The America Festival by Nancy Poer
The America Festival, May 28-31 2016, at White Feather Ranch, near Placerville, California, became a very special gathering of some wonderful individuals from far and wide, diverse in ethnicity, religion, native country, and all ages. Nearly sixty in all, we were like stellar microcosm of America united in a common striving of a deeper understanding for the country we love and long to have realize its higher destiny.
The weather was perfect, the food fabulous, the beauty of nature surrounding us gave healing and rejuvenation. We looked at the profound challenges we face to the very core of our humanity now and reached for the empowering thoughts to meet them. Seasoned teachers and facilitators guided small groups in deep fellowship. With true American ‘can do’ spirit, many hands helped coax the 90 year old ranch truck into action to take us all out the night watch the magnificent stars. Together we laughed, sang, danced and celebrated in the spirit of good will, the many vibrant young people present inspiring us with hope for the future.
Carl Stegmann, to whom the conference was dedicated, stated. “The idea of Pentecost belongs in a special way to America: it arises from her hidden being, out of her inner soul. It could unify not only America but all nations on earth.” We were like an All American down home Whitsun gathering, uniting our hearts in earnest striving to be blessed with understanding and the spirit of universal community from a higher source. We felt the America verse by Rudolf Steiner we recited every morning came to pass - we were strengthened together from realms of light!
“May our feeling penetrate into the center of our hearts,
and seek in love, the unite with spirit beings seeking the same goal,
with spirit beings, who full of grace,
behold our earnest heartfelt striving,
and in beholding, strengthen us from realms of light,
illuminating our life in love.”
Nancy Jewel Poer is a co-founder of Rudolf Steiner College. She is an author and filmmaker. A noted pioneer in the home death movement, Ms. Poer’s latest projects include the award-winning documentary, The Most Excellent Dying of Theodore Jack Heckelman, and The Tear: A Children’s Story of Transformation and Hope When a Loved One Dies.
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