laurie tours widely in the United States, Canada, Switzerland and the U.K, with Glen Williamson in their two-person pieces, including the original script, Fire in the Temple. She directs summer children’s camp, teaches drama and storytelling to academy students in special needs communities, and has taught drama in China to adults and children of all ages. She also directs a speech chorus, leads a Mystery Drama exploration group, helps to create festivals for the community, and gives workshops across the country in community-building through the arts.
Unchatwa, Robert Karp & Tom Altgelt, April 21, 2023
‘Mysteries of the Corn Mother’ : We will hear a story of people coming together and taking real interest in one another and becoming good friends. Through this friendship they support one another in their respective spiritual traditions and initiatives. Rudolf Steiner asked us to make our hearts warm in order to do work in the world that is strong in healing. There is much healing needed to be done in North America or Turtle Island as it is called by our indigenous friends…. Through this friendship and the need for healing, we will hear of one such healing initiative from Unchatwa, a Mohican medicine carrier, as he shares about the Corn Mother Dream… How a divine feminine perspective, the Corn Grandmother Council, a re-awakening of lost tradition, leads to this wisdom: “We ask our mother to open so we may sow our life-giving seeds within her. We ask her to nurture and help them grow to feed her children. We never push anything into her. We ask if we may enter.” This perspective is globally applicable and summarized in a single word, respect. There is opportunity to apply this perspective in all directions “we ask, we ask, we never push, we ask”.
Michael Lipson, April 14, 2023
Michael Lipson, PhD, is the author of The Stairway of Surprise, Group Meditation, and, most recently, Be: An Alphabet of Astonishment. A Clinical Psychologist in long term private practice, he has worked with Mother Theresa in Calcutta and with the Pediatric AIDS Team at Harlem Hospital. As a George Soros faculty scholar, he developed a program to help health professionals face their own fears about death and loss. He is also one of the translators of Rudolf Steiner’s Philosophy of Freedom and of many titles by Georg Kühlewind, including The Soft Will. He teaches meditation online and internationally — you can sign up for a free weekly email via michaellipson.org. View our recordings with Michael from 10-8-21 and recently:
Glen Williamson, March 31, 2023
Glen Williamson, a founding member in New York City of The Actors’ Ensemble and New Directions Theater, appeared in numerous productions with both companies. He currently plays multiple roles in the touring production of The Gospel of John with Walking the dog Theater and the title role in Aeschylus Unbound, which Glen co-wrote with the late film star Mala Powers.
He has given his one-man performances of Beat the Devil! Faust, the Whole Story, The Incarnation of the Logos: An Epic Tale of Christ’s Coming to Earth, Kaspar Hauser: The Open Secret of the Foundling Prince, and Kurt Vonnegut’s The Kid Nobody Could Handle and Who Am I This Time? throughout the U.S., Canada, the U.K, Germany and Switzerland and has toured throughout North America in The Refugees’ Tale, based on Goethe’s ‘Green Snake’ parable, with Laurie Portocarrero. Glen’s performance of Beat the Devil! Faust, the Whole Story won the award for Best Adaptation at the United Solo Theater Festival off-Broadway in 2011. The off-Broadway run of Glen’s one-man play The Boy Who Saw True was chosen by Back Stage as one of the five best plays of 1992.
Glen trained in the Michael Chekhov acting technique and at The Juilliard School and has acted with the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and the American Stage Festival in New Hampshire. Other appearances include Macbeth with Shakespeare Alive!, Sylvia by A. R. Gurney, Rudolf Steiner’s The Souls’ Awakening at the Goetheanum in Switzerland, storytelling with the Grupo de Euritmia de São Paulo in San Diego, and speaking poetry in a Camphill benefit concert at Carnegie Hall. View our recordings with Glen from 8-20-21 and recently:
Brian Gray, March 24, 2023
Brian Gray is a teacher, lecturer, musician, and writer on topics drawn from Anthroposophy – the work of Rudolf Steiner. He loves to share insights from the realms of star wisdom, biography, cosmology, sacred architecture, and esoteric Christianity. Brian was core faculty at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, California from 1981-2017 and Director of the Foundation in Anthroposophy Program for 17 years.
Brian received a BA in Architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. Inspired by René Querido, Brian received a certificate in Waldorf Teacher Education at RSC (1979 to 1981). Some of his work can be found at wisecosmos.org and thestarhouse.org. View our recordings with Brian from 4-24-20, 5-7-21 and recently:
Laura Scappaticci, March 4, 2023
Laura Scappaticci, mom of three, disrupts materialism through her writing, speaking, and online workshops. Her bi-weekly podcast, That Good May Become, focuses on profound and everyday spiritual experiences while offering tips for cultivating spiritual practices in daily life. Laura’s previous work as the Director of Programs for the Anthroposophical Society in America includes the podcast, The Anthroposopher and over 30 webinars, conferences, and workshops focused on anthroposophy. View her Café recordings from 8/28/20, 4/23/21, 10/22/21, and recently:
John-Scott Legg, February 24, 2023
John-Scott Legg has worked in various roles at SteinerBooks since 2014 and currently serves as its Director. His abiding interests include literature, language, spirituality, the complex cultural identity and destiny of America, and, above and between all, the realization, discovery, and affirmation of anthroposophy in every detail and seeming detour of life. He lives in Upstate New York with his family and quite a few animals.
