Mystic South offers a variety of different workshops and rituals presented by members of the Pagan, Polytheistic, Witchcraft, and Heathen community. This page lists all the currently confirmed workshops that will be offered! We will continue to add more workshops as we get closer to the event. A final schedule of workshops will be given out at check-in on site. You can download the most recent schedule of workshops and PAPERS by clicking here.
Be sure to REGISTER TODAY so that you can enjoy all of these workshops, rituals, and meditations! Your registration also includes access to all the headliner workshops, too, as well as our evening entertainment.
Looking for information about the Cherry Hill Summer Session happening at Mystic South? Click Here for all the details and the registration links for earning your CHS credits!
We've also flagged each workshop with any specific information or items you need to know ahead of time. Under the TYPE column, you will see different icons for each type of workshop or ritual. Here is what each each icon means:
Standard Workshop |
Workshop w/Meditation |
Workshop w/Special Item Needed |
Ritual |
| TITLE | DESCRIPTION | PRESENTER | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Flag Blessing | The American flag is a powerful unifying symbol for the United States, but that doesn't mean it can't use a boost from time to time. This ritual is intended to bless official American flags in the hope that all who see them will also see what they have in common with their neighbors and others who live in this country. Lore about the flag will also be shared.
Participants are encouraged to bring American flags — any that has ever been the official flag still counts as one — for this blessing. Terentios will also accept flags which cannot be repaired for respectful retirement in a Pagan ceremony which will take place later this year as it requires fire, not a good fit with the inside of a hotel. |
Terentios | |
| Ancestor Veneration Beyond The Altar | An informative workshop that looks at why we honor the Ancestors, how we honor the Ancestors (besides the traditional Ancestor Altar), and the benefits we reap when we honor our Beloved Dead. It is an especially important session for people coming from dysfunctional home environments or were adopted and disconnected from bloodlines. | Angela Kunschmann | |
| Are You a Sheep or a Dragon? Executive Leadership Principles For Today’s Pagans | As the Pagan community grows and changes, those who step into a leadership role – whether by choice or by chance – often feel overwhelmed. Use these top management principles and strategies from the executive suite to help you become a more effective leader in today’s Pagan community. Discussion will include leadership self-assessment to determine what kind of leader you are, using the Pareto principle to set goals, and how to translate business principles into spiritual leadership to create an educated and ethical clergy. | Patti Wigington | |
| Aroma and the Ancestors: Ancestor Veneration and the Home | Join Aromatherapist and Author of "Blackthorn's Botanical Magic" Amy Blackthorn, in a talk examining the history of aromatherapy & herbalism and how the two can be combined for use in the home. Working with the ancestors is not only a family practice, it can be a therapeutic one as well. We will discuss the nature of family, aromas in the home and magic. For those with a troubled family history, we will discuss therapeutic interventions that can help heal those traumas. How can aromatherapy connect you with loved ones that have crossed over? These questions and more will be answered.. | Amy Blackthorn | |
| Astral Projection, Dream Walking, plane walking | Techniques for lucid dreaming. Energy work and preparation for dream walking. What are the characteristics of planes, overworlds and underworlds. How to remember your dreams and planes. Lucid dreaming techniques, are the first set of tools in dream walking. Energy work and preparation, helps you be able to manage and experience other planes, overworlds, underworlds and others, and return relatively unscathed. It takes bringing your true and authentic self, to manage it, along with the energy changes. What does that mean and why?
