In October, teachers at the Rudolf Steiner School, Mbagathi in Nairobi held a series of workshops facilitated by Troels Ussing from Denmark. NNA correspondent Teresia Muthoni Gachiri reports

NAIROBI (NNA) - The workshops were based on a number of topics like the seven year cycles and the threefoldness of life. On 21 October we had a joint workshop with the Nairobi Waldorf School on self development.

The day started with a lecture on the life forces, soul forces and ego. Three simple questions were put across that we all found quite difficult to answer. The questions were: Where am I? What am I? Who am I?

As a group, we realised that the question “Who am I?” was the most difficult to answer and could attract a million responses depending on many different factors. It became clear as we proceeded that there is the higher I and the daily I and that is why it is almost impossible to answer the question “Who am I?”          

There was also a discussion on emotions as compared to true feelings. Emotions were felt to be temporary and full of fire especially if they become “too much”. However, it is possible for emotions to develop into true feelings.

After the lecture we had a tea break which was followed by some movement. All of us had to participate in some clapping, stamping and counting exercises.

It was after the movement that Troels Ussing talked of the steps to developing oneself.

The first step to developing oneself is observation, where we are supposed to observe something or someone or a situation without passing any judgment. The second step is remembrance, where we are supposed to deepen the impression got from the observation. The third step is silence. Here we should keep quiet and try to “see” what the observation is doing to us. The fourth step is the message. At this point we should ask ourselves what message we get from what we’ve observed.

Following these steps enables us to “wake up” and helps to change our emotions to deeper feelings. After this talk, we went outside to observe nature and to try to get different messages from nature.

The afternoon session started off with an artistic part in which we drew “pictures of the soul” using crayons. We then had group discussions on the topic of the day. We were divided into groups of between five and six people. From the discussions, many questions were raised by the groups, such as “Do the higher I and the daily I clash?”, “How can one be his /her own therapist?”, “Would your ego develop to its full capacity without your input?”

There was heated debate created by the questions and the answers given. We learnt that getting in contact with our higher self means opening up to the divine world. To develop ourselves we have to keep a certain discipline. We have to like ourselves and be at peace with ourselves. We also came to the realisation that for us to develop ourselves we have to look at ourselves honestly and understand our temperaments and feelings. We must be masters of our emotions. Emotions do not teach us but real feelings do. Unlike emotions real feelings do not drive us but can open us to the world.

END/nna/tmg

Item: 111127-01EN Date: 27 November 2011

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