Originally appeared in the Lilac Children's Garden newsletter, 1999 and has scattered all over the web


A first time visitor to an exhibition of the work of Waldorf pupils is usually particularly struck by the paintings. They make an unusual impression. The first perception is of strong, shining primary or mixed colors that are fundamentally translucent. These pictures have various different color moods. The colors appear to be hovering, they are not dense like colors that are attached to physical objects. The surfaces of color are not confined within contours, there are no outlines. The colors can move about unhindered and blend or become consolidated at will. They do not seem to be fixed to the surface, but seem to come to meet us or draw away from us...
(excerpt from "Drawing & Painting in Waldorf Schools")

Watercolor painting, form drawing with block or thin beeswax crayons, beeswax modeling: These may be considered by some to be art education. Indeed, I have heard grumbling by some of the students that these activities do not allow them enough realism for their art. While I cannot pose to be any sort of expert on Waldorf methods or Rudolf Steiner's philosophy, I'd like to take a stab at explaining why the above activities are not meant to be art at all, but are another vehicle for our children's growth and spiritual integration.

Central to Waldorf principles is the need to surround children with beauty. Watercolors and beeswax crayons (when used with teacher guidance and purpose) naturally create very beautiful works without technical talent. You will notice that the teachers use care not to allow the children to muddle their colors into a brown mess. At home our children may find joy creating many shades of brown and black in their artistic pursuits, but at the Waldorf school there is a grander purpose than just learning that mixing all of the colors makes mud.

Watercolor paints remind me of the silk scarves Waldorf parents are encouraged to use as drapes over their babies' cradles. When children are small, their perception of the physical world is still veiled. Most young children are not able to perceive strict realism. They are still emerging from their spiritual womb. This emergence will continue until the child is well into adulthood. As a matter of fact, Waldorf philosophy is quite emphatic that to push a child into realism (through premature reading or denial of fantasy play) can cripple their spiritual development.

Working with beeswax is a very sensual experience. The smell of the wax, the feel of it softening in the hand, the shimmering color all create a pleasurable atmosphere for the exploration of three dimensional creation. The children listen to their teacher's story and manifest an element from the story with their own hands. Watercolor paints and beeswax crayons allow the child to create without literalism. They are continually pushed away from the inside of arbitrary boundaries to the radiating form. In this way children are taught that they do not need to confine themselves, their thoughts or the others around themselves into a preconceived box or how things/people are supposed to be configured.

As with the stories being told to the children, the forms they are being taught have nothing to do with literal representation. The forms are meant to resonate with the child's state of development, to assist with the brain's integration of the surrounding world. The forms, the paintings, the beeswax sculptures all assist in the maturation of the spirit/emotion/body. The fact that the results are beautiful objects or pictures is a lovely by-product, NOT the primary goal.

Originally published in Allen's Creek Living, March 2015

Human bodies are built to be in motion. We breathe better, our hearts are healthier, we move our bowels more comfortably if we are in motion throughout the day. Natural movements can be the most effective way to maintain optional range of motion in all of our body parts.

People born with or who acquire disabilities that make them unable to move on their own must be moved by others or their bodies don’t function well. Turning, repositioning, and stretching must be done or the skin, organs and joints suffer.

Imagine your body as a sweater – a sweater knitted to be shaped like you. Now imagine that sweater is not just the outside surface of your skin, but that the knitting is also within your body – a 3D representation of you. The tissue that is our knitting is called fascia and it is ubiquitous in the body. It is responsible for holding every part of us together. A fascial membrane supports and protects the brain within the skull. Fascial sheets and compartments support and separate muscles, bones, joint capsules and organs. Fascia protects and supports lymph and blood vessels. Fascia bundles muscle fibers and connects bones to each other. Fascia has interesting properties: it can soften and reshape itself when it is heated or compressed.

Sweaters can lose their shape. They can get over-stretched. Yarn can get pulled, creating lines of tension across the garment, warping it into less-functional (and less attractive) shapes. When we wash a sweater, we “block” it – we reshape it carefully so that it will dry in in a more functional and attractive shape.

Sitting for long periods causes our fascia sweater to reshape itself to the sitting position, which is not optimal for other activities. In order for our fascia sweater to stay strong and pliable, it needs to move in many different ways. Movement of the body creates heat and pressure, allowing the fascial sweater to “reblock” itself and find its way back to a more functional and comfortable shape, allowing for optimal movement of blood, lymph and joints. In addition to the structural benefits of movement, twenty to thirty minutes of sustained movement oxygenates the brain and promotes the production and circulation of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. A fascia sweater that moves well and holds it shape is a hedge against depression and lethargy.

Movements of everyday life can be enough. Walking twenty minutes a day greatly benefits the heart and the musculoskeletal system. Lawn and garden work, house cleaning, or any other activity that requires squatting, bending and twisting can keep muscles stretchy and strong while massaging the internal organs.

Your body has many parts, made to move through space in many directions and with a wide range of motion. Keep those parts well-lubricated and well-shaped by moving in many different ways through your day.