Courage: From Idea to Initiative

From August 3–7, 2026, two Camphill Academy students joined the Annual Conference of the Youth Section of North America at Meristem (formerly Rudolf Steiner College) in Sacramento, California, offering them an opportunity for shared learning, reflection, and connection.

Saori Doi from Camphill Village Copake, NY, had the following to share: “Around 80 people from the North American Youth Section participated in the conference. The theme was “COURAGE: From Idea to Initiative”, and the activities throughout the program were connected to this theme.
The organizing team shared a verse on courage written by Rudolf Steiner. We used the verse in our conversation groups, and I found it meaningful to read repeatedly and reflect on what it meant to me.
The program started with singing every day, followed by a “Reverse Ritual,” during which we engaged in a sacred conversation in small groups using a verse prepared for that day. Then there was time for thinking, feeling, and willing. In the afternoons, we participated in workshops. Mentors from different sections at the Goetheanum–including General Anthroposophy, Natural Sciences, Agriculture, Mathematics-Astronomy, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Pedagogy, Social Sciences, Inclusive Social Development, Medicine, and the Youth Section–joined us to introduce each section and support collaborative projects.
In the evenings, there were daily opportunities for us to participate in a variety of activities like contra dancing and games. On the last evening, there was an Initiative Cafe, where we shared what we did in each workshop and where anthroposophical organizations–including Camphill Academy-presented their work.
We appreciated the beautiful natural surroundings, including the American River, as well as the fresh meals, tea-break refreshments offered by Meristem, local gardens, and sponsors.
Throughout the conference, I met and talked to people who are working with anthroposophy in many different ways. These conversations helped me reflect on what I could contribute in the future and how I could work with others to develop new initiatives. I also made valuable connections with many people in the Youth Section, which I hope will continue to grow and support my work in the future.”

Heenam Kim from The Camphill School, PA, offered the following reflections on the experience: “The youth conference was such a rich and meaningful time to realize what I am facing now and what I need to prepare for the future. Also, it was a great opportunity to practice openness to get to know each other, art, and group work, listen to others carefully, share our own experiences, and support each other. Each morning, we began with a different verse related to our soul life, followed by a group conversation inspired by it. The group activities that followed were helpful in digesting and deepening our understanding of how we strive to live with our thinking, feeling, and willing.

In particular, on the first day, I shared my personal fears about the future during our conversation inspired by Rudolf Steiner’s verse on courage. Afterwards, some magical moments happened. All the one-on-one meetings, group conversations, and activities gave me sincere advice. On the third day, we spent time on an artistic activity in a small group; we could choose either writing poems or drawing. In a circle, each of us had one word to pass to the next person to give a prompt. Somehow every word that came to me, one after another, was in perfect order. It was easy to write a poem, and it turned out to be a letter to cheer myself up. I felt very supported, and I realized that the fear was gone by the end of the conference.

Also, it was great to hear about the intention behind the work of 11 Sections (out of the 12) in the Goetheanum, and each of us signed up for one section to share our questions and discuss them to find out our initiatives and fruitful insights.

I joined the Inclusive Social Development section with five others. I am very grateful for the earnest conversation in our group. Even though we came from different work areas, we all had some similar interests: what is human, how to make better human relationships, how to recognize others’ potential, what the essence of community building is, etc. I’ve gained some new insights through our conversation that are helpful for my next step; one of them was that the community is a living place, so it needs soul care, just as all human beings need it. This new picture inspired me to have some new initiatives to support it.

Your love is enough, you are everything.
Everything is part of you, and everything is part of you, and everything is part of you and me.
Your love can light up the candle, your love can light up the world.
Only love, only love, only love, love, love, love, love…

Each morning, we began a new day with singing and some activities to warm up. One of the songs (the lyrics above) stuck in my head for the last couple of days, even though our time together was ending. The conference was held with lots of giving and support from many people. I am very grateful for this conference and everyone who happily joined with warm hearts.

A Verse for Our Time

We must look forward with absolute equanimity
To everything that may come.

And we must think only that whatever comes
Is given to us by a world-directive full of wisdom.

It is part of what we must learn in this age,
namely, to live out of pure trust,
Without any security in existence.
Trust in the ever present help
Of the spiritual world.

Truly, nothing else will do
If our courage is not to fail us.

And let us seek the awakening from within ourselves,
every morning and every evening.

––Rudolf Steiner