Classes Session 2 • May 24-27, 2024
Click on the + sign to see the class description. Click on the teacher photo or name to go to her bio page.
Our relationships are one of the most important parts of life. When our relationships are primarily connected and happy, we experience more joy and ease.
When our relationships are contentious or fractured, we can find ourselves in pain or even sick. We often find that the more intimate the relationship the more triggered we can become and the hard conversations are often left unresolved. In this class we will learn about and utilize herbs that support our nerves systems as we practice the easy to learn steps of The Repair Conversation.
Among the woods, alongside the whispering creek, we awaken sensuality and amplify erotic desire. We are in, as well as an intrinsic part of, nature's temple. In this workshop, we will explore how our connection with plants, nature, and our awakened senses can be a pathway to vitality and hotter sex. This class is a playground—an experiential exploration of sensuality and nature where we have permission to prioritize pleasure. Join us in casting a spell of self-love.
Brooms are a staple household item; they can be at once beautiful and practical, mundane and ceremonial. Join me in this class to learn how to make your very own woven hand broom that can be used to sweep the floor, countertops, your tent or vehicle; to energetically cleanse a person or space; to dry brush your skin to help encourage the flow of lymph; or to decorate your hearth or altar space. We will work with broomcorn fiber and learn how to make a turkey wing style hand broom. All levels are welcome! Class size is limited to 15 women. Please bring a chair for yourself and scissors or a sharp knife if you have them.
Join us in singing some heartfelt, feel-good, Earth-lovin’ songs together! All levels are welcome. do not need to be “good” at singing to attend 😉 Let’s gather, have some fun, and sing ourselves home!
After getting out of your vehicles, come and enjoy the beautiful welcome from the amazing green beings who open their home to us. Learn a bit of their magical attributes which they so sweetly offer us. Ground yourself in the peace and beauty of Black Oak Ranch.
Come visit our plant elders and experience their habitat and companion choices. We will discuss their preferences and needs. We'll also discuss their many gifts, and how sometimes their habitat makes them not appropriate for medicine making.
Journey through the enchanting realm of scent. Aromatic botanicals have been revered across cultures throughout the ages as a portal through our emotions, desires, and dreams. Perfume has held a core place in our rituals, from those celebrated in ceremony to even the most intimate ones of our daily lives. From medicine to magic, botanical essences have been a part of our lives for centuries. Engaging with them is akin to time travel, where we can smell and experience the same aromas our ancestors did, straight from the earth. Enveloping ourselves daily with the life force of botanicals through perfumery is one of the great pleasures of life, and engaging in the art of creating perfume is a reward in its own rite.
This class is taught by Nomad Botanicals Founder, Carole Addison-Goyne, who has been working with medicinal and aromatic plants for the past three decades, from distilling essential oils and creating products to sharing the wonders of perfumery and aromatherapy in classes and seminars throughout the country.
Carole will cover the foundation and the art of natural perfumery, including some key concepts from Mandy Aftel's Slow Scent® method. We will explore the rich history and the elusive mystery of botanical essences as we also indulge our senses in exquisite, otherworldly aromas. We will experience beautiful aromatic rituals and then engage in a blending workshop where we will create our very own signature scent from a botanical perfumer’s organ of 18 key absolutes and essential oils.
Build a bridge between beauty and function as we discover both the enchanting and protective elements of essential oils and absolutes. We will cover aromatherapy principles that explain why essential oils heal and protect us, exploring their physical, mental, and emotional benefits, while also learning how to create formulas, including absolutes, that become perfumes with a purpose. After smelling and learning about the properties of 12 important essences (essential oils & absolutes), we will each create a functional perfume.
Cronies
Do you have an advanced care directive that will guide loved ones and medical staff in knowing your desires should you not be able to speak for yourself? If not, this class will give you important information needed to make informed decisions about how you want to be treated at the end of life. We will show you tools that are available to make your wishes clear as well as giving thought to what you want to have happen after you die. We Crones will be there to offer support to enable you to create documents that reflect your desires, values and wishes. We will share with you the California Advanced Health Care directive and the Five Wishes forms as a template to create your personal document.
