Report on the 4th international conference of Eurythmy in Motion from August 18-22, 2021 by Wieger Veerman
Organizing a conference in times of corona with 34 participants from 10 different countries and making it go smoothly and safely is a big challenge. With all the testing obligations before and after the conference, an extra sacrifice was also asked of the participants this time. In the end everything went well and the conference clearly showed how strongly the participants were motivated to participate in our courses.
The working atmosphere was intense and enthusiastic, everyone was happy to see each other again and to be able to work together. The work on a new impulse for the future in corona time was experienced as a gift by many.
All participants are now well acquainted with Eurythmy in Motion and often work independently with the exercises in their practice. This was also clearly visible in the mutual exchange of work experiences between the participants.
For us as course leaders (Liesbeth Kuhlemaijer, anthroposophical doctor and Wieger Veerman, eurythmy therapist) it was nice to hear that patients from many countries experience the positive effect of the exercises and also express their enthusiasm about it.
During this conference we were able to present the complete program “eurythmy therapy in tumor processes”. This is an extensive exercise program that can be used to treat all forms of cancer. In addition, the ‘post-COVID-19’ program was also part of the conference. This is an extensive exercise program that can be used to treat various complaints after an infection. Exercises have also been developed to treat the negative consequences of vaccination.
Eurythmy in Motion is growing, and several Dutch colleagues are now working independently with our content. Martine Meursing (Eurythmy Therapist in the South of the Netherlands) and Sjaak Groot (Eurythmy Therapist in the West of the Netherlands) have been asked to assist in providing courses for Eurythmy in Motion and they are happy to do so.
Four international conferences are planned for 2022, two for the follow-up group and two for a new group. In addition, we will organize a few Dutch study days.
In 2021, the Rose Heart Foundation was able to contribute €3000, = for the publication of the German version of our workbooks. The conference participants responded with enthusiasm and gratitude to this.
You will understand that Rose Heart is constantly in need of money, in order to make the courses possible for every colleague, anywhere in the world. They are also saving to pay for an English edition of our workbooks. Rose Heart is therefore happy with every donation, for which they thank you in advance!
Sincerely,
Wieger Veerman
December 2019, Warnsveld, The Netherlands
Dear Eurythmy Friends,
Through this letter I would like to inform you about some interesting developments in eurythmy. I am very much involved with these developments myself.
Verena Staël von Holstein
Since 2006 a number of anthroposophical doctors and eurythmists have been in touch with Verena Staël von Holstein. She is able to communicate with beings from the elemental spiritual world and has been doing this in a very convincing and devoted way for many years. Verena Staël von Holstein is not a medium, she’s not channelling. Through many years of practice, she is able to hear the ‘etheric universal language’ and simultaneously translate it into German. As she grew up with – and right now still lives and works with her husband, her life is based on the anthroposophical philosophy, and she uses the anthroposophical insights to express her translations.
Broadening initiative
100 years ago, Rudolf Steiner gave us the Eurythmy. The material that reached us through Verena Staël von Holstein, consists a number of additions for, and elaborations of the eurythmy as we have known until now. Therapists that have knowledge of this initiative call it a widening of therapeutic eurythmy. I’m deliberately not speaking of a new way of eurythmy. Something new usually means that the old is not appreciated anymore, gets discarded and replaced by something new. But that is not the case here: the original eurythmy as given by Rudolf Steiner will still be there. Eurythmy, however, like everything else undergoes development and growth. It needs to evolve. Humanity and its illnesses develop and change. Therefore, expansion of our therapeutic possibilities is required. And this initiative offers a number of refined possibilities and directions in which we can expand and enhance our work. There has also been new development of therapeutic eurythmy work with animals. And the directions for therapeutic eurythmy for the benefit of plants and earth, are waiting to be picked up for further elaboration. All these new initiatives together are called ‘Eurythmy in Motion’.
In 2012 I met this work. The purity and precision with which the doctor and the eurythmy therapists passed on the exercises spoke to me immediately. Slowly and carefully I started to integrate the new exercises into my work with children in the Waldorf School and with my other patients. The many positive reactions gave me the courage to pursue this path.
In the meantime, I have been introducing the first given pointers to my colleagues, i.e. therapists and several G.P.’s that work from the anthroposophical philosophy in the Netherlands, about this work. The positive response resulted in several intensive training days. Together with Verena Staël von Holstein I’ve collected the given pointers by the spirit- and nature beings and translated them in Dutch.
Two workbooks were created (400 pages, 300 exercises) with which these Dutch colleagues are able to work in a pointed and precise way.
My perception is that these indications turn practising eurythmy into a very concrete experience. It enables me to get even closer to eurythmy than ever before in the 26 years that I have been practising and teaching it. At the same time, it has enabled me to feel my own abilities and limitations much more intensely. Frequently I have been surprised by the profound effect of eurythmy in the wholeness of my being, and these new developments contribute hugely to this effect.
The large number pointers that were given by the spirit beings between 2006 and 2019 are too many to mention separately. However, to convey an impression, a few examples are following.
An additional working method for the eurythmic sound gestures for forming eurythmy gestures with arms and legs is given. Also new are the technical directions for the sound gestures. Additional insights and programs for processing trauma, extreme sensitivity and protection from exposure to radiation. And a new integral approach to treat tumoral processes.
The call for learning Eurythmy in Motion came from doctors and therapeutic eurythmists around the world. During the first international introductory weekend, thirty-seven participants from ten different countries were participating. Thirty of them showed further interest for the continuation weekend course in January 2020. We can assume that the development of this initiative is of great importance and generates a lot of interest, nationally as well as internationally.
Rose Heart foundation
During the preparations of this international introductory weekend, the question arose if it would be possible to maintain the training at an accessible financial level in order to make it available for doctors and therapeutic eurythmists from all over the world. The total training will be 3 years with 2 weekends training per year.
To be able to keep the training at an accessible financial level, we would need extra means and it made sense to create a foundation. A group of enthusiastic people got committed and in October 2019
Rose Heart: the foundation to support ‘Eurythmy in Motion’, was founded.
The Foundation aims to administer, receive and use these donations for:
- Development, translation, education materials for doctors and therapeutic eurythmists.
- Support for travel expenses for participants from abroad.
- Support for travel expenses and accommodation for trainers who are giving courses and seminars abroad.
- Financial support of other activities to support “Eurythmy in Motion”.
If you feel enthusiastic about Eurythmy in Motion, I warmly invite you to donate to the Rose Heart Foundation.
Enthusiasm about the effects
Patients share that the effects of working with this broadened eurythmy give them clear body experiences. Colleagues say that this method enables them to very precisely tune into the needs of the patients and their required treatment. The connection between doctor and therapeutic eurythmist can deepen because of this, which supports the treatment of the patient.
Several trained Dutch therapeutic eurythmists are using this method in their practices and their number is growing. I sincerely hope that during the years yet to come, the number of therapeutic eurythmists from abroad will increase too.
To become a donor, or to give a donation, use the bank number below:
NL80 TRIO 0788 8096 79
In the name of Stichting Rozenhart.
Or visit the website www.stichtingrozenhart.nl
Every donation, small or large, is very welcome.
We, the Foundation board members, trainers and Dutch and foreign colleagues THANK YOU!
Wieger Veerman, Therapeutic Eurythmist and trainer
Trainers:
- Liesbeth Kuhlemaijer – Anthroposophical doctor
- Wieger Veerman – Therapeutic Eurythmist people
- Christine van Draanen – Therapeutic Eurythmist animals