Weekly Update from the MN Waldorf School

Community News & Events

The Sense of the Meeting:

Social Renewal Through Consensus
Thursday, November 5, 2009, 7:00 pm
Waldorf schools around the world share a mission of social renewal through the education of children. Waldorf schools are self-governing and value the partnership among teachers, staff and parents in the development and leadership of the school. As educational institutions seeking to enliven the future through educating young people in freedom, Waldorf schools often use consensus decision making in an effort to practice and embody the type of collaborative leadership that draws from the wisdom of many to create the best possible course of action.

Consensus decision-making builds unity and effectiveness in organizations of all kinds. At its best, it creates opportunities for personal growth and social renewal, strengthening individuals in discernment and compassion while building community in the group. As a form of group striving, consensus helps groups to bring minds, hearts and wills together on the issues the group is facing. Hear from a master teacher and facilitator why Waldorf schools use this challenging and fruitful process for decision making.

Caroline Estes has more than 40 years' experience working by consensus and training others in the process. Alone and with colleague Lysbeth Borie, Caroline has worked with a wide variety of not-for-profit, educational and business organizations, including the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) and more than 30 Waldorf schools. The suggested donation is $10. Please contact City of Lakes to reserve your space: 612-767-1550. City of Lakes Waldorf School, 2344 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404.

The Tradegy of Mephistophles - The Story of Faust
Nov. 12th MWS Festival Hall

Glen Williamson is gifted actor and storyteller from New York City. He trained in the Michael Chekhov acting technique and at The Julliard School. Those of us who have been at past performances were inspired as we watched Glen bring spiritual themes to life in thought-provoking and heart-warming ways. 90 minutes with intermission. Appropriate for ages 12 years and older. Tickets: $15/$10 students.

Save the Date: Psychophonetics Workshop

January 4 -10, 2010
Yehuda Tagar, Director of the Persephone Institute in Cape Town, South Africa, will be making a rare visit to the United States this January, when he comes to the Twin Cities. He will be giving several evening lectures, and conduct a weekend experiential workshop. He will also be available for a limited number of individual sessions.

Mr. Tagar is an Israeli, who has spent the past twenty years in England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, developing a process known as Psychophonetics, a modality of personal and spiritual development, based on indications of Rudolf Steiner. This process combines verbal as well as expressive, non-verbal modes of knowing and communication, namely: Sensing, Physical Gesture, Visualization, and the skillful application of the universal Sounds of human speech in order to enhance an individual's ability for transformation and self-development.

David Horstmann, a local psychologist and marriage and family therapist for the past 25 years, and a student of both Anthroposophy and Mr. Tagar, finds Tagar's work unique, intellectually stimulating, and dramatically effective in breaking through unconscious patterns of thought, communication, and behavior. He feels that its deep connection with the work of Rudolf Steiner imbues it with a spiritual dimension that has long been lacking in Western models of self-development and psychotherapy. Further information regarding times, locations, and costs will be forthcoming. Contact David Horstmann with questions at davidwhorstmann@gmail.com.