Nancy Jewel Poer, February 17, 2023
Nancy Jewel Poer, grandmother of many, was a co-founder of Rudolf Steiner College, teaching early childhood, the Spiritual America, and working closely with Carl Stegmann, a Christian Community priest with Rudolf Steiner, who tirelessly warned of our time of Arhiman. Nancy is also an environmental activist, a BD rancher, national home death movement pioneer, Waldorf teacher of teachers and has created many books. Her film on America was taken down by youtube two years ago as it included some brave individuals like Anthroposophical doctor, Kelly Sutton, who then lost her license in California for writing needed medical exemptions for children. Nancy’s many YouTube films, ‘The Sacred Incarnation Series’, beautiful educational films on the spirituality and care of little children, were were censored and removed from YouTube with no warning or recourse in Dec. 2022. View her Café recordings from: 12/10/20 and recently:
Mark Riccio, February 10, 2023
Mark Riccio is the author of the Logik of the Heart: the organic templates of spiritual writers, Rudolf Steiner, and the Philosophy of Freehood, and the editor of the George O’Neil Group Newsletter dedicated to the explication of Steiner’s organic method of thinking and writing. The O’Neil Group holds regular online study groups on the organic forms of Steiner’s Theory of Knowledge (CE 2), Philosophy of Freedom, Theosophy, Knowledge of Higher Worlds, and Education of the Child. The G.O.G. is a collection of individuals in 10 nations who joined together to practice and promote Steiner’s living thinking with the goal of renewing anthroposophical study and of founding a new thinking youth seminar and renewed Waldorf teacher training. View his Café recordings from: 7/23/21, 7/22/22 and recently:
Christine Burke, January 27, 2023
Christine Burke met anthroposophy in 1997 and immediately signed up for the Rudolf Steiner College San Francisco Waldorf Teacher Training. During a rich and art infused training, she met the anthroposophical speech arts. In 2001, Christine embarked on the 4 year, full-time Speech training in England. Before meeting anthroposophy, Christine completed an associate’s degree in Literature and a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics. After the Speech training, Christine earned a master’s degree in Communication Studies. In retrospect, a clear path of the Word – or to the Word – has been her life’s companion, along with a healthy dose of finding and creating community. Christine now teaches Communication Studies part time at her local Community College and teaches Sacred Speech Work in workshops around the globe, with private students, and at Kairos Institute.
Gillian Schoemaker, January 20, 2023
Gillian Schoemaker was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and trained in painting and interior design at the Mackintosh School of Art. From an early age, she was enthralled by the mythology and culture of Ancient Greece, and made her first visit alone, aged 18. This evolved into an exploration of the evolution of consciousness within the western stream of the cultural epochs. She has been active within the Camphill Movement for many years, and completed the Eurythmy training in the Camphill Ringwood/Botton School. She subsequently lived in the original Camphill Schools in Aberdeen, Scotland as teacher and therapist, and as performer in both the Botton and Aberdeen stage groups. Since 1997, she has been a part of Beaver Run, Camphill Special School, and a member of the Pennsylvania Eurythmy Group. Gillian is adjunct faculty of the Association for Anthroposophical Psychology, and the Training for Eurythmy Therapy in North America, and the faculty of the Camphill Academy for Curative education.
Tess Parker, January 13, 2023
Tess Parker is the Director of Programs for the Anthroposophical Society in America, and has been committed to discovery through anthroposphy for over a decade. Prior to becoming director, she spent years tending to and stewarding the earth as co-founder of Common Hands Farm, an upstate New York biodynamic farm. She was also the outdoor education teacher and camp director at Pasadena Waldorf School. Tess is a student and collaborator with the elemental kingdom and finds fulfillment and purpose through creating medicines, art, and ritual with plants. As an avid astrologer with an interest in astrosophy and biography work, she finds time on weekends to read and interpret birth charts for anyone seeking to understand their own individual cosmic blueprint that accompanies them through their life. You can reach out to her at tess@anthroposophy.org.
Mary Stewart Adams, December 16, 2022
Mary Stewart Adams is a Star Lore Historian and host of the weekly public radio program and podcast “The Storyteller’s Night Sky.” Mary published her first book The Star Tales of Mother Goose~For Those Who Seek the Secret Language of the Stars, in 2021, richly illustrated by her sister and long-time collaborator, artist Patricia Delisa. Through her research in spiritual science and her education in literary arts, Mary has developed a unique, humanities-based approach to understanding our relationship with the stars. Her work is further augmented by an extensive knowledge of ancient mythologies and fairy tales, which she relates to the research and ideas borne of contemporary astronomy, to offer unique perspectives in the astrosophy, or star wisdom, of our current era. Mary has traveled extensively in fulfillment of her mission to safeguard the human imagination by protecting our access to the night sky and its stories, and has received numerous honors for her work advocating for natural darkness. As a global advocate for starry skies, Mary led the team that established the ninth’ International Dark Sky Park’ in the world in 2011, which later led to her home state of Michigan protecting 35,000 acres of state land for its natural darkness. In 2023, Mary accepted the position of General Secretary for the Anthroposophical Society in America, and now makes her home in SE Michigan. For further information, please email mary@storytellersnightsky.com.
Dorothea Altgelt, October 28, 2022
Dorothea Altgelt is currently a Waldorf class teacher at Shining Mountain Waldorf School. She has also been a movement teacher and a language teacher in different schools. Dorothea was part of the group that brought Jaimen McMillan back to the US to offer Spatial Dynamics training for movement teachers and others interested in improving their spatial awareness. Dorothea is married to Tom Altgelt and is a mother of three daughters and a grandmother of six grandchildren. The theme of the “Mother” has been close to her heart for decades.
