Therapeutic Eurythmy – an Act of Love and Will

by Barbara Bresette-Mills

Barbara is a board member of the Association of Therapeutic Eurythmists of North America (ATHENA).

Let us assume that some organ has the tendency to deformation, a tendency to assume an abnormal form. A form of movement exists which will counteract this tendency. And such is the case with every organ.

Rudolf Steiner, April 12, 1921, Dornach, GA315

In eurythmy we are given the opportunity to connect directly with the cosmic archetypes, the cosmic forces which have formed us. The indications and lectures for therapeutic eurythmy were not given until 1921; however, the intentions for this healing art were there from the early beginnings. In September 1912, on the seventh day of the first course of eurythmy lessons, Rudolf Steiner instructed Lory Smits in the formation of the “Halleluiah,” the first word presented in eurythmy. When Marie von Sivers witnessed it she exclaimed, “Doctor! This must give tremendous forces!” And Dr. Steiner replied, “Yes. Do you think we only want to dance? Don’t we want to help sick people as well?”

At the first World Conference for Eurythmy Therapy at the Goetheanum in 2008, Dr. Michaela Glöckler spoke of eurythmy therapy as a “decisive instrument” and an “infinite blessing” that helps persons enter into their body, act on and give guidance to the formative forces. Eurythmy as an immensely human activity enables one to take part in one’s own healing process, not just on a physical level but on a karmic, spiritual level. Do we have the courage and inner strength to take on a path of healing in which we become co-creators?

If we practice musical scales on the piano we can strengthen our fingers, make them more flexible and improve our playing. If we study a language over time, see the words and constellation of letters, listen intently to how the sounds are formed and practice by ourselves, we come to speak and understand it. And exercise of various muscles or practice of a particular athletic activity enables one to be more accurate in a sport. Is it such a leap to think that by doing a sequence of eurythmy gestures with intention, care, focus, and continuity over time that one could actually change the condition of one’s health?

Gillian Schoemaker (l.) is therapeutic eurythmist at Camphill Special School, Beaver Run, PA

After experiencing eurythmy, many people feel a deep connection to the sounds and gestures and have “made them their own.” Here are a few comments:

“I feel completely alive when I do my eurythmy exercises. It lets me feel in charge of my own health. It has been the most positive experience in my recovery from surgery for cancer.”

“I had to do my eurythmy ‘B’ at the airport so I wasn’t afraid of being so crowded.”

“I was practicing my exercises on the porch of the halfway house. People kept asking me what I was doing. They could see the positive effects the exercises had for me. When I explained that these were my eurythmy exercises, they asked if they all could learn them.”

(This led to a workshop for all the men in the home.)

“When I haven’t done my exercises I miss them, for they have become my friends.”

In North America there are 75-100 trained therapeutic eurythmists—in schools, clinics or private practice. It is an act of love and will to carry this work in a time when many alternative therapies are available and such a strong materialistic culture is active in medical/therapeutic fields. We are fortunate to have a therapeutic eurythmy training, carried by Seth Morrison and Anna Ree, held in the nurturing community of Camphill Copake. Anyone interested in therapeutic eurythmy (formerly known as curative eurythmy) in North America is invited to join ATHENA; visit www.therapeuticeurythmy.org.