Poster for the event
Loch Arthur Camphill Community held an International Youth Conference which was attended by over sixty young co-workers from Camphill communities around the world from 27th to 30th of June, 2025. The theme of the event was “The Fabric of Community – weaving a life of many colours”. Shintaido sessions were offered on the three mornings during this event as the first programme of each day.
The Camphill Community
The Camphill Community movement first began during the Second World War founded by Karl Konig, a Viennese medical doctor who was a close friend of Dr.Ita Wegman, the co-founder of Anthroposophical Medicine with the Austrian philosopher, Dr.Rudolf Steiner.
Dr.Konig and his family had to abandon his homeland as the war had engulfed Europe, and took refuge in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He started an original form of community-living, in which volunteer co-workers and children, young people and adults with special needs, live together in an atmosphere where the dignity of every human being is upheld and can thrive
Caring for the Earth at Loch Arthur
At the heart of each community are the celebration of the Christian festivals, care for the Earth, care for each other and respect for the spirit in each one where education, arts, crafts, and therapies can develop and grow. This
movement has spread across the world and currently there are more than a hundred Camphill Communities in over twenty countries.
Eurythmy & Shintaido
This event started with the “Hallelujah” Eurythmy movement which was performed by all in silence. It felt as if a warm protective sheath was placed gently around us as a group. I found this Hallelujah movement in Eurythmy has very close similarities to Tenshingoso “Ah – Tenso”, “I” and “Oh” movements in Shintaido.
How interesting that Eurythmy which was created out of an Anthroposophical impulse in the West has the almost identical archetypal movements as Shintaido movements, originating in the East! It felt like the confirmation of the truthfulness of the movements, which go beyond the cultural and language barriers that speak directly to the essence of our being and even to the invisible world.
Our First Shintaido Practice
On Saturday morning, we had the first Shintaido session in the Cresset Hall, where the Loch Arthur Shintaido group, including young international co-workers and adults with special needs, has been practicing weekly for over 3 and a half years. Malou, a lovely German long term co-worker who has been practicing Shintaido from the very beginning, took an assistant role for this event.
Indoor Shintaido practice at Cresset Hall
We started with ten shin juso ho/ warming up movements, stepping with the breath “Ha, Ha!” saying hello to the Earth and with each other, splashing water across the big circle, reaching up to catch an imaginary golden line and pulling it down into our crown and to the centre of our being. Once the group energy was coming together, we practiced chudan honzuki, shooting out energy from our fists into the distance, with kiai voice, first one count with one voice, then once count with two, finally with three “Ei, Yah, Toh!!”
Youthful Energy
The energy of the group and their focus was building up and getting stronger and clearer each time. Then we did some side-by-side pair kumite practice and massage shoulders and back with each other. We closed the circle with a group wakame/seaweed exercise holding hands, giving thanks to each other and everything which surrounds us.
The International Youth Conference
The Shintaido session was followed by singing led by Katie, then there was a community project involving building a Biodynamic preparation station, gardening and willow work activities. In the afternoon, Conversation Groups and different Workshops were offered.
Then in the evening, the whole Loch Arthur community members along with the young people attending the conference got all together for a Ceilidh dance party with an amazing Scottish Ceilidh band in the Barn which had been converted beautifully with greenery, fairy lights, wooden floors, enormous blackboard covered with lively colourful drawings. It was a true celebration of life!
Our Second Shintaido Practice
Sunday morning was finally blessed with morning sun, so we practiced in the outdoor field, creating a big circle surrounded by trees.
Outdoor Shintaido practice the next day
We practiced taiki mai – dancing with the air, muso ken swing – spreading seeds movement, and further side-by-side kumite, bending forward and backward counting down from 8 to 1.
Our Final Shintaido Practice
The final session on Monday morning was focused on meditative practice. Starting with three deep breaths then with the voice “Um” to release tension from the head all the way down into the earth, we practiced tenshin isso with “Um – Ah – Um” voice.
Nagako leading outdoor practice on the final day
As we finished the last session with “Seven Sounds of Love” meditation, it felt as if the space was filled with a vibration of joy and light.
The Closing Ceremony
A ribbon of messages woven into a loom
At the closing ceremony, each participant was given a long ribbon on which we wrote our impressions and message, then we each wove this into an enormous loom, creating together the fabric of community with many colours. After hearing everyone’s reflections in a circle, we closed the conference with “Hallelujah” movement again together in silence, imagining the echo of all the precious experiences we had had through the conference spreading around the world like a ripple spreading into the ocean.