Originally from the UK, Ben Cherry has lived most of his life in other parts of the world. His search for peace and for answers to the social and environmental issues he encountered as a young man – especially through his experience in a kibbutz in Israel and as a teacher and journalist in Vietnam during the war – led him through many cultural streams (including ancient and indigenous wisdom, Zen, the works of Carl Jung, modern science and many contemporary writers) to the practical work of Rudolf Steiner in 1977, in a school for severely disadvantaged children in England. Since then, he has been active in Anthroposophy and Waldorf education, mainly as a class and high school teacher in a school which he co-founded in Australia in 1983 and as a mentor and teacher educator in Eastern Asia.
For several years he was a member of the Executive of the Anthroposophical Society in Australia and one of the carriers of the School of Spiritual Science. He was an active participant in the Australian Association of Steiner Schools in its early years.
Since his retirement from teaching in Australia in 2005 and the subsequent rapid expansion of Waldorf education in Eastern Asia, his energy has been especially focused on the growing Waldorf movement in Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.
Woven through all these activities and travels has been a growing commitment to social renewal through the picture of humanity expressed in anthroposophical spiritual science. His emphasis is on its healing power in all aspects of modern society and its inner connection with local and regional cultures.
He feels increasingly drawn towards working with the younger generation and in helping people value the gift of ageing. Most of the courses he currently gives are on the theme of the healing power of Anthroposophy.