The Easter Festival 2025: Anthroposophy Ever Anew
Description
The Easter Festival 2025
The anthroposphical Easter mood convinces us that the spirit never dies, that though it may die to the world, it always rises again. Anthroposophy must base itself upon this spirit that rises ever anew from its eternal foundations. ~ Rudolf Steiner, Easter 1924.
Image:"Lazarus" by Ninetta Sombart (1925-2019). Used by permission
What: Easter 2025 ~ Anthroposophy Ever Anew, our community celebration addressing essential tasks in this spiritual new year of the next century of anthroposophical spiritual science, including a vibrant round of virtual programs and celebratory, in-person festival activities at Threefold Community in Chestnut Ridge, New York, including all the beautiful fruits inspired by the life and deeds of Rudolf Steiner ~ painting, music, speech, eurythmy, and the joy of good conversation shared over delicious meals, between performances, and hiking toward the Easter sunrise.
When (Virtual): Thursdays March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 3, and 10
at 12pm ET/9am PT for 75 min via Zoom (these sessions will be recorded)
When (In-Person): April 17 to 20, 2025 in Chestnut Ridge, NY
Our Full Program: In-Person & Online
Easter 2025 is exceptional in the history of anthroposophy, so we are crafting an experience that allows for the deep preparation and festive togetherness that we feel is necessary to meet this moment. It is the 100th anniversary year of Rudolf Steiner's death, and in order to answer with esoteric maturity the dynamic rhythms culminating in this year, we have designed a robust, six-week virtual program, and an inspiring in-person festival celebration at Threefold Community in Chestnut Ridge, New York, April 17 to 20, 2025.
We would love to see all of you at the festival, and for those of you who cannot attend in person, you are invited to take part in the virtual preparations ahead of time ~ to bring this content and the specifically-designed materials into your local celebrations, for deepening our shared experience of anthroposophy, the mystery of Easter, and the life and work of Rudolf Steiner.
In-Person Festival Schedule
Times subject to change
Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2025*
4 pm Festival Opening and registration at the Main House
5 pm Community Meal at Threefold Café (included in Festival registration)
6:30 pm Welcome: Anthroposophy Ever Anew with Mary Stewart Adams at Threefold Auditorium
7:30 pm Being Spring From the World All speech chorus led by Jennifer Kleinbach
7:45 pm Building the Chalice of the Year’s Festival Cycle with Eurythmy of the Foundation Stone and the Michael Imagination ~ Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble at the Threefold Auditorium
*Note that before registration opens, there will be a Class Lesson (10) for Members of the School of Spiritual Science; 2:30 pm Thursday, April 17, 2025
Good Friday, April 18, 2025
Breakfast in the Threefold Café for those who purchased additional meal plan only
9 am Peter Bruckner presents on The Arts and the Esoteric at Threefold Auditorium
10:15 Workshops ~ Track I (choose one)
Rudolf Steiner’s Easter Painting Exercise with Hans Schumm and Keith Sagal;
Eurythmy with Dorothea Meir; Fiber Arts with Chris Marlow; Singing with Christina Porkert
11:15 am Light Lunch break on your own (unless you purchased additional meal plan)
12 pm Threefold Auditorium space opens for quiet preparation in anticipation of the coming session
12:30 pm Building Sacred Festival Space
The Word Made Flesh and The Seven Sayings from the Cross with Speech Chorus and musical accompaniment
1:45 pm Small Group Conversations hosted by Tom O’Keefe at Threefold Auditorium
2:30 pm break
2:45 Medium Group Conversations
3:45 pm Workshop Track II (see above)
5 pm Dinner on your own (unless you purchased additional meal plan)
6:45 pm Easter Music Meditation on a Bach Sarabande by Grigory Smirnov at Threefold Auditorium
7 pm Evening keynote address with Clifford Venho
8 pm The Michael Imagination with the Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble
