“The question is not what you look at, but how you look and whether you see.”
— HENRY DAVID THOREAU
The spring 2024 issue (#51) of our biannual publication, In Context, has just been published in print and online. New writings by our staff include an exploration of our understanding of agency at the molecular level; a feature surveying current and possible views of plant intelligence; and a review of a new book, The Properties of Life. You’ll also find a special piece by one of our recent fellowship researchers on early spring coloring in oaks and maples.
Listen in as Ryan Shea reads “Two Moons,” an essay by 20th-century physicist and educator Martin Wagenschein, in which he argues that the narrow scientific view of the moon, as accurate as it may be, should not be taught to the exclusion of the poet’s moon that speaks to the fullness of human experience. You can also read the essay here.
In addition to publishing our staff’s work relating to Goethean Science and Phenomenology on this site, we also periodically showcase the work of others in the field. A new such addition to our Writings By Author section is the work of Mark Riegner PhD, who taught Ecology and Evolution for 35 years at Prescott College in Arizona, and has authored two insightful articles that you can link to from here.
About the work of The Nature Institute — In a rare interview, recorded in Brazil, Henrike and Craig Holdrege speak of their transformative work and the Goethean perspective that has long inspired it. This Q & A followed a two-week course, “Seeing Nature Whole,” that the Holdrege’s have frequently taught each December in Florianópolis.
Initially, we might view plants as we see many other things in the world: as objects — each complete unto itself and separate from the things around it. When, however, we attend more closely to plants, we find an intricate array of relations in which they play an active role. . . read more
News From The Institute
Read here about recent staff activities at the institute as well as abroad. Among other things, our work in the past months has explored leadership and curriculum development in schools; a Math Alive! workshop; and introducing Goethean Phenomenology to healthcare workers in Brazil.
We recently expanded and redesigned our online Bookstore to better serve you and to offer titles from other Goethean authors whose work we value. We encourage you to browse or contact us with any questions.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Fall Colors: The Sunset of the Year
A course with artist Ella Lapointe
Six Tuesdays, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm, September 17, 24 and October 1, 8, 15, 22
What the Sense World Can Teach Us- From Thinking About to Living With
A talk by Henrike Holdrege [Complementary Workshop on Saturday, see below].
Friday, September 20, 7:00 pm No fee, all welcome.
Taking Experience Seriously - Experiments and Observations of Visual Phenomena
A workshop with Henrike and Craig Holdrege
Saturday, September 21, 9:00 am - 12 pm This is a free workshop, but registration is required. Please email info@natureinstitute.org.
Reading Nature as a Sacred Text
A talk and workshop with Ryan Shea at The Abode Of The Message, New Lebanon, NY
Lecture October 5th at 7pm, open to all by donation. Workshop October 6th 9-4:30pm, registration required
From a Reader…
Dear Craig,
Once again I’m introducing papers from The Nature Institute website, this time for a HS botany course, and I’m just so grateful for your work (and Steve’s) and that a resource like yours exists. …I appreciate so much those who approach science thoughtfully, with open minds and hearts. It has lit a fire in several students over the years, and helped to humanize even those who are not especially otherwise interested in science.
- Executive Director, Waldorf High School