On Karma: 2009 Denver Youth Conference

NetworkM asked Bridget Blanning to write a live blog of the Denver Youth Conference. She was kind enough to oblige and we present her notes to you now.

In the first day of the Denver Youth Conference, participants explored various ideas of karma, destiny, and the place of youth in today’s world, and began a weekend that incorporated singing, eurythmy, art, presentations, and insightful conversation.

The group began to focus each day’s energy by singing together–with Coco Roy Reinhart–helping each participant to relax into the group setting. Coco encouraged regardless of pitch, and participants laughed and danced. The songs quickly engaged and energized the group.

On the first day in eurythmy with Glenda Monasch of Boulder, CO, the group worked through forms that took them directly into the conference theme of karma. The exercises created a picture of light and warmed the group, developing a profound sense of group awareness. We contracted together; we expanded together. The group worked as one. An experience of unity resulted–members spoke of an enhanced sense of consciousness, both personal and communal.

Ina Jaehnig, a teacher at the Denver Waldorf School, began by picturing with the group the fourfold human being: the physical body, etheric body, astral body, and ego. She spoke of the ego as giving humans the ability to question their path and destiny on this earth and how they meet it, and how questions of karma relate to that ability.

She spoke of reincarnation and karma and the group explored the ideas together–both through text study and relating their personal experiences. In today’s world, she said, people want to know, “Is there a spiritual world?” Steiner answers that question with spiritual science. The group looked deeply at themes of both karma and destiny.

Marielle Levin led the group through charcoal work on light and dark. The activity was challenging, but to see the different interpretations was both surprising and exciting.

Robert Karp, who lived in Denver as a youth and was excited to reconnect with the community, shared his thoughts on the significance of our time and youth’s role in it. He offered an exciting description of today’s potential for youth to join forces with older anthroposophists and bring anthroposophy into the larger community and to make it a real, active social movement.

On the second day, Dr. Adam Blanning joined the group to speak on karma and illness. He presented the view that illness can be a gateway to spiritual experiences–a spiritual activity–saying, “Illness is imperfections seeking out suffering so that they may be transformed into virtues.” By describing the two streams, hereditary and spiritual, and how they unite, he engaged the group in a conversation about the varying manifestations of illness. The group embraced the topic with enthusiasm and genuine interest. During the course of the presentation, participants asked reflective questions. It was clear the topic took on a life of its own and participants would have happily spent much more time exploring it.

Glenda Monasch, joined by her husband David-Michael, led the group–along with First Class members–through the same eurythmy forms as the day before, but with added vowel sounds. It gave the work a fresh quality and feeling.

Painting with Marielle Levin gave a nice insight into the different individualities in the group, and the conference participants were able to take an out-breath through the creative work.

During the time for reflections on the second day, the group looked at the question of goodness: what does it to be good? To be evil? Is the importance really to find a balance rather than achieve “simple goodness”?

On the final day, Dr. Caroline Heberton, a teacher at the Denver Waldorf School, spoke of karma and relationships. The quality of the discussion was notably different, as personal questions about the nature of friendships and relationships arose. The group felt at ease and excited about redirecting the theme toward a specifically personal sphere. By posing questions about the role of honesty and responsibility in relationships, Dr. Heberton encouraged open discussion among participants about personal experiences and how they relate those to karma.

The conversation ended on an open, relaxed, and enthusiastic tone, which naturally led into the closing session, the plenum. During the plenum, one participant said that he felt a newfound sense of excitement and possibility for the future.

The group ended the gathering by initiating plans for an autumn youth gathering, and the Denver Youth Conference came to a close with strong feelings of optimism, joy, and a sense of community.

The 2009 meeting of the North American Youth Section is happening October 1st in Chestnut Ridge, NY, at the Threefold Educational Center.