Circling Around it

[Bruce Michael]

Dear Companions,
A couple of years back, when I was at a "Steiner" get-together, some folk were annoyed when others performed a circle dance. These critics thought this was just not "Steiner."

The people at this school were of the New Age/"native peoples" type - which is pretty standard I believe. I guess parents like this see Waldorf as the closest thing to their views.

Anyways, a lot of what has become "Waldorf" is not derived from Dr. Steiner teachings.

I was able to point out a lecture where R.Steiner talked about the attraction of the circle and dancing in circles.

Talking of circles and things, there is the expression "widdershins" to describe a circle which is formed against anti-clockwise against the Sun. Thus it was common custom to stir a Christmas cake "sunwise" for instance.
As you know, water whirlpools in a different direction down here in Australia (or up here depending on how you look at it). So things are quite back to front "over" here.

Our clocks move clockwise only because that is how the old sundials "moved". The shadow of a sundial in my part of the world moves anticlockwise- it dances in a different direction. Perhaps we should use anticlockwise clocks in honour of this.


-Br.Bruce