Qualities of kindness, strength and love
A blog contribution by Stacey MacManus - Michael Park Kindergarten, Ellerslie, Auckland.
I hold great appreciation for all of those who have supported my travel and attendance in Dornach for the 100 years conference in April 2026.
For 5 days in April 2026, 100 early childhood pedagogical delegates from 60 different countries met to celebrate the 100 years of Steiner /Waldorf Early Childhood Education at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland.
The conference title was “Kindness - Strength – Love: Seeds for a healthy unfolding.”
We were asked to consider how we meet the world in a healthy relationship to bring the best possible conditions to the children in order for them to unfold their special capacities in the world. How we as educators create sacred, meaningful and harmonious places that are ideal for the developing child whilst maintaining our own healthy balance and wellbeing in this world. We were also invited to take up the seven practices outlined in “How to Know Higher Worlds” as a way to go deeper into the theme of the conference but also as a way to guide our daily life, to offer guidance for teachers in their personal development, in our work with children, and with each other as colleagues.
The seven requirements for esoteric training as requirements in practice
1. Promote physical and mental health (wellbeing)
2. Feel part of the whole world
3. Thoughts and feelings create realities as well as actions
4. Find mental balance and inner steadfastness
5. Steadfastness in following through on decisions
6. Development of gratitude
7. Understand life as the conditions demand
It is worth noting that in the spaces we strive the most to overcome something in ourselves to meet these seven requirements, this is indicative of its level of importance for us personally.
How do I specifically promote these qualities of kindness, strength and love in myself?
Anita Isla from Chile spoke about creating meaningful and living spaces for children and educators in challenging times.
We are not alone in thinking that the challenges and pace of today’s world are frenetic and overwhelming for society as a whole. How then can we cultivate these oases of calm to exist in our time and place in the world?
Firstly, we must take care of ourselves. Think about what it is to fill our cup. Is there a practice of wellness that you can commit to that will help to bring you back to balance, that feels nourishing? To help others, we must first take care of ourselves.
We must be the link for the children in this life. The world is a complicated place, and we must commit ourselves to good health, so we are able then to create the safe nest for the children. The children are still coming into this world, but they are not well received anymore and the healing green space keeps disappearing at an alarming rate.
It was iterated by the many keynote speakers and in our workshops that we must evolve to meet the changes and challenges coming from the future for us at pace, so we can meet the children with hope, wonder and joy. So, we can really observe the child with wonder and say, “What is this child asking of me?” What do they need? Do they need space to breathe to overcome these adverse times and what do they need for us to make a space for them? I often think of the verse for the Michaelic age. We as teachers must take care of our astral body in order to have the ‘I’ in command. What became clearer as we went through the days of the conference was that we must be able to meet the challenges coming from the future for us, so we can meet the children with hope and wonder.
How do we help each other in our institutions, among colleagues?
To assist our colleagues to continue to grow and meet the challenges of the world in a healthy way - it is vital to work together. We must find a space to practice reverence and joy. When we meet together and in preparation for the children, we need to come together leaving all of our life’s troubles and concerns outside the kindergarten, to come together in freedom, free from the problems of the world. It is so important as a kindergarten teacher to work together, so that we are free to be the Sun for the children – able to radiate outward; love and strength and coherence.
Rudolf Steiner in Philosophy of Freedom in 1894 talked about love for action ‘Freedom is the sense of being capable of actions motivated solely by love’. Li Zhang from China referenced this when she said that love was an incredible source of willpower. Steadfastness comes from doing what is needed without seeing if the action has a result. Li said even the simple daily practice of preparing the room is something that without the love of the action we would not be able to sustain. We cannot wait for something to happen but we must do it out of the love for action.
What can we do in our daily educational practice so that the children around us can later develop these qualities?
When authenticity flows from the heart of the teacher to the children, they breathe it in, and they can truly feel it. Sylvia Jensen from Brazil said we must develop the quality of gratitude so that it goes into the body of the child.
Presence is vital. We must practice being in presence with the children. This is why it is so important for a kindergarten teachers to be consistently working together, and also on themselves, so they can be healthy for the children. When we strive to meet our pre-earthly intentions, we provide ideal conditions for the children to meet theirs.
If we are really trying to bring sacredness into the everyday life of the children, we must find a way to give them time. Freya Jaffke has a phrase “Here we have time”. If we talk about the decline of play and the loss of imitation in children, then how can we find the time to be an example for the child, to bring the consciousness to each moment? By doing less but doing it more deeply. Preparation is important, and dedication is equally I often think of the verse for the Michaelic age.
Dr. Adam Blanning talked about the need to take time for our spiritual work. He said people complain that they cannot work on themselves in their current circumstances. He suggested that it is best to try to create the space within the chaos of life and perhaps take some part of anthroposophy and work with it and see what ripens. I do not suppose he meant for us to take one of his books and study it, but that is what I am doing currently. I am motivated by my deep interest in therapeutic approaches to challenging behaviour. His book is titled ‘Understanding Deeper Developmental Needs: Holistic Approaches for Challenging Behaviors in Children’.
If we can cultivate the time to be completely present for the child, it helps unfold a special capacity for that child – that of love.