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Classes & Teachers
The lymphatic system is called Rasa in Sanskrit, meaning the river of life. Keeping this river flowing allows our tissues to receive nourishment, which is the secret to being and looking healthy. Our lymph fluids allow hormones to get from one endocrine gland to another and play an important role in our reproductive health. The lymphatic system is also called the Immune system, which we all know is important for fighting foreign invaders and staying healthy. There will be demonstrations on how to map the lymphatic system in your body with an emphasis on breast health. There will be time for Q &A about our breasts and immunity, massage assessments for experiential learning & what tools can support change and prevent diseases. Students will leave having a clear understanding of the lymph system and how to keep it and their breasts healthy.
*Breast Checks will be continued throughout the entire weekend.
There is strength in a river that is flowing
In traditional Chinese Medicine there are over 300 herbs used to heal the body and many of them can be eaten regularly in the diet. In this class we will talk about common food herbs and their properties in the body. We will cover the basics around how Chinese Medicine looks at foods and how we can think about what we are putting in our bodies and having it match what is happening in the environment around us.
This class will be an alternative and deeper dive in Herbs as Food. We will look at the different herbs that are also foods and we will make a vegetable soup with some herbs cooked into the broth. We will talk about herbs that can be good for the body whether we are healthy or sick and that can be put into things like broth to support the body.
This class will begin with an interactive ‘play’ designed to celebrate and educate about the female sexual anatomy and cycle physiology. You’ll be given a chance to explore the overlay of emotional and psychological cycle dynamics and learn to align yourself more deeply with your natural design. We will then map out the greater terrain of the endocrine system and discuss how specific self-care, nature connection and deep listening practices can create profound effects on your cycle health. The class includes tips for practical and action oriented lifestyle and dietary changes to support a healthy endocrine system.
This lecture highlights how to align ourselves with the natural design of our female physiology via self-care, nature connection and deep listening practices. It offers tips for practical and action oriented lifestyle and dietary changes to support a healthy endocrine system. Ideas include sleep habits, blood sugar balance, connection with women and with nature, stress cycles, pineal, thyroid and adrenal support and much more. It is a lovely blend of science/physiology and practical/simple self-care.
This is not a lecture but rather an interactive ‘play’ designed to celebrate and educate about women’s cycles. We will be led through the physiology and phases of the cycle, as well as the corresponding emotional and psychological aspects. We will have an opportunity to embody the experience of these hormone and phases to deeper integrate them in our lives.
Fertility Awareness Based Methods for tracking bio-markers of fertility and gauging hormonal health have too long been misunderstood and associated with ineffective, simplistic and/or religious models of family planning. This lecture is designed to educate both healthcare practitioners and individuals about the current climate of fertility awareness, a self-care practice that benefits both practitioners and clients immensely. Come and learn how this charting practice can profoundly change a woman’s understanding of her body, her health care choices and her relationship to her fertility.
Women are fed up with losing their health and fertility, their bodies and their happiness, to pharmaceutical contraceptives.This informative class will explain how the pill and other hormonal contraceptives are affecting our health, how to gracefully transition to other forms of contraception and get your body and cycles back into optimal health and function.
Experience matchless fire starting and become a member of the Fire Devas. Join us if you would like to be a Sacred Fire Tender this session. Establish an intimate relationship with this powerful elemental. Holding the central fire is an act of service, a source of healing and a teacher of awareness.
Using the coals from our Sacred Fire we will create medicine, eating, or cauldron spoons. Learn the time honored skill of coal burning. A small carving knife will be necessary to complete your spoon. Class size is limited and starts on time. Due to the nature of the class it is only open to adults.
We will continue. See Sacred Fire Spoon Making, part 1 for full description. Must have attended part 1.
Create a good living doing what you love. Key strategies, comical tips and some serious business advice. Taught by 35 year self-employed Plantologist, Lynda Emashowski, CEO of Whispered Wisdoms and Nia Cu Herbs. This class respectfully begins on time.
This class will focus on a specific aspect of grieving: interacting with friends and loved ones by kindly responding to , or occasionally shielding ourselves, from their concerns and advice.
