Waldorf 101: Waldorf & Spirituality

Waldorf Spirituality: The Waldorf Curriculum for children actually does not teach Anthroposophy. However, Waldorf Schools in general are either secular, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or very broadly spiritually based.

Each day begins with a prayer and ends with a parting prayer. Each meal starts with a verse, and the notion of a spiritual life in some manner is prevalent in the Waldorf school. The Waldorf curriculum stresses the importance of spirituality in everyday life. One does not have to be of a particular faith, as the Waldorf schools traditionally celebrate according to the religions of their students. 

Traditional Waldorf Schools come in all varieties. There are Christian schools, Jewish Schools, and even Islamic Waldorf Schools. Some schools are more pagan or secular in nature. Earthschooling is secular in that it does not teach religion. However, we do include references to different religions in the curriculum, presented in a historical context. For example, when we study Native American culture in fourth grade, some of the stories may include references to Native American spiritual beings. When we study Greek history in fifth grade, some stories may reference Greek gods. When we study creation stories in third grade, students will hear stories from many different cultures around the world.

See also: Waldorf Spirituality: Advent, Christmas, and Winter

Please read our article below about celebrating “religious” holidays in a Waldorf school as an example.

This year, Pagan Advent (the four Sundays before Winter Solstice on December 21st) and Christian Advent (the four Sundays before Christmas) coincide with both beginning on November 30. In a Waldorf school, you can choose to celebrate this as a secular event related to the calendar, or you can celebrate it as a religious event. However, Waldorf education is not inherently spiritual. It just allows you to insert your own beliefs into the system, just as every curriculum does.