BRIAN KEATS Biodynamic Planting Calendars, Naked Eye Astronomy, Weather Forecasting

SANDRA FRAIN’S COMPILATION OF FESTIVAL IDEAS

Creating a festive occasion around a Biodynamic activity and conversely, including Biodynamic activity in a festive occasion, results in a mutual healing and celebrating of the land and ourselves. What an alchemical gift to the cosmos is this beautiful social sculpture of mirth!

In addition to using anthroposophically oriented ideas, we incorporate practices that reflect our world’s cultures and imagine how such an occasion may be celebrated in the opposite hemisphere.

Supportive advice to carry into Festivals and BD practices:

Festival Ideas Incorporating Biodynamic Principles

Southern Hemisphere SH Northern Hemisphere NH, are color coded specific. 

Compost Prep Ceremonies for all seasons:

The compost Pile is prepared in layers of vegetable, animal, and mineral matter. We gather at the Compost Pile and speak of the transformational qualities necessary for humus. Of what is a Compost Pile ‘composed’? Of what is the Compost “organ-ized”? What is the blessing we give the Elemental Beings?

Each person is given a Compost Preparation. We hear of the associated planets, corresponding human organ’s functions and the essential properties of each Preparation. We read the Steiner verse pertaining to the day of the week associated with each Preparation before the Prep. is put into the Compost Pile. The compost pile is respectfully covered with mulch. Valerian is stirred in rain water for 10 minutes and then sprinkled on the compost pile and surrounding property.

Applying the compost preps has been a special way to acknowledge Birthdays; Seasons and Official Ceremonies.

advent solstice christmas epiphany valentines

Advent is the 4 weeks we prepare for the arrival of Christmas. 

for Southern Hemisphere
for Northern Hemisphere

SH
We honour the Mineral Kingdom in the 1st week that begins on a Sunday. We have gathered with other interested people for an early morning 501 “Stir and Spray”. We’ve had a workshop of making 501: grinding Quartz, filling and burying the horns. These activities included singing, discussing the capacities of Silica and reading a verse from Steiner’s Calendar of the Soul.

On the 2nd week of Advent the mighty Plant Kingdom is honored while we have stirred and sprayed Casurina Stricta tea (the Southern Hemisphere equivalent to equisetum) to aid our mildew covered pumpkin plants.

On the 3rd week of Advent our reverence focuses on the Animal Kingdom while we tend to our compost, pond and other animal centres.

On the 4th week we honour the responsibility of the human being to perform the necessary tasks to bring life to life!

Summer Solstice on December 22nd, 2002
Following a barbeque dinner party at Regenesis addiction recovery centre we stirred 501 and sprayed it in to the setting sun of this longest day of the year. Then we marveled at a full orange moon rising over the horizon and setting the stage for a night sky watch!

While planning this event we considered that 501 is a Preparation associated with using light forces in the atmosphere. We wanted to release 501 into our garden’s atmosphere at the time of this significant sunset and moonrise. We were honoring the solar and lunar forces and rythmns that appeared in synchronicity on this evening.

Christmas Eve, December 24th (6 months from St. John’s) 2001
As a family activity, we harvested St. John’s Wort from the roadside (It is a noxious weed in Australia). We stripped the blossoms off the washed stalks and stuffed the flower heads in bottles.  Bottles were filled with olive oil, capped and stood outside in the sun. Through the Holy Nights we enjoyed the visual transformation of the liquid turning from amber to deep red.

We add a drop of the oil into the Stirring Pot along with other Preps to give our own unique touch of the combination of Christ, the Sun Being, and Saint John. A dash of this gorgeous red oil goes in special occasion bread baked throughout the year. Some of the sun’s goodness that’s been captured in the Holy Nights is now in us.

We like to gift this beautiful healing oil to our friends for inner and outer health. Medicinally, a dab on one’s temples gives headache relief. Puncture wounds heal well. (The intense photosynthetic qualities of St. John’s Wort disqualify it’s use for massage purposes).
2000
NH At midday a group of us who worked and lived in the *Fellowship Community (BD farm centred around care for the elderly) gathered with joviality in the middle of a snowy field. We placed a box that had been filled with seed packets, into a hole we dug in the earth. Turn about we put spades of soil over the seed box while singing softly Silent Night. We thought about the potential of the seeds that would be impregnated by the cosmic forces during the Holy Nights. A lead farmer from our midst read Verse 38 from Steiner’s Calendar of the Soul before we departed quietly.
2001
At the Fellowship Community, following a play that featured the 2 Jesus’s, a group led by a brass ensemble gathered in a newly built barn at midnight. The barn had been decorated and a name dedication was in order. People of all ages crowded in the barn and sang hymns to the present cows, horses, sheep, birds & mice. (Thank you Ellen Mead and Henry Barnes. )

Epiphany January 6: 
for Southern Hemisphere
for Northern Hemisphere
SH Families break-fast together at this celebration of the ‘appearance shining over’. The Queen and the King of the Festivities are the two who get the bean or pea from the 3 King’s Cake. We parade in our regal attire to the Stirring Pot.

