“Night Music” / 2025 Section Conference Highpoints

A dedicated group of Poets, Musicians, Artist-Scholars, and Coyotes

met on the last day of the Conference on the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais.

The skies opened; the sun shone brightly! The Mountain sang!

Poet / Musician / Conference Attendee Arianna Golden playing for the Mountain & Pacific Ocean

A Conference Summary & Chronology

Dear Friends,

Well, where to begin?

Last year’s (2024) successful eight-day North American Conference in San Francisco and Toronto found a counterpoint in this year’s (2025) three-day North American Conference in San Francisco.

“Discovered at 37.78879° N, 122.43561° W”

Planning Began in 2023 / Dates Were Calendared Early / Schedules Confirmed!

When planning for these events began in early 2023 (during the time of COVID), the Section Leadership Group boldly committed to Christiane Haid’s proposal that she hold two dates on her very busy calendar: September 7-15, 2024 and May 8-13, 2025. During many exciting planning meetings in early 2023, the Leadership Group decided on a bold three-year plan . . . not knowing if the details were even possible or if events such as COVID or changes in personal schedules or catastrophic world events might derail everything at the last moment.

Writing on a wall at Spring Valley

“The Genius of Language”

Using the dates that our Section leader provided, the North American Section Leadership Group calendared an ambitious eight-day North American conference in Toronto and San Francisco for 2024. And the Group did so with the expectation that a second conference would occur in 2025 on the dates that Christiane was holding, May 8-13. The Leadership Group made this risky and bold Michaelic decision with the expectation that these two conferences in North America might culminate in a third conference in Dornach at the Goetheanum that was already on the Section calendar at the Goetheanum for Pentecost 2026: a conference devoted to Novalis. North America had not hosted a Section conference for many years . . . let alone two conference separated by a mere nine months! A bold proposition, to be sure. A risky venture! But we forged ahead, inspired by a spirit of Michaelic initiative, beginner’s mind, and spiritual friendship.

“Spirit of Place / Genius of Language”

Section Conference “Three” in 2026 at the Goetheanum . . . / “Oh, really? Excuse me?”

The third conference of this threefold initiative planned in 2023 by the Section Leadership Group and Christiane Haid will occur in 2026 (if causes and conditions prove favorable). This third conference will be devoted to Novalis.

The hope remains that Section friends and members from North America and the extended English-speaking world will attend and that enough persons will register that the Goetheanum can justify an English-language track and English-language offerings at the conference. This might be foolish optimism, or it might be a Sign of the Times, given that Rudolf Steiner placed so much emphasis on Novalis, right up to his Last Address — and on the importance of Novalis for the anthroposophical movement at the turn of the century. (Umm. . . that would be the turn of the 20th century . . . a quarter-century ago . . . and counting. Yikes!).

Why did Rudolf Steiner talk about Novalis so much? “Why should I care about Novalis?!”

Novalis is a poet who is quintessentially German early romantic — and he is difficult to approach outside the German language. Rudolf Steiner’s reading of the Akashic Chronicle and the karmic biography of “Novalis” is complicated but foundational to anthroposophy. Despite Rudolf Steiner’s repeated insistence that we should pay attention to Novalis in our 21st century, many English speaking readers find it difficult to read him. The Section in North America has been working with Novalis since the beginning of COVID in 2020, when Novalis unexpectedly entered our meetings and our work. Perhaps this “red thread of Novalis” will lead some English-speaking friends and members to Dornach in 2026, if causes and conditions prove favorable.

Accordingly, the Section Leadership Group made Novalis one of the continuing red threads for our work and a red thread for the 2025 event in San Francisco, as well as the 2024 conference — but not the only red thread!

Click here for more red threads.

2025 Conference Preview Video / With Program

“Does the world go round!?”

— William Shakespeare, Cymbeline

Scheduling Conflicts / Personal Challenges / Opportunities

2024 was a much different year than 2025. So much has changed in the world since the end of 2024. The mood is completely different! And, well, calendar conflicts erupted!

In late 2024 the Section Leadership Group realized to their chagrin that the Canadian AGM and North American Collegium meetings (both in Toronto) had been scheduled to occur the weekend just after the dates we had been holding for the 2025 Section Conference ever since our initial planning in early 2023. Common sense dictated: “Retreat! Cancel! Fold up the tents!” No one in the Section Leadership Group had foreseen this conflict in 2023! Or even in early 2024!

Oh, for a master calendar! Oh, for a Key to all Mythologies!

“It’s times like these that an event like ours becomes even more important.”

