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New Event! Join Fiona at a Connections Retreat

Summer 2025’s Connections Retreat has been set!

Join Fiona Hughes in Flesherton, Ontario for a seven day retreat to immerse yourself in the in the 7 archetypal processes of New Adult Learning. Experience the transformational capacity of the 7s through artistic practice, nature study, dream journaling, and group sessions, to awaken creativity and spiritual connection, to reconnect with your higher purpose, renew and heal.

What is the Connections Program? Each person is born with unique talents, challenges, and a life intention.  While life brings us experiences by which we learn, stepping onto a conscious path of development enriches our gifts and connects us to the new for the self, the other, and the world.  The Connections program develops capacities of individual learning and ongoing transformation.  The program is for personal and professional development.

When: August 9-17, 2025
Where: Flesherton, Ontario
Investment: $1,100 includes food and accommodation

To register or for more information, please fill out the form below.

Happening online this weekend!

Parzival’s Quest and Our Social Biography

Come join us for Passion Week and deepen your understanding of Parzival’s journey and your social biography. Parzival is the story of a young knight faced with many challenges in the process of becoming more self aware, collaborative, and wise. During this week-long course we will explore how social encounters shape our lives using art processes and conversation, inspired by this archetypal story of growth and transformation. Please register by April 10, 2025 to ensure your spot. 10 participant minimum, so please tell your friends!

Online
Sun. April 13th – Sat. April 19th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. EST, 2025
With Fiona Hughes and Walkyria Machado
Cost: $177.00

For more information and registration please email Fiona: hughes.fionam@gmail.com

Events to Enjoy

We are happy to share that our very own Marg Beard, Kati Gabor and Fiona Hughes all have up coming community events. In April, Fiona Hughes and Walkyria Machado will bring a week long, online study of Parzival’s Quest and Our Social Biography. In July Marg Beard and Kati Gabor will be offering a week long in-person intensive on the Living Art of Parenting in the 21st Century with And Who Shall Raise the Children?, as a part of Rudolf Steiner College Canada’s Summer Festival. For more details and registration, see the event listings below.

Parzival’s Quest and Our Social Biography

A research week for those familiar with the 7 learning processes

Come join us for Passion Week and deepen your understanding of Parzival’s journey and your social biography. Parzival is the story of a young knight faced with many challenges in the process of becoming more self aware, collaborative, and wise. During this week-long course we will explore how social encounters shape our lives using art processes and conversation, inspired by this archetypal story of growth and transformation. Please register by April 10, 2025 to ensure your spot. 10 participant minimum, so please tell your friends!

Online
Sun. April 13th – Sat. April 19th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. EST, 2025
With Fiona Hughes and Walkyria Machado
Cost: $177.00

For more information and registration please email Fiona: hughes.fionam@gmail.com


Who Shall Raise the Children?

The Living Art of Parenting for the 21st Century

An Intensive for Parents and Educators, Offered by Marg Beard and Kati Gabor

Through inspiring presentations, artistic activities, and movement exercises, space will be created to find and explore your own unique question in the field of parenting. This question shall become the North Star that guides you through the turbulent waters of raising children in our times. Throughout the journey of following the Star, you develop new parenting skills and capacities which then become an inner compass. Our intention for the workshop is to plant seeds together for connection and to inspire new social forms out of the ever deepening inner knowing of what is needed for the future. After all, it takes a village to raise a child. Marg and Kati, as New Adult Education Facilitators, apply individualized spiritualized learning processes based on Coenraad van Houten’s work and will introduce My Child MySelf, a parent education process developed by Arlene Thorn. As students and facilitators of these modalities they will call on the work of Kim John Payne (Simplicity Parenting) as well as Otto Scharmer and Arawana Hayashi (U-lab and Social Presencing Theatre https://www.u-school.org/social-arts#spt-in-education ) Please bring a notebook, sketch book and coloured crayons.


Location: Rudolf Steiner College Canada, Toronto, Ontario www.rscc.ca
Date: July 21-25
Time: 9:00am-4:45pm
Investment: Festival fee is $680 CAD per week (about $475 USD), with
10% discount for two weeks and 20% discount for 3 weeks. For more information and to register, please follow the link: Rudolf Steiner College Canada Summer Festival

The Three Learning Paths in Brazil in 2024 – Interview with Fiona Hughes

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The New Adult Educator (NAE) is a professional development program for educators, mentors, facilitators, coaches, administrators, therapists, and those in leadership and human resources. It develops the capacities of individual learning, ongoing transformation and creativity. 

The program is based on Anthroposophy, and the three-fold learning path developed by Coenraad van Houten and his colleagues. It is taught in three modules, each devoted to one of the learning paths and offered in 3 nine-day intensives.

See the interview here. Use passcode: c$3@j!GB

Michaelmas Update on Autumn 2022 Courses

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Michaelmas Greetings; 

The season of ‘knowledge’ has arrived and so too new offerings of New Adult Learning programs.  We begin the descent into the outer and inner darkness and yet within lives an impulse for learning and light.  Michael leads the way in the autumn with Michaelic knowledge of spirit, Michaelic courage of the heart and Michaelic will born out of certainty of one’s karma and destiny which ‘steels’ our spirit striving…  

“…For your own being the light of day fades into
Soul’s night and spirit-darkness;
With anxious seeking you turn your soul
To that light that takes its strength from darkness…”
1st Lesson from the Michael School of Spiritual Science.