The rain water in the Stirring Pot is given a dose of 3 King’s prep and a shot of St. John’s Wort oil (see Dec 24th). While stirring for an hour, we sing Epiphany songs, play musical instruments and tell stories of the 3 Kings and Epiphany. We share our knowledge of the qualities of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Some in pairs, people sprinkle the holy water inside and outside while inviting elementals to redeem themselves. Murky or cluttered areas are especially given treated.

Everyone takes home a jar of the Epiphany prep for their own spaces.

In 2002 we also gathered under a Christmas tree for an Epiphany story of a Fir tree. Thus began our Christmas Tree Undecorating Ceremony that brought recognition and dignity to the process of dying. Each child chose a decoration that had meaning to them and stated their attraction while removing it from the tree. Sometimes children or decorations were paired. The bare Tree was ceremoniously carried outside and put to dry for use in a St. John’s fire later in the year.

2000
NH At the Pfeiffer Centre, three of us gathered in the plastic walled greenhouse and poked at a pot of snow that was heating over an electric heat element. Once it was melted to human blood temperature we poured it in to a large stoneware vessel to which we added the 3 King’s Preparation that had been prepared on New Year’s Eve by Gunther Hauk. We spoke of the virtues of Gold, Frankinsence and Myrr. We heard the biography of Hugo Erbe who created the 3 King’s and other Preparations in the mid 1900’s, for the purposes of creating protection against the ravages of mechanization and chemicalization. We sang tones into the vessel too. After 60 minutes we poured our remedy into white plastic pails and meandered around the 200 acre Threefold Property, spraying with our conifer branches and welcomming the elemental beings who stray from the good, to receive our goods.

SH The Passage of Epiphany Celebration at Regenesis

'Working Together' program of biodynamic gardening, cooking and property maintenance made a celebration during the 4 weeks of Epiphany. We barbequed meat; potatoes and onions; harvested vegetables, herbs and rhubarb for a leafy salad and sauteed brassicas; a Mellissa Officialis punch and baked a rhubarb crisp.

Encircling our laden table, we graced it with the song: "Pure as the finest Gold; Firm as the Granite rock; Transparent as the Quartz crystal: My Soul shall Be". We dined in the Pink Quartz Pond Garden.

As the sun was setting we stirred the 3 Kings Preparation alternately into a vortice and then into chaos. The virtues of Myrh, Frankinsence and Gold were discussed as we shared stories of their healing properties. After the compulsory 60 minutes of stirring we covered the property with sprinklings of the redeeming medicine that brings light to dark spaces.  

Our watermelon, rhubarb crisp and ice cream savoured, and the dishes washed, we enjoyed a Dramatic exhibit at Dusk.

Goodbyes were shared under Venus, shining so brilliantly upon us in the darkness provided by the Moon/Sun conjunction. Attendees took home jars of '3 Kings Prep'.

Valentine’s Day February 14th 2003
At Regenesis, program participants, staff, families and friends dined on barbeque fare, and then stirred and sprayed 500. As it was the eve of U.S. President Bush’s announcement concerning the fate of Iraq, the 500 was an answer to: “what can we do?”

We heard the story of Miss Rumphius who planted Lupines everywhere to beautify the world. Valentines Day was initially a festival for Pan called Lupercalia. This was the word source for Lupine so we planted Lupine seeds in every garden bed. {A legume, they are also valued for their nitrogenous green manure qualities and may be dug in to the earth rather than allowed to flower. The flower robs the soil of nitrogen: Lupin is the French word for wolf.}

Our Festival culminated around the rose quartz pond which our Regenesis “ Working Together” group had created. On the tri-level flowform, and on the pond, floated pink rose petals and shimmering white candles. In the setting sun, our eyes were moist and our voices rang joyfully as we sang “Amazing Grace” and “This Little Light of Mine”. Goldfish were released into the pond bringing animal life to this suburban property. They also represented the reality of miracles and the power of healing.

