News from Anthroposophical Society

Correspondent Don Cruse has received alot of feedback relating to his Darwin article, and this is leading to discussions regarding a video story for distribution over the Internet. Mr. McLuhan would no doubt have referred to Don as an INVERSION MIXER.

Of course, it is difficult and risky to have meaningful dialogue using the Internet medium. For an example of a good effort in this direction, study this video. "The Hour" with George Stroumboulopoulos is very popular with young people, and so, apparently, is Eckhart Tolle. You might also want to investigate his work with Oprah at New Earth Syllabus.

I have included some more reader comments under "Social Media" at the end of this issue...Please send in some of your views too!

Sincerely,

Mark

PRACTICE SAFE SURFING - STAY CONNECTED TO LIFE!

EVENTS

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ANTHROPOSOPHICAL SOCIETY IN CANADA, Toronto Waldorf School (Thornhill), 1:30 - 5:00pm, May 16, 2009. Contact Monique Walsh

FOUNDATION STONE CONFERENCE Toronto Waldorf School (Thornhill), May 15 - 16. Members and friends are welcome to attend the lecture by Philip Thatcher at 7:30pm on Friday followed by the eurythmy performance. For full conference details, click here.

DENNIS KLOCEK IN MONTREAL

Healing Imagination Conference, May 29-30. Traduction simultan�e en Fran�aise.
Meditation Retreat, May 30 - 31

For a Report on the 2008 Klocek event in Montreal, click here. For more info, contact: IRSQ

ROBERT POWELL IN VANCOUVER

"Cosmic Dances of the Beatitudes", June 29- July 3
Public Lecture: "The Apocalypse Code: Unveiling the Present Time: 2009-2012" - July 3, 8pm
"Sophia and the Rose of the World", July 3-5

For program details, visit the Sophia Foundation website (courses and events section). For registration, contact Rosa Mundi. For more about Robert Powell, click here.

SERGEI PROKOFIEFF IN MONTREAL, July 29 - 30, 2009.

ENCIRCLING LIGHT, EXPECTANT SILENCE, Whitehorse, August 1- 8, 2009

ARTHUR ZAJONC IN THORNHILL, September 11-13

ROUND TABLE ON ECONOMICS, Thursday October 1, 2-6pm, Spring Valley, NY. Sponsored by the Social Science Section. Contact Hamo Hammond

AMERICAN SOCIETY CONFERENCE AND AGM, September 29 - October 4, Spring Valley, NY. "Creating Living Connections: Christian Rosenkreutz and the Social Impulse". Details and planning blog.

Anthroposophy Worldwide # 4

Click here for the link to the current issue of Anthroposophy Worldwide.. For a complete archive of previous issues, go to the Goetheanum site, click "English" (top right) and then click "login" (bottom right) (user name: awmail, password: darwin09)

Grassroots Conference In Ottawa - Report

It was an honour to be invited to the Grassroots conference in Ottawa this spring and an occasion for me to remember my brother Dan Huston who lived in Ottawa at the time of his passing on June 20th, 2004. The Grassroots conference is mainly a local event created to bring the people who work with anthroposophy in the Ottawa-Gatineau area together. It is an excellent opportunity for individuals to share areas of interest with others and at the same time, create a space to work together. Read more...

Social Media

"I am a feather on the breath of God." It was recently brought to my attention that the feather held by Hildegard of Bingen in many pictures is actually a quill pen, and that she was an early adaptor of technology for the purposes of social activism.

Here is a selection of recent reader comments about modern forms of social media:

* In response to M. McLuhan's statement that "man has struggled for equilibrium and the result is apathy,anxiety, and alienation": From my observations, it's the LACK of this struggle that is the problem. Too many people want to hold onto their addiction, to anything that makes them feel right or strong.... and when they see that they were mistaken, they can't handle the feeling, and don't want to put in the effort to regain a true centre. So they flip into "I don't care" or, if they do care ,they become anxious
because they have forgotten about the good spiritual help which they need in order to regain an equilibrium...We have a lot work ahead of us....but I also see many people lining up to help.

* As I slowly and trepidatiously find my way around this new and evolving world, there are definitely things to learn and discover. I say "trepidatiously" because, as I have learned through Clairvision, and found on my own, the internet can be "gucky", energetically speaking. Every webpage opens an astral space which can affect you etherically. You are connecting to the energies of those who own it and the intentions behind it. So navigating the social networking sites and keeping energetically clean is a challenge -- which is actually nothing new to life...
Having said that, I find Facebook has many redemptive qualities and offers positive challenges. It calls upon aspects of consciousness that perhaps would not have been employed otherwise. If one wants, one can mindlessly click the buttons and links. But it can also demand one to shift perspectives and ask, �What am I doing, where am I going and what am I saying to the world? You have to develop a stronger and flexible I AM.

* "There is no way I want to stay a mere human". A young friend sent me a video link to this very chilling story about transhumanism, and suggested that I consider it in the light of the last three Leading Thoughts by Rudolf Steiner. (183 - 185)

Tips For Readers

- NAVIGATION: If you get lost, return to the "Contents" section at the top.

- EMAILS: Check your program settings, and authorize emails from info@anthroposophy.ca.

- IMAGES: if you don't see the images, click on the message at the top of the email.

- QUESTIONS/SUGGESTIONS: Contact: Mark McAlister.