Narrow Straits

Haggadah
Marc Chagall

From the narrow straits I cried out to God. God answered me and delivered me to the wide places”. ~Psalm 118, Verse 5

During Passover we are invited to go on a journey from slavery to freedom. Oppression can be a physical thing – a shackle on an ankle, bars on a cell, the clothes a woman feels she must wear to avoid catcalls or worse; or even being glued to the screen in lockdown. And it can also be a feeling, a mind-set – the unrelenting encumbrance of propaganda that clouds our thinking & degrades our psyches, digging into our souls to deny us the fullest expression of the freedom that all human beings deserve.

Haggadah portions that are Talmud quotes

Many words in Hebrew share common roots. In the story of Passover, God delivers the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, which in Hebrew is מצרים – “Mitzrayim”. The Jewish mystic text called the Zohar notes another word with the exact same root: מצרים, “m’tzarim”, or “narrow straits.”

The Economy: Navigating Scylla & Charybdis

It makes me think of Scylla & Charybdis or being ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place.’ And it can also symbolize a womb & the opportunity for re-birth.

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The Jews leave Mitzrayim as slaves thru the parting of the Red Sea & are reborn as a free people on the other shore.

What would it be like during this plague time to think about our own narrow places? And can we see this as the labor before the birth? What if we are in the womb right now ready to be reborn as fuller more expansive versions of ourselves? Can we allow ourselves to gestate a new reality?

Jewish or not, most of us have something in our lives that keeps us constrained; unable to become our true self –Right now there are many forces working to hold us back or make it difficult for us to express ourselves or fulfill our true purpose as human beings.

What are we nurturing, growing, preparing? What is just about to break free, push out—despite fear— to become something new for ourselves & the world?  

This is our Mitzrayim moment thru the Red Sea & we can hope to be delivered on the other shore of our own making.

United Colours of Oppression" série Entités I Painting by Picrate |  Artmajeur
Z. Picrate

When someone is arrested, harmed, or killed by the police because of the color of their skin, they are oppressed. When people are rejected from our country because of where they were born, they are oppressed. When a child suppresses who they are because of the judgements of their peers or lack of support from adults, they are oppressed. When people are denied legal recognition of their love, they are oppressed. When a person seeking community is turned away because they are unlike the majority, they are oppressed. And when we ignore, deny, or contribute to these actions, we are the oppressors. Until all oppression ends, we must remember that we too are oppressed, because there is no true freedom until we are all free.

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Tonight, is the 1st night of Passover 2021 – We can  acknowledge where we are stuck & also celebrate the freedoms we enjoy, ever remembering that others are not as fortunate; & we can pledge that in the next year, we will seek freedom for everyone, in all areas of life: Sister & Brotherhood in the Economic Realm, (Interesting to think how a large cargo ship is stuck in the Suez Channel, disrupting global trade) Equity & Equality in the Sphere of Rights, Unselfish Freedom for all in the Spiritual, Cultural, Educational; & especially right now: in the Medical realm…

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Atom Eve

27 March 2021- “Speaking with the Stars”: Tonight is the Eve of the Full Worm Moon, Crow Moon or Sap Moon.

PASSOVER AND THE LAST SUPPER

Rudolf Steiner’s Lectures on this day

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

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1915 – Typhoid Mary, the first healthy carrier of disease ever identified in the United States is put in quarantine at age 46 where she would remain imprisoned for the rest of her life. She was kept there against her will for 24 years until she died in 1938.

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1966- DeathDay of Karl Konig, Founder of Camphill

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1981 – The Solidarity movement in Poland stages a warning strike, in which at least 12 million Poles walk off their jobs for four hours.


The 8-Fold Path to Easter

Holy Week 2021 (March 28 – April 4): Starting on Palm Sunday & every morning of Holy Week, at 8 am PT / 9 am MT/ 10 am CT / 11 am ET / 3 pm UT / 4 pm CET for 30 minutes, including Easter Sunday, we will gather on zoom & endeavor 1st of all, to take turns sharing indications from Holy Week, the 7 rhythms of the Foundation Stone Meditation & Rudolf Steiner/The Buddha’s 8 –fold Path, known as the ‘Weekday Exercises’  (15-20 min) HOLY WEEK CHART

~hag

Zoom Host Lisa Dalton (President of the National Michael Chekhov Association)

28 March Palm SUNDAY – with Hazel Archer
Resolves or ‘RIGHT JUDGMENT.’ having been formed independently of sympathies and antipathies.

