A poem by David Adams

Recently we have had a couple of visitors from Botton Village, England, namely David Adams and his wife Marie-Reine. During the few days of their stay we saw them at the Christian Community and at Cascadia Society for Social Working, our local Camphill in North Vancouver. They are on a tour of several countries to visit various Camphill locations. Last Sunday at our Christian Community we had a special event after the Michaelmas where many of us sat in a circle and shared poems both self created and quoted from existing authors, stories and music. The last song we sang is one written by Giselher Weber in 1983 called Arcangel Michael. Giselher is a gentleman who attends our Congregation here in this part of the world and although this song is not too well known here, incredibly it is very much sung over in England! You just never know where one's creation may catch on and become popular! The next day at Cascadia David Adams handed me a copy of his own poem which he had read out at Michaelmas and asked me to post it here which I will now do on his behalf. It appears to be an untitled poem.

Let us just be famous
Famous for the truth.
Open, trusting, positive
And other such virtues
Calling from the future.

As our castles crumble round us
Let us stand straight and tall
Wearing these qualities like a cloak
So we do not fall.
Let us be open and honest
Striving for the truth.
This will lead to freedom
And the new-dawning day.
                   David Adams 


 All the contributions that day were well recieved and it was a very pleasant event in general, there have been similar gatherings in our community before and God willing there will be more!

Easter Monday Walk

It was my intention to post these photos a long time ago but for some reason I could not get them to appear all on one post at the same time. So today I will just put up a few of the very best images and I will let them do most of the talking. Basically several of us went to Burnaby Lake after the Service on Easter Monday. Most people had lunch first then we walked east along the shore a ways just enjoying the scenery and the wonderful sunshine! At the eastern end of the lake Gerry, my wife Leila and I decided we would continue all the way around Burnaby Lake, some of those photos are here too. Enjoy!

Listening

Dear Friends:
I read somewhere that these 3 days, September 20 to 22, and very important dates for 2013. Perhaps partly because we just had the full moon, and also because it includes the autumnal equinox. To me this means that we must strive to use all our inner sensory perceptions and to be "aware" of all that comes to us. All summer in our Sunday services, we were exhorted to do this as well, to strive to develop our inner "eyes" and "ears".
I set out with this in mind this morning, as I took my dog for a walk around our nearby man-made lake. It's a lovely little lake, home to many ducks and geese, sometimes a beaver, or river otter, or even turtles. The city recently added a beautiful fountain, and in winter the trees are decorated with lights.

This is a picture of the one in our famous Stanley Park.
The thing that struck me most this morning on our walk was the sound of the cascading water. Of course, with a natural waterfall, this is even more impressive. Nevertheless, the sound filled me with a sense of something streaming into my soul. Imagine that something good is streaming into your consciousness, loving gifts from the universe. This is the time of year when our gaze in the northern hemisphere turns inward, so to speak. Through quiet walks in nature, meditation and contemplation, we can be open to what is streaming towards us and ultimately, the true message of Christmas. Peace and Good Will to all people on Earth.

"Do you hear what I hear?"

Sparky

For the sake of the Child

This is just a very quick blog, encouraging people to look at Stephanie Georgieff's blog: blackmadonnaheart.blogspot.com It's a very wonderful blog, particularly her last one on September 10th. I haven't been following the news lately, but as of the 10th, the situation for Syria at least sounded encouraging. I'm bringing it up for several reasons, other than political: In my corner of the world, there are many people who have come from the Middle East for a chance of a better life for their families, including Syria and Iran. I have the opportunity to meet and talk with them, as a worker in the health care industry. Contrary to what you might hear in the media, they are not all radical terrorists. The women in particular, are strong, intelligent, practical, warm, friendly and loving mothers and wives. They want what any woman would want: a chance for their children to grow up in a world that knows peace, not fear. A world where there are job opportunities, to be able to support their families. A world that does not know despair, pain, or hunger. When you look at an image of the Madonna and Child, you know this is their message, too. It's not just a dream or a wish that can never come true. As Stephanie writes, this is possible by taking the Christ into our hearts. What a truly wonderful gift, and the best part is, it's free, all you have to do is ask, wherever you are, right now. Sparky

Rain at last!

