Laura Tempest Zakroff
Visual Alchemy – From Creation to Connection

Since the beginning of time, humanity has made art as a way to affect, influence and seek order in the seen and unseen world. In turn, art has initiated civilization, crafted community, and created culture. Art is (and should be) accessible to all, helping us to explore ourselves while collaborating with others. In this lecture we’ll explore art as essential magic – not only as a tool for tapping into our own power, but also how we can connect and collectively build common ground together.

Laura is the author of several best-selling books and oracle decks based in modern traditional witchcraft. An accomplished artist and performer as well, she is known for her unique approach to sigil magic, and incorporates art into magic as a regular practice.

Learn more about Laura at: https://lauratempestzakroff.com

Rene Collins
Magickal Qi Gong

Magickal Qigong is the blending of Taoist and Pagan approaches that create a seamless elegant magickal system that improves health and increases qi the life force energy behind all magickal effects. You will get a taste of the 5 Tonifying Regulation Exercises, that when used, removes aches and pain and build a magickal battery. If you want to learn how to create magickal health and well being you don't want to miss this great opportunity! All leaves and magickal experience are welcomed!

Rene Collins is an musician, magician and spiritual teacher with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of Magickal Qi Gong and Chi Life Force Qi Gong. He is the author of Way of the Magical Intelligence and Magickal Qi Gong Awakening the Dragon He lives, teaches online and performs on the West and East Coast.

Learn more about Rene at https://magickalqigong.com/

T. Thorn Coyle

Magic and the Creative Flow
The world needs creativity, now more than ever. If you feel overwhelmed, stuck, blocked, or just want even more creativity in your life, join us! In the first portion of this workshop will invoke a few simple practices to connect to our creativity, quiet our inner critics, and fan our magical spark. For the second portion of the workshop, please bring a creative project you may want to work on! Writing, knitting, drawing, movement, or creative brainstorming are welcome!

Ancestor Healing and Atonement Ritual (With Crystal Blanton)
We all have ancestors of blood and of spirit. Some ancestors are helpful guides, some are reminders of what needs to change. Some ancestors need healing, others need to offer atonement through our own words and actions. Some ancestors offer strength.

We can call upon intergenerational experience and timeless wisdom. Join us for a ritualistic honoring of the ancestors of justice and strength and offer atonement for our ancestors who enacted harm. Let us reflect on the past and invoke the future, together. May the way be clear.


T. Thorn Coyle has worked in many strange and diverse occupations before settling in to write novels. A queer, nonbinary mystic, Thorn has been a student of the magical arts for forty years and taught in nine countries, on four continents, and in twenty-five states.Author of the Seashell Cove Paranormal Mystery series, the Pride Street Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, The Steel Clan Saga, The Witches of Portland, and The Panther Chronicles, Thorn’s multiple non-fiction books include Sigil Magic for Writers, Artists & Other Creatives, Kissing the Limitless, Make Magic of Your Life, and Evolutionary Witchcraft. Thorn's work also appears in many anthologies, magazines, and collections.

An active creative, Thorn has written and co-produced four music albums, is a former professional dancer, and an avid amateur photographer. An interloper to the Pacific Northwest U.S., Thorn drinks a lot of tea, pays proper tribute to the neighborhood cats, and talks to crows, squirrels, and trees.

Learn more about T. Thorn Coyle at www.thorncoyle.com

Incantation from Heads: Celtic Necromantic and Ancestor Practices

The Celtic cultures are deeply rooted in ancestor veneration and lore about the power of the dead. This class draws on historical, mythic, and folkloric narratives as well as archaeology to identify elements of ancestral and necromantic magics which can inform our practices. We will explore funerary ritual in Celtic traditions and its application to magical work; ancestor elevation and the heroic dead; head veneration and rituals of the oracular skull; necromantic dreaming and divination; and safety practices for engaging with spirits of the dead.

Morpheus Ravenna is a genderfluid sorcerer, artist, and writer, residing in the East Bay area of California. Sí is a dedicant of the Morrígan, with a practice rooted in animism, folk magic, and Celtic polytheism. An initiate of the Anderson Feri tradition of witchcraft, sí has practiced devotional polytheism and the magical arts for over twenty-five years. Sí is the author of The Book of the Great Queen and The Magic of the Otherworld, and a priest and co-founder of the Coru Cathubodua Priesthood.