What are these planes like, why can these dreams and experience be so weird and shift so much. What are these creatures? And how do I remember all of this? Plane walking versus Dream Walking, what is this difference, and you can do this awake! How to do this without spending or hurting your own energy? How do I protect myself on these travels? Bear and Archonstone has many decades of experience of plane walking. Lady Ursa dances with the land and on ley lines." |
Bear and Archonstone, Lady Ursa | |
| Building Community Among Solitary Practitioners | Building community among solitary practitioners can be challenging in these introverted, technology-led times. People prefer isolation or interacting with their phone and laptop screens, or they may be too physically far away from magical communities to participate in rituals or social events. How do we reach out to members of our community, and build community where there seemingly might not be one? I will discuss ideas and suggestions based on years of my own work in building community within various groups. In addition to social media, there are a variety of ways to engage solitary practitioners to feel connected and engaged, while respecting solitude and distance.. | Lisa Wagoner | |
| Celtic Fairies in America | Many people relate to and discuss fairies in the context of European traditions, yet as populations migrated so did the spirits they related to. We find stories of fairies and pixies, will o the wisps and fairy rings, in folklore recorded back as far as the early 1800's and we also hear modern anecdotes of fairy encounters. In this workshop we will look at these occurrences and discuss the presence of Celtic fairies in America, what it means for both humans and other cultural types of fairies, and how people can relate to these specific beings. As human populations have moved so have the spirits connected to them and this has created a complex and complicated modern tapestry of beings that we may encounter and deal with today. | Morgan Daimler | |
| Christian Identity Hate Groups: An Unfortunate Southern Heritage | The threat of hate groups in the Southern United States is growing. Magical communities have in many cases have become targets of acts of hatred and violence. There is a philosophical thread that streams through much of the violent ideologies of the Klan, Neo-Nazis and Sovereign Citizens. The Christian Identity movement has given a theological foundation for numerous acts of violence from the bombing of abortion clinics to the targeting of police and several attacks on members of the LGBQT community. This workshop provides information on the culture and history of Christian Identity from its formation from British-Israelism to modern day right wing extremists. This workshop includes a display of sacred texts, clothing and propaganda used by Christian Identity extremists. | Tony Kail | |
| Conjuring Spoons: Accessible Craft | Facilitated by an Autistic witch, this workshop will include a 30-minute group discussion on how to design and modify practices that are accessible for diverse needs and levels of ability. An overview of various considerations will be presented, along with practical activities for practitioners - including the use of American Sign Language (ASL) in spellwork, nonverbal ritual, and a disability-specific grounding. Open to all; during the discussion portion, priority will be given to the voices and opinions of disabled and neurodiverse participants when applicable. | Elleia | |
| 2018- Cooperation, Revelation, and Two for Tea | Still reeling from the wild ride in 2016 and its aftermath in 2017? Come and explore the combined energies of the year 2018. As we continue in the cycle of nine, let’s dive deep into the challenges and joys of the 11/2 path in numerology and tarot. Bring paper, pen, your tarot deck,, and if you are so inclined, tea. | Clio Ajana | |
| Cult-Proof Your Coven: Organizational Tips for Sharing Leadership Duties, Avoiding Conflicts, and Eliminating Abuse of Power | Cult: (1) a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object. (2) a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister. (3) a misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing.Covens, groves, hearths and groups of spiritual cohorts within paganism all share the need for effective small-group organization that aids its members with shared leadership duties, and a means to avoid conflicts. Most importantly, it behooves us as a burgeoning religious movement to create small-group structures that help eliminate potential abuses of power, giving individuals a means to address concerns in a constructive manner. Unless your group works through these issues in advance of difficulties, you leave yourself vulnerable to liabilities and schisms. This workshop emerges from the 9 year process of failures and successes to build a new tradition of egalitarian, self-initiatory, Modern Witchcraft from the ground up. Our ideas were born from first-hand experiences under the unethical misconduct of former pagan leaders. We continue to evolve, currently a group of around 30 members, and offer our tips and tricks in the hopes that other groups will be prepared to handle similar challenges effectively. Ideas will be presented for writing a group mission statement, and a charter for establishing shared leadership duties. We'll present examples of an Individual's Bill of Rights; Non-discrimination policies; Sexual/Romantic conduct guidelines for those in teacher/mentor positions; and dispute resolution systems that allow all members of the group access to mediation. |
Heron Michelle | |