From Connie and Carol;

The New Adult Learning (NAL) has been blessed with two fine facilitators who have offered the My Child Myself (MCMS) and other NAL programs in the London Waldorf School community for many years.   Here is an email from Connie White:

Above: Connie White and Carol Lewis with others, at the cottage, 2018.
New Adult Learning Conference June 2019: Connie White – Middle row 2nd from left.   Front row left – NAL Co-founder Shirley van Houten-Routledge.  Carol Lewis is beside Shirley.  

New Adult Learning – Autumn 2022* 


My Child Myself

FALL 2022  

Observing Your Child – Module 1 – Online
Experience a new way to be present with your child.  Increase your awareness of your child as a being of body, soul, and spirit.  Open the door to new understandings and insights about yourself and your child with the sevenfold path. Tuesday evenings –  7:30 – 9:30, October 18 – November 29, 2022 

My Child My Karma  – Module 4  – Online – with Marg Beard
To consider karma is to open to the idea of past lives and to how the past is still part of your life and your relationships.  Karma work challenges us to new levels of understanding, development, and healing. Through the seven weeks, you will awaken to your past and build capacities to meet your child in a new way. Thursday evenings – 7:30 – 9:30, October 20 – December 1, 2022 


My Home Family & Community

FALL 2022

Home for Body, Soul and Spirit – Module 1 – Online with Marg Beard
Enlivening our relationship with each part of our home. 4 Sheaths of Home, the 4 bodies, elements & ethers. Wednesday evenings, 7:30 – 9:30 EST – October 19 – November 30, 2022

Family, Foods and Festivals – Module 6 –  Online with Arlene Thorn
How can the cycle of the year and celebrating the seven festivals become a path of initiation?  We will explore the mysteries of the festivals in 7 sessions and paint each on a 12″ x 16″ canvas.  Friday afternoons, 4:00 – 6:00 EST – October 14 – November 25, 2022


My Child Myself Facilitator

FALL 2022

New Adult Educator, My Child Myself and My Home, Family and Community graduates are invited to participate in a training to learn to facilitate the My Child Myself curriculum.  Curriculums will be given. There are 6 modules to the My Child Myself program.  Participants are requested to be active offering or be willing to offer the My Child Myself programs.  We will begin with Observing My Child – Module 1 – Online with Arlene Thorn – Tuesday afternoons, 4-6 EST –  October 18 – November 29, 2022


New Adult Educator Research Week Intensive

SPRING 2023 

The Seven Planets and Seven Chakras – Online

What is the soul’s connection to the whole cosmos? The astral body is music. The etheric body works out of the rhythms of cosmic sculpture, with the astral body working out of cosmic melody. The seven planets living in our chakras are the bridge to the Music of the Spheres!.  We will follow a 7 day process with the planets and the chakras.  We will experience the planetary colours and chakras through veil painting.   As has been our practice in these weeks, we will each follow a Creative Spiritual Research question that is arising out of our life.  Sun., April 2 – Sat. April 8, 2023, 6:00-8:00 p.m. EST

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New Adult Educator

SPRING 2023 
New Adult Educator, Path 2
The New Adult Educator is a professional development program for educators, mentors, facilitators, coaches, administrators, therapists and those in leadership and the human resource fields. It develops capacities of individual learning, ongoing transformation and creativity.  The program is offered in 3 eight day intensives. – Saturday, March 11 – Sunday, March 19, 2023, Cowichan, B.C.

* plus two Spring 2023 offerings (above)
For more information go to newadultlearning.com
You are also welcome to call Arlene at 807-707-4311 for more information.  

Blessings, Arlene

Fiona Hughes Interviewed on “The Light in Everything” Podcast

In December of 2020, New Adult Learning Program Leader and health consultant, Fiona Hughes, was featured in an interview with the Rev. Jonah Evans on “The Light in Everything” podcast which is produced by the Seminary of the Christian Community in North America. The following is from the Seminary’s Patreon blog post about this interview:

Who is Fiona Hughes?

“Today, we share with you a conversation between Jonah and Fiona Hughes, a health coach and consultant in the greater Toronto area.  Fiona has been working with Hesperus, our neighbor community which is an Anthroposophically inspired home for aging adults,  on developing a “Curriculum for Aging”.

Fiona Hughes is a health coach and consultant who works with individuals to improve wellbeing, with groups running workshops, and with organizations developing strategies to deliver health and care. With a degree in medicine from the University of Witten/Herdecke, a cultural studies degree from Trent University, and training in anthroposophical medicine and new adult learning, Fiona is passionate about healing, karma, and creating the new.

Our thanks to Elliott Chamberlin, who composed the opening music, “On the Road” and the closing music, “Seeking Together”.  You can find more of his music here.”