Holy Saturday, April 19
Breakfast in Threefold Café for those who purchased additonal meal plan only
9 am Lecture and Deomnstration of the Michael Imagination with Dorothea Mier and Eurythmy Spring Valley at Threefold Auditorium
10:15 am Workshop Track III (see above)
11:30 Lunch on your own (unless you purchased additional meal plan)
1 pm Medium Group Conversations hosted by Tom O'Keefe at Threefold Auditorium
1:45 break
2 pm Large Group Conversation at Threefold Auditorium
5 pm Dinner on your own (unless you purchased additional meal plan)
7 pm Turning the Spiritual Year with Calendar of the Soul verses 52 &1 in eurythmy, at Rose Hall
7:30 pm On The Planetary Moods with Mary Stewart Adams
8:15 pm The 12 Planetary Moods with Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble and friends on the stage at Rose Hall Auditorium
Easter Sunday, April 20
5:45 am Silent sunrise hike to the farm (sunrise at 6:07 am)
7:30 am Festive Easter Brunch at Threefold Café included in conference registration
9 am An Easter talk by Virginia Hermann
9:20 am Easter Song and Lyre ensemble at Threefold Auditorium with Saeko Cohn and Christina Porkert
9:45 am Aligning to the Cosmic Inscription with Foundation Stone Meditation by Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble
10:15 am Festival closing at Threefold Auditorium
Coffee, snacks, and goodbyes
Details of the Online Schedule
Note that each session will be recorded
Thursday, March 6
12 pm ET/9 am PT
Lazarus and the Easter Moon with Mary Stewart Adams
Thursday, March 13
12 pm ET/9 am PT
Rudolf Steiner as a Spiritual Teacher and His Meaning for Our Time with Peter Selg
Thursday, March 20
12 pm ET/9 am PT
My Relationship to Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy Today with Aaron Mirkin
Thursday, March 27
12 pm ET/9 am PT
The Rosicrucian Impulse and the Founding of the General Anthroposophical Society with Douglas Miller
Thursday, April 3
12 pm ET/9 am PT
The Speech Art and Eurythmy of the Foundation Stone Meditation with Sea-Anna Vasilas and Jennifer Kleinbach
Thursday, April10
12 pm ET/9 am PT
Rudolf Steiner’s Reading of the Karmic Biography of Novalis: Its Significance for our 21st Century with Bruce Donehower
Registration Options
Full Program $350
- Online Preparations (weekly, March 6 to April 10)
- In-Person Festival (April 17 to 20)
- Includes Maundy Thursday Dinner and Easter Sunday breakfast as part of our festival community-building
- {Limited Edition} Printed Cards and Booklet
Full Program plus additional meal plan $450
- All of the above
- Plus additional Meals Friday and Saturday
Virtual Program with Printed Materials $190
- Virtual Presentations
- Beautifully-printed contemplation kit
Virtual Program with Digital Materials $150
- Virtual Presentations
- Contemplation materials distributed digitally
An Accessible Level for those who need it $75
- Virtual Program with Digital Materials
- Lower price to make more possible
Lodging Information
- Staying at Holder House
- Request Homestay list for staying locally during the festival
- Further Information about Chestnut Ridge, NY
REGISTER HERE
Not able to attend?
This program will be recorded and distributed to all registrants
The Mysteries must be found anew, and we should be fully conscious that preparations to that end must now be made.
~Rudolf Steiner, Easter 1924
Meet Your Online Presenters, March 6 through April 10, 2025
Peter Selg is one of the foremost figures in the Anthroposophical movement. Trained as a medical doctor with a specialty in pediatric psychiatry, he has practiced, done research, and taught at several noted Anthroposophical medical institutions. In 2006, he founded The Ita Wegman Institute for Basic Research into Anthroposophy in Arlesheim, Switzerland, and still directs that organization. Dr. Selg is Co-leader of the General Anthroposophical Section of the School for Spiritual Science and member of the Goetheanum leadership committee. A prolific author, he has written literally scores of books and articles dealing with Dr. Steiner, Anthroposophy, and the many sister movements.