Morpheus makes hir living as a tattoo artist, and sí creates devotional artworks and sorcerous crafts in a variety of media. Sí also practices medieval armored combat and is very fond of spears. Morpheus can be reached through hir website at bansheearts.com.

MORPHEUS WILL BE OFFERING TATTOOING ONSITE.
Visit hir website to reserve your spot: https://bansheearts.squarespace.com/tattoo-hexenfest

Crystal Blanton, LCSW

Intro to Brainspotting
”Brainspotting is a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation and a variety of other challenging symptoms. Brainspotting is a simultaneous form of diagnosis and treatment, enhanced with Biolateral sound, which is deep, direct, and powerful yet focused and containing”.

From: https://brainspotting.com/about-bsp/what-is-brainspotting/

Ancestor Healing and Atonement Ritual (With T. Thorn Coyle)
We all have ancestors of blood and of spirit. Some ancestors are helpful guides, some are reminders of what needs to change. Some ancestors need healing, others need to offer atonement through our own words and actions. Some ancestors offer strength.

We can call upon intergenerational experience and timeless wisdom. Join us for a ritualistic honoring of the ancestors of justice and strength and offer atonement for our ancestors who enacted harm. Let us reflect on the past and invoke the future, together. May the way be clear.

Crystal Blanton, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in the counseling field. She works with culturally diverse populations in a variety of settings to support with concerns related to depression, anxiety, trauma, substance abuse, and other life challenges.

She utilizes an anti-oppressive, culturally relevant, strength-based, and client centered approach to the therapeutic process, incorporating personal strengths in collaboration with those I work with. I incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, EMDR, FLASH, Mindfulness and Solution Focused modalities to support the overall needs and goals of the individual.

Learn more about Crystal at: https://blantonlcsw.com

Lasara Firefox Allen:
Success Is Your Proof; Courage is Your Armor: Success Magicks with Lasara Firefox Allen, MSW

Hone your magickal manifestation skills! The reality is that manifestation comes down to grit and elbow grease, in addition to the more starry-eyed elements of living into the dreams you hold for yourself. Where does pragmatism leave off and magick begin? For some of us, the two are one and the same. Lasara–a lifelong Witch, long-time teacher and author, and nonprofit executive who’s smashing it professionally–will share their grounded and accessible magickal and pragmatic technologies and tools for manifesting goals and aspirations. No matter where on your magickal path you currently stand, you’re sure to gain something worth taking away.

Lasara Firefox Allen, MSW, they/them/Mx., is the author of Jailbreaking the Goddess: A Radical Revisioning of Feminist Spirituality and Sexy Witch, both published by Llewellyn Worldwide. Lasara is a lifelong, family traditions Witch, a multiply ordained Priest/ess, and a long-time teacher, coach, and facilitator. Lasara’s personal mission statement is: toward our collective liberation.. Find out more at www.linktr.ee/lasarafirefoxallen

Morning Heart Circles
joie facilitates the morning heart circles, a tradition from the radical faerie culture, where attendees can share whatever is in their hearts in that moment. a chance to express, be witnessed, and build more connections within the festival. 

joie is a longtime veteran of gatherings and festivals of all types, and is often found heading up the registration team. joie is an epicene being whose pronouns are “please don’t use the same ones twice in a row”.

Lisa Stuhley: Ritualistic Death

What if we didn't have to die alone, without our loved ones by our side or in a sterile environment?

What if I told you that you have an opportunity to create your own sacred and ritualistic death experience?

Please join me on an inward journey where you are invited to come face to face with your own mortality. In safe space, I’ll support you in breaking past your limiting ways of thinking, explore our own narratives and fears surrounding death and re-envision your death through sacred, ritualistic lenses.

Bring something to sit on, water, journal and your beautiful self!

Lisa Stuhley is serving her community as a Reiki Master, End of Life Practitioner, Death Doula and Funeral Celebrant. Her fascination with ritual work surrounding the underworld has paved the way for many of her own personal breakthroughs. It is no surprise that Samhain is her favorite time of the year! She finds peace & comfort in communing with the Dead.

She is a recent graduate from The HeartWay ELP Training Program and is passionate about helping people leave this world on their own terms, where possible. She wishes to de-medicalize death and make the act of dying sacred again. She brings her 30 year connection to the sacred, ceremony and ritual to the room when holding space and working with others. "

Espie Romans
Osteomancy 101

Have you always wanted to work with bones? Want to expand your divination skills but don’t know where to start? Well, this is your chance! In this class, you will learn the basics of Osteomancy. Osteomancy has a rich history spanning thousands of years, from Ancient Egypt to the depths of South America. We will work with ethically sourced coyote bones to make a personalized Osteomancy set. I’ll provide the bones and some basic craft supplies; you can bring anything you want to work with!

