Sheri Winston is a teacher of Womancraft & Wholistic Sexuality and a Womancare practitioner, healer, counselor and educator. She's a retired certified nurse-midwife, registered nurse, women's health, sexuality and childbirth educator, women’s health issues counselor, massage therapist, writer and artist. She's worked with women’s health for over 20 years, helped over 500 women birth their babies and provided health care and counseling for thousands of women. In addition to providing primary gynecological care at Mid-Hudson Valley Planned Parenthood clinics, she has a private wholistic sexuality & women's health issues counseling practice where she teaches classes and playshops on sexuality & women's health throughout the US and Canada.
Her Workshops:
AROUSAL & SEXUAL ENERGY SKILLS
Learn how to come without using your hands (or anyone else’s) in this
hands-off self-arousal class. We focus on Self-Skills, the techniques, inner
tools and abilities using