The Sacred Space Conference

Heathenry has long been accused of lacking magic. Many Heathens themselves will say “We don’t do magic.” This class will argue against those claims and set a framework for a rich magical practice based in Norse Paganism. This class will pull examples of Heathen Magic from the historical record, examine those examples and walk through ways to incorporate them into a daily practice that can be as magical as the practitioner chooses. We will start with the existing medieval sources, move on through history and look at post medieval Icelandic practices, and then modern practices that fit into our Heathen context.

Stand on the cliff tops above a seal colony and listen. The seal voices drifting up on the winds sound much like the cries of people. It is, thus, easy to understand how myths of seals transforming into humans arose in so many northern cultures, ancient and modern. Seals, found on every continent of our planet, spend most of their lives at sea, sharing the same waters as fishing boats, competing for the same catch. Hunter, and hunted. This will be an experiential workshop – with story-telling, trancework and conversation around how we can be in better relationship with these gorgeous creatures. In a former life, Raven was a seal-behaviouralist, and seals are beloved to them.

The creation of humanoid figures is an act with origins which predates recorded history. Such work aligns us with the art of the gods as conjured by humanity’s earliest imagining, and creates both a conduit for power and an anchor for spirit. In this discussion we will explore the use of the dolls and effigies in various magical traditions throughout history, as well as examine practical ways that we may meaningfully incorporate them into a contemporary practice based upon sound methodology and tradition. We will then explore the deeper realms of this art by discussing techniques and approaches towards employing effigies as spirit houses and devotional objects. And finally, we will conclude by discussing the various materials and methods we might use for the construction of effigies, as well as methods for consecration and enlivening them for magical purposes.

In this workshop, we will delve into the impact of the spirits from dominant religions that surround us that we may not want to work with, but find ourselves intersecting with regardless of plans, wards, or boundaries. We will talk about strategies that include finding boundaries that work and that those spirits understand, how to draw their influences out of yourself and clients, and how to work safely with them when needed. Though this workshop will focus primarily on spirits of western christian cultures, the concerns surrounding this workshop can be applied in a variety of situations. After all, we all have to live in a society larger than ourselves, and sometimes, we don’t let the right one in. 

What does heartfelt devotion and worship to the Gods look like when we are able to deconstruct the narrative of patriarchal religion, and rewrite our own rules? How can we nourish our relationships with our Gods to bless and strengthen our struggles for justice? How do we honor free will and reciprocity? How do we uncover the queer, decolonial, and feminist narratives that lie half-hidden in the traditional myths? Let’s explore the potential of radical devotion in revolutionary times.

This 90-minute workshop is designed to introduce witches, shamans, and magickal practitioners to the powerful potential of ashes provide to rituals, spells, and in divination. Explore the ancient wisdom of ashes, learn hands-on techniques for using sacred ashes, and deepening your connection with the divine through this sacred element. By the end of this workshop, you’ll gain a foundational understanding of the role of ashes in various spiritual traditions, experience a guided ritual using sacred ashes, and learn practical methods to incorporate ashes into your own practice. This workshop explores the value of ashes to broaden and enrich your magickal and spiritual practice as we learn to use ashes to infuse your spells and rituals with transformative energy. 

Staying on a magickal path of spiritual development is not easy, but the work can be enriched and made healthier by participation in a group such as a circle, a grove, or a lodge. This is true for healthy groups . We won’t be dwelling on the nature of dysfunctional groups as the focus is on the value of group work. In this class I will talk about the benefits and challenges on a spiritual, magickal, and psychological level that are commonly experienced in group work. 

Pollution, mining, and superfund sites are not pretty. But in order to love and heal our Mother Earth fully, we have to be willing to look at and excavate these wounds, so that we can spiritually, energetically, and where possible physically clean them out. We have to love our Mother – not just in her beauty and bounty, but also in her scars and her wounding. In this workshop, we will discuss how to find these wounded places close to where we live. We will explore how to interact safely with the spirits of a wounded place and craft magic and ritual to support their healing. We will also brainstorm ways to blend our magical work with physical clean-up efforts.