The components of this class will include:
- Responding to suggestions on how you or your partner, parent, sibling, etc. should deal with a terminal illness.
- Acknowledging how our profound grief elicits fear in others.
- Methods for shielding ourselves from others when necessary.
- A brief overview of ‘The Four Agreements’ by Miguel Ruiz and ‘When Things Fall Apart’ by Pema Chodron (two highly recommended books).
- Recognizing grief as a teacher.
- Honoring our grief as beautiful.
Jillian has dealt with powerful and life-altering grief over the past two years and will speak from her experience. Grief is an intensely personal journey. The goal of this class is provide some basic techniques for managing our own grief.
- I cannot explore the ocean without letting go of the shore -
Learn the some of the magic and folklore of notable Fruiting, Conifers and Deciduous trees. We will discuss trees that help us access our ancestral traumas so that we may sit down at the table with these lineage patterns, giving an opportunity to begin dismantling toxic limiting frameworks. Patterns that held our ancestors back no longer need to manifest through us. Using tree essences we will begin to tease apart these traumas. Trees teach us that freedom is ours as long as we are willing to be still, send our roots down deep and shed our leaves. We will focus on the Pomegranate, Fig, Western red cedar, Pirul, Mountain Ash, Bay laurel, Redwood, Magnolia and many more.
There are signs of the times where it feels necessary to have knowledge and medicine of the Earth more accessible to us. Fear consciousness is not a the focus but instead, preparedness for global catastrophes is a way to stand in a place of empowerment for ourselves and our families. In this class we will explore many noteworthy herbs that we can easily cultivate in our backyards to support our immune, digestive, respiratory and lymph systems. We will also discuss building our own herbal first aids. These herbal allies would be some of the front liners if the country as we know it or planet were to collapse.
Learn traditional drumming and dances from Ghana, West Africa.
This class will be an experiential journey into the depths of our open hearts. Using movement, sound, song, herbs, ritual, and community therapy we will gather to support each other in grief and gratitude for life.
During this class we will make grief bundles from natural items gathered from the land in preparation for the Community Grief Ritual that Kelly and Lara will be facilitating on Sunday evening. We will also prepare and tend the Grief and Ancestor Shrines for the ritual to honor the Earth, our grief, and the ancestors. This class will include song and prayer as we begin the process of creating sacred space for the evening Ceremony.
Bring your playful drumming spirit to this all level drum class. We will review basic drum technique and learn rhythms and songs from West Africa. Bring your hand or stick drums and percussion instruments such as shakers and bells. There will be a few extra drums to share. Let's drum up some magic.
Drum while you dance, dance while you drum. This class combines the beauty of West African dance with the exciting energy of stick drumming. We will learn Kuku a women's fishing dance from Guinea. Dundun drums will be provided.
The Liver energy system, according to Chinese medicine, has a predominant influence on the eyes. Improper diet, insufficient exercise and certain emotions can throw it out of kilter, causing various eye complaints, as well as other conditions. More than a dozen acupressure points will be covered for reducing or potentially eliminating blurry, cloudy, foggy, dim or filmy vision, as well as near- or far-sightedness, eye pain, redness of the eyes, floaters (spots before the eyes), eye tremors, flashing lights and other conditions. Handouts illustrate the points and show their associations with underlying organ disharmonies. Hulda will demonstrate point locations and assist participants - with the help of one or more assistants - in finding the points on themselves. Dietary and lifestyle adjustments for auditory health will be covered, as well as the importance of professional energy work, such as acupressure, for resolving eye issues. Personal anecdotes will illustrate the effectiveness of the points.