The traditional Death Café’s are held all over the world. They give participants an opportunity to come together in a safe circle of sisters to openly talk about death. This format increases awareness about death in order to help folks make the most of the life they have left.
The Symposium Death Café is not a class per-se, it is a conversation. We can ask questions, find answers, share stories, explore fears and celebrate knowledge with love!
Herbal wisdom travels through space and time on the wings of words. Through story, a special magic and mystery of the green world enters our lives and enchants our everyday. Stories have the power to nurture human resilience, salve our grief, create places to share our joy and open doors to possibilities we might not see without them. Anyone can share a story, and through so doing, enrich life for themselves and others.
Whilst listening to plants for the last 60 years, they have given EagleSong some fine stories that she’d love to share. Are you ready? Let’s go!
In this hands-on workshop you’ll craft an amulet using hawthorn. Learn what an amulet is, how to use one in daily life and the importance of creating amulets for well-being using your own hands. Hawthorn wood, thorns, flowers, fruits and twigs and crafting supplies will be provided. You may bring special fabric, notions and/or hawthorn you have gathered to add to your personal amulet. Settle into this powerful process and tap into the magic and medicine of this enigmatic tree’s energy.
Join EagleSong on an adventure with Red Clover, Trifolium pratense, and her many sisters in the Fabaceae or legume family.
You’ll meet the clover sisters from the ground up, learn how they’ve traveled around the world, come to the table and finally, the medicine chest in today’s herbal realm.
We’ll dive into the art and craft of simpling, the idea of tea as community and how/why you might choose to bring red clover into your life in this playful romp around the meadow. Hint: Approach, fertility, hormones...
See you there!
Hands and feet are two of our most vital resources yet they are often overlooked in a practice of well being. Let’s look at ways to keep hands and feet happy and well protected throughout life.
Herbs for foot and hand soaks and baths, oils, salves and creams to moisturize and keep skin supple and simple maintenance strategies will be covered.
Whether for yourself or others in your life or work, these simple strategies pay big dividends in the long haul. Remember, goddess willing, your feet will go every step of the way with you.
Join Jaguar in a sacred ritual to celebrate and to activate our connection to the Element of Water as she flows through the sacred lands of our Mother Earth, our Inner bodies and our emotional landscape. Come together in a Prayer of the Body to honor our creativity, sensuality and the Beauty Way.
The Circle of Light Water Invocation River Ritual is a sacred gathering for the woman seeking to restore her self-love and her connection to the Divine. Each Circle is a Collective Ritual using traditional herbal medicine self-care practices to heal and activate our Divine Feminine Energy. The Circle is a spontaneous experience and co-created ritual of sound, breath, meditation and movement designed to release, balance and energize the feminine mind, body and spirit. No two circles are the same and each circle is a unique moment curated to address the needs of each woman joined together, holding space in the collective.
In this gathering, Jaguar will lead us in the “calling in” and activation of the sacred waters within our individual womban body, and within the sacred womb waters of the river that move through the land that holds us. We will also learn the history, technology and basic “how-to” of the WombSteam Ritual: preparation, process and prayer.
The intention of this shared moment is to deliberately synchronize the waters of our creation portals to each other and to Mother Earth to wake up the JOY and BEAUTY that is our birthright and learn how to protect and empower ourselves, our land, and our tribe on a physical, mental, and spiritual plane as a New Earth Consciousness is orgasmically born.
Come dressed in whatever makes you feel beautiful and comfortable enough to move your body. Come ready to lay down your burdens at the riverside with Jaguar Womban and anoint your body with the coconut oil and honey of the Goddess. Be ready to wiggle your body, giggle from your soul, hold silence in your heart, re-connect with your inner child, activate your outer goddess, listen and share the unique songs and stories that let your light shine!
We will take a look at Urinary Tract Infections, and urinary tissue irritation; go over protocols for how to treat, how to prevent, how to break the cycle of repeat UTIs, and how to tend to the health & vitality of these specific tissues. We will address treating UTIs in pregnancy, lactation & with elders. We will discuss concurrent support with antibiotic use, as well as successfully treating infection solely with herbs. We will sip on a tea formulated specifically to tend to the tissues of the urinary tract.
