STARWOOD XVII SPEAKERS and WORKSHOPS
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The Association for Consciousness Exploration
was conceived and created by members of the Chameleon Club, an eclectic extended-partying group floundered in 1978 in the northeast Ohio area. "Dedicated to the Expansion of the Frontiers of your Consideration", ACE provides programs that celebrate diversity in the fields of consciousness, spirituality, and discovery such as the Starwood Festival and the WinterStar Symposium. To quote their Flounder, C.C. Rosencomet,"Their motto is Change!, their spirit in undaunted, their energy is phenomenal, and their number is far from legion." There are many other groups like the Chameleon Club, but they all reside in parallel universes.
"So It's Your First Starwood..."
Chameleons and ACE organizers Sean, Liafal, and Jeff Rosenbaum present an informal orientation for first time attenders to Starwood (or festivals in general). Topics to be discussed may include site orientation, etiquette, how to tell the staff from even lower primates, the history of Starwood, and your incessant and unwelcome questions. Just kidding. No, really.
Fox (Rev. John Adelman)
is the Archdruid of Ar nDraiocht Fein, and founder and Senior Druid of Shining Lakes Grove, ADF in Ann Arbor Michigan. Fox has been involved in Paganism for many years, has lived on a Native American reservation, studied Pagan magic and religion in several traditions, and has become the leader of ADF's largest and most active local Grove.
Druidry: Ancient & Modern
Fox and Ian Corrigan offer a review of the history, cultural context and practices of the fascinating and mysterious figures known as the Druids. Atlantis? Stonehenge? Human Sacrifice? Questions on these topics and more will be answered. We will also discuss the revival of Druidism, from the 18th and 19th Century Romantics to modern NeoPaganism.
Tim Anderson M.Div.
has been a minister in a Presbeyterian Church, a Unitarian Universalist fellowship and on a college campus. He has done refugee work in Zaire, led trips in the Third world and worked with the mentally ill. He is a political activist interested in overlap of international injustice and psychological denial. He has studied family therapy and led Men's, Breath, Rape-culture, Deep Ecology, and Dream Workshops.
Wild Ecstacy/Unity Breathing
Not mellow, not meditation and not for the emotionally unstable! We will learn to breathe full and fast and continuous and to let the evoked emotions and thoughts run freely through us. We will breathe together in a circle with our eyes open and connected. Expect to experience that which has been waiting to emerge. Also expect to feel one of the best natural highs there is. This kind of breathwork is an intensely powerful and healthy bodily function which, for some reason, they just didn't tell us about. Wear loose clothing, bring a cushion and be prepared to sit on the ground. (Two periods long.)
Council of All Beings
"To hear within ourselves the sound of the Earth crying."
-John Seed
Based on the work of Joanna Macy, John Seed, Eco-feminism and Deep Ecology, the Council of All Beings presents an opportunity to know our Selves and our world profoundly, healthfully, and expansively. We will build trust, remember our evolutionary past, paint our faces, breathe intensely, mourn, and then speak/feel/act/be in Council as our nonhuman allies. Please bring water, something to sit on and loose clothing for ANY weather... we will be in the woods and we won't come back until They let us return.
Kelly Armor & David Sturtevant
For the past 5 years Armor and Sturtevant have been playing a hybrid of East African traditional, American old-timey, and their own original music on a plethora of instruments at folk festivals, concerts, coffeehouses, churches, and schools. They come by their unique sound honestly. Kelly Armor studied flute and composition at Yale before spending 2-1/2 years in Kenya and Tanzania. There she lived with native people and collected their songs, folklore, and instruments. David Sturtevant grew up listening to and accompanying the fiddle playing of his father. Dave's songs reflect his old-time roots and his lifetime of living along the Great Lakes.
Gospel Songs from Tanzia
African Christians are struggling for musical expression that is both theologically and culturally appropriate. Learn a bit about African history, and sing lots of catchy songs.
Polyrhythms
Come explore the backbone of African music with songs and movement and learn how it relates to an Earth-centered worldview.
