2017 Panels
Art as a Spiritual Practice Panel:
Rebecca Hamilton-Oubouzar, Ann Marie Morales-Ear, Sarah Livermore, Mary Kimball mod.
When our ancestors started painting cave walls, the subject matter and placement made it clear that this was seen as something spirit filled, not just decorative. Even now, an artist often will be in an “altered state” while working. Specific images that apparently came from somewhere else (and are recognized by an unintended viewer) are downloaded into our heads. The art itself, whether painted, sculpted, musical or other forms helps facilitate others entering sacred states. Our panelists will discuss how they work and how they interact with their daimons and muses and others who direct their art.
Ancestor Panel What if your Ancestors are A**holes?
Nichole Kilburg, Robert Nolan, Thor Halvorsen, Willow Taylor
What do you do if your dead relatives are assholes? Well, hopefully it’s not all of them. If you need a familial intermediary, you go back another generation or you go to the next closer relative. But… sometimes that jackanape of a relative is meant to work with you… that, is where it gets tricky… because they are a byproduct of their lifetime, they have baggage and biases etc. it may be that you and (s)he have synergistic issues, and you need to deal with your problem to heal him, or vice versa. Our families, living and dead, are not unmixed blessings, but they are a great resource. Let’s talk techniques for coming to terms with when family pushes buttons.
City Spirits Panel:
Starwolf, Amy Wilson, Sara Mastros, Raven Kaldera mod
Most of us tend to think of paganism as a nature-based religion, but traditionally Cities all had their patron dieties (Athena and Athens, Atun and Amarna, Bath and Sulis), but modern cities have their patrons as well (like Lady Liberty for the USA). There are other spirits as well, less often considered but whose presence is clear if you seek them: the spirits of bridges, subways, skyscrapers, Squat- the giver of parking spots…(I don’t park 6 levels underground without leaving some change as an offering to whatever it is down there… just in case). Let’s talk about these spirits and the best ways to interact with them.
Communion with the Gods Panel:
Coyote Skywoman, Thor Halvorsen, Ariel Sirocco, Starwolf mod.
How do we know what the gods prefer in respecting them? Can we apply “peer review” do this quesiton? We look to the lore and folk stories, or literary works, but use personal gnosis as well. How do you feel about this approach? How do we “vett” knowledge gained that way? Pathworking is individual, as varied as the sands on the beach, how can peer review be applied? Some believe “anything goes”, “whatever works”, snf fluidity is more important than formality, and this approach makes it into a plethora of books. How do we separate the grain from the chaff? Academic vs personal experience? When there is so much information, how do we stay informed, educated, and able to screen sources, especially since we don’t have a accepted core set of formal literature?
Complex Trauma (see below under Trauma)
Conveying Bad News Panel:
Ann Marie Morales-Ear, Cathrine Kane, Lois Fitzpatrick, Willow Taylor mod.
This one is for healers and diviners, and spiritual helpers. How do you tell someone that their condition is not going to get better? That the one the client loves is not going to leave spouse and family for them? How do you help people understand that they need to take responsibility for their own problems, without sounding like you’re blaming the victim, but really, they are the only one who can help themselves? How can you tell someone something they need to hear, when they don’t want to hear it…? We’re in this because we want to help, but even when it breaks our hearts, sometimes we can’t bridge the gap. Many of us find it unacceptable to lie, but the truth isn’t something they want to see, or maybe something we want to tell. Panelists will share their experiences and best advice for this hard challenge.
Ethics of Magick Panel:
Starwolf, Krystal Madison, Amy Wilson, Thor Halvorsen, Luna Hacker, Starwolf mod
To Hex or not to Hex, The Wiccan Rede, the 9 Noble Virtues and other wisdom lore address ethics of using magick. Some people believe in the Rede, others do not, and follow a more eye-for-an-eye approach to magic retaliation. Some believe in the threefold law. Some belief in nature having its own balance, and so law of conservation dictates matter cannot be created nor destroyed, is that true with Magic? When we put our energy out there, does intent and purpose change us? Them? Have you personally suffered or seen a curse in action? What do you believe and why?
Herbalism Panel:
Marita Orr, Raven Kaldera, Lady AMber Dawn, Tchipakkan mod.
Many of us use herbs in our practice, for healing, and for magickal purposes. We talk to plants, as we grow, harvest and prepare them. But there are as many ways to use herbs are there are practitioners. Come listen to our panelists describe their relationships to herbs and ask questions you may have been wondering who to ask. If we have four panelists, we may well have five or more answers to each question.
House Spirits Panel:
Starwolf, Mary Kimball, Ray Taylor, Tchipakkan mod
Our panelists will talk about their experiences with house spirits/ Brownies, what they’ve seen personally or heard second hand, how do you contact them? Support / feed them/ attract them if your house or apartment doesn’t seem to have one? How do you get them to come along when you move? Where do they stay(under the sink like a house elf in Harry Potter)? Come if you have questions or stories to share.
