Online reading circle (en translation)

On Sunday, 2 November 2020, the first anthro.world online reading circle started with the theme of Theosophy. In the meantime we are on the 53rd episode and 2 more reading circles have been added, the philosophy of freedom by Rudolf Steiner, as well as on the topic of threefolding the book Kernpunkte der sozialen Frage (completed 3 weeks ago). The number of participants has settled at around 4-7 people - and that is proving to be quite good.

Before, I only knew "conventional reading circles", where people sit together in a well-behaved and sometimes somewhat stiff manner. But the online meeting has something special in its own way, something playful. I don't want to judge it, I don't want to say that online is better, but from my point of view it has its own raison d'être, and it would be short-sighted to say that it is a stopgap solution.

Keyword data protection, copyrights, rights to one's own image etc.: Anyone who actively participates in the anthro.world reading circle here must be aware that as a person you will be seen and heard vocally. In public. Because everything is "mercilessly" recorded, sometimes broadcast live and can be seen afterwards on social media. You have to be able to deal with that personally.

Why don't we do the online reading circles in private mode? Because the participants consciously do not only engage themselves in their own business, but also "put themselves in the shop window" for other people. So that their concerns and inner questions can also be stimulated. Thus, as a participant, one is also an ambassador and multiplier.

How professionally and factually valuable is the content presented here? I would say the whole spectrum is represented. Some statements and passages are ingenious and imbued with wisdom and knowledge. But there is also some nonsense, with and without intention. But our claim is not to be elitist, we value liveliness in the encounter. Anthroposophy may and must even bring joy, otherwise it does not reach the heart from the mind. And what would the teaching of the wisdom of man be worth if we did not always strive to meet each other in a human way in the reading circle? The striving for the common process of creation is more congenial to us than the discussion about being right.

Use your own voice - read aloud: Please do not try to imitate 100-year-old German in a fuzzy way - that is not natural. And not only those should read aloud who find it easy or who have a particularly beautiful voice. The idea is to experience the sound and effect of one's own voice and to grow with it. Whether you can read well or have a hard time with it is not the point. It's more like the experience at a good party. You were only really there when you danced yourself.

Our ideal is horizontal hierarchy. But how can we have eye level if, for example, Wolfgang is present at the reading circles? Wolfgang, who has been in anthroposophy from head to toe for decades. He can't be the same as a beginner. Can he? Indeed, our reality sometimes deviates from our ideal. And although Wolfgang tries to keep a low profile by his standards, he is often noticeable as a leader of words and thoughts. But this also happens to some extent unconsciously and automatically on the part of the participants with lower anthroposophical seniority. Because with the consciousness of being a beginner, one does not make an effort to be fully attentive and mentally alert every second when a particularly knowledgeable person is present. I experienced this myself once in a "real" reading circle. For once, "the chief" was not there. And we, "the Indians", didn't really know what to do in some long moments. But at some point the uncertainty was overcome and everyone got lively and it became a great reading circle evening. It doesn't matter whether people with a lot or little previous experience take part. The best thing is to approach the text with a consciously naive, open and interested attitude. As if it were the first time.

If you would like to take part in the online reading circle, please ask François in advance: lesekreis@anthro.world. We will then see if and how it can fit.

François Hagdorn, 13 December 2021

The philosophy of
Freedom