Workshops
At Fertile Ground Gathering, we host a wide variety of workshops that are sure to inspire. From beginner to advanced offerings, there is something for everyone! Look for details in each listing to help you choose the workshops that are right for you. With a few exceptions, preregistration is not required for our workshops, so you'll be welcome to decide each day which ones you'd like to attend.
Below is the list of the workshops we will be offering in 2024, along with links to the presenter bios. As we get closer to the Gathering, we will update the event schedule, and add the days and times for each workshop. You will then be able to find that information in each workshop listing below as well as on the individual day's schedules.
Fire from the Sky
with Jane Sibley
Sky fire includes lightning, St. Elmo's Fire (corona discharges), ball lightning, disintegrating bolides, and more. We will explore folklore, iconography, superstitions, religion, and suchlike in this presentation. In olden days, folks didn't know the science about celestial fire, and explained it in terms that they could understand. They explained lightning as having been sent directly from a sky god, for instance. We now know how thunderstorms form, and what causes lightning, etc. But even today, there are supernatural beliefs and practices about celestial fire independent of scientific explanations.
Fire in the Norse Tradition
with Jane Sibley
Fire was not only for keeping warm and cooking meals, but was also essential for5 the smith, for preparing medicines, for bathing/hygiene, brewing, and more. Kindling the New Fire at Yule was a village-wide ritual event, and the Yule log was also a Yule tradition. In this presentation, we will explore the mundane and ritual uses of terrestrial fire in Norse Traditions.
Where the Wild Things Are
with Christa Heartstone
Everywhere you go - from the middle of the city, to the depths of a forest - you are surrounded by the Spirits of Place. They go by many names. They can be benevolent or malicious, but most of the time, they just want to be treated with respect. Join Christa for a practical lesson in Spirit Etiquette, as we take a nighttime stroll around the park. Learn how to sense the presence of the Spirits of Place, how to distinguish between an actual spirit and your body's natural fight-or-flight instinct kicking into overdrive in the dark, and most importantly, how to foster a sense of mutual respect across the veil.
Ogham and Scottish Gaelic Chanting Workshop, Part I
with Moine Michelle
While the "magical" and "Druidic" traditions of the Gaels have not survived the tests of time, a few fragments of traditional practice have been preserved via folkways, songs, and language. This workshop focuses on the Ogham, the "Celtic" Tree Alphabet, and the practice of chanting and singing in Scottish Gaelic culture (via incantations and prayers [similar to Kirtan and Galdr]), to deepen your meditative, divinatory, and mystical practices.
Ogham Chanting: Let's Chant! Part II
with Moine Michelle
This session is a follow up to "Ogham and Scottish Gaelic Chanting Workshop, Part I." Here we will put our learning into practice with extended, experimental chanting to bring forward new energies of transformation, creativity, and the rising energies of spring. Participants are encouraged to bring rattles, drums, noise makers, and water. (Chanting is thirst making!) Lemon wedges and apple cider vinegar will be provided to augment the water for folks who choose a little extra toning of their vocal chords.
Dragonfire Alchemy
with Jenna Greene
The cave you fear to enter Holds the treasure that you seek Travel ever onward, Oh, travel ever deep Beyond that haunting, looming abyss You may come to find All the chains that bound you Were just dragons in your mind” In your childhood you probably heard stories of a brave soul who sets out upon a quest to find a mysterious cave and battle the fiery dragon within. While this may seem like a mere fairytale, there is much to be learned from dragon stories, for they are rich in mythic symbolism. In this workshop, you will learn how to use these symbols as magickal tools. You will discover your own dragon story. Together we will fight “dragons” I’m sure you’ve met before. Their names are Procrastination, Imposter Syndrome, Not Good Enough, Stuck, Doubt, Fear, Self-Consciousness, and the biggest, baddest dragon of all: Should. By alchemical fire and sacred sword, we will battle these fearsome beasts and transform them into guardians and guides. The five “swords” that I will teach you to wield are Somatic Release, Mental Reframing, Hyperfocus, Inner Child Work, and Visualization. As you bring your own personal dragon story to life, it is my hope that it will become a roadmap to authenticity, freedom, and playfulness on your great quest through life.
