Our Ethos & Values

What we stand for and the work we do at Emerson College today stems from the original impulse behind Francis’s vision born out of Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophy* and is inspired and shaped by the people who have lived, worked, taught, studied and visited Emerson College over many years.  Our work is deeply embedded in the following core convictions:

• The evolution of humanity has meaning and purpose
• Every person is gifted with creative, intellectual and spiritual capacities
• Every human being is equal

Acting consciously and being free to cultivate our inner wisdom and connect with our inner purpose we are able to bring ‘spirit into matter’ or ‘love in action’, creating positive personal, societal and ecological transformation in the world and giving meaning to our lives and the lives of others.

How we put this into practice:

The way we work is inspired by our particular approach to living, and our respect for nature: from the way we grow our vegetables to the way we paint our dining room; from the way we conduct our meetings to the way we clean the toilets.

People come to Emerson from all over the world, from many different backgrounds and different cultures with many different perspectives and beliefs.  Even if people have no idea about the philosophy, they sense the special quality of the plants, of the wildlife, of the air that they are breathing, of the food on the table, in the people they meet and how they are treated and this makes a big difference. 

Many people come to Emerson for respite, and describe how they leave feeling nourished and refreshed. We find a great sense of fulfilment in providing these experiences to others.