Bruce Donehower is the North American representative to the Goetheanum for the Section for the Literary Arts & Humanities of the School for Spiritual Science. He has a Doctorate in English Literature (UC Davis), a Masters in German literature (UC Davis), and a Masters in English with emphasis on creative writing (CSUS). Bruce is a poet, novelist, essayist, musician, storyteller, translator, and retired professor. He is the author of "The Birth of Novalis" (SUNY Press).
Dr. Douglas Miller served as a professor of German and as an administrator at the University of Michigan-Flint for more than 40 years. Now retired, Dr. Miller lectures and writes on anthroposophical topics including the life of Rudolf Steiner, the history of the Anthroposophical Society, and the esoteric of the First Goetheanum. For several years he was also the editor of the Anthroposophical Society in America’s News for Members and of the English-language edition of the Goetheanum’s Anthroposophy Worldwide. He translated and edited a modern collection of Goethe’s scientific studies published in 1988, and continues to explore this aspect of Goethe’s writings with special emphasis on the Theory of Color.
Aaron Mirkin was born in Scotland, but spent most of the first part of his life in South Africa. He found Anthroposophy when he was 25 and worked for nine years as a biodynamic farmer at Camphill Village Alpha near Cape Town. He is married and has three children. Following a burnout and year’s sabbatical, he moved with the family to Germany for five years and completed the Christian Community priest’s training in Stuttgart. After ordination in 2001, he has served as a priest in South Africa and England. This summer he will move to Spring Valley, NY to serve as the priest in the area.
A graduat
e of the School of Eurythmy at Eurythmy Spring Valley, Sea-Anna Vasilas has been a member of the Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble since 2011 and a member of the School of Eurythmy faculty since 2012. She leads public eurythmy courses and workshops within the contexts of biodynamic agriculture, Biography and Social Art, the Christian Community Church, and the Anthroposophical Society in North America. Sea-Anna is inspired by artistic collaborations with musicians and actors, and is currently working on developing a eurythmy program based on the story of Bip, inspired by Marcel Marceau. She holds an MA in Performance Eurythmy from Alanus Hochschule (Germany).
Jennifer Kleinbach teaches Speech in the Threefold community in Chestnut Ridge, New York: in the Steiner School of Speech Arts, the School of Eurythmy, the Fiber Craft Studio, and Sunbridge Institute. She directs community speech ensembles for local festival performances, performs solo and as a speaker for Eurythmy Spring Valley’s student and professional ensembles. Jennifer received her Speech Formation diploma from the Speech School of North America and her Eurythmy diploma from the School of Eurythmy in Spring Valley, NY. She has toured with Eurythmy Spring Valley’s stage ensemble as a eurythmist (2000-05) and speaker, and performed under Barbara Renold’s direction in Threefold community productions of Rudolf Steiner’s mystery dramas (2007, 2012-14). Jennifer holds certificates in Foundation Year and Goethean Studies from Rudolf Steiner College, a BA in classical languages from Haverford College, and an MA in medieval studies from the University of Notre Dame. She lives at the Rudolf Steiner Fellowship Community with her husband and son.
Mary Stewart Adams has been General Secretary and President of the Anthroposophical Society in America since autumn, 2023. She serves as a spokesperson for the Society and country representative in the international movement. For over twenty years, under the title of Star Lore Historian, Mary has worked as a dark skies advocate, to raise awareness about the effects of light pollution and to make known the mysteries of the starry skies from environmental, cultural, and anthroposophic perspectives. This work ultimately resulted in her leading the team that established one of the world's first International Dark Sky Parks. Mary first encountered the work of Rudolf Steiner before her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan. The work of Rudolf Steiner and a later meeting with Hazel Straker, a pioneer in astrosophy, has shaped much of her life path, which, together with her education in literary arts, continue to inspire her work and research.
Keep up to date on all our offerings at anthroposophy.org/ASAPrograms
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