Download Fiona’s Interview Here

While you do need to become a member through Patreon to access most of “The Light in Everything” podcasts, the Seminary has kindly made it possible for us to share Fiona’s interview with you, without having to subscribe to their podcast first. Here is the link to download the podcast as an MP3 file.

Program Overview 2021

Warm Greetings

We are pleased to present the New Adult Learning 2021 programs. Although Zoom is a trial, it’s also a blessing and programs that have been inaccessible for many, are now possible. Looking forward to you joining us in one of the upcoming programs.  Scholarships are available upon request to newadultlearning@gmail.com. Times in our programs are EST or EDT.  – Arlene Thorn

“After doing 7 paintings, a co-worker said she has never experienced self-development like this. The New Adult Learning brings spirit which none of the other methods she has experienced have: therapy, Landmark programs, Pursuit of Excellence. Demartini. etc. She says this is the breakthrough for which humanity is searching.” – Kathleen Thompson, Edmonton, April 2020

“I am so grateful for all that you have shared this past year.  It’s such a privilege to experience you as a teacher/facilitator/healer, to be part of your modern mystery school, and to witness your passion and dedication to NAL/your work in the world.”  – Fiona Hughes, NAE Graduate 2019/20 (with Arlene Thorn)

Spring 2021  

New Adult Learning Conference – Zoom
Easter Intensive – Development of ‘I’ Consciousness – for New Adult Educator Graduates – Zoom 
My Home Myself –  The New Culture of Home – Zoom 
Connections for Men – Week Intensive – Cottage in S. Ontario  – On-site

Summer 2021

Leading Learning Communities – Rudolf Steiner Centre Summer Festival – Zoom
Connections – Week Intensive – Cowichan Valley, B.C. – On-site
Connections East – Path 1 – Ontario – On-site
New Adult Educator West – Path 3 – Creative Spiritual Research – Cowichan Valley, B.C. – On-site
New Adult Educator – Path 1 – Cottage in Southern Ontario – On-site

Fall 2021

My Child Myself – Observing Your Child – Tuesday evenings for teacher and parent development.  Zoom 
Connections – 10 Weekends – On-Line – Friday night, Saturday and Sunday til 2. 
My Home, Family and Community – Module 4 – In the Shelter of Each Other 

Spring 2021 Programs

Conference –  Whitsun & New Adult Learning – Sat., May 15, 2-4  &  6-8, Sun., May 16,  9-11 &  1-3

A Zoom conference that will be nourishing and revitalizing!  “Whitsun”, a book by Fred Benesch, is subtitled ‘Community in the Time of Individualism.’  The forces of individualism live strongly in us and will increase until the 30C. How can we connect to the forces that live within us for community? What is the Whitsun image and how is it an inspiration for the New Adult Learning?  

The New Adult Learning (NAL) offers seven processes that build the capacities for knowledge, self and the world.  Experience a taste of the NAL processes and see how they offer new light and life forces for you and your community. Fee:  $77. There will be short presentations and art exercises. Register at https://newadultlearning.com/new-adult-learning-conference-2/

Easter Intensive – Development of the ‘I’ Consciousness – Zoom – Sun., March 28 – Sat. April 3, 5:00-7:00

Last Easter we followed Part 1 of The Esoteric Path through the First Class Lessons, Sergei Prokofieff.    This Easter we will take up Part II.  This program is for graduates of the New Adult Educator program.  If you wish to join this  intensive, please email newadultlearning@gmail.com for the notes from Part 1. More information at: https://newadultlearning.com/programs/training/new-adult-educator/research-weeks/
To register: https://newadultlearning.com/research-intensives-registration/  

My Home Myself –  Module 3 – The New Culture of Home and the Spiritual Tasks of the Homemaker  – Zoom – Saturday Afternoons – April 3 – May 15

Life is being re-ordered by the pandemic. Being at home with the children has been challenging and has been transforming home, family and education as well as us!  What is the new culture of home that is being created? What does being a homemaker mean today and how can we maintain ourself? For more information and to register go to https://newadultlearning.com/programs/personal-development/home-family-community/

“My Home Myself program (Module 1 – Fall 2020) was an anniversary gift to myself and husband, knowing that anytime I engage in Steiner’s work, and those who work with it, my relationship and family is blessed with the DOING that transpires. Creating Home for Body, Soul, and Spirit prompted deep thoughtful dialogue within my home and active positive change.”  – Jessica Rivers, Plattsville, Ontario

Connections for Men – Path 1 – Southern Ontario – On-site – Sat., May 22 – Sun., May 30

A new offering for us….a week for men, at the cottage.  The New Adult Learning was created by the Conraad van Houten who was associated with the NPI, a Netherlands Institute for business consulting.  Coen worked for many years in business which led to his work with 7 Fold Learning. Otto Scharmer, who also worked with the NPI came, through his research at MIT, to a Change Management method based on 7 processes known as the U Theory for learning and management.

Connections Path 1 delves into the 7 processes which are the basis for new knowledge, capacities and forces within the self and one’s life.  The week is at a cottage and the ice may still be on the lake.  There’s lots wood for the fireplace. Take a week to renew, enliven and rebuilt one’s inner fire.  For more information and to register go to https://newadultlearning.com/programs/personal-development/connections/