Anthroposophical Society in Australia

The Anthroposophical Society in Australia (ASinA)

 General Secretary Report 2024-2025

From the AGM, 16th-18th May 2025

Thank you all for your continued membership and your warm deeds of good in the world. 

What is the Anthroposophical Society?

The Anthroposophical Society can be described as a bodily organism that has at least three roles. One is its unique relationship to you, the human being, then a vessel for relationship between people, and uniquely as a place for soul and spirit to be manifest on earth.

I quote Sergei Prokofieff:

“A completely new social initiative with a task, in our time, to make manifest to humanity an archetypal picture of a community of human beings, that is not only capable of withstanding Ahriman, as he comes into the flesh, but also of bringing a completely new Community Building principle to realisation in the world, one to which Ahriman will have no access. This principal task of the Anthroposophical Society is to enable this ‘social archetype’ which alone can protect humanity from complete social catastrophe in the future, brought about by the growth of evil in Earthly evolution.” 

He then speaks of “four streams of goodness, The Rosicrucian, the Manichean, the Grail stream and the stream of the Templars. Not as before but renewed in the modern Michaelic spirit of the times” (from The Encounter with Evil).  

The task of the General Secretary

The task is ill defined and slightly different in each country.

It is a task to faithfully represent you all at the Goetheanum and around the world and to bring back news from those meetings.

If we take the “title” literally it could mean general (allgemeine ) in the way that caring for the whole, including consideration of those who have come before and those who will come in the future.  

In March, at meetings in Dornach, this role was defined as “beyond a representative”. Behind any role is an individual one, guided by but not defined by, a constitution or job description. This allows for an individual with free perceptions and living consciousness.

It is a “servant stewardship” in terms of responsibility and accountability.

The Circle of Country Representatives (CR) have almost completed a draft document that helps to guide and describe the role globally. 

I am co-chair of this CR circle of 37 people; they certainly provide inspiration in my work.

I witness genuine worldwide striving and the development of something new and future oriented. We are building an esoteric and exoteric community.

The two meetings, face-to-face per year, enable consistency and growth. Regional meetings are held in between. Multiculturalism was further illuminated this year by the welcoming of two new country branches. We now work with Korea and East Africa, modelling diversity and individualism. 

The verse from Steiner: “Spirit of my earthly habitation . . .” guides us. I shared it with you in the last newsletter (May 2025), GA 157. It describes the destiny of individuals and nations.

At the Goetheanum, the Vorstand and Section leaders’ express gratitude to our CR circle.

We are seen by them as an “advisory board” of sorts, forming a bridge to a world Society as Steiner intended. This gratitude is reciprocal.

Meetings in Dornach form “circles within circles” — global treasurers, the Vorstand, Section leaders, the 200 coworkers, members and the movement. The mood is refreshingly, enthusiastically tangible.

The conversations at the Goetheanum are complex and varied. The German/English language barrier is still challenging for me and takes deep concentration and patience.

Ukraine and Russia were absent from our meetings but sent their warm regards and continued to work and study in their countries. A real consideration of the possibility of a third world war means there is a real fear for many in Europe. The implications in Georgia were shared by Nodar Belkanai and echoed, regarding the moods and seeds of mistrust in the USA, by Mary Stewart Adams. We note that war can never be justified by speaking of the peace that would follow. Ethical consideration focuses on what we do, not the consequences of what is done.

• I present our Australian Society as members with diverse initiatives within 13 Branches across this vast country and in the movement. Built from pioneers whom have brought inspiration from Europe, that they have adapted to the southern landscapes, climates and cultures of the ‘First Australians ‘and the multicultural immigrants.
• I am in conversation with the General Section regarding the Blue member cards being available in English.
• I am also in conversation regarding access to Goetheanum TV and Weekly newsletter being more financially available to Australian members who are on restricted incomes.

100th anniversary of Rudolf Steiner’s death

Events happened across the world and many thousands took the opportunity to showcase the initiatives of Dr Steiner.  At the Goetheanum the halls and the stage were filled with art exhibitions and performances and lectures honouring his memory.   

Thank you to those in Australia who created events simultaneously.

The 2025 General Assembly was dominated with the feeling of a collaborative moving forward.   The theme: “Are we equal to the challenges of our time? If not, how can we grow, to meet the challenge? What new facilities would we need?”

A future orientated message is — after 100 years our frame of mind must change, we must not simply wait for the world to discover Anthroposophy, we must courageously stand together and become greater representatives. 

Developments

A new announcement is that the Vorstand/Board will, when a board person is due for selection and nomination, issue a call for suggestions for such a candidate from the global Society. The board currently has four members and they are actively looking for another person, preferably a female. Members are welcome to be part of the process by suggesting someone they have identified in their own country. 

A motion was accepted to begin a formal process to “reshape” the Constitution and the structure of the Anthroposophical Society. The nominated members are versed in the esoteric and exoteric nature of the current formation.  I was asked to encourage Australian members to participate (see last newsletter).

