The path, journey - Te Ara - of the child from the spiritual world to the earthly world in the arms of the mother who holds, carries, guides the child on this path, through/with spiritual knowledge; divine wisdom - Sophia.
The Te Ara Sophia centre offers an environment to foster and support all aspects of a creative approach to conscious parenting in the modern times alongside therapies, services, community groups and activities.
The centre is situated across the school field at 275 Fifield Terrace. Formerly the Novalis House/Helios health centre building, it houses resident practitioners and therapists, and a variety of community activities.
Current projects are community library, drop-in info mornings, school craft shop and garden produce amongst others.
If you would like to know more about the centre and if you are interested in hiring a space contact:
Rachel Conway - email
M: 022 091 1270 P: 03 337 0514 ext 254
Your Space Pilates
IdunEir Beauty
Yoga with Iben
Introduction to Anthroposophy
Rachel Parr
Holistic Health & Wellness
Qi Gong classes
Toha Kai
Creative Arts Therapy
Jessie Davidson
Shona Stronach
Rita Noetzel
About us
The mission of the Te Ara Sophia centre is to offer an environment to foster and support all aspects of a creative approach to conscious parenting in the modern times. This work and activity will be based on the spiritual science of human development, health and education from the work of Rudolf Steiner.
The original Te Ara Sophia initiative first developed in 2010 as a response to a call from the community. This was from parents of young children who aspired to a deeper understanding of parenting and education in the current social context with insight from Rudolf Steiner’s picture of human development. A core group of parents, teachers and grandparents worked hard to establish a foundation for this work.
This initiative was to compliment the services offered by the medical centre and the school.
However, with the earthquakes in 2011 the work of this group was put on hold. But the needs it wished to fulfil are just as important now.
At the time the medical centre strongly worked from the same impulse as the special character of the school. It had many different therapies that were readily available to the school community especially its children. Over time this changed.
The purchase of the property and the departure of the medical centre has enabled the Proprietor Trust to take up and extend the original intentions of the Te Ara Sophia group and add other services. The people involved in renting space in the revitalized Te Ara Sophia are very excited and supportive of this important impulse.
This activity will also bring in the revenue for it to be self-supporting and in the longer term create a surplus. It has also secured the undeveloped land for the future development of the school so that further building and carparks will not impact so much on the existing play areas and gardens.
We encourage you to use the services on offer at Te Ara Sophia thereby helping to make this initiative viable and give this impulse a firm foundation for the future.