Jars of 500 and a pocketfulls of Lupine seeds were taken away.

Passion Wednesday 2004:
Somberly with family of the Williams couple who brought the first Biodynamic practices to Australia in the mid 1900’s, we spoke of the transubstantiative powers of the Preps. This was in relation to the evolution of the Earth through the Christ’s being. We ate Plum Coulis on cake.

We walked up a hill at sunset in search of appropriate oaks with which to make the Oak Bark preparation.This would be buried appropriately during the Holy Week.

Maundy Thursday:
Lactofermenting our BD veges meant we preserved the present that has come from the past for the good of the future. “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” was sung loudly and clearly.
Easter Friday 2003
A group of adults aquainted through Regenesis, gathered at the top of Watertower Hill which overlooks the Southern Highlands of New South Wales Australia. In the gloomy dawn we drummed on African drums and sung quietly by the warmth and light of a fire. The Celtic blessing: was repeated over and over again:
Deep Peace of the Running Waves To You
Deep Peace of the Flowing Air to you
Deep Peace of the Shining Stars to you
Deep Peace of the Quiet Earth to you
The dark & despairing moment in our lives, and a light and happy time was shared by each of us. Each story was punctuated by drumming making the occasion sacred.

Despite our attempts to court the sun with the Georgian Island song Yonder Come Day: Days a Breaking , the sun did not rise before our eyes. Cold and damp we were in the wind.

Fresh Black Angus Cow manure was gathered from the hillside in buckets and taken to the Regenesis property. Cow horns were filled and buried in dark earth for transformation near the circular rose garden.

In the warm kitchen of the Regenesis shelter, families joined us and together we made Hot Cross Buns and dyed eggs for our shared brunch. Once the long table was laden in front of the roaring fire we sang I am the Lord of the Dance as we took our seats for dining.

Later eggs were blown and decorated to adorn a tree branch for the 40 days of Easter.

Easter Friday 2004:
We pressed BD grapes for drinking juice and sourdough bread pulp while singing Prepare ye the Way of the Lord. Long after the actual day itself, drinking and eating of these prompts thoughts of the significance of Good Friday.

We made a quiet pilgrimage up to our local citadel to absorb the setting sun. We acknowledged the many mood-changing sky-watching events we have enjoyed from this crest of the Earth. We paid homage verbally to the cows whose microbe-laden manure feeds us vicariously through our compost piles to our gardens.

Easter Monday:
Gathering with new comers to BD from Germany. Dawn stirring and spraying of 501 in the mists of the valley below the extinct volcano. Speaking of the virtues of 501 and singing Hallelulia throughout.

A Lamb cake adorned the centre of the breakfast feast by which we sang Dona Nobis.

In the afternoon, a group of children performed The Apple Cake play. While eating our own baked cakes, the adults discussed the theme of giving and receiving, and gave thought to Christ whom we know as the Lord of Karma.

Saturday May 24th: 1 month before St. John’s day:
The moon set in the afternoon and was in its’ monthly rythmns of descending and waning and was heading toward Apogee. Families (including visitors from Japan) gathered in the light rain to stir and spray 500; to bury cow horns filled with fresh cow manure or of white clay; to make a cow pat pit; prune fruit trees; and paste the trees too. The principles of the activities were spoken about as we worked and while we warmed ourselves on BD harvest soup and Rosemary biscuits.

Friday before Whitsun, June 6th 2003:
The moon was in the constellation of Cancer. It was ascending, waxing and heading toward Perigee. A few of us gathered at our work site of Regenesis at sunrise to stir and spray 501. We sang songs of the Georgian Islands and of the Australian Aborigines as we stirred for an hour. We gasped at the beauty of the prisms in the sunlit mist as 501 was sprayed into the natural moisture of the early morning.

BD Oatmeal and coffee were savoured afterwards. (Within a week of the spraying the leaves of the cornflowers and the lettuce were noticeably more serrated and larger.)

We transplanted a conifer later in the day and we were delighted to note that Saturn was reaching Peak Descension on June 6th. We spoke of this being a favorable conifer planting time according to Lawrence Edward’s research on the effect of planets on trees.
Whit Sunday:
Before our Whit Sunday celebration, a flock of Doves were shaped of a BD rye sourdough to which many components were added for the health of the indulgers. The additions were purple pressed grape pulp from Easter Friday; the red Holy Nights St. John’s wort olive oil; the warming herbs Lemon-Thyme, Lavendar, Calendula petals; honey from our backyard bees; and celtic sea salt. The dough had been left in a batter state for a day to take in the goodness of the Sun Being. In the dough kneading the Lord’s Prayer was repeated. The eyes of the Doves were Pimentos, reminding us to be ever watchful.

