Newsletter 05: Sunday 1 February 2026

Committee News

Earth  Radiating  Spirit

 Celebrating the Foundation Stone

of the Goetheanum 

Friday 20th 7 pm

Saturday 21st 8:45 am to 2 pm

Rudolf Steiner Centre

401 Whitehead Road

Hastings

You are invited to be part of this International Anthroposophical Experience. There is no charge for attendance but a koha will be appreciated.

 To assist with catering and organisation, please enrol a.s.a.p. before 12th February, and inform us of your choice of artistic activity. 
Please contact Bernie Raichle: sophia@actrix.co.nz

Programme

Friday  20th  February    (Koha)

7.00p.m.         Welcome and Verse by Michelle Vette, followed by -

                         a talk by Norbert Mulholland

The Momentous Significance of the laying of the Foundation Stone of the Johannes Bau
(later called The Goetheanum)
"How Christian Rosenkreutz, Master Jesus and Rudolf Steiner joined forces to establish the
new mysteries; erecting the first public mystery temple ‘The House of The Word’, where The
Divine Trinity would give humanity the means to overcome evil and fulfill the mission of the
earth."

   Saturday 21st February  (Koha)

8.45  - 10. 15       “The Foundation Stone’s relevance for us today?”

                             by Norbert Mulholland

10.15  - 11.00       Morning tea -  with related art displays -
                             = in the Foyer, Art by Class 9 students at Taikura School   
                             = in Main Room, a stellated Icosahedron turning into a Dodecahedron,
                                    a model created by Chris Bacchus                                                                                 

11.00 - 12.15       Activities based on the theme of the Foundation Stone

1  Exploring the Geometry of the Dodecahedron - Robin Bacchus

2.  The Pentagram and the Sun of Christ, Painting - Margaret-Mary Farr

3.  The Saturday Rhythm of the Foundation Stone Meditation: Pastel Drawing - Eva-Maria Steinmetz-Urieli

12.15 - 12.30          Break

12.30 -  1.15        “World Conference Reflections”        

- Michelle Vette

1.15  - 2.00          Question time -  Norbert Mulholland

                    Conclusion and Verse,   Michelle Vette

Activities

1. Exploring the Geometry of the Dodecahedron - Robin Bacchus

The Pentagram is a mystical symbol with an intimate connection to the Golden Ratio, as seen in Greek architecture and Renaissance art.  We will draw a pentagram using only a compass and a straight-edge (in the ancient Greek style), then explore its relation to the Golden Ratio.

2. The Pentagram and the Sun of Christ - Margaret-Mary Farr

“At the turning point of Time, The Spirit-Light Entered the stream of Earthly Being….”
During the painting process, we will be working with the different qualities of light.

3. The Saturday Rhythm of the Foundation Stone Meditation - Eva-Maria Steinmetz-Urieli

Pastel Drawing:  Participants will be invited to hear, take in and respond creatively, out of their own imagination, to one aspect of the Foundation Stone Meditation, Saturday Rhythm ( slightly extended). A short introduction to Pastel Drawing will be given. No prior experience with pastel drawing is required. We will reflect on the collective of your creations to glean insights to the meditation.

Embraced by the Earth

Radiating to the Spirit of the World

is the Foundation Stone.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speech Course Notice:

Dear members and friends of the Anthroposophical Society,

We are having a visiting tutor, Penelope Snowdon-Lait from Christchurch, offering a Speech and Drama Course in Hawke’s Bay, in February, with local colleagues assisting her.  The speech tutors introduce themselves here.

Dates: Monday 23rd to Friday 27th February

This is closely linked to the theme of "Earth Radiating Spirit"  A Celebration of the Foundation Stone of the Goetheanum also in February.

St. Francis of Assisi wrote:

“Praised be my Lord for our sister, the bodily death,
From the which no living man can flee.
Woe to them who die in mortal sin;
Blessed those who shall find themselves in Thy most holy will,
For the second death shall do them no ill.”

He was aware of the inner transformation we can bring about when we ‘die before we die’ – which means: “letting go of the personal, imperfect self – taming our astrality (animal world), to prepare for the coming of our Higher Self”

This is a level of consciousness brought about through work with drama and the sacred use of speech in the Mysteries of Ancient Greece.  Looking towards the future development of consciousness, the personal element has to be transcended, and drama, in the way demonstrated in Rudolf Steiner’s Speech and Drama Course, becomes a tool towards this aim, both for the training of acting, as well as for the stage, showing transformative pictures, enlivened by the cosmic forces of the planets and the zodiac, in the vowels and consonants of language.  This is exciting higher learning, linking us to the spiritual in a very practical way, involving all parts of our being.

In the Foundation Stone Meditation, our soul, in the limbs, the heart and the head is being called upon to work at transformation.

But what is Spirit-remembering (remembering in the spirit), and how can you practise it?!!! – likewise Spirit-Awareness (not just on a day-to-day physical level..?) – and what about ‘Spirit-Beholding’?
These seem to be tall orders of a rather intangible kind...

However, when our whole being, with body, life-energy, soul and spirit is involved in a process manifesting the spiritual on stage – working with drama in a new way, perhaps we can come closer to the inspirations needed, to begin to meditate in a new way too?

This course is for anyone who would like to experience raising drama, and speech, to a level of consciousness, where the audience can experience the spiritual, a consciousness for society of the future.

No prior knowledge is needed for this, just openness and willingness to jump in and experience something new.

For those who wish to go somewhat deeper, you are welcome to stay on for the second part of the morning, where we will go more into drama work.

Costs and further details are on the poster.

We would appreciate early enrolment to gauge the number of committed participants.

With warm regards,

Astrid Anderson,

On behalf of the Tutors of “Spirit of the Word”
(021 215 4019 or starguide@xtra.co.nz) 

**COFFEE AND CONVERSATION at the Steiner Centre
Mondays from 9th February at 8:30 am
Fridays from 13th February at 1:30 pm

Starting second week in February - 9th
For those of you who wish to help with the above initiative, please send
me an email to chrsbacchus@gmail.com

I will make a roster so that people can be there at those times to help.
I expect there to be only a couple of people in for coffee and conversation.
One person [plus yours truly] should be enough.
The coffee and conversaton should end Mondays 10:30 am;  Fridays 3 pm.
Christopher Bacchus

I was wondering if any readers might have copies of Jakob Streit’s books that I could borrow — 
"And There Was Light", 
"Journey to the Promised Land", 
"We Will Build a Temple".

I’m currently reading them as an online .pdf to my 9 year old, but it would be wonderful to be able to read them together from a physical book.

Amaali Shaw  
email amaali@pm.me