Emergence Retreat Conference Report
The theme of our Anthroposophic Naturopaths Guild (ANG) inaugural Retreat conference, held 1st – 5th July, was Emergence – bringing an emerging spiritual consciousness to illness and healing.
Addressing the needs of practitioners
This five-day retreat was formed from an impulse to deepen the therapeutic spiritual impulse of the practitioner — to meet the need of practitioners experiencing isolation, fatigue and dissatisfaction with the increasingly materialistic trend in their profession.
It was curated to inspire, deepen one’s living knowledge of anthroposophic medicine and the therapeutic gesture, therapeutic intuition, and the future healing impulse of medicine — renewal of Self, to connect, cultivate and strengthen relationships in community with colleagues who serve the impulse for healing communities.
From the environment, setting, food and daily rhythm, to the lectures, presentations, nature-based immersive workshops, silent contemplative practices, therapeutic treatments, a rich gathering of humans from near and far, this initiative was an inspiring experience.
Program
Our Anthroposophic Naturopaths Retreat conference commenced with a Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country led by local resident, practitioner and retreat participant Rob Lamb, as we gathered around a fire at Gymea, on Bundjalung Nation, in Uki, Northern NSW.
On the first evening we welcomed our esteemed keynote speaker, Dr Michaela Glöckler, from Dornach, Switzerland. Michaela spoke on the destiny of healing for the future work of the prescriber. Michaela also spoke to an audience of over 80 people who came from the local Steiner School communities to hear about the relationship of education and paedagogic work with that of healing impulses for the future.
The daily schedule of our conference retreat was meticulously structured to create natural pauses for rest, reflection and assimilation amid the presentations, workshops and enriching activities. The evenings allowed for quiet personal space to prepare oneself for reflection, rest and adequate sleep.
Each day began and ended with guided meditation led by Irmhild Kleinhenz. Gathered in silence by the warm glow of the fire, these anthroposophic healing meditations led to a deeper experience of Steiner’s method of meditating and breathing to develop higher cognitive perception.
The retreat location was nestled in lush rainforest at Wolumbin (Mount Warning) rich with diverse plants, trees, birds and wildlife, and a quietude conducive to our guided workshops and practice in plant phenomenology and nature walks — immersed in observation and understanding of the relationships and forces within all living beings.
We all received foot oilings in a silent space of warmth and reverence. Anthroposophic nursing therapies offered by Charlotte Rogers were available for those in need throughout the Retreat.
We were nourished with delicious, locally grown, biodynamic, organic produce and seasonally prepared meals. The food sustained our practices and our deepening, and the sharing of meals became wonderful gatherings for cultivating relationship, connection and community.
Physical and spiritual nourishment
We were given treats, remedies and loving generosity in our participant goodie bags, provided by Weleda and Southern Swan Pharmacy, and LocoLove Chocolates who honoured our Initiative and the extensive onsite pop-up Rudolf Steiner Sydney Centre, satiated our curiosity and yearning to deepen our understanding.
We experienced Eurythmy sessions with Jan Baker-Finch that served to awaken us to healthy and functional dynamics in social and organisational life. practitioners, therapists, educators, eurythmists, doctors and nurses gathered — in person and via livestream — for presentations on diagnostic methodology; new ways of working with healing forces and bringing new consciousness into the health professions; functional morphology and the understanding of the human constitution given by Nikki Vuillermin; and the ancient living intelligence of Ayurveda and its insights into anthroposophic naturopathic healing practice by Dipika Delmenico. Irmhild Kleinhenz crystallised our theme, speaking to Emergence and metamorphosis as a leitmotif for the future of healing work.
There was fun, laughter, renewal of existing relationships and forming of new ones in precious shared moments. We even experienced some mighty talent on stage at our spontaneous variety performance on our last evening together. Rich in imagination and enthusiasm our performances included comedy, poetry, song, eurythmy and an interpretation of metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly.
The emergence of healing communities as key to our future, healing-impulse-based service as practitioners was a resounding invitation — and this was certainly the pulse of our gathering.
Report by Dipika Delmenico.
Australian Naturopaths Guild
This Retreat was endorsed by ISAN in membership with the Anthroposophic Medical Section, Dornach. Further information about ANG is available on our website.