Dear friends/ liebe Freunde,

since the last edition of the eNews in October we had a very intense and interesting time here in Dornach. As things calmed down a little bit in terms of managing the transformation of the physical house (not too much though), we were more and more able to focus on the outside and see what happens in the world. First of all we lauched our Thursday discussion group, which was the core and a weekly 'coming back' for these explorations, which quickly turned inside as well. Secondly we attended several meetings, where we were able to have a broader view what kind of (youth-/social-)work there is and in what ways we have to developpe this further.

Still, the transformation time of our 'good old YouthSection' is still not over (and will hopefully never be). What thrives us, what is there to be done and how in the times we are living in? - Well, this edition of the eNews gives you a tiny insight in the work we were doing and also tries to give a overview, what there will be offered in 2012.

We wish you a quiet Christmas time and hope to see you next year either here in Dornach or somewhere else in the world!

Love,

Lisa and Che

PS: If the eNews isn't shown properly (pictures), please click here.

Constanzas Invitation/ Constanzas Einladung

Dear friends,

Firstly a big thank-you to Lisa and Che (our new team) who are making this transition period possible.

The YouthSection is a place where the possibility is always given to have that special something: the encounter. This encounter with others also transforms me. It is an encounter with that which is already there and that which is new, the unexpected future. This encounter lives in all of us and is what connects us all to the present. The YouthSection is a place where the present is carried and realized through our presence; it is a place where the questions of our time can actually be lived.

These questions of our time can also be the content of our encounter with the YouthSection. I look forward to our work together with much joy and anticipation. We will see what themes will develop out of our work and time together. I welcome you all in this process!

Warmest regards (still) from São Paulo,

Constanza.

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Deutsch:

Liebe Freunde,

Als erstes hier einen grossen, grossen Dank an Lisa und Che (unser neues Team) die diese Übergangszeit in der Jugendsektion durch Ihre Arbeit ermöglichen.

Jugendsektion ist ein Ort wo sich jedesmal wieder abspielen kann dass, was so kostbar ist: Begegnug. Begegnung mit den anderen, durch die ich selbst ja auch ein anderer werde. Begegnung von dem, was schon da war und das neue, das unerwartete, das zukünftige, dass ja lebt in jedem und dass uns alle verbindet mit der Gegenwart. Ein Ort in dem die Gegenwart sich durch unsere Gegenwärtigkeit verwirklicht, und wo also die Fragen unserer Zeit tatsächlich leben können.

Diese Fragen können auch Inhalt sein unserer Begenungen in der Jugendsektion. Mit sehr freudiger Erwartung schaue ich auf die gemeinsame Arbeit die sich aus ihnen entwickeln kann! Wir werden sehen welche Themen sich aus unser Zusammensein entfalten. Seid alle sehr willkommen dazu!

Herzliche Grüsse (noch) aus São Paulo,

Constanza.

New Civil Rights, New Civilisation

A reflection on the current "Occupy-Movement" by the former YouthSection co-worker John Stubley who is and was engaged in New York City.

