Classes

These were some of the Workshops/Classes that we have spotlighted.

2006 Classes

Advanced Aromatherapy - Peg Aloi  
No description

The Ancient Scandinavian Pantheon - Jane Sibley
There is the "saga" version which is heavily influenced in today's understanding by Victorian and New Age interpretations. Here, however, we will explore the genesis and evolution of the pantheon during the Really Old Days, from the Neolithic through the Pagan Viking periods.

Androgynous qabalah - Rev. Colleen Rose
The qabalah is a loving framework for how the universe works on all levels, if you have ever been confused, or confounded by the qabalah this class is for you. Join us for a down to earth highly fathomable look at the tree of life

Aspecting Divine Forms - Erik Burch
Add Divine energy to your magic and find a use for all those esoteric gods you've been reading about.  Learn how to assume the mantle of a god and access his power.

Bardic Circle – Hosted by Black Lotus
Gather with Black Lotus to share songs and stories, recite a poem or otherwise contribute to a "pot-luck" of creative inspiration

Beginning Palmistry - Tchipakkan
Reading palms is not hard- in one hour you will walk away with enough of the basic skills to read your own palm, and those of your friends (not that you shouldn’t keep studying!). The most useful aspect of palmistry is learning about yourself, and thus gaining control of your future- and it's fun too! Since there are handouts, I'd like some sort of idea of how many might show- I brought 20 to PPD, and about 40 people showed up.

Beginning Spell Casting - Witches Element
The purpose of spell casting is to explore the world and your own spirituality, teach responsibility, communicate with the powers that be, and give you a better sense of purpose.  Come and learn the basic techniques to create your own spells.  Find out when should you cast spells, and when you should not.  What are the tools you should use and/or if you should use any at all.  Gain a better understanding to why we practice, why perform spells and the way we go about doing it.

The Body Vortex - Eric Vazquez
Before the ritual working, before the casting of the circle, before erecting the temple space in any form external, before the ritual bath, there is the preparation of one’s self. The Body Vortex is a program which sets to examine the body and to manipulate the body’s energy system in ways that are typical in our everyday lives. Utilizing common actions and activities to facilitate a more magickal and energetic existence, we will learn how to adjust our mindset, focus, and the  application of our energy on a daily basis towards a more magickal living and also review in brief, how to overlay these techniques as applied to higher ritual/energy work. The Body Vortex forms the basis for Entering the Vortex/Energy Temples, a class designed to explore advanced energy work as applied to more specific ritual working. (It is strongly recommended that attendees bring ample water for replenishment.)

Celebrating the Pagan Soul - Laura Wildman
 Our stories of transformation and community  A book reading. Celebrating the Pagan Soul is a collection of personal experiences, magical tales and insights. Including stories from both those who are well known within the Pagan Community along with experiences of individuals whose smiles appear only on the fringes of Pagan circles, it offers a unique view into the fascinating, and usually private, lives of Witches, and Pagans. Come relax, unwind and enjoy listening to a few very personal and incredible Pagan experiences.

Cherry Hill Seminary: what's it all about? – Laura Wildman & Judy Harrow
As the Pagan community has grown, we have developed the need for more professionally trained Pagan teachers, advocates and counselors. Pagans are reaching out for a qualified Pagan clergy for legal and sacred rites, education, leadership, networking, and pastoral counseling. Cherry Hill Seminary is a privately owned, web based, Pagan seminary program, committed to training and ordaining professional Pagan clergy and counselors. Our goal is to supplement Traditional training and support the many paths of contemporary Paganism with professional clergy skills that have not, up to this time, been taught from a Pagan perspective. We seek to help people who feel called to Pagan ministry to get a comprehensive education in all aspects of Pagan thealogy, practice and skilled ministry.  If you'd like to learn more about Cherry Hill Seminary, perhaps take some of our classes, please visit our web site at http://www.cherryhillseminary.org, or come talk about it at this informal discussion. Presenters: Laura Wildman-Hanlon, Academic Dean, Judy Harrow, Chair, Pastoral Counseling Program