Hi there! This may seem a strange title for our Vancouver Centre, but we have actually enjoyed a long dry summer this year. I believe July was the driest on record, and very little has fallen in August until just this week. Under such conditions, we often will get a thunderstorm, and such was the case last night. Personally, I love storms, especially windstorms. If you live on the Prairies, you can get spectacular displays of lightning, particularly chain lightning. If you live by a body of water, you will know that you are often subject to a strong wind factor. After such a long dry spell, however, the rain is welcome. The air feels fresh and clean. It settles the dust, and people can literally breathe easier. Of course, the earth and plants are very grateful, too. It doesn't take long for the grass to become lush and green again. Oh, and don't forget to watch for a rainbow! There is such a thing also as being "spiritually" parched. I see this all the time in people I know who have failed to acknowledge the presence of God. I feel it every Sunday as I sit, absorbed in the Act of Consecration of Man, and am so grateful to have this in my life. Without spiritual "water" a person can eventually wilt and dry up under the glare or pressure of everyday life, especially in times of crisis. As we prepare to return to our regular Fall activities and come together again, let us keep this in mind and be ever grateful for the fact that we have the opportunity to experience "drinking from the well" on a regular basis. There are lots of songs about the desert and water, but this is one of my favorites, called "Desert Pete": I was travelin' west of Buckskin on my way to a cattle run, 'cross a little cactus desert under a hot, blisterin' sun. Thirsty down to my toenails, I stopped to rest me on a stump, but I tell you I just couldn't believe it when I saw that water pump. I took it to be a mirage at first. It'll fool a thirsty man. Then I saw a note stuck in a bakin' powder can. "This pump is old," the note began, "but she works. So give'er a try. I put a new sucker washer in 'er. You may find the leather dry. Chorus: You've got to prime the pump. You must have faith and believe. You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive. Drink all the water you can hold. Wash your face cool your feet. Leave the bottle full for others. Thank you kindly, Desert Pete. Yeah, you'll have to prime the pump, work that handle like there's a fire. Under the rock you'll find some water left there in a bitter's jar. Now there's just enough to prime it with, so don't you go drinkin' first. Just pour it in and pump like mad and, buddy, you'll quench your thirst. (Chorus) Well, I found the jar, and I tell you, nothin' was ever prettier to my eye and I was tempted strong to drink it because that pump looked mighty dry, but the note went on, "Have faith, my friend, there's water down below. You've got to give to really get. I'm the one who ought to know." So I poured in the jar and started pumpin' and I heard a beautiful sound of water bubblin' 'n' splashin' up out of that hole in the ground. Then I took off my shoes and drunk my fill of that cold refreshin' treat. Then I thanked the Lord, and I thanked the pump, and I thanked old Desert Pete. Sparky

When two worlds collide

August 11, we were treated to a lecture by Johannes Kuhl from Switzerland on rainbows and other natural heavenly phenomona. These happen as a result of a collision, if you like, between light and dark, in a way one could even say like fireworks. There are actually different kinds of rainbows, some of which although they may exist theoretically, are still waiting to be discovered, or perceived. According to the Bible, rainbows only first existed in the time of Noah. Prior to then, it was not possible for them to appear, or for humans to perceive them. As humanity evolves, so will our perception. The same idea relates to the human be-ing. As we evolve, we will be able to perceive things which we cannot at present. Other senses will be opened. Historically, and especially in the 20th century, we are becoming more and more "aware" of other realities. I am thinking in terms of the Age of Exploration, when East met West, and North met South. We were all of a sudden confronted by other cultures. As our hearts and minds were opened, we came to an appreciation and respect for these differences, or are at least striving to do this. When two worlds meet each other, there is a new window of limitless possibilities. We can see this in nature, in the evolution of plant and animal species, and of course people. Where male and female come together, there are again endless possibilities, or one could say, variations. (We see this also in music, especially in Wagner's Ring Cycle, as described by Daniel Hafner in his lectures.)We are presently experiencing the onset of the so-called Age of Aquarius, or a more female-oriented point of view. What will this mean in the future? In order for humanity to continue its evolution, there must be a cooperation between male and female points of view, or orientation. Where the female is more emotion/feeling/intuition and the male is more action-oriented, there must come about a harmony between the two, a blending or balancing. When two worlds collide, sparks fly. "I've got the notion, you cause a commotion, in my soul."

Echoes of Living Gold

Dear friends, Wednesday and Thursday this week, the congregation in Vancouver was treated to a workshop by Rev. Daniel Hafner on Wagner's Ring Cycle, as a precursor to the stage performance, set to begin in Seattle on August 4, and continuing on the 5th, 7th and 9th. Tonight, he is doing a talk in Seattle at 7:30 p.m. Contact information is DoloresRose Dauenhauer at steinerbooks@comcast.net, or 206-524-2561, or 206-985-2059. I encourage everyone who can, to make this talk, even if you are not an opera, or classical music, fan. Not only did our "Bragi" strike a chord in our hearts, but our time with him was pure gold. How and why Wagner set about to write this cycle of operas, and then also Parsifal,is indeed a deep mystery. If one looks at the topics of his essays from 1879 to 1883, one can begin to catch a glimmer of what he was about. Consider also that the premiere for the Ring Cycle was in 1876, and the premiere for Parsifal was in 1882, and then recall the great cosmic event that happened in 1879. Rev. Hafner's lectures could rightly have been included in our conference on Living Gold last year, and it's a pity that only a small number of people were able to hear what he had to say. Do try to catch his lecture tonight. Sparky