| Curses and Hexing: The Taboo Art of Empowering the Disenfranchised | From the curse tablets found across the ancient world, to the Kabbaslistic Pulsa D'Nura invoked in modern times, curses and hexing have been a part of magickal work from the very beginning. In modern times hex work is a taboo subject. Yet cursing is just another tool in our magickal toolkit, and can be a last resort to even the odds when there are no other recourse. In this workshop we will look at the ethical practices of curses, protocols, safeguards, and some of the reasons why this practice has been considered taboo in modern times. As well as how to recognized when we are the target of such workings, and reversal work. We will also look at historical examples of curse work, and some of our modern concepts of the mechanics of magic and how they differed from ancient practitioners. | Stephanie Woodfield and Edward Rickey | |
| Diversity and Inclusion in the Pagan Community | Since the 1950s the English-speaking world has developed a renewed interest in practicing ancient, pre-Christian spiritual traditions. Though many of these traditions are new, they often draw inspiration from mythology, folklore, and the Western Mystery Tradition. Now, “Neo-Pagan” faiths are practiced throughout Europe, the Americas, and Australasia. During this class, we will discuss the history of modern Paganism, providing a context for exploring how race, ethnicity and ancestry complicate ideas of Pagan “inclusion” and whether groups often seen as “non-Western” or with origins in non-Western parts of the world have a role within the modern Pagan community. | Evan Barton and Sara Amis | |
| Encountering the Land's Spirit | The ancient Romans called them “numina” and the Norse called them Jotuns; the Aborigine people of Australia call them the ancestors of the Dreamtime. Today, Spirits of the Land large and small still reside in rivers and hills, mountains, fields, marshlands and aquifers. They are the foundation for Life and Spirit, but they often go unnoticed. Modern pagans often reach for the gods they’re familiar with and pass by the Land Itself, with its subtle rhythms and energies. However, these are founts of great power and mystery—sources of magick and healing that are always available to a humble seeker. Breathe the air that is their breath, walk upon the soil that is their skin, drink the water that is their blood and tears… kindle the fire in your spirit! Join us to discover the Land’s Spirit in Atlanta, Georgia and those homeland beings whose molecules reside in your body, blood, and breath.
**Interested participants should bring a natural object from their homes to investigate as proxy for their local spirits, back home… Or they can bring their own bodies for the experience, already carrying a multitude of presences within.** |
Dayan Martinez and Whale Maiden | |
| Feather and Bone | Learn more about working with animal parts in your magical practice. We are blessed to live in such a biodiverse region and this class will talk more about how to incorporate the energies of our native animals into your spiritual practice. The workshop will include tips and tricks on how to prepare specimens for ritual use, working with animal spirits for vegans, and a meditation on animal spirits while using animal bones and feathers. | Jen | |
| The Feminist History of Witchcraft | Feminist witchcraft has been described in the news lately as a sort of new-fangled fad (Kids these days!). We know it's neither. But the connection is more historically substantial, and older, than you might think. Come find out why Agrippa is the first feminist, and other fun facts. | Sara Amis | |
| Got My Mojo Workin: The Ethnomusicology of Southern Hoodoo and the Blues | Many of the beliefs and practices of African-American folk magic and conjure were celebrated and honored in the music of the Delta and Chicago Blues. Roots, curios and spiritual practices were 'coded' in the lyrics of several classical Blues hits. This unique workshop will take attendees on a historical voyage into the fields of the Delta and the streets of Chicago as anthropologists Jack Montgomery and Tony Kail share about the impact that Southern Hoodoo made on the Blues. Famed Blues musicians such as Muddy Waters, Johnnie Temple and Robert Johnson will come alive as Jack Montgomery plays some of their greatest hits while both share blues history through slides, video and performance. | Tony Kail & Jack Montgomery | |
| Harming None: Avoiding Cultic Behavior in Magical Communities | Spiritual traditions around the world have been prostituted by coercive leaders who demand emotional, financial and physical obedience. Magical traditions have become in many cases ‘hunting grounds’ for sexual predators and egomaniacs. Tony Kail and Jack Montgomery will share cases, testimonies and solutions for this ever-growing problem. The focus of this workshop is to understand the dangers of cultic behavior and how magical communities can become pro-active in protecting their community. | Tony Kail & Jack Montgomery | |
| How to NOT get your Arse kicked by a Ghost | Do you hunt ghosts or do ghosts hunt you? In this workshop you will learn the ways that ghosts can interact or interfere in our lives and what you can do about it. Tammy has over 20 years of experience in helping people understand and resolve issues surrounding paranormal activity. With humor and stories, she delivers a workshop on this serious topic in a way to keep you rolling in your seats while you learn the signs of paranormal interference and practical methods to protect yourself from the unseen. |
Tammy | |
| How to tip-toe through the tulips….and return. (A guided journey) | In this workshop we take a deep look into the traditions of Fairy Superstitions and Folklore of the Celtic people. We will journey through stories of old and new to discover that everything that glitters is not fae and dancing on a star or sliding down a moon-beam does not always lead to enchantment. Did the gods and goddesses of the past become fairy in our stories or have the fairies transformed into our gods and goddess? Or both? Here now, take my hand and walk this path with me…into the realms of The Celtic Fairy Faith.