The Tennis-Racquet Fiddle
Folk music has a legacy of inventiveness and an ethic of conservation. Bring your kids and experience some home made instruments from house-hold junk, er, I mean recycled items.
Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF)
Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF) is the nation's largest Pagan Druidic Fellowship, devoted to public worship and in-depth training. It attempts to revive the best aspects of the
Paleopagan faiths of our forebears within a modern, scientific, artistic, ecological and holistic context. Visit the ADF WWW site at http://www.adf.org/
The Blot of Nine Fires
This rite is a blot (Norse Blessing rite) done in the fashion of ADF's Indo-European ritual outline. It is an offering to all the worlds and beings of the Norse Pagan Ways, and a request for blessing on us and our work. This Thursday night ritual will be led by World Tree Grove (ADF) and other members of Ar nDraiocht Fein.
Robert V. Beltz
is a philosopher, student and traveller, who has served in Venice and Rome and on the Bosnia Relief Mission on the USS JFK's Mediterranean Cruise. Since a friend first handed him the life changing book "The Celestine Prophecy", and while traveling the Southwest States on an inner quest, he has applied the studied knowledge from it and it's sequels and workbooks. He has correlated these ideas with those in his self-published book of poetic philosophy "Auspicious Points" (recently reprinted in a revised hemp bound edition).
Overview of the Celestine Prophecy
This workshop will begin with a brief description of each of The 10 Insights of the Celestine Prophecy and how they describe life's workings. This path has inspired Bob to write a great deal of poetry and commentary, some of which he's included in his book "Auspicious Points" and will be part of the open discussion. Bob hopes to hear and share some good synchronicities.
Isaac Bonewits
has been a Druid priest for over 25 years, and a Wiccan priest for 15 years. He is one of North America's best known authorities on Neo-Paganism, Druidism, Witchcraft and the Occult. He holds the only accredited degree ever given in Magic (U.C.Berkeley) and is author of the classic intro textbook Real Magic. He's the founder of Ar nDraiocht Fein: A Druid Fellowship (ADF), and co-leads a Gardnerian coven with his wife, Deborah Lipp. (Book & tapes available from ACE)
Antagonists in the Grove: Handling Destructive Jerks in Our Community
Based on K. Haugk's groundbreaking book ("Antagonists in the Church") and thirty years of observing small group dynamics in our volatile community. Why "Witch Wars" and "Pagan Politics" get so nasty, distinguishing healthy from unhealthy conflict, identifying Antagonist personalities and preventing them from destroying our groups.
Discovering Your Magical Self
A lecture and guided meditation on the many varieties of magical and religious workers and workings, followed by a trance journey to explore which of those varieties the participants are most strongly drawn to, have practiced in other lives, and/or need to investigate in this one.
You can visit his WWW site at http://www.qed.net/bonewits/
Donna Boswell
is a long-time Chameleon and ACE organizer, and the director of First Aid and the Healers' Row at Starwood. She is a licensed massotherapist, the former president of the Ohio State Massotherapy Association, and a member of the American Association for the Study of Mental Imagery, founded by Dr. Bernie Siegal. She maintains a private practice in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Healing Circle
In spite of the wonderful energy we will have collected by the end of the Starwood Festival, many of us may feel a bit bruised from all the roads we've travelled and mountains we've climbed on our adventures through the many Realms. All you folk of healing and those needing the same, join in this final-day ritual of positive energy and good-will. Help us build a Cone of Power to heal all those at the festival and bless the land in thanks.
A View From Elsewhere: Astral Travel in My Experience
A sometimes tongue-in-cheek look at the out-of-body experience (a favorite past-time of Donna's), this lecture/experiential workshop is for novices and adepts alike. Some topics covered: "I can't find my roadmap!" "Guides, Guards and other assorted Beings." "Help, Mom! I can't find my body." "Tricks, Traps, and other Pratfalls." and, "Look Ma, No Hands." Come have some fun, learn some stuff (Gods forbid) and share stories from your experience.
David Butler
Can't make it this year, but will be back next year.
Ric Campbell
is a Shamanic healer, herbalist, and a Certified Massage Therapist, with over 20 years of experience. He has extensive training in Shiatsu and other bodywork systems. He
has led numerous workshops on his Shamanic path.