Robert (Karp) Karbelnikoff, September 30, 2022
Robert Karp is a consultant, educator, writer and social entrepreneur. His work encompasses and weaves together the fields of sustainable and biodynamic agriculture, spiritual development and social transformation. Robert supports individuals, organizations and communities in their striving for wholeness, for inspired leadership and for holistic strategies that can meet the immense challenges of our time. Robert has been deeply influenced by Rudolf Steiner and many other teachers who recognize the working of body, soul and spirit in all dimensions of life, from money to medicine to soil. Robert believes human beings have the capacity to enhance rather than destroy the natural world; to lead history into an upward spiral; and to shape the future out of conscious collaboration with one another and with the spiritual wisdom of our planet. You can learn more about Robert’s career and work on this website at www.robertkarp.net or on his linkedin page. View his Café recordings from 8-21-20, 9-30-22 and recently:
Hazel Archer-Ginsberg, September 23, 2022
Hazel Archer-Ginsberg– Founder of Reverse Ritual Understanding Anthroposophy through the Rhythms of the Year. Essayist, Lecturer, Poet, Trans-denominational Minister, Anthroposopher – working as the Festivals Coordinator of the Chicago Rudolf Steiner Branch, The Traveling Speakers Program, & the Central Regional Council of the Anthroposophical Society.
Tom Pichard, August 26, 2022
Member of the First Class since 2016 and a student of Steiner for 20 years, Tom Pichard is pursuing how to promote and demystify spiritual science for today’s culture. Tom was born and raised in France and is a graduate of Princeton University having recently spent 20 years at Microsoft in product and data mgmt. He is currently in the middle of authoring a book entitled Finding Spirit in the Digital Age: How to Recover Meaning in a World Dominated by Technology.
Lucien Dante Lazar, July 15, 2022
Lucien Dante Lazar (b. June 24th, 1994) is an interdisciplinary researcher whose praxis is founded in the intersections of art, science and spirituality. Through his work as an artist, musician, teacher, spiritual bodyworker, poet, essayist, and logo-logician, he strives to discover the meaning of the human being in its multidimensional anatomy and spiritual logic of becoming.
Bruce Donehower June 24, 2022
Bruce Donehower, Ph.D. (UC Davis) is the Collegium representative for the Section for the Literary Arts and Humanities of the School for Spiritual Science in North America. For information on the Section meetings and activities, visit the website TheLiteraryArts.com. Bruce’s books include the recent translation of “Hyacinth & Rosebud” by Novalis and his own novel The Singing Tree: An Alchemical Fable. You can find his books on Amazon or at SageCabinPublishers.com. He is the author of The Birth of Novalis: Friedrich von Hardenberg’s Journal of 1797, with Selected Letters and Documents (SUNY Press).
Rev. Sanford Miller June 17, 2022
Rev. Sanford Miller is a priest of The Christian Community who has been connected to the work of Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy since 1972. Following his university degree (Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara) he lived and worked in Camphill Newton Dee in Aberdeen, Scotland. He then studied in England and Stuttgart, Germany for the priesthood in The Christian Community, where he was ordained in 1982. He worked as a priest in Pforzheim, Germany until being assigned to Boston in 1984. He was sent to Sacramento, CA in 1996 and also serves in Santa Rosa, CA as well as in Eugene and Portland, OR. Sanford lives with his wife Stacey Jostad in the Sacramento area, and is father to five children, step-father to three and grandfather to seven. Sanford is insightful, inspirational, funny, beloved, and not to be missed.
Luigi Morelli, June 10, 2022
Having worked with spiritual science over the last forty years, Luigi Morelli approaches American culture and history by weaving it with its myths, legends and stories in a scientific and imaginative manner; all of this he relates to the present forms of “American practical spirituality”. See millenniumculmination.net for details.
Social change from a cultural perspective has been a closely related interest to the above. It has come in vocational/life experience through working with people with special needs in intentional communities of Camphill and L’Arche International and living in cohousing over the last eight years. Communal living, with its blessings and challenges, has been a constant source of inspiration for implementing social processes and bringing to life new social forms.
David Tresemer, Ph.D, June 3, 2022
David Tresemer has been a lifelong student of Anthroposophy and psychology. He co-created the StarHouse in Boulder, Colorado, as well as co-founded the Association for Anthroposophic Psychology. He is the co-author and editor of several books including “The Counselor….As If Soul and Spirit Matter” and “Star Wisdom & Rudolf Steiner.” He presents on “Our Senses as Doors to Realities—Portals or Idiosyncrasies?”. That last term stemming from the Calendar of the Soul verse for this week, that we typically open and close our weekly Café’ with. View David’s recordings from 5-1-2020, 3-25-22 and recently:
Robert McDermott, May 27, 2022
Robert McDermott was president of the California Institute of Integral Studies from 1990 to 1999 and is currently a CIIS professor. He has published extensively on Sri Aurobindo and Rudolf Steiner, including The New Essential Steiner and Steiner and Kindred Spirits. For five years he was president of the New York Center for Anthroposophy, for twelve years he was President of the Rudolf Steiner Institute, and for nine years he a member of the Council of the Anthroposophical Society in America. He was also chair of the board of Sunbridge College and Rudolf Steiner College. For 14 years he was chair of the board of Sophia Project for children and mothers at risk of homelessness. He has been president and board chair of many other institutions.
Shannon Boyce, May 7, 2022
Shannon Boyce has been a singer her whole life and a singing teacher for over 20 years. Before having children and finding Waldorf Education and Anthroposophy she was pursuing a career as an opera singer. Her formal education includes a Bachelors of Music from Samford University located in Birmingham Alabama, and a Master’s of Music from The Manhattan School of Music in New York City. She sang with Des Moines Metro Opera, Brevard Music Center, New York City Opera, and De Capo Opera.