PLEASE NOTE: this workshop incurs an additional supply fee of $65 per person. Limited to Ten people. Please register ahead of time here: https://ko-fi.com/c/85b36f0c90

About Boma:
Salutations! I’m Boma; Espie works just fine, too! I started Sacred Wolf Healing to connect and heal with the community. I have been practicing witchcraft and paganism for 13 years! I consider myself a forever student of the universe because I love to learn new things and share my knowledge with others. I am a jack of all trades!

Sophia Fate Changer
Nordic Oracular Work
This will be a lecture style presentation describing the nature of what Oracular Work is according to Norse Paganism. I will discuss it's historical roots and also talk about modern styles.

Sophia Fate-Changer (they/them) practices Fire & Ice Norse Paganism and is the co-founder of The Fellowship of Fire & Ice. They are the head of the F&I Teaching Collective where they teach classes on Runes, advanced Runic topics, trance journey work, Cosmology, and more. Their day job is creating jewelry and other crafts as a full time artist.

The Well of Music and Song
An improvisational music experience facilitated by Sharon Knight and Alison Balano, two lifelong musicians who have come together as Women of the Well. We will use our voices, percussion instruments, and movement to play off of one another to tap into creative flow, which is also highly conducive to magical working.

Women of the Well:
Alison Balano and Sharon Knight are dear friends with a lifetime of music and healing arts steeped into their souls. Their work together is an act of service to humanity; priestess craft delivered through the art of music, ritual and vision. The original compositions and sacred improvisations of Women of the Well feature swirling violin, mandolin, vocal incantation, percussion and invocation. Their offering is the creation of sacred space where they custom-craft ritual to meet the needs of the moment through song, soundscape, special ceremony, rites of passage, healing ritual and celebration. At Hexenfest, Women of the Well invite you to dive deep into the well of rejuvenation and draw up healing, vitality and hope for ourselves and for all Life.

Learn more about Women of the Well here: https://www.womenofthewellmusic.com

Learn more about Sharon here: https://sharonknight.net

Learn more about Alison here: https://alisonbalano.com

Don Schulz
Rattle Making Playshop

Make your own all natural Elk hide Rattle. $50 includes instruction and all materials. 25 person maximum. No pre-registration necessary. First come, first served. If you want to register early bird to ensure you get a spot, you can email Don at drummaker@thedifferentdrum.net, or visit his booth on site. This is not necessary, however.

Think of the supply fee as an interactive vendor purchase, where instead of buying a pre-made rattle, you have a hand in crafting it yourself.

Don is a friendly fellow with a twinkle in his eye. He has been making all natural drums and rattles for Magickal Folk for over 20 years.

Meditation Through an Animist Lens. Now with Squirrels!
Silent meditation is a keystone practice in many traditions that for many in the pagan community is difficult to put into practice because of the busy-ness of our modern lifestyles and mental load. This is an approach to that practice that I would like to offer to the community that relies on one simple visualization- that of the life cycle of a tree. By aligning our breathing to the rising and falling patterns of leaf production and shedding, I have found a way of quieting the mind that is simple and centered on nature. It also has a distinct advantage in that distracting thoughts find a suitable visual vehicle that fits in with the overarching meditative practice. In this session, I will talk about the various ways I put this mediation into practice, we will mediate together as the trees of a forest, and then discuss as a group our experiences and challenges with meditation.

About Patrick:
Patrick Graeme is a wanderer on many paths of magic, ecology, healing, and warriorship. Patrick’s first exposure to magic and paganism was through the Feri tradition with a strong emphasis on “Celtic” spirituality, though he has delved into numerous other practices such as Taoism, Thelemic Hermeticism, Anthroposophy, and the Sacred Firecircle. He is a member of the Coru Cathubodua Priesthood through which he has found a deeply nourishing and authentic spiritual practice.

Gretchen “Red” Helms
Incense Making 101

Love the idea of magical incense but don’t care for the scents you’ve found so far?  Wondering just what kind of weird stuff is in those “pina colada” sticks at the gas station?  Incense making is an ancient art form and in this class you’ll learn how to combine common everyday herbs to make wonderful scents for your home that also have magical properties.  For a small additional fee there will be lab materials for you to make your own Happy Hearth or Calming incense to enjoy.