In today’s modern times, the Fairy Faith has taken a drastic change from the lore of the past, but one common theme runs through both traditions…Respect. A brief overview of the transformation and current belief systems of the Fairy Faith followed by a guided meditation to meet your fairy guide. Please bring a stone or something pleasing as an offering at the completion of your meditation. Fairies are fond of things shiny, dairy products, gummy candy and honey. |
Tammy | |
| Introduction to Medicine style and animal oracle cards: | This 1 hour workshop focuses on animal oracles and teaches you how to use these cards and the different layouts used. This is the type of cards I use the most when reading for other people and even myself. The workshop will be taught primarily using either white eagle or Medicine Hat decks What to bring to class the White Eagle Medicine Card deck (or any other medicine card deck you have) I use several different decks in this category but focus primarily around the shapeshifter tarot, shaman tarot and the Medicine Hat medicine cards. |
Wandering Free Spirit | |
| Landwights | A discussion and practical guide to working with Landwights of course starting with what are they. Concentrating more on heathen practices since I’m writing this particular class up for a heathen group. I will combine practices from throughout Europe as well as my experiences living in Illinois, Florida, and North Carolina. |
Wandering Free Spirit | |
| Lies at the Core: Anti-Shamanism, Spiritual Exploitation, Erasure, and Exclusion | A critical and ontological look at key foundational errors in much of what is (inaccurately) called “shamanism” in contemporary American spiritual practices, especially as rooted in exploitative structures catered to Western spiritual seekers based on late 20th-century teaching platforms. This discussion will posit why the teachings in many of these practices and paradigms would be more accurately described as “anti-shamanism”, and how they differ from indigenous animist traditions of religious and spiritual relations. This presentation will examine some of the damages and erasure done by these pursuits, and how they hurt both participant-practitioner-seekers, as well as the harm done to significantly less visible sets of demographics frequently excluded from consideration in these highly marketable and popularized, trending “traditions”. Presentation will include profanity, badly drawn geographical maps and diagrams, chronological timelines, and ontological theory on spiritual taxonomy. This is not a discourse on cultural appropriation, which is a separate and important topic well-covered elsewhere. Presentation affirms traditions of literal animistic and polytheistic world-views and orientations, e.g. spirits and gods are real, not hypothetical, archetypal or humanistically centered. | Anomalous | |
| The Multi-Part Soul and Paganism | Cultures across the world have a surprising similarity, a nearly universal concept that the soul was not a single entity but that it had parts to it that ended up in different places after death. This near universality of the multi-part soul impacts how we then should from those pre-Christian views see the role of ancestors, spirits, and the dead within religion and belief. This view is one we have unfortunately become disconnected with due to the predominant, modern cultural view of the soul as a single entity. Yet historically, the belief in a single soul is actually more rare than a multi-part soul and generally speaking belief in a single soul is much more modern. As an Anglo-Saxon Heathen, I have been trying to understand the world view of the pre-Christian people whose religion and beliefs I seek to reconstruct. I will look at not just Anglo-Saxon paganism but also various other religions and beliefs across the world that share a belief in a multi-part soul. | J. Beofeld | |
