Anthroposophy in Hawkes Bay
Rudolf Steiner Centre, 401 Whitehead Road, Hastings
Events over next 2 weeks
[7 to 21 September]
- Monday 8th September. A talk by David Urieli
"On the Journey from Death to a New Birth."
Soup and bread (Koha please) will be served at 5 p.m. and David's talk will follow.
- Thursday 11 September. 5:30 pm. Monthly Committee Meeting.
- Friday 12 to Sunday14 September Taikura Class 12 Project displays and talks. Details are in the grapevine:
https://taikura.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/GRAPEVINE-4-SEPTEMBER-2025.pdf
- Friday 12 September. 7 pm. Study Group: Michael Letter p201 "Memory and Conscience". Leading Thoughts 174-6.
- Wednesday, 17th September, 10.30 a.m. Morning Tea and “Walking the Camino, plus a detour to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao” , with Andrea Beech.
- ASNZ Society Day and AGM in Tauranga 20 September.
See Events | Anthroposophical Society in NZ
- Saturday, 27th September 2025 at 2 p.m. Talk by Norbert Mulholland on the Paintings in the Centre's Main Room.
- 11 & 12 October. Spring Festival
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On the Journey from Death to a New Birth
Monday 8th September at 5pm
Soup and bread will be available from 5.00 followed by David's talk.
(a koha towards food would be appreciated)
Dear Friends,
A number of weeks ago I made an attempt to describe the path of the soul through our life after death. I think I got as far as describing a bit about the second stage of the soul where we live through the experiences of our recent life in backwards order from the moment we died, and how here we gain the impulses for what we will create as our karma.
In the second talk on the 8 th of September my hope is to continue the description through the planetary spheres up to our next incarnation on earth. I would like to bring with this some arguments why for me this is not a matter of faith but a certainty even though I cannot imagine most of what happens. I would like to consider why Steiner’s description shows us that we are working towards absolute responsibility for what we do, while we are given absolute freedom to do what we choose. Also, perhaps to consider Steiner’s amazing assertion that the perfection of the human being is the religion of the Gods.
All welcome. Attending my previous talk is not a pre-requisite to attend tomorrow's talk.
With many thanks to those kind people (Bernie, Diana and the Committee) who are arranging things to make this talk and its surrounding possible
David Urieli
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Walking the Camino, plus a detour to the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao.
Wednesday, 17th September, 10.30 a.m.
We have invited Andrea Beech to share a few impressions and images of her experiences a few months ago, while walking the Camino, from France to Santiago de Compostela. She also detoured to include a visit to the Guggenheim in Bilbao (built 1993 to 1997), with its extraordinary architecture and art works. Andrea’s talk will follow on from morning tea (at 10.30).
Bernie and Diana
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Talk by Norbert Mulholland on the Paintings in the Centre's Main Room
It is 30 years almost to the day since Norbert Mulholland painted the planetary seals as well as the 'Representative of Man' on the walls in the Main Room.
Some members have expressed interest in knowing more about these paintings and Norbert has generously offered to give a talk about these paintings, also in the context of the First Goetheanum.
We invite you to Norbert's talk on
Saturday, 27th September 2025 at 2pm.
We will have a break during the talk for afternoon tea.
Gerrit Raichle
For the Committee
** Norbert’s description: "This talk/presentation will give an extensive overview of Rudolf Steiner’s intentions when he undertook to paint the south side of the small cupola (including the central figure) of The First Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. It will cover the origin of his extraordinary vision, his groundbreaking techniques with plant colours, his decisiveness, and courage as an artist. It will also outline the importance of the very image itself—its power, and the effect it has on the viewer.
The second part will context the painting within the sculptural/architectural achievement of The First Goetheanum. We will experience how the law of metamorphosis was actually realised artistically for the first time, providing a prototype for a truly living art and architecture of the future: that is NOW!"
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Spring Festival Notice -
– Spring Festival –
– the Festival of Enlightenment –
– ‘Oh Human being, know thyself’ –
– Sunday 12th October 2025 –
Events:
Saturday, 11th Oct at 3pm – There will be a stirring of the Biodynamic Preparation 500 with Jen Speedy.
Sunday, 12th Oct at 3pm – a reading of Lecture 5 "The Working together of the Four Archangels" from ‘The Four Seasons and the Archangels’with John Jackson
Sunday, 12th Oct at 7pm – social gathering and Festival Celebration
This will be a celebration of spring, the joy in nature – with an earnest note addressed to each of us:
Alexandre Pushkin presents us with an initiation in the desert in his ‘Prophet’ – spoken by the festival chorus;
Leslie Waite will give the festival address on the forces at work in the spring time.
There will be a presentation of Scene 4 from the ‘Portal of Initiation’, Rudolf Steiner’s first Mystery Drama – holding up a mirror to our time and consciousness, our extreme cleverness and immersion in material gold, as perceived by the natural and spiritual world.
Verses, poems and music – our CHB friends will be there again to enliven us with music, and we will sing and move together.
