The aim of the Ileen Macpherson Trust is to provide small financial grants and gifts to support initiatives, projects, and studies, that will grow and deepen the work of Anthroposophy in Australia, both through individual and group endeavors. We hope that through sharing our The Work we will encourage you to apply with your own ideas of how you can expand and develop Anthroposophy in your own life and the community at large. Applications are always appreciated and considered. The following are some of the successful applicants over the last few years.
The Parcival Project – Phase 1 and 2
An ongoing artistic and cultural initiative facilitated by Ink Pot Arts Inc. in Adelaide.
“Our project is distinctive: it has 30-plus acclaimed regional and international artists and community members sharing collectively in its making; it is multicultural, inclusive of our Indigenous culture; and it combines traditional artistic mediums with modern digital ones. The
Project recognises that the Parsifal story is a human story, mapping both our spiritual history
and our modern soul development, and the production needs to reflect this with a mix of the
contemporary and medieval media.
Through our extensive, exploratory process, we anticipate offering new insights into our
understanding of Parsifal’s quest for the Grail in light of Anthroposophy, both as a truly
cosmopolitan Michaelic impulse and as a metaphor for modern life. If the story is our future, it’s mythic themes and symbolic language will be critical to today’s youth.”
Foundation Course in Anthroposophic Nursing held at Taruna College, New Zealand
“I am working at a community run respite and ‘end of life’ facility in Victoria. This facility is situated next door to a Steiner school and there is a large Steiner community in our town. There is no Anthroposophical nurse in the community and there is much enthusiasm for me to continue my studies in this area. My aspiration looking into the future is to be an Anthroposophical nurse for my community and surrounding areas. I could offer my services to the school, across the lifespan and in ‘end of life’ care. Leading on from this I can see a vision of a ‘hub’ where I could work in with our ‘extra lesson’ teacher in a Steiner focused practice. This would have the potential to grow to incorporate information on the many areas of Steiner influence such as Biodynamic farming, architecture, education, health and the Christian way of life.”
9 Books on Biodynamics and it’s principals
“By way of introduction, my name is Kathryn and after seeing a little advertisement in a local rural newspaper early last year I was intrigued. So after paying a nominal fee, the course was extremely well subsidised by the Government. I set off early for a few Thursday mornings (before Covid canceled the course) for the commute of two hours to a little Community House to learn about improving soil. Little did I know how my life was going to change, and change for the better. That’s when I was given a brief overview of Rudolf Steiner and his Anthroposophy work including that of Biodynamics!
I am applying for a Gift of funds as I strongly believe my objectives and desire to strength my
understanding of Biodynamics would honor the Macpherson Family Legacy and would continue
Ileen’s life passion of promoting the work of Anthroposophy in Australia. To learn that she was the first female organic farmer in Australia through the use of biodynamics, inspires and enlivens me.
I hope to also be able to share my knowledge along the journey, with a small group of like minded individuals who meet quarterly to discuss Rudolf Steiner and his diversified work.”
A Fresh Dreaming – A Dialogue Between Anthroposophy and Traditional Spirituality in Australia.
Noosa and Katherine.
Here is a question for Anthroposophy in Australia : have we truly made an encounter
and engagement with Aboriginal spirituality?
How can we plant seeds now for a renewed spirituality in this country? Could it be
that key direction for our future is a realistic and spiritually informed consideration of our
past – the dreaming, the ancestral presence , the initiation wisdom still powerfully living
in this country?
Indigenous Australian culture has been quietly holding a gift for a busy and noisy west-
ern culture. Can we listen and be helped in our evolution towards a distant ‘sixth epoch’ of brotherhood and sisterhood?. We are not actually so separate – many of my Aboriginal friends state that if you are born here , and you feel the spirit of the place and the people then you are co-responsible for spirit and country – that makes you aboriginal.
Aboriginal Australians have lived through the ‘end of the dreamtime’ and have suffered
from the effects of colonization. There are still some remaining initiates among us from
that culture – In Arnhem Land these are called ‘2 way’ people with one foot in the ancient
culture and one in modern times.
Rudolf Steiner’s gave us vast pictures of ancient history – knowledge of the gradual loss
of ancient initiation and clairvoyance, leading over to our materialistic present. Steiner also points to a possible future which integrates both materialistic individualism and collective spiritual experience.
The aim of this project is to facilitate and document a 2 way conversation between
Anthroposophy and traditional spirituality in Australia.
Coreocosmos Workshops with Robert Powell in order to bring into the Steiner High School Curriculum.
Attend workshops on:
The Foundation Stone of Love
The 7 Planets in the Zodiac Signs of Capricorne, Aquarius and Pisces
The Liturgy of Mary-Sophia
Pacifica Eurythmy – 3rd Year Fees QLD
Three young students were supported with a contribution towards their fees to complete the third year Eurythmy Training at Pacifica.
Curative Eurythmy at Aurora Australis, Kew, Melbourne
“As a trained and very experienced Eurythmist would now like to concentrate on putting all
my energy into learning this healing aspect of Eurythmy.
Steiner recommends that a clear division from artistic/educational eurythmy takes place for the eurythmist when practicing/learning curative eurythmy.”
Publishing Handwork Book
“I have been writing a book about Steiner primary school handwork for many years
after I taught handwork at MRSS and Sophia Mundi. I also taught the craft
curriculum in the Seminar and to adults every year from 1993 until 2019. Floris
Books are very interested in publishing my work as a book but they need more professional photographs than I can do. I have funded the book myself and am applying for funding to have the photographs taken for the book.”
SEA Conference
I wish to attend the SEA teachers conference in Samford QLD from July 5th to the 8th. I am currently a student of the Sydney Rudolf Steiner college doing the 2nd year of the Graduate Certificate of Steiner Primary Teaching.
Early Childhood Teacher Training Perth
I am applying for this gift/grant to help towards the payment of the course fees for the Steiner Teacher Training – Early Childhood that I am currently undertaking at Perth Waldorf School, under the guidance of some amazing tutors.
Translation of Michael Chekhov’s notes on Rudolf Steiner’s Speech and Drama lectures (from Russian to English).
The translation will take place in Australia.
I have been in correspondence with retired Professor Andrei Kirillov in Russia and he indicated that Michael Chekhov’s notes on Steiner’s Speech and Drama lectures are available in Russian ( Quote from Kirillov:
“It is well known that Chekhov was an anthroposophist and used the principles and exercises of eurythmy in his practice. On the other hand, the topic “Anthroposophy / eurythmy in the theatrical views, activities and pedagogy of Mikhail Chekhov” has not been well researched, analyzed and described so far. If you read the “Rehearsal protocols for Hamlet” carefully, you should have noticed that many of the rehearsals began with “eurythmy” exercises. Of course, Chekhov avoided mentioning Steiner’s name and using his terminology for reasons of “censorship” and ideology. But he used the principles of eurythmy, translating them into the language of professional theatrical art.