Rudolf Steiner’s Esoteric Development: The Control Of Will
Posted on July 3rd, 2019
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The Waldorf schools around the world, including the Waldorf Academy Toronto are all based on the teachings and philosophy of one man – Rudolf Steiner.
We get a lot of questions about who Steiner is, and why his teachings are still so relevant that they have inspired an entire educational system.
His esoteric development is practiced here at our Toronto Waldorf school by our staff. This helps them become better teachers in turn, so we thought we would give you an overview of what that looks like and why our staff members get so much out of it.
Who Was Rudolf Steiner?
Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian who lived from 1861 to 1925.
He was renowned as a philosopher, social reformer, architect, economist, esotericist and literary critic.
He also wrote prolifically – over 300 works spanning many different topics, which actually make him one of the most published authors in history, even to this day.
In order to complete this much work, Steiner needed to have a tremendous force of will. So it’s no coincidence that his work touches on willpower and how to build up one’s own.
The Marshmallow Test
Rudolf Steiner wasn’t the first person to write about willpower, of course, nor was he the last. Much ink has been spilled since Steiner’s passing on the subject, and much of that actually reinforces his groundbreaking work.
In a landmark study completed over 40 years ago by psychologist Dr. Walter Mischel, young children were given a choice in order to determine if they were able to delay gratification. This has been dubbed the Stanford marshmallow experiment, or just the “marshmallow test” in popular culture.
The kids were seated in a room in front of a plate of marshmallows, and were told that if they were able to wait until the researcher came into the room, they would be allowed two marshmallows; if they couldn’t wait, they could ring a bell to bring the researcher in, but they were only allowed to eat one.
When the researchers followed up on the children later in life, they found those who were able to wait for the two marshmallows instead of taking the one right away tended to have higher SAT scores, a healthier weight, and greater level of overall life achievement.
Later research showed that these results are often dependent on economic factors – for example, those children who came from wealthier families often showed greater likelihood to accept delayed gratification. However, the fact still remains that willpower is an important indicator of quality of life.
Willpower is basically defined as the ability to restrain one’s immediate desires in order to obtain a greater benefit at a later time – exemplified by quitting smoking or by avoiding impulse shopping.
Is Willpower A Limited Resource?
Rudolf Steiner believed there is no limit to our willpower and what we can accomplish with it, but that it is strengthened through intentional use, not unlike training a certain muscle group.
People are under the impression that willpower is something they have no control over, and that they could have fabulous lives, if only they had the willpower to complete the goals they set for themselves.
However, goalsetting is an important part of willpower.
Here at Waldorf Academy, our staff members are all trained in Steiner’s method for controlling their willpower – this helps them to in turn become better teachers and caregivers for Waldorf Academy’s children.
The Control Of Will - The Steiner Method
The second exercise after the control of thought is the control of will.
Steiner suggests that you start small with a task that you don’t normally perform; it can be simple, and it doesn’t have to take a long time, but it should be something that you’ll accomplish every day at the same time.
It could be sitting down to knit in the evening for ten minutes, or it could be stopping to appreciate a beautiful tree on your way to work in the morning.
The goal is to set a strong intention to complete your task every day without fail; some people will forget occasionally, which is perfectly fine – complete it as soon as you remember, and reset your intention to be on time the next day.
Over time, you can add more tasks to your exercise, and consequently learn even better control over your will; even if you feel as if you don’t want to do it one day, sticking to your task will mean that you are consciously choosing to exercise your will.
Contact Waldorf Academy
We invite you to call the Waldorf Academy Toronto now to schedule your appointment to meet with our staff.
Our different approach to education can teach your child better self-control, which can unlock their potential to be their best selves – now, and as adults in the future.
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