Coming of Age - Can we make dreams of a Golden Age real? - Jonathan Dickau
This workshop was on the roster of last year's EtheraCon, and that is the topic that was so potently received by the elders at Starwood, which I would like to reprise.  Nor were the male elders disinterested (to answer the obvious question), but they were a bit less active about seeking me out.  It was not my best attended topic there, but it garnered a respectable audience.  Perhaps I should mention that the nude partnered yoga was going on at the same time, and that Anodea said she would have attended my talk, if she wasn't teaching that other course.  Maybe I should also mention that the midnight ritual the night before my Coming of Age presentation also seemed like it was written around the content of that course.  I later found out this was largely because Anodea is writing (or has recently completed) a book to be entitled "Coming of Age in The Heart - Moving from the love of power, to the power of love."

Crafting A Wedding- Laura Wildman
The celebration of marriage is one of many rites of passage our society recognizes.  Along with an understanding the legalities, the job of the Officiant (Priest/ess) is to guide a couple, their family, friends and other witnesses, through this sacred rite – the transformation of two people into a legally married and/or spiritually united couple.  This course is to teach the Officiant or prepare the couple for the ins-and-outs of facilitating the often-complex rite. Topics covered include: pre-marital counseling, legal issues, lesbian and gay unions, inter- and intra-faith ceremonies, stage directions, spiritual and logistical considerations.

Crystals for the New Millennium 101 - Eric Vazquez
A Look at the History of Crystal Healing and what it is Today -
We will explore how crystals work from a scientific viewpoint. Discussion includes the preparation and use of stones as based on a 12-point Chakra system. The Chakra System will be a primary focus, and the corresponding stones will be discussed from three levels of healing: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Druid Storytelling - Alexei Kondratiev
What kinds of stories did the druids tell? What subjects were they concerned with, and what forms did their storytelling take? Has any of it survived in later Celtic tradition? A comparison between some early mediaeval Celtic literature and the Puranic traditions of India will put us on the track of an answer to those questions.

The Elemental Alphabet - Erik Burch
Many modern neopagans use runes in magick and divination, but very few of us speak ancient Norse.  The ordinary English alphabet can be used in a similar manner.  This system gives magickal associations to the letters of the alphabet and teaches their use.

Empathy: the blessing and the risks - Judy Harrow
Empathy, the ability to "feel into" the inner world of another person, is a basic life stance, a profound spiritual practice, and an essential (and learnable) skill for all who help and heal. And yet, like any potent tool or method, empathy carries risks. How can we be fully there for others without losing ourselves in the process?

Footsies - Danielle Mercier
Come tickle a partners fancy.  Feel the depths of your cockles warmed.  A massage therapist will guide you in gliding on the gel and relaxing those tootsies out of the glass slippers. See a demonstration, and prepare to pair up with ten exquisite piggies.
A bit of reflexology will help you and yours get your dancing shoes on or at least feel like toe-tapping.  Leave goose-stepping feeling refreshed and good all the way to the tips of your toes. Again, lotion and essentials will be provided.  Please feel free to bring your own.

Full Moon Puja to Ganesh and Durga - Black Lotus
On the day of the Full Moon (Jan. 14th, 4:48 AM 2006), we will perform a ritual to request healing and to manifest our deepest desires.  This Hindu ritual will invoke the presences of Ganesha (the elephant-faced remover of obstacles) and of Durga (the goddess of Power who defends the Earth and fills her worshippers with energy).  You may bring sweets, fruits, flowers, incense, or other offerings to share with the Deities and our fellow devotees.

Get in Touch - Danielle Mercier
Learn how to pamper your partner.  Come to this Hand Massage workshop and enjoy some comfort yourself.  Indulge in some give and take.  See a trained Massage Therapist demonstrate techniqes, and then particpate in accepting and giving some loving therapy to those phlanges.  Be prepared to limber up those knuckles and joints.  This is not a taxing class.  Be ready to relax and bask in friendly hands. Hand lotion will be provided.  Please feel free to bring your own.

