StarFire Research Group
Brian Gray · Willie
Bento · Robert Powell · David
Tresemer · Robert Schiappacasse
The five founders of the StarFire Research Group
- Robert Powell, Brian Gray, William Bento, David
Tresemer and Robert Schiappacasse - have a combined
knowledge of Star Wisdom of more than 140 years. For
ten years, these Star Wisdom Researchers have been
meeting to research and share insights learned in
their ongoing inquiry into the celestial realities
and their relationships to worldly events and to our
personal experiences in our selves and with others.
The basis of our style of astrology was first pioneered
by the great teacher Zarathustra, who mapped out the
heavens into twelve zodiacal signs thousands of years
ago. This ancient science of the heavens was rediscovered
and renewed by Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher
and founder of the Waldorf school system, biodynamic
farming, anthroposophic medicine, eurythmy movement
and innovations in many areas of the arts including
music and architecture.
The StarFire Group's purpose is to engage others
in this art and science of the heavens, and to offer
what insights we have been able to gain over the years.
Presenter Bios
Brian Gray, initially
trained as an architect, has taught at Rudolf Steiner
College in Fair Oaks, California since 1981, giving
classes to aspiring teachers in Waldorf schools around
the world on topics ranging from the creation of the
world and cosmic warmth seen from a spiritual point
of view, to sacred architecture and the marvelous
constitution of the human being, to many aspects of
star wisdom related to biography, life cycles, karma
and reincarnation. A student of astrology since 1967,
he has interpreted astrological charts for thousands
of people, and gives regular classes in observation
of the stars and in Esoteric Christianity. Brian has
discovered hidden astrological keys in several important
works of literature, from the Parzival story of the
Grail Knights to many parts of the Bible. He is presently
completing an astrobiography of Rudolf Steiner titled
Unfolding Destiny. He also teaches courses
in the San Francisco and Los Altos extension programs
of Rudolf Steiner College. Please note
Brian Gray will NOT be presenting at our 2006
Immersion Conference due to scheduling conflicts.
We hope he will join us at future gatherings.
William Bento, Ph.D.
Candidate at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology,
has been an adult educator within the fields of human
development for over 30 years. He brings a unique
synthesis of sociological and psychological perspectives,
as well as a deep understanding of cosmological and
spiritual orientations to bear on almost every facet
of education and therapy. He has been a noted pioneer
in the field of a New Star Wisdom, "Astrosophy",
and a new Anthropsophical approach to psychology,
"Psychosophy". William is co-author of Signs
in the Heavens: A Message for Our Time, about
the two comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp crossing the
star Algol - the Eye of Medusa, and author of Lifting
the Veil of Mental Illness: An Approach to Anthroposophical
Psychology (Great Barrington, Massachusetts:
SteinerBooks, 2004). William's work has led him to
travel extensively as a speaker, teacher and consultant
for many cultural, educational and therapeutic communities.
He has authored two books and has been a contributing
writer in many magazines and journals.
Robert Powell, Ph.D.,
graduated with a Masters Degree in mathematics from
the University of Sussex. While studying at university,
he developed an interest in astronomy which, in turn,
led him to explore the roots of astrology, the ancient
science of the connections between the stars and human
beings.
In the mid-seventies, while researching these fields
at the British Museum in London, Powell discovered
the Rudolf Steiner Bookshop and Library on Museum
Street. From that moment on, Steiner's anthroposophy
became the spiritual context in which he was to work.
Steiner's many works provided the epistemological,
cosmological and Christological foundations for his
studies in astronomy and astrology. Through Steiner,
he was led to the work of both the astrosophist Willi
Sucher (1902-1985) and the Russian sophiologist Valentin
Tomberg (1900-1973).
While continuing his research in Dornach, Switzerland,
at the Goetheanum, Robert completed the eurythmy training,
which led to his work as a eurythmist and movement
therapist at the Sophia Foundation in Kinsau, Germany.
The former editor of the Mercury Star Journal, a
quarterly publication devoted to developing a New
Star Wisdom, Robert Powell has written several books:
on Astronomy, "The Zodiac: A Historical
Survey", "The Sidereal Zodiac", "History
of the Planets", "History of the Houses";
on Astrology, "Hermetic Astrology,
vols. I and II", and "Christian Hermetic
Astrology", "The Star of the Magi and the
Life of Christ"; and on Anthroposophy
"Cosmic Aspects of the Foundation Stone".
Other more recent works that he has authored are "Chronicle
of the Living Christ", "The Sign of the
Son of Man in the Heavens", "The Christ
Mystery", "The Sophia Teachings"
(book and tapes), and "The Most Holy Trinosophia".
He is the co-author with Peter Treadgold of the yearly
Christian Star Calendar and a regular
contributor to the Swiss journal, Novalis.
In 1995, Powell co-founded the Sophia Foundation of
North America, and in 2000 he founded the Choreocosmos
School of Cosmic and Sacred Dance.
David Tresemer, Ph.D.,
a graduate in psychology from Harvard University,
is a writer, a dramatist, a teacher and founder of
a multi-faith, nature-based spiritual center called
The StarHouse which celebrates the seasons, the lunar
cycles and the traditions and rituals from many indigenous
and ancient traditions. The StarHouse has evolved
into a multi-purpose cultural and community space
for gatherings and workshops ranging from musical
concerts to workshops to diverse cultural events to
men's and women's empowerment circles and to universal
dances for peace. See www.TheStarHouse.org.
He also co-founded with his wife, Lila, the Healing
Dreams Retreat in Tasmania, Australia (see www.healingdreams.com.au).
David has published writings on several subjects including
"The Scythe Book: Mowing Hay, Cutting Weeds,
and Harvesting Small Grains with Hand Tools",
and "War in Heaven: Accessing Myth Through
Drama", a book about mythic theatre.
He has co-authored several nationally produced plays
with his wife, Lila, the most recent being My
Magdalene (winner of Moondance Festival 2004,
Best Script), and Darwin in the Dreamtime.
He is the co-author with William Bento and Robert
Schiappacasse of "Signs in the Heavens:
A Message for Our Time," wherein two
comets' crossing at the Eye of Medusa (Algol) posed
the question - what is the message of this perfect
cross intersecting at this most challenging star in
the heavens? David regularly offers Star Wisdom 101
and 202 courses at The StarHouse.
Robert Schiappacasse, Administrative
Director of the Shining Mountain Waldorf School, a
K-12 school in Boulder, Colorado, has been a student
of Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophy for over twenty-five
years. He became passionate about the study of humanity's
relationship to the world of the stars, and in 1977,
began studies with Willi Sucher, a pioneer researcher
in the field of astrosophy and new star wisdom. This
led to him becoming one of the current specialists
in the field of astrosophy, a wisdom based study of
the astronomical and astrological sciences. In addition
to teaching astrosophy and astrology, Robert lectures
on various subjects including the spiritual, social,
and cultural phenomenology of our time from the viewpoint
of star wisdom. He has co-authored the book "Signs
in the Heavens" with William Bento and
David Tresemer, and the "Chain Reaction
Experiment", about nuclear power and
the stars, with David Tresemer.
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