29 March Holy MONDAY – with Speech Artist Christine Burke
Talking – ‘RIGHT WORD.’

30 March Holy TUESDAY – Rudolf Steiner’s Deathday – with Deborah Rogers
External actions- ‘RIGHT DEED.’

Also at 12pm PT/1 pm MT/ 2pm CT/ 3pm ET All are invited to join a 30 minute Festive Vigil for Rudolf Steiner In honor of the anniversary of his Birth into the Spiritual World 30 March 1925 (This is a separate zoom link from the one for Holy Week) Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81463338523?pwd=UUdBUVBJeFh6eitoWURibzNIREVwQT09
Meeting ID: 814 6333 8523 – Passcode: FSM

31 March Holy WEDNESDAY – ?
The ordering of life. – ‘RIGHT STANDPOINT.’

1 April Maundy THURSDAY – with Lelan Harris
Human Endeavour. – ‘TO LET ALL THE EXERCISES BECOME A HABIT.

2 April Good FRIDAY – with Sally Greenberg
The endeavor to learn as much as possible from life. – ‘RIGHT MEMORY.’ (Remembering what has been learned from experiences).

3 March Holy SATURDAY – with Nancy Poer
To pay attention to one’s ideas. – ‘RIGHT OPINION.’

The octave of the New Sun
4 April EASTER SUNDAY – with Luicien Dante Lazar
To turn one’s gaze inwards – ‘RIGHT EXAMINATION.’

Whoever is holding the leading thoughts for that day will tie it into some artistic exercise based on the indications (15-20 min)

Group sharing (5 min)

Then you are welcome to join in to co-create a Thought–Seed with Hazel Archer – A group Thought-Form, a positive egregore, created by our Willed Visualization. We will use this Herbert Hahn verse as an anchor:

When I think light, my soul shines,
When my soul shines, the earth is a star,
When the earth is a star, then I am, a true human being

Group sharing (5 min)

We close with the ‘reversed’ Hahn verse.
I am a true human being
For the Earth is a star
The Earth is a star
When my soul shines
My soul shines
When I think light

Yes freinds, it’s a 30 minute Holy Week Touch in.

*Dear friends, we will open the zoom room at 9:50 am for social time & to give everyone a chance to get settled in so we can begin promptly at 10 am
Topic: The 8-Fold Path thru Holy Week 2021
Time: Starting on Palm Sunday Mar 28 – thru Easter Morning, 2021 10 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every day, 8 occurrence(s)
Mar 28, 2021 10AM
Mar 29, 2021 10AM
Mar 30, 2021 10AM
Mar 31, 2021 10AM
Apr 1, 2021 10AM
Apr 2, 2021 10M
Apr 3, 2021 10AM
Apr 4, 2021 10AM

Daily: https://zoom.us/meeting/tJErdOqsqj8iGNzL8iNTwKUXyrvmVGSSXqaW/ics?icsToken=98tyKuCtqDgpHtCRuBuPRowMBIjCb-jwiClHjY1HsEfsLRRESTbOL_BUP4RYI-vo

Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95633444828?pwd=Wk56K08vK2dNQUhhK0Q2S09zQWJrQT09 Meeting ID: 956 3344 4828 – Passcode: bee

Dial by your location Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aX8X3nrr3 Meeting ID: 956 3344 4828 – Passcode: 425730

The mystery of icon-preserving bees

“Human Bee-ing at Easter Time”

Easter Sunday 4 April 2021, at 12 pm PT/1 pm MT/ 2 pm CT/ 3pm ET / 7 UT / 8 pm CET
in person at the Rudolf Steiner Branch Chicago & online

Keynote with Ines Katharina Kinchen* – What can the bees teach us about consciously engaging with the Earth and deepening our inner festival life? And how does this inner festival life affect the beings all around us?

Let us discover the tasks of our time and journey with the Bee into her connection to the Earth, the Cosmos, and the Human Soul… during the Easter expansion.

This small ceremony will include artistic and meditative activity. Please have ready: some real honey and a spoon, a beeswax candle and matches, paper and colored pencils.

Zoom Host – Lisa Dalton

Group Eurythmy with Mary Ruud

Dottie Zold – On the Buddha’s 8-Fold Path

Logo for the Emerald Ark Sanctuary

Ines Katharina Kinchen makes her home at the Emerald Ark Sanctuary, a small biodynamic initiative nestled in the in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Tennessee, surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest. Here she lives with her son Marquise, tends to the bees, the animals and the land, and facilitates workshops. Ines is a Resonance Medicine practitioner, a kindergarten teacher at the Asheville Waldorf School, and the founder of the Honeybee Habitat Project.