Note: 1-2 assistants are needed to help with point locations. If you would like to assist and are versed in acupressure points or would like a brief training in the 14 points taught in this class, please contact
HuldaNystrom@sbcglobal.net or 510-798-8626 voice/text
According to Chinese medicine, the ears are “governed” by the kidneys. Other organ systems play significant roles in various ear issues as well, including the heart, lungs, liver, gall bladder and spleen/pancreas. Participants will be shown acupressure point sequences to energetically support the above organs in cases of hearing loss, tinnitus, earache, itchy ears, and more. Hulda will demonstrate point locations and assist participants - with the help of one or more assistants - in finding the points on themselves. The handouts illustrate the points and show their associations with underlying organ disharmonies. Dietary and lifestyle adjustments for auditory health will be covered, as well as the importance of professional energy work, such as acupressure, for resolving ear issues. Personal anecdotes will illustrate the effectiveness of the points.
Note: 1-2 assistants are needed to help with point locations. If you would like to assist and are versed in acupressure points or would like a brief training in the 19 points taught in this class, please contact
HuldaNystrom@sbcglobal.net or 510-798-8626 voice/text.
In this highly experiential 4 hour intensive we’ll explore the world of Plant Spirit Medicine, plant energetics (the energetic medicinal properties of plants) and explore various approaches to working in partnership with plants including how to use the practice of drum journeying and meditation to establish a direct line of communication with plant spirits for guidance, healing and enhanced connection. We’ll also explore topics such as what it means to be in “right” relationship, how to diet with plants and various plant based self-care practices that you can work with in your daily life for cleansing and restoration. As a participant in this class you can expect to deepen your relationship with the plants, experience plant spirit drum journeys, learn how to work in partnership with plant spirits and how to work with plants for self-care. This class is suitable for ages 13 years and older. Please bring whatever you may need to sit or lay down comfortably for the duration of the class, as well as plenty of water for hydration, a journal to record your journeys, percussion instruments (if you have them) and sunshade should you need it.
In this class we’ll explore the powerful practice of bathing with plants and minerals for self-care and enhanced well-being. Do you find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of input and energy you interact with each day or weighed down by emotions and/or stress? Bathing with plants is a very effective means of supporting the nervous system, addressing energetic imbalances and has been a common practice in many spiritual traditions for hundreds and thousands of years. During our time together, we’ll discuss basic and advanced approaches to bathing with plants, the wide array of imbalances plant baths can help us with, native plants to bathe with and engage in a demonstration of how to create your own plant bath. Please bring whatever you may need to sit or lay down comfortably for the duration of the class and sunshade should you need it.
In this class we'll explore the fun and engaging practice of inner gardening for health and well-being! We’ll discuss a basic format for inner gardening before we embark on a drum journey to visit and tend our unique inner garden. Please bring something to sit or lay down on, plenty of water to drink, a journal to record your journey, and a percussion instrument if you have one.
A discussion of plant magic through the lens of romance. Exploring the alchemy of plants, people and other peculiarities that potentize medicine. Journey in discovering the wisdom of indigenous pairings such as turmeric, black pepper & ghee to the value of sense activation as inspiration in contemporary herbalism.
Reading from the library of time to discover the multitude of ways plants have woven tales of their medicinal attributes through words.
Our brains are arguably one of our most precious organs. When out of balance, brain dysfunction can contribute to a host of problems including fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, mood disturbances and diminished capacity to handle stress.
In this two part class, we’ll discuss twelve main factors that can impact brain health and how to identify the most important factors for each individual. Then we’ll take a deep dive into dietary, lifestyle and herbal strategies for tending brain health.
Bone is dynamic living tissue, which interacts with all other systems in the body. While bone strength is largely influenced by nutrition and one’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D, there are a myriad of other factors that influence bone health. In this class, we’ll discuss the basics of bone physiology and outline several underlying causes of bone degeneration, including chronic inflammation, digestive dysfunction, hormone imbalance, and environmental exposures. Then we’ll discuss nutritional, lifestyle and herbal strategies for building and maintaining stronger bones.
Essences are infused vibrational waters that can create subtle, but very distinct, shifts in consciousness, enabling us to meet the moment in new ways. Come learn some of the less-often-heard aspects of making essences ~ of plants, trees, rocks, planets, journeys, and more!
We’ll also experience and explore the ways that taking essences can support our bodies and beings in adjusting to and engaging with the shifting energies of these times.
Prepare to be dosed.