On a certain level it is relatively easy to see the connection between earlier ‘civil rights’ struggles and what is currently unfolding through the Occupy movement.
But we must have the courage to dig a little deeper and see what, in reality, is the living connection between such movements in human history, and that which we are witnessing in our own time.
In the concept of ‘civil’ we can find much to help us. To be civil means to express something of the front wave of human and social striving – to be ‘civilised’ is to represent something of where civilisation itself wishes to move towards. Civil society today is that realm of social life where a new and moral civilisation-building force is able to flow into society as a whole. Civil rights has to do with the way in which this civil – and ultimately cultural – force is able to affect the life of rights, of polity.
This can be seen in the great leaders of earlier civil rights movements both in America and around the world. Martin Luther King Jr in the USA, Mahatma Ghandi in India, Nelson Mandela in South Africa, Jose Rizal in the Philippines, and so on.
The concept of ‘civil disobedience’ must also be mentioned here because it became something of a moral technique employed by many of these movements. Henry David Thoreau’s work on civil disobedience and its further articulation by Ghandi, King, Mandela, Tolstoy and many others is central to all civil rights activities, including the Occupy movement. Civil disobedience has become a kind of moral weapon.
Indeed, any other kind of weapon, or activity, ultimately falls short of the transformation of society as a whole. There must be a kind of moral or spiritual force at work if any true or lasting change is to take place in social life.
In this sense, Thoreau, Emerson, Whitman and other transcendentalists of America were also civil rights leaders – they stood up for the moral and spiritual nature of the human being.
Anywhere a new way of being with one another as human beings announces itself through the true spiritual striving of individuals shall we, in truth, find an articulation of civil rights activity. True spiritual striving can no longer be divorced from the realities of daily life.
King’s final words in public, the day before he was assassinated, were: “I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Tolstoy’s main work on civil disobedience was titled The Kingdom of God is Within You. Emerson’s greatest concept is perhaps that of ‘Self-Reliance’ – the capacity to rest upon the spiritual nature of one’s own self. Ghandi’s ‘Be the change you want to see in the world,’ speaks for itself, as did Mandela’s ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ following the end of apartheid in South Africa.
The success of these earlier movements rests upon the capacity of leaders to speak to the highest nature of others, so that others may freely and willingly act out of their own self-reliance. In the Occupy movement, it is not that there are no leaders – it is that there is a potential leader in everybody. Central to the Occupy movement is the desire to make a space for the leader – for the self-reliant spiritual activity – of the other human being.
This must continue to develop and flow into the movement as a whole if it is to bear true fruit. Only by acting out of our highest, spiritual potential will we be able to create a world worthy of the highest nature of the human being. The civilisation being asked for today can only be built out of bricks fired in the kiln of the living spirit. We can help one another to achieve this.
In addition to a heart organ of equality, we must also have a head organ able to develop its unique capacities in freedom, and hands that are able to work co-operatively with others. In such a way shall we build a society where it is once again possible to find the human being – a spiritual cultural life working in complete freedom, a political-rights life based on equality, and an economic life based upon the cooperation of mankind. The archetypal human organism seeks to find itself in the archetypal social organism.
Only by seeking to create, out of love, the social organism as it itself is seeking to be, will we create the right kind of vessel for the true spirit of progress of our time to find right footing on the earth today. Nothing less is being asked of us than this – to create not only new civil rights activity, but new civilisation – one worthy of the true nature of the human being.

John Stubley

Original Post: http://occupythefuture.org/2011/11/22/new-civil-rights-new-civilisation/

For further impulses, ideas, actions, reflections go on with the following Websites, which are connected to to author:

www.occupythefuture.org

www.socialpoetry.net

Review Fall/Winter 2011

: Discussing in Berlin

: World Café...

: ...at the...

: ...Social Colloquium in Dornach

We would like to share with you some reflections on two meetings we, Lisa and Che, attended recently. The third short reflection will be on our Thursday evenings here in the YouthSection, Dornach and what has been going on so far.

1) Jugendkolloquium, Berlin-Kreuzberg, 11th-13th November 2011

At the first frosty (!) weekend of November, Lisa and me were attending the “Youth Colloquium” in the full vibe of Berlin-Kreuzberg – an office-space to rent house in 19^th Century style, which was full of interesting people and projects (“impact berlin”). Michael Schmock, board member of the Anthroposophical Society in Germany for the youth, invited for the Colloquium, which was organized mainly by Benjamin Kolass and Joshua Conens and many more to help practically.

In a group of 40 to 45 we started at the first evening by discussing with a look into the happenings in the world (Arabic Spring, Occupy Wall Street etc.). The aim was to dig deeper into the question in what time we are living in, how we can perceive this and what we can do about it.

Benjamin Kolass put out (amongst others) the guiding questions, which supported us threw the whole meeting. First there were the questions: What gives me the strength to get up in the morning? Or: What is my initiative? And secondly we tried to find out from what environments we are acting. And ultimately: In what time do I live in?

During the rest of the Colloquium (till Sunday) there were many initiatives presented. The idea was to have an insight into the going ons in young projects (mostly in Germany but also in other parts of Europe), which have in some way an anthroposophical background. Starting from the individual, the definition of a “project” was really concerning the question what I am working on in the moment.

One reason to organize this meeting was to present the “Jugendfond” of the Anthroposophical Society in Germany, who exists for some years now and to review and collect thoughts n that. The funds aim is to support individuals (and sometimes projects) in their life situation in order to “free up” some time for work, which could not be done without that support. The most interesting thing, which appeared in the discussion as well, was the question weather you support a project, the work itself, a “business plan” or the individual itself with all its up and downs. More

Che

2) Social Colloquium, Goetheanum Dornach, 24th-27th November 2011

Che and I both took part in the Social Colloquium from the Social Sciences Section at the Goetheanum during the weekend. The purpose of the colloquium was to see whether something in the forms of a global social lab could come about in the future. The Colloquium saw people from all corners of the globe come to the Goetheanum to discuss this possibility, under the title "Anthroposophy in Service for Human Development". The discussions were filled with much passion and energy, but also some frustration and concern. I would like to share some reflections of this weekend that apply generally to the work of Youth in the world.

