Calendar of Events

All upcoming events take place at The Nature Institute (20 May Hill Road, Ghent, New York) unless a different location is indicated (in all caps above the event). For more information or to register, please call 518-672-0116 or email info@natureinstitute.org.

Upcoming Events

Drawing into Nature, Spring 2024
A 6-session course with artist/educator Ella Lapointe

Tuesdays, May 7 - June 11, 4:30 - 6:00 pm
The course is designed for individuals who want to develop a regular drawing practice while appreciating the beauty, rhythms, and changes of spring and early summer. Working artistically with others allows us to nourish and expand our observations and artistic capacities as we share inquiries into the mysteries of the natural visual world. Participants can choose to attend individual sessions or the entire course but are asked to RSVP to secure a spot. We will meet outdoors at The Nature Institute and occasionally at other plein air locations in Columbia County.

Sliding scale fee: $15-$40 for individual sessions; $100-240 for all six (No one will be excluded due to inability to pay.) Some materials are provided. Space is limited. To register for the course or specific dates, please fill out the registration form by May 1. Full payment is due on the first evening (check payable to The Nature Institute or cash).

Past Events in 2024

The Wisdom of Plants
An Earth Day talk with Craig Holdrege

Monday, April 22 7:00 pm
Plants form the living mantle of our earth, without which all other beings on the planet could not exist. In this Earth Day talk, Craig Holdrege wants to honor the plant world by presenting some of its remarkable features. 

Mathematics Alive!: Pentagon, Pentagram and the Golden Mean
A weekend workshop for middle school educators, class subject teachers, and home schooling teachers with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik

March 8 - 10, 2024 (Friday, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 5:30 pm, with a 1 1/2-hour lunch break; Sunday 9 am to noon)
The workshop aims to strengthen and enliven math teaching in the middle school. We will approach this year’s topic through freehand drawings and movement, and through geometrical drawings with compass and straightedge. Proportions inherent in the pentagram will be explored as well as the wonders of the golden mean. We will also meet The Fibonacci series and the irrational golden number.

For more information or to register, please go to: info@natureinstitute.org

Fee (sliding scale): $150 - $300

A Poetic Vision of Nature
A public talk and reading with poet and philosopher Luke Fischer

February 28, 2024 7:00pm
Based in Sydney, Australia, Luke Fischer’s interdisciplinary works explore connections between poetry, philosophy, and the environment. They include three books of poetry and the monograph The Poet as Phenomenologist: Rilke and the ‘New Poems’. He guest-edited a special section on ‘Goethe and Environmentalism’ in the Goethe Yearbook (2015) and co-edited The Seasons: Philosophical, Literary, and Environmental Perspectives. In this talk, he will speak of several poets who have inspired his approach to writing about the natural world. He will also discuss how poetry can transform our understanding and how Goethean science can enable us to develop a poetic vision of nature. The talk will be followed by Luke reading his poems. For more information about his work, visit: www.lukefischer.net

Past Events in 2023

>> Florianopolis, Brazil
Seeing Nature Whole — A Goethean Approach
A four-week training with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege

Saturday, Dec. 2 to Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023
The Goethean approach to science presents us with the challenge and the opportunity to move beyond the static, object-like abstractions of contemporary thought to a fluid, transformative, and holistic way of knowing. This transformation begins when we become aware of our ingrained habits of thought, work to overcome these habits, and start developing new ways of seeing and thinking. This course emphasizes immediate experience and practice. Participants will practice observation of natural phenomena and observation of thought processes. And this observing always involves doing—going out into nature, observing and drawing plants, or drawing geometric forms that “track” a progression of thought.

>> São Paulo, Brazil
From Transformation to Metamorphosis – Engaging in Goethean Practice
A workshop with Henrike Holdrege and Craig Holdrege

Saturday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Nov. 27, 2023
The Goethean approach to science presents us with the challenge and the opportunity to move beyond the static, object-like abstractions of contemporary thought to a fluid, transformative, and holistic way of knowing. This transformation begins when we become aware of our ingrained habits of thought, work to overcome these habits, and start developing new ways of seeing and thinking. With the will to learn from the phenomena, we can develop what Goethe called “delicate empiricism,” which weds flexible thinking with careful observation. Then nature begins to show herself in surprising new ways, and we gain a deeper connection to her. 

Preparing Our Grounds for Winter
Volunteering at The Nature Institute

Saturday, November 4, 9:oo am to 12:00
We welcome your participation, even if you can come for just an hour. Bring your gloves and if you prefer, your favorite rake, lopper, or garden shears. Snacks and beverages provided. Please let us know if you will come by contacting Kristy at info@natureinstitute.org or (518) 672-0016.

Drawing into Nature, Autumn 2023 session: Color and Form in Nature
A 9-session course with artist Ella LaPointe at The Nature Institute

Tuesdays, September 12 - November 14, 4:30 - 6 pm (no class on Halloween)
In our world of ever-shortening attention spans, drawing can be a vehicle to look more slowly and carefully. It can help us carefully observe natural phenomena as they actually appear. Through this activity we can grow capacities for attention, slowing down, and centralizing our experience of the natural world.

In this class, we will attend to form and color qualities in wood, stone, autumn leaves, bones, and shells. If conditions allow for observing clouds, water, and weather, we will dedicate some sessions to those. The challenge of drawing 'from nature' that we will explore is to find a path between two common tendencies: to perceive phenomena as hardened or static forms or, on the other hand, to distill concrete experience into abstraction. Drawing into nature we will seek to widen the space where we can find a dynamic quality of encounter.

Materials may include wax crayons, graphite, colored pencils, watercolor, and gouache.

Sliding scale fee: $150 - $400. (No one will be excluded due to inability to pay.) Some materials are provided. Space is limited. To register for the course, please call the institute office (518-672-0116) or email us by September 8. Full payment is due on the first evening (check payable to The Nature Institute or cash).

Living in the Present: Practices for Being In and With Nature
A talk by Ryan Shea

Thursday, November 2, 7:00 pm
Most wisdom traditions in the world—East and West, Ancient and Modern—have taught the centrality of living in the present.  Yet in our daily lives of distraction and hectic frenzy, we often find that the one place we never are is here and the one time we never have is now.  How can one start living fully in presence?  This talk explores ways in which we might receive this capacity directly from nature by working through several concrete practices. We will give focus to the differences between lessons from plant and animal teachers. For example, how we can learn from the caterpillar to be here and now to the caterpillar; from the milkweed how to be here and now to the milkweed. Ryan’s talk is free and open to the public.

Anniversary Celebration:
Towards a Science of Caring — 25 Years of Work at The Nature Institute

Saturday, September 9, 2023 7:00 pm
Marking the anniversary of the founding of The Nature Institute in 1998, we invite you to celebrate with us and join in a special event reflecting on our work over the past 25 years and looking into the future. Refreshments served.

Seeing—Reading—Writing: Transforming Our Relationship to Language and Nature
A Workshop with Ryan Shea and Scott Edward Anderson

Saturday, July 15 (9am - 5:30pm) and Sunday, July 16 (9am - 1pm)
The botanist and Native American writer Robin Wall Kimmerer once asked, “Can we make a new world with new words?” In this workshop, we seek to transform our relationship to words in order to bring us into closer attentive union with nature, focusing on the world of plants. We use multiple short texts from great authors as prismatic windows through which we can learn to see the individual plant from many perspectives as the dynamic, complex, and contextual being it is. By transforming how we use human language in relationship to particular plants, reading then becomes a practice of attending to the concrete appearances of nature. We will also work with a way of writing that leaves behind ego-centered self-expression and strives rather to enter into conversation with nature through plants. How might our words express something of the inner character of this milkweed here, that oak there? We aim to bring the mute natural beings we encounter to expression, to find a disclosive way of speaking that does justice to them. Writing becomes a practice of cultivating a “silence in which another voice may speak.”

Fee — Sliding scale: $50-200
To register, please email or call The Nature Institute (518-672-0116)
Registration deadline: Wednesday, July 5

About the workshop facilitators: 
Ryan Shea is an associate researcher and educator at The Nature Institute. He is an eco-philosopher trained in the classical liberal arts of reading and in the history and philosophy of science. Before coming to the institute, he was professor of philosophy and interdisciplinary humanities at Providence College for eight years, where he taught courses on philosophy of science, environmental philosophy, and nature writing. His primary project is to inquire into the “meaning” of nature and what it might mean to read the “book of nature” in a participatory, contemplative, phenomenological, and poetic fashion.

Scott Edward Anderson is an award-winning eco-poet, essayist, and translator. Author of Wine-Dark Sea: New & Selected Poems & Translations, Azorean Suite/Suite Açoriana, the Nautilus Award-winning Dwelling: an ecopoem, and two books of nonfiction, including Falling Up: A Memoir of Second Chances and Walks in Nature’s Empire. He has been a Concordia Fellow at Millay Arts and received the Letras Levadas/PEN Açores Award, the Nebraska Review Award, and the Larry Aldrich Emerging Poets Award. He is currently the Poet Laureate of the Ryan Observatory at Muddy Run, PA, and divides his time between the Berkshires and his ancestral island of São Miguel in the Azores. Anderson is developing a writing practice he’s calling “Deep Attention” to help us form insights and become more receptive to the poetry of our everyday lives and bring it into our writing.

Unlocking the Door to a New Pedagogy
A course for high-school teachers with Jon McAlice

July 3-8, 2023 at the San Francisco Waldorf High School, California
As part of the 2023 Summer Intensive facilitated by the Center for Contextual Studies, all high school teachers — both new and experienced — are invited to a six-day course exploring the shift from imparting knowledge in our schools, to narrating the world in ways that allow it to come to life for our students.

• Can we identify the not yet speakable questions of our students?

• How do we grow these questions? What activities bring them to life?

• How can we bring a sense of adventure to our teaching?

Deepening the experience of the physical, soul and spiritual nature of the human being, activities will include singing, observation, black and white rendering, and study each morning. There will be a unique opportunity for participants to work collaboratively to develop interdisciplinary experiences for students. The fee is $450; a discount applies for multiple attendees from a school. For more information contact Beth at findingcontextorg@gmail.com

Living in Transformations – Projective Geometry and Plant Study
A course with Henrike Holdrege and Craig Holdrege

July 2 - 7, 2023 at High Mowing School in Wilton, New Hampshire
Much of our culture reinforces static and piece-meal ways of thinking about the world. But world processes are dynamic and often full of surprises. How can we attune ourselves to transformative processes and learn to enter into them with full clarity of mind?  In this course we will take two complementary and mutually illuminating pathways. Projective geometry provides the opportunity to practice wakeful transformative thinking. Plants can teach us about the transformational, flexible, and holistic nature of life. We will engage in exercises that can help us to develop the requisite openness and flexibility of mind to perceive and understand — to enter into dialogue with — the living and dynamic qualities of nature. This week-long course is hosted by Renewal 2023.

Encountering Nature and the Nature of Things
Final Residential Intensive in Goethean Science Foundation Course for Cohort IV

June 19 — July 1, 2023
During their final two-week summer intensive at The Nature Institute, participants in Cohort IV of our Foundation Course will engage in guided explorations to revisit various topics, including: the senses and the sense experience; qualities of the living world; the process of knowing and the experience of thinking; methods of phenomenological inquiry; understanding the nature and power of abstract thought. Participants will make final presentations to the group based on individual research projects.

Drawing into Nature
An 8-session course with artist Ella Lapointe at The Nature Institute

Tuesdays from 4:30pm to 6:00pm (Starting April 18 and ending on June 13; no class on May 23)
In our modern intellectual culture we tend to see mainly what we already “know,” rather than pouring our attention into the concrete appearances of the world. Drawing can help us to breakout of “what we think we see.” It can help us attend to and carefully observe natural phenomena as they actually appear. In April, we will begin with some foundational work, and then focus on natural forms; plants, budding and sprouting, trees, landscape, and atmospheric phenomena — light, clouds, water. If the presence of animals graces us, we will draw them as well. Our attention will also be given to growth (in budding trees and opening flowers) and decay (in withering daffodils and other early spring flowers).

When the weather permits, our group will sketch outside. When we cannot draw outdoors, quiet observation will be followed by drawing indoors — from memory and imagination. We will primarily work with light and dark but may sometimes venture into color. We may use graphite, wax crayons, water-soluble crayons, gouache, and more. The course welcomes participants of all skill levels.

Sliding scale fee: $100 - $400. (No one will be excluded due to inability to pay.) Materials are provided for drawing during the sessions; if you have a favorite sketch book or preferred drawing materials, please bring them along. Space is limited. To register for the course, please call (518-672-0116) or email us by April 10. Full payment is due on the first evening (check payable to The Nature Institute or cash).

Ella Lapointe is an artist and illustrator. She has a deep interest in the Goethean approach to perceiving and understanding nature. Ella completed The Nature Institute’s Foundation course in Goethean science.

Plant Observation and the Living World
A workshop with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Jon McAlice

April 21 - 23, 2023 (Friday & Saturday 9 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday 9 am to 12:30 pm)

In a time that calls for the human mind to become ever more flexible, dynamic, and context-sensitive, the humble plant can become a potent teacher. This workshop will include careful sensory observation of early spring’s emerging plant life and just as careful attention to how we can learn to be with the phenomena we are considering in an alive way.

We will provide a morning and afternoon snack on Friday and Saturday, and a morning snack on Sunday.

Fee (sliding scale): $100 - $400.
Please register by April 14 by emailing Kristy King or calling the institute at 518-672-0116 between 8:30 and 12:30 weekdays.

Experience, Imagination & the Nature of Meaning
A talk by Jon McAlice

April 26, 2023 7:00 pm

The world we live in appears rich with meaning. We meet it in patterns of growth, rhythms of life, the wisdom expressed by animals in relation with their environments, the complexity of cellular physiology. Yet we often find it difficult to bring the meaning we find in the world around us to life within ourselves. Are there ways of knowing that allow us to experience ourselves as participants in the presence of meaning in the world?

Mathematics Alive! How to Teach Algebra in Middle School?
A weekend workshop for middle school educators, class subject teachers, and home schooling teachers with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik

March 3 - 5, 2023 (Friday, 6 pm to 7:30 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm; Sunday 9 am to noon)

We will explore the teaching of algebra from various view points: When and how do we introduce algebra to students? What is the secret of algebraic expressions and equations? What do they tell us about numbers and number relations, about geometric relations, and about relations within our physical world. There will also be an opportunity for collegial exchange, sharing, and exploring.

We will provide a morning and afternoon snack on Saturday, and a morning snack on Sunday.

