Keeping the flame alive

In September 2020, a group of 15 or so came together in Dornach, Switzerland and online, to fan the flame of this April 2021 event, and vision together the needs and wishes for another <Living Connections> gathering. Among many heartfelt and inspired connections and ideas, two key things were shared;

One, a Norwegian poem which continues to be spoken at each of our planning meetings (shared here in German and English below)

Two, the image of a fire, around which few or many can gather; and the commitment that no matter how few or how many people can come, a gathering will definitely take place in the dates of 21-25 April 2021. A place for us to gather together spiritually, to inspire and nourish each other in our inner and outer journeys. This fire continues to be the image we work with in our meetings.

What’s our Why?

A brief survey of some of the organising team in March 2021, after yet more COVID-19 measures changes, asking:
Why do you continue organising a conference in challenging times? What’s your motivation/inspiration?

‹Sich gemeinsam in eine meditative Arbeit zu vertiefen, ist eine heilende Kraft in schwieriger Zeitlage. Ein gemeinschaftliches Meditationstreffen zu planen, gibt mir Hoffnung und innere Heimat. Und mit so vielen Menschen, die für dieselben Inhalte brennen, wird das Navigieren durch die äußeren Unsicherheiten zu einem abenteuerlichen Weg, auf dem wir Mut und Vertrauen erschaffen - in uns selbst und auch für andere.›

- Ulrike Wendt

‹In times of Corona it is important for me to practice the anthroposophical meditation, because it helps me to overcome the feeling of separateness, which seems to divide me and the world around me in two different parts. If one doesn`t care, the Corona-Crisis supports this feeling of separateness with great effectiveness. So anthroposophical meditation becomes an essential means to overcome this delusion of mankind. Living Connections 2021 gives me the opportunity to share this experience of the anthroposophical meditation with hopefully a lot of other people.›

- Andreas Neider (in English)

‹In der Zeit der Corona-Pandemie ist es für mich entscheidend, die anthroposophische Meditation zu praktizieren, weil sie mir hilft, das Gefühl der Getrenntheit zu überwinden, das mich und die Welt um mich herum in zwei unterschiedliche Teile zu trennen scheint. Wenn man nicht aufpasst, dann verstärkt die Corona-Krise dieses Gefühl der Getrenntheit mit hoher Effektivität. Daher wird die anthroposophische Meditation zu einem entscheidenden Mittel, um diese Täuschung, in der die Menschweit sich befindet, zu überwinden. Living Connections 2021 gibt mir die Gelegenheit, die Erfahrung der anthroposophischen Meditation mit hoffentlich möglichst vielen anderen Menschen teilen zu können›

- Andreas Neider (in German)

‹This conference aims to open a creative space for living connections between all those who wish to deepen their authenticity and inner capacities. Based on the understanding of ever-growing consciousness, as described in Anthroposophy, the conference promotes building relationships with other beings, both horizontally and vertically, by transcending the self. Living Connections is a tool and contribution to healing and transformation within the crises of our time›

- Joan Sleigh

‹I am looking forward to the discussion with others practiced in meditation›

- Andreas Heertsch

‹I'm excited about the conference because we all can experience how beneficial anthroposophical meditation is in these challenging times and we'd love to share this with as many people as possible. And I also want to learn more about how to make anthroposophical meditation accessible by using the digital tools›

- Bart Vanmechelen