For a long time, in France, anthroposophy was considered a school of thought that was certainly a little eccentric, but spiritualist and close to nature. Edgar Morin, Pierre Rabhi and the former Minister of Culture Françoise Nyssen were close to this movement founded by the Austrian occultist Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925).
But for the past ten years, Grégoire Perra has been denouncing the excesses of an esoteric nebula which, between its various ramifications (Steiner-Waldorf schools, biodynamics, the Weleda brand, anthroposophic medicine, the “ethical bank” La Nef, etc.), exerts its influence in areas as varied as education, agriculture, health, cosmetic products and finance. As is often the case with beliefs, the fiercest critic turns out to be a former convert.
At 15, he did a biodynamic internship
Grégoire Perra was educated in a Steiner-Waldorf school at the age of 9. “My parents thought it was a simple alternative pedagogy like Montessori,” he recalls. It was not until high school that the teenager heard the word “anthroposophy” for the first time. But, according to him, the students in these establishments are made aware of Steiner’s esoteric precepts from a very young age. At 15, he did a biodynamics course, an agricultural method again based on the intuitions of the polygraph Steiner and which, under the cover of “cosmic forces”, notably recommends the use of preparations in homeopathic doses obtained from dung stored in horns…
The teenager begins to read works by Steiner, and discovers stories of “karma”, of “earthly reincarnation”, of “etheric” or “astral” bodies. “In the final year of high school, we were advised to take courses in religious philosophy organized in parallel by the Community of Christians [NDLR : culte initié par des disciples de Steiner].”
At the age of 25, Grégoire Perra became a member of the Anthroposophical Society. This good student wanted to demonstrate, in his thesis, that the vision of the cosmos of Shakespeare and Goethe, two important references for anthroposophists, matches that of Steiner. He taught philosophy in both a public high school and a Waldorf-Steiner school. The young man then became aware of the dysfunctions in the latter. Despite diligent practice of the exercises recommended by Rudolf Steiner, he was unable to become “clairvoyant”, a state supposed to allow knowledge of the “higher worlds”. “I also realized that Steiner’s texts do not hold up on an epistemological level.” Grégoire Perra then began to voice criticism internally.
A first trial that he wins
After resigning from the Anthroposophical Society, he published a testimony in 2011 on the website of Unadfi, an anti-sectarian association, warning of what he considered to be “indoctrination into anthroposophy” in Steiner-Waldorf schools. He was entitled to a first trial, which he won. In response, the ex-anthroposophist created the blog “La Vérité” on Steiner-Waldorf schools in 2013.
“I had no intention of continuing to talk about anthroposophy. But it was not normal for them to try to gag me.” Little by little, the blogger collected testimonies from other people claiming to be victims of the movement, while revealing to the general public the extent to which Rudolf Steiner’s thinking is based on delusional notions. This work earned the ex-anthroposophist lawsuits, threats and even accusations of touching a former student (without any complaint being filed). “People intervened even at my workplace,” he sighs. Recently, the Evreux judicial court convicted one of his main detractors, Nicolas Tavernier, president of the national association for the promotion and future of Steiner-Waldorf education, of defamation.
But, meanwhile, media coverage of anthroposophy has become much more critical. In 2018, a thorough investigation by Diplomatic world is followed by a program from the YouTube channel “La Tronche en bias”. Other personalities, such as the doctor in microbiology Cyril Gambari or the sociologist Valéry Rasplus, begin to denounce the pseudoscientific foundations of biodynamics. During the Covid pandemic, the antivax and conspiracy beliefs of figures of anthroposophy in France or Germany are exposed to the light of day. Under the impetus of Miviludes, closures and reminders to order against Steiner-Waldorf schools are increasing. Very well informed about the movement, Grégoire Perra is, in general, never very far from these revelations…
.