Fee (sliding scale): $100 - $250

The Wisdom of Animals — Exploring their Dynamic Forms and Behavior
A Workshop with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Jon McAlice

February 24 - 26, 2023 (Friday/Saturday 9 am to 5 pm; Sunday 9 am to 12:30 pm)

Our interactions with nature will become ever healthier, and support a productive co-evolution of humanity with the natural world, when they are based on a deeper understanding of nature. In this short course we will explore how everything within an animal is interconnected and expresses a deep wisdom. We will take up the challenge that Goethe formulates in these words:

 “The agreement within the whole makes every creature what it is…. Every creature is one tone, one shade of a great harmony that one must study as a whole if the particulars are not to become dead letters.”

We will also work to gain a better understanding of the differentiated nature of animal behavior: What is instinct, what are drives, what is desire in animals? Fee (sliding scale): $100 - $400.

Past Events in 2022

>> FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL
Seeing Nature Whole — A Goethean Approach
A four-week training with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege

Dec. 3 to 15, 2022 and Dec. 2 to 14, 2023

The Goethean approach to science presents us with the challenge and the opportunity to move beyond the static, object-like abstractions of contemporary thought to a fluid, transformative, and holistic way of knowing. This transformation begins when we become aware of our ingrained habits of thought, work to overcome these habits, and start developing new ways of seeing and thinking. This course emphasizes immediate experience and practice. Participants will practice observation: observation of natural phenomena and observation of thought processes. And this observing always involves doing—going out into nature, observing and drawing plants, or drawing geometric forms that “track” a progression of thought.

• First module (Dec. 3 to Dec 15, 2022):

Projective geometry
Life, plants, and metamorphosis
Nature observation and artistic exercises

• Second module (Dec. 2 to Dec 14, 2023):

  The Visual World: optics, color and light
  Animals, Humans and Evolution
  Nature observation and artistic exercises

Seeing and Language: Creative Reading and Writing as a Way to Experience Meaning in Nature
A workshop with Ryan Shea and Craig Holdrege

November 12 -13

Saturday 8:30am to 5pm, Sunday 8:30am to 12pm

Language can often be a barrier to deeper and more immediate encounters with the world.  It is all too easy to read books in our cozy homes rather than going into field and garden, or to sit and chat for hours with friends rather than having a conversation with nature. When our words are abstract, lifeless, and disconnected, then they can dull our senses and cast a veil over nature. However, language need not stand in our way, but can also be a practice for revealing the world. The poet Jane Hirschfield wrote of the disclosive power of concrete and creative language by noting that “poetry’s work is not simply the recording of inner or outer perception; it makes by words and music new possibilities of perceiving.”

In this workshop, we explore the ways in which a creative language practice can amplify and deepen our immediate experience and can even enable us to have experiences that might have otherwise been inaccessible to us, can give us “new possibilities of perceiving.” The workshop will integrate nature observation, readings, and writing exercises. We will move from word to world by meditatively reading short texts of great nature writers. These texts will serve as windows into a new way of seeing the world.  We will also move from world to word, using the craft of writing as a tool for sharpening our observations.  Our practice is not merely to describe nature, but to dwell with the mystery of meaning: What, exactly, is meaning?  How does language meaningfully relate to, and bring us into relationship with, the world?  Does nature have its own meaning and is there a sense in which we can learn to read nature like a book?  Phenomenological philosopher Edmund Husserl spoke of “seeing clearly and articulating faithfully.”  Our weekend will be an opportunity for us to begin to unite our seeing and our articulating into meaningful experience. Sliding scale fee: $50 to $150 (no one will be turned away for financial reasons). Please pre-register by November 7 by phone or email, 518-672-0016 / info@natureinstitute.org

Ryan Shea is an adjunct researcher at The Nature Institute. He taught at Providence College for eight years, including courses in philosophy of science, environmental philosophy, and nature writing. His main interest is to learn what it might look like to read the “book of nature” in a participatory,contemplative, phenomenological, and poetic fashion.

Drawing into Nature
A weekly course with artist Ella Lapointe at The Nature Institute

September 13, 2022 - November 15, 2022, for 10 consecutive Tuesdays from 4:30pm to 6:00pm.

In our modern intellectual culture we tend to see mainly what we already “know,” rather than pouring our attention into the concrete appearances of the world. Drawing can help us to breakout of “what we think we see.” It can help us attend to and carefully observe natural phenomena as they actually appear. We become more awake in our senses. In this course, we will engage in drawing as an aid to seeing, and explore some fundamental elements and techniques of drawing. We will draw simple objects, still lifes, and plants. No previous experience is necessary. A follow-up course in the spring is possible.

Sliding scale fee: $100 to $250. Materials are provided for drawing during the sessions; if you have your favorite sketch book and drawing materials, please bring them along. To register for the course (space is limited), please call or email us: 518-672-4306 or info@natureinstitute.org. Full payment is due on the first evening (check payable to The Nature Institute).

Appreciating Barry Lopez
A talk by Jon McAlice

Wednesday, November 9, 7:00pm

Before his death in 2020, the award-winning writer Barry Lopez spent a half-century traveling to 80 countries in his pursuit of an understanding of human identity and destiny. He generated many nonfiction and fiction works, including volumes of essays and short stories on the natural world that some critics likened to those of Thoreau and John Muir. This free evening event honors his life, lyricism, and insights.

Fall Cleanup at The Nature Institute

Saturday, November 5, 9am – 12:00pm

If you can, please join for some light yard work to help maintain our campus. You can do as little or as much work as you like. This annual help from volunteers toward this effort is greatly appreciated.

Gestures in the Work of Artist Ernst Barlach
A lecture by Henrike Holdrege

7 pm; Friday, Sept. 23
Ernst Heinrich Barlach (1870 – 1938) was a German sculptor, printmaker, and writer. In his works he brought manifold features of human inwardness and experience to concrete and vivid expression.  

Studying Gestures in Nature
A workshop with Craig Holdrege, followed by a potluck lunch

9 am workshop; 12:30 lunch; Saturday, Sept. 24
What are the unique qualities of different plants? What are they saying in their forms, substance and colors? This workshop will include indoor and outdoor observations.

Encountering Nature and the Nature of Things
Final Residential Intensive in Goethean Science Foundation Course for Cohort III

July 10 — July 22, 2022
In this concluding residential intensive at The Nature Institute for Cohort III of our Foundation Course, participants worked more independently to apprehend the dynamic and relational nature of the world, continuing on a scientific pathway to its living qualities through observational practice, artistic work, and field trips.

Encountering Nature and the Nature of Things
First Residential Intensive in Goethean Science Foundation Course for Cohort IV

June 20 — July 2, 2022
During their first two-week summer intensive at The Nature Institute, participants in Cohort IV of our Foundation Course engaged in guided explorations covering various topics, including: the senses and the sense experience; qualities of the living world; the process of knowing and the experience of thinking; methods of phenomenological inquiry; understanding the nature and power of abstract thought. Methods included observational practice, artistic work, and field trips.

Learning From Plants: Life in Transformation
Three-week course with Craig Holdrege; drawing with Ella LaPointe

May 2 — May 20
The young adults participating in the year-long M.C. Richards Program came to The Nature Institute each morning for three weeks to work with Craig Holdrege on contextual plant study as a means of transformation and adaptation. Ella Lapointe led drawing exercises.

Plants and the Living World
Course with Henrike Holdrege, Jon McAlice, and Craig Holdrege

April 29, 2022 - May 1, 2022
Our interactions with nature will become ever healthier and support a productive co-evolution of humanity with the natural world when they are based on a deeper understanding of nature. Can we truly see and experience nature as dynamic, interconnected, and whole? Our work included careful sensory observation and just as careful attention to how we can learn to be with the phenomena we are considering in an alive way.

Friday and Saturday, 9 am - 5 pm; Sunday, 9 am - 12:30. Fee (sliding scale): $100 - $400. Email info@natureinstitute.org to register.

Enlivened Seeing: Literary Encounters with the More than Human World
Talk by Christina Root

April 27, 7:00 pm
English professor Christina Root of St. Michael’s College in Vermont, presented a public talk at the institute drawing on her extensive research into using Goethe’s phenomenological method to illuminate the ecological elements in Romantic and post-Romantic writers. In her talk, Christina employed two Shakespeare plays (A Midsummer Night's Dream, and King Lear) to illustrate visions of nature that reflect very different kinds of consciousness. Her presentation articulated the importance of how the creative imagination, focused through Goethean practices of a delicate empiricism, allows us to see differently and, as Wordsworth said, "see into the life of things." No previous knowledge of the Shakespeare plays necessary. Free and open to the public; donations warmly appreciated.

Taking Appearances Seriously — Visual Experience and the World of Light, Darkness, and Color
M.C. Richards Course with Henrike Holdrege

January 10-28, 2022
Henrike met at The Nature Institute with young adults participating in the year-long M.C. Richards Program to engage in phenomenological studies. The course emphasized the importance of attending carefully to sense experience—what the phenomena show—and equally careful development of ideas to understand the rich world of visual experience.

Past Events in 2021

Gestures of Life
Stephen Talbott’s final (and just about only) Nature Institute talk

November 12, 7:00 pm
Stephen Talbott has been a senior researcher at The Nature Institute since its inception in 1998. For more than 20 years he has been building a body of work that illuminates natural phenomena and calls for a qualitative approach to examining organisms. With characteristic dark humor, Stephen describes this final presentation at The Nature Institute as an offering of “notes from desperately unsatisfactory encounters with the living interior of self and world, along with intimations of their meaning for science.”

Hearts and Minds: Reclaiming the Soul of Science and Medicine
Talk by author Walter Alexander

October 14, 7:00 pm
The world, we are told, is made up of particles and forces. Evolution, impelled by the single purpose of survival, is guided by chance through natural selection. DNA directs the chemical-mechanical unfolding of life. Consciousness and self, artifacts of the brain's firing neurons, are essentially inconsequential.
This is a picture that has been fraying at the edges for some time. Progress in medicine, quantum physics, open-systems biology, consciousness studies, epistemology, the arts, and philosophy all point in a radically different direction. But fresh, coherent narratives have not yet fully emerged out of this progress, and so the old model stubbornly endures.

Walter Alexander is a New York City-based veteran medical journalist, who covers clinical research across a range of specialties including cardiology, oncology, and integrative medicine. He is author of the book, Hearts and Minds: Reclaiming the Soul of Science and Medicine (Lindisfarne: 2019).

A Dynamic Morphology of Life
M.C. Richards Course with Craig Holdrege and Nathaniel Williams

September 27 - October 8
The young adults participating in the year-long M.C. Richards Program will come to The Nature Institute to study using our extensive bone collection. By comparing the skulls and skeletons of animals and the human being, we will work to see if we can discover how each part is revelatory of the nature of the whole being.

Practicing Transformative Thinking —The Wisdom of the Cassini Curves
Talk and Workshop with Henrike Holdrege

Talk: Friday, September 24, at 7:00 pm
Workshop: Saturday, September 25, from 9am to 12:30pm
Much of our culture reinforces static and piece-meal ways of thinking about the world. But world processes are dynamic and often full of surprises. How can we attune ourselves to transformative processes and learn to enter into them with full clarity of mind?  Surely, there are many pathways. In this talk and workshop, Henrike will guide us into such wakeful transformative thinking through geometry with a focus on the largely unknown Cassini curves. No mathematical knowledge needed — just the willingness to focus, explore, and enjoy surprises!

No fee; donations welcome. Please pre-register for the workshop by calling 518-672-0116 (between 8:30am and 12:30pm, M-F) or email:  info@natureinstitute.org

Exploring the Qualities of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire
M.C. Richards Course with Henrike Holdrege

September 13 - 24
An intensive for students enrolled in the M.C Richards program, this course will employ a Goethean approach to nature in order to build awareness and understanding of the four elements. The mornings will be spent in nature observations and experiments, led by Henrike Holdrege.

Summer Intensive/Foundation Course in Goethean Science
Course with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, Jon McAlice

July 12 - 24, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
A two-week summer intensive for students already enrolled in our Foundation Course, Encountering Nature and the Nature of Things. Methods include observational practice, artistic work, and field trips. For more information about the program's intent and structure see: https://www.natureinstitute.org/foundation-course.

>> ONLINE
Toward a Thought-full Teleology – Beyond the Hollow Organism
A talk by Stephen Talbott

June 29, 11:00 am EST/ 3:00 pm GMT
Steve has been invited to give one of 20 presentations at the Linnean Society’s two-day online conference, Evolution On Purpose: Teleonomy in Living Systems. The central aim of his talk is to suggest the nature of connections between our own highest functioning, the intelligence of the cells in our bodies, and the entire creative drama of life on this planet.

Metamorphosis, Plasticity, and Context-Sensitivity: Learning From Plants
Course with Craig Holdrege and Nathaniel Williams

May 3 — May 21
The 12 young adults participating in the year-long M.C. Richards Program will come to The Nature Institute each morning for three weeks to work with Craig Holdrege and Nathaniel Williams on plant study as a means of transformation and adaptation.

>> ONLINE
Seeing the Animal Whole, And Why It Matters
A Book Launch with Craig Holdrege

April 29, 7 pm
Join us for a free online talk to celebrate Craig Holdrege’s new book, Seeing the Animal Whole—And Why it Matters, published by Lindisfarne Books. The result of more than a decade of field research by Craig, the new volume demonstrates his holistic approach to zoology, which goes beyond the collection of facts about an animal. In nine portrayals, Craig shows how an animal’s features are interconnected and a revelation of its wholeness.

Plants and the Four Elements
A 3-day course with Henrike Holdrege, Jon McAlice, and Craig Holdrege

Monday, April 26 - Wednesday, April 28
9 am - 5 pm each day (lunch break from 12:30 - 1:30 pm)
Our interactions with nature will become ever healthier, and support a productive co-evolution of humanity with the natural world, when they are based on a deeper understanding of nature. Can we truly see and experience nature as dynamic, interconnected and whole? The work will include careful sensory observation and just as careful attention to how we can learn to be with the phenomena we are considering in an alive way. Fee (sliding scale) for course, incl. talk: $100 - $400.

Resonant Space – A Goethean Approach to Understanding
A talk by Jon McAlice

Sunday April 25, 7 pm
Resonance is a phenomenon that occurs when matter and movement are in tune with one another. The tones are deep and rich and long lasting. In recent years, the phenomenon has become a metaphor for the experience we have when our inner life is in harmony with our surroundings. One of the characteristics of this is that the boundary between inside and outside, between self and other becomes permeable. We experience what lights up for us in consciousness as alive and meaningful. Rudolf Steiner spoke of this as the experience of a “thinking that corresponds to reality” and pointed to the way Goethe engaged with the world of phenomena. Goethe’s approach can be seen as a path that lets us glimpse the resonant relationship that exists between human consciousness and the natural world. Fee (sliding scale): $5- $20.

