Our Librarian Lisa Jones will be away in August.

For information or to arrange a visit contact Valerie Hope, valerieannhpdx@aol.com 503-775-0778 .

To schedule the space for an event or meeting contact James Knight, j365k@yahoo.com

To contact the Portland Branch Council: portlandanthroposophy@gmail.com Website portlandbranch.net

In This Issue:

• Mystech Conference August 11-13. Branch members receive $50 discount, 10% of fee donated to Portland Branch. Financial Assistance Available

• Christ and the Earth with Daniel Hafner, August 23. Reply to this email to let us know you will be attending.

• Mystery Drama: Excerpts from ‘The Portal of Initiation’ August 24. Tickets available at the door. It would be helpful to know the size of the audience in advance: contact David Axelrod.

• Don’t Wait for the Peak to Watch the Perseid Meteor Showers This August - and Rudolf Steiner on the importance of being aware of their effects on us.

• Request for Fortitude, Rudolf Steiner verse translated by Helen Lubin, with some additional information.

• Works of fiction available from the library for summer reading

• Eliant Health Care Declaration by Michaela Glockler

• Calendar: Mystech Conference; Christ and the Earth; Excerpts from ‘The Portal of Initiation; First Monday Study Group taking up ‘The Occult Significance of Forgiveness’; Tarot Class will meet on August 2. And ongoing groups.

• If you would like to help plan a Michaelmas observance or an All Souls observance please contact Valerie Hope by responding to this email!

Three Significant August Events

We are pleased to report that there will be three events of note in August - two in Portland, and one in Seattle- that you won’t want to miss! Details below. For ongoing activities see the Calendar.

5th Annual Mystech Conference

August 11 Through 13

Eastside Community School, Issaquah, WA

3 Days, 20 Speakers

Branch Members Receive $50 Off

Need financial assistance to attend?

Email info@cfae.us

Let organizers know how they can help. They want everyone to have the chance to be at the conference.

Click on the image below to register.

After two years of online conferences, the 2022 Mystech Conference will again offer an invaluable in person experience from August 11 through 13, this time in the nearby Seattle area!

If you register by clicking on the poster above, for either the in person or online experience, the group will donate 10% of your fee to the Portland Branch! Many thanks to those who have already done so.

Twenty speakers will, from varying disciplines and points of view, address the question of how to evolve a truly human future in light of spiritual science, and in the face of all the technological developments that we are experiencing. And, in the face of the many that are coming toward us: transhumanism, the metaverse, geoengineering, and much more - developments that impact our day-to-day lives, health and consciousness in profound and unexpected ways.

Will continued advances in technology be a benefit or a burden for the potential of humankind? How can each of us respond to modern technological developments in order to shape the future towards the good?

Meet These Speakers in Person

Ed Conroy (Author): Master of Ceremonies (MC)

Dr. Gopi Vijay (Physicist and Researcher): Keynote Speaker and presenter of Force and Energy: What are they, really?

Patrick Kennedy (Priest & co-director of the Seminary of the Christian Community in North America): A New Genesis - Artificial intelligence, robotics, and the deepest human calling to become creators.

Dr. Ralf Tita (Engineer): Cymatics: Approaching the lively aspects of the world

Boyd Collins (Computer Engineer): Trapped in the Metaverse: When Reality Itself Becomes a Marketable Product

Elana Freeland (Writer and Lecturer): Geoengineered Transhumanism: From Macro to Micro

Robert Filocco (Psychologist): The UFO Challenge: The Spiritual Meaning of the UFO Phenomenon

Daniel Perez (Computer Engineer): Face-to-face with Virtual Reality and the Lesser Guardian & The Warmth of Life and the Cold of Computation in Etheric Resonance and Quantum Computing

Tom Pichard (Computer Technician & Writer): Introducing the Spiritual Stack and Flow Model: Toward a Transcendental Architecture of Consciousness

Christ and the Earth with Daniel Hafner Tuesday, August 23, 3-7 pm w/Dinner Break Location, Branch Library/Community Room

Please reply to this email to let us know you will be attending!

Metamorphosis by Gerard Wagner

The topic is very much about how at the turn of the ages the spirit light of the world entered the earthly stream of being. And how the earth prepared for that event, and responded to it, and continues to respond. ~Daniel Hafner

Daniel Hafner gives courses on Anthroposophy and its applications in various fields. He has been developing a series of introductory courses for young adults in the hope of founding a thorough training. He works as a priest of the Community of Christians in Nuremberg, Germany.