Overall, there was a very good atmosphere for discussion on all matters and motions, followed by good conduct for the voting. Fortunately, the meeting was not characterised by the formation of majorities or polarising forces.  The members’ forums have so far had a good effect on this, as well as the clear democratic procedures which bring order and clarity. 

The next one is on June 1st  – contact the initiative group if interested. 

These member forums were developed in Dornach after the 2023 General Assembly, starting a healthy collaborative step forward. It includes considerations such as how members of the Society worldwide could be included in the voting process. To vote in a purely virtual form without sufficient information and adequate exchange is not a solution on its own. 

They provide a suitable space where all relevant topics can be discussed worldwide. This brings form and clarity and enables a process that enables us to develop well-founded judgments and action-oriented approaches. Topics for the forums would include not just the Society, but the Anthroposophical movement. 

Activity at the Goetheanum

“The house is full”, is the expression used. One conference finishing and another beginning. The stage is alive with Faust and Parsival rehearsals and performances and much more. Communications are translated into three languages.

Financials:  There was a slight surplus in 2024, contributed to by donations and inheritance of property.

Membership is on the rise for the first time in five years and already in 2025 there are more than 400 new members.  

In Australia:  We had 48 new members last year. Welcome to all.

In the last few years, ASinA resources have been focused on honouring the anniversaries of Steiner’s deeds of 100 years ago — to express our gratitude, remembering, and celebrating. This enlivened the isolation of the previous years, and the annual arts grants assisted financially. We have a new Branch of the Agricultural Section in Australia thanks to a team of dedicated members and aided by the visit of Ueli Hurter.

It is now time for each individual member to take their courageous will into the future. Time to awaken the “seeds” Steiner provided.

The recent 2025 AGM event tried a new format with the intention to enable individuals to be active in a social form for the whole. (AGM event report will be forthcoming.)

Your perspectives and your spiritual research are always welcomed so that it might be shared with others.

What of the future? 

ASinA Conversation Circles of 2021/2022. I think that in Australia, it is time again to bring life to our communications. The discussion groups once called Circles need transforming. Topics including the ASinA Constitution (including the role of the management committee), Communications, Events, Membership, the relationship of the Branches to each other and to the Sections are all topical.

From Sergei O. Prokofieff, in May Human Beings Hear It (page 688):

“Looking at the external form of the Society and posing the question:  Does it indeed require a change of this form, or do we merely wish to change it because we no longer have the strength for spiritualising it? For only in the case where we are able to fill the already existing form with actual spirit (with spiritual content), as well as with the warmth and light that arise out of the Foundation Stone, can we moreover find the right way for change, if this should become necessary.”

ASinA Communications 

Mark Gallagher continues to support Spreading the News, the Australian newsletter. The whole country’s news can be shared with members. Currently it is an email copy every 4-8 weeks. I print and post it to some older members at their request.  I thank the branches who have their local newsletters. 

The ASinA website has been professionally managed by Fiona Campbell with her artistic flair. For five years now she has offered her technical skills and anthroposophical wisdom to the content. The website has many viewers globally and more than 500 subscribers.

Last year, via the website, I answered 27 membership enquiries (23 of which translated into membership). There were also 45 random queries. People are looking for initiatives, contacts, study groups, and medical practices. 

The members’ directory is available where you can share your business or initiative.
The provider is Go4 media.

The future of the website is a question for all. Do we want it to be there with minimal presence or as a living site?  Do we want a password protected member portal?  What would we use it for, apart from reports?  Your input is welcome.

I hope to be able to travel more in the future to your branches but meanwhile offering a regular Zoom meeting with me. Stay tuned. 

Membership registrar: thanks to Graham Long for 19 years of managing the database and communications. He will step back at the next AGM 2026. Last year he modernised the system by transferring all the data to Google spreadsheets — a mammoth task. We work together well, and his diligence, intelligence and grace will be hard to replace.  

Management Committee update

The Management Committee (MC) changes again; such is life. People come and serve and then leave for a myriad of reasons. 

This year James Wishart steps back as Public Officer and Tim Bourke will take the role.

Please be aware that the Public Officer role can only be undertaken by a member living in the ACT due to the Incorporations Associations Act.

Deep gratitude to Tanami Magnus who diligently took on secretarial duties a year ago and is now confirmed. 

Deep gratitude to Helen Vogel, (Chair). Helen is steeped in the wisdom of Anthroposophia and deep commitment to the health of the Anthroposophical Society.

Deep gratitude Leanne Sarah (Treasurer). She is a member of the worldwide circle of treasurers and has worked with the Management Committee to improve our financial literacy. She has regularly reached out to branch treasurers and provided many opportunities to bring light to the economic realm. The formation of an Australian “treasurers circle” has been requested by her.

I thank the Branch representatives and their committees for their reports, newsletters and striving activities.

Let us go forward in the future together. 

In gratitude,

Jane Bradshaw 
General Secretary of the ASinA  

20 May, 2025