We close with the ‘Rock Spring Wonder’ in story & Eurythmy with Mary Ruud

Potluck Social Time in the Schreinerei – Please bring food & drink to share

$10 Suggested Donation (can’t make it? or joining us online? please consider supporting this event, Thank you)

Hazel Archer is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Easter Festival

Time: Apr 4, 2021 02:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/7052931041?pwd=Z0ZmT05FdDZIclE4RFBLZWNwWXJ5QT09 
Meeting ID: 705 293 1041 – Passcode: Easter

Dial by your location – Meeting ID: 705 293 1041 – Passcode: 776400 – Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/a961qZZhF

For more info. or to volunteer to host one of the days contact Hazel Archer

Events & Festivals Committee of the Rudolf Steiner Branch

of The Anthroposophical Society, 4249 North Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618 (map
https://donate.rschicago.org/ 

Invitation to join in a 3 day Festive Vigil for Rudolf Steiner In honor of the anniversary of his Birth into the Spiritual World

As a reflection back to the 3 day group exercise we created for Rudolf Steiner’s birthday during February 25-27, 2021, you are invited to co-create a vigil in honor of the anniversary of his death in the physical world. We are meditating with the Bridge verse (below) and the image of the Representative of Humanity sculpture. To picture inwardly the sculpture and consider how Rudolf Steiner has impacted one’s life might be a powerful way to celebrate together.

Everyone is invited to participate.  Join us as you are willing and able, for any or all aspects of the vigil.

Day 1: 29 March 2021

* Begin with the Bridge verse (below) upon waking in the morning.

*  You might create a physical altar for these 3 days – a portal, or crossing point. Light a candle, place flowers, or other sacred actions. 

Day 2: 30 March 2021

*  Pay attention to reflections from the night. Begin the day with the Bridge verse

*  Join together on Zoom (link below) at 12pm PT/1 pm MT/ 2pm CT/ 3pm ET for a 30 minute Celebration of Life for Dr. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner (25 February 1861 – 30 March 1925)

During the call:

*  Welcome by Angela Foster. Bring a candle to light together if you will.

* Hazel Archer Ginsberg: Recollections from Wilhem Zeylmans van Emmichoven and Thoughts on The Representative of Humanity

* Timothy Kennedy: “Some of the Gifts of Rudolf Steiner’s Death”

*  Closing verse by Angela Foster

Day 3: March 31 2021

*  Reflections from the night. Begin the day with the Bridge Verse. What is rising up from the vigil we created together – what after-images have come? 

* You are invited to share reflections at this link: https://padlet.com/angelaARC/1vcgls2eujjed4cz

*  In the evening, before sleep, repurpose your altar. Give an offering to the earth.

We are a bridge
Between what is past
And future existence;
The present is an instant:
Is momentary bridge.
Spirit become soul
In enfolding matter
Is from the past;
Soul becoming spirit
In germinal vessels
Is on the path to the future.
Grasp what is to come
Through what is past;
Have hope of what is growing
Through what has emerged.
And so apprehend
Existence in growing;
And so apprehend
What is growing in what is.
 ~ Given to Ita Wegman at the opening of the clinic in Arlesheim Christmas 1920 by Rudolf Steiner

The ARC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: March 30 Celebration for Rudolf Steiner Time: Tues March 30, 12pm PT/1 pm MT/ 2pm CT/ 3pm ET

Join Zoom Meeting – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81463338523?pwd=UUdBUVBJeFh6eitoWURibzNIREVwQT09 – Meeting ID: 814 6333 8523 – Passcode: FSM

One tap mobile – Meeting ID: 814 6333 8523 – Passcode: 286512 – Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kctvcCLHg3

4 thoughts on “Narrow Straits

  1. Christ brought the disciples back to Bethany, on the Saturday before the triumphal entry into Jerusalem the next day. Lazarus Saturday, March 27th this year. As such, he was now reclining at table with Him. Suddenly, Lazarus had become, “the disciple whom the Lord loved.”

    “Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. 7 Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

    9 The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.”

    https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+12&version=NASB1995

  2. Beautiful sharing, Hazel. thank you!
    It makes me marvel at the enormous shipping barge that is stuck in the Suez Canal right now and creating interesting dynamics in the material world this week. What a picture!

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