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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

April Newsletter/Calendar

Contents:

• Annual Gathering with Mary Stewart Adams - Save the Dates May 17-19!

• Report on the second Portland biodynamic tree paste party

• Library News: Gratitudes for helpers, progress

• October 2024 National Society Conference to be held in Portland!

• Several and varied workshops offered through Portland Eurythmy

• Local honey now for sale through Burch Apiary!

• Sessions now available through Transformative Arts

  
  

Branch Annual Gathering with Mary Stewart Adams - Save the Dates!  

Pentecost weekend, May 17-19

Exact times to be determined, planning is underway.

Mary Stewart Adams, currently the General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in America,  has graciously agreed to join us for our Annual Gathering.  This is the occasion which brings us together once a year from all parts of our community to connect with one another and the Being of the Branch. Stay tuned for further developments.

Report on the second Portland biodynamic tree paste party

We arrived on a sunny false spring day (being a recent transplant to the PNW, I learned this bit of local trivia). Non the less, spring preparedness got underway. We had one metal and many plastic buckets going with horsetail tea and others with horn manure. Observing the quality of the preps afterwards was remarkable. Most interesting was the metal bucket with the horsetail; the liveliness (for lack of a better word) was quite distinct. The tree paste was stirred with all its earth and cosmic ingredients and many of our happy trees received a loving painting of the life force into their trunks. Spreading the horn manure prep over our garden beds was like tossing little stars down to kiss the land. What a grand time we had and a wonderous deed for the earth. Many thanks go out to Denise Tester for hosting this event.

Library - The Saga Continues

What we learned:  There were many books on the shelves that had never been entered into the catalog, which slowed things down a bit.  In one work session, as Valerie identified them Erik entered them into the catalog, while also entering a whole box of newly donated books which were shelved.  Valerie and Sandra continued with and completed inventory of the shelves, and discovered another box and bag’s worth of books on the shelves that hadn’t been entered, to add to the three boxes of books yet to be entered.

Erik will be taking a short break, and in the meantime Mark Hope will take up adding as many books as he can to the catalog.  NEWS FLASH!  As of 2-18 Mark has finished entering the books into the catalog.  

Great progress is being made in this slow and arduous process, and soon all will be up to snuff and searchable, when the updated catalog will be uploaded to the website.  The Council has authorized purchase of a computer for the library space, which will make searching the database while visiting the space a breeze.

We have been gratified to be able to offer books to study groups as the community becomes aware that we have multiple copies of many books available.

Gratitude Corner - We so appreciate these people who responded to specific requests for help.  Thank them when you see them.

• Deborah Ham, utilizing a variety of talents, has organized a new process for checking out books, which includes new, more functional cards which are now associated with the borrowers; a bookmark that goes out with the book; signage that gives clear instructions, and a station for borrowing and returning books.  (Reminder: books can also be returned at any time, 24/7 to the box on the porch at 2606 SE 58th Ave, just south of Division St.)

• Sandra Burch, all on her own initiative, went with Wes, who was looking for a book, to clear out and organize areas that needed it.  Then she came back and worked with Valerie for several days organizing, shelving books, and getting things ready for inventory. She (after calling Wes for help) hauled large amounts of ‘stuff’ to garbage, recycling, and Goodwill. Sandra is an amazing organizer - consider her if you need help.

• Erik Sebold, who has entered newly donated books into the catalog, so that after inventory and shelving the newly acquired books, the catalog will be up to date.

• Mark Hope has entered several boxes of donated books into the catalog, completing the process. For now.

We are pleased to announce
The Anthroposophical Society in America's 
In-Person Annual Conference 
and Annual General Meeting
October 11-14, 2024 Portland, OR

with special guest Marc Desaules, 
author, General Secretary Anthroposophical Society in Switzerland 

& founder of L'Aubier 
-
Registration opens Spring 2024

PORTLAND BRANCH CALENDAR

Portland Branch Council Meeting Monday, April 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.

Portland Branch Annual Gathering with Mary Stewart Adams Weekend of May 17-19, exact times to be determined, planning is underway.  Branch Library/Community Space, 5415 SE Powell Blvd, entrance off parking lot in the back. See piece in this, April newsletter.  Contact Valerie Hope, portlandanthroposophy@gmail.com,

Calendar of the Soul with Richard Steel May 14, 7:00pm 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

Annual General Meeting of the Anthroposophical Society in America October 2024  Save the date. Venue and dates will be announced soon

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

Pacific Eurythmy Events - See Flyers in Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Pacific Eurythmy is happy to be continuing offering adult education classes through the spring and we are very excited about the workshops and artists coming to share their knowledge, love and enthusiasm for different arts with us. Please visit our website here for more details on what is coming or email us at: PacificEurythmy@gmail.com with any questions.

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, • April 14 , Lesson 12   (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, studying and acting of “The Soul’s Probation”, Rudolf Steiner’s second Mystery Drama, dealing with the karma and reincarnations of a group of people around the turn of the 20th century.

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 newer 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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Seeking a Web Master - The Anthroposophical Branch is in need of a hands on specialist in arranging our web page. We need someone who can be available to teach us what we can do and to handle the things above our capacities. Any recommendations or answers to this call can contact Kathy Rem at kathyrem@gmail.com

Great gratitude to the members and friends whose 2024 memberships and donations make this newsletter and our library/community space possible:

For donations and membership please click here      

ADVERTISERS AND SPONSORS

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.