Through ritualized engagement with story, song, & movement, we will journey with the cycling moon as our mentor, attuning to the hormonal tides. Along the way we will explore the challenges, gifts & powers of each phase and gather insights for wisely attending to our ever-shifting bodies, minds & hearts. We will come away with our own personalized Moontime Manual to guide our deepening relationship with the cycles.
This experience is for all stages: those approaching menarche, bleeders, and post-bleeders. *Bring a cup.
The longevity of Chinese medicine is a testament to the depth of its wisdom and efficacy. We will begin to explore the depth of the wisdom offered through the myriad schools of thought of Chinese medicine. We will briefly discuss the concepts of qi, blood, essence, yin, and yang. We will explore the 5 Elements/Phases- wood, fire, earth, metal, and water and how each corresponding taste determines actions of foods and herbs. This will be a fun, interactive class. We will discuss nutrition, herbs, and more.
The last several years have left many of us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. More than anything, we need rest and deep replenishment. Many times, herbs and supplements are marketed to keep hustling through our fast-paced lifestyle. This approach to herbalism does a great disservice to us and our plant/fungi allies.
One path to health is to slow down and break the cycle of hustle culture. This class will discuss the importance of rest, movement, and community. Deeper focus will be on several restorative tonic herbs and formulas that help regulate our nervous system. We will introduce Chinese medicine concepts like qi, blood, essence, yin, and yang. We will learn about qi tonics like Devil’s club and Eleutherococcus, and cover nervines like Milky oats and Schisandra berry.
Many herbalists do not feel confident working with clients due to a lack of diagnostic skills. While it is not legal to diagnose western medical conditions, herbalists can identify patterns of imbalance that may lead to dis-ease. Being able to access the constitution of the person as well as the pathogen that is affecting the body, is vital to treat a person effectively.
Many medical models use pattern diagnosis to determine whether the person/pathogen is hot/cold, dry/damp, or external/internal. Understanding how to read patterns based on listening, observing, tongue diagnosis, and basic anatomy and physiology is both a science and an art, and is essential for clinical work.
This class will explore Vitalist and Chinese medicine diagnostic techniques and provide guidelines for clinical pattern identification. You will be introduced to the basics of pattern identification according to Chinese medicine techniques and learn how to distinguish between hot/cold, dry/damp, external/internal conditions.
When was the last time you dared to prioritize rest in your life? Come join your symposium sisters in a healing rest journey! This rest camp will provide a series of facilitated rest sessions, drawing on the ancient South Asian methods of Yoga Nidra or “napping meditation” to induce a deep state of relaxation and healing. Lila will briefly introduce this practice, guide us through our nap, and prompt journaling and reflection to harvest our rest medicine. The sessions will unfold in three phases: rest, for physical exhaustion; release, for mental and emotional exhaustion; and rise, for tuning into our most powerful, authentic selves. Bring a notebook/journal, camping mat, blanket and pillow, and come ready to break your cycle of fatigue in playfulness and ease!
This workshop is a profound exploration of the foundations of ceremony, meticulously crafted to empower us with the knowledge, history, and significance of infusing ceremony into our lives. Divided into two parts, we will delve into the cultural and spiritual aspects of ceremony, placing special emphasis on the plants traditionally used in such rituals. We will actively engage in a transformative and participatory ceremony, where we will not only partake but also co-create, providing us with a firsthand experience that we can draw upon and share within our own communities and lives.
This workshop is designed as a transformative and empowering experience for women, blending native storytelling with an educational/experiential exploration of cacao and herbal blends. We will embark on a journey of self-discovery, inner awakening, and the cultivation of wisdom through immersive storytelling and the use of carefully curated cacao and herbal blends.
Come, let’s eat, drink and learn together! All are welcome to this course that introduces Jewish cultural plant uses. We’ll experience food as medicine, tasting and learning, focusing on dill, parsley, onion and garlic, as we make a vegetarian matzo ball soup together. Then we’ll make a ‘glessele tea’, learning why Maimonides (12th century Jewish sage) so prized ‘chamomile water’, as well as a modern understanding of best preparation.
