Ten years after my Eurythmy Therapy Training overseas I find myself in the midst of a school again, in the circle of Waldorf Teachers. It is the first day of this new school year, and I am to teach Eurythmy now. No more giving of individual sessions of Eurythmy Therapy. My perspective changes. Classes of children will be with me instead of individual children. I will need to adjust…
What is Eurythmy Therapy? And what is the difference to Eurythmy done with classes? And what is Eurythmy anyway, you may ask…
Well, Eurythmy movements are repeating these creative formative forces from the cosmos, which have created us and the world since the beginning of times.
That might sound very great, but what does it actually mean?
These formative forces are best observed in the kingdom of plants: in all plants the influences of the planets can be found most purely.
-The rooting of the seed is the MOON impulse.
-The shooting up of the seed is the SUN impulse.
-The appearing of the leaves on either side of the stem follows the pattern of MERCURY around the SUN.
-The flowering of the plant follows the VENUS loops around the EARTH: the 5 loops VENUS makes in 8 years is imprinted in every 5 petalled flower!
And MARS, JUPITER and SATURN?
They also have their influences in their activation, fruition and seeding processes.
So what do the children do, when they do Eurythmy?
The children may learn to keep the connection with the cosmic formative forces that also live and work in the human being. They may sense that we as human beings are as much of a cosmic spiritual nature as of an earthly nature. Our impulses, our motives, our “plans” we have brought along into this life from the cosmic spiritual realms. In teaching the children Eurythmy we might help them to stay in touch with their original idea for their life.
And what does Eurythmy Therapy do?
Well, when a child is losing their balance while growing up, when they becomes “too earthy” and tight or too dreamy and floppy – we can help with specific individualized Eurythmy Therapy exercises to support finding the balance again. Especially for medical conditions Eurythmy Therapy exercises can influence bodily processes in different organs, in the blood and in the breathing, to find health again.
One example may be eczema, where the digestive processes have gone into the skin instead of through the digestive organs. We can help the child’s body to activate the digestive tract again, so that the flaming up of the skin can die down again.
But why am I teaching now instead of giving the Eurythmy Therapy?
Children, who have Eurythmy lessons, are like fertile ground: every seed you plant into them, will grow healthy and strong.
Let us build a great year 2015 together!
Christiane Wigand
Eurythmy Therapist @ Gaia