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Branch Library

For information, to take out a book or to arrange a visit, contact

Valerie Hope, portlandanthroposophy@gmail.com

The Book Catalog is now on our website – the ‘search’ function is really helpful.

You can now return books at any time to the box on the porch at 2606 SE 58th Ave.

To schedule the space for an event or meeting

Contact James Knight, j365@yahoo.com

Contact the Branch Council: portlandanthroposophy@gmail.com

Website: portlandbranch.net

Why Celebrate The 100th Anniversary of the Christmas Conference, and the Laying of the Foundation Stone?

Gathering Today, Saturday, January 6, Epiphany

The part that the spiritual foundation stone plays in the all-important development of community

Saturday will be our third gathering of the Holy Nights, as we have been deepening our experience of what Rudolf Steiner accomplished on Christmas and during those Holy Nights in 1922/23. And how those accomplishments can serve for our continued development, both as individuals and as a community, today.

Planning is underway, with contributions from the Foundation Stone group, which has been working for more than 3 1/2 years with the Foundation Stone Meditation and its relationship to the being Anthroposophia; and the dodecahedron of love that Rudolf Steiner created and placed in the hearts of some 800 members present amid the charred ruins and the cold at the Christmas Conference of 2022-23.

Among the aspects that group members will bring:  an account of what was accomplished at the Christmas Conference and why it was not merely an esoteric lesson, but was in fact a mystery deed; the importance of welcoming the ‘supersensible being…who walks amongst visible people’, Anthroposophia, into our hearts; the part that the spiritual foundation stone plays in our development and the all-important development of community; an exploration of the Foundation Stone meditation; and for those who wish to participate, an exercise, ‘Practice Spirit Awareness’ (or, sensing, meditation, communing, or contemplation, depending on the translation.)  

Rudolf Steiner Archive offers eight translations of the meditation, in honor of the hundredth anniversary, and it can be helpful to look at them all.  The archive is also welcoming donations to support their stellar work.

After a brief break for refreshments, Jannebeth Röell will lead us in working together each afternoon to construct a model dodecahedron.  

Those who like can bring a favorite holiday treat to share.

If you would like to help with set-up, refreshments, clean-up, or be a greeter at the lower door, contact Miriam at miriamhcosentino@gmail.com

Tree Paste Party Saturday February 3rd

Join the Stirrers and Spreaders at the home of Mark and Valerie Hope to make a batch of biodynamic tree paste, which is a mix of clay, sand, and cow manure that is “painted” onto the tree’s trunk. After making the paste, we will practice applying it to Hopes’ fruit trees, then take some home to put on our own trees. We will also experiment with adding Barrel Compost and Horsetail Tea to the mix.

If you have a tree or trees that are struggling with pests or diseases, have newly pruned limbs, or just need a boost, the biodynamic tree paste could be beneficial. Contact Denise at deeprootsfarm@harbornet.com to let us know if you are coming.

Some information about the tree paste by Jacqueline Freeman Biodynamic Tree Paste | Friendly Haven Rise Farm:

The purpose of tree paste is to renew the tree’s trunk and give the tree a burst of energy. It does everything a dormant spray does and more. It can heal cuts and cankers, help the tree seal any damaged parts and deter fungal infections.  It can deter fruit pests. It slows the onset of bud break which can be really helpful in our hot/cold Willamette Valley spring. Ideally we want buds to delay breaking and be protected till we have consistently warm days and the delicate young parts can survive easily. Tree paste can help do that.

Library Improvement  Updates

Dear Friends,

• Great gratitude to those of you who have volunteered to help with bringing the library up to speed! Deborah Ham has begun the task of calling in books that have been taken out, preparatory to doing an inventory and updating our catalog.  She is also re-designing our card system, as there is not contact information for borrowers on many of the existing cards.

• In the meantime, also in preparation for inventory, we are looking for someone(s) to enter new books that have been received into our excel spreadsheet.

• For the next step we will be calling on volunteers to inventory, comparing the catalog with what’s actually on the shelves.

• In the meantime, we welcome offers to clean out closets and cabinets, and otherwise beautify the space.

  
  

  If you would like to offer help, or return a book, please reply to this email.