Susan Kurz, April 29, 2022
Susan West Kurz is a Certified Biography Facilitator and board member of The Center for Biography and Social Art. Susan was a board member of the Biodynamic Gardening and Farming Association 2012- 2017. She is a renowned holistic beauty expert, co-founder of Dr Hauschka Skin Care Inc. and author of Awakening Beauty the Dr Hauschka Way. Her book has sold 50,000 copies internationally and is translated into four languages. From 1992 to 2006, Susan and her husband Clifford Kurz oversaw the development of Dr Hauschka Skin Care from a modest niche company to what is now recognized as the preeminent holistic skin care brand.
Since her apprenticeship at the Meadowbrook Herb Garden in Richmond Rhode Island in 1972, Susan has been involved with a holistic approach to healing, to business and to bringing Biodynamic agriculture, gardening practices, and Anthroposophy to the public.
Karen Rivers, April 8, 2022
Karen Rivers, PhD, author of Love and the Evolution of Consciousness: a Study of the Transformation of the Human Soul, the Double, and the Spirit, dedicates her work to further the spiritual presence of Christ and Sophia in human souls. She integrates Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine dimensions of consciousness to cultivate higher soul forces and higher spiritual forces essential for overcoming the ills of our world and to re-establishing the inherent divinity of each human being and all life. In facing the precipitous conditions defiling human relations and the well-being of all sentient life on our Earth, Karen confronts the complex inner dynamics of love, fear, egotism, and forgiveness, working out of the inspiration of Rudolf Steiner and Valentin Tomberg.
Karen is Co-founder and Executive Director of the Sophia Foundation, and for ten years was Director of the New Chartres Academy. Karen has worked for over 35 years in Waldorf Education as a class teacher, administrator, mentor, consultant, and parent educator. Karen currently lives in Chapel Hill, NC, with her husband, Michael Cohen.
Walter Alexander, April 1, 202
Walter Alexander is a former teacher (public and Waldorf), current medical journalist and long-time anthroposophist.
Isabel Stadnick, March 18, 2022
Isabel Stadnick, born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, grew up in Switzerland where she attended the Waldorf School in Basel. She studied Speech and Drama at the Novalis school in Stuttgart and at the Goetheanum in Dornach, where she also studied Anthroposophy. During a visit to the Pine Ridge Reservation, she met her husband Robert Stadnick, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe. In 1993, she and her husband founded the Lakota Waldorf School together with other parents from the reservation community. Isabel is a cofounder of the Lakota Foundation in Switzerland and the Lakota Tipi Camp. For the last 13 years she has been the head administrator of the Lakota Waldorf School. With the help of her daughters, Isabel developed the AIWP, Academy for Indigenous Waldorf Pedagogy.
Liz Beaven, March 11, 2022
Liz Beaven has been engaged in Waldorf education since 1985, when she first encountered a Waldorf school as a new arrival in New York City. Her experience spans class teaching, school administration, Board and College of Teachers membership, adult education, lecturing, writing, and research. Plus, important in her experience, she is the parent of two Waldorf alums and is now viewing Waldorf education and the future through the lens of a grandparent. Liz took an early interest in the expansion of US Waldorf education into public schools. She is currently the Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education.
Cameron Genter & Daphne Kingsley, February 11, 2022
Cameron Genter and Daphne Kingsley have been practicing biodynamic farming for the past 22 years. They originally met as apprentices on a biodynamic farm in 2001 at Live Power Community Farm in Covelo, CA. Since then they have farmed in Maine, Vermont, and Wisconsin. In 2014, they established Light Root Community Farm, a draft-horse-powered, biodynamic farm and grass-based dairy located in Boulder, Colorado.
The farm serves as a healthy and diversified ecosystem that nurtures the land, produces life-giving food, and cultivates a direct relationship with the local community. In addition to the food production, Light Root Farm also has a non-profit wing (LEAF) which holds the social mission to provide educational and healing programs to reconnect people to nature through agriculture.
Robert & Suzanne Mays, January 21, 2022
Robert Mays received a BSc degree in chemistry from MIT and worked as a software engineer at Kodak and IBM for more than 30 years. Suzanne received an Associate in Applied Science degree from Alfred State College and was a Certified Music Practitioner providing palliative care to patients. They have studied anthroposophy since 1973 and were part of the founding group of the Emerson Waldorf School in Chapel Hill. After retirement from IBM, Robert taught high school chemistry in numerous Waldorf schools, including at Tara High School. He serves on the Rudolf Steiner Branch Board of Directors. Suzanne teaches lyre at the Waldorf School and is one of the First Class holders in Chapel Hill. Together they have studied phenomena related to near-death experiences (NDEs) for over 45 years, although neither has had an NDE. Since 2005, their active research on NDEs resulted in several articles in the Journal of Near-Death Studies and numerous presentations at conferences. They wrote the foreword to The Self Does Not Die by Rivas, Dirven, and Smit. Their essay on the survival of physical death received honorable mention in the 2021 Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies contest.
Jacob Hundt, December 31, 2021
Jacob Hundt was one of the founders of Thoreau College in 2015 and now serves as Executive Director, as a Board Member, as a Faculty member leading courses in literature, philosophy, and sustainable agriculture. He grew up nearby on a dairy farm in the Driftless Region of southwestern Wisconsin and attended Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School in Viroqua, Wisconsin during elementary school. In high school, he was one of the founding students of the Youth Initiative High School, a Waldorf-inspired school with a strong emphasis on student participation in governance. He studied and gathered inspiration for transformation in higher education at Deep Springs College, the American University in Bulgaria, and the University of Chicago Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences, earning a BA in History and an MA in Social Sciences. From 2004-2020, he worked as a trained Waldorf high school teacher and guidance counselor at Youth Initiative High School and he was a founding board member and instructor of the Driftless Folk School. Jacob has a wife and four children ages 7, 10, 12, and 16 and lives on a ten acre farm with sheep, chickens, vegetables, and a vineyard managed by Thoreau College students.
