Keeping In Rhythm With Nature’s Changes

May 14 2024

The whole school went on an Ascension Walk along the Union Canal, through Craiglockhart nature reserve, climbing to the top of the hill on Thursday. Kite flying large and small filled the skies, before heading back to campus. Read on below.

The festival of Ascension is often observed in Waldorf schools around the world by the whole school community going outside, taking a walk up a hill, involving the element of Air. This year, the pupils, teachers and accompanying parents played with air by partaking in kite flying, the colourful fabrics garnishing the mobile landscape of the sky.

Ascension, to Christians, marks the 40th day of Easter and on this pivotal sixth Thursday after Easter, the rise of Jesus from earth after his resurrection. It is a staple celebration in the School’s Festivals Calendar, marked by endeavouring to feel like a whole unit. Each year we collectively ascend Craiglockhart Hill in the morning together at a time when summer is beckoning and the Upper School pupils take a well deserved break from exam studies.

It is a time in the cycle of the year when the earth visibly expands out into summer, and so too can our consciousness rise, learning experientially by simply going outside, noticing the different moments of the year, keeping ourselves in rhythm with everything that is changing around us. It is a time when we can receive the revelation that the earth’s living forces have been renewed for the benefit of the whole of humanity.

Several of the younger Classes handmade kites during the school day in preparation for the festival.

Peter Sheen lead the circled Classes in rounds of the song “Laughing, laughing” to the captivated astonishment of dog walkers happening to pass by.

We then broke bread together in a picnic and connected ground to clouds, as the wings of the kites soared on the breeze’s own song, tethered to human anchors.

“Being in sync with nature makes us far more balanced. This is what we want for our pupils,” says Festivals Group member and Eurythmy Teacher, Daniela Ciurariu.

‘Wordsworth’s poem, ‘The Tables Turned‘ can say much about the essence of this festival”, adds fellow Festivals Group member and English Teacher, Deirdre Hill. There’s more of wisdom in it.

The Tables Turned

By William Wordsworth

Up! up! my Friend, and quit your books;

Or surely you’ll grow double:

Up! up! my Friend, and clear your looks;

Why all this toil and trouble?

The sun above the mountain’s head,

A freshening lustre mellow

Through all the long green fields has spread,

His first sweet evening yellow.

Books! ’tis a dull and endless strife:

Come, hear the woodland linnet,

How sweet his music! on my life,

There’s more of wisdom in it.

And hark! how blithe the throstle sings!

He, too, is no mean preacher:

Come forth into the light of things,

Let Nature be your teacher.

She has a world of ready wealth,

Our minds and hearts to bless—

Spontaneous wisdom breathed by health,

Truth breathed by cheerfulness.

One impulse from a vernal wood

May teach you more of man,

Of moral evil and of good,

Than all the sages can.

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;

Our meddling intellect

Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:—

We murder to dissect.

Enough of Science and of Art;

Close up those barren leaves;

Come forth, and bring with you a heart

That watches and receives.

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Keeping In Rhythm With Nature’s Changes

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