Inner Healing Massage Workshop
Learn how the physical and the emotional can be worked together to get in touch with past traumas and abuse in order to become a conscious person in control of one's own future. This workshop combines modern massage with Shamanic energy work in a
system of touch, thought and love.
CoHousing EcoVillage Community
These communities are already forming. Ric Campbell will present a slide show and discussion on this exciting new concept of living in balance with ourselves and the earth in true community. To be held at the PufferDome after dark.
Norman Christiansen
Norman Christiansen has a B.S. in Biology and is privately
known as Chameleon's Mad Scientist, Storyteller, electronics
mega-tinkerer, and caretaker for overworked Chameleons. He has
extensive experience in the research of the physiology of plants
as it relates to consciousness exploration. He is founder and
sole proprietor of Gnostic Redemer Zen Lutheran Church of North
America, Ltd., a member of the Society of Evangelical Agnostics
("I'll believe anything once") and token "Norm"al.
Entheogenic Plants of Power
This workshop will examine a wide variety of psychoactive
plants used by Shamans and visionseekers around the world for
healing, divination, and other purposes. Phyto-Chemistry,
Ethnobotany, Entheobotany, Neuro-Eclectic Shamanism, and other
areas of study which are vital to the informed psychonaut will be
explored. Norman will attempt to generate a flow chart of
relationships between plants and human neurotransmitters.
The Church of All Worlds
was founded in 1962. Their membership has included many of the movers and shakers in the worldwide Pagan community. Inspired by Robert Heinlein's novel Stranger in a Strange Land, it celebrates diversity, freedom of expression and life-style, and a spiritual unity with the Earth. CAW's publication, Green Egg, has won many awards and has published over 100 issues. Visit their WWW site at http://www.caw.org/ (Tapes on CAW's history and other subjects by CAW members available from ACE)
Drinking Deeply/ Sharing Water
A Church of All Worlds water-sharing ceremony (held in the pool) adapted from Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, this moving communion ceremony affirms our kinship in the Great Circle of Life. "Water shared is life shared" with "all that Groks" which, of course, is God/dess. Experience this unity through the ritualized sharing of water as the essence of life. You must be able to swim and to tread water.
Dr. Charles "Skip" Clark
Dr. Charles "Skip" Clark, PhD is a Professor of History at
St. Andrews College in Laurinburg, N.C. where he teaches classes
on Witchcraft and Women. He has researched extensively in
Medieval Medical Astrology, and has taught in China and in Italy.
(The tape The Burning Times: the Holocaust of the Witches is
available from ACE)
Nine Million Victims: the Creation of Wiccan
Mythhistory
This workshop explores the creation of the modern Wiccan
stereotypes of the historical witch as created by Gerald Gardner,
Starhawk, and others. We will be looking at the popular works
written by modern pagans and their views of what the historical
witch believed and practiced. Where did these folks get their
ideas and how did they develope? Hopefully, this will generate a
dialog about the meaning or relevance of the past for current
Wiccan beliefs and practices.
Goddesses of the Ancient Near East: Prototypes
of the Witch?
This workshop will look at the Goddesses of the ancient
Near East, especially Ishtar, her attributes, and how she was
portrayed and worshipped, as well as how she changed over time.
In many ways, she is the "uppity woman" who became the witch
in later times.
Cleveland Aikikai
is a school of Aikido affiliated with Shihan Mitsugi Saotome's Aikido Schools of Ueshiba. Founded 18 years ago and currently based in Cleveland Hts., Ohio, its members and students are dedicated to preserving and advancing the art, and they train actively 7 days a week.
We are pleased to welcome Chameleon and ACE organizer Jim Klar as a representative of Cleveland Aikikai. A second degree Black Belt, Jim has studied the Japanese martial art of Aikido for nine years, including two years in Japan, and taught for five. He currently teaches at Cleveland Aikikai and Oberlin College.