This talk is a prelude to the 3-day course, Plants and the Four Elements (see below), but is also open to the public (please reserve a space in advance as attendance is limited).

>> ONLINE
The Mind of Plants
Symposium talk by Craig Holdrege

April 9
The Mind of Plants Online Symposium — Craig Holdrege is one of several plant experts and authors invited to share their experiences, perspectives, and various approaches to/with plants.

Model-free Physics and the Forces of Technology
Course with Gopi Krishna Vijaya

March 8 — March 31
Gopi will meet at The Nature Institute with 12 young adults participating in the year-long M.C. Richards Program to examine assumptions behind many theories of modern physics and how to re-evaluate them in the context of phenomenology. The course will also address the nature and implications of various technologies.

>> ONLINE
Goethe and the Evolution of Science
Talk by Craig Holdrege

March 4
Craig is the featured speaker in the first of a new series of online talks on Holistic Science hosted by Schumacher College and the Field Centre in the UK. With a worldwide audience, this series is free and open to all. View the video of this talk

Transformation, Polarity, and Expanding the Boundaries of Thought Through Projective Geometry
Course with Henrike Holdrege

February 1 - February 26
Henrike will meet at The Nature Institute with 12 young adults participating in the year-long M.C. Richards Program to engage in projective geometry exercises that foster clarity of thought and imagination. Working through key concepts and major theorems, students will discover challenging and transformative ideas that can open up whole new ways of understanding.

Past Events in 2020

Taking Appearances Seriously — Visual Experience and the World of Light, Darkness, and Color
Course with Henrike Holdrege

November 30 - December 18, 2020
Henrike will meet at The Nature Institute with 12 young adults participating in the year-long M.C. Richards Program for three weeks to engage in phenomenological studies. The course will emphasize the importance of attending carefully to sense experience—what the phenomena show—and equally careful development of ideas to understand the rich world of visual experience.

Discovering Meaning in Nature: Animals, Humans, and Evolution
Course with Craig Holdrege and Nathaniel Williams

November 9 - 25
The young adults participating in the year-long M.C. Richards Program will come to The Nature Institute to study using our extensive bone collection. By comparing the skulls and skeletons of animals and the human being, we will work to see if we can discover how each part is revelatory of the nature of the whole being.

Giving Your Attention to Animals
Workshop with Henrike and Craig Holdrege

Saturday October 3, 9 am - 1 pm
It is an exhilarating experience to recognize how every part of an animal manifests an underlying unity, making the wisdom of nature evermore tangible. We invite you to deepen your understanding of some of our local mammals, birds, and insects by joining us for a morning outdoors dedicated to observing and discerning their animal qualities. Our time will also be spent in imagination exercises and sharing impressions. 

>> VIROQUA, WI
Developing a Living Relation to Life
Workshop with Craig Holdrege

September 14 - 18
Craig will work for one week in the mornings with the young adults attending Thoreau College’s semester-long program. The focus will be on the interplay of thinking and observation, and how the study of plants can enliven our thinking.

>> VIROQUA, WI
Where Does an Animal End? The American Bison
Public talk by Craig Holdrege

September 17

[TO BE RESCHEDULED DUE TO COVID 19]
Hearts and Minds: Reclaiming the Soul of Science and Medicine
Talk by Walter Alexander

March 26, 7:30 pm
The world, we are told, is made up of particles and forces. Evolution, impelled by the single purpose of survival, is guided by chance through natural selection. DNA directs the chemical-mechanical unfolding of life. Consciousness and self, artifacts of the brain's firing neurons, are essentially inconsequential.
This is a picture that has been fraying at the edges for some time. Progress in medicine, quantum physics, open-systems biology, consciousness studies, epistemology, the arts, and philosophy all point in a radically different direction. But fresh, coherent narratives have not yet fully emerged out of this progress, and so the old model stubbornly endures.

Walter Alexander is a New York City-based veteran medical journalist, who covers clinical research across a range of specialties, including cardiology, oncology, and integrative medicine. He is author of the recently published book, Hearts and Minds: Reclaiming the Soul of Science and Medicine (Lindisfarne: 2019). The book tells a tale of emerging discoveries — discoveries that restore our own self and consciousness as integral to the workings of the world. He will share with us some of this narrative of discovery.

[CANCELLED DUE TO COVID 19]
Mathematics Alive! 
The Five Platonic Solids
Weekend workshop with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik

March 27 — March 29
This workshop is especially suited for middle school teachers and home-schooling parents. For more information about Mathematics Alive! including registration instructions, see this page.

The Living Earth — A Winter Intensive

February 16 - 20
A workshop in contemplative science with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
For farmers, gardeners, and all those caring for the earth, this five-day course uses practical exercises, observations, and discovery to guide participants in experiencing nature as dynamic, interconnected, and whole. Read more.

>> MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
From Encounter to Insight: Pathways of Experience in Education
Conference and workshop by Craig Holdrege

January 13 - 17, 2020
Craig will give a series of keynote talks at a week-long professional development conference for Waldorf high school teachers, as well as a multi-day class on “A Delicate Empiricism: Practicing Goethean Inquiry.” After the conference, Craig will lead a public weekend workshop on the topic, “Finding Our Humanity: Freedom and Responsibility for the Earth.”

Past Events in 2019

>> FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL
Seeing Nature Whole — Foundations of Goethean Science

November 11 – 23, 2019
The final two weeks of a four-week course taught by Craig and Henrike at the Associação Sagres in Florianopolis, Brazil. The first two weeks of this course were held in November 2018. The course is described (in Portugese) here, including a video of Craig teaching.

An Emily Dickinson Evening
With Polly and Jan Kees Saltet

October 4, 7:30 pm
Emily Dickinson was on a course of constant exploration, unsentimentally probing nature and self. Her enigmatic poems hold untold secrets. They are often elusive, always fascinating. She obviously has “something to say” to modern-day humanity. The aim of this evening will be to enter into a number of poems dealing with nature and the soul —

This Consciousness
that 
is aware

Of Neighbors and the Sun

The evening will be framed with movement in eurythmy by Polly Saltet; Jan Kees Saltet will recite and elucidate the poems.

Transformation through Nature Study
Workshop with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege

September 28, 9 am – 4 pm

“As human beings we know ourselves only insofar as we know the world; we perceive the world only in ourselves, and ourselves only in the world. Every new object, clearly seen, opens up a new organ of perception in us.”
– Goethe

In this workshop we want to engage with a variety of natural phenomena through direct experience. We will see whether we can discover how each phenomenon opens up new aspects of reality, and in turn stimulates a transformation in our own capacities — what Goethe points to with his expression “a new organ of perception.”

The Drama of Knowing – Connecting or Disconnecting?
Talk by Henrike Holdrege

September 27, 7:30 pm
For the past 21 years we have worked at The Nature Institute to develop ways of knowing that allow us to experience our connectedness with the world and to gain insight into the interconnected nature of things. It is no easy matter to overcome the deeply ingrained habits of modern intellectual thought. But that is a crucial task of our times, if we want to have any trust that the world’s needs are being witnessed and can be addressed through human striving.

Encountering Nature and the Nature of Things: Foundation Course in Goethean Science
Year-long, low-residency program with two two-week residential intensives

June, 2019 – July, 2020
For a full description of the course, a list of the core faculty, and application forms, click here. Application deadline is February 15.

Looking for Hope in Difficult Times: Facing Ourselves and Re-Imagining America
Talk and Workshop with Christopher Schaefer on his forthcoming book

June 14 – 15, 2019
Dr. Schaefer writes: “I believe we have a unique opportunity for influencing the political and social debate in the United States over the next year as the future of American society is at stake in the upcoming 2020 Presidential election. In this Friday evening talk and Saturday morning workshop we will explore what developments since 9/11 have brought us to our present crisis, and what imagination of our American future could bring healing and authenticity to our fractured nation. Based on the forthcoming book, Looking for Hope in Difficult Times: Facing Ourselves and Re-Imagining America, to be published in July, 2019.”
Friday talk: 7:30 – 9 pm.
Saturday workshop: 9 – 12:30 pm.

Goethean Science and the Native Science of Indigenous Peoples
Public talk by Jennifer Greene

April 12, 7 pm
See also the next item.

Moving, Forming, and Rhythm in Water Flow:
Experiencing and Understanding the Fluid Event of Water
Workshop with Jennifer Greene

April 13 – April 14
The way we understand water determines how we see it, interact with it, and, ultimately, how we care for and manage it. If water is only seen as a commodity, water management projects lead to abandonment of our waterways and depletion of our water resources. This leads to the infringement on the right of all living creatures to clean water. If, instead, we see water as a “right of all living beings” — as an “element for life” that serves all life without prejudice — then our management decisions will be different and the sanctity of life will be understood and protected. We usually do not defile what we have come to revere.
Through this hands-on, experiential water workshop we will hone observation skills and precise language descriptions as we follow unfolding water phenomena. Through “thinking like water” we will try to develop insights that reveal water’s intrinsic nature.

>> KASSEL, GERMANY
Where Does an Animal End? The American Bison
Keynote talk and course on evolution by Craig Holdrege at the International Professional Development week for Waldorf educators and teacher trainees

April

>> CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK
Plants and Animals: Contrasting Ways of Being
Half-day workshop with Craig Holdrege at the Pfeiffer Center

March 16

Mathematics Alive! 
Negative Numbers and Linear Equations
Weekend workshop for middle school teachers and home-schooling parents with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik

March 29 – 31
This weekend workshop for Waldorf class teachers and math subject teachers aims to strengthen and enliven math teaching in the middle school. It offers the opportunity to meet teachers from other schools and to learn through, and contribute to, collegial exchange. This year we will focus on introducing negative numbers in the classroom, striving to penetrate the processes of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing them. We will also take up solving equations with one variable in the context of the students’ year-long practice in working with numbers. For more information about the Mathematics Alive! program, see this page.

>> PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
Learning to See the Animal
Evening talk and all-day workshop with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege at the teacher training program of the Waldorf Institute of Southern California

March 1 - 2

Winter Course on “The Nature of Animals and Developing Dynamic Thinking”
With Craig and Henrike Holdrege

February 17 – 21
Join us in giving our attention to the animals and asking: What are their unique ways of being in the world? What do they bring to our lives and what can we bring to theirs? And how can we develop capacities of observation and thinking that allow us to know the world more truly? Find out more about the course and sign-up here.

Celebratory Book Launch of Wolfgang Schad's Understanding Mammals
Presentations by John Barnes and Craig Holdrege

February 19, 2019, 7 pm
The two-volume work by Goethean biologist Wolfgang Schad represents a lifetime of work dedicated to understanding the forms, patterns, and behavior of mammals. Schad, who is now 83 years old, was a Waldorf teacher, a principle instructor at a Waldorf teacher training program, and then a professor for Evolutionary Biology and Morphology at the University of Witten-Herdecke in Germany. Schad has the rare ability to gain an overview of the great diversity of mammals and at the same time to see overriding and surprising patterns among these animals. He was inspired by Rudolf Steiner’s idea of threefoldness in the human organism and uses these insights as a lens to open up a new understanding of mammalian diversity.

Past Events in 2018

>> KASSEL, GERMANY
Contextual Approaches to Understanding Life
Four keynote talks and a course by Craig Holdrege

December
The event is a conference in Kassel, Germany, for Waldorf high school students who are especially engaged in the sciences.

>> FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL
Seeing Nature Whole — Foundations of Goethean Science

November
The first two weeks of a four-week course with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
The course will be held at the Associação Sagres in Florianopolis, Brazil. The second two weeks will be in November, 2019.

>> MIDDLEBURY, VERMONT
Thinking Like a Plant
A presentation by Craig Holdrege

October 9
Craig will meet with participants in an innovative course on "perennial thinking" (where they have studied his book Thinking Like a Plant) at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.

Where Does an Animal End? The American Bison
A talk by Craig Holdrege

September 21, 7:30 pm

See also the next item.

Learning to See the Animal
Workshop with Craig and Henrike Holdrege

September 22, 9 am – 4 pm
In September 1998, our community of friends attended the founding celebration of The Nature Institute. This year, we invite you to celebrate with us the first two decades of our work. On Friday evening at The Nature Institute, after an introduction by Henrike Holdrege, Craig Holdrege will give a talk with slides on “Where Does an Animal End? The American Bison”. On Saturday, Craig and Henrike will offer a Michaelmas workshop on “Learning to See the Animal.” All workshop participants are asked to attend the Friday evening talk by Craig.
The workshop is free. We will have a potluck lunch Saturday noon. Please bring a dish to share. Please register for the workshop by September 17 by contacting info@natureinstitute.org.

Encountering Nature and the Nature of Things: 
Practicing a Science of Phenomena
A new, year-long program, with two, 2-week residential intensives

July 2018 – July 2019
For a full description of the course, a list of the core faculty, and application forms, click here. Application deadline is March 15.

Let the Phenomena Speak! Deepening our Relation to Life on Earth
The Nature Institute’s 2018 summer course

June 24 – 28

If Only the Earth Could Speak: Reflections on the 
Language of Nature and the Human Word
An Earth Day talk by Bruno Follador

April 19, 7:30 pm
Please join us for this farewell talk by Bruno. He and his family will be returning to Brazil in June. We are sad to see them go and wish them all the best in their new endeavors in their homeland. Bruno will continue as a Nature Institute affiliate researcher, and we look forward to collaborations in South America.

Donations welcome.

>> GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK
Cultivating the Roots of Earth Stewardship
Craig Holdrege gives a keynote talk at the Winkler Center for Adult Education

March 24

>> CHESTNUT RIDGE< NEW YORK
Understanding the Living and Dynamic Qualities of Plants and Animals
Craig Holdrege teaches at the Biodynamic year-long training program at the Pfeiffer CenteR

March 17

Mathematics Alive! 
From arithmetic to algebra, from polygons to the circle
A weekend workshop for middle school teachers with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik.

March 16 – 18
This weekend workshop for Waldorf class teachers and math subject teachers aims to strengthen and enliven math teaching in the middle school. It offers the opportunity to meet teachers from other schools and to learn through, and contribute to, collegial exchange. This year, we will focus on how to introduce algebra by developing it out of arithmetic, and on the geometry of the circle.

>> SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA
Understanding Life as Something Real
Four talks by Craig Holdrege at the “Phenomena to Insight Conference” for science educators at the Summerfield Waldorf School

February 20 – 23

Winter Course: Plants and the Living Earth
With Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Bruno Follador

February 11 – 16
This course is offered for farmers, gardeners, apprentices, and educators.

>> GHENT, NEW YORK
“The Stars Once Spoke to Human Beings”
Talk by Henrike Holdrege at Camphill Ghent

January 3, 4 pm

Past Events in 2017

>> SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL
“Agriculture and Landscape Perception”
Bruno speaks at the University of São Paulo

December 13, 6 pm
For more information, click here.

>> SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
Bruno Follador speaks at the “Soil and Nutrition Conference”

November 29 – 30

For more information, click here.

Celebrating Henry David Thoreau at Two Hundred: the Path Ahead
A talk by Christina Root

November 13, 7:30 pm
On the 200th anniversary of his birth, Henry David Thoreau continues to inspire and guide us politically, spiritually, and ecologically. This talk will explore Thoreau’s great gifts as a writer, his ability to embody the life of nature in his language, and to help us to get a sense of the whole without resorting to abstraction.

>> ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
The Cassini Curves
Workshop with Henrike Holdrege

November 10 – 11
A workshop at the public conference on Interdisciplinary Astronomy in Ann Arbor, Michigan, organized by the Science/Mathematics/Astronomy Section of the School of Spiritual Science in North America.

Fun Fall Work on The Nature Institute Grounds

November 4, 9 am – 1 pm
Please join us to prepare the grounds of The Nature Institute for the winter. Refreshments and good cheer will be provided! Please let us know in advance if you plan to volunteer.

>> CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK
Bruno teaches at the Biodynamic year-long training program at the Pfeiffer Center

November 4

For more information, click here.

>> TORONTO, CANADA
Craig speaks at conference on “Redesigning the Tree of Life: Synthetic Biology and the Future of Food”

November 4

For more information, click here.

Teaching Human Evolution: Diversity and Origins
Workshop with Craig Holdrege for biology teachers and others interested in human evolution

October 28, 9 am – 5 pm
This all-day workshop builds on the Friday evening talk. We will work with a “teaching kit” that Craig has designed for classroom use in high school and college. It provides methods and materials for weaving experiential, inquiry-based student activities into a course on evolution in ways that spark fresh insights. The question “Where do we come from?” will appear in a fundamentally new light.

Where Do We Come From? The Question of Origins and Ancestors in Evolution
A talk by Craig Holdrege

October 27, 7:30 pm

>> DORNACH, SWITZERLAND
Craig speaks at the "Evolving Morphology" conference at the Goetheanum

October 4 – 8

Do Frogs Come From Tadpoles?
A talk and book party with Craig Holdrege

September 22, 7 pm
Please join us in celebrating the publication of Craig Holdrege’s new monograph, Do Frogs Come From Tadpoles? Rethinking Origins in Development and Evolution. Craig will give a talk about the booklet, which will be available for purchase, and he will sign books after the talk. There will be refreshments.

>> ROCKPORT, MAINE
Bruno teaches in the Biodynamic Training Program at Avena Botanicals

September 28 – October 1

For more information, click here.

Human and Animal Morphology and the Idea of Freedom
A one-day workshop at The Nature Institute with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege

September 30, 9 am to 4 pm with potluck lunch
In this workshop we will take up the challenge that Goethe formulates in these words:

“The agreement within the whole makes every creature what it is. The human being is a human being through the whole gestalt as well as through the last segment of the little toe. And so it is that every creature is one tone, one shade of a great harmony that one must study as a whole if the particulars are not to become dead letters.”
By comparing the skulls and skeletons of animals and the human being, we will work to see if we can discover how each part is revelatory of the nature of the whole being. Can we see movement toward freedom in the human form?
No prerequisites other than interest and the willingness to explore. No fee. Please bring a contribution to a potluck lunch.

>> CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK
Henrike works with the Green Meadow Waldorf School faculty on the significance of phenomenology and experiential learning in science education

Monday, August 28 – Tuesday, August 29

Free Columbia Art Convergence: Creating an Outdoor Installation at The Nature Institute
A collaborative artistic activity with Axel Ewald

August 10 – 11
The internationally-known land artist, Axel Ewald, will lead the collaborative creation of an arts installation on the grounds of The Nature Institute as part of this month’s Free Columbia Art Convergence. The convergence brings more than twenty local, national, and international artists together to explore questions related to the role of artists in the world today and the relationship of art to hope. Participation in the arts-installation project is open to the public.

Rendering the Earth: The Work of Paul Cézanne
A talk with slides by Bruno Follador in celebration of Earth Day

April 20, 7:30 pm
In his biography of Paul Cézanne, Alex Danchev writes:

“At the core of the Cézannian revolution is a decisive shift in the emphasis of observation, from the description of the thing apprehended to the process of apprehension itself. Cézanne insisted that he painted things as they are, for what they are, as he saw them. The issue is what he saw—how he saw.”

This revolution is not restricted to the artistic world. There is a depth in the work of Paul Cézanne that can speak to all of us.

Mathematics Alive! — Pentagon, Pentagram and the Golden Mean
A weekend workshop for middle school teachers with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik

March 17 – 19, 2017
We will work with the manifold features of this topic: the geometry, algebra, Fibonacci series, irrational numbers and the golden mean in art.

To register, please fill out our registration form.

Expressing the Being of Animals: The Work of Franz Marc (1880 – 1916)
A talk with slides by Craig Holdrege (Repeat of October 19, 2016 presentation)

February 14, 7:30 pm
Franz Marc wrote:

“How does a horse, or an eagle, or a deer, or a dog see the world? How miserably soulless is our convention of placing animals in the landscape as we perceive it, rather than seeking to penetrate the soul of the animal so as to glean something of its own world of images.”

Franz Marc died one hundred years ago at the age of 36 in World War I.

Developing a Qualitative Understanding of Nature: Animals, Humanity and Evolution
A course for farmers, apprentices, and educators, with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Bruno Follador

February 12 – 17, 2017

Past Events in 2016

October 29, 9 am – 1 pm
Volunteer Workday at The Nature Institute
Come join us for our annual fall clean-up. Refreshments and good cheer will be provided!

October 19, 7:30 pm
Expressing the Being of Animals: The Work of Franz Marc (1880 – 1916)
A talk with slides by Craig Holdrege
This presentation will honor the work of the painter Franz Marc and his intention to bring the being of animals to expression. Marc once wrote: “How does a horse, or an eagle, or a deer, or a dog see the world? How miserably soulless is our convention of placing animals in the landscape as we perceive it, rather than seeking to penetrate the soul of the animal so as to glean something of its own world of images.” Franz Marc died one hundred years ago at the age of 36 in World War I.

October 11, 7:30 pm
Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story
A documentary film
Since May of 2015, The Nature Institute’s Living Soils Project and Hawthorne Valley Association have been collaborating in an initiative to improve composting and waste management practices at Hawthorne Valley. This initiative springs from the conviction that the compost site is a place of vital biological transformation around which the farm community, too, can meet in a transformative way. The Nature Institute’s Bruno Follador will introduce the film and lead a conversation afterwards.

October 1, 9 am – 4 pm
Living in Our Senses
A workshop led by Henrike Holdrege and Craig Holdrege
In celebration of Michaelmas, we have chosen the theme “Living in Our Senses.” We will explore how we can enliven our sense experiences so that the world can reveal more to us. We will work indoors and outdoors. All are welcome, and there is no fee. Please register by Sept 27. We will have a potluck lunch, so please bring a dish to share.

September 30, 7:30 pm
Truth, Beauty, and Goodness
A talk by Craig Holdrege in celebration of Michaelmas

June 19 – 25
Tending the Roots of Sustainability: The Significance of Experience-Based Learning and Our Responsibility to Children and the Earth
Summer Intensive for educators with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
With guest presentation by George Russell (see next calendar entry)
This course is designed to nurture connectedness with the wisdom of nature. We tend the roots of sustainability when we inspire children to perceive, to probe, to question; to be astounded by the intricacy of nature; to understand and to value the interconnectedness of all beings and processes.

June 22, 7:30 pm
Children and Nature
Talk by George Russell
This guest presentation is part of the “Tending the Roots of Sustainability” course (see preceding item), but is open to the public.

George Russell, Ph.D., is editor of the 2014 book Children and Nature: Making Connections, co-founder and former editor of Orion magazine, and emeritus professor of biology (Adelphi University).

April 5, 12, 19, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Working with the Principle of Polarity in Projective Geometry
A course in eight sessions with Henrike Holdrege

May 23, 7:30 pm
Doing Phenomenology in Teaching Science: Performance Art that Evokes Insight
A talk by Wilfried Sommer

Wilfried Sommer, Ph.D., is a physicist, physics teacher in Waldorf schools, and Assistant Professor at the School of Education at Alanus University in Germany.

April 22, 7:30 pm
Soil, Culture, and Human Responsibility
A talk by Bruno Follador in celebration of Earth Day

April 1, 8, 15, 7:30 pm
Phenomenological Research within the Human Encounter
Three talks by John Cunningham

• Introspective Observations on the Inner Dialogue (April 1): Practical Illuminations of Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication

• Becoming Through the Other (April 8): Social Inquiry through Goethe’s Way of Seeing

• Conflict, Community, and Slow Dialogue (April 15): Shared Care through Dominic Barter’s Restorative Circles

John Cunningham was a Waldorf educator for many years and is a trainer in Nonviolent Communication, which he learned from its developer, Marshall Rosenberg. Since 2000, John has traveled widely giving talks, trainings, and support to communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and Sri Lanka

March 15, 7:30 pm
Benefit Screening: “Even Though the Whole World Is Burning”
A documentary about the Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin by Stefan Schaefer
Signe Schaefer will introduce the film, and there will be refreshments after the screening. All donations will benefit The Nature Institute.

March 18 – 20
Mathematics Alive!
Supporting students at the threshold of adolescence — teaching geometry in middle school
Weekend workshop for teachers with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik
This year we will focus on teaching geometry in 6th through 8th grade, from the beginnings to the theorem of Pythagoras. How can engagement in doing geometry help students as they enter adolescence? Movement, form-drawing, geometrical constructions, mathematical proofs, imagination exercises, discussion and collegial exchange will be part of our weekend work. For course details, see our Mathematics Alive! page.

January 11, 18; February 29; March 7; 9 am – 12:30 pm,
Conversing with the Landscape: How does our way of seeing and speaking help to create our agricultural reality?
A short course with Bruno Follador
We will explore the mutual influence and dynamic interplay between agriculture, science, and culture. At the center of this conversation is the human being and our struggle to become conscious of our own participation in the landscape. This course is a collaboration with Free Columbia.

February 15 – 22, 2016, 9 am – 12:30 pm
The Wisdom of the Animal World
A short course with Craig Holdrege at The Nature Institute (in collaboration with Free Columbia)
We will explore some of the basic characteristics of animals, and through concrete examples learn to see how everything within an animal is interconnected and expresses a deep wisdom.

February 7 – 12, 2016
Plants and the Living Earth: Holistic Science in Service of Agriculture
Winter intensive for farmers, gardeners, educators, and apprentices

Past Events in 2015

October 13, 20, 27; November 3, 10, 17; December 1, 8; 9 – 10:30 am
An Introduction to Projective Geometry
Geometry workshop with Henrike Holdrege
In eight sessions this fall, we will continue our work with projective geometry that we began last spring.

November 9, 16, 23, 30; December 7, 14; 9 am – 12:30 pm
Coming Alive to Nature: Images, Color, Light and Darkness
A course with Henrike Holdrege
We will engage in experience-based studies of Goethe’s color theory and the optics of images. The workshop is a collaboration with the Free Columbia Art Course.

December 14, 7 pm
The Constellations of the Zodiac in our Winter Sky
The last of four “Monday Nights with the Stars” with Henrike Holdrege
This evening we will learn about the constellations of the zodiac in our winter skies. If the skies are clear, we will go outside and look at the stars. Please dress accordingly.

November 16, 7 pm
Characteristics of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Venus
The third of four “Monday Nights with the Stars” with Henrike Holdrege

October 19, 26; November 2; 9 am – 12:30 pm
Coming Alive to Nature: Plant Studies
A short course with Craig Holdrege
Practicing Goethe’s way of science as a “delicate empiricism”, we will work to awaken the qualitative features of nature. The focus of our work will be on plants, considered from a variety of perspectives, including morphology, metamorphosis, and context-dependency. The workshop is a collaboration with the Free Columbia Art Course.

October 30 – 31
Hands-on Farm-scale Composting
A workshop with Bruno Follador
Bruno writes about this workshop:
“Compost happens!” Perhaps you have seen this statement printed on t-shirts or in farm-related magazines such as Edible Magazine. Each time I read this I am always left bewildered: Yes, compost happens, but how?
Although there is a plethora of technical literature, the question still remains: What is compost? Do I have to turn it? Should I layer everything or mix it? How do I know if it is good or not? How do I know it is ready? And did it really happen?
Join us for a unique opportunity to delve into the practical and technical details of biodynamic farm-scale composting using the compost site of Hawthorne Valley Farm. The workshop will involve on-site learning activities, including work with machines, and will address the following questions:

• How to manage and organize a compost site 
• How to mix, build, and turn windrows 
• How and when to apply the biodynamic preparations 
• How to recognize signs of the different phases of the composting process

We will also explore how we can develop a qualitative understanding of the dynamic processes in the compost pile, and consider the significance of compost in the whole farm organism—which ultimately means to think about how the composting process is intimately tied to the social process of the farm staff and farm community.

November 7, 9 pm – 1 pm
Volunteer Work Day
Share with us a few hours of landscaping at The Nature Institute. Refreshments and good cheer will be provided! Please let us know in advance if you plan to come.

October 19, 7 pm
The Planets Jupiter, Mars, and Venus This Fall
The second of four “Monday Nights with the Stars” with Henrike Holdrege
We will look at the spectacular configurations of these three planets in our morning skies this fall. Registration is requested but not required. Please call 518-672-0116. Suggested donation per family is $4 – $15.

September 21, 7 pm
Relations of Moon, Sun, and Earth
The first of four “Monday Nights with the Stars” with Henrike Holdrege
This evening will be an introduction to our fall skies and a preparation for the total lunar eclipse on Sunday night, September 27. Registration is requested but not required. Please call 518-672-0116. Suggested donation per family is $4 - $15. Additional “Nights with the Stars” will be October 19, November 16, and December 14.