— Philip Thatcher, North American Poet, Former General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada, Section Leadership Group member

Nevertheless, despite the conflict of meetings, the Section Leadership Group (with Christiane participating) made the bold consensus-decision that the 2025 North American Section Conference should proceed as calendared two years previously in 2023, but we regretfully had to remove Toronto or other locations in North America from our plans for 2025 (due to the proximity of the other two meetings and lack of forward planning for other locations). The Group made the decision to concentrate on San Francisco. Leadership Group members felt that it was important to show good faith and continue the initiative begun on the Pacific Rim in 2024.

Likewise, the Leadership Group validated its earlier decision made in 2023 to plan these three conferences as one artistic-scholarly gesture; several members of the Group voiced the opinion that these three conferences would be important for our difficult times. As Leadership Group member Philip Thatcher put it: “It’s times like these that an event like ours becomes even more important.”

Accordingly, preparations for the second conference in San Francisco went ahead, and despite the many logistical challenges and challenges from the outer world.

Thank God our time is now when wrong

Comes up to face us everywhere,

Never to leave us till we take

The longest stride of soul we ever took.

— Christopher Fry, A Sleep of Prisoners

“Amid such conversation, they arrived at a prospect in view from which they beheld the majestic arch of the bridge.” (The Fairy Tale of the Green Snake and Beautiful Lily)

Some of the 2025 Conference highpoints included:

- Our use again (as last year) of the Swedenborgian Church: a National Historic Monument and architectural treasure.
- Emmanuel Vukovich’s inspiring conference-opening recital in the Church Sanctuary on Friday night, May 9.
- Guest speaker Andrew Schelling’s presentation on bioregional poetics and the work poet-linguist Jaime de Angulo
- Small group discussion work with Christiane Haid, John Bloom, Daniel Polikoff, Jeffrey Hipolito, and Karen Gierlach.
- World premiere of a fresh translation of Hymns to the Night: an intersectional collaboration between myself and Emmanuel Vukovich.
- The participation of nine seniors from the San Francisco Waldorf High School.
- A “return to the mountain” celebration on the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais that concluded the three-day event.
- Panel Discussion Topic on the very important theme: “Who is Rudolf Steiner . . . for Our 21st Century?” / Panel members included Robert McDermott, Jeffrey Hipolito, John Bloom (moderator), Christiane Haid, Gayle Davis, Emmanuel Vukovich, Bruce Donehower

Poems and Essays / Updated for 2025 / Christiane Haid’s important Day One Keynote Speech on “Beauty, Truth and Goodness: Their Significance for Our Section”

Section FAQs & Factoids

“What Happens Next?”

Moving forward, the North American Section Leadership Group and our Section Leader Christiane Haid hope that Section friends and members may find inspiration to travel to Dornach for the Novalis Conference planned for Pentecost in 2026. This will conclude the three-part artistic-scholarly gesture planned by the Section Leadership Group in 2023, if causes and conditions remain favorable.

“Who Does the Planning?”

The North American Section Leadership Group currently consists of:

Fred Dennehy (USA), Gayle Davis (USA), Arie van Amerigen (Canada), Robert McKay (Canada), Herbert Hagens (USA), Susan Koppersmith (Canada), Clifford Venho (USA), Robert McDermott (USA), Philip Thatcher (Canada), Rachael Staudt (USA), Jeffrey Hipolito (USA), Marion Donehower (USA), Joan Caldarera (USA). Bruce Donehower is the Section representative to the Goetheanum.

We meet once a month — or as often as our busy member schedules permit. Christiane Haid frequently Zooms in. For more about our regular ongoing Section meetings, click this sentence.

“How Does the Section Support Its Work in the World?”

The Section receives no monies from the Canadian or American Anthroposophical Societies or from the Goetheanum, and we do not collect member dues. The Section exists for friends and members of the School who feel a heartfelt destiny connection to the Section’s work. See the About Page for more information, or visit the Section website at the Goetheanum. The ASA oversees the Section treasury and funds. No Section bank account exists; we do not have a treasurer or a check book.

Free Deeds & Spiritual Friendship / Dana

Our Section is fortunate at the moment to have a few enthusiastic donors whose generosity augments the fees that the Section collects from its conferences. Conference fees from registration are our only source of income. But at best these registration fees (always very low) only pay for Christiane’s plane tickets to and fro, for conference food, speaker honorariums, and scholarships needed by those who require financial help to attend the events. Without the good will and generosity of a few donors, events such as the Conferences in 2024 and 2025 could not have occurred — certainly not as they have occurred recently . . . and it has been years since the last Section events.

Does the Section have a printed newsletter? How do I stay in touch or receive updates?

The Section used to have a printed newsletter, but it has been superseded by this website. Click this sentence if you want more information on the old printed newsletter. Section meetings occur regularly on Saturdays at 7-8 pm Pacific on Zoom. They are open to friends and members, unless we deal with matters related to the First Class, in which case only persons with Blue Cards may attend.

“How can “I” Contribute?”

