Two Public Lectures were given here at the Seminar recently, forming part of our recent Caring for the Adolescent- Waldorf High School Teacher Training Intensive program for Steiner/Waldorf Teachers.
The first was given by psychologist Rob Gordon on the theme of “The Astral World of the Adolescent: The Passage between Scylla and Charybdis.”
Overview: the period between puberty and adulthood sees the soul life of the adolescent emergence as a realm that is decisively different from earlier ages. The scope and intensity of feelings, the independence of thinking, the strength of will impulses and most of all the intensified sense of self all challenge the developing person. Sometimes these challenges can get the better of them, throw them off their path and expose them to depression, suicide, substance abuse, self-harm, anorexia and other disorders. The presentation will describe typical crises of adolescents related to the developmental processes and offer some guidelines for supporting them in the school environment.
If you missed this talk, you can listen to it here. Please note this was not digitally recorded, and is unedited. It takes a few minutes to load so please be patient.
We then welcomed Lisa Devine, School Chaplain, psychologist and counsellor, who spoke on the theme of “Adolescence: Shaping the crucible of destiny.”
Overview: the new etheric heart that adolescents receive can be experienced as a blessing or a curse. The world is experienced through the organ of the midnight hour when they decided to come here. It is tinged by promises made and witnessed at this genesis moment of destiny. Unless the world we offer them can resound to the mystery of this destiny moment it is hard for them to find the fire that can hold them here. Anxiety about a future they did not agree to and depression about the identity they do not feel at home in can overwhelm them. How can the curriculum shape a vessel into which the music of their destiny can resound so they can find the fire of love for the world and themselves.
You can listen to her presentation here.
It takes a few minutes to download.