September 25, 7:30 pm
Outer and Inner Warmth
Talk by Henrike Holdrege
This talk is in preparation for the workshop of the following day (see immediately below) but you may attend it without participating in the workshop. Donations are welcome.

September 26, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Outer and Inner Warmth — Phenomenological Studies
Workshop with Henrike Holdrege and Nathaniel Williams
Like last year, The Nature Institute offers a weekend workshop to the community at the time of Michaelmas. We will work with observations and our own experiences within the natural surroundings of the institute and practice the inner work that can gradually develop intellectual thinking into a fuller and richer awareness of the outer world. Our topic of practice this year will be Outer and Inner Warmth, which in the light of climate change and global warming is a pertinent theme. There will be morning refreshments served by the institute and a potluck lunch at 12:30 pm. Please bring a dish to share. Registration: Please register for the Saturday workshop before September 21 by calling 518-672-0116. There is no fee, but donations are welcome.

September 16, 7 pm
Highlights from our Trip to the Amazon in June 2015
Impressions and slides shared by Bruna Fogaça, Bruno Follador, Craig Holdrege, and Henrike Holdrege
Please join us for an evening of appreciation of the beauty and wonders that we found in the watery worlds of Rio Solimões and Rio Negro. Donations are welcome.

July 9 – 14, 2015
Miracles of Light and Color
Phenomenological studies and water color painting with Henrike Holdrege and Jennifer Thomson
In this course we will connect Goethean scientific practice (led by Henrike Holdrege) and artistic work (led by Jennifer Thomson). These activities will enhance each other, and together they can help us learn to see more and experience color ever more deeply.
In the mornings we will turn to color phenomena in nature through experiencing, observing, experimenting, contemplating and journaling. In this we will follow the scientific path that Goethe laid out in his Color Theory — a path we might call “model-free science”: the phenomena themselves, rather than preconceived concepts, will guide us in growing and deepening our feeling for and our awareness and understanding of color.
In the afternoons we will continue the work of observation and imagination through exercises in contraction/expansion, point/periphery, and the inner/outer language of colors. We will engage in light and dark sketching, try to capture color moods and gestures, and pursue studies of warm and cool colors — all in relation to nature. We will also work on after-images, developing them into paintings. We will use water colors, with a focus on the process, not the result.

July 12, 7:30 pm,
It’s About Color
A talk and slide show by Jennifer Thomson about her paintings of the last seven years

June 21 – 26, 2015
Awakening to Nature’s Open Secrets — Pathways in Science and Art
A workshop on living approaches to education, in collaboration with the Alkion Center
In this course we will take a phenomenological, experience-based approach to the world. Children today grow up with much of their experience mediated by technological devices on the one hand and abstract ideas on the other. As a result there is a growing disconnect between what they experience and the true ecology of life. How can we help children become healthily rooted in a real world?
As adults we need to learn how to attend carefully to what we directly experience through our senses. And we need to learn how to form our ideas in conversation with experience as a counterbalance to the abstract notions that dominate culture today.
The course will take as its starting point experiential learning in the study of nature in the mornings, and continue with artistic activities in the afternoons. The course will be of special interest to educators who want to improve their practical knowledge of phenomenological science teaching, where knowledge grows out of the encounter with the world in a living way.

>> MANAUS, BRAZIL
June 1 – 12, 2015
Form and Pattern in the Amazon — A River Adventure
Please see our full description of this remarkable learning expedition, which was fully booked.

March 16, 23, 30; April 6, 13; May 4, 11, 18; 9 am – 10:30am
An Introduction to Projective Geometry
Workshop in eight sessions with Henrike Holdrege
This workshop will continue in the fall. Sliding fee: $40 - $120. Please register by calling 518-672-0116 or email info@natureinstitute.org.

March 23, 30; April 27; May 4
Monday Nights with the Stars
Four evenings in the spring with Henrike Holdrege at The Nature Institute.
Learn to orient yourself in the night sky.

May 1 – 3, 2015
The Art and Science of Composting and Ehrenfried Pfeiffer’s Chromatography
Weekend workshop with Bruno Follador
During this workshop we will engage in a phenomenological approach to the Art of Composting. We will explore not only all the practical and technical details of composting, but most importantly we will focus on how we can develop a qualitative understanding of the dynamic processes in the compost pile and consider the significance of compost in the whole farm organism.

April 10 – 12, 2015
Mathematics Alive! — The Platonic Solids
Weekend workshop for middle school teachers with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik
We will explore the geometry of the five platonic solids and their relevance for the adolescent student from a variety of points of view. Hands-on work and movement, drawing, imagination exercises and collegial exchange will all be part of the weekend.

February 8 – 13, 2015
Developing a Qualitative Understanding of Nature: Animals, Humanity and Evolution
A course for farmers, gardeners and others seeking a renewed relation to the land. With Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege

Past Events in 2014

October 22, 29, November 5; 7 pm – 9 pm
Cultivating Humanness in a Technological World
Three one-hour talks by Craig Holdrege with a conversation to follow each talk
How can we develop our own humanity in a technology-dominated age? Craig will discuss this question from a variety of perspectives: the character of our modern "device" culture; technology and the evolution of consciousness; Rudolf Steiner's perspectives on technology; implications for education.

November 7 – 9
The Tyranny of “Algebra I”: Reimagining Math Curricula for Grades 7 – 12
A Teachers’ Colloquium with Marisha Plotnik, Beth Weisburn, and Henrike Holdrege

October 18
Volunteer Work Day
Please join us for a Volunteer Work Day of landscaping at The Nature Institute. Refreshments and good cheer will be provided! Please let us know in advance if you plan to volunteer.

September 26, 7:30 pm
Overcoming the Cartesian Split
Presentation by Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
This Friday evening presentation, which is open to the public, introduces the weekend workshop described immediately below.

September 26 - 28, 2014
A Pathway to the Spiritual in Nature
Michaelmas Workshop with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
Two things are easy to say: that there is nothing spiritual in nature or, that there is spirit working in nature. It is not so easy, in our modern times, to learn to see the spirit in nature. In this weekend workshop we want to practice treading that pathway. It entails careful observation of concrete phenomena, inner re-picturing, and becoming conscious of certain habits of thought that block our view from the deeper nature of nature. It also entails moving our attention from an awareness of things and formed products to relations and processes of becoming. For that we need to make our own inwardness more conscious and flexible on the one side, and on the other side cultivate attentiveness to the concrete qualities of the natural world. The weekend event is in celebration of Michaelmas.

July 31 – August 3, 2014
Dynamic Embryology and Morphology
A four-day seminar with Dutch embryologist Jaap van der Wal
This course explores human prenatal development and how the shaping of the body (morphogenesis) expresses essential attributes of the development of the human being as a being of spirit and matter, of body and mind. The scientific method of phenomenology is used to open up a truly holistic understanding of the human being. By following the processes forming the human embryo, the course will shed light onto such themes as healthy development, the purpose and wisdom of the human form, and, indeed, the very meaning of human existence.

This course will be taught by Jaap van der Wal, PhD, MD. Jaap is a retired teacher of Anatomy and Embryology at the University of Maastricht, Holland, with a special focus on human embryology. He teaches courses around the world and presents his unique perspectives on human development in a lively way with great clarity. This course will be of special relevance for health professionals and educators, and will be of interest to everyone who wants to learn more about the remarkable nature of human development.

June 29 – July 5, 2014
Reading in the Book of Nature: Enlivening Observation and Thinking Through Plant Study
Public Summer Course
When we read, we participate in meaning – the meaning that is inherent in the text. It is not enough to know word definitions and grammatical rules to read. Similarly, when we observe and strive to understand the natural world around us, it is not enough to know names and an array of characteristics. Rather we must try to see the relations between, say, parts of a plant and understand how a plant relates to its environment. What is a plant expressing through its unique way of being? Can we begin to fathom the deeper meanings that are present in the living world? This is no simple task, because it demands a new kind of relational knowing that moves from a clear understanding of details to a perception of processes and interconnections. In this course we want to take steps in learning to read in the book of nature through:

Exercises in flexible thinking;
Careful study of plants in the local surroundings;
Clay modeling with a focus on metamorphosis.

March 20; April 3 and 17 (7:30 pm); May 15 and 29 (8 pm)
Astronomy
Course with Henrike Holdrege and Jeanne Simon-MacDonald
A five-session course on the starry sky through night observation (if the sky is clear), eurythmy, and classroom study.

May 20, 7:30 pm
Resurrecting and Transforming the Social World
Lecture by Christopher Schaefer
An aspect of modern consciousness is to see the external, physical world as “real”, and thoughts, feelings, and intentions as “subjective” and therefore not real. Yet if the social world is built out of and sustained by our world of thoughts, feelings, and intentions, what power lives within the human soul to transform and resurrect the social world and indeed ourselves.

May 16 – 18, 2014
More Humus — More Humanity: The Inner Nature of our Agricultural Crisis
Weekend workshop with Bruno Follador
What is the relationship between soil erosion and social conflicts? How can we develop a living, practical, and meaningful relationship with compost and soil fertility — one that goes beyond waste management and yields nutritious food? How does our way of seeing, thinking, and speaking contribute to creating our agricultural reality?

Bruno Follador is a biodynamic researcher and has worked as a consultant in Europe and the U.S.

March 25; April 8 and 22; 7:30 pm
Evolution
Lecture series by Craig Holdrege
A series of talks about discovering evolution as a meaning-filled process ─ the metamorphosis of beings through time. Craig will also discuss hominid fossils that shed light on human evolution.

March 28 – 30, 2014
Mathematics Alive!
Algebra Workshop for Middle School Teachers
Weekend workshop for teachers with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik
Our goal for this weekend workshop is to assist teachers in entering the inner activity of doing mathematics from which math teaching can become alive. This year we will focus on negative numbers and on solving equations. We will explore the subjects from various angles to enliven them and to give them meaning for teachers and students. Collegial exchange and dialogue will carry our work.

April 1, 7:30 pm
Social Art and Social Science in Everyday Life
Lecture by Christopher Schaefer
In this talk and conversation we will explore how we are all social artists and social scientists in building and seeking to understand the social world. The question we all face is with what awareness and understanding do we approach the tasks of building a new world which is fast replacing the world of nature.

February 9 – 14, 2014
Nature Institute Winter Course – Experiencing the Deeper Nature of Nature
A course for farmers, gardeners, apprentices, and people who love the land
With Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
Gaining a deeper understanding of nature involves a widening of our inner horizons. While it is one thing to acknowledge that nature is dynamic, interconnected and whole, it is another matter to experience, articulate, and respect these qualities in our interactions with nature. This course will focus on practices that can enliven our experience and understanding of the natural phenomena that provide the context for our lives.

Past Events in 2013

September 30, October 28, November 25; 7:30 pm
Monday Nights with the Stars
With Henrike Holdrege and Jeanne Simon-MacDonald
In three evenings we will give an introduction to our fall sky – the constellations of the zodiac as they appear in the fall, and the planets. With eurythmy movement led by Jeanne Simon-MacDonald, we will deepen our relationship to the starry sky. If the sky is clear we will conclude the evening with sky observations. Please dress warmly and bring a flashlight.

Sunday, November 17, 3 pm
Gestures of Radioactivity and Its Effect on Life
A talk by Johannes Kühl

Johannes Kühl is a physicist and director of the Natural Science Section at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland.

>> CHATHAM, NEW YORK
October 25, 5 – 7 pm
A Book Event at the Chatham Bookstore, 27 Main Street, Chatham, NY
Craig Holdrege will give a short presentation about his new book, Thinking Like a Plant: A Living Science for Life, followed by a conversation about the book with Thomas Chulak, co-owner of the Chatham Bookstore. Craig will be available to sign books, and there will be a reception.

October 9, 7:30 pm
Perceiving, Understanding, and Transforming the Social World: A Goethean Approach
A talk by Christopher Schaefer
In this talk and conversation, Christopher Schaefer will explore the contours of a Goethean phenomenological social science — one capable of overcoming the often sterile and control-oriented, causal approach of the western social-scientific tradition. Drawing on Rudolf Steiner, but also on Max Weber and other continental thinkers, he will describe ways of reconceiving the social world in a manner that honors human freedom and dignity. (Christopher Schaefer, Ph.D., is currently co-director of the Center for Social Research at the Hawthorne Valley Association. He is author of several books.) Suggested donation: $5 – $20.

September 28, 2013 (9 am – 1 pm)
Volunteer Work Day
Please join us for a half day’s work on what we hope will be a beautiful autumn day. We will do some landscaping on the Institute’s property and, as part of our stewardship responsibility, clear the trails at the nearby 29-acre wetland preserve. Refreshments will be provided.

September 27, 7:30 pm
Inner and Outer Light
A Talk in Preparation for Michaelmas by Henrike Holdrege
The beginning of fall is a fruitful time to consider our relation to nature and the spiritual in nature and in us. In all of our seeing, an inner aspect and an outer aspect of light are closely entwined. Taking the phenomenology of the visual world, our experiences in seeing, as a starting point of observation, we will find in what way we can meaningfully speak of ‘inner light’.

July 7 – 13, 2013
Earth, Water, Air, and Warmth
Experiencing the Four Elements through Nature and Art
Week-long course with Laura Summer and Henrike Holdrege
This new interdisciplinary course will employ artistic practice and the Goethean approach to nature in order to build awareness and understanding of the four elements. The mornings will be spent in nature observations and experiments, led by Henrike Holdrege, and in the afternoons we will explore the elements around us using watercolor, pastel, charcoal and collage, led by Laura Summer. The artistic techniques are both exciting and very forgiving; no experience is necessary. Materials for painting and collage will be provided. Please bring your own sketch book and colored pencils.

June 23 – 29, 2013
Evolution
Public summer course with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Nathaniel Williams
The topic of evolution leads into the mysteries of the development of life on earth. It is hard to think of an area of biological inquiry that shows so deeply the interrelatedness of all life forms and that raises such fundamental questions about our own origins. Evolution is also a topic of controversy, one in which scientific and religious worldviews often restrict open-minded inquiry. Perhaps the primary challenge in any consideration of evolution is: how can we learn to think evolutionary processes in a way that does justice to the phenomena themselves?
In this course we will study phenomena that introduce and depict the dynamism and complexity of evolution. It will become clear that any deep understanding of evolution demands an evolution of human consciousness itself. We will therefore also work on honing our capacities to perceive, discern, and think developmental processes. The course will integrate scientific and artistic explorations.

