New Ground Festival: The Opening Event for the New Zealand Youth Section

It's been a number of years since the Youth Section in New Zealand has been active so we decided to do something about that!

We are super excited to announce the re-launch of the New Zealand Youth Section with our founding festival, New Ground. The intention is clear; to create a space where young people can gather together, connect and explore the teachings of anthroposophy.

You might be asking yourself, what is anthroposophy?

Well, it can be thought of in two different ways

Firstly, there is the large body of work that Rudolf Steiner produced in his lifetime. There is an enormous amount of literature, from books to lectures to personal reflections; it would almost be impossible to read everything Steiner produced within a lifetime. The content of his work also has a vast amount of variety, from revealing the processes of life and death to describing other beings who are part of our evolution. There is truly an endless amount of information about the spiritual world and how it operates.

The second way to view anthroposophy, and I think this is how Steiner had hoped anthroposophy would be received, is as a path of inner development. Throughout his literature, there are practical suggestions for this inner development. He suggests that by developing a sense of our spiritual self, our higher self, we begin to gain a clearer picture of our life's purpose. The concepts that Rudolf Steiner provides offer us a framework for getting to know our own ourselves and, ultimately, how we relate to the universe as a whole. Steiner said that every human being has the capacity within themselves to perceive the spiritual world and come into relation with the beings that exist there, including our own spiritual self. By cultivating our inner life, everyone, no matter who they are, will be able to communicate with the spiritual world and the beings that exist there.

What to Expect from the Gathering:

The weekend will be filled with activities centered around connection, learning, creativity and fun.

The activities and general flow of the weekend are designed to provide opportunities for learning new things as well as free time to relax. Towards the end of the festival, there will be a time for us to collectively determine the future of this Youth Section. How can we create a space that supports our aspirations, and what form will this Youth Section take? We are co-creating this space and welcome anyone who wants to be part of this anthroposophical initiative.

Activities of the weekend include:

Connection
Music
Dancing
Artistic activities
Shared meals
Workshops
Biodynamics
And more to be determined!

Who Can Join the Youth Section?

While there are no strict age limits, the Youth Section is generally intended for people between 16 and 35 years old.

Event Details:

We are fortunate to host the event at the Tauranga Waldorf School, where you can pitch a tent and camp for the weekend. Facilities like toilets, showers, and water will be available.

All food for the weekend is included in the ticket price, so you won't need to bring major meals. However, feel free to bring snacks if you'd like!

Arrival: Friday from 3pm onwards
Departure: The last activity will conclude around Sunday lunchtime

We will release a schedule closer to the event date. Once you've purchased your ticket and we have the schedule ready, we'll send it to you.

Join us for a weekend of connection, discovery, and fun as we embark on this new journey together!

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*We don’t want money to be a barrier, so if money is a barrier for you please reach out via email and we’ll figure something out together. If you want to come to the event, we will find a way to get you here!