All welcome – bring some friends.
With many thanks to all involved, preparing this event! –
Astrid Pook & John Jackson.
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Meditation Workshop in December
3-day Anthroposophic Meditation Workshop -- Connecting to your higher self
How do I come into a meditative deepening that connects me to my own spiritual source?
Leaders:
Agnes Hardorp was born in Hamburg, Germany and grew up in the United States. She has worked as a professional singer, voice teacher, pianist and eurythmist. For the past 20 years she has been teaching courses in Anthroposophical Meditation all around Germany, Switzerland, Holland and Austria.
Thomas Mayer was born in Kempten, Germany. He was co-founder and director of “More Democracy”and has organized many local referendums in Germany and Switzerland. He has published books on elemental beings and nature spirits and “Covid Vaccines from a Spiritual Perspective – Consequences for the Soul and Spirit and for Life after Death”. For the past 20 years he has been teaching meditation together with Agnes.
URGENT
We are asking for expression of interest for this Meditation Workshop (see link for more details) by Friday, 13th September.
It is possible to bring this to Hawke's Bay if enough people register interest.
Please contact me latest by Friday 13th if you are interested.
Gerrit gwr@actrix.co.nz
For Anthroposophy in Hawkes Bay Committee
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In preparation for Spring Festival (12 October)
I would like to invite members to listen to 2 lectures by Jeshaiah ben Aharon.
Ahrimanic immortality, Matrix and singularity. A good preparation for the coming spring festival (where Scene 4 of Rudolf Steiner's first Mystery "Portal of Initiation" will be presented).
He shows how much success Ahriman has achieved over the last century since the death of Dr Steiner. The second lecture is on Michaelic immortality.
The YouTube links are:
John Allison
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Items, Notices, Letters, or articles of interest to the Hawkes Bay Anthroposophical community
ARE MOST WELCOME
Please email your text by midday Saturday to the Editor at info@anthrohb.nz with"For AnthroHB News" in the subject line.
Diagrams and pictures need to be in .jpeg or .jpg format.
Robin Bacchus, Editor
~~~~~
Thoughts about the concept of land ownership:
One of the most famous expressions of indigenous people's relationship to the land is
Chief Seattle's Speech in 1854 to Governor Stevens
When Governor Isaac Stevens first arrived in Seattle he told the natives he had been appointed commissioner of Indian Affairs for Washington Territory and that he wished them to sign a land treaty. They gave him a demonstrative reception in front of Doctor Maynard's office, near the water front (Puget Sound) on Main Street.
The Bay swarmed with canoes and the shore was lined with a living mass of swaying, writhing, dusky humanity, until Old Chief Seattle’s trumpet-toned voice rolled over the immense multitude, like the startling reveille of a bass drum, when silence became as instantaneous and perfect as that which follows a clap of thunder from a clear sky.
The governor was then introduced to the native multitude by Dr. Maynard, and at once commenced, in a conversational, plain, and straight-forward style, an explanation of his mission among them, which is too well understood to require recapitulation.
When he sat down, Chief Seattle arose with all the dignity of a senator, who carries the responsibilities of a great nation on his shoulders. Placing one hand on the governor's head, and slowly pointing heavenward with the index finger of the other, he commenced his memorable address in solemn and impressive tones:
“Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon my people for centuries untold, and which to us appears changeless and eternal, may change. Today is fair. Tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds. My words are like the stars that never change. Whatever Seattle says, the great chief at Washington can rely upon with as much certainty as he can upon the return of the sun or the seasons. The white chief says that Big Chief at Washington sends us greetings of friendship and goodwill.
This is kind of him for we know he has little need of our friendship in return. His people are many. They are like the grass that covers vast prairies. My people are few. They resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain. The great, and I presume — good, White Chief sends us word that he wishes to buy our land but is willing to allow us enough to live comfortably. This indeed appears just, even generous, for the Red Man no longer has rights that he need respect, and the offer may be wise, also, as we are no longer in need of an extensive country.
There was a time when our people covered the land as the waves of a wind-ruffled sea cover its shell-paved floor, but that time long since passed away with the greatness of tribes that are now but a mournful memory. I will not dwell on, nor mourn over, our untimely decay, nor reproach my paleface brothers with hastening it, as we too may have been somewhat to blame.
Youth is impulsive. When our young men grow angry at some real or imaginary wrong, and disfigure their faces with black paint, it denotes that their hearts are black, and that they are often cruel and relentless, and our old men and old women are unable to restrain them. Thus it has ever been. Thus it was when the white man began to push our forefathers ever westward. But let us hope that the hostilities between us may never return. We would have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Revenge by young men is considered gain, even at the cost of their own lives, but old men who stay at home in times of war, and mothers who have sons to lose, know better.