Lisa Dalton, October 29, 2021
Lisa Dalton is a world renown master teacher of Michael Chekhov’s approach to performing arts and a member of the ASA since 1995. She is on the Central Regional Council and was part of the planning committee for the 2021 ASA AGM: Building of the Heart conference. Lisa’s introduction to Anthroposophy began in the early 1980’s, exploring, with Ted Pugh, the Michael Chekhov Technique at the Rudolf Steiner High School in Manhattan. There, beside fellow artists such as Glen Williamson, Fern Sloan, eurythmist Diane Tatum, poet Daisy Aldan, and guest participants Alheidis von Bothmer, Mala Powers, and Sophia Walsh, the seeds of an anthroposophical karma were fertilized, with love of eurythmy and spatial dynamics too.
Jim Hindes, August 13, 2021
Jim Hindes became a student of anthroposophy as a student at UC Berkeley in 1966. He has a BA in philosophy with minors in geology and mathematics. In 1972 he began studies at the priest seminary of The Christian Community in Stuttgart, Germany and was ordained in 1975. Since then he has worked in congregations in England, Germany and in the U.S.: NYC, the Taconic-Berkshire region, Los Angeles, and the last 20 years in Denver and is a frequent teacher at the North American priest seminary, now located in Toronto. He has also translated over 20 books by Rudolf Steiner and his followers and is the author of Renewing Christianity, Floris Books. He lives with his wife, Vicki Hindes, in Denver, and is the father of five children, two step-children and 20 grandchildren.
*On April, 26, 2024 at 1:30 pm MDT, Rev. Jim Hindes crossed the threshold peacefully at his home in Denver, Colorado. Born June 23rd 1947 in San Diego, California, Rev. Jim Hindes was ordained into The Christian Community priesthood on February 22nd 1975 by one of the founding fathers, Rudolf Frieling. He has served congregations in England and Germany, as well as in New York City, western Massachusetts, Los Angeles, and, most recently the Denver congregation as its resident pastor for 20 years.
Jordan Walker, August 6, 2021
Jordan Walker grew up in a traveling family, living on both coasts and the mid-west of the U.S. before spending a year in China when he was 9 years old. Jordan self-designed his undergraduate degree in Multi-media and received a Masters of Education while teaching children with Autism in a Brooklyn public school. In 2005 Jordan attended Sunbridge College and went on to study and work in the Threefold Community for 5 years, organizing many conferences and education initiatives and launching a social sculpture experiment entitled the new forms project. In 2011 he received a research grant at the Goetheanum to study new forms of adult education. Seven years later he designed “Wisdom Working”, a directory for the many anthroposophical initiatives in the Hudson River Watershed. He currently lives in Philmont, NY with his two young children.
Sven Saar, July 17, 2021
Sven Saar, based in the south of England, was a class teacher for thirty years in the UK and Germany. He is co-director of two Waldorf Teacher Education courses and active in teacher mentoring and development. He advises pioneering schools in Asia and Africa and offers lectures and workshops in many settings. His website is www.swipp.org.uk.
Shubhangi Pandit, June 11, 2021
After completing graduation in computer science and engineering, Shubhangi Pandit served the IT industry in India for nearly a decade. A brief sabbatical to attend to motherhood brought her in touch with subjects closer to her heart – Environment and Child Education. A foundation course in Steiner education and a year of teaching in a Steiner kindergarten inspired her to start her seven year cycle as a class teacher in the grade curriculum. She currently takes care of the pedagogy at a homeschool collective called Chilume in Bengaluru, India. She treasures her continued class-teachership with her students for the past 7 years as a gift and an absolute privilege!
In response to this week’s discussion on Rangoli patterns and Fibonacci numbers, a friend of the Café shared this math article showing the F functions with more complex Rangoli patterns. Click here to read.
Joshua and Courtney Wilson , June 4, 2021
Joshua and Courtney Wilson have been in Waldorf education for the past 15 years. Together they helped to found Escuela Caracol, the first Waldorf school in Guatemala, in a Maya village on the shores of Lake Atitlán. Their work there included class and subject teaching from kindergarten through grade six, teacher training, administration, marketing, and fundraising. Before their 11 year tenure in Guatemala, Courtney received her MA in Art History, studying the relationship between public art and social change in Latin America, while Joshua worked in various levels of education, from middle and high school teaching to university administration. During the past four years, Joshua has taught high school humanities at Shining Mountain Waldorf School, and Courtney has been a lower grades teacher at Boulder Valley Waldorf School. They continue to have an active role in fundraising for Escuela Caracol, as well as pursuing research in the Maya cosmovision and its connections with anthroposophy. This summer they are moving to Sacramento, California where they will work at the Camellia Waldorf School. Joshua will be the school director and Courtney will teach Spanish for grades 1-8. They are most proud, however, of their three children, who represent an ongoing study of the seven year cycles: Althea (19), Mirabai (12) and Sandino (6).
Cynthia Hoven, May 14, 2021
Cynthia Hoven, creator of Eurythmy Online and Alive, teaches Eurythmy as a Personal Practice to adult learners around the world. For over 40 years, she has worked as a stage eurythmist, therapist, training director, workshop creator, lecture of anthroposophical topics and adult educator. She has taught thousands of people, focusing on teaching people how to experience the living, transformative power of eurythmy. She is the author of the book Eurythmy Movements and Meditations: a Journey to the Heart of Language, and offers webinars and pre-recorded lessons through eurythmyonline.com.
