Life at the Seminary

Hi Everyone!  I hope this finds you all well.

It’s cold and windy here in Toronto, but I am enjoying my half hour walk to the Seminary.  I’ve now experienced all weather - Sun, rain, wind and snow.  The work we are doing in our courses has an impact on how I’m experiencing nature.  This week we had an intensive course on the First Goetheanum with Ruediger Janisch.   This was a wonderful journey through photos, drawings and descriptions of what the Goetheanum looked like, how it was built, the windows, wood carvings, and what it might be like to experience it.  To start each morning we moved Eurythmy forms and then drew them with our feet.  Rudolph Steiner gave this exercise to eurythmists, therapeutic teachers, teachers and to actors.

Seminarian drawing with his foot

Not only did we draw with our feet but we also had to make a mirror image on opposite sides of the page, and we had to switch feet.  We did this 4 days, each day adding a form.  I had no idea how hard this could be!!!  But then when I was walking to school I started to notice mirroring in nature wherever I looked.  On the first snowfall I saw the leaves mirroring below:

Found on the sidewalk, Richmond Hill

The first year students are studying the book Goethe’s Theory of Knowledge.  Thus far we have been reading and discussing the experience of thought.  Next week our class will try to put these ideas into dramatic form with a skit - we think we’ll call it Hegel’s Begals.  Hopefully it depicts the idea of objective thoughts!

I am really enjoying our art course.  One session we were asked to paint a landscape depicting where we were at in our journey with the Seminary.   I was missing the mountains of home and started painting them and then added some light that turned into a cross and then three paths arose:

Erica’s Painting

This painting could be looked at as paths to the Christ, but for me it is something different.  It’s a picture of being at the alter, turning around and taking Christ within me on any path in life.

Next week we have the course The Second Coming - Expectations in the Gospels.  The week after, November 18th - 21st, is an open course at the Seminary. Anyone can join us in person or on the computer!  It would be wonderful to have some of you join us.  To register follow the link below...  a donation is asked for but not necessary to participate.  Perhaps you could get together to watch, perhaps you’ll see me as I’ll be in class during the webinar!!  The course is called

The New Revelation of Christ: The Second Coming and the ‘Lord of Karma’

https://www.christiancommunityseminary.org/event/karma-reincarnation-and-the-new-experience-of-christ-tentative-title/

I’m half way through our first semester - 6 weeks and I shall be flying home for Christmas.  I’m hoping to be at church in Vancouver on December 22nd and perhaps see some of you.  Before that I hope to post again.
Warmly, Erica