While actively getting healthier together, we’ll learn lots, starting with a foundational overview of the global nature of the Jewish diaspora and its medicines. Generous time allotted for questions and discussion. We’ll explore the idea of ethnobotany itself, learn some of many sources for further exploration, and a bibliography will be provided. Please bring your containers for eating and drinking.
As we continue our journey, we encounter the concept of accepting the bitter along with the sweet, and finding the sweet amidst the bitter, throughout Jewish texts across time/space. One physical manifestation of this idea is the oxymel, a mixture of vinegar and honey, infused with medicinal herbs.
In this hands-on class we’ll learn about a handful of herbs used in Jewish ethnobotany, and then, each according to her need, we will select herbs and try two simple methods of making oxymels. Once we’ve made those medicines, we’ll get a taste of a few traditional syrups, along with recipes, lore, and general schmoozing. Note, be prepared to care for your oxymels in (provided) small glass jars for two weeks before beginning to use.
Learn traditional dances from Ghana, West Africa
Learn traditional dances from Ghana, West Africa
Join us for a two-part presentation on Black North American Herbalism & Foodways, led by Shereel Washington.
In part 1, we will learn about early African Americans’ interactions, remedies with plants, and materia medica.
In part 2 - Culinary Traditions and Crop Staples, we will receive a sample of a customized tea blend called “Know Your Roots,” a live demonstration, and a recipe for preparing Collard Greens.
Let’s honor, celebrate, and embrace African Americans’ rich plant culture and heritage. Please feel free to bring your container or bag for the tea blend.
At this Open Forum session, we will share the values and methods of connecting with your ancestral traditions. Much has been lost in the melting pot in the United States, leaving many feeling disconnected from their ancestral roots. Since people have co-evolved with plant communities, there is great value in understanding where your ancestors are from and digging into learning about those traditions. This can lead us towards groundedness and away from cultural [mis]appropriation. We will also clarify the meaning of appropriation and its relevance to culture and practice. This cultural plant worker will briefly share her journey and facilitate participants starting their own. Please bring something to write with and on.
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!
Come join us for an evening under the late spring constellations. Guided by a green laser wand, you’ll learn to find your way around the night sky and the names of the stars and constellations, while hearing folklore from different times and cultures. We’ll meet the bright shining stars of the Twins, the Lion, Virgo, the Scorpion, and more… You will also be dosed with Essence Elixirs!
In this Intensive, we will leave our Symposium nest and embark on a coastal adventure to get our hands wet during the epic minus tide (-1.1 feet) In this Coastal Alchemy class, we’ll immerse ourselves in the art of sustainable seaweed foraging along the California coast, where the ocean meets the shore in a symphony of natural abundance. Learn the basics of seaweed identification, unlocking the secrets of each species. Explore hands-on techniques for ethical harvesting and discover the therapeutic benefits of these oceanic treasures. We will do an ocean honoring ritual when we arrive to the shore, and a Cahto tribe acknowledgement before we begin our forage.
Seawytch, we love you! Here's the time to play in the kiddie pool with the seaweeds and soak up all the vitamins and minerals, relieving arthritis and aches and pains. This is a flashback to pre-Covid era Trish Gallagher's seaweed splash kiddie pool party.
Indulge in a sensory journey like no other with Seaweed Feast & Spa Retreat, a class that tantalizes the taste buds and pampers the soul. Dive into the culinary realm as we explore the art of crafting delectable dishes using nutrient-rich seaweeds harvested sustainably from the California coast. From vibrant seaweed salads to sea palm fettuccine with cilantro-pumpkin seed pesto and fried nori, unlock the culinary potential of these oceanic superfoods.
Then, transition to the tranquil world of wellness as we delve into the creation of luxurious spa treatments infused with the healing power of seaweed. From rejuvenating facials to invigorating body scrubs, discover how to harness the restorative properties of seaweed for a truly indulgent spa experience. Join us for a day of culinary delights and wellness treats, where the bounty of the sea becomes a feast for the senses.
Join Nana Xochiketzalli in an Opening Ceremony on Friday at 2:00 p.m. at the center fire.
A traditional Mayan fire ceremony is run by initiated Aj'Qijab (time keepers/Spiritual Guides) and is an ofrenda/offering to the Gods/Deities. The Fire Ceremony gives life and energy to all those who take part, and we nourish our own lives by feeding Mother Earth.