Angela Foster, April 30, 2021
Angela Foster has been an active student of anthroposophy since 2008. After growing up in Texas, Angela is now embracing life in Atlanta, Georgia as an artist, teacher and mom of two daughters, currently homeschooling sixth grade. As a conscious practitioner of “beginner’s mind”, Angela has completed programs in foundation studies in Anthroposophy numerous times and is currently enrolled in Foundation Studies in Goethean Science through the Nature Institute. She and her husband manage the Anthroposophical Resource Center (ARC) an initiative in Decatur, Georgia that offers space for community events and serves as a little house for Anthroposophia.
Harald Hoven, April 16, 2021
Inspired by his life-long love of nature, Harald Hoven chose to be a caretaker of the earth by becoming a biodynamic farmer. He trained in his native Germany, and then came to work in Fair Oaks, CA, where he created and tended Raphael Garden, at Rudolf Steiner College, raising crops, teaching courses, and training apprentices. The Garden was often perceived to be the heart of the college property, well-loved by all. Harald is now semi-retired, and works internationally and locally as a consultant, mentor, webinar teacher, and home gardener.
Daniel Hindes, April 9, 2021
A graduate of the Rudolf Steiner School in New York, Daniel has been studying the works of Rudolf Steiner since he found a curious book with the same author name as his elementary school when he was browsing a used book store at age 19. In his life journey he has picked up a couple of degrees, worked in business and IT, taught as a Waldorf high school history teacher for a decade, and is presently the School Director of the Boulder Valley Waldorf School. He lives with his wife and three children in Longmont, Colorado. Daniel Hindes recently wrote a book entitled Viral Illnesses and Epidemics in the work of Rudolph Steiner that you may find here.
Patricia Rubano, March 26, 2021
Patricia Rubano is a human being in training. Training began with early motherhood, which led to being a Waldorf early childhood educator where she graduated backwards to ever younger ages, ending with Parent-Child classes. Classes in Biographical counseling extended her view of child development to phases of adulthood and of all things living. Living in a large extended family household and Spacial Dynamics both help keep her flexible as she moves through life. Life is currently focused on biography and social art work as she is Director of the Biography and Social Art Certificate Training and part of the International Trainer’s Forum.
Hazel Archer-Ginsberg, March 19, 2021
Hazel Archer-Ginsberg– Founder of Reverse Ritual Understanding Anthroposophy through the Rhythms of the Year. Essayist, Lecturer, Poet, Trans-denominational Minister, Anthroposopher – working as the Festivals Coordinator of the Chicago Rudolf Steiner Branch, The Traveling Speakers Program, & the Central Regional Council of the Anthroposophical Society.
Laurie Schmiesing, March 12, 2021
Laurie Schmiesing is an Anthroposophic Nurse Specialist, and Associate in the Anthroposophic Counseling Program. She has been studying Anthroposophic and spiritual teachings since 2002. She has a wellness practice and holds conversations and workshops on a wide range of topics around body, soul and spirit. These include an on-going workshop series called the Four Directions which brings Lakota teachings and Anthroposophic teachings into the same workshop to understand more deeply the relationship of traditional teachings and esoteric Christian teachings. She has just completed an online workshop, available in recorded form, called the Mother Speaks delving more deeply in the nature of the Divine Feminine. You can find more information at www.laurieschmiesing.com or contact her at info@laurieschmiesing.com
Ronald Koetzsch, PhD, March 5, 2021
Ronald Ernest Koetzsch was born in New York City and grew up in Brooklyn. His parents had immigrated from Germany in 1932. Ronald attended public schools and then studied at Princeton University (AB in Religion) and Harvard University (PhD in History of Religions). He has been a college professor, an instructor for Outward Bound (a wilderness adventure program), and a staff writer for a national magazine —East West Journal.
Daniel Perez, February 12, 2021
Daniel Perez has been a technologist since his teens, at the dawn of the age of the personal computer. He has been programming since he was a student at Green Meadow Waldorf School, and later educated as an Electrical Engineer at the University of Rochester. His adult career has placed him in several areas of technology development, from space-based laser systems to video compression used for teleconferencing, and he currently leads an engineering team in Cloud Computing development. He also is co-founder of Threefold Capital Corp, an investment company, and sits on several non-profit boards including the Center for Anthroposophy. He and his wife live in Peterborough NH and have two adult children living in San Francisco, one of whom is a Waldorf teacher.
Nathaniel Williams, January 29, 2021
Nathaniel Williams is the co-founder of Free Columbia with Laura Summer. He studied anthroposophy, visual art and marionette theater in Basel, Switzerland, graduating with a certificate in visual art from the neueKUNSTschule in 2002. He has a PhD in Political Science from the University at Albany. He teaches at the University at Albany and is the director of the M.C. Richards program and active as a teacher, writer and artist.
Fred Dennehy, January 22, 2020
Fred Dennehy is a co-Class Holder of the School for Spiritual Science in the Greater New York City area, and for many years was an active member of the Council of the New York Branch of the Anthroposophical Society in America.
Fred is a graduate of Yale Law School and was a practicing attorney for 40 years. He successfully represented the Anthroposophical Society of America in a longstanding case defending against an attempt to declare that the use of Waldorf methods in the Sacramento Public Schools violated the Constitution.
A Sharing from the Philippines, January 16, 2020
Since 1987, Anthroposophy has had a place in the Philippines. Today there are three large Waldorf schools, with many new ones starting, about ten biodynamic farms, many Anthroposophic doctors and several organizations and initiatives advocating change rooted in spirituality and free thought. We would like to invite you to hear some stories from the people whose lives are deeply interwoven in the movement’s past, present and future. Though we are far apart, we are united with all of you, our brothers and sisters in our common dream.
