Hi everyone, Apologies for the lack of action here in the group the last few weeks. I'm visiting family in Australia for a few weeks (for the first time in nearly 12 years!). I'll be back in here doing more very soon. Warm wishes Mick PS. let me know what you'd like me to talk about/organise next

Just a reminder about our Coffee and Conversation Friday 26th Feb. (Coffee is optional) Click here to join (it's free) 11am EST 8am PST 4pm London Bring your thoughts, ideas and questions. Looking forward to seeing you and seeing where the conversation goes. Warm wishes Mick (art by Anna Billing)

Apologies all, I can't make it today. But please let me know in the comments how you went with the 6 exercises!

"Imagine a community of people whose souls give up their own existence, think together with their thoughts, feel together with their feelings, want together with their will impulses, as cells join together. When we join together in this way, we create a new center for a higher being; we give an invisible being the opportunity to express itself here as often as people join together like cells. A true being of a higher kind can then work through the powers of human beings, as a soul works through the cells. For this, something more is needed than what is called the brotherly disposition, something that reaches deep into the soul of man. At the turn of the eighteenth century, the principle of liberty, equality and fraternity was established. We have indeed managed to respect personal liberty. At least in principle this is recognized, in theory. But there is a much deeper principle of fraternity, equality and freedom. Here something comes into consideration that is capable of conquering a world. It is not so easy for me to recognize that I am interfering with the freedom of the other person through my words, thoughts and feelings. When two people talk to each other, you often hear that one does not wait to hear what the other is saying. He contradicts outwardly or, if that is not possible, inwardly. There is an art of listening. There is an enormous amount of self-discipline involved in learning the art of listening, in fully tolerating even the opposite opinion, appreciating it in all its dignity. Our lives would take on a completely different shape if we learned to hold back with our words and thoughts. This is the second principle: we want to recognize the kernel of truth in all religions. If we make an effort to understand others, to embrace their opinions with love, even in religious matters, then we find that all opinions contain a kernel of truth. In all world views and religions, different religions, we seek the kernel of truth so that we can live together fraternally. If souls tolerate each other inwardly, then they will also outwardly create such conditions that serve the principle of brotherhood. This is where the full practice of life truly begins.

Thank you to everyone who attended today's conversation! We discussed Steiner's 6 fundamental exercises. Here's a short summary of them: 1: Control of one's our own thinking Take a simple man made object. Look at it carefully. Then close your eyes and make an image of it in your mind. Concentrate on this image for a few minutes. Each time the mind drifts…bring it back to the image. Once you can focus on the image for a few minutes you can expand the exercise by thinking about the object: how was it made, it’s history, it’s use etc etc. Each thought should follow logically from the previous thought 2: Control of one's own will At the same time each day, take an action that has no real consequence. My example: I twist my wedding ring on my finger at 10am 3. Control of our own feeling life I use the “backwards review” exercise where you take an event from your day where you were emotionally unbalanced and review it with you as the observer, looking at the situation as objectively as possible 4. Looking for the good in everything Consciously looking for the good in every situation and person. Not denying the bad, but just choosing to acknowledge and focus on the good 5. Withholding judgement When we hear something that disagrees with our beliefs or we think can’t be true…to withhold our judgement until we know more. 6. To make all of the above into a habit