YSS Newsletter 2025 Term 1 Week 6

In Steiner Schools worldwide, many festivals are observed throughout the course of the year and celebrated creatively with students.

Next week, at the turning of the equinox, equal day and night, the teachers will celebrate the feeling of balance with students in collaboration with local artisan Elaine Clocherty. An artistic reflection will be facilitated to mark the moment.

In a lecture that Rudolf Steiner gave on the 8^th of April 1923, he discusses the relationships between the cycles of nature and the experience of the human being and draws attention to teachings from ancient times. Specifically, regarding the Autumn Equinox, we are reminded of an old motto;

         “Look around Thee”

This contemplation formed part of a year-round series of suggestions for inner contemplation and development.

Contemplating the wisdom of nature is never outdated and, in our region, it is a magical time of the year.

It is intriguing to contemplate Steiner’s perspective relating to the characteristics of Autumn, as our landscape is so vastly different to the European autumnal environment. For us leaves will start to appear rather than disappear, waters will begin to flow and rainbows appear.

We ask ourselves, what does the season say? Bunuru…adolescence, ripening djiriji ( Zamia Palm), heat and changeability, wind followed by profoundly still afternoons…

Engaging in the process of identifying what is reflected in the world around us, can help us toward a greater understanding of our place in the world, uplifting both ourselves and others.

This, Steiner points out, takes courage!

Hence, the imagery of Michael and the dragon and all the stories that have evolved from the original still have a validity and place amongst us.

Many teachers will be weaving dragon tales into the coming days with their classes. Eggs will crack and scales become luminous…

Michaelic tradition heralds the Archangel Michael.

The figure of Michael confronting the dragon represents the image of humankind fighting its way free from endless desires and limitations in the search for higher being.

The virtue of kindness can clearly be associated with the valiant fight. For true kindness, as Steiner outlined, is born from transformed anger.

Equally as potent, and intrinsically linked to kindness, is the practice of restraint and the pursuit of balance in one’s life.

When we place our annoyances and gripes into the steadiness of our inner gaze and restrict the reactive tendency, we have the forging of our own Michaelic sword, smelted from the cosmic iron in our own bloodstream.

The Michaelic eye then turns outward, the sword a ray of love and light that can serve others.

“Anger that is overcome and purified will be transformed into the love that is its counterpart. A loving hand is seldom one that has never been clenched in response to injustice or folly. Anger and love are complementary.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Rudolf Steiner.

Best Wishes everyone,

Jacqui