The smell of these doves baking wafted through the space of the Whit Sunday celebration.

After flute music and singing the group of 20 listened to St. John’s Gospel ‘The Word’. Attention was then focused on a huge chalice (birdbath) rimmed with colored candles and a larger white candle was lit in the centre. The children decorated the inside of the chalice with colored leaves considering red as the warmth of heart and green as the color of life. While John's Gospel 14:23-31 was read line by line by adults and literate children, children took turns lighting the colored candles .

Following more singing and flute music, adults discussed the theme of Whitsun and children went outside to hear Iron Henry (The Frog-King).

The festival ended with a shared morning tea that included a baked Dove for each participant.

January 1st
NHSH Many people around the world are synchronized to prepare their 3 King’s prep as a New Year’s Eve Activity. They grind the Gold, Frankinsece and Myrr with a mortar and pestle while thinking of gifting the elementals who are being threatened on such an evening by the Firworks displays that take place globally. (Thankyou Jennifer Greene, Gunther Hauk & Peter Wucherer)

Michaelmas, September 29th
NH At the Fellowship Community (BD farm caring for the elderly) hosts people of all ages with a grand story of courage. The bold music of a brass section heralds people to a ploughed field. (Imagine even wheelchairs, some with centenarians.) Led by a wise farmer, people move down the aisles of the field flinging rye grain from side to side. The seeds gleam in the light of the setting sun as they fall to the dark earth. Later, the farmer covers the seed using a horse drawn plough or tractor. In warmth, the people dine on a harvest soup with chunks of bread torn from a huge loaf shaped like a dragon.

Thanksgiving November 23, 2000 :
The 2 leveled Goethe Room of the Fellowship Community was set up for 200 people. At the front of the room was a ceiling-high display that represented the bounty of the land. Acknowlegement was made of the tremendous gifts received from the land and heavens thanks to the mutual efforts of the human workers and elemental beings.

The Apple Cake story was performed as a play that included children and elderly players. The audience rollicked with laughter at this hope-filled story of giving and receiving. “Tis a Gift to be Simple” was then sung by all, and a surprise Happy Birthday for Fellowship Community founder Anne Scharff.

A feast of Biodynamic foods was well appreciated after the meal blessing The Washing of the Feet (by Christian Morgenstern).

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Festivals of consciousness raising without BD practice

Advent Sundays:
SHAnnually many families gather on the 4 Sundays prior to Christmas to “prepare the way for the new beginning” symbolized by Christ’s birth on December 25th.

We gather for 9:30 a.m. at the *Bowral Rudolf Steiner School. Long tables are set with white linen tablecloths. Food contributions are laid out. After singing a blessing together, the crowd of families eat. There is a brief period for dishwashing and childrens’ outside play.

A craft is done that corresponds with the relevant theme of the week. ie. 1st week of Advent: Mineral Kingdom; 2nd week: Plant Kingdom; 3rd week: Animal Kingdom; 4th week: Human Kingdom.

There are 4 red candles in a circular form by the Nativity Scene. The candle(s) corresponding to the Advent week it is, are lit by the eldest member, while the gathering sings.

Advent Advent the Candles burn,
Advent, Advent the Candles burn.
First one then two then three then four
and then the Christ Child knocks at the door.

The Manger scene consists initially of a simple dwelling. Mary and Joseph begin their journey from a point afar from the shelter, each week to take a few steps toward their goal of the Manger. (The Baby Jesus does not emerge until the 4th Sunday before Christmas.) Each week stones or vegetation or animal representatives and finally human forms are added to the Nativity Scene.

Some songs are sung together before the candle(s) are blown out by the youngest member of the group. Sometimes there is a story told or read by an adult.

NH Holy Nights 2000:
Reading Steiner’s Christmas Lectures: Christmas tree candle lighting, and naming a person while we light a candle for them. Singing carols.

3. Text References

A Commentary on the Soul Calendar by Eleanor C. Merry.

An Index for the Complete Grimm’s Fairytales Pantheon edition compiled by Cindy Hindes of New York City, Published by the Waldorf Kindergarten Association of North America

Antipodean Astro Calendar: Biodynamic Planting; Weather Forecasting, Astronomy 2002,’03,’04 ,
Northern Star Calendar Biodynamic Planting; Weather Forecasting, Astronomy Easter 2002-,’03, 2003-,’04 ,2004,
Compiled, published and copyright by Brian Keats .