Intro to Personal Energy Work
with Cael Jacobs
We all live (and participate) in a constant flow of energy, every single day. Energy flows into us and out of us, into and out of the people around us, into and out of our environment. It happens all the time, and many of us never even take the time to notice.
In this class, we will discuss, first of all, what that energy is. Then we will learn and practice techniques to become consciously aware of the flows into and out of and around us. We will learn to identify and become familiar with our own energetic centers, the places within us from which our personal power radiates. We will practice connecting ourselves to a stable place in the earth in order to ensure that we remain steady even when the energy flows we find ourselves in are powerful or even overwhelming. And we will work to develop a way to shield ourselves from the flow of unwanted energies; energies from outside that we do not wish to reach us, and energies from within that we do not wish to share.
Energy Work - Dragonfire
with Cael Jacobs
You are familiar with Personal Energy Work: you are aware of the flow of energy back and forth between you and the world around you. You can center yourself, ground yourself, and shield out unwanted and unwelcome external influences.
All of that is important, helpful, necessary knowledge to have...but it only takes you so far. In this class, we will take the next step: to draw on what we know of personal energy work to create our own dragonfire: an outward-turned manifestation of our energy, of our focused and manifested will, to create change around us. We will discuss ways of using energy work external to ourselves, and the ethics that lie beneath our choice about when and how to do so...and when not to.
The instructor asks that all who attend this class have some familiarity with basic energy work techniques and terminology; he will be offering an Introduction to Personal Energy Work class earlier at the event, for those who are new to this kind of working. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared to ask (and answer) difficult questions of themselves, as we delve deeply into what dragonfire truly has to offer.
Do or Do Not
with Cael Jacobs
Each of us has within us the awesome and limitless power of free will and self-determination. But sometimes we limit ourselves anyway, by allowing our inner fears, or needs we are not aware of, to prevent us from realizing our own potential. In this class, we will be exploring those fears, uncovering those hidden needs, and testing our motivations. We will keep what serves us, discard what does not, and then using what we have learned to set goals for ourselves to use our boundless power to create the futures we wish to live in. This is a participatory class, and attendees should come prepared to speak openly in sacred space, and to support others as they do the same, so that we can all grow and be empowered to own and guide our individual destinies.
The Shape of Your Dragon
with Cael Jacobs
A dragon does not care -- does not need to care -- whether it fits into the expectations of the world. A dragon simply is, and the world must accept it for what it is. All too often, however, we as people see the world as something we must mold ourselves to fit into: bending, twisting, and concealing parts of ourselves in order to conform to a shape that society expects of us. In this class, we will discuss the ways that we each shape ourselves to fit the world. We will explore techniques to rediscover our own shapes in the world -- the shapes that we would take if, like dragons, we stopped conforming to the expectations of others -- and to make informed decisions about which ways we will choose to fit into the world...and which ways we will not. We will each create for ourselves an internal representation of the shape we must be in order to live as we were meant to, and we will learn to use that shape as a visualization tool to embrace our own power and individuality.
This is a participatory class, and attendees should come prepared to speak openly in sacred space, and to support others as they do the same, so that we can all grow and be empowered to own and guide our individual destinies. The instructor strongly encourages people who wish to attend this class to also attend "Do, or Do Not", because some of what we will be discussing here builds on concepts discussed in the other class.
Dragon Quilling
with Alyssa Yeager
Learn the basics of quilling (coiling/shaping thin strips of colorful paper) to create a unique dragon. Quilling requires a little patience and dexterity, and a willingness to get elmer's glue on your fingers! Alyssa will demonstrate how to create shapes and build the dragon you'll take home.
Cost is $2 per attendee. Preregistration is recommended, but walk-ins may be welcome if there is still space at the beginning of the workshop. Click below to pay for this workshop.