The concerns voiced regarded the general perception of the Goetheanum in the world. There is hurt on one side of those not at the Goetheanum (who feel it to be abstracted from the world) and those from the Goetheanum (that it is perceived in precicely this abstracted form). What really needs to happen is that the quality of both parties needs to be fully valued. Precicely in the fact that there is a certain level of abstraction from the world, a level of thinking, reflection and work is made possible at the Goetheanum that, without this `abstraction` would not be possible. On the other hand, it cannot be left to itself and needs to be enriched by those associated with it, be it members or not, who actively participate in the world. Ideally it is an interweaving relationship which enriches one another and becomes unhealthy without the other side. The picture of the lemniscate may be applicable here.

The whole meeting also underlined the importance of an interaction between those who have already established their initiatives and those seeking to find a place for their initiative. It was hugely inspiring to encounter such a vast amount of people who have overcome the many obstacles involved in `giving birth` to an initiative. A theme we are constantly working with at the YouthSection is how the new can establish itself within the old, without lossing exactly the element which makes it new in the process of realisation. A dialogue between us, who mostly still face this `birthing process` and those who have already undergone it would be very productive. Furthermore, in such a dialogue those who already have established their initiatives learn about the new impulses, which could also revitalise and give new direction for their work.

As the colloquium made a deep impression on us, and those who were able to participate as part of the YouthSection, we will be involved in trying to make the Global Social Lab happen. More

Lisa

3) World Insight, International YouthSection Dornach, Thursdays

As announced we are meeting every Thursday evening in the YouthSection for dinner and a discussion round. There are around 10-15 people who regularly attend with others coming a few times, or just one. The discussions that arise are magnificent and whilst many things could be said about this, I will try to make a short summary.

We started of with an examination of the occpuy movment, which was at its infancy back in September, early October. We kept up with the news and combined this with the lecture Rudolf Steiner gave to the Youth in Breslau on 9th June 1924. The underlying theme here is that the youth need to experience, we have new capabilities which need to find their way in a world full of `masks`. Steiner outlines that what the youth bring is actually a deep spiritual impulse which needs to be fostered and encouraged, rather than supressed by a system.

From examining the events of WallStreet we had a contribution made of how protests occur in China. This gave rise to a discussion of how there is almost like a divide between the protests which occur in the developed world and those taking place in the developing world. In the developed world we have our basic rights, such as democracy, we have a `system` in place which is supposed to take care of us. Now we are rebelling against this system, as it is not working the way we would like. Contrary to this, protests such as the Arabic Spring and others in the developing world are protesting, fighting at another level: for their basic rights.

A study of a text of John Stubley calls for the occupy movement being related to an occupation of the self. An inward movement where the individual is called upon to participate in the cultural sphere, to help shape it according to the self. The discussion brought up the idea that historically the revolutions have centred around political (the right to vote) or economic (socialism, marxism) themes and now the cultural sphere is being re-thought. The difficulty with an examination of the cultural sphere is that it is not a system seperate to the individuality, but has the individuality as its starting point. It is a protest which begins firstly in the individuals and moves outward from there.

We also studied a speech Orland Bishop gave at Connectivity Conference in Sao Paolo in 2006. Amongst many other inspiring messages in this speech, Orland outlines three important aspects of finding yourself:

1. "I am here"- a full awareness of yourself in the moment. This involves acceptance, self-sufficiency in what, who and where you are.

2. "I am myself"- I am not the conditions of the external world, but truely of myself.

3. "I am safe"- nothing can enter my selfhood without my permission.

This is just a short summary of what has been going on. As a result of these discussions the urge has arisen to get active and also to deepen the understanding through further study. We have set up the Courage Workshop (LINK) and will start a regular study group in the YouthSection with Constanza next year.

Thursday evening is free for anyone to come and attend, whether it be regularly or you can only come once. Although there is some continuation from the previous week, a new topic is discussed each week. All are warmly welcome.

Lisa

Preview 2012 - The Events of the International YouthSection in 2012

: Learn Courage from Cornelius Oette!

: The conference "Being prensent!" in the Goetheanum, Summer 2012. Meet you there!

1) New Website!

The first we like to mention as an "event" is that we currently work on a new website for the YouthSection! Our idea is to transform the current site to a much more open and interactive platform, so that everyone can share his events (on an worldwide "event-marketplace") and put in his "news". With this, we're approaching a new concept of the old "Rundbrief" or the "eNews", which is not centralized from the YS-Team in Dornach anymore, but makes everyone (including us) able to easily share our thoughts, coming-ups, conferences, meetings but also stories, reflections and journey diaries. You will surely notice, when it's ready and we invite everybody to be part of this new possibility!

