Biography work
At a youth conference in Spring Valley, New York (US), Chris Burke and Anne de Wild introduced biography work with an intergenerational approach.
As adults we like to say that children are the future. But are young people not also living reminders of our own youth and past – a living past with burning fire and glowing enthusiasm? We had to cope with setbacks and disillusionment as we grew older – and at some point most gave up fighting ardently for their ideals.
Working with young people could help us rekindle the fire of our youth. They could induce us to newly evaluate what we have become used to dismiss as unrealistic fantasies – including our own ideals as to who we could become. What would happen if we all suddenly believed that our dreams could come true? We should also acknowledge that, as the older generation, we are the living future of the younger one. If we take this thought seriously, then the older ones among us have to assume our responsibility again and not leave the future to the young people alone.
Anne de Wild is a naturopath and biographer in Bottmingen (CH). Chris Burke is professor of psychology at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania (US). The two met in Spring Valley in 2016 at a biography and social art training course. They would like to bring biography work and anthroposophy ‘into the world’, using accessible language and concepts that everyone can understand. They are working on The Hummingbird Principle project that aims to help cope better with problems of the modern world.