Gods, Demons, and Imaginary Friends - Philip Farber
(Whether You Believe in Them or Not) Are you familiar with the recent discoveries concerning human neurology which suggest that the magical operation of evocation - contacting and communicating with spirits - has a biological basis? Our gods, demons, angels, loas, and imaginary friends are there for reasons beyond the obvious. Don't let them tell you you're crazy if you talk to your imaginary friends; come to this workshop and learn new, exciting, and practical ways to play with and learn from our less corporeal colleagues.

Grounding 101 / So this is Your 1^st EtheraCon  Conference Staff
The skill of "grounding" is very important to many magical or ritual settings. It is also a skill that is needed for you own spiritual well being not only here at EtheraCon, but in your everyday life. All EtheraCon attendees that have NOT taken this class before are urged to attend.

The Group Mind - Philip Farber
Did you know that it's possible to think with a mind other than your own? Whenever two or more humans join together, there is an interaction on a deep, unconscious level that often influences and guides the flow of the group. When a group is brought together in appropriate ways, the Group Mind can be brought to the surface, explored, and communicated with in very direct ways. Join us for a practical and experiential session, creating and chatting with our own Group Mind!

High Priest/ess' Disease - Judy Harrow,

Every trade or profession has its own occupational hazards. For people who guide the spiritual development of others -- in any religion -- these hazards are mainly psychological or spiritual. We will discuss possible causes, symptoms, prevention and healing of clergy dysfunction.

History of  Pagan Conversion ­ Beltaine - Tchipakkan
What I'm hoping  to do is give modern pagans a more accurate historical background than is often bandied about in modern neo-pagan circles today. There is a reason that there is so much pagan tradition thoroughly mixed into modern Christian religion- some of it was intentionally incorporated, some just couldn't be wiped out. Modern Christianity is a synthesis- and continues to evolve even now. I'll be exploring some of the many ways the "people of the Book" worked to convince worshippers of other Gods and Goddesses that their way was better- from the earliest times of the Christian cult to 19th century missionaries.

Holistic healing with herbs and aromatherapy. - Peg Aloi  
No description

Knowing Earth Energies as Doorways - David Rivers

Come to find the practical and balancing effects and uses of subtle to very powerful energies.

Making Flower/Vibrational Essences - Rachel Ginther
Learn how to connect and communicate with Nature; how to ³Become²; how to prepare and use your Essence.  We will co-create an Essence with the Nature Spirits, Devas and other energies in our surroundings.   Each participant will be able to take a bottle of the Essence home.

Mandalas and Yantras -- Maps of the Sacred - Black Lotus
We will examine these talismans used by Buddhists (Mandalas) and by Hindus (Yantras) that organize sacred space around a central point, by squaring the circle (or circling the square).  These artworks can be used for meditation, for deity invoking ritual, or for other magical purposes. 

Medicinal Herbs - Tchipakkan
This is an introduction to herbal healing - things you'll be able to use right away - for bug bites, poison ivy, headaches, tummy aches, and other common problems. These are not plants you have to go to the health food store to get- you get these from your yard or the woods or your kitchen cabinet. You'll be surprised to find out how easy it is. I'll cover making simple teas, poultices, ointments, oils, and foods that heal, and of course - cautions about what you'll want to be careful about. We wouldn't be using herbs if they weren't effective - and that means potential risks. Kids as well as adults welcome.

Moving With Energy - Jonathan Dickau
I might prefer to reprise the Five elements and Four directions topic, as I have garnered so much new knowledge in that area of study.  If you would prefer something new, or something completely different, I can do that as well.  I am developing a new topic that involves the holographic nature of reality, and our being symbols of the creative process by which all form arises.  This topic was largely suggested by a recent Scientific American article, but it's something I've been working on myself, for quite a while.  A title?  "Is the Human Body a Holographic Image of Creation?"  That might work, but I might come up with a better name when I sit down to write a proposal.  Until then...

