Egyptian Odyssey: Reflections on a Journey into the Sacred Landand Culture of the Egyptians

ONLINE PRESENTATION BY GILLIAN SHOEMAKER AND ALAN THEWLESS

Why go to Egypt – does it matter? What have we lost, and what have we gained?

Each of the Odyssey journeys will explore the evolution of our consciousness throughout the ages . . . Take for example that in the 5th century BC, the Greek historian and geographer, Herodotus, said of Egypt: “Nowhere in the whole world is there so much of such unspeakable greatness.” In the present day, we could also say that nowhere in the world is there so much evident mystery. Everywhere we travel in Egypt we meet the riddle of what is here and yet we have the distinctive sense that it is all so completely connected with us. Our Odyssey adventure to Egypt included much of the ancient and mysterious: the cult of the dead, initiation, building feats that surpass the imagination and even the plausible, festivals and the timelessness of the flowing waters of the Nile. In Egypt, the cosmic and the earthly weave seamlessly together, and in Alan’s and Gillian’s presentation, they would like to share with us some of these qualities.

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Gillian Schoemaker was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and trained in painting and interior design at the Mackintosh School of Art. From an early age, she was enthralled by the mythology and culture of Ancient Greece, and made her first visit alone, aged 18. This evolved into an exploration of the evolution of consciousness within the western stream of the cultural epochs. She has been active within the Camphill Movement for many years, and completed the eurythmy training in the Camphill Ringwood/Botton School. She subsequently lived in the original Camphill Schools in Aberdeen, Scotland, as teacher and therapist, and as performer in both, the Botton and Aberdeen stage groups. Since 1997, she has been a part of Beaver Run, Camphill Special School, and a member of the Pennsylvania Eurythmy Group. Gillian is adjunct faculty of the Association for Anthroposophical Psychology, and the Training for Eurythmy Therapy in North America, and the faculty of the Camphill Academy for Curative education.

Alan Thewless was born in Sheffield, England, and moved to the USA in 2002. He carries a deep involvement in education as a healing art and has worked as a Waldorf Teacher and Special Educator for nearly 30 years. In the USA, he completed studies in anthroposophically extended psychology (psychosophy) and music therapy. He has been a student of astrosophy for over 30 years, and regularly writes, gives courses, and lectures on this subject, and on education, internationally. Since 2016, he has been author of the Holy Nights Journal, a pathway of contemplation and journaling through each of the Holy Nights of Christmas. He is a lyre maker, and also project archivist for the Eckersley Shakespeare trust. He is also on the adjunct faculty of the Association for Anthroposophic Psychology.

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Up-Coming Café Guests

Please watch for special Saturday Cafés as we periodically will hear from Café Guests outside of North America!

June 28: Luigi Morelli

July 6 (First Saturday): Tobias Kaye

July 12: Luigi Morelli

July 19: Sundeep Kamath

July 26: Christina Sophia