Don’t Wait for the Peak to Watch the Perseid Meteor Showers This August - and Why It Is Important to be Aware of Their Effects on Us

The Perseid meteor shower is active from July 17-August 24, with the peak occurring on the night of August at about 1 am, according to EarthSky.org. However, because this year the peak will occur during the full moon, they advise viewers to attempt to view the shower as it ramps up in early August before the moon gets too bright, say a week or ten days before the peak. The shower is often best before dawn.

Whether or not you choose to scan the skies for the meteors, it can be helpful to bring to consciousness the activity of Michael and the healing force of the meteoric iron which is shooting into our blood during the whole time of the meteor activity, and wages war there on anxiety, fear and hate. This is beautifully described by Rudolf Steiner in The Michael Imagination, from The Four Seasons and the Archangels.

The passages below are excerpted from The Michael Imagination. The entire lecture is highly recommended for a more complete picture, including how the the meteoric iron sent by the Archangel Michael affects the sulphurizing process which has taken place in us during summer.

And when in high summer, from a particular constellation, meteors fall in great showers of cosmic iron, then this cosmic iron, which carries an enormously powerful healing force, is the weapon which the gods bring to bear against Ahriman, as dragon-like he tries to coil round the shining forms of men. The force which falls on the earth in the meteoric iron is indeed a cosmic force whereby the higher gods endeavour to gain a victory over the Ahrimanic powers, when autumn comes on. And this majestic display in cosmic space, when the August meteor showers stream down into the human shining in the astral light, has its counterpart — so gentle and apparently so small — in a change that occurs in the human blood. This human blood, which is in truth not such a material thing as present-day science imagines, but is permeated throughout by impulses from soul and spirit, is rayed through by the force which is carried as iron into the blood and wages war there on anxiety, fear and hate. The processes which are set going in every blood-corpuscle when the force of iron shoots into it are the same, on a minute human scale, as those which take place when meteors fall in a shining stream through the air. This permeation of human blood by the anxiety-dispelling force of iron is a meteoric activity. The effect of the raying in of the iron is to drive fear and anxiety out of the blood.

And so, as the gods with their meteors wage war on the spirit who would like to radiate fear over all the earth through his coiling serpent-form, and while they cause iron to stream radiantly into this fear-tainted atmosphere, which reaches its peak when autumn approaches or when summer wanes — so the same process occurs inwardly in man, when his blood is permeated with iron. We can understand these things only if we understand their inner spiritual significance on the one hand, and if on the other we recognise how the sulphur-process and the iron-process in man are connected with corresponding events in the cosmos.

A man who looks out into space and sees a shooting-star should say to himself, with reverence for the gods: “That occurrence in the great expanse of space has its minute counterpart continuously in myself. There are the shooting-stars, while in every one of my blood-corpuscles iron is taking form: my life is full of shooting-stars, miniature shooting-stars.” And this inner fall of shooting-stars, pointing to the life of the blood, is especially important when autumn approaches, when the sulphur-process is at its peak. For when men are shining like glow-worms in the way I have described, then the counter-force is present also, for millions of tiny meteors are scintillating inwardly in their blood.

This is the connection between the inner man and the universe. And then we can see how, especially when autumn is approaching, there is a great raying-out of sulphur from the nerve-system towards the brain. The whole man can then be seen as a sulphur-illuminated phantom, so to speak.

But raying into this bluish-yellow sulphur atmosphere come the meteor swarms from the blood. That is the other phantom. While the sulphur-phantom rises in clouds from the lower part of man towards his head, the iron-forming process rays out from his head and pours itself like a stream of meteors into the life of the blood.

Such is man, when Michaelmas draws near. And he must learn to make conscious use of the meteoric-force in his blood. He must learn to keep the Michael Festival by making it a festival for the conquest of anxiety and fear; a festival of inner strength and initiative; a festival for the commemoration of selfless self-consciousness.

Respectfully submitted, Valerie Hope

Request for Fortitude*

Rudolf Steiner, Translation by Helen Lubin

Victorious Spirit,

Flame through the impotence

Of irresolute souls.

Burn out egotism,

Ignite compassion,

That selflessness,

The life-stream of humankind,

Well up as the source

Of spirit rebirth.

*Found in Guidance in Esoteric Training. Helen also forwarded the following information: In the German edition there is an endnote that says that when it was first published, Maria Steiner added the indication: 'words of meditation which take hold of the will', which became its title. In another text that was prepared for publication, the verse has the indication "Request for fortitude".

