From the spirit in the human being to the spirit in the universe

The Anthroposophical Society in Hawaii
The Anthroposophical Society in Hawaii holds a unique and important position within the cultural and spiritual landscape of the islands. Its foundation lies in the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, reflecting the spirit of interconnectedness that’s inherent to Hawaii itself.

Anthroposophy, a spiritual philosophy established by Austrian philosopher and social reformer Rudolf Steiner, is the guiding light for the Society. Anthroposophy aims to bridge the spiritual and physical realms through self-guided knowledge and personal growth. It encourages individuals to adopt a spiritual-scientific approach towards understanding the world and their place within it, emphasizing freedom, responsibility, and the cultivation of each person’s potential.

In Hawaii, the Anthroposophical Society aspires to bring these principles to life through various initiatives spanning Waldorf education, Biodynamic agriculture, Anthroposophical medicine, artistic activities, youth initiatives, and social science. These endeavors are the Society’s commitment to making Steiner’s vision of a world where human potential is nurtured and harnessed for communal good, a tangible reality.

The Society’s work in Hawaii is deeply intertwined with the islands’ rich spiritual and cultural heritage, and their unique geographic context. By incorporating Anthroposophical principles into its activities, the Society enriches the islands’ spiritual ecology, fostering community, mutual respect, and a profound connection to the land.

Moreover, the Anthroposophical Society in Hawaii is also part of the global Anthroposophical movement. It engages in an ongoing dialogue with the broader Anthroposophical community, exchanging insights and learning from the collective wisdom of Anthroposophists worldwide. This global-local exchange strengthens both the Society in Hawaii and the larger Anthroposophical community, encouraging shared growth and understanding.

The Anthroposophical Society in Hawaii strives to realize the being of Anthroposophy: nurturing spiritual growth, enhancing human well-being, and fostering a deeper understanding of our interconnected world. Its work in Hawaii is grounded in the local context, yet reflects Anthroposophy’s universal ideals and its hope for a more compassionate and sustainable world.

A Brief History of Anthroposophy in Hawai’i

Even before the refounding of the Anthroposophical Society at the Foundation Stone Christmas Conference of 1923-24, a year after the burning of the first Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland, there were people in Hawaii reading Rudolf Steiner’s works. During the conference, Rudolf Steiner asked one of the representatives from Hawai’i, Lotti (Charlotte) Ferreri to write him on a regular basis concerning current events and activities in Hawai’i and the Pacific. At that time, ‘Group Honolulu‘, as it was called, consisted of approximately thirty members.

During the 1920’s ,30’s and 40’s meetings and study groups took place in private homes and rented spaces. Many distinguished members of the Honolulu community took part in these studies, such as Campbell, Christy, Chu, Galt, Lee, Swanzy, Wakefield, Whitlow and Wild. This was the time of building a sizable library and eventually led to locating a suitable home for the Society activities in beautiful Manoa Valley, where it is still located, also near the University of Hawai’i. During World War II and into the 1950’s and 1960’s the group, though fewer in numbers, gave generous support to the Goetheanum in Dornach.

In 1960, some of the members decided to start a Waldorf school to commemorate Rudolf Steiner’s birth, and this school was founded in 1961. Several members were very key to this development, one of whom was a successful businessman, Eric Wakefield, who set up the Rudolf Steiner Foundation in Hawai’i (now defunct) to support Anthroposophical endeavors in the Pacific.

Though Hawai’i became a state of the United States in 1959, our Society remains an independent organization, and sends an invited representative to meetings in Dornach.

In the 1970’s and 1980’s Professor William Scherer, who taught German at the University of Hawai’i, and Josef Gunsinger, a composer, musician and retired leader of Section work in the School of Spiritual Science who moved to Maui, increased awareness internationally of the Anthroposophical activities in Hawai’i, and many international conferences have been held in the islands. Of special importance was the first international Pacific Region Conference, held in 1995. More recent international conferences were held in Hawai’i in 2010 and 2018.

Presently the School of Spiritual Science is active on Oahu and Maui, and Waldorf schools, biodynamic agriculture, therapeutic centers, festivals and study groups are active in our islands.

Hawai’i has an interesting spiritual destiny, located as it is in the heart of the Pacific, and we are conscious of being a ‘bridge‘ to the other lands touched by this vast body of water.

Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, and esotericist, best known as the founder of Anthroposophy, a spiritual and philosophical movement. 

Born in the rural part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now Croatia, Steiner pursued a diverse academic education at the Vienna Institute of Technology, studying mathematics, physics, and philosophy. His early professional life saw him in the role of a private tutor and later as an editor of Goethe’s scientific works at the Schiller National Literary Archive in Weimar. The time spent with Goethe’s works influenced Steiner’s philosophical path, leading him towards creating a spiritual-scientific approach to understanding the world.

In the early 1900s, Steiner relocated to Berlin and began sharing his spiritual insights through lectures. These lectures formed the basis of Anthroposophy, a spiritual philosophy that proposed the existence of a spiritual world accessible to human perception and thought.

Steiner’s holistic vision manifested in various practical initiatives. In education, he founded the Waldorf school movement, focusing on the comprehensive development of the child. In agriculture, he initiated Biodynamic farming, an organic farming approach that acknowledges the farm as a living system interacting with cosmic forces. Steiner also contributed to medicine by developing Anthroposophical medicine, which integrates spiritual understanding with empirical medical knowledge. Furthermore, he made notable contributions to arts, particularly architecture, drama, speech, and eurythmy – a form of movement art.

Steiner’s life’s work centered on the potential for individual spiritual evolution and the cultivation of faculties to discern the spiritual underpinnings of existence. His philosophies still resonate today, influencing various fields, and the Anthroposophical movement he founded continues to thrive across the world to this day.