Standalone Workshops
Workshops have some hands-on exercises or opportunity for practice. Exercises are also given so that the work can continue beyond the workshop.
Developing Daily Practice
Daily spiritual practice is a commitment to self-care, as well as personal and spiritual growth. Depending on your tradition and beliefs, it may also be a commitment to your gods, coven- or Craft-mates. For a daily practice to work for you, it has to be something that satisfies your spiritual goals and that you enjoy. It also must fit into your daily life. In this workshop, we will discuss some of the reasons for undertaking a daily practice, as well as its most common forms and commonly-encountered obstacles. We will then develop individual plans for starting, and maintaining, a daily spiritual practice. (2-3 hours)
Deepening Spiritual Practice
Sometimes we want to delve more deeply into a spiritual concept, practice or relationship than we are able to in our usual daily lives. Other times, we may have a single small thing that we never quite get around to. How do we create the space—physical and mental—to facilitate these experiences? In this workshop we will explore the concept of creating and implementing a personal mini-retreat around specific desires for deepening our spiritual practice. Please come prepared to work on a specific spiritual aspect or goal. (2-3 hours; maximum 8 participants)
Workshop Series and Intensives
These generally run over a series of weeks or as a weekend intensive. There are lots of opportunities for experiential work and exercises are give to deepen the work beyond the series or intensive. 'Homework' may be required for weekly classes.
Exploring the Elements
One of the foundational underpinnings of many esoteric traditions are the foundational elements of air, fire, water, earth and ether. Using activities designed to bring us in tune with their energies, this explores their history and some common symbology. The course is designed as a series that builds over five to ten weeks, but it can also be offered as a weekend intensive.
Building a Personal Spiritual Practice
The focus of the work of this class is to develop a core devotional spiritual practice. Devotion can be outwardly or inwardly expressed. For example, the class can be used to enter into relationship with a deity/spirit or set of deities/spirits, or to come into closer contact with our own soul, inner light or higher self. Class is every second week for eight classes. Each session builds on the last one and the exercises are flexible enough to be adapted for individual beliefs, traditions and deities.
Elements of Ritual
Ritual is is a space in time carved out for deep work, usually involving set forms to create and contain the energy of that moment; and is an integral component of many contemporary Pagan practices. This hand-on workshop is an introduction to crafting ritual for solitary work, or for small or large groups. We will break ritual down into its individual components to work with them, and then build it back up again. This workshop is usually offered as a weekend intensive, but can also be done over a period of several weeks.
Iron Pentacle and Pearl Pentacle
The pentacle is a powerful symbol in many witchcraft traditions. In some, the pentacle is a way to understand the universe, ourselves, and our communities; and ultimately a gateway to alignment with Mystery. The Iron Pentacle challenges us to look at our relationships with the qualities/energies of sex, pride, self, power and passion; and then integrate these energies into our lives and magic. It is definitely shadow work! The Pearl Pentacle extends the work of Iron outwards to love, law, knowledge, liberty and wisdom; deepening our awareness of our selves, our communities and our interactions. These are two separate workshops. Both are introductions.
Ecology of Magic
Originally offered in 2007 over a period of seven months, this is a series of exercises and workshops exploring the rhythms and patterns of ecology, magic and spirit, and how they all interconnect. In it, we work with the rhythms of the turning year, the spirits of the land, earth mysteries, energy, and transformation, as well as the magic of local ecosystems. The curriculum is designed to blend science, magic and mysticism, as such it has a strong theoretical component in the natural sciences, as well as hands-on exercises.