From the Library: Fiction for Summer Reading (or anytime) by Lisa Jones

It's that time of year again. Anthroposophists will always have plenty of good reading material, but what would summer be without a bit of Anthroposophically inspired fiction? In that spirit, here are a few works of creative fiction from our Library that you might find of interest.

ROSENHART by A. Roz Mar The series of Rosenhart books tells the tale of a brotherhood of Knights of the Turtledove in the 13th century whose mission is both secret and sacred. In Book I, The Sight, they venture to six of nine world sites to seek, gather and protect wisdom knowledge from those who would misuse their powers. The knights go forth against great odds to accomplish their task, from battles with tribal warriors, outlaws in Ireland, to storms at sea. By journey's end the Archangel Michael becomes their guide for initiation in fulfilling the quest. Titles of the books in the series: The Rosenhart Collection includes the following titles which are available at the Library:

Rosenhart: The Sight

Rosenhart: Kindred Spirits

Rosenhart: The Trial

Rosenhart: Noble Heart

LIN by Albert Steffen Dramatist and poet Albert Steffen was one of Rudolf Steiner's closest and most trusted friends and colleagues who was entrusted with leading the Anthroposophical Society after Steiner's death. In Steffen's dramas, everything trivial and naturalistic falls away and the deeper impulses of the soul come to direct expression. His dramas are bold attempts at portraying the deeper, moral battles of humanity that lead through crisis to catharsis and transformation. Even at their most dramatic, Steffen's scenes are imbued with a beauty that reflects a high level of spiritual integrity. This play puts the drug problems of today in a new perspective. Lin, the central figure of this drama, is based on an historical figure, a member of the Chinese nobility and one of China's noble sons. Lin is thrown into a life-and-death conflict in his efforts to save his countrymen from the disintegrative effects of the Opium Wars with England. The play points to the spiritual background of this tragedy which concerns all of humanity and presages human catharsis and redemption in times to come.

ZANONI: A ROSICRUCIAN TALE by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton Zanoni, first published in 1842, was inspired by a dream. Sir Edward, a Rosicrucian, wrote this engaging, well-researched, novel about the eternal conflict between head and heart, between wisdom and love, played out by the Rosicrucians before the dramatic background of the French Revolution. He described his book Zanoni as "a truth for those who can comprehend it, and an extravagance for those who cannot." Following his introduction, the novel is divided into seven parts, whose titles indicate the sevenfold path of spiritual development. The fourth section, "The Dweller of the Threshold," is the book's centerpiece, revealing significant esoteric facts and experiences. On several occasions, Rudolf Steiner referred to his depiction of "The Guardian of the Threshold" and said it was very accurate, as only an excellent psychic could describe it. In the book it is called "the specter".

A novelist, a dramatist, a scholar, an editor, and an active member of Parliament, Sir Edward was an extremely successful author whose writings were widely read throughout England and Europe. He poured into this esoteric work all of the ancient esoteric wisdom that he felt he could reveal to the public during an age buried deeply in materialism. This work remains one of the great, pioneering landmarks of esoteric writing.

COLLISION by Sigfried Finser. The battle between the unscrupulous intellect and the caring heart is a central theme of Sigfried Finser's Collision. In it, the president of the monolithic PTP Corporation ruthlessly struggles to acquire his competition while a kindly young woman is embroiled in dangerous intrigues and the threat of exposing secrets at the highest level. How will they escape the evil overshadowing them and survive to fight again on their own terms?

The exciting story of these interlocking destinies moves from city to countryside, from America to Brazil, and the collisions in this story are on several levels. They reveal conflicting passions in a fast-paced sequence of events with a surprise ending. The action moves from the boardroom to the university campus and on to secret hideouts. Light and dark, warm and cold intersect as the key figures collide in the struggle for power. If you like fast-paced thrillers with a philosophical twist, don't miss this work!

The Peoples' Declaration for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Healthcare (TCIH).

Dear Friends of ELIANT,

Most citizens want health care that focuses on the whole person and respects cultural diversity. While 80% of all countries world-wide report the use of traditional, complementary or integrative practices, this high demand is not yet reflected in national health systems due to the lack of recognition and regulation, or a result of limited collaboration between different healthcare systems.

In response, a group of more than 89 healthcare organisations, practitioners, patients, and scientists from around the world is uniting around a shared vision of healthcare and have launched the Peoples' Declaration for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Healthcare (TCIH). Our Alliance ELIANT member, the International Federation of Anthroposophic Medical Associations (IVAA) is an active promoter of TCIH and have supported the Declaration partners in developing a common vision of health care for the near future:

''The healthcare we envision focuses on the whole person, is participative, respects individual choices, as well as cultural diversity and engages in respectful evidence-informed collaboration between all systems of healthcare.''