The Norse God Yngvi-Freyr has a long history. Different facets of his nature have come to the fore in different eras. Two of his aspects are especially relevant today: his emerging role as a champion of wild places and wild creatures, and his historical importance as lord of friðr, which means something like “peace that is actively cultivated and maintained.” We will discuss both of these aspects in relation to both ancient sources and modern experience. I will also share some prayers and practices for honoring and working with Freyr.

From beyond the mists of time and through the pages of literature, Avalon calls to us. A half-remembered legacy arising from a confluence of history, mythology, and legend, this Otherworldly Island of Apples has nevertheless intrigued and inspired us for almost a thousand years. But what do we really know about Avalon? To answer this question, we will trace the Avalonian Stream of Tradition back to its source, following it as it winds through the landscapes of Arthurian legend, Welsh mythology, Gaulish historical accounts, and lore from Celtic, Germanic, and Greek lands. Then, guided by the mythic map that this work has revealed to us, we will undertake a journey over water to reach the shores of the Holy Island itself.

What is the magic of Tattoos? Why after millennia, we are still seeking that magic? For anyone who looks for healing and magic via tattoo work. This workshop introduces you to the History of Ritual Tattoo and Ness Bosch’s work on the field, her groundbreaking shamanic work, digging into the realms to find answers for those seeking such a Tattoo. To answer questions such as: What do you need? Why? Where do I need this Tattoo? What can you heal? A Ritual Tattoo can bring big changes to our lives. This workshop is for anyone who likes tattoos or would like to know more about Ritual Tattoo from a healing and magical perspective. 

Aspecting is the art of inviting a deity to use you as a vessel for direct interaction with participants. Running this kind of spiritual voltage through your body and mind can be risky without proper preparation. We’ll present our organized system for six weeks of thorough preparation for safe and productive aspecting: preparing your energetic body, researching the deity’s lore, trance journey negotiations and contracts, inviting deity to co-create the structure of the ritual, garb and props, feeding and watering your godly guest, tenders for the aspector, coming down from the deity-high after aspecting, and how to respond productively to questions and feedback people have for you after the ritual.

This workshop, led by three active, published, and magical writers offers three approaches to bringing your magical and writing life into deeper conversation. The power of the word is indisputable and indisputably magic. If the verb “to spell” tickles all your witch-y senses in two ways, this workshop is for you. Speaking and transcribing words, placing words in a particular order, and sharing the texts we create is not just a rote ability—advanced practitioners know that a magical sensibility breathes special life, vision, and presence into language; via our language choices we influence, create, change, understand, observe, record, preserve, cherish, celebrate, honor, perform, make space, identify, and revise. In light of this power, many cultures viewed poets as prophets and poetry as the voice of the Gods. This workshop delves into the ways that magic, the magical life, and writing entwine and inform one another. Magical Writer One: We all know that witches write spells, but a witch who writes can weave magic with their very words. As a professional scientific writer by day, and a creative writer by night, this presenter will discuss the immense power and responsibility that we have as witches when we put our words – any words – to paper. Magical Writer Two: This speaker is an educator who finds solace in writing historical fantasy seeped in mythology and folklore. The presenter will talk about the connection between writing and the divine, including potential techniques for linking writing and spiritual practices, and experiences with writing deities as fictional characters. 

What role does applied magical practice have on the modern battlefield?  Join WR Neumann where he discusses the magical techniques that he has used during his thirty year military career to enable mission team successes.  This workshop will discuss techniques from mental influence, divination, camouflage and cloaking, and “pushing probability”.

Join Druid and Coroner, Kristoffer Hughes on a journey to examine the intersectionality of the physical world with that of the spiritual. The 20th Century Occultist Dion Fortune once said “Before the ascent into spirit can commence, the descent into matter must be complete”, and yet often the body and physical form is neglected for the numinous experience of the spirit. In this class Hughes will guide you on a journey through the perplexing and magical world of the human body and its ability to express and manifest mystery. We will explore native teachings that speak of this intersectionality in surprising manners. Discover how your body is a vessel of expression that is something the universe is actively doing and how that wisdom can be incorporated into your spirituality.