Foundation Year - Orientation in Anthroposophy

“Exploring Anthroposophy as Foundation for Life”

New course starting in the January of 2023

Foundation Year – A One Year Orientation Course in Anthroposophy

Do you want to find ways to get in touch with your inner creativity; to enhance your understanding of what it means to be human; to have meaningful and holistic understanding of the world we live in?

This course, led by Ulrike Farnleitner and Martin Henry has been running successfully for a number of years, and aims to provide a foundational, immersive introduction, to many aspects of Anthroposophy, the world-view of Rudolf Steiner, on which Waldorf/Steiner education, Biodynamic Agriculture, Anthroposophical Medicine and Eurythmy are based. It can be a foundation year for anyone planning further anthroposophical studies, and for teachers, parents, assistants or administrators in a Steiner/ Waldorf setting or in mainstream education, who are interested in deepening their understanding.

The course, comprising 9 monthly weekend sessions, aims to educate, nourish and inspire. Past students have found it supported them to cultivate real inner growth, and gave them tools to enhance their engagement in life and work. Our intention is to educate the whole person through head, heart and hands in a collaborative learning process. We hope to be able to meet in person, but are prepared for the possibility that some of our sessions may need to take place online.

A similar course was run for 10 years under the aegis of ISKA (now Bláthú), the Association for Steiner Early Childhood Education in Ireland, by the present course leaders.

Each weekend will weave together academic, artistic, practical and group learning techniques and challenge participants to new learning. Each weekend will take up one dimension of Anthroposophy and explore that in some detail. There will be a number of running themes through the course such as self-development, the life and learning processes, the realm of the 12 senses, the phases of biographic development. There will also be many social, artistic and craft activities accompanying the course.

Curriculum and topics

The curriculum will include the following themes;

“The Life and work of Rudolf Steiner as a Gateway to Anthroposophy”
“Understanding the Human Being”
“The Evolution of Consciousness”
“The Festival Year”
“Anthroposophy and Religion”
“Head, Heart and Hands, exploring human three-foldness”
“What is Waldorf Education?”
“Life, Death and Destiny”;
“Technology and the Human Being”;

Cost and Dates

The cost of the Course will be 1650 euro.

Early Bird price of 1500 euro to those who pay in full before the course begins.

NEW COURSE STARTING: January – November 2023:

The course will take place over the following nine weekends: TBC

“The course has exceeded my expectations in every way. I would recommend this for any adult regardless of background. Great opportunity to form meaningful relationships, learn, try new things and practice reflection and creativity in a beautiful location. The course instructors are experts, fun, approachable and organised.”

“The foundation year in Anthroposophy does exactly as it proposes, that is, it nourishes and inspires participants into a space of inner reflection, inner being, inner creativity and ultimately inner self growth. At each session we experienced a tapestry of academic, artistic, practical and group learning techniques held within the experienced and conscious facilitation of Martin and Ulrike”…. Cait

“It’s been a fantastic year of friendship and joy and learning.” …Fiona