Tom Altgelt, January 9, 2021
Tom Altgelt, Co-Host for the Anthroposophical Café, grew up in California and discovered anthroposophy in Germany over four decades ago, while working there as a landscape architect. You can see his biography under “About Us” on our FRAC website. Tom has published a number of articles in “Lilipoh” and “Being Human” magazines on the analogy between the life cycle of a plant and our path of inner development. He is currently on the advisory committee for the Biodynamic Agriculture conference and is the contact person for anthroposophy in Boulder, Colorado. View his Café recordings from 8-14-20, 1-9-21, NYC Branch, and recently:
Ellen Gayda, December 5, 2020
Based on the inspiring guidance of the thirty fifth verse in Calendar of the Soul, we shall direct our attention toward the journey of our humanness that supports with ‘ lent ‘ strength a spiritual embodied readiness to conceive ‘true being’.
Ellen Gayda is a Body Psychotherapist, Healer, Bodyworker and Wisdom Teacher. She exercises her creative intelligence as a Visionary, Ideologist and Intuitive. She has trainings in Gestalt, Psychology, Zen, Massage, Yoga and Spiritual healing from Masters of schools without walls.
Kevin Dann, November 27, 2020
Kevin Dann is the author of Enchanted New York: A Journey Along Broadway Through Manhattan’s Magical Past and a dozen other books of exploration. He received his PhD from Rutgers University in American and Environmental History, and has taught at Rutgers University, the University of Vermont, and the State University of New York. He leads magical bike and walking tours in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Learn more at drdann.com.
Eugene Schwartz, November 13, 2020
Eugene Schwartz is a graduate of Columbia University. He has worked with all stages of life, from the young child to the elderly and the dying. He began his teaching career by adapting the Waldorf schools’ curriculum to educate a group of adolescents with disabilities and emotional challenges in the Otto Specht School, which he helped to found. He then became a class teacher at Green Meadow Waldorf School, taking three groups of children up through Grade Eight. Eugene also served as Director of Teacher Training at the Sunbridge Institute and for over a decade lectured frequently at Rudolf Steiner College. Eugene now works worldwide as an educational consultant and lecturer.
Marie-Laure Valandro, November 6, 2020
Marie-Laure has traveled all over the globe exploring religions, cultures, customs, foods, geography. Her favorite means of transportation: walking long distance with a small backpack. She walks for months at a time in the Himalayas, South America, France, Spain, Portugal etc. She taught ( French, Spanish , English) in New England, Paris,Tehran. At 14, she started writing in small notebooks when her family moved to the USA and never stopped until she decided to publish at 58.
Marie-Laure will bring the following question to the Cafe for discussion: What is it that Anthroposophy is bringing, giving to each one of us which helps that person face the grave times and trials coming our way today?
Dennis Klocek, October 30, 2020
Dennis Klocek is a retired teacher who founded the Consciousness Studies program at Rudolf Steiner college twenty five years ago. He is the author of eight books and is continuing his studies and outreach by creating a new feature on his website dennisklocek.com with his son Ben. The new initiative is a culmination of many years research into gardening, alchemy, medicinal plants and the health of the human soul. This new feature <soilsoulandspirt.com> has been in the works for a while now and is in a pre- launch stage.
This new offering will be linked to You Tube videos of sowing, pruning and harvesting plants as well as laboratory techniques illustrating fermenting, extracting and distilling. The videos provide practical advice on how these methods are used to create plant sprays, digestive tonics and essential oils. On <soilsoulandspirt.com> essays on nature and the human being as well as audio lectures on human physiology and soul practices will round out the offerings. We are excited about this. Please let us know on dennisklocek.com if you would like to know launch time.
Ina Jaehnig, October 23, 2020
As the co-founder of The Denver Waldorf School, Ina has been teaching at DWS for more than forty years. She earned certification as an arts teacher at the Academy for the Arts in Stuttgart and received her Waldorf Teacher Training at the Munich Waldorf School. In addition to sharing her knowledge with High School students and the DWS faculty, Ina consults for Waldorf schools across the United States and spends her summers training Waldorf teachers.
Angela Foster & Jordan Walker, October 16, 2020
Angela Foster grew up in Texas and is now embracing life in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an artist, teacher and mom of two daughters, currently homeschooling sixth grade. She has been an active student of anthroposophy since 2008. As a conscious practitioner of “beginner’s mind”, Angela has completed programs in foundation studies in Anthroposophy numerous times and is currently enrolled in Foundation Studies in Goethean Science through the Nature Institute. She and her husband manage the Anthroposophical Resource Center (ARC) an initiative in Decatur, Georgia that offers space for community events and serves as a little house for Anthroposophia.
Jordan Walker grew up in a traveling family, living on both coasts and the mid-west of the U.S. before spending a year in China when he was 9 years old. Jordan self-designed his undergraduate degree in Multi-media and received a Masters of Education while teaching children with Autism in a Brooklyn public school. In 2005 Jordan attended Sunbridge College and went on to study and work in the Threefold Community for 5 years, organizing many conferences and education initiatives and launching a social sculpture experiment entitled the new forms project. In 2011 he received a research grant at the Goetheanum to study new forms of adult education. Seven years later he designed “Wisdom Working”, a directory for the many anthroposophical initiatives in the Hudson River Watershed. He currently lives in Philmont, NY with his two young children.
Betty Staley, October 9, 2020
Betty Staley is an educator, writer, consultant, and world traveler. Most of all, she is a connector—with students in her high school and teacher education classes, with parents in workshops, with adults in biography classes, with faculties in the Waldorf schools she has helped found, with those who were stimulated by her books or videos, and with the people she has met in countries around the world. She has been a Waldorf teacher for over fifty years. As one of the founders of Rudolf Steiner College, she directed the Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program and the Public School Institute. Betty was significant in bringing Waldorf education into public schools, beginning with the Urban Waldorf School in Milwaukee in 1991. She is currently a member of the advisory board of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education and of the Pedagogical Section Council of North America.