  
  

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Our library has been a real gift to the community - created by the community - in the 3 1/2 years or so of its existence!  Groups have started study groups with the multiple copies we have had of some volumes, and individuals have received inspiration from the books they have borrowed.  

However, we have been without a librarian now for about a year, and a number of tasks need attending to make the library all it can be!  We are listing what needs doing here in hopes that you will be able and willing to help make the needed improvements.  Please contact us at portlandanthroposophy@gmail.com to let us know what you can help with.  Timing will depend on your availability.  The tasks are:

• Contacting people who have books outstanding - Deborah Ham has volunteered

• Adding books newly donated into the catalog

• Shelving books that have been entered into the catalog or returned

• Taking inventory of what we have

• Organizing the books on the shelves - considering whether we want to change the organizational system we have.

• Arranging for books that we have for sale to be sold online.

• Organizing cabinets

  
  

We look forward to collaborating with you to make needed improvements and to get up to date with borrowed books so that the library works well for everyone.

Warmly   …The Branch Council, Valerie Hope, James Knight, Walter Rice, Kathy Rem

PORTLAND BRANCH CALENDAR

Portland Branch Council Meeting Monday, January 8, 6:30 pm,  Branch Library/Community Space, 5415 SE Powell Blvd, entrance off parking lot in the back. All Branch members are welcome to attend, and/or call us with agenda items, proposals, suggestions, or to observe. Please contact us at portlandanthroposophy@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. Meetings are normally held on the second Monday of each month.

Holy Nights Observances, Three afternoons, Tuesday, December 26, 3-5 pm; Monday, January 1, 3-5 pm; Saturday, January 6, 3-5 pm (Epiphany) Branch Library/Community Space, 5415 SE Powell Blvd, entrance off parking lot in the back. The Hundredth Anniversary of the Christmas Conference will be celebrated around the world, and in Portland too! See piece in this newsletter for more details. With questions, or to help, contact Miriam at miriamhcosentino@gmail.com

Calendar of the Soul with Richard Steel May 14, evening Portland Branch Library  Richard Steel will be touring the country exhibiting the original artwork that was created by Karl Konig for the Calendar of the Soul.  When he passes through Portland for one night, he will offer a presentation on the Calendar, but time will not allow for setting up the whole exhibit. For more information contact Miriam at miriamhcosentino@gmail.com

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

Pacific Eurythmy Events - See Flyers in Newsletter

Dear Friends, Blessings on the Advent and Christmas season! We want to share with you the wonderful workshops and classes that are ahead!  For more information visit our website: PacificEurythmy.org, or email us with questions pacificeurythmy@gmail.com.

Holy Nights reading : Dying earth and living cosmos, CW 181 December 26, 2023-January 6, 2024 @ 6:30 pm At the home of James and Jannebeth ,3135 NE17th Ave, Portland 97212 Please RSVP (971 ) 219-5567

Art Hall Exhibit, Emily Lynch Miller, Geometric Lemonade..when life hands you lemons Reception January 18, 5:30-7:30 pm, exhibit runs through March 7 See flyer in this newsletter

ON-GOING STUDIES/GROUPS

First Class of the School of Spiritual Science.  Usually second Sunday of the month with a few exceptions. 9:30 am sharp, • January 14 , Lesson 10   (no admittance after the class starts) • Bothmer Hall, 5915 SE Division St. • Remember your Blue Card. For more information contact: Cheri Munske cherimunske@gmail.com, Diane Rumage drumage@comcast.net or Rebecca Soloway rrsoloway1@gmail.com

Beginning Astrosophy Class First and Third Wednesdays, 7-8:30 pm • 8654 NE Boehmer St. • Contact Diane Rumage, 971-271-7479 drumage@comcast.net This class will introduce participants to the basic principles of Astrosophy in a study of the works of Willi Sucher and Diane Rumage’s work with the stars, with indications that Rudolf Steiner gave for those interested in the cosmos. No previous knowledge necessary. Please bring blank paper and colored pencils to the class in case we need to use them. If you are just curious if you’d be interested, please feel free to come and check us out. Free

Community Eurythmy Wednesday mornings, 8:45-9:30 at the Portland Waldorf School, 2300 N. Harrison St. Portland, Or. See flyer included in this newsletter.