| Norse Cosmology: How it began and will end | It started and ends in fire. What happens in between will be discussed and explained. Learn the difference between Marvel Comics and reality. | Birna Isleifsdottir | |
| The Orisha: An Introduction | The Traditional Religions of West Africa are both a central component of the Southern magical culture and a hidden one. The Orisha- the spiritual emissaries in African Traditional Religion- were demonized and suppressed as enslavement of West Africans also included religious conversion and severing of familial and ancestral lineages. Today, while Orisha veneration has become more prominent, Orisha remain poorly. In this workshop, we explore the nature of Orisha, their origins and their place in religious cosmology of parts of West Africa. The workshop touches on the religious systems that involve Orisha but focuses more on approaching and understanding Orisha. | Manny Tejeda-Moreno | |
| Pagan and Heathen Families - Ritual DIY | We Southerners are all about family, but sometimes it can be hard to know what to do with your family within a Pagan or Heathen context. This workshop is to help all types of families (those with kids and those without) to create rich religious traditions tailored to them. In this workshop we will talk about the different types of rituals; this includes 'everyday' rituals such as meal blessings and weekly game nights, 'holiday' rituals such as giving Yule presents and planting trees on Earth Day, and 'as needed' rituals such as rites of passage and healing rituals. We will also define what makes something a ritual and how to make it effective to your family members. We will consider a 'ritual recipe' and discuss how it could be followed or adapted for personal use. In addition, we will address how rituals can change and grow over time as the family grows and changes.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: |
Aline and Sherree | |
| Pagan InterPlay - Dance, sing, and tell your story! | InterPlay is an active, creative way to unlock the wisdom of the body. This system of creative self-expression was developed about 25 years ago by Cynthia Winton-Henry and Phil Porter. InterPlay is based in a series of incremental forms using movement, spoken word, and music that allow participants to express themselves and have fun. It's a practice that affirms the good in people and encourages all ages to enjoy relaxing play and connections with people. Above all, InterPlay is fun! There's no right or wrong way to do InterPlay, so you can't do it wrong. Part of InterPlay is telling your story. The theme for this workshop is ""What brought you here?"" We'll explore our journey into pagan life through various InterPlay forms, including spoken word, movement, and music. We'll begin with a gentle warm-up that's adaptable to folks with physical limitations, and then move into a movement form set to music. Next, we'll do a little babbling, a story telling form that lets us get to know each other and allows us to tell the story of how we set out on our path. Last, we'll do a hand-to-hand dance in honor of our path and, if we choose, share a little about our thoughts and feelings.For more information about InterPlay and to locate a group near you, go to http://www.interplay.org/index.cfm/go/home/ About me: I'm a certified InterPlay leader from Byron, GA, who has been teaching InterPlay for about 5 years. I do computer stuff to pay the bills. I'm a mom to three grown kids and two naughty cats." |
Jennifer | |
| Pentacle Approach to Wellness in Dark Times | A holistic approach to wellness is based upon the interconnection between consciousness and the body. A magickal approach to wellness works for a harmonic balance between many subtle layers of the self: mental, emotional, will and spiritual bodies form a lens through which you experience your physical body, and vice versa. As above, so below. When these layers of self are in balance with each other, we are at “ease.” When there is a disruption, we have “dis-ease."