This class is an opportunity to participate in a communal ritual to honor our grief and gratitude for the Earth. Drawn from Joanna Macy’s The Work That Reconnects, this ritual provides a brave container for naming and metabolizing our fear, outrage, sorrow, and despair with regard to the ecological crisis. We will open with a discussion and exploration into the alchemical nature of grief and how this essential human experience reflects how deeply we have dared to love and how fully we are woven into the web of life.
During this class we will make grief bundles from natural items gathered from the land in preparation for the Community Grief Ritual that Kelly and Lara will be facilitating on Sunday evening. We will also prepare and tend the Grief and Ancestor Shrines for the ritual to honor the Earth, our grief, and the ancestors. This class will include song and prayer as we begin the process of creating sacred space for the evening Ceremony.
We will dive deeply into the definitions and expression of autism and how's it's currently understood. We will also discuss herbal and holistic remedies that can be implemented at home to treat specific symptoms. We will also make a sensory toy for you to take home!
We will take a journey together deepening our connection with our Plant Ally’s. Meditating into our earth-wisdom ways, we will discover the Plant Ally that is moving within us. Working in pairs, a plaster masks of your own face will be crafted with tenderness and care. Our masks will then have time to dry.
We will again connect with our Plant Ally and engage our creative spirits. Using paint, feather, plant material and more we will enliven our Plant Ally’s and embody their spirit and magic.
Who are these plants that show up around your house, in your gardens, and emerge from the cracks in the pavement? Experience the essence of some of our common garden weeds. We will meet them first as teas, pesto’s, and vinegars and discover who they are as they reveal the gifts they hold.
Natural Health, Natural Healing, Natural Energy, & Natural Power
Do you want to know simple herbs and spices to:
~ Keep you healthy and energetic?
~ Heal muscles, bones, blood, skin, & hair damage?
~ Give you energy and vitality?
~ Change your mood and outlook?
Are you afraid that learning about herbs makes you seem new “agey,” hippy, strange & weird?
Come share and learn some simple basics! This herbal workshop offers the herbal basics for the regular person who wants to understand simple and easy ways to eat and live healthy, to have more energy, and even to be healed by adding basic herbs spices to your diet and in your regular self-care. We will share the capabilities, the uses, of the value of common herbs & spices in your home. There will be herbs to touch, taste, and smell – including some plants from which herbs & spices are derived. We will also share some mixtures and materials from which common herbs are made, and we will discuss common products that have herbs and spices as their key or core ingredients. Come on in and get healthy, get healed, and get happy! Clothing is required for this class.
Come share and experience movements, styles, and sounds of the African Diaspora, broken down to basics, while learning root cultural stories and ideals behind some dances, movements, and rhythms. Shereel will lead and show you: How to move in rhythm to different sounds & music, How to hear and internalize rhythms. How to tap into your natural ‘inner rhythm’. How to move with enhanced coordination and flexibility. Pan African Dance are dance movements and styles deriving from African cultures and/or ethnically descended groups in the Caribbean. The Mediterranean, the Americas, The Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Rim. Bring a towel and water bottle and supportive foot wear. Clothing is required for this class. Wrap skirts (lappa or pare’u) are optional.
Young Women
Limited to 12 participants
Learn how to macrame your own bracelet or anklet! Great beginner’s class for learning this ancient art. Once you have the basics down, you will be amazed at the variety of beautiful objects you can make. Class limited to 12 young women.
Welcome maidens, to the Circle of Women! Join us in celebrating the beauty and strength of this phase of your life, the time of your bloods. We will explore ideas and feelings, hear stories, make things to care for ourselves and prepare for the Maiden’s Rites of Passage Ceremony to be held Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. Any young woman who would like to go through the Maiden Ceremony must attend this class.
Let’s have fun playing with lots of ways to be emotionally safe and strong in our everyday relationships. We’ll put together an inner tool kit with a virtual trash can, rainbow field, bug screen and more. Tree power, Aikido moves and roleplay games will make it real and make us laugh! We’ll take time for conversation to deepen the relevance of what we’re learning. Come take this unique opportunity to be with other young women in a meaningful way. Our supportive Symposium community is the ideal environment for growing into our most radiant, life-affirming power.