Building Stones for an Understanding of the Mystery of Golgatha, (GA 175).  Ten lectures given in Berlin between March 27, 1917 and May 8, 1917 by Rudolf Steiner  • First Monday of the month, 7:45-9:00 pm • Currently conducted in person and on Zoom • Contact Heidi Sheppard, HSHEPPAR@LHS.ORG Free Please join us for lively discussions.

Speech Formation and Mystery Drama Group   2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm • 8654 NE Boehmer St, Portland, OR 97220 • Contact Diane Rumage drumage@comcast.net or 971 271-7479. Free No experience necessary, just enthusiasm and a love of the Word. Our group will start a new reading and studying of “The Portal of Initiation”, Rudolf Steiner’s first Mystery Drama dealing with the karma and reincarnations of a group of people around the turn of the 20th century, on April 12, 2023.

The Tarot in Light of Spiritual Science with James Knight • Every other Tuesday  James (j365k@yahoo.com),  is leading a class on "The Tarot" in light of spiritual science and practical occultism. This is not a class on the use of Tarot for divination. In this class we focus on the major arcanum of "The Tarot" as a practical tool for self development and insight into oneself and the world. The classes take place approximately every other Tuesday from 7pm to 8:30pm at the Branch Library Space (5415 SE Powell Blvd) Entrance off the parking lot in back of the church • This is a free class. Registration for the class happens through Meetup (meetup.com) where you can learn more about the class and RSVP at this page: https://www.meetup.com/experiences-in-spiritual-science/.

Waldorf Education and Teacher Training Lectures and Courses Conducted throughout the year by the Micha-el Institute Email us at inquiry@micha-elinstitue.com or call 971-808-1640

A new feature of the newsletter is this Community Bulletin Board, the brainchild of Christine Badura, who now finds that she has time to make it a reality. Community members can post their offerings and/or things they are looking for. To post, please call Christine at 707-494-6741 or email badura88@hotmail.com. Possible categories that can be posted:  Housing, Give Aways, Help Wanted/Offered, Announcements, Items Wanted.

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Advertisers and Sponsors

Great gratitude to the members and friends who donated in 2023 to make this newsletter and our library/community space possible:

 Anne Kollander  Chris Huber  Cierra Marzullo  Diane Schell-Rowley   Donna Patterson   Geelim Soowhan   Jeremy Davis  Joanne Logan  John Takacs  Julie Foster   Karen Nelson    Laura Elmore  Lesley Cox  Linda Sussman   Lisa Masterson  Lynn Madsen Mark & Valerie Hope    Marsha Johnson    Michele Limas  Mihoko Lunsford  Miriam Ward    Nancy Peirce    Pamela M Rico   Robin Lieberman  Robin O’Brien   Amada Eastman  Anca Harriton   Barbara Strong  Betty Baldwin   Brian McClure  Cheri Munske   Christine Badura  Constance Stokes  Cyndia Ashkar  Deborah Ham   Diane Rumage  James Knight   Jeremy Davis  Jerry & Rebecca Soloway Kathy Rem   Kendall Weaver  Kimberly Sinclair   Lisa Masterson  Lucy O’Neal  Magic of Waldorf  Marsha Johnson  Mihoko Lunsford   Miriam Ward  Nancy Peirce  Pamela Rico  Rabecca Rose   Rene Kehwald Regina Loos Robin O’Brien  Rod Endacott  Sandra & Wes Burch   Susan Andrews   Timothy Kennedy  Tish Johnson  Vicki Hess-Smith   Virginia Berg Waldorf Travel Service  Walter Rice 

Embryo in Us & Embryo in Motion: Two Seminars with  Jaap van der Waal.  Two separate DVD sets recorded live in Portland in 2010 & 2017, available only here.  These two seminars explore human prenatal development and show how biology is expressing the essence of human spiritual enfoldment.  Jaap van der Wal, PhD, MD now retired, was an associate professor for anatomy and embryology at the University of Maastricht, Holland.  Contact the Portland Branch.