The greater part of the practice of Witchcraft is about conquering our fears, healing ourselves, and claiming our sovereignty. Maintaining balance comes first, allowing us to respond effectively during times of difficulty. The Modern Witchcraft praxis offers us a handy framework to approach balance through the five points of the Pentacle, and the five elements: Spirit, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. This workshop integrates Hermetic Principles, and the Witches Pyramid of Elemental Magick, with practical tips for a team approach to maintaining wellness between the physical, mental, will, emotional and spiritual bodies. Concludes with a guided meditation. Based on a blog series that begins at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/witchonfire/2016/11/pentacle-approach-wellness |
Heron Michelle | |
| Plunging Toilets for the Morrigan: Things you Wish People Had Told You About Priestwork | Priesthood is not for everyone, and that is ok. You may in fact find you identify as a devotee of a deity or have a deep dedication to them but never take on the role of a Priest/ess. But if you do priesthood is not simply “leveling up as a Pagan”. It’s a step not everyone will take or should take. Entering into this level of devotion to a deity changes a person and it isn’t always glamourous or all it’s cracked up to be. Forget what you have been told about billowing ritual robes, the fancy expensive ritual tools, and the title and prestige of being a priest/ess. Let’s talk about the difficult gritty work of priesthood, the things you wished you would have know before hand, and the behind the scenes work that no one ever sees. | Stephanie Woodfield and Edward Rickey | |
| Quaker worship | In Quaker practice, no tools, rituals, or leaders are required to commune with the divine. Instead, they gather to worship in silence, which is broken occasionally when spirit moves someone to share a message aloud as vocal ministry. Join Terentios, a "convinced friend," who will facilitate this deep and powerful form of worship. | Terentios | |
| Religious Constitution: Maintaining and Restoring Lineage, Tradition, and Continuity of Relation | Polytheistic and animist traditions are religions of relation. Religions are vessels which contain a body of agreements and covenantal boundaries, just as other relationships, (such as amorous or sexual relationships, professional employment relationships, military or educational relationships, and so on), each have some structured container which holds the boundaries and expectations to be found therein. This presentation takes a look at these relationship dynamics, and explores concepts of LINEAGE, TRADITION, and CONTINUITY in theory and practice, accounting for the RESTORATION and RECONSTITUTION of lost or damaged religiosity, as well as the stages of MAINTAINING that which is presently intact, be it ancient, old, modern, rebuilt, or squeaky-new. Relationships of all sorts are tricky, and require an understanding of self, role, place, and those other agents and beings (such as organizations, individuals, living humans, ancestors, spirits or gods) in order to be configured in healthy and measured balance. Presentation will include profanity, minimalist social & relational theory, and an affirmation of literal animistic and polytheistic world-views and orientations, e.g. spirits and gods are real, not hypothetical, archetypal or humanistically centered. | Anomalous | |
| Sacred indigenous instruments | An educational presentation discussing indigenous instruments from across the world and their cultural significance in the sacred perspective. Every culture has indigenous instruments that they hold sacred; explore the various instruments, their uses, how they are made, cultural significance and traditional playing techniques. Armed with an eclectic collection of instruments William will educate, inspire, and expand your perspectives on instruments and their traditional/spiritual uses. | Llevin and Gwenllian | |
| SAINTS IN THE CIRCLE – Syncretism in German Traditional Witchcraft | When we contemplate syncretic religions in the South, we often think of those wonderful African traditions transplanted into the new world, such as Voodoo and Santeria. However, many esoteric institutions in Europe have enjoyed the protections and benefits of synchronizing their traditional beliefs with Catholicism since the middle ages. In this presentation you will be introduced to the history of a particular German traditional witchcraft, which had intentionally adopted a local system of syncretism to aid in their survival, forming the bedrock of its own Craft liturgy. You will meet with the medieval cult of Catholic saints who served to preserve a secret polytheism and the unique nature of its ancient gods. The presenter will also explain some of the beliefs and practices of this German witchcraft and you will have the opportunity to view a selection of its ritual tools and images. If you are interested in syncretic religions, the history of magical traditions, the roots of German-American esoterica or traditional European witchcraft, this presentation may offer you a curious glimpse into a little known and shadowy corner of the magical world. | William | |
| The Secret Country of Yourself | Within each of us there is a hidden, living land, immense and forbidding, wondrous and brilliant. There you find treasures hidden between the stars, in the lights and shadows, the schools and cathedrals of your most holy being. Using materials from her book, The Secret Country of Yourself: Discover the Magic of Your Endless Inner World, Jenya teaches how the exploration of your sacred inner landscape can strengthen your connections and help you to better serve your family and community. | Jenya T. Beachy | |