June 12, 2013
How Can We Integrate Nature and Culture in the Design of our Landscape?
Public lecture by Jean-Michel Florin, co-leader of the Agricultural Section at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland.
The lecture is sponsored by the Hudson Valley Biodynamic Group and The Nature Institute.

May 25 – 26, 2013
Celebrating the Completion of the New Building

May 25, 7:30 pm
Why Goethean Science?
A talk by Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege

May 26, 11 am – 1 pm
Festive Open House
Beginning promptly at 11am: Music, a few words, building tour, refreshments. If you live in the area and plan to help us celebrate our new quarters, please RSVP by May 20 by calling 518-672-0116 or emailing info@natureinstitute.org.

March 8 – 10, 2013
Mathematics Alive!
Introducing Algebra in Middle School — The Divine Proportion
Weekend workshop with Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik
The workshop is intended for teachers of middle school math. Bringing algebra alive is a challenge. We will enliven the subject from various angles, including a consideration of the golden mean. As in previous years we will engage in hands-on exercises and encourage collegial exchange.

February 10 – 15, 2013
Understanding Qualities in Nature: A Basis for the Agriculture of the Future
Winter intensive for farmers, gardeners, and others who love the land
With Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
We will explore the four elements, the nature of animals, and also the movements of the moon and planets. The course will be held in collaboration with the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association and Hawthorne Valley Farm. For registration information about this intensive and an additional week-long course devoted to biodynamic agriculture, contact Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center: 518-672-7500 x232; caroline@hawthornevalleyfarm.org.

Events in 2012

October 17 to November 30, 2012

Goethean Explorations of Perspective and Light and Color
12 classes, Wednesdays and Fridays (except November 21st and 23rd), from 8:30 am to 10 am
With Henrike Holdrege at Bright Wing Studio, 651 Harlemville Road, Hillsdale, New York.
This series of workshops, as part of the Free Columbia Art Course, is designed for artists and art students, but is also open to everyone interested in the subject or in the Goethean method of research. First we will study the laws of linear perspective, and in the following sessions we will explore light and color with a variety of experiments and observations.

November 11, 2012 (Sunday, 7 pm)

Benefit Concert for The Nature Institute 
with “Quiet in the Head,” the duo of violinist Jonathan Talbott and guitarist Seamus Maynard 
at the Hawthorne Valley School Hall in Ghent (Harlemville), New York.

>> CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK
September 24 to 28, 2012 

A Pathway of Living Knowledge
With Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege at Threefold Educational Center
This course focused on the nature of phenomenological inquiry, both as rooted in Goethe’s approach and developed further through Rudolf Steiner. The event was sponsored by the Threefold Education Center.

July 8 to July 14 

Bringing Science to Life - Coming to Our Senses
A Course for Science Teachers
With Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege and Jon McAlice
A course to stimulate the practice of science teaching as an experiential, open-ended process that empowers students to think and perceive for themselves. Collegial exchange and concrete scientific exploration are essential parts of this course.

June 17 to 23 

Coming Alive to Nature - The World of Color and Light
With Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege and Nathaniel Williams
Our public summer course is for people from all walks of life and will provide a practical introduction to Goethean phenomenology in which we explore phenomena from the natural world and work to develop a living thinking modeled after the dynamism of the natural world.

April 24

Introduction to the Spring Sky
With Henrike Holdrege
 

We will work indoors and prepare ourselves for the night sky this spring.  Donations are welcome.  
For information call 518-672-0116.

March 16 to March 18

Mathematics Alive!

Geometry Workshop for Middle School Teachers

With Henrike Holdrege and Marisha Plotnik
Our goal for this weekend workshop is to assist teachers in entering the inner activity of doing geometry from which math teaching can become alive. We will explore selected topics commonly taught at Waldorf Schools in sixth, seventh and eighth grade through imagination exercises, free hand drawings, movement, constructions with compass and straightedge and conversations. Collegial exchange and dialogue will carry our explorations. 
If you wish to participate and have a specific question you would like to discuss during the weekend, please inform Henrike at henrike@natureinstitute.org or by phone 518-672-0116.Tuition on a sliding scale is $150-$225. 
Space is limited, please register by March 1. We will provide morning and afternoon refreshments.

February 12 to February 17

Cultivating Perception and Flexible Thinking Through Plant Study and Astronomy
With Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege



This course is held in collaboration with the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association and Hawthorne Valley Farm. To receive a registration form, contact Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center, 518-672-7500 x 232 or caroline@hawthornevalleyfarm.org.

Events in 2011

October 3, November 14 & 21, December 12 & 19

Guided Night Sky Observations, only if the sky is clear

With Henrike Holdrege

After a short introduction we will observe stars and planets with the unaided eye. Please dress warmly and bring a flashlight. If you are in doubt about the weather, before you leave call The Nature Institute at 518-672-0116 for a message. No fee.

November 14 & 28, and December 5 & 12

Goethean Explorations of Light, Darkness and Color

Workshops with Henrike Holdrege

This course is designed for the Free Columbia Art Course with limited space available for others to join. Please inquire by calling The Nature Institute at 518-672-0116. We will work from direct observations and explore color phenomena within the natural world. Sliding fee for the whole course: $100-$160.

>> PHILMONT, NEW YORK
November 29

Franz Marc: A Painter in Search of the Being of Animals

A talk and slide presentation with Craig Holdrege
Offered as part of the Free Columbia Art Course, Craig will discuss and show slides of the work of early 20th century painter Franz Marc. As part of the expressionist group, "The Blue Rider", Marc strove to express something of the essence of animal nature in his paintings. Suggested donation: $10.


>>HUDSON, NEW YORK
October 21

Rudolf Steiner and Natural Science

A talk by Craig Holdrege at Space 360
As part of the Oct 21-23 weekend celebrating Rudolf Steiner's vision, sponsored by the Berkshire-Taconic Branch of the Anthroposophical Society, Craig will discuss Steiner's view of natural science: its significance in the evolution of human consciousness and the importance of a further development of science as exemplified by Goethean phenomenology. For more information, contact John Barnes at 518-325-1113.

October 2

Sowing the Future

Hawthorne Valley Farm
, Hawthorne Valley Association and The Nature Institute invite the public to join in hand-sowing a field of hard red winter wheat and to learn about seeds, grains, and the evolution of agriculture in Columbia County. Meet at the Dining Hall, Hawthorne Valley Farm ,Route 21C, Harlemville, NY. Contact: Hannah Shepard 518-672-4465 x224.

>> HARLEMVILLE, NEW YORK
September 29

Goethean Science and Social Process

A talk and slide presentation with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
 at the Hawthorne Valley School Hall
Craig and Henrike spent nearly a month in South Africa and collaborated in courses with the Proteus Initiative, an organization concerned with social process and organizational development.  Based on their experiences in South Africa, they will speak about how the Goethean approach, which they work with in the natural sciences, bears fruit for the perception and understanding of social relations and processes.  As an added treat, for nature lovers, they will show some slides of the unique fynbos flora of the Western Cape, where they spent two weeks teaching. Fee: $12; $8 students, apprentices and seniors.


September 19

Introduction to the Fall Sky

With Henrike Holdrege

 This evening we will work indoors and prepare ourselves for the night sky this fall. No fee.

July 10 to July 16, 2011

Forming Living Ideas & the Significance of Experience-based Learning
Professional Development for Science Teachers

With Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and John McAlice

A course to stimulate the practice of science teaching as an experiential, open-ended process that empowers students to think and perceive for themselves. Collegial exchange and concrete scientific exploration are essential parts of this course.

June 19 to June 25, 2011

Polarities in Nature and the Nature of Polarity
Public Summer Course
 with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Nathaniel Williams
Our public summer course is for people from all walks of life. We will study a variety of phenomena in nature that reveal polarities and through experiential exercises work to deepen and enliven our understanding of this fundamental quality of all life.

>> CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK
June 28 to July 2, 2011

Experiential Math and Science in the Middle School

With Henrike Holdrege, Brigida Baldun (Eurythmy), and Brigitte Bley-Swinston (Painting) 
at Sunbridge Institute.

The course begins on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. and ends on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 Geometry, astronomy and optics as taught in the middle school are interdependent: knowledge within one discipline can support the understanding and deepen interest in the other. We will approach these three subjects by experiencing them ourselves. We will practice geometry, picture the movements of stars, sun, moon and planets, and explore our visual world, striving for careful observation, clarity of thought and the practice of imagination.
Rather than starting with a hypothesis or introducing a scientific model, we will work to form living concepts based on what we observe and experience. Engaging in geometry and science in this tangible way will help teachers to guide their students through an experiential process of learning that furthers the students’ interest in the outer world as well as strengthens their confidence in their own inner capacities for understanding the world.
The course work will be supported and graced by daily classes of eurythmy and painting.
For more information or to register, please visit www.sunbridge.edu or contact Kathleen Morse at Sunbridge Institute, 845-425-0055 or summer@sunbridge.edu

March 12, 26, April 2, 16

Goethean Explorations of Light and Color

With Henrike Holdrege

We will explore the visual world through various observations and experiments. We will work with human vision, atmospheric and prismatic colors, afterimages, colored shadows, the mixing of colors through darkening and lightening. The workshops want to demonstate the practice of Goethean phenomenology and are designed for artists and everyone else who is interested in the subject.It is possible to attend a single workshop, although all four complement each other. Sliding fee is $20-40 per Saturday, pre-registration is required. Co-sponsored by Free Columbia Art Course.

March 21, March 28 and April 18

Monday Nights with the Stars

With Henrike Holdrege


Learn to orient yourself in the night sky. Learn about the monthly and yearly rhythms of sun, moon and planets. Look up to the stars with deepening knowledge and wonder. No fee.


March 18 - 20

Mathematics Alive

Geometry Workshop for Middle School Teachers and Parents
With Henrike Holdrege and Rebecca Soloway

 
A main aim of the workshop is to help educators enter actively into the process of doing mathematics and gain greater confidence in their own abilities. We will focus on topics from middle school geometry; in the evenings we will study astronomy. The participants will be involved in hands-on explorations rather than listening to lectures. Sliding fee: $150-$225


February 13 to February 18, 2011

Understanding Qualities in Nature: A Basis for the Agriculture of the Future

Animals and humanity, the four elements, and the rhythms of the planets

With Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege

This course is held in collaboration with the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association and Hawthorne Valley Farm.

January 30
 Winter 2011
Wildlife Tracking

With Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott 

This session will give a foundation for outdoor observation and track identification. Beginners and experienced trackers are welcome. Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott have conducted workshops for adults and young people for many years and have introduced many area residents to the wonders of wildlife activity in Hawthorne Valley and nearby places. Please come prepared for cold or rainy weather conditions. 
Adults $30, $20 students and seniors, free for children under 12 accompanied by an adult (not suitable for very young children). Please call or email to reserve a place.

Events in 2010

November 30, December 7 and 14
Linear Perspective
Three-part workshop with Henrike Holdrege
We will explore the laws of linear perspective by drawing, studying works of art and by practicing the principles of central projection. And we will work with the question whether perspective is a visual experience. Sliding fee: $ 30 to $ 45 for the three-part workshop.

November 22
The Spiritual Origin of Holistic Science in Goethe’s Life
Lecture by Johannes Kühl
Johannes Kühl is a physicist, researcher and teacher. He is the director of the natural science section at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. Fee: $12; $8 students, apprentices and seniors.

September 27, October 4, November 8 and 15

Monday Nights with the Stars

With Henrike Holdrege

Learn to orient yourself in the night sky. Learn about the monthly and yearly rhythms of sun, moon and the planets. Look up to the stars with deepening knowledge and wonder.
No fee, no pre-registration.

October 1
Wonders of Light and Color - Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Goethe's "Theory of Color"
Talk with demonstrations by Henrike Holdrege
Fee: $12; $8 for seniors, apprentices and students.

July 4 to July 10

Bringing Science to Life: Experiential Learning in Science

A professional development program for science teachers
With Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege and Jon McAlice

Designed for teachers, this course takes up the challenge of high school science. How can we teach science in a manner that allows students to experience and question the world? Through seminars, concrete practice of phenomenological methodology, group project work, and collegial dialogue we want to address and explore many still untapped aspects of experience-based learning.


June 20 to June 26
2010 Summer Course: Transformation in Nature and in Human Knowing
A weeklong course with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege and Nathaniel Williams
Everywhere we look in the world we find transformation. But how strongly is the way we participate in the world infused with awareness of transformation? Typically we think about the world in terms of discrete objects and things; to make sense of fluids, we often conceive of particles. How often do we catch ourselves thinking in static terms when the phenomenon we’re facing is crying out for us to acknowledge change, flux and development? In this course the different seminars will provide a variety of practices to help participants learn from transformative processes in nature and to become more aware of sources of transformation within ourselves.

May 8

Edible Mushroom Cultivation

Workshop with Justin West

Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon 

This is a hands-on workshop covering shiitake mushroom cultivation on logs. Justin will discuss various techniques for home-scale cultivation of mushrooms. Participants will inoculate hardwood logs with shiitake spawn which later will yield mushrooms. 
Fee: $35 (includes shitake spawn); no fee for children who accompany adults. 
Please pre-register by April 25 so that we can order enough spawn and give you instructions about the logs you need to bring.

May 7

Regenerative Land Practices in Colombia and Brazil

A talk and slide presentation by Justin West 
Friday at 7:30 pm 

The degradation of land and the loss of biodiversity due to human practices are deeply troubling. But there are also inspiring examples of how people can mitigate ecological unraveling and loss of biodiversity by weaving principles of ecology and diversity into the food- and fuel-producing ecosystems themselves. In 2009, agro-ecologist Justin West visited Colombia and Brazil, and he will present a photographic journal of some of the most impressive, inspiring, and encouraging food and agro-forestry systems being designed in the tropics today. ($12; $8 for seniors and students.)

April 22

Thinking Like a Mountain: Our Future with the Earth and the Legacy of Aldo Leopold 

An Earth Day talk by Craig Holdrege 

Thursday at 7:30 pm 

Aldo Leopold was one of the most significant ecologists and ecological thinkers of the 20th Century. He believed that human beings could develop a way of thinking and being in the world - which he called "thinking like a mountain" - that would make it possible for humanity to play a more integrated role in the whole of nature. In this talk Craig Holdrege will develop this key idea within the context of Leopold's life and times, and show its relevance for the 21st Century. ($12; $8 for seniors and students.)