2) World Insight. Every Thursday as of beginning of January

A weekly session at the YouthSection

We are going to have weekly sessions on Thursday evenings about world events. The aim is to try and make sense of all the happenings in the world. We seem to be ‘bombarded’ with information (here there has been a suicide bombing, oil spills, uprising etc) but what does all this information have to do with me? Is there a underlying thread flowing through certain events?

Each week we aim to have one overlying theme to be discussed. This will allow some people to prepare, should they wish to, and it will also give us a starting point for discussions. That being said, there is always flexibility to discuss other events, which may be more pressing by the time Thursday comes around.

When? Every Thursday evening, starting 7:30 pm.

Where? YouthSection office (old conference room).

What? Gaining an insight into the world events.

Who? Whoever wants to- no prior knowledge of events or anything else is required.

Lisa, Constanza and Che

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Deutsch:

Ein wöchentliches Treffen in der Jugendsektion

In der Jugendsektion werden wir uns jeden Donnerstag treffen, um weltweite Themen und Ereignisse zu diskutieren. Wir wollen verstehen, was in der Welt passiert. Mehr und mehr scheint es uns, als ob wir überall mit “News” bombardiert werden, jedoch immer weniger Zeit bleibt, diese Ereignisse einzuordenen, zu verstehen und nach ihren Bedeutungen zu fragen. Was hat das Ganze mit uns zu tun?

Wir wollen jede Woche ein Thema oder ein Ereignis diskutieren. Um in die Tiefe gehen zu können, wird es auch möglich sein, dass man ein Thema vorbereitet um eine Basis zur Diskussion zu haben. Es wird jedoch Raum dafür da sein, dringliche Themen jederzeit vorzuziehen.

Wann? Jeden Donnerstag Abend ab 19:30 Uhr.

Wo? Büro der Jugendsektion (ehemalig Konferenzraum).

Was? Ein Erringen der Einsichten in die Ereignisse in der Welt.

Wer? Für alle interessierten Menschen – es sind keine Vorkenntnisse etc. nötig.

Lisa, Constanza und Che

3) Workshop Courage. 9th-10th December 2011

Two days of experience and reflection within the "workshop courage", which was developped by Nicanor Perlas and is now offered in the YouthSection from Cornelius Michael Oette.

Nicanor Perlas, the recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, also known as the alternative Nobel Peace Prize, and an outstanding champion of sustainable development has designed this workshop according to his many years of experience with coaching people who are interested in affecting real change in the world.

Workshop leader: Cornelius Michael Oette

Cornelius Oette is now actively working to pass on the unique and effective techniques of enabling people to better engage in the act of transforming the world. He has conducted Workshop Courage to several cities in the German speaking world and will now give the workshop in Dornach for the first time. Cornelius Oette currently is active in making known and putting into practice the ideas of a Threefold understanding of society.

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Information:

1) When? Friday, 9th December 4pm at the YouthSection until Saturday evening.

2) Where? YouthSection House, Dorneckstr.1, Dornach.

3) Costs? There will be no costs other than share the food costs. If you need a place to stay for the night please tell us before. (Contact: che@youthsection.org)

4) Register? Please tell us if you're coming until Thursday, 8th December noon time! Contact: aronfabian@hotmail.com and cheyouthsectionorg

Organizing Team: Waira Alberich, Aron Fabian, Cornelius Oette, Che Wagner

4) February Days, 21st-25th February 2012.

Would I be m(I)self without thinking?

Is it only through thinking that I develop a genuine experience of myself as an `I`, as an individual? If so, is thinking then a creative process between the `I`, my self, and the world? We would like to explore the relationship between thinking, the self (`I`), and the world through lectures, text work, workshops, and discussions.

Conference will be held in English, German and French.

For more details see on the YouthSection website.

Ramon Wegner, Clarissa Mendes and others.

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Deutsch:

Februartage 2012

Wäre ich ohne Denken ich?

Die Jugendsektion und Allgemeine Anthroposophische Sektion laden Euch herzlich zur den "Februartagen" vom 21.-25- Februar 2012 ein!

Entwickle ich erst durch das Denken ein wirkliches Ich-Erlebnis und ist somit das
Denken eine existenzielle Schöpfungsmöglichkeit für das Ich und die Welt?
Die Frage nach dem Verhältnis von Denken, Ich und Welt wollen wir in diesen Tagen
durch Vorträge, Textarbeit, Workshops und Gespräche vertiefen.