Our good father in Washington – for I presume he is now our father as well as yours, since King George* has moved his boundaries further north – our great and good father, I say, sends us word that if we do as he desires he will protect us. His brave warriors will be to us a bristling wall of strength, and his wonderful ships of war will fill our harbours, so that our ancient enemies far to the northward will cease to frighten our women, children, and old men. Then in reality he will be our father and we his children.
But can that ever be? Your God is not our God! Your God loves your people and hates mine! He folds his strong protecting arms lovingly about the paleface and leads him by the hand as a father leads an infant son. But, He has forsaken His Red children, if they really are His. Our God, the Great Spirit, seems also to have forsaken us. Your God makes your people wax stronger every day. Soon they will fill all the land. Our people are ebbing away like a rapidly receding tide that will never return.
The white man’s God cannot love our people or He would protect them. They seem to be orphans who can look nowhere for help. How then can we be brothers? How can your God become our God and renew our prosperity and awaken in us dreams of returning greatness? If we have a common Heavenly Father He must be partial, for He came to His paleface children. We never saw Him. He gave you laws but had no word for His red children whose teeming multitudes once filled this vast continent as stars fill the firmament. No; we are two distinct races with separate origins and separate destinies. There is little in common between us.
To us the ashes of our ancestors are sacred and their resting place is hallowed ground. You wander far from the graves of your ancestors and seemingly without regret. Your religion was written upon tablets of stone by the iron finger of your God so that you could not forget. The Red Man could never comprehend or remember it. Our religion is the traditions of our ancestors — the dreams of our old men, given them in solemn hours of the night by the Great Spirit; and the visions of our sachems, and is written in the hearts of our people.
Your dead cease to love you and the land of their nativity as soon as they pass the portals of the tomb and wander away beyond the stars. They are soon forgotten and never return. Our dead never forget this beautiful world that gave them being. They still love its verdant valleys, its murmuring rivers, its magnificent mountains, sequestered vales and verdant lined lakes and bays, and ever yearn in tender fond affection over the lonely hearted living, and often return from the happy hunting ground to visit, guide, console, and comfort them.
Day and night cannot dwell together. The Red Man has ever fled the approach of the White Man, as the morning mist flees before the morning sun. However, your proposition seems fair and I think that my people will accept it and will retire to the reservation you offer them. Then we will dwell apart in peace, for the words of the Great White Chief seem to be the words of nature speaking to my people out of dense darkness.
It matters little where we pass the remnant of our days. They will not be many. The Indian’s night promises to be dark. Not a single star of hope hovers above his horizon. Sad-voiced winds moan in the distance. Grim fate seems to be on the Red Man’s trail, and wherever he will hear the approaching footsteps of his fell destroyer and prepare stolidly to meet his doom, as does the wounded doe that hears the approaching footsteps of the hunter.
A few more moons, a few more winters, and not one of the descendants of the mighty hosts that once moved over this broad land or lived in happy homes, protected by the Great Spirit, will remain to mourn over the graves of a people once more powerful and hopeful than yours. But why should I mourn at the untimely fate of my people? Tribe follows tribe, and nation follows nation, like the waves of the sea. It is the order of nature, and regret is useless. Your time of decay may be distant, but it will surely come, for even the White Man whose God walked and talked with him as friend to friend, cannot be exempt from the common destiny. We may be brothers after all. We will see.
We will ponder your proposition and when we decide we will let you know. But should we accept it, I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as the swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.
Our departed braves, fond mothers, glad, happy hearted maidens, and even the little children who lived here and rejoiced here for a brief season, will love these sombre solitudes and at eventide they greet shadowy returning spirits. And when the last Red Man shall have perished, and the memory of my tribe shall have become a myth among the White Men, these shores will swarm with the invisible dead of my tribe, and when your children’s children think themselves alone in the field, the store, the shop, upon the highway, or in the silence of the pathless woods, they will not be alone. In all the earth there is no place dedicated to solitude. At night when the streets of your cities and villages are silent and you think them deserted, they will throng with the returning hosts that once filled them and still love this beautiful land. The White Man will never be alone.
Let him be just and deal kindly with my people, for the dead are not powerless. Dead, did I say? There is no death, only a change of worlds.”
Notes:
- Taken from: https://www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/cspn/Website/Classroom%20Materials/Reading%20the%20Region/Texts%20by%20and%20about%20Natives/Texts/7.html
- Chief Seattle was born in the 1780s – the same decade in which the USA Constitution was ratified. The city of Seattle in Washington State was named after him.
- This Treaty in 1854 (seeking to acquire land from the native Indians) was 14 years after New Zealand’s Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
- King George III was no longer the monarch of England – Queen Victoria started her reign in1837. Franklin Pierce was President of the USA from 1853 to 1857.
- Dr. Henry Smith was the one who recorded Chief Seattle's speech, taking notes in the Suquamish dialect and reconstructing the English text years later. However, Smith's version, published in the Seattle Sunday Star in 1887, is considered highly questionable, as Seattle spoke no English, and Smith was a poet known for his flowery prose. The widely circulated version of the speech was written in the 1970s by Ted Perry for an environmental film.