March 22, April 12 and May 10
Monday Nights with the Stars
Night sky observations with Henrike Holdrege
Mondays at 8 pm
This spring we will focus on the movements and rhythms of Sun and Moon. When the sky is not clear, we will work indoors. There is no fee; all voluntary contributions will go toward the Credere Community Fund for Goethean Science.

February 14 - February 19

Plant, Earth and Cosmos: Cultivating Perception and Flexible Thinking

A weeklong course with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege at The Nature Institute for farm apprentices, farmers, gardeners and others seeking a working connection to the land. 
Can we learn to perceive and understand nature in more vital and truly ecological ways? When we enliven our perceptions and enhance our ability to form more dynamic and holistic pictures of nature’s creatures and processes, the life of nature can become ever more embodied in what we perceive, think, and do. To stimulate this transformation of our capacities, we will carry out exercises in flexible thinking and careful observation. We engage in phenomenological explorations of the qualities of the plant, which lies at the heart of all agricultural endeavors. Each day will consist of the following activities:

• Morning Seminars (9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.):
  Projective geometry—Exercises in flexible thinking
  The plant—Metamorphosis; plant growth forms in different environmental conditions and in relation to climate and seasons

• Afternoon Seminar (2 to 3:30 p.m.):
  Observation exercises related to the plant study

• Evening Seminar (7 to 8:30 p.m.):
  Astronomy—Finding orientation in the night sky

This course will begin on Sunday evening, February 14, at 7 p. m. and end on Friday, February 19, at 3 p.m.
Course fee is on sliding scale $250 to $420.
 As part of a 2010 Biodynamic Winter Intensive this course is followed by a weeklong course (February 21 to 26) on The Theory and Practice of Biodynamic Farming at Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center. If you attend both courses, fee for both weeks is on sliding scale $450 to $800.

February 1, 8 and 15
Winter Wildlife Tracking
With Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott
Sundays, 9 a.m. to noon
Pre-registration is required.
The first workshop will begin with an introduction to outdoor observation and track identification. Beginners and experienced trackers are welcome at all sessions. Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott have conducted workshops for adults and young people for many years and have introduced many area residents to the wonders of wildlife activity in Hawthorne Valley and nearby places. Please come prepared for cold or rainy weather conditions. Adults $30, $20 students and seniors, free for a child under 12 accompanied by an adult (not suitable for very young children). Contact us for family rates.

Events in 2009

September 14, October 19, November 23 and December 14

Monday Nights with the Stars

With Henrike Holdrege

Mondays at 7:30 p.m.

Living in the country we are blessed with darkness at night that allows us to see the stars. Weather permitting, we will directly observe and find orientation in the night sky. If it is cloudy, we will work inside to prepare for observations that you can do on your own on a clear night. We will study the daily and yearly movements of the stars, the constellations of the zodiac, and learn about the rhythms of Sun, Moon, and the planets. 
No fee; pre-registration not required.


October 24 and 31, November 7 and 14
Goethean Explorations of Light and Color
Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
This series of workshops, as part of the Free Columbia Art Course led by Laura Summer and Nathaniel Williams, is designed for artists and art students, but is also open to everyone interested in the subject or in the Goethean method of research. Each Saturday we will explore in a variety of experiments and observations light and color from a different angle. The topics will be:

• October 24: Exploring human vision and after images

• October 31: The forming of a real image in the human eye and colored shadows

• November 7: Color between light and darkness – atmospheric and prismatic colors

• November 14: Mixing of colors through darkening and lightening processes

Pre-registration is required; fee is $30 per Saturday.

November 12

The Plant as a Teacher of Living Thinking

A talk by Craig Holdrege

Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

In a time that calls for the human mind to become ever more flexible, dynamic, and context-sensitive in order to address pressing problems, the humble plant can become a forceful teacher of a living thinking. In this talk, Craig Holdrege will show, through many concrete examples, how we can learn to model our thinking after the way plants live. Fee: $12; $8 students, apprentices and seniors

October 17

Volunteer Day in the Woods

Saturday, from 2 to 5 p.m.

In April a group of 19 volunteers helped to clear the trail and boardwalk in the Institute’s Nature Preserve from debris from the December 2008 ice storm. The area was brought back into a harmony and plant growth thrived during the spring and summer. There are still some areas that need attention, so if you would like to help us with this work, please come to the Institute and bring gloves, and if you have them, loppers. Rain Date: October 24.

October 16

Beyond Plastic: Its Dangers for our Environment and Human Health 

A talk by Tim Scherbatskoy

Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Plastic is a ubiquitous element in our world today. But how much awareness do we have concerning its effects? In this talk, Tim Scherbatskoy will discuss how we have become inundated with plastic, the harm this does to our body and our environment, and how we can unlearn some of our bad plastic habits and develop more sustainable approaches to living lightly on the planet. Tim is an Associate Professor of Biology, Adirondack Community College. He studies and advocates sustainability, teaching how we can become more alert to the environmental consequences of our daily choices and be happy in this awareness. Fee: $12; $8 students, apprentices and seniors

October 4

Hand-Sowing a Field of Rye

Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Hawthorne Valley Association and The Nature Institute invite you to join in hand-sowing a field of rye and learning about seeds, grains, and the evolution of agriculture in Columbia County. The event will take place at 391 Carpenter Road, two miles from the center of Philmont, NY. For more information call Hawthorne Valley Association at 518-672-7500 x105.

July 5 to July 11
Bringing Science to Life: Experiential Learning in Science
A continuing education program for science teachers with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Jon McAlice
Designed for teachers, this course takes up the challenge of high school science. How can we teach science in a manner that allows students to experience and question the world? Through seminars, concrete practice of phenomenological methodology, group project work, and collegial dialogue we want to address and explore many still untapped aspects of experience-based learning.

June 21 to June 27
2009 Summer Course: Experiencing Wholeness in Nature
A weeklong course with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege and Nathaniel Williams
While we may “know” that organisms are integrated wholes, can we actually experience that wholeness? Can we learn to see the unity of the organism that is reflected through its diverse parts and through its growth dynamics? Such are the questions we want to pursue in this course. We will explore how our thinking can become more dynamic and integrated so that we perceive more deeply and vibrantly the wholeness in the rest of nature. As Henri Bortoft writes, “The complete phenomenon is visible only when there is a coalescence of sensory outsight with intuitive insight.”

May 30
Edible Mushroom Cultivation Workshop — Transforming Firewood into Food
Saturday workshop with Justin West, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Join us at The Nature Institute for a hands-on workshop covering shiitake mushroom log cultivation. We will discuss basic biology and ecology of fungi, their importance in the forest ecosystem, and various techniques for home-scale cultivation of edible species. We will then inoculate hardwood logs with shiitake spawn. Participants will be invited to take them home and enjoy the many years of gourmet mushrooms to follow. We hope participants will come away from the workshop with all of the knowledge and practice necessary to make good use of the abundant gift of downed wood the forests have offered this past winter. Fee: $35 (includes shitake spawn); no fee for children who accompany adults. Please pre-register by May 15 so that we can order adequate amounts of spawn.

Justin West grew up in New Jersey and later spent several years working as a vegetation ecologist in the Rocky Mountains. More recently he has spent the past three years at Schumacher College in Devon England completing a masters degree in Holistic Science as well as designing and implementing a practice in regenerative land use that seeks to maximize biodiversity, productivity, and creativity.

May 16

Light and Color - A Workshop for Artists

Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

In this workshop Henrike Holdrege will lead participants through an array of observations relating to light and color that will be especially illuminating for artists. Fee on sliding scale: $60 to $100. Bring your lunch. Please pre-register.

April 4 
Volunteer Day in the Woods
Saturday, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The December ice storm created quite a chaos in the woods of The Nature Institute. We have already begun to clean up, but an afternoon of brush clearing would go a long ways to bring some harmony into the areas we use for our courses and events. Please come and join friends and neighbors for an afternoon of service to The Nature Institute. Bring work gloves and, if you have some, loppers.

March 23, April 27 and May 18

Monday Nights with the Stars

 Living in the country, we are blessed with darkness at night that allows us to see the stars. In three evenings this spring, Henrike Holdrege offers an introduction to astronomy. We will study the daily and yearly movements of the stars, the constellations of the zodiac that are visible, and some rhythms of sun and moon. If it is cloudy, we will work inside to prepare for observations that you can do on your own on clear nights. Please come prepared for cold weather, bring a cushion and a flashlight. There is no charge, but donations to The Nature Institute are appreciated. Please pre-register.

March 21, April 4 and April 25

Schooling of Thought and Imagination through Projective Geometry

With Henrike Holdrege

In a series of three Saturday morning workshops, we will introduce projective geometry as a schooling path to expand our thought life and to practice inner picturing and imagination. We will explore how projective geometry grew out of the understanding of perspective and then move into explorations of the infinitely distant. We will provide a mid-morning snack. Fee on sliding scale:  $90 to $150. Please pre-register.

March 14
Inside and Outside
Phenomenological studies with Henrike Holdrege
Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., snack will be provided. Fee on sliding scale $40-60, register by March 9.

February 25 to March 1 

Winter Course for Farmers and Gardeners: Cultivating Perception and Imagination
With Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege 

For some years we have been asked to hold a winter course for people who work intensively on the land in the summer. We are pleased to be able to announce this new winter course. Nature’s life can become more embodied in our work when we enliven our own perceptions and enhance our ability to form dynamic and holistic pictures of Nature’s creatures and processes. Winter is a good time to step back from day-to-day concerns and concentrate on honing our inner skills. We will work with different content areas and at the same time practice what Goethe called “exact sensorial imagination” — a way of coming alive to nature, or we might say, bringing nature to life in us. Each day will consist of the following activities:

• 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Projective Geometry: Picturing and thinking in polarities

• 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Plants and Animals: Their essential and contrasting ways of being

• 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Observation exercises relating to plants and animals

• 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Astronomy: Finding orientation in the night sky

The course will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 25, and end at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 1.
 Course fee is $420. Please register by February 1, 2009. Some financial assistance is available.

February 1, 8 and 15
Winter Wildlife Tracking
With Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott
The first workshop will begin with an introduction to outdoor observation and track identification. Beginners and experienced trackers are welcome at all sessions. Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott have conducted workshops for adults and young people for many years and have introduced many area residents to the wonders of wildlife activity in Hawthorne Valley and nearby places. Please come prepared for cold or rainy weather conditions. Adults $30, $20 students and seniors, free for a child under 12 accompanied by an adult (not suitable for very young children). Contact us for family rates.

January 17
Listening and Seeing
Phenomenological studies with Henrike Holdrege
Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., snack will be provided. Fee on sliding scale $40-60, register by Jan.12.

Events in 2008

December 13

Listening and Seeing

Phenomenological studies with Henrike Holdrege

Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., snack will be provided.
Fee on sliding scale $40-60, register by Dec. 8. Cancelled.

November 15
Earth and Water — the Qualities of the Elements
Phenomenological studies with Henrike Holdrege
(See text of October 18 event)

November 12

The World According to Monsanto

A Documentary by Marie-Monique Robin
Followed by discussion with Craig Holdrege

Monsanto has become the world leader in genetically modified crops, as well as becoming one of the most controversial companies in industrial history. Today it has reinvented itself as a “life science” company which has been converted to the virtues of sustainable development while continually moving toward its goal of complete control of the world’s seed and food markets. French filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin made this revealing documentary using hitherto unpublished documents, the testimonies of victims and scientists. Following the documentary there will be a discussion with Craig Holdrege, director of The Nature Institute and co-author of Beyond Biotechnology: The Barren Promise of Genetic Engineering.

October 18

Light — Brightness, Darkness, and Colors

Phenomenological studies with Henrike Holdrege

How often do we take the time and care to attend to the rich and varied qualities of the world in which we live? These four Saturdays at The Nature Institute want to provide an opportunity to put aside our day-to-day concerns and focus on some essential features of our lives that are easily overlooked and taken for granted. Often by attending to what seems obvious, we are led into unexpected depths. On each Saturday our explorations will involve careful and varied observations — wakeful immersions in experience that can help us become more sensitive to our surroundings so that the world can reveal more to us.

October 16

Goethe and the Dynamics of Being

A lecture by Henri Bortoft

Henri Bortoft taught physics and philosophy of science for most of his carrier and is the author of The Wholeness of Nature: Goethe’s Way Toward a Science of Conscious Participation in Nature. Bortoft’s lifelong interest in Goethe’s scientific method led to penetrating studies of the process of cognition and of the history of science. He will show how Goethe’s way of doing science requires an altogether different kind of cognitive activity from that of mainstream science to discover the deeper dimensions and lawful interrelatedness of phenomena.

July 6 to July 12

Bringing Science to Life 

A course with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Jon McAlice 

Designed for teachers, this course takes up the challenge of high school science. How can we teach science in a manner that allows students to experience and question the world? Through seminars, concrete practice of phenomenological methodology, group project work, and collegial dialogue we want to address and explore many still untapped aspects of experience-based learning.

June 22 to June 28
2008 Summer Course: The Plant as a Teacher of Living Thinking
A course with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
Our modern culture cultivates abstract thought that leads to fragmented modes of understanding and interacting with the world. But nature herself is whole and integrated. Can we learn from nature how to think and act in more living, whole ways? In this week-long course we will study plants in various habitats: plant form, metamorphosis, and environmental variation. Exercises in dynamic thinking will support the plant studies. We will also explore how—in various walks of life—a more living thinking can change our understanding of the world and the way we interact with it.

>> HUDSON, NEW YORK
April 25 and 26
Miracle Tomato
A play written and performed by Jessica Cerullo and produced by Walking the Dog Theater.
Location: Basilica Industria, 110 Front Street, Hudson, NY
The Nature Institute is co-sponsoring “Small Revolution Expo,” which has as its centerpiece the play Miracle Tomato, an original and serious comedy written and performed by Jessica Cerullo and produced here by Walking the Dog Theater. During the Expo on Saturday afternoon, Craig Holdrege will speak about the unintended “side-effects” of genetic manipulation and the widespread use of GM crops in agriculture today. The “Small Revolution Expo” surrounding the two performances of Miracle Tomato will feature local organic farms and related initiatives in Columbia County.

April 8

Whale Music

A lecture and demonstration by David Rothenberg

Location: Hawthorne Valley School (Music Room), 330 Route 21C, Ghent NY
Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., $12 (seniors and students $8) 

David Rothenberg has traveled from Hawaii to Russia and Canada to make music with belugas, orcas, and the greatest of all animal musicians, the humpbacks. After years of investigating bird song, culminating in his book Why Birds Sing, and many recorded improvisations with his clarinet, he has turned his attention to whales.  He will share his explorations of the underwater world of sonic mystery and his attempts to create interspecies music with whales in their native habitats. His book Thousand Mile Song: Whale Music in a Sea of Sound will be available later this spring.