Konferenz in Deutsch, Englisch und Französisch.

Für weitere Informationen: YouthSection website.

Ramon Wegner, Clarissa Mendes und andere.

4) Summer Conference: Being Present! An International Youth Conference at the Goetheanum. 21st-25th July 2012.

To live in our current time means having capacities that allow a connection between humans to take place in a totally new manner. It also means being able to know at any one point or time what is going on all around the world. Due to these capacities of connection and increased knowledge, great possibilities of change arise. These possibilities are opportunities which also bear great responsibility at the same time for each and every one of us.

How can we change a world that is continuously changing itself? Which tasks do we give our attention to? With regards to this background, what does having a job and working mean in our present time?

These are the questions we would like to explore in connection with others. Through this connection we would like to exchange our experiences in trying to find our way in the present, to share how our experiences increasingly allow us the possibility at "Being-Present".

You are all warmly invited to come to the Goetheanum in summer 2012 (21-25 July) to explore these questions together. Save the date and spread the word!

To register and for further information etc. please visit www.youthsection.org

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Deutsch:

Jetzt-Sein! Eine Internationale Jugendtagung am Goetheanum. 21.-25. Juli 2012.

In unserer Zeit zu leben, bedeutet nie dagewesene Möglichkeiten der Verbindung zu anderen Menschen haben zu können. Es bedeutet wissen zu können, was in der ganzen Welt geschieht. Es beinhaltet deswegen auch grosse Veränderungsmöglichkeiten und grosse Verantwortung für den Einzelnen, für jeden von uns!

Wie können wir eine sich ständig verwandelnde Welt verwandeln? Welchen Aufgaben wollen wir unsere Aufmerksamkeit und unsere Tatkraft widmen? Was ist und was bedeutet mit diesem Hintergrund Arbeit und Beruf in der heutigen Zeit?

Diesen Fragen möchten wir nachgehen und aus der Begegnung mit anderen, aus unseren Erfahrungen und aus den Erlebnissen der Gegenwart versuchen, Wege zu finden, die uns ein immer wacheres und zeitgemässes „Jetzt-sein“ aufschliessen.

Es sind alle herzlich willkommen, im Sommer 2012 (21.-25. Juli) hier ans Goethenum zu kommen, um gemeinsam diese Fragen zu bewegen und eine schöne Zeit zu verbringen! Also: Datum reservieren und weitersagen!

Anmeldung und weitere Informationen zu Programm etc. folgen unter www.youthsection.org

5) And many more, for example a study course (reading) with Constanza or preparation weekends for the conference.

Please follow us on the Website!

Preview 2012 - Agenda of the Team and other events

: Farmers

: (Great) Americans

: Initiators

: Teachers

: Priests

: Mein Beruf?

We would like to give a brief and uncomplete overview, which events the YS-Team is considering to attend in the first semester 2012 that are not organized by the YS itself, and why. See you there!

1) Agricultural Conference, 1st-4th February 2012, Goetheanum Dornach/Switzerland.

...because farmers rock! And there is always a dense, concentrated but still humourus mood. Subject: "Vorwärts zu den Quellen." More

2) Think OutWord's annual February Conference, 17th-19th February 2012, Harlemville/USA.

...an Invitation to talk about "Independent Waldorf Schools and the Global Crisis Today". More

3) Initiative Forum of YIP (International Youth Initiative Programm), 7th-14th April 2012, (Ytter-)Järna/Sweden.

...because YIP is our (little?) sister! Let's face the global challenges of today and find ways to make a difference in it together... More

4) World Teachers Conference, 9th-14th April, Goetheanum Dornach/Switzerland.

...the coming together of the 'who's who' in waldorf education! More

5) Jugendtagung, 27th April-1st May 2012, Rudolf-Steiner-Haus Stuttgart/Germany.

...'what moves me?' and 'what can I move?'. For further information for this mostly german speaking conference we keep you updated on our Website.

6) Kairos. Reality Now. Worldwide Youth Festival of the Christian Community, 25th-30th May 2012, Überlingen/Germany.

...the conference of the Christian Community: holding on for a moment, having the most important conversations, being together, singing and laughing. More

7) Forschungsprojekt Berufswege. Tour laufend und Tagung Sommer 2012 (Ort und Datum noch unbestimmt)

...mit der Frage des Berufs oder der Berufung und einem Film im Gepäck sind Joshua Conens, Dominik Fackler, Claire Lerner und andere unterwegs. Wie finde ich etwas, was ich unbedingt will?...Mehr zur Tour und Tagung

8) ... where will you be? Mail us or put your event/meeting on our new Website within the beginning of next year!