May Festival

Every first Saturday in May Waldorf Schools around the world celebrate May Day. With over 900 Waldorf school in just the U.S. and Europe that makes for a lot of celebrating.

Rudolf Steiner, the founder of the Waldorf philosophy and pedagogy, was an interesting and complex man. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Steiner

He founded a system of education based on a belief that the whole child needs to be educated, including the spiritual being. Some may find this a bit esoteric, but I believe it has merit. Some mistake this for a religious aspect to the education but nothing can be farther from the truth.

One of the things I love most about this spiritual education is the seasonal festivals that, in my mind, celebrate the bond of the soul to the earth. These festivals connect the kids with the cycles of nature (a knowledge that is all but lost on our modern children who eat strawberries in December), establish a rhythm to the academic year and strengthen the school community.

In September, as summer wanes and the nights begin to cool, we celebrate Michaelmas. The children participate in games of strength and friendly competition. The imagery of St Michael battling the fiery dragon is called upon as symbolism. We celebrate human will, inner strength and courage. In November we have the Martinmas Lantern Walk, a festival of inner light in the outer darkness of the approaching winter. As the winter nights approach their longest in December and we yearn for light, we celebrate the Spiral of Lights Festival. December also brings us St. Nicholas and Santa Lucia; both address the inner qualities of good vs. bad and spiritual fortitude. There is a bit of a drought in the schedule from January through April. Then we have May Festival, the solar festival, with the theme of renewal and the May pole representing the Tree of Life. Some see the pole as a phallus, the male principal of fertilization.

It is only fitting that we arrive at this spring celebration on bikes. With a forecast of quite lousy weather, I suspect my good friend Lynnea was hoping I would change my mind and swing by her house in the orange box. I had faith that the sun would eventually prevail and we all rode. I was so glad to have made that decision. No less than four families approached us about our daily biycle commute to school and expressed a sincere interest in giving it a try next school year. Lead by example, I say. My ministry on wheels takes root!!

Tree bark sit-upons

The bicycle-commuting queens

Action poem recitation

It can't be Waldorf without music.

Can't find Owen? Just look up.

The water balloon catapult