Norse Magic Medicine: Christian magic. - Jane Sibley
There is quite a variety of Christian magic which crops up in Norwegian folk medicine. Some is imported from the south, some is a retread or thin veneer over Pagan spellcraft, and some is original to Norse tradition. We will explore the roles of various Christian holy beings in spellcraft, as well as techniques and preventative medicine for man and beast.

Norse Magic Medicine - Jane Sibley
Basic concepts in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of various ailments, both physically and supernaturally caused, in traditional Norwegian folk medicine. We will be exploring this topic from the earliest records into the late 19th - early 20th century. Spellcraft and spells, the walking dead, curses and veterinary magic. We will be focusing on the Pagan tradition in this class.

Norseworking - Jane Sibley
This is a high-level, high-energy healing circle in the Norse tradition.  If you have never before participated in one of these circles, you must take the pre-requisite "Grounding 101", no matter your skill level.  This ritual will take several hours, so please come rested, fed, and pottied.  We will be doing intensive work, including (and as required)  healing, fertility magic, experimental magic, distance work, etc.  Please be *on time*, as the doors will be closed and guarded while the ritual is in progress. 

Pagan Intrafaith: understanding each other - Judy Harrow
As polytheists, most Pagans can easily understand that different people worship different particular God/desses, based on our personal values, goals, or concerns. But different types of Paganism have very different core understandings about exactly what a Deity is, or about the nature of religious tradition -- and these unexamined differences often lead to miscommunication among Pagans. This workshop will explore the range of thealogical similarities and differences within the broad range of contemporary Paganism.

Primary chakra system - Rev. Colleen Rose
The chakra system is the eastern way of tracking chi or life energy through the physical body. It is highly linked to the magikal and mundane energies that we run through our physical system. Join us to find out how to give yourself a tune-up.

Queen of Nightmares - Alexei Kondratiev
The traditional Celts saw all energy as a gift from a goddess -- including the energy that allowed warriors to fight in the defense of their community. This particular kind of energy, however, is very different from the creative energy more often sought after in cultural contexts: it is destructive and dangerous, and not desirable if it manifests outside the field of battle. The same can be said of the goddess whose lore we will explore here.

Santeria 101 - Witches Element
They have hidden well and kept their secrets.  Did you ever wonder what’s it all about?  How would you even start?  In this class, we will peek into the world of Santeria.  Learn the hierarchy, and who to call for what.  It is important to know how to approach or when not to.  Get to know the Saint/Orisha, what their specialties are, and what tools they use.  Come and ask your questions we will answer what we can.

Seid Utiseta - Jane Sibley
In keeping with the theme of this gathering, this will be a practical spiritual Voyage in which the participants are brought part of the way and the spkone goes further on, seeking answers to questions asked by the audience/participants. This type of trance travel was traditional in Norse magical practice, primarily performed by a v”lva or sei kona.

Spell Casting II - Working our magic - Witches Element
Okay, you’ve got your wand, your sword, your cup and your pentagram?  Now what are you going to do with them?  Have you been working your magic?  What have you done lately?  There are many forms of spell casting come and learn some new ideas.  Come and share some of your own.  Not everything goes as planned.  We all have a learning curve.  Do you know what went wrong?  Do you know how to correct mistakes or perfect your craft?  Learn the tools of the trade and new techniques.  Let’s roll up our sleeves and start doing.  In this class we will explore intermediate level spell casting. 

Spiritual Self-Care - Judy Harrow
Grounding, centering, shielding and managing personal energy
This workshop is for people who use magic to help others and would like to keep doing so for many years to come. We will share and explore ways to keep ourselves safe, strong, and fully connected to the Source.

Talismans in Femo Clay - Erik Burch
Easily worked and coming in a variety of colors, heat setting polymer clay is an excellent medium for the modern witch to form talismans and amulets.  All ages and skill levels wellcome.  Materials will be provided.