| Self-Care for Magical Folks | Presented by a licensed clinical social worker, this workshop will discuss techniques of self-care and wellness as they apply to Pagans and occultists. The outline of the workshop will follow the bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective of wellness that is used in the healthcare industry. The presenter will combine evidence-based interventions in conjunction with Pagan/occult practices to apply mainstream healthcare to a magical perspective. The participant will have the opportunity to discuss ways to combine mainstream self-care techniques with magical practices. The biological perspective will include discussions on nutrition, sleep, physical well-being, the use of herbs and medication, advocating for a Pagan-friendly medical practitioner, and exercise. The psychological perspective will discuss the importance of mental well-being, the use of therapy, advocating for a Pagan-friendly mental health professional, and psychological theories as they apply to Neo-Paganism. This conversation will also briefly address the experience of trauma, including ancestral trauma. The social perspective will discuss the importance of community, family, and friends. This discussion will include conversations on covens/groves/circles, and the importance of finding community while practicing a minority religion. We will discuss maintaining social relationships, such as through drumming, singing, chanting, dancing, and soup. The spiritual perspective will discuss religion and spirituality from a strengths-based perspective. We will discuss the importance of spiritual self-care through magical and energetic means. We will also discuss ways to maintain healthy relationships with spirits/ancestors/deities, and how to balance the spiritual/magical worlds with the mundane. These conversations will focus on techniques common to Neo-Paganism and the occult, as well as interventions in psycho-therapy. We will discuss mindfulness techniques and other evidence-based practices. This workshop will discuss tips and techniques useful to a wide audience, including those who live with mental illness, physical disabilities, or others who find themselves struggling with self-care, emotional/physical/community/social support, or with balance on day-to-day matters. | Rev. Amanda Lee Morris, MSW, LCSW-A | |
| Shamanic Singing Journey | A spontaneous Shamanic journey meditation, guided by song. We will travel to a power place in non ordinary reality, and meet with a teacher to facilitate guidance, and personal healing for the participants. Afterward, participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their experiences. | Lori Banks | |
| THE SIN-EATER: Parish Pariah or Pagan Priest | Once a common funerary custom in the British Isles, Sin-eating has persisted in the quiet hollows of the South well into living memory. Historically portrayed as a ghoulish practice in which a loathsome outcast willingly consumes the transgressions of the dead; the role of the Sin-eater both intrigues and repulses. But to those immersed in pre-Christian spiritual traditions, what has come to be called Sin-eating is a charitable act; a magical and priestly function that not only deals the care of the soul, but its progression into the next life. More than an obscure funerary custom, Sin-eating embodies evidence of an old-world wisdom which continues to permeate local syncretic belief and practices. In this workshop we will focus on Welsh and Scottish traditions to delve into the origins of Sin-eating and explore its place within a deeply cultural context. We will untangle literary accounts to reveal a prevailing concept of the Soul and its journey as demonstrated through old-way funerary rites. We will discuss the role of the pagan priest; sharing learnings and insights from an ‘inside’ practice. We will explore the traditional use of voice and symbolism and learn specific applications used to bring comfort to the dying and ease the unquiet Soul. |
Llevin and Gwenllian | |
| Spiritual Decluttering | In the heat of summer, we pause to look at what matters to us as we prepare for the harvests during this dark half of the year. In balance, we enjoy what is to come more when we have divested ourselves of what is no longer needed. Spiritual decluttering removes the “clots” or stuck areas from our lives. Whether you are a solitary practitioner or have been with the same group for years, we pause to look at our voices, our authentic selves, and our responses to our community and world. In this hands-on workshop, we will address you will gain insight into various methods of Spiritual Decluttering using your own tradition or path, how to keep track of your decluttering journey, and how to address the "stuck" spots that inevitably arise. | Clio Ajana | |
| Sustenance Farming as a Pagan: How almost dying changed my life | How nearly dying changed the way I live. I have never feared death. But this experience changed the way I look at and do things. | Louis Garou | |
| Tea, How Sweet it Is | Join Magical Herbalist and Author of "Blackthorn's Botanical Magic" Amy Blackthorn, in a magical talk revolving around the magical and ritual use of Tea. Amy started her magical tea shop, Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends years ago, after a spell inspired her to keep creating. We will discuss the ways tea can enrich lives, focus on ritual use, magical practice and how it can act as a devotional for the Gods. Then we will dive headfirst into the realm of tea by discussing our own! Remember to bring a notebook to write down and record your own ideas for magical blends for a family use, magic or devotional work. | Amy Blackthorn | |
| Thrifty Pagan workshop | Spells, rituals, and prayers around money are incredibly common, but if they work, why aren't all the people who use them wealthy? Some money magic just doesn't keep it real because it doesn't allow space to act in accordance with the will. Perhaps it's difficult to act accordingly when it comes to money because very little is taught about how to handle and manage money in the first place.