Magical Tattoos Panel:
Coyote Skywoman, Mary Kimball, Patty Taylor
Tattoos go beyond simple body decoration; they are often
symbolic, showing cultural and personal identity. We may not
know what Otzi the Iceman’s tattoos meant- but they show that
people have been using tattooing for thousands of years. The
tattoos of the Pacific Islanders tell stories, and reinforce identity,
and there are many magickal signs and symbols permanently
binding gods and their followers. Our panelists will share their
experiences with the effects of these contracts “drawn in blood”.
Palmistry Panel:
Catherine Kane, Raven Kaldera, Tchipakkan mod.
Let’s get a bunch of experienced readers to explore techniques that work best for them! How do you characterize hand shapes: round or square, or psychic, philosophers, spatulate? or earth/air/fire/and water? Have you seen lines change during readings? How do you compare the right and left hands? Do you read the fingerprints? Do you read from prints or scanned hand images? Is your tradition European, Indian, Chinese, or very eclectic? How do you (if you do) read the number of children or marriages? There are many differences, and many similarities in palm reading systems, it will be fun to compare them.
Raising Psychic or Magic Children Panel:
Krystal Madison, Ray Taylor, Amy Wilson, Tchipakkan mod
Is there anything we worry about more than what we’re teaching our children? They are born with so much potential, we want them to be as powerful as they can be, and still not be hurt. How do we help them develop their talents and abilities, to do what we do, or more than what we do, safely and respectfully. How do we protect them from the world that doesn’t want them to be extraordinary- and the dangers of the worlds that are? How do we teach them to keep things we know to be OK secret so they won’t be teased, yet let them know not to be ashamed? Let’s share what we’ve learned, and hope it will make all our children’s lives easier.
Rune Panel on the Aettir (or families):
Starwolf, Jane Sibley, Thor Halvorsen, Tchipakkan mod
The Futharc is organized into three rows Feoh’s aett, Hagal’s aett, and Tyr’s aett. (although there are variations in the names of runes and their positions, and the number in each family is different in the elder and younger futharc and there are more in the Anglo-Frisian variation). This organization provides a tool for rune users, sometimes used in doing readings or workings. Our panelists will discuss the ways they use the aettir.
Sacred Hospitality Panel:
Jane Sibley, Mary Kimball, Sara Mastros, Robert Nolan mod
What do you do if you feel that Sacred Hospitality requires you to feed any guest in your home, but you also feel that it is the sharing of food that binds the guest and host together, and you really don’t like the buddy that one of your friends brought along? Does your belief system allow you some escape clause like “I gave him milk, not water, so it’s not a breach of etiquette to run a tent-stake through his head.” Many ancient cultures had limitations- a guest bond only lasted three days, for example.
In a multi-cultural world we don’t have common rules; most of the modern world isn’t even aware of the sacred nature of the guest- host bond. But what one culture considers required, another may consider forbidden. Let’s bring some of these unexpressed beliefs into the light and examine them in the light of the modern world and our personal experiences with the gods and beings of other realms?
Shaman Panel- Hauntings and Apparitions:
Sarah Livermore, Starwolf, Luna Hacker, Coyote Skywoman, Raven Kaldera mod
Our panel of shamans will talk about dealing with the spiritual world. They will discuss how to prepare a haunted place, and prepare yourself for interacting with or cleansing the dwelling of unfriendly spiritual beings and influences, or helping friendly ones. They’ll discuss their experiences in dealing with the spiritual world, and how expectation, effects experiences, and practices, and how to tell between non-sentient negative energy pools, and entities that have an agenda (at odds with those living there).
Theatrically Magickal “Stuff” Panel:
Kathryn Smith, Ariel Sirocco, Raven Kaldera, Skywolf, Willow mod
Many use theatrical techniques to create the altered states for Magic. Some adorn costumes, some surround themselves with props and theatrics, sexuality, and where some partake of helping substances to achieve altered states, for magic and self-exploration, and enlightenment. Some swear by it, others are turned off by “props and costumes”, and question its validity. Magic is not always explained by science, and often shrouded in myth and lore. Where is the balance? How do we make the experiences safe, if we do partake? If they are safe, will they work? What are the ethical factors? What are some considerations people have run into?
Trauma: Informed Holistic Modalities Panel:
Sarah Livermore, Thor Halvorsen, Skywolf, Nicole Kilburg mod
Complex Trauma-informed holistic modalities, ritual and practice.
Don’t put a band aid on a gaping wound! Trauma fragments the self and conditions self-blame. Complex and sustained trauma conditions the brain in ways in which an individual may not be aware. People can “wake up” to their trauma history in their 50s and 60s after decades of consistent failure to thrive in their lives. This panel will discuss the most recent findings on how trauma affects the brain and the body. We will explore how holistic practitioners, ritualists and other practitioners can identify, support and modify modalities, ritual and practice to bring healing to complex trauma survivors.
Come on over to our facebook page, join, comment, and share your ideas on what you’d like to see panels cover. Even if we don’t run a certain panel, we can discuss the topic in the fb group.
Please contact us if you would like to suggest an addition to this list, or be on a panel, or moderate one.
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