Tara -- Mother of the Buddhas - Black Lotus
Perhaps the most beloved deity of Tibet is Tara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.  We will discuss her origins in Hinduism and Taoism, her wide variety of colors and aspects, and some of the techniques to invoke her blessing.

Travails of the Culture Goddess - Alexei Kondratiev
All of the Indo-European traditions have a goddess who inspires and promotes creativity at all levels of culture. One of the constants in the mythology of these goddesses is that they must remain unmarried -- marriage prevents them from fulfilling their function. By comparing stories from India, Greece, Rome and the Celtic world we will discover why this motif is so important in relation to their role.

Transmutation:  The Art of Transformation - Rachel Ginther
Often, it seems, we know or have a sense of where we are blocked, where our issues are, yet how do we shift the energy and make a change? Learn an Ancient Atlantian/Lemurian/Egyptian Fire Ritual that releases energy patterns, behaviors, relationships, situations that no longer serve you, then create new energy patterns that support your growth and Life Purpose.  (May also include chanting and breathing exercises)

What’s Your Wicca I.Q.? - Laura Wildman
How much do you REALLY know about Wicca?
With questions based the book What’s Your Wicca I.Q.?, and covering subjects such as Doctrine, Spellcraft, Divination, Ceremonies, the history of witchcraft and more, come test your knowledge in a game of Wicca Trivial Pursuit.Everyone from Novice to Expert is invited to participate in this highly entertaining way of exploring Wicca. 

Woman¹s Ways - Answering the Call - Rachel Ginther
Goddess and Priestess, Divine Feminine Archtypes live within each of us, find and express their/your Essence. Explore seven archtypes of feminine expression through the chakra system.  Learn visualization and breathing techniques to activate the Divine Feminine energies in your body, consciousness and life.  The movement of energy and the movement of e-motion, energy in motion is an integral part of activating the Divine Feminine Chakra system.  E-motion is a powerful tool and force through which we can connect ot the depths of our Being.

Tentatively Scheduled Teachers

Spotlighted Classes

• Exploring Tarot Archetypes: A Mask Making Workshop - Helena Domenic
• The Sacred Bath:  Ritual Water Work - Rachel Ginther
• Sacred Mandalas - Rachel Ginther
• Rune Stick and Rune Tile Divination - Jane Sibly

Exploring Tarot Archetypes: A Mask Making Workshop
- Helena Domenic

Part One -In this workshop, we will visit the Tarot archetypes of our choice through guided meditation on the cards of the Major Arcana. Take special note of the imagery that comes to you while we journey - you will be using it to create a mask of your archetype. We will then partner up to create masks using plaster gauze. This workshop is a messy, art related one! Wear comfortable clothes you don't mind getting a little paint or plaster on.

Part Two In this workshop, we will paint the masks we created in Part one. We briefly will re-visit the meditations from the day before, and then paint our masks, using acrylic paints, glitter, feathers, whatever your heart desires!

The Sacred Bath:  Ritual Water Work
- Rachel Ginther

Using the ancient cleasing principle of the Ritual Bath we explore the element of water and it¹s necessity in our lives.  Each participant will make their own Ritual Bath with sacred alchemical ingredients - salt, flower essences, pure essential oils and the Divine energy of our Sacred Selves.

Sacred Mandalas
- Rachel Ginther

Using the bounty of the Earth to create an external reflection or our inner world.  A creation of beauty we can touch, see and experience that remind us of our true essence and our essential nature....  spirit in physical form. Tap into your Unconscious...  the place where e-motion live deeply.  Unlock your strengths and beauty...  find your Soul's Essence through the symbology expressed in your Personal Mandala. We will utilize various media to construct Mandala then we will explore their symbolism and meaning through our individual and group interpretations and process.

Rune Stick and Rune Tile Divination
- Jane Sibly

This intensive will be a hands-on practicum in Traditional (as opposed to New Age) divination with rune sticks and rune tokens.  The participants will learn divination techniques using both media. Rune divination is good for forecasting possible and probable outcomes in the coming year.