Shedding and Sloughing and Shunting Away
with Lendri
Nobody talks about it, but dragons are lizards! And all lizards must shed their skin as they grow, when the old skin no longer serves and restricts growth. We often wear our cares and worries and carry burdens without thought, they become part of us. But when was the last time we took stock and got rid of the things we don't need or shouldn't keep? This workshop will offer discussion about how to sort what things to keep and what to release, to 'shed the old skin' to allow for the new you to shine through. Gentle movement, the use of grounding and energy management techniques, and a little meditation will be utilized to allow attendees to find a way that will work best for them going forward into their new practices. This workshop will be appropriate for all levels of experience. Please bring something to write on and to write with.
Note: if you are new to the practice of centering and grounding, we recommend that you first attend the Intro to Personal Energy Work class to be most prepared for the work in this class.
A Tale of Two Dragons:
The Symbolism of the Red Dragon of the Celtic Nation of Wales (Y Ddraig Goch)
with Jenny Brown
A red dragon and a white dragon fight fiercely beneath the earth, and all that is attempted to be built on such earth crumbles. Dive into the multiple stories behind the fierce red dragon that blazons the flag of Wales -- tales of culture and identity, tales of fighting for autonomy and sovereignty, tales of kings and divination, tales of history and of myth. Come find out why the red dragon is the emblem of Wales, and what we can learn from the deep symbolism of such tales for application to our own lives. This workshop will involve a short guided journey.
Accessing the Inner Fire
with Sophia Kelly Shultz
Often when we think of fire, our minds go to open flames: drum circle fires, candle flames, cooking fires. But fire goes far deeper than that, into the earth; it lies beneath our feet and comes to the surface as an upwelling of creation, bringing forth new, fertile land. This workshop is a ritual/meditation, an exercise intended to assist attendees in accessing and channeling the deep-rooted creative energies of the Earth’s Deep Fire.
La Vecchia Religione: Italian Witchcraft folk practices and traditions
with Amie Tolomeo and Terry Wagner
Explore the world of Italian based folk magic and lore, and how to incorporate them into your day to day life. We will talk about the Lare (environmental spirits), Tregunda (holidays), honoring ones' Ancestors, and detecting and removing the Malocchio (evil eye). It is not required that you have Italian heritage, we know not everyone can be so lucky!
Cimaruta Charm Workshop
with Amie Tolomeo and Terry Wagner
In this crafting workshop we will discuss the symbols of the Cimaruta, "sprig of rue" charm which is sacred to Italian Witches. It serves as both a protection and luck charm, and to identify themselves to each other. We will then craft a Cimaruta out of charms for your home, using the basics and some extras! If you have them, please bring 2 small needle nose or bent nose pliers, but we will have tools to share. Attending our Strega workshop is recommended, but not required!
Cost is $20 per attendee. Preregistration is recommended, but walk-ins may be welcome if there is still space at the beginning of the workshop. Click below to pay for this workshop.
Light Your Inner Flame:
Meditation and Breathwork as Tools for Ritual
with Lady Mellysandra
This experiential workshop will introduce participants through meditation and breathwork techniques including “Breath of Fire'' as tools for preparation for ritual and magik. The workshop will guide the participants through the use of meditation and breathwork as a way to shift the brain from the mundane to the mystical as a pathway to connect to your inner flame. The workshop will share tips and tricks to help participants settle the "monkey" mind and more easily shift from this world to the next. Techniques will be discussed to help prepare the body, mind, spirit, and environment for ritual.
Connecting & Communicating with Dragon Guides
with Cellina Rhiannon
Dragons can be wonderful allies, protectors, and powerful spirit guides. This workshop offers the opportunity to awaken your connection, your inner strength and intuition, with these incredible beings, and tap into their mystical energy for guidance, protection, and empowerment. We’ll explore different types of dragons including: elemental dragons, galactic dragons, and celestial dragons. We’ll also discuss dragon communication, and how to channel their wisdom through multidimensional expression such as light codes, as we discover how they can guide and empower us in our spiritual journey. We’ll take a journey together to connect with our dragon guides using a fusion of hypnosis for relaxation, guided visualization, sound vibration, and meditative breathing. In this journey you can receive messages and symbols from your dragon guides to help you to continue and deepen this relationship long after the weekend ends. (Bring a chair or something to lie on for the guided journey.)