Rev. Sanford Miller October 2, 2020
Rev. Sanford Miller is a priest of The Christian Community who has been connected to the work of Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy since 1972. Following his university degree (Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara) he lived and worked in Camphill Newton Dee in Aberdeen, Scotland. He then studied in England and Stuttgart, Germany for the priesthood in The Christian Community, where he was ordained in 1982. He worked as a priest in Pforzheim, Germany until being assigned to Boston in 1984. He was sent to Sacramento, CA in 1996 and also serves in Santa Rosa, CA as well as in Eugene and Portland, OR. Sanford lives with his wife Stacey Jostad in the Sacramento area, and is father to five children, step-father to three and grandfather to seven. Sanford is insightful, inspirational, funny, beloved, and not to be missed.
Van James, September 18, 2020
Van James, is an artist, author and educator. He is chair of the Anthroposophical Society in Hawai’i, editor of Pacifica Journal, and a guest instructor at numerous colleges and Steiner-Waldorf training centers throughout Asia and the Pacific. He is an award winning author of several books on art and culture including Ancient Sites of O’ahu, Ancient Sites of Hawai’i, Ancient Sites of Maui, Moloka’i and Lana’i, Ancient Sites of Kaua’i, Spirit and Art: Pictures of the Transformation of Consciousness, The Secret Language of Form: Visual Meaning in Art and Nature, Drawing with Hand, Head and Heart, and Painting with Hand, Head and Heart. He has been a teaching artist in Hawai’i for over thirty-five years and is a founding faculty member of the Honolulu Waldorf High School. He holds a BFA in drawing and painting from the San Francisco Art Institute, and diplomas from Emerson College, England, and the Goetheanum School of Painting in Switzerland. He travels widely as an advocate for the arts and lives in Honolulu with his wife.
Lynn Stull, August 7, 2020
After a career in business Lynn Stull turned towards the arts and threshold work. In 2009 Lynn earned her eurythmy diploma from Eurythmy Spring Valley and is author of Wonders at the Veil, Creating a Living Relationship with Your Loved Ones Who Have Died. She is a current student in the Therapeutic Eurythmy Training of North America with the intention to identify how eurythmy and therapeutic eurythmy can offer a counterbalance to technology and the ever-increasing atmosphere of wi-fi radiation in our environments. Explore via: www.LynnStull.com.
Marianne Dietzel, July 31, 2020
You may read more about Marianne and her book on her Facebook page here.
Marianne Dietzel was a Waldorf early childhood educator before her daughter, Nina, and Nina’s best friend, Kirsten, died in a car accident in 1996. Since then she has worked as a hospice bereavement coordinator, and played music for healing and transition on the lyre as a Certified Music Practitioner. She was a co-founder, in 2008, of the Minnesota Threshold Network, which educates and supports families in caring for their own deceased. In 2010 she published a book, Laughing in a Waterfall: A Mother’s Memoir, the story of Nina’s life and her death, the events surrounding it, and the first three years of her family’s grieving. It is woven throughout with a sense of wonder in the face of tragedy and loss.
Pamela Whitman, July 25, 2020
Pamela Whitman received her B.S. from MIT, where she studied both science and humanities. She has always sought ways to integrate these perspectives, and her work has spanned both fields, including helping to found a Waldorf School. Through Waldorf education she discovered anthroposophy, which eventually led her to her true vocation pioneering the artistic and therapeutic work of Liane Collot d’Herbois. She participated in the second international training in Light, Color and Darkness Painting Therapy at the Emerald Foundation in The Hague, Holland, and completed her requirements as a Painting Therapist as part of her Masters degree program in Human Development. She received her certification in Painting Therapy from the Section for Anthroposophic Medicine at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. Her career and interests span the fields of science, art, spirituality, consciousness, psychology, healing and education, all of which she incorporates as a therapist, international adult educator, mentor and painter.
Karen van Vuuren, July 10, 2020
Karen van Vuuren has been a natural death care educator and end-of-life transitions guide since 2001. In 2003, she founded the non-profit Boulder-based educational non-profit, Natural Transitions. Over nearly two decades, she has had the privilege of supporting countless families whose loved-ones have crossed the threshold. She has led workshops on natural death care and was instrumental in founding the National Home Funeral Alliance.
In her twenties, she worked as a broadcast news journalist, and though she left that unenviable profession to become a mother and a threshold worker, her media skills have been employed as editor of Natural Transitions magazine and as director of two award-winning end-of-life documentaries, Dying Wish (a dying doctor’s decision to stop eating and drinking) and Go in Peace! (the caregiver’s role in healing the soul wounds of veterans with trauma).
Currently, Karen is co-founder and owner of The Natural Funeral, Colorado’s first holistic funeral home, based in Lafayette. Karen will share some of her biography around death and dying, and how she is convinced that the manifestation of love and devotion at death is balm for our world.
Patsy Scala, May 22, 2020
Patsy Scala, author of “Weekly Meditations, Rudolf Steiner’s Calendar of the soul, With Accompanying Reflections” was our guest speaker. The Calendar of the soul is one of the greatest gifts Steiner gave us for developing a feeling sense of the living Christ manifesting to us in the rhythms of the 52 weeks of the yearly cycle.
John Bloom, May 8, 2020
John Bloom, General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society of North America and Vice President vice president of organizational culture for the Rudolf Steiner Foundation. John will address us on the theme of “Threefolding and a Just Society.”