November 2nd, 2026
Karin and I went to the Waldorf school last week to talk with Asher’s kindergarten teacher. Asher came along with us because there was/is nobody available to watch him in our absence. I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate for Asher to be at the meeting, but his teacher was okay with it.
Asher sat down at a table in the classroom to do some drawing. He was close enough to listen in to our conversation with his teacher, which of course he did. We were supposed to talk with the teacher for twenty minutes. The discussion went for twice as long. Asher has a complicated history, and it took time for us to give his guide even a short briefing on what his life has been like.
Asher’s instructor is an intelligent young woman who has a background in teaching children who have experienced trauma. Asher matches that description, so she is a good fit for him. His teacher is perceptive and empathetic. She gives off a serious punk/hippie vibe which we like. She handles the students in her class in a way that is both calming and encouraging to the kids. She rocks.
After the initial greetings at the meeting, Asher’s teacher wanted to talk with us about spirals.
Spirals?
Okay, let’s back up here for a moment. At this point, it probably needs to be explained that Waldorf education is based on the tenets of Anthroposophy, a system of beliefs devised by Rudolf Steiner a century ago in Germany. Much of what Steiner proposed is arcane. However, some of the basic notions are incorporated into the Waldorf way of teaching children. Anthroposohy emphasizes a strong connection between humans and the natural world. It also assumes that there is a spiritual underpinning to everything in the universe. There is both a body and a soul, and they both need to be nurtured.
This brings us back to spirals.
According to “AI Overview”, this how spirals relate to children in Anthroposophy:
“Anthroposophy teaches that the soul‑body is the bridge between life and inner experience in children. Spiral symbolism, in many traditions, represents growth, cycles, and the inner‑outer connection.
While Steiner does not directly link “spirals” to the soul‑body, the spiral’s meaning aligns closely with its function: a living, integrating process where the child’s body and soul develop together, revisiting and transforming past experiences into deeper self‑awareness. This makes the spiral a fitting metaphor for the soul‑body’s role in a child’s spiritual and physical development.”
The teacher wanted us to know that Asher is creating lots of spirals. He draws them. He arranges his toys in spiral shapes. He sometimes moves around in spirals. It’s not an obsession with him, but spirals mean something to him, and in the Waldorf world that might be important. He is at an age, according to his teacher, when the soul is more actively entering the body of a child. Spirals are symbolic of inner growth and maturing. His teacher did not want to speculate on what exactly the spirals mean, but she wanted us to know that something is changing in Asher. Something is new.
If you have read this far, you might think, “This is all nonsense”. Perhaps it is. I am not a true believer in Anthroposophy, although some of it rings true for me. I believe that the human soul is real, and that there is more to life than just the material world.
It really doesn’t matter to me if the spirals have some deep, mysterious meaning. What matters to me is that Asher’s teacher is observing him closely. She watches what he does and listens to what he says in order to catch a glimpse of what is going on inside the boy. She truly cares about Asher, and she wants to understand who he really is and what he really needs from her.
That is amazing and I love her for it.