Betwixt Heaven & Earth: a Compendium of Essays written, Published and copyright by Brian Keats 1999

Canada’s National Ukranian Festival: Traditional & Modern Recipes, Dauphin Manitoba by Cook Book Committee of Canada’s National Ukranian Festival , pub. Gateway Publishing Co,. Ltd.

Festivals with Children by Brigitte Barz, Copyright Floris Books 1991

Festivals Family and Food; by Diana Carey and Judy Large; Copyright 1982 D.Carey and J. Large, Hawthorne Press.

Healing Plants: Insights Through Spiritual Science, Volume 1 by Wilhelm Pelikan, Illustrated by Walther Roggenkamp, Pub. Medical Section of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum, copyright of translation by Mercury Press, 1997

Living a Spiritual Year: Seasonal Festivals in Northern and Southern Hemispheres, An Esoteric Study; by Adrian Anderson; Published in Australia and New Zealand by Threshold Publishing; Copyright 1993 by Adrian Anderson

Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney; published in Picture Puffins, 1985; Copyright Barbara Cooney Porter, 1985

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon&Mary G. Enig; Copyright 1999 New Trends Publishing Inc.

Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica: Comprising The Characteristic and Guiding Symptoms of All Remedies by William Boericke M.D.; Published by B. Jain Publishers in New Delhi India 1927

Sensitive Chaos: The Creation of Flowing forms in Water and Air by Theodor Schwenk; Published and Copyright of Translation by Rudolf Steiner Press, London 1996

Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture by Rudolf Steiner, Copyright 1993 Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Editorial notes copyright 1993 Malcolm Gardner

Supersensible Knowledge by Rudolf Steiner; Published and Copyright 1987 by the Anthroposophic Press Inc., Hudson, NY

The Apple Cake by Nienke van Hitchum and Marjan van Zeyl; Published by Floris Books in 1996;

The Calendar of the Soul by Rudolf Steiner, with translations by Daisy Alden, John F. Gardner, Isabel Grieve, Brigitte Knaack, Ernst Lehrs and Ruth & Hans Pusch and a paraphrase by Owen Barfield, Copyright 1999 Mercury Press, Spring Valley, NY

The Children’s Illustrated Bible by Selina Hastings, Eric Thomas and Amy Burch; Copyright 1994 by Dorling Kindersley Limited, London, Pub. in Canada in 1994 by the Reader’s Digest Association(Canada) Ltd.

The Gospel of St. Luke by Rudolf Steiner; Published and copyright of Rudolf Steiner Press, London 1964

The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Published in Canada by Random house of Canada Limited, Copyright renewed 1972 by Random House, Inc.

The New Testament: A rendering by Jon Madsen, Floris Books 1994
Copyright 1994, The Christian Community

The Rhythm of the Christian Year: Renewing the Religious Cycle of Festivals, by Emil Bock; Traslation copyright, 2000 Floris Books

The Vortex of Life: Nature’s Patterns in Space and Time
by Lawrence Edwards; Published by Floris Books; Copyright Lawrence Edwards 1993

Papers

“Introduction’ by Peter von Siemens
“Who was Hugo Erbe?” by Hellmut Finsterlin
“New Preparations?” by Hugo Erbe
“The Elementals as Helpers in Farm and Garden” by Ernst Hagemann; Thalhammerhof, 25.,I, 1965
“Explanatory Notes to Ernst Hagemann’s ‘Elemental Beings as Helpers in Farm and Garden’ by Hellmut Finsterlin

4. Referenced Organizations
*Fellowship Community 241 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge, New York, 10977-6111, Phone 814-
www.fellowship.com.org

*Regenesis 175 Argyle Avenue, Moss Vale, NSW 2577
ph 4869-4975 , regenesis1@bigpond.com
www.regenesis.org.au

*The Pfeiffer Center 165 Hungry Hollow Road , Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977 info@pfeiffercenter.org
www.pfeiffercenter.org.

From a religious point of view my frame of reference is the Christian Community Church.

I look forward to hearing of your works on this topic.
Sandra Elisabeth Frain

Bachelor of Child Study Degree (1980)
Elementary Waldorf Education Diploma (1999)
Masters of Science in Waldorf Education(2000)
Biodynamic Gardening and Farming Certificate(2000)


sandra.frain@astrocalendar.com 43 Azalea Street, Mullumbimby NSW 2482, Australia