Together we’ll light a fire made not from wood, but instead from candles, chocolates, flowers, tobacco, herbs, sugar, & cinnamon.
These offerings are a way of giving food and vital life force to Mother Earth. It acts as an exchange for all we take, and while we feed Mother Earth with this ofrenda, all participants also nourish themselves.
This quick ceremony will call in the ancestors, consecrate the space, and cleanse our hearts and souls as the Symposium begins.
In part 1 join Nana Xochiketzalli in a platica/Heart to Heart discussion on the magical world of healing with Curanderismo. Curanderismo is ancestral medicine & Indigenous practice of the healing arts and native red medicine. Part 1 of this class will include an introduction to the practice that was passed down to Nana Xochiketzalli by her Maestras, Madrina, & Ancestors. We will open up the space in prayer with copalli & drum and then go over cultural protocols, ancestral traditions, and the different aires/ailments treated in Curanderismo.
Part 2 will be a more hands-on class for the intermediate & for womxn with serious interest in the healing arts. Nana Xochiketzalli will go more in depth about Limpias, the path of the healer, sharing about the different medicine tools and sacreds used in Curanderismo, and also go over how to use different herbs in Curanderismo. She will then demonstrate and share how to do your own self barrida. (This is not training to become a healer, it is a simple guidance on healing yourself with herbs). Using herbs like Rue, Rosemary, Mugwort, or Basil learn their energetic properties and how to use them in spiritual sweeping and healing practices of the Mexica & Maya people.
Participation in part 1 is required to participate in part 2.
1. Calling your Ancestros + Making Agua Florida all levels. Limited to 30
Calling your ancestros is a new class being offered by Xochiketzalli & María. This is a hands on ritual class that will call on the power of one’s ancestors.
The class will open with a ritual to call in the Spirits and everyone's ancestors from the 4 winds / 4 vientos.
Afterwards Xochi y María will share their own story of "becoming" & journey connecting to their antepasados.
They will cover plática topics such as Ancestor veneration work, Día de Muertos, & connecting to our own roots, from wherever they come calling.
The class ends with making our own agua florida recipe to cleanse & connect to our ancestors. The last 45 minutes of class is limited to 30 participants.
Join Xochiketzalli & María as they explore the world of ancestral medicine, brujeria, & Latinx Wicheria.
The class will begin in circle, with song and then move into an exploration of brujeria.
In this all level class, Xochi will explain the difference between the practice of brujeria and curanderismo and María will share how Witcheria is a self guided, intuitive practice for everyone.
This class is all about womxn's empowerment, discovering our voice and remembering of one's don. We all come into this world with medicina!
The last 30 minutes come together to make herbal smudge bundles to be used at home in ritual.
The class will end in song/canto sagrado and sacred prayers/spells cast on the winds.
(Show up a little early if you would like to help build the center altar.)
Join us as we gather in sacred space, uniting our voices as magickal tools to harness the energy of the full moon and womanifest our intentions through a Ritual of Song. Feel free to bring drums, rattles, and songs to share. All who wish to sing are welcome here.
Crones
Crones, come share lunch with other Wise Crones. We will discuss loving life after menopause, finding joy, appreciation, and health in our Crone years. We will also discuss our part in the Maiden’s Rites of Passage Ceremony and our own Crone’s Honoring Ritual.
This is time to reflect and share our experiences of Cronehood and our love for our Wise Crone ways and bodies. Past menopause and into memorypause, we will tell our stories. A time to make a ritual Crone Broom will follow.
Crones, come share another lunch with other Wise Crones. We will continue our plans for the Maiden’s Rites of Passage and our own Crone’s Honoring Ritual.
Join us for a quiet honoring of the loss of an unborn child through miscarriage or abortion.
Young Women ages 12-21
Explore the world of aromatic plants through a multi- sensory experience. We will discuss how aromatic plants can change our mood, appetite, and thoughts through our limbic and endocannabinoid systems. We will experience aromas through taste, touch, and smell. There will be time for journaling and sharing our experiences.
