An Introduction to Eurythmy for Bees - Animals - Mammals - Pets
I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Christine, I’m a former stewardess for KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines. Years ago, I went to the Youth Conference in Dornach during a break between flights. I returned from a long trip to Tokyo and arrived at the Goetheanum in pumps with a Samsonite suitcase.
During the conference, I encountered many new things, including eurythmy. I think most young people reading this are aware of eurythmy. And if you are, you may have enjoyed (or not) eurythmy lessons at Waldorf schools for years. I'd like to tell you about a relatively unknown aspect of eurythmy: eurythmy for animals. I've written two books about my experiences so far: Therapeutic Eurythmy for Animals and Eurythmy for Bees - Animals - Mammals - Pets.
I can imagine you're wondering what it is like for an animal to experience eurythmy? Obviously different from humans, and yet not, because the beneficial effect is noticeable quite quickly. Perhaps even faster than in human beings. Animals don't have ulterior motives like humans sometimes do; they are completely honest in their behaviour and appearance.
When people are treated with therapeutic eurythmy, they generally participate in the movements of the eurythmist standing in front of them. Even children and adults who, for whatever reason, are unable to consciously participate in the eurythmy experience positive results through prescribed exercises. These results can't always be called healing. But even if eurythmy only provides comfort or relief from a trauma, it is noticeable and worthwhile!
After years of teaching in Waldorf schools, running my own private practice, and working in an institute with people such as those with non-congenital brain damage, the time had come in 2011 to develop eurythmy for animals as a pioneer. My motto was simple: if eurythmy is truly so good for people, why wouldn't it be good for animals (and plants) as well?
Others have already also gained experience with plants. So why not also do eurythmy for animals? There is however no official training for this yet. But one day, this will certainly become an important subject in eurythmy training around the world. Recently, I have had Zoom meetings with eurythmists, parents of Waldorf children, and other interested parties abroad, including those from China.
During major international conferences in for eurythmists and medical practioners in Dornach, I regularly give workshops together with a veterinarian. We tell the participants about this new direction and then together we visit the bees in their beautiful bee garden, the cows, sheep, and donkeys and any other animals that call the Goetheanum grounds their home. We do eurythmy for these animals. Afterwards, back at the Holzhaus building, the participants share their experiences. It's a wonderful way to learn from each other. Perhaps there will be a time soon when a workshop will also take place during the international youth conference. I'm looking forward to meeting you there. Eurythmy for animals is the future, as you are the future.
Click HERE to listen to a recent interview I did.
If you'd like to know more, you can email me at:
christinevandraanen@gmail.com