TCIH focuses on the whole person and considers the individual in their physical, psychological, spiritual, social, and environmental context.

The Declaration will collect signatures of support from organisations and individuals worldwide over the course of one year to demonstrate the demand for TCIH to policy makers.

We would be extremely pleased if our ELIANT friends would support this international call to action and could sign and follow the Declaration milestones at tcih.org!

With your signature you support this urgently needed change of perspective in medicine worldwide. This is the good "lobbying" that can currently only be done by civil society! It is up to all of us!

In the hope that you will be able to support this important cause.
Best summer greetings on behalf of the ELIANT Team

Yours, Michaela Glöckler

MICHAELA GLÖCKLER: WHERE ARE WE NOW IN THE CORONA-PANDEMIC? WHAT CAN HELP US TO LIVE CONSTRUCTIVELY WITH THE CONSEQUENCES?

This 49 page booklet was kindly translated from German to English by Astrid Schmidt-Stegmann and forwarded to council member Walter Rice at his request. We have Dr. GlÖckler’s permission to make it available through our newsletter. Click here to be linked to the materials, now available as a pdf.

Portland Branch Calendar

First Class of the School of Spiritual Science. Sunday July 10, 9:30 am sharp • No Lesson in August • (no admittance after the class starts at 9:30 sharp) • Bothmer Hall • Blue card required. See 2022 Schedule below. For more information contact: Cheri Munske cherimunske@gmail.com, Diane Rumage drumage@comcast.net or Rebecca Soloway rrsoloway1@gmail.com

First Class Schedule for 2022: August, no meeting; September 11, October 16, 3rd Sunday; November 13, December 11

Portland Branch Council Meeting Monday August 8, 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.

Ongoing New Class: the Tarot in Light of Spiritual Science with James Knight • Tuesday August 2 • 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 (with some summer exceptions) from 7pm to 8:30pm at the Branch Library Space (5415 SE Powell Blvd) • 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/.

Christ and the Earth with Rev. Daniel Hafner Tuesday, August 23, afternoon and evening • Branch Library/Community Space. Contact Valerie Hope, valerieannhpdx@aol.com to indicate that you will be attending • The topic is very much about how at the turn of the ages the spirit light of the world entered the earthly stream of being. And how the earth prepared for that event, and responded to it, and continues to respond.

Excerpts from The Portal of Initiation, with Intro by David Axelrod Wednesday, August 24, 7:30 pm • St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Stage, 5415 SE Powell Blvd. Tickets available at the door. For more information contact David Axelrod, 360-379-4859 or d.axelrod@hotmail.com or visit www.micha-elinstititute.com and click the linked button • The Port Townsend Mystery Drama Group,T directed by David Axelrod, will be in Portland for a one-night performance of excerpts from Rudolf Steiner’s first mystery play.

Ongoing Groups and Activities

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

The Occult Significance of Forgiveness Study Group • 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 in lively discussions centered on Sergei Prokofieff’s The Occult Significance of Forgiveness.

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. Now studying Glen Williamson’s mystery drama, Future Dawning.

Pacific Eurythmy Open Classes for the Community in Anthroposophy and the Arts Monday Evenings For details please see Pacific Eurythmy or call Jolanda, 503-896-3345 or Carrie, 415-686-3791

Waldorf Education and Teacher Training Lectures and Courses Conducted throughout the year by the Micha-el Institute Contact Jen Davis, 503-449-7387 jennifer@micha-elinstitute.com

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.

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Great gratitude to the members and friends who have donated thus far in 2022 to make this newsletter and our library/community space possible.

John Beck, Jeremy Davis, Julie Foster, Vicki Hess-Smith, Mark Hope, Valerie Hope, Lois (Tish) Johnson, Marsha Johnson, Timothy Kennedy, Rene Kehrwald, James Knight, Anne Kollender, Barry Lia, Mihoko Lunsford, Lisa Masterson, Brian McClure, Cheri Munske, Robin O'Brien, Lucy O’Neal, Donna Patterson-Kellum, Pamela Rico, Diane Rumage, Kimberly Sinclair, Jerry Soloway, Rebecca Soloway, Linda Sussman, Miriam Ward

Or send a check made out to Portland Branch, and send to Portland Branch c/o Mark Hope, 2606 SE 58th Ave. Portland, OR 97206. We will receive 100% of your donation if you choose this method of payment.