The fifth subsidiary exercise in Anthroposophy: Open-mindedness and Faith

Focuses on developing an unbiased receptivity toward every new experience. This exercise is designed to help spiritual students overcome the habit of rejecting ideas simply because they contradict past knowledge or belief systems. 

Core Principles of the Exercise

• Active Receptivity: The goal is to confront every new experience—whether something heard, seen, or felt—with complete openness, avoiding phrases like "I never heard that before" or "I don't believe it".

• Suspending Judgement: Even if a new piece of information seems impossible according to natural laws, the student should "leave a loophole open" for the possibility that their previous knowledge could be expanded.

• Balance with the Past: While remaining open, one does not completely discard past experiences; instead, new experiences are placed on one side of a "balance scale" to be weighed alongside the old.

• Psychological Shift: Consistently practicing this attitude is said to create a feeling of something "becoming alive" within the soul, fostering a deeper trust and respect for oneself and others. 

• Refraining from Verdicts: During conversations, practice listening without jumping in with personal points of view or judgements.

• Learning from Everything: One can learn something new from every breath of air, a leaf, or even the "babbling of children" if approached with this specific point of view.

• Combating Skepticism: The exercise aims to banish timidity and skepticism, replacing them with a "faith which can move mountains"—a trust in the power of one's intentions and the potential of new experiences. 

  
  

In the system of the Six Basic Exercises, this practice follows "Positivity" and precedes "Harmony" (which integrates all five previous exercises). It is specifically noted for its role in balancing the soul's thinking and willing. 

Eurythmy

In Eurythmy, the fifth subsidiary exercise of Open-mindedness (also known as Faith) is often linked to gestures and musical intervals that embody a quality of expansive receptivity and wonder. While there isn't a single "standard" gesture for the exercise itself, Eurythmists frequently use specific vowels and musical intervals to manifest this inner soul state. 

1. The Vowel Gesture for "Ah" (A)

The sound "Ah" (𝐴) is considered the primary expression of wonder and openness in Eurythmy. 

• The Gesture: Start with your hands at your heart, then open your arms wide and upwards, creating a large, majestic angle.

• The Feeling: This movement represents the soul's ability to stand before the world in a state of awe, allowing impressions to enter without judgment. It is the physical manifestation of "leaving a loophole open" for new truths. 

  
  

2. The Musical Interval of the "Fifth"

The Fifth is the archetypal interval of openness and balance. 

• The Gesture: Arms are held out to the sides, slightly forward, at an angle that feels neither too closed nor too wide. It creates a "hollow" or "open" space between the person and the world.

• The Feeling: This interval is often used in Waldorf schools to create a "mood of the fifth"—a light, airy, and non-judgmental atmosphere that supports a child's natural state of wonder. 

  
  

3. The "Halleluiah" Sequence

Many practitioners use the Halleluiah eurythmy sequence as a combined meditation for openness. 

• The Process: It begins with an "H" (breath) followed by an "Ah" (wonder), then moves through a series of "L" gestures to cleanse the soul, and concludes with a return to the heart.

• The Goal: This sequence is specifically used to "clear the spiritual space" and still the mind, making it perfectly aligned with the goals of the fifth subsidiary exercise. 

  
  

4. Integration with the Other Exercises

Because the fifth exercise is about combining feeling and willing, the eurythmic movements often involve walking forms while holding these gestures. For example, walking a circle or a lemniscate (figure-eight) while maintaining an "Ah" gesture can help ground the mental practice of open-mindedness into the physical body.