Gerhard Wagner’s Metamorphosis

“Quinta Essentia”
A Talk and Hands-on Demonstration
by Hans Schumm

Monday, April 17, 2025, at 7:30 pm

School of Eurythmy
289 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY

Tickets at the Door: $20 (regular), $12 (students and seniors)

Part II includes:
- A short summary of the introductory talk held on September 30
- An overview about the evolution of the ethers and the elements
- A glance into the inner nature of the ethers
- A short phenomenological “case” study
- An illustration about the collaboration of the ethers in relation to the plant
- Closing remarks

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Coming of age and having treasured and publicly shared some research about the four ethers, the four elements, and the four temperaments (they are all intertwined and intimately connected with colors), Hans Schumm will offer these spiritual scientific “accomplishments” to an ESV and Threefold audience.

Such studies help to gain a deeper understanding and experience about the elements for what they really are. We think we know them well, but do we really know them? There are plenty of surprises if we take a closer glace at them.

Then the ethers, a supersensible entity described by seers like Rudolf Steiner, as a creative force filled with spiritual beings who actually bring life and sustainability to all living things.

Both, the ethers and the elements went through their own evolution along with time, space, movement, and shape (warmth, gaseous, fluid, solid).

The four human temperaments are greatly permeated by the ethers and the elements:

• Warmth ether/fire: choleric

• Light ether/air: sanguine

• Chemical ether/water: phlegms

• Life ether/earth: melancholic

This formula applies to adults; children have a different one.

Warmth transforms to soul warmth and enthusiasm, light brings joy, fluid creates ease and patience, solidity provides consciousness and clarity of thoughts. Awareness of these qualities may help to develop social hygiene, both, inner and outer, as needed for a healthy environment (group practice) and all walks of life.

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Hans Schumm, born in 1942, he grew up in Switzerland. His professional training includes art education in Zurich, Waldorf teacher training, painting training with Gerard Wagner, and special education training in Dornach, Switzerland. He teaches watercolor painting to all ages at the Arteum painting school, which he founded in 1992. Hans leads annual painting courses to the students of Eurythmy Spring Valley, NY, and recently began teaching weekly painting classes to students at Camphill Academy for Social Therapy. He has also taught painting and wood carving to home-schooled children for the past twenty-five years. Hans offers presentations on the inner nature of color in relation to the elements, the ethers, and the human temperaments. In addition, he has developed a distinct painting therapy, based on his experience in special education, and his insights of Spiritual Science. Hans also presides and manages the Gerard Wagner Foundation in Ghent, NY.

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For more information, email info@eurythmy.org.