English Spring Week: 2nd to 9th June 2019
THE GRAIL - From Myth and Legends to Religious Symbol - From Religious Symbol to Spiritual Reality
Lectures, Discussions, Eurythmy with Andrew Wolpert, Simon Blaxland de Lange, Steve Roberts, Carina Schmid and Christopher West
At the end of Occult Science Rudolf Steiner describes Spiritual Science as Grail Knowledge. This wisdom for the future is connected through the image of the Grail to myth, history, legends and the sacrament in the mass. Remarkably, a cup is neither mentioned in the John Gospel nor depicted in Leonardo’s Last Supper. The Grail does indeed have everything to do with transformation, metamorphosis, and transubstantiation, not just historically at the altar, but particularly also now in the spiritualising of the earth and all matter, and in our unfinished evolution, in our becoming human.
In this week leading to Whitsun we shall explore the history and legends connected with the Holy Grail and Joseph of Arimathea, the celebrations of the Quest theme in the literature of Arthur and Parzival, the healing impulse associated with the Grail, how this theme lives in modern literature, and what is meant by characterising anthroposophy as “science of the Grail”. The changing dynamic of form and content, the sacred communion of the Word, and our challenge to offer the hierarchies what we have transformed of the cosmic substance we have been given, are all aspects of this Grail wisdom.
We will work together in eurythmy, and there will be lectures and seminars to stimulate discussion. The activities during the week will culminate in a Whitsun Festival celebrating a community of individuals who take initiative and responsibility for a social form. The course is open both to those who are at the beginning of their exploration of this theme and also to those who have been occupied with this for longer, with opportunities also for participants to share their own perspectives on this subject.
Some suggestions for preparatory reading:
Christ and the Spiritual World, GA 149, R. Steiner, lectures 5 and 6, Rudolf Steiner Press, 1983
The Mysteries of the Holy Grail, R. Steiner Press, 2010 ( selection of extracts from 26 additional lectures R. Steiner gave on the theme of the Grail.
The Holy Grail, Richard Barber, Allen Lane, 2004
The Grail Legend, Emma Jung, Sigo Press, 1986
The Tree of Life and the Holy Grail, Franke and Cawthorne, Temple Lodge, 1996
The Mystery of The Holy Grail, Rene Querido, Rudolf Steiner College Publications, 1991
Speech of the Grail, Linda Sussman, Lindisfarne Press, 1995
Rudolf Steiner und das Gralsmysterium, Koepke, Verlag Freies Geistesleben, 2015
Rudolf Steiner and the Masters of Esoteric Christianity, Prokofieff, Wynstones Press, 2018
Lectures and Seminars:
The dynamic of Form and Content – leading to Whitsun
Pictures of the Deposition & 2nd Pietà
Joseph of Arimathea
Michelangelo´s Grail Quest
The Grail in Chretien and in Wolfram
Perceval and Parzival
The Healing of the Grail
The Chalice of the Soul - The renewal of social awareness in the mysteries of the Grail and in the Act of Consecration of Man
Leonardo´s Last Supper
What can I bring?
Congruity and Selflessness in LanguageModern texts
The Grail in Modern Literature
The Science of the GrailReview / Closing Thoughts
Events:
11 Lectures, 10 Discussions, 5 Seminars, 10 Eurythmy, (Coffe and Tea breaks), Whitsun Festival
All events: 280 €
Accommodation including all events:
1 week one person 640 €
1 week two persons 1.040 €