Aikido Workshop
Aikido is a late 20th century Japanese martial art created by Morihei Ueshiba (who died in 1969). Aikido emphasizes self defense through harmony with the attacker's movement, using their aggressive intentions against them to bring any conflict to a non-violent conclusion. It is an ideal martial art for men, women and children of all ages and physical abilities. This workshop is designed to serve as an introduction to Aikido, including a demonstration of advanced practice along with participatory exercises to demonstrate the art's principles.
Larry Cornett
is an environmental engineer, an initiated
Witch, a founding member of A.C.E. (and the Chameleon Club), an
initiate of the Reformed Druids of North America, and a Scion
with the Church of All Worlds. He has been an activist since his
days at Perdue University in the 60's, and worked for the Vietnam
Moratorium Committee. He produces a calendar of Pagan and
Magickal events, and is a contributor to Green Egg and other
publications. He has a BS in Physics, an MS in Civil and
Environmental Engineering, and over 23 years of professional
experience developing and assessing regulations and procedures
for the control and clean-up of pollution. Visit Larry's WWW site at http://users.aol.com/pob2000/eral/larry.htm or http://members.aol.com/lcorncalen/CORNETT.HTM
Earth Healing Magic
This is a workshop on magical techniques for healing the
Earth. After covering some basics on the nature of magic and
Earth healing, we are going to poll those present to determine
what level of experience those of us here have in various types
of magic, in order to determine how much time we need to spend on
basics and help focus the workshop at an appropriate level. We
will also get a feeling for how many people have done earth
healing magic and may have something to share. Then, after
spending a few minutes or as much as half the remaining time for
this workshop on basics, we will go around the workshop and share
magical techniques or chants that we found to be good for healing
the environment. I will also pass out some information on
Moonweb, a network of people doing simultaneous Earth healing
magic.
Earth Religion Rights Networking
Many Earth Religionists (Pagans, Wiccans, Druids, Shamans,
Mystics, etc.) have suffered job and housing discrimination,
police harassment, vandalism, and other evils. Some have lost
custody of their children. Many have been forced to move or spend
thousands of dollars in their defense. Several new cases of this
nature may occur every week in the U.S. alone.
In this workshop we will share our personal experiences both
with these issues and in the battle to combat them, covering
organizations, resources, and tactics that can help. Sign-up
sheets will be distributed and opportunities to obtain help
and/or offer your services to the cause will be presented. This
is a true networking session, not just a class, and we welcome
contributions of information, literature, aid, and even money for
postage and printing to help the cause of Earth Religion Rights. They can be reached at http://205.226.66.2/~rowanf/ERAL/eral.html and http://members.aol.com/lcorncalen/helplink.htm
Ian Corrigan
is a Chameleon, ACE organizer, and a well-known Pagan clergy and teacher in the Northeast Ohio area. Ian is a former Archdruid and Director of ADF, a founding member and Elder
of Stone Creed Grove, and author of four books on Celtic Paganism: The Portal Book, The Book of the Dragon, Grammary, and Druidheachd. He is one of the finest bards of the modern Pagan movement. He has been performing songs of the British Isles and Neo-Paganism for over 20 years, and his music and poetry have delighted audiences at A.C.E. events and Pagan festivals across the U.S.A. and Canada. His extensive Magical scholarship, his talents on guitar, drum and penny-whistle, and his deep, rich vocals are an unmatched blend in the music of the ongoing Bardic tradition. (Music tapes, lecture tapes and books by Ian are available from ACE.)
Nine Ways: Building a Personal Paganism
If you are new to the Pagan movement you may have felt overwhelmed by the variety of advice available to new students.
From shallow fluff to scholastic inconprehensibility, the new Pagan may have trouble sorting it all out. In this workshop Ian describes a nine-step pattern of basic Pagan work that will let new students begin to build an effective, inspiring personal spiritual practice. More experienced students and teachers will also find these ideas interesting and useful.
A Simple Rite of Offering - Ian and Liafal
A ritual of worship and communion with the Celtic Gods and Goddesses, the Ancestors and the Spirits of the Land. Led by Ian Corrigan and Liafal in the Nemeton, and done in the Druidic style of Ar nDraiocht Fein, the rite includes song, meditation and the giving of gifts to the Gods and Spirits. (Look under Liafal for her bio.)
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