Gretch felt the callings of the nature spirits at a very young age, but then needed to survive Catholic school and didn’t fully realize that she was, in fact, a witch until shortly before the pandemic started.  She’s spent over thirty years in the tech industry and now creates her own jewelry, incense, and weaving.  She has several feral black cats that she tends to as well as the local tribe of crows and a beehive.  She adores tea and online gaming, and can’t stop making stuff for fear she might explode.

You can find her items for sale at https://laughing-cat-forge.myshopify.com/

Bay Area Fire and Ice
Odin Oracular Devotional
The Oracular component to this devotional will be done in a private fashion between Volur and up to nine participants chosen from volunteers by our Ward. We do not make a public spectacle of our Oracular work due to the sensitive nature of these questions being asked by Seekers wishing to seek divine counsel from the Norse gods and ancestors. The divination aspect will be a general Rune reading for the community present as a whole.

Please note that this is a closed container ritual, so once it’s begun, you will not be permitted entry. If you need to leave the ritual, please ask a Ward to guide you out. We strongly encourage participants not to take hallucinogenics before or during this ritual. If you intend to use other substances prior or during the ritual, please appoint a sober guardian for yourself; please also make Wards aware if you are or intend to be altered during ritual (confidential and NO JUDGEMENT–for spiritual safety purposes only.)

Bay Area Fire & Ice is the foundational group for the larger organizational movement that is The Fellowship of Fire and Ice (FoFI). FoFI is a body of radically inclusive, polytheistic, Norse Pagan practitioners. FoFI upholds an animistic worldview where the unifying force known as Wyrd ties us all together.

Gillian Brown
Journey through the Labyrinth

We will gather at the Saratoga Springs labyrinth. The ancient symbol of the labyrinth has always intrigued me, from the very first one I saw that was carved on a cliff face in Northern Cornwall. Then began my research into the prehistory and history of the labyrinth, which became the topic of my Master's thesis. I also learned how to draw and construct them. In this workshop you will hear all about the prehistory and history of the labyrinth, as well as learn how the draw your own. Bring your notebook. We will then walk the Saratoga Springs labyrinth.

About Gillian
I was born and raised in England and study of the ancient ways of my ancestors has long been my passion. I am also a Hexenfest vendor! Find my work at www.brigidsgifts.com

A Shattering Innocence

In this participatory conversation and play-shop, we'll explore ideas of innocence, cultural and personal identities, and the shattering impact of glimpsing who we are, underneath it all.
What if the answer is closer to "more than I imagined," and not, "nothing at all?"

Karina will share brief readings from her book, Distillations, and invite you to engage in light-hearted play designed to catapult us away from the safety of ego-identity, toward an enduring, incorruptible ground of being. 

Karina BlackHeart is a Feri Witch and Founder of the BlackHeart Feri Lineage. She's a Master Firewalking Instructor, public speaker, and published author. Having mentored and taught in a dozen countries, her work emphasizes spiritual evolution woven with personal development and culture change.  You can find her seminars and menu of private sessions at TheCroneHerself.com

She works from home in the Berkshire Mountains of Western, Massachusetts where she tends thriving medicinal and food gardens, while developing non-monetary relationships of reciprocity with local hilltown folk. 

Hecate Chant - Voice Workshop

Come and learn the weaving parts to the chant “We Call For Hecate” (by Celia Farran) while exploring the vast magical potential of your voice.  We will have the exciting opportunity to perform the song together at Celia Farran’s Concert.

Your voice is an amazing instrument. It is always with you. Come and uncover your “consistent instrument” thru vocal games & discovery. Celia will guide the group thru imaginative play & exercises that will leave you with a new appreciation for this incredible expressive part of you called your voice. Expect to become more present in your body and vocal singing or speech expression whether you want to lead singing circles, audition for American Idol, or simply rock out behind your steering wheel with the windows up. We will play & sing together. You might even have a fantastic time!

Celia has been performing for over 30 years with training in stage speech & vocal singing. She currently tours the nation as a singer/songwriter/comedienne and is also a recording artist with 13 recordings to date. Celia teaches vocal workshops as well as private voice in person or via the internet. She specializes in guiding singers to finding new tones & soundscapes they didn't even know they had.
www.celiaonline.com