Those who wish to donate to the work of the North American Section for the Literary Arts & Humanities of the School for Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum can do so by using a secure donation link on the website of the American Anthroposophical Society. Donations collected will go into an account for the Section that is overseen and administered by the ASA. This partnership between Society and the Section to foster Anthroposophy and the work of the sections of the School for Spiritual Science in the world was envisioned by Rudolf Steiner at the Christmas Conference. We’re happy to see that vision become a reality, for the present moment, in our Section for the Literary Arts & Humanities. At the moment our Section believes very strongly in an open attitude toward our 21st-century world and all its very complicated and diverse social, cultural, political, artistic, literary-spiritual themes and conversations.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE SECTION

At the Secure Website of the American Anthroposophical Society

How do I become a “member” of the Section?

The Section is part of the School for Spiritual Science. Therefore, you first become a member of the School. To do that, you need to contact your local class holder. For information on the First Class of the School for Spiritual Science, click this sentence. The class holder will explain how things work and what you need to do. Once you are a member of the First Class of the School for Spiritual Science, you become a member of the Section by introducing yourself to someone on the Section Leadership Team (me, for example, or anyone else on the team). Introduce yourself and let us know that you feel a destiny connection to the Section and its work. You can introduce yourself in a friendly, collegial way by phone, email, letter, or personal contact, or arrange a Zoom. You can arrange a meetup for coffee. We like to assume that as a member of the Section you will contribute to the Section’s work by sharing news of what you are doing, by joining in-person events or Zoom events, if possible, and by donating to the Section as a free deed of collegial support and spiritual friendship.

The Section is not monolithic. Persons who self-identify with the Section and its tasks do not necessarily announce themselves or talk about their activities. Some persons work quietly and anonymously for years. But to participate in the community and to share in work of the Section, it is important to introduce yourself and share news with others about what you are doing in so far as that is possible. Rudolf Steiner put a great deal of emphasis on the warmth arising from the spiritual friendships between persons who feel inspired by Anthroposophia, and he hoped that friends with shared interests would collaborate and get along.

Currently, we do not collect annual dues from persons who self-identify as Section members. But those persons who feel a heart-felt destiny connection to the Section and its work and who self-identify as supportive friends of the Section or as members might wish to donate to the Section as an act of spiritual friendship and free will. This can be done securely and directly through the Anthroposophical Society of America. The ASA oversees the Section funds, in partnership with the Section Leadership Group. The Section does not have a bank account or check book. We do not receive funds from the School at Dornach or from the Anthroposophical Societies in the USA or Canada. Our only source of revenue comes from Section conferences or from the donations of persons who believe in the Section and its work. A few Section friends and members (including me) have made generous donations to the Section in the past, and this has enabled the Section conferences and other activities to occur. But there is no expectation that this will continue. It is a matter of individual freedom, initiative, good will, spiritual friendship, and Michaelic enthusiasm.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE SECTION

At the Secure Website of the American Anthroposophical Society

“Yes, yes. OK . . . Got it!” But can I affiliate with the Section and participate if I am not a “member” of the Class and don’t have a Blue Card? I like what the Section is doing, but I am not ready to become an “official” member. I’m not a joiner. I’m a bit skeptical, and I don’t want to pay dues or get involved in any “official” business.

We welcome your interest and enthusiasm and participation. Our last Conference was an Open Conference. No one asks for money at our meetings. We appreciate skepticism. We encourage a Parzivalian attitude. You do not need to be an “official” member of the Section. And in fact, all Section meetings to date that have originated in Northern California have been for friends and members of the Section, with the exception of those meetings that directly concern materials of the First Class. These Section meetings for Class members, however, have occurred in person in Dornach in recent years.

Suppose I have other questions about the Section or the School for Spiritual Science or Anthroposophy?

A conference is an excellent place to investigate and to have such questions. Join the discussion group with John Bloom and Christiane Haid, for example. Or talk to anyone on the North American Section Leadership Team. Or talk to Christiane Haid or persons at the Conference during one of the many breaks. Christiane is the leader of the Section at the Gotheanum.Or read this essay on the History of the North American Section by Marguerite Miller. Or read this essay on the History of the Section by Christiane Haid. Or simply peruse this website, or visit the Section website at the Goetheanum.

Why do you use the Swedenborgian Church?

Because it is an outstanding and premiere example of the arts and crafts architectural movement in America at the end of the 19th century. The people who freely assembled to build this Church were North American artists and visionaries. The Church is a surviving link to an older spirit-visioning of America.

In case you are not familiar with the Church, here is an introductory video by storyteller-poet John Gaul, a San Francisco poet who was a member of the Church for many years until his recent death.

The 2024 and 2025 North American Conferences also made use of the Toronto Waldorf School and the San Francisco Waldorf High School. We also made use of art galleries in Canada and the USA and outdoor spaces such as Mt. Tamalpais.