Annual Conference 2022
Seeds for Social Renewal
Overview
Karl König’s lectures gathered in the volume ’Seeds for Social Renewal’, formerly known as the ‘Village Conference Lectures’, laid the groundwork for the approach to inclusive community building that has been developed in the Camphill movement and beyond. They do not set out a specific form of community, but rather develop an inner orientation, a way of looking at the human being in its diversity, which can serve as a starting point and foundation for community-building.
How can we recognize each other, in our individual biographical journeys, beyond the ‘masks’ we wear and the roles we play, so that we can weave a fabric of social relationships that allows us to imagine and create new ways of being, working and learning together? On this journey, we are called to become social artists. Together, we will explore the second set of three lectures and enter the socially-imaginative process that König invites us on. What possibilities and opportunities for inclusive community-building open up when we approach our contemporary social situation in this way?
Facilitators
Jan Christopher Goeschel, Ph.D.
Jan is a trained Waldorf teacher and curative educator. He is a member of the community at The Camphill School, where he lives, while serving the North American region as President of the Camphill Academy and the worldwide movement of Camphill and related organizations as Managing Director and Member of the Leadership Team of the Anthroposophic Council for Inclusive Social Development. In that capacity, he is also a member of the International Training Council for Curative Education and Social Therapy and has taught and served as a consultant internationally.
His past roles include houseparent, high school teacher and Director of Programs for The Camphill School’s K-12 program. Jan holds an MA (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Edinburgh, an MA in Educational Leadership with Pennsylvania teacher certification in special education, and a PhD in Special Education and Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Cologne.
Francis Aradhya
Francis Aradhya van Rijckevorsel was born in Holland in 1962. She studied at Emerson College, where she completed the Foundation Year and a year of Social Development. During her ten years work in a Camphill community in Holland she completed a four years training in Curative Education. Today she is a qualified Curative Educator and Social therapist.
She and her Indian husband Anantha Aradhya started ‘Friends of Camphill India” 22 years ago. Francis is the mother of three adult children.
Francis organizes Foundation courses in Anthroposophical Curative Education and Social Therapy.She is a member of the Anthroposophical Society in Holland and in India. A member of the Christian Community and a member of the Camphill Community.
Dr. Christina Spitta, GP
Christina is a General Practitioner from Germany, having her own Anthroposophic/Allopathic Clinic together with two colleagues near Stuttgart, South Germany, where she treats children and adults from all ages and with all kinds of challenges, combining Medicine and Spacial Dynamics.
She is also trained as a Spacial Dynamics Movement Therapist and Trainer (www.spacialdynamics.com), as a Bothmer Trainer, and is on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Anthroposophic Body Therapies (www.iaabt-medsektion.net) as a founding member since 2009.
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For 12 years she co-directs training (Level I and II) in Spacial Dynamics in Italy, Hungary and also Romania, where they started training for 25 Physiotherapists in 2019. Since eight years she is also a member of the “Teach the Teacher in Anthroposophic Medicine” team of instructors in Dornach, Switzerland and internationally gives workshops and lectures.
Augustine Thilak
Augustine Thilak, is a multifaceted Artist who uses the Therapeutic side of Art to connect with people. He has exhibited his art as well as given workshops in various cities of India. He works with curative and Waldorf inspired schools in Chennai.
Augustine is an avid trekker who enjoys all the challenges he experiences on treks especially while exploring “The Himalayas”. His fascination towards the workings of the mind led him to pursue study in psychotherapy after graduating in fine arts. He has also trained in Yoga and other alternative therapies (Varma, Touch Therapy) that have helped him to deepen his understanding of Man in a holistic way. This learning and understanding of the uniqueness and individuality of each person, supports him in his work with children and adults with disabilities. His learning includes painting from Rudolf Steiner Painting School, Dornach, Switzerland.
He is a member of the Anthroposophical Society, Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland, Avapanam (Forum for Inclusive Social Development) India and of the Anthroposophical Medical Society (AMS - Chennai).
Dipankar Usha Banerjee
Dipankar Usha Banerjee is 25 years old and a queer artist. At present he is residing and working at Friends of Camphill India, Bangalore.
Working Groups
Conversation with Jan Goeschel
This is an open conversation group that will allow participants to explore themes of the Conference Lectures via dialogue and sharing.
Conversation with Christina Spitta
Participants will get an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Spacial Dynamics through conversation, sharing and examples. There will also be opportunities to do movements.
Mask Making with Francis and Dipankar
Participants will get an opportunity to deepen their experiences and understanding of Masks that is a dominant theme through the Seeds for Social Renewal Lectures. This will be a hands-on workshop where participants will create masks and have conversations about the same.
Experiencing the Human Being through colour with Augustine Thilak.
This is an artistic workshop where participants will get an opportunity to explore with colours the understanding of the Human Being.
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Program Schedule
