| There are few finer sights in the world than a conference hall filled with people eager to increase their understanding and experience of Anthroposophy. Anthroposophy is still relatively young here and to find 300 plus people gathered with enthusiasm, many of whom were professionals in care services in Taiwan but were encountering Anthroposophy for the first time, gave this conference its notable energy, felt by all the participants. And that was one of the notable aspects of the conference – it was a major sharing with the larger world, the general public, of the insights won from Anthroposophy and not only an ‘internal’ conference to fulfill the needs of those already working in Waldorf Education, medicine and so forth. It marked a further step from a Taipei gathering of two years ago when many people made connections in their work, and the Asia Pacific Teachers’ Conference in I-Lan last year which was also highly international yet still for those working within the Waldorf Education field. In this sense then, the conference can be said to have been a milestone in introducing Anthroposophy to the greater public. |  |
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The specific theme for the Taiwan Kolisko Conference was “Seeing the child – medical and educational insights for children’s needs”, which in Dr Michaela Gloeckler’s opening address was began with the stark realization that fewer and fewer children coming to school are healthy. Less and less children are able to listen, to sit, and to receive what the teacher wants to bring. The theme was lucidly explored with, as a starting point, reference to Aaron Antonovsky’s pioneering work on coherence. Embryology was also looked at with new eyes. The workshops, expanding artistically and practically on the theme, were equally fascinating for the participants, who were challenged on many levels to expand their understanding of activities as various as form-drawing, the sciences, movement (eurythmy) and others. Little wonder then that there was such a sense of good energy permeating the conference. It helped greatly that the venue was the Taichung National Art Museum, recently refurbished after earthquake damage and glowing in it’s new splendor, complete with simultaneous translation facilities: this was marvelous, effectively meaning that the content could be doubled. Furthermore, the use of these facilities was donated by the government, which was a huge statement of goodwill towards us. The mood of importance was further conveyed by the local Environmental Protection Association posting dozens of beautiful flags advertising the conference along adjacent streets. Everyone involved was happy to be able to bring such a wonderful conference into being, with all of the organizational challenges and learnings that resulted! |
Because of the large numbers of newcomers present, there was absolutely no sense of ‘preaching to the converted’, surely a worry that must figure large in every speakers mind before a conference. Instead, as mentioned, the conference content was eagerly taken in. This speaks to two important facets: a real strength in the contributors that the fruits of Anthroposophy were able to be shared without being couched in esoteric terms at the same time recognizing and extending modern scientific research. Secondly, that the Taiwanese doctors who were present have worked together for some time and have really encountered the difficulties of modern practice. In the world of education and medicine that has lost its heart, it is perhaps little wonder that people are enthusiastic about a new way forward. A new way which does not ask them to abandon the scientific processes behind their fields, but rather extend them, enliven them instead. Through there contribution there was a real bridge built for further conversation. This was nowhere more clearly demonstrated for many than when Dr Gloeckler showed how the forms of the lower animals are expressed by the fetus during pregnancy, thus showing how the human being is at the same time a synthesis of all animals, yet standing apart by his/her lack of specialization. This meets the need for ‘conventional’ research to be reevaluated in terms of the spiritual perspective, and also for the Anthroposophical world-view to be ‘supported in plain language’ by the new conventional research. The participants were largely from the field of education due to Waldorf Education being developed here in the last ten years and furthermore was the first time for everyone to experience the cooperation between education and medicine that leads to deeper observation. As a result, the teachers hoped that whenever possible and educational conference could cooperate with medical fields for people to be able to broaden their views. Also, for a Chinese-speaking country like Taiwan, translation remains a crucial issue. Through the conference, a plan to work on translations has been set up. Feedback from the conference from all groups of people has sounded a note of critical acclaim. There is now a strong impetus to firstly establish a medical study group in Taichung beginning this coming May, with also a seed of future hope being planted that the International Post-Medical Training can occur in Taiwan at some time in the future. A fine result. |
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