January 19 and 26 and February 2
Winter Wildlife Tracking
With Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott
Saturdays, from 9a.m. to noon. Pre-registration is required.
The Nature Institute and Woodland Ways are offering three Saturday morning tracking workshops. The first workshop, on January 19, will begin with an introduction that will give beginners a firm foundation for outdoor observation and track identification. Beginners and experienced trackers are welcome at all workshops. Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott have conducted workshops for adults and young people for many years. Meet at The Nature Institute on January 19 and 26 and at Hawthorne Valley School parking lot on February 2. Please come prepared for cold or rainy weather.
Each workshop: Adults $30, students and seniors $20, free for a child under 12 accompanied by an adult (not suitable for young children). Contact us for family rates.

Events in 2007

December 3

Disrupting Life’s Integrity: The Nontarget Effects of Genetic Manipulation

A talk by Craig Holdrege

Monday, at 7:30 p.m., $12 ($8 students and seniors)

Craig will speak about the Institute’s current research project investigating how genetic engineering causes unforeseen changes in the manipulated organisms. Through describing a variety of examples, he will provide a picture of the massive experiment with the earth’s organisms and discuss its implications.

November 18
The Colors of the Heavens: Rainbows, Halos, and Glories
A talk by Johannes Kühl
Sunday, at 7:30 p.m., $12 ($8 students and seniors)
Johannes Kühl is a physicist and head of the Science Section at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland. He has been a high school teacher and has lectured widely to audiences around the world. This evening he will focus our attention on some common and rare celestial color phenomena.

October 15
An Idea That Hasn’t (Yet) Saved the World
A talk by Stephen L. Talbott
Monday, at 7:30 p.m., $12 ($8 students and seniors)
Waldorf education, anthroposophy, Goethean science — powerful and restorative ideas are at work in these undertakings. But every idea holding a power to heal and redeem also holds a power to weaken and enslave. The art of working with ideas is crucial today, and developments within science give us ample warning of the danger when ideas possess us instead of our possessing them. Drawing his illustrations from those aspects of science that have proven more oppressive to the human spirit, Steve Talbott will talk about a profoundly healing idea — and how easily it can be mis-used.

Beginning September 29, 2007

In Dialogue with Nature

A new course at The Nature Institute with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege

One Saturday a month, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 Dates: Sept. 29; Oct. 27; Nov. 17; Dec. 15; in 2008: Jan.12; Feb. 9; March 8; April 19; May 17; June 14
. Registration required by Sept.1; course fee $800


September 21 - 23
Gestures of Becoming a Human Being
Embryology Seminar with Jaap van der Wal

August 11-12
Sounds of the Wild
Weekend workshop with David Rothenberg
Saturday, 9 a.m. to Sunday noon. Workshop fee $120, please preregister by the end of July. Musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments.

June 24 to June 30
Coming Alive to Nature: Practicing the Goethean Approach to Science and Nature Study
2007 Summer Course

April 16, 23, 30 and May 7, 14, 21

Center and Periphery

A workshop in 6 sessions with Henrike Holdrege 

In six sessions we will explore the theme of "Center and Periphery" through exercises in geometry, plant observation and optics. The polarity of a center and its periphery is central in our relations to one another as human beings and also in our relation to the rest of the world. Mondays, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Workshop fee: $90. Please register in advance.

March 15 

Why Birds Sing: A Journey into the Mystery of Bird Song

A lecture and musical presentation by David Rothenberg 

Thursday, 7:30 p.m., at Hawthorne Valley School (Ghent, NY), Music Room. Admission $12 (seniors and students $8)
In his book Why Birds Sing, David Rothenberg combines the insights of science, music, and poetry to penetrate the mystery of the natural symphony that resounds around us every spring. David Rothenberg is associate professor of humanities at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is a composer and musician who tries to blend the indigenous energy of the world's primal music with the exploratory spirit of improvisation. He has performed and spoken all over the world and has many recordings, articles, books, and interviews reflecting his passion for the sounds that connect the human and natural world.

March 12, 19, 26 and April 2 

Evolution Beyond Scientific and Religious Dogmatism
A series of four talks by Craig Holdrege 

Mondays, at 7:30 p.m., admissions $12 (seniors and students $8).
The public discussion of evolution has become highly polarized. Material and spiritual views of nature and humanity are presented as irreconcilable opposites. Instead of nuanced arguments, we are offered oversimplifications that gloss over deeper questions. One way to move beyond oversimplification is to return to a careful consideration of the phenomena themselves, which are always more complex than any simple scheme can encompass. In this series of talks, Craig Holdrege will discuss the topic of evolution by drawing on concrete examples from animal and human evolution. While offering no pat answers, he will point to patterns and riddles that embrace the physical-spiritual nature of evolution. The four evenings will build on one another. Participation in all four is encouraged, although attendance at single lectures is possible. Seating is limited so we suggest that you register in advance.

February 3
Winter Wildlife Tracking
Fieldtrip to Quabbin Reservoir
With Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., meet at Hawthorn Valley School parking lot.
Fee $ 60, students and seniors $ 50. Please preregister.
For those who have some tracking experience, here is the opportunity to put those skills to good use in exploring the vast Quabbin Reservoir area. Thousands of acres of forest provide a superb refuge for wildlife. Bring a bag lunch. Transportation is provided.

January 27
Winter Wildlife Tracking
With Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott
Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, meet at Hawthorn Valley School parking lot.
Workshop fee $30, students and seniors $20. Please preregister.
For those who have attended the previous workshop or have had some tracking instruction and experience. We will explore the valley and surrounding areas to trace the activities of local wildlife.

January 20
Winter Wildlife Tracking
With Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott
Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, meet at Hawthorn Valley School parking lot.
Workshop fee $30, students and seniors $20. Please preregister.

Events in 2006

November 16
Who Was Goethe Anyway?
A lecture by John Barnes.
Thursday, at 7:30 p.m., admission $12 (seniors and students $8).

October 21
Workshop on Bees and Beekeeping
with Gunther Hauk.
Enrollment is limited. Advanced registration required,  phone 518-672-0116 or e-mail info@natureinstitute.org
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., workshop fee $85.

October 20
The Healing Qualities of Bees
A lecture by Gunther Hauk.
Friday, at 7:30 p.m., admission $12 (seniors and students $8).

>> GREAT BARRINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
October 6

The Problem of Genetically Engineered Food: What Is It and What Can We Do?

A lecture by Craig Holdrege at The NOAH Center. 
Jointly sponsored by The NOAH Center and The Nature Institute. 
Seating is limited and must be reserved by calling The NOAH Center at 413-528-0297. 
The NOAH Center, 40l Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA. 
Friday, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., admission $10.

>> CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK
September 29
Guess What's Coming to Dinner: The Unintended Effects of Genetic Engineering
A lecture by Craig Holdrege,
sponsored by the Hungry Hollow Coop in Spring Valley.
At the Green Meadow Waldorf School, Arts Building, in Spring Valley (Chestnut Ridge), NY.
Friday, at 8:00 p.m. September 23 (Rain date September 24)

Spectacular Tag Sale
The ultimate community recycle event. Turn your gently used household items into support for The Nature Institute and shop for nearly-new treasures. Furniture, tools, toys, housewares and more.
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

June 25 to July 1
Practicing Goethean Science (Advanced Course)

June 15
Open House at The Nature Institute
A festive evening featuring a display of the projects by students completing the Goethean Science Studies.
Thursday, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

June 1-2
Water as Activity: Moving Beyond a Material Conception
A workshop with Michael D'Aleo.
Thursday, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Advanced registration required, workshop fee $50.

June 1
Images of Water: Probing the Essence of Water's Nature
A lecture by Michael D'Aleo.
Thursday at 7:30 p.m., admission $12.

May 25
Poetry as a Schooling of Perception
A workshop with Gertrude Reif Hughes.
Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Advanced registration required, workshop fee $50.

May 24
What Barfield Thought
A lecture by Gertrude Reif Hughes.
Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., admission $12.

May 11
Goethean Science and Modern Physics
A workshop with Arthur Zajonc.
Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Advanced registration required, workshop fee $50.

May 10
Spiritual Perspectives on the Rise of Technology
A lecture by Arthur Zajonc.
Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., admission $12.

April 25, 27, May 2, 4, 9, and 16
Opening the Gates of Knowledge: Beyond Modernism and Postmodernism
A seminar (six classes) with Douglas Sloan.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Advanced registration required, seminar fee $90.

April 21
Tracking Dinosaurs Around the World
A lecture by Martin Lockley.
Friday at 7:30 p.m., admission $12.
Note the location: Chatham High School Auditorium.

April 20-21

Dynamic Patterns in Nature: The Example of Dinosaurs

A workshop with Martin Lockley.

Thursday, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 10:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 
Advanced registration required, workshop fee $50.


April 2 to June 16

Goethean Science Studies. Scientific Practice Modeled After Life

A Full-time Immersion Course

January 14, 21, 28, and February 4

Wildlife Tracking
Together with Woodland Ways, we are offering a four-session workshop in winter wildlife tracking with trackers Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott. This course will give participants the opportunity to get out into the winter landscape and learn to read the sign and tracks of the many animals inhabiting our woods and fields. The course is on four Saturdays (Jan. 14, 21, 28 and Feb. 4) from 9am to 12pm. The introductory session on Jan. 14 is open to all as a single session; otherwise, the four-Saturday course is conceived of as one unit. Fee for the introductory session only: $30; children under 12 w/ parents free. Fee for complete course: $120. At The Nature Institute. Please register ahead of time; call 518-672-0116 or email info@natureinstitute.org.

Events in 2005

September 20 to November 22

Projective Geometry – Extending our Boundaries and Experience of Thought
Weekly course with Henrike Holdrege.
Tuesday mornings 8:30 – 10 a.m.

November 18

Celebrating The Nature Institute's First Seven Years
Please join us for this celebration, which will include a talk (with slides) by Craig Holdrege on his new research on the American Bison, music, and refreshments. 7:30 p.m. at the Hawthorne Valley School Hall in Harlemville (one-half mile north of The Nature Institute on Route 21C).

October 27
The Cow and the Cowherd in the Context of a Biodynamic Farm
A talk by Steffen Schneider.
Steffen is the farm manager of Hawthorne Valley Farm, which neighbors The Nature Institute.

July 10 to July 16
Coming Alive to Nature: Reading the Gestures of Life
A week-long interdisciplinary summer course for people from all walks of life.

June 26 to July 2
Advanced Course: Practicing a Goethean Approach to Science
This course is for people committed to the ongoing practice of Goethean science.

May 21
Wildflowers of the Spring Forest. Spring wildflower walk with Craig Holdrege from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Bring Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, if you have one. Meet at The Nature Institute.

April 23
Here Come the Birds
An early morning bird watching walk with Harry Lazare from 7:30 -10 a.m. Bring binoculars and a bird guide. Meet at The Nature Institute.

April 14
Grasping for Certainty, Fleeing from Meaning – The Dilemma of Science and Some Thoughts on its Resolution.
A talk by Stephen L. Talbott at The Nature Institute at 7:30 p.m.

March 29
Projective Geometry Course.
Henrike Holdrege. 8:30 to 10 a.m. for ten consecutive Tuesdays. March 12
A Painter's Search for Meaning in Nature. A talk and exhibit of new paintings by Thomas Locker, followed by a panel discussion. A Benefit Event for The Nature Institute. 7:30 pm, the North Pointe Cultural Arts Center, Rte 9, Kinderhook, NY.

February 12
Introduction to Winter Wildlife Tracking
With Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott.

January 27
Science at the Crossroads — A Battle Between Life and Death
A talk by David Auerbach at Hawthorne Valley School.
January 22
Introduction to Winter Wildlife Tracking with Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott.

Events in 2004

November 11
The Trouble with Genetic Engineering: New Developments in Biotech Food and Agriculture
A talk by Craig Holdrege.

>> AUSTIN, TEXAS
November 5 and 6

Encountering Nature as a Conversation: Our Responsibility as Human Beings for the Earth
Public talk and workshop with Craig Holdrege. Austin Waldorf School, Austin, Texas.

>> AUSTIN, TEXAS
November 4
From Wonderbread to GM Lettuce: Genetic Engineering and our Food
Public talk by Craig Holdrege.
Austin Waldorf School, Austin, Texas.

October 29

Thinking Through Metaphor: Figurative Language as a Key to Understanding Goethe's Phenomenological Approach to Nature
A talk by Christina Jamison Root.

>> DARTINGTON, ENGLAND

October 13 - 21
Understanding the Wholeness and Integrity of Nature
Craig Holdrege teaches at Schumacher College (Dartington, England) in a three-week public course on "Holistic Science: Seeing With New Eyes" and also in the Masters Degree in Holistic Science program.

September 24 - September 25
How Do Animals See the World? - In the Footsteps of Painter Franz Marc
An evening talk and Saturday morning workshop with Jan Kees Saltet and Craig Holdrege.

September 21 - November 23
Projective Geometry - Extending our Boundaries and Experience of Thought
A weekly course with Henrike Holdrege.

September 10
The Nature of Drama and the Drama of Nature
A talk by Slava Rozentuller.

July 25 to July 31
The World of Light and Color
Summer course.

July 11 to July 17
Reading the Gestures of Life
Summer course.

June 27 to July 3
Practicing Goethean Science: Advanced Course
Summer course.

June 3-5
The Need for an Ignorance-Based World View
Stephen L. Talbott participated in this working conference and gave a presentation, sponsored by the Land Institute in Kansas.

May 1 & 8
Wildflowers of the Spring Forest: Ecology and Identification
Two Saturday workshops with Craig Holdrege.

May 22
Spring Wildlife Tracking
A Saturday workshop with Michael Pewtherer and Jonathan Talbott.

>> KRAKOW, POLAND
May 31
A Goethean Approach to Understanding Genetic Engineering
Craig Holdrege spoke (in German) at a conference in Krakow, Poland; the conference has the overriding theme "Touched by the Elements: Ecology and Art in Polish-German Dialogue."

April 21
How Ecological Can Farming Be?
A talk by Hugh Williams, Threshold Farm.

April 17
Here Come the Birds
An early morning bird watching walk with Harry Lazare.

April 7
The Promise and the Gift of Plants
A presentation and slide show by Jean-David Derreumaux about plants that heal.

March 23 - June 1
Projective Geometry - Extending our Boundaries and Experience of Thought
A weekly course with Henrike Holdrege.