In this workshop, learn about the thrift. The word is now mostly associated with discount stores and boy scouts, but as a value it can provide a sound basis for money management and magic alike. |
Terentios | |
| Trauma and Ancestral Work | What role does ancestral energy have in our daily life? How is trauma passed through ancestral lineages? How can we connect to and assist in healing the ancestors and thus ourselves? What’s the difference between the dead and the ancestors? This presentation will look at some of the science behind ancestral healing as well as provide examples of how some people do ancestral healing. We will also look at how the American Shamanism Movement community builds home ancestral altars to assist their dead in healing themselves while keeping the living safe. | David Laughing Crow and Amy Lohr, LCSW | |
| Unity Through Community: Organizing Public Pagan Events | Want to level up with your Pagan event planning? Depending on where you live, odds are good that at some point, you’ve thought about hosting a public Pagan event. So, how do you get one off the ground? From rounding up volunteers to fundraising to dealing with interlopers, we’re going to look at all the unique issues that you’ll need to keep in mind when you organize a public Pagan festival, ritual, or other event. | Patti Wigington | |
| Weather Lore Unraveled | Ring around the Moon, rain or snow by noon... but Why?!? It turns out there is a sound scientific reason behind many of the “old timey” ways to predict weather. Come learn the science behind some well known weather lore. | Debra Burris | |
| Witches Broom Dance | Sacred Dance connects us to each other in a non-verbal relationship that bypasses many social restrictions and misunderstandings. We connect with our ancestors who celebrated rites of passage by moving with each other around a central fire in a circular pattern. We raise energy into our magical workings now by moving in circular patterns using our inner fires to build the power even without an actual bonfire.
The dance that we that we will be learning, birthed by the Wolfschager Hexenbrut of Germany, exploded in popularity through the Internet two years ago and has been seen by millions and millions of appreciative viewers. The dance has been reinterpreted by many Wiccan groups around the country at festivals and can be seen on YouTube. I will teach the choreography to this fun, energetic and joyful dance with a witch’s broom as a prop. If enough folks take the workshop and want to perform for the larger Mystic South group during the entertainment section or as part of the ritual it would be a fabulous bonus for everyone. Everyone needs to bring a broom with a handle at least waist high! The broom can be decorated with ribbon, stones, bells, feathers, anything fun and creative." |
Lady Magdalena | |
| Wodan and the Wild Hunt | This workshop will look at the intersection between the mythology of the God Wodan and the folklore surrounding the Wild Hunt. The Wild Hunt is found across Europe and in America and has many different leaders and members, but one of the most interesting iterations is the version led by the Germanic God Wodan. We will discuss the wider folklore of the Wild Hunt as well as the specific versions which Wodan appears to lead, who sometimes leads with him, and the possible connections of Wodan's Hunt with human cultus and ritual. | Morgan Daimler |