This is an invite to all youth who are 10 & up who love flowers! Yes, you!!! Join María in a super fun class on making flower & herbal crowns. Maria is a bruja & herbalist who will share her wisdom on flowers & plants along with lots of laughter & good times. There will be plant knowledge shared while we learn wire wrapping techniques and flower art.
This is an invite to all youth 12 to 21 who love flowers and herbs and are interested in knowing more about their medicinal properties and how to use them.
Join María in a fun class on making herbal bundles for smudging and cleansing the space. Maria is a bruja & self-studied herbalist who will share her wisdom on flowers, herbs & plants along with lots of laughter & good times.
Plant knowledge will be shared while we are guided to create, securely wrap, and decorate our herbal smudge sticks.
Curious about poi spinning? Have you ever seen fire dancing? Poi spinning is good introduction to flow arts. Join poi-teacher Loreta to learn and master the fundamental moves and transitions of poi! Move your body while enriching your mind! Poi spinning is a beautiful art. If you ever wanted to try this, this is your chance. Or maybe you already know some of the moves and want to improve it, this is a class for you too. We will cover the basics, turns, transitions, stalls and other techniques. We will have some sets of poi to play with.
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.
Mid Kids ages 7-11
Hey Midkids! Come join Diem Amore and her grandmother Copperwoman and create with various sizes, shapes and colors of beads. We will make a necklace, bracelet, barrette or whatever we dream up with the materials provided. There will be fishing line, magnetic clasps and crimps to finish off our creations.
This year you will learn how to finish off your creation with the crimps.
Midkids 6 years and under, please bring an adult!
Let's have some fun putting our hands in soft wet earth. We will make all sorts for wondrous things, like animals, people, bowls, wherever our imagination takes us. We will have tools and learn simple techniques to help us make our creations.
This class is repeated. For full description, see Mother Earth’s Mud: Mid Kids Clay Play, 1
Curious about poi spinning? Have you ever seen fire dancing? Poi spinning is good introduction to flow arts. If you ever wanted to try it, this is a class for you. Or if you already know some moves, we can learn more tricks. Come and learn and we can perform together during the talent show on Saturday night. We will have some sets of poi to play with.
Young Children
Early Morning Classes
Wear loose clothes and bring a yoga mat if you have one.
The ancient practice of Vipassana, or Insight, meditation is one of observing—and coming into balance with—life as it is. This technique results in a foundational restructuring of the mind, by learning to perceive subtle and profound expressions of natural law (universal truth) through one’s own direct experience.
Long-term practitioners report:
Relief from destructive mental habit patterns
A general sense of happiness and well-being.
Release from addiction.
Greater confidence
Higher productive capacity
A greater understanding of one’s own path and purpose
Developing mental concentration through observation of breath related sensation
Expanding practice by observing sensation throughout the body
loving compassion meditation
We will begin by grounding and connecting with this land, our breath and body. Slowly moving into our bodies with care and ease. We will open and ground invoking earth energy with the focus of connecting with the energy of the land. We will end with connecting our voices.
We will begin by finding our breath and safely move in ways that invoke creativity, ease of movement and openness. Finding awareness and flow in our joints, sacral area including our hips and supporting ease of heart. The intention is to connect with the water element that moves within and around us, that connects and remembers. We will end with chanting.
We will begin by finding our breath and supporting our ability to discern and adapt. We will focus to sustain the ability to show up in all the inpermanice that life offers. Focusing on the areas of the belly, heart, throat, and ease the mind of our monkey mind thoughts. This class will have the intention of inspiring practitioners to keep their aim and live their soul's purpose. We will end this class with a chakra clearing meditation and chanting.
Other Classes
Come join us for an evening under the late spring constellations. Guided by a green laser wand, you’ll learn to find your way around the night sky and the names of the stars and constellations, while hearing folklore from different times and cultures. We’ll meet the bright shining stars of the Twins, the Lion, Virgo, the Scorpion, and more… You will also be dosed with Essence Elixirs!
Intensives
1. Botanical Perfumery Class - Carole Addison-Goyne
2. Coastal Alchemy: Seaweed Foraging (Sunday) - Tanya Stiller
3. Lymphatic Breast Health - DeAnna Batdorff
4. Trust, Intimacy, and Community through Repair - Amber Young