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Editorial

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the Easter/Spring issue of New View. There is no doubt that there is a great questioning going on in many people about where we are with things in our lives and what the future holds. At the same time fleeing into some form of diversion or entertainment to offer temporary respite from these weighty matters has probably never been more attractive. In itself there is nothing to be said against taking a pause in life to clear one’s mind and refresh oneself; that is a part of gradually being able to cope with things and live, more and more, in the true centre of ourselves. But it begs the question of whether we can find healthy renewal of our forces in the many diversions available, or whether some activities only make matters worse by ultimately leaving us rather empty in our soul spaces.

I have often imagined that difficult times in our lives are like a great storm, with these mighty winds whirling around us, even threatening on occasion to tear us apart. It is well known that certain types of great storms have an ‘eye’ at their centre where, almost miraculously, all is calm. Films and documentaries have been made of this phenomenon in nature. In my own life, I see that at times the task is really to be able to find my own inner ‘eye’ of the storm when all rages about me, so that I can hold myself together while I find ways to work with the powerful forces that would otherwise knock me over, or even carry me away.

Rudolf Steiner spoke of how humanity is now living in the Age of the Consciousness Soul. That probably takes a lot of understanding, but it is certainly concerned with human beings awakening more to themselves and thereby coming to a deeper understanding of the worlds around them. The ‘eye’ of my storm is the place where I can see more clearly, become more conscious of what I am – even to the extent of seeing that the worlds are also in me. New View, in its quiet way, is about being part of that emerging impulse for humanity and helping to midwife these processes of bringing to birth new insights, intuitions and purposeful actions.

Whilst the seasons are cyclical and the festivals re-appear each year, embedded in the embrace of the natural world, wherever you are, the central motif of Easter for renewal is the same for everyone: dying into the old to be reborn in the new. Whatever one’s religious or spiritual persuasion, this sense for renewal will be found, ultimately, at the heart of every person. Personal ‘resurrections’ are no doubt possible in any aspect of our life, large or small, where the forces of renewal wish to break in; Easter can offer real encouragement for that.

This issue of New View continues to deal seriously with the issues that challenge many of us, not, I hope, in a heavy way, but in ways that offer insights towards working with, even solving in time, things by which we are all confronted. There is also space to celebrate good things that bring joy and a sense of well-being. Humour has its place too, perhaps being more important than we often realise. New View has done a little for that in this issue!

And so we begin this journey through New View with Charles Darwin – much will be made this year of his work in this bi-centenary of the publication of his On the Origin of Species. In Recovering Evolution, Paul Carline offers ways to better understand Darwin’s legacy. This is complemented by Terry Goodfellow’s Humanity Assailed with its concerns for the prevailing materialistic picture of the human being.

Taking a more meditative tack, The Lemniscate and the Calendar of the Soul shares with the reader the personal journey of G. Benjamin Bingham’s many years working with Steiner’s Calendar of the Soul.

And so once more, in New View’s continued effort to help make the world of money and economics more accessible, to money matters with Capitalised Debt and the Compulsory Gift: The Two Mainstays of Capitalism by Michael Spence. Whether this is complemented or not by the next article remains to be seen, but it is a valiant effort by F.A, Sweet with his Recession!

Sebastian Parsons, the CEO of Elysia, who market and sell the Dr. Hauschka products throughout the UK, is interviewed, sharing some of his personal journey and thoughts. That is followed by the professional cleaner Linda Thomas, a South African living in Switzerland, who brings some insights to the reason for and nature of cleaning in Cleaning and Caring.

A Western View of Karma and Reincarnation by Lawrence Keen offers a timely introduction to important subjects that I hope will stimulate some responses.

And then we have another interview, with the film director – and now writer with his forthcoming book Where on Earth is Heaven? – Jonathan Stedall. This is followed by But is it Art? another thoughtful piece from Richard Bunzl. Then it is to matters of gold with Aurora, Golden Goddess of the Dawn: A Glimpse into the Realm of Gold where Nick Kollerstrom takes us on, at times, a rather romantic journey with many interesting diversions.

With Understanding Our Time Terry Boardman brings us a framework to help us better orientate to the times we are living in. He plans a sequel to this in the summer issue.

Reason in her most exalted mood: Fostering a new faculty through Waldorf pedagogy by Michael Stott looks at the deeper meaning of education and is followed by The Attacks continue: The unfolding ‘Paradigm War’ – striking at the heart of childhood where Richard House lays bare the challenges our children are wrongly forced to deal with. But it is not without hope that things can change!

As for New View, as many know, it was always based on grants and gift funding to keep it alive. Buoyant in so many ways, it is also like an ‘eye’ in the storms raging in our human community, offering a ‘New View’ for people. It now needs some modest – to some perhaps – but urgent financial help, otherwise it runs the real risk of going under. But I am still hoping that New View can keep going.

Wishing you well, wherever you are, for the times ahead.

Tom Raines – Editor

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