Mass media and main stream culture often give the impression that women and girls can’t protect themselves. This is a huge lie! We can if we learn how. Our awareness, intuition and determination combined with knowledge and skills are our most effective protection. In this class we’ll learn basic principles and practices to help keep ourselves safe in emergency situations. We’ll practice getting support whenever we’ve gone through scary situations, so our challenges and fear can be transformed into wisdom resources. Let’s prepare for what may come our way and grow our courage together!
In this class we'll explore the fun and engaging practice of inner gardening for health and well-being! We’ll discuss a basic format for inner gardening before we embark on a drum journey to visit and tend our unique inner garden. Please bring something to sit or lay down on, plenty of water to drink, a journal to record your journey, and a percussion instrument if you have one.
Mid Kids
In this fun playshop we will be getting to know each other through cooperative and theater games, and a symposium wide scavenger hunt. This class is designed to help the mid kids crew get to know each other and deepen friendships early in the symposium. Lets become a tribe of friends together. Please come whether this is your first symposium or you have been coming all your life. Be prepared to be silly, make new friends and learn more about the symposium land, yourself and each other.
In this fun class for older mid-kids we’ll play with a variety of “hands-on” moves from Aikido, the martial art of Peace. We’ll explore both how to strengthen your Center and how to return to Center when you you feel Off. Learn how to take the energy of an attack and turn it into Peace Power.
Aikido is the martial art of following Nature's way, the way of harmony. Come explore your hidden powers: sitting like a mountain, rolling like a river, floating like a butterfly, leaping like an antelope and more!
Come ready to dig your hands into some feel-good fun! We will make slime, play with textures, wrap some herbs, and more! Whatever you make you get to take home with you.
Come learn how you can create yummy-sweet treats that are made with nourishing and healthy herbal powders, whole food ingredients and a little time and love. Goo balls make a great snack, are easy to do and fun to get creative with. We’ll make two kinds of goo balls and will have recipes and ideas for many more.
Sachet means “little bag” and in our class we will create several different kinds of herbal sachets for drawers/closets and magical corners and places. We’ll make simple smelly-good sachets and also magical ones that we can use for protection, sleep, intentions or other magical purposes!
In this class we will create a unique piece of art that represents something special. We’ll have a short, simple meditation to help us decide what our artwork will be about and then we’ll use a variety of collage materials to create something that tells a story of the spirit! Come ready to cut and paste and bring your cup because we’ll have some tea to share together!
Young Children
Early Morning Classes
Danielle is thrilled to share her passion and unique style she calls ‘Shakti Flow Yoga’ which incorporates different styles of yoga and philosophy with the intention to tap into feminine nature and awaken creative, feminine, life force energy within. This class is offered early each morning.
Join Jenny early each morning for an early medicine walk to explore the space where mindfulness meets witchery. This mini workshop is a great way to ground, connect, create and share with others before we begin our day. Activities will vary depending on group size and interest. Some items to bring might include:
- Your journal and something to write with
- Something short and inspirational you’d like to read
- Your favorite tarot deck
- Any magical herbs or tinctures you’d like to share or offer
- Your highest intentions
- Your kindest thoughts
- What you’re ready to surrender
- What you’re ready to explore
Other Classes
Intensives
The lymphatic system is called Rasa in Sanskrit, meaning the river of life. Keeping this river flowing allows our tissues to receive nourishment, which is the secret to being and looking healthy. Our lymph fluids allow hormones to get from one endocrine gland to another and play an important role in our reproductive health. The lymphatic system is also called the Immune system, which we all know is important for fighting foreign invaders and staying healthy. There will be demonstrations on how to map the lymphatic system in your body with an emphasis on breast health. There will be time for Q &A about our breasts and immunity, massage assessments for experiential learning & what tools can support change and prevent diseases. Students will leave having a clear understanding of the lymph system and how to keep it and their breasts healthy.
*Breast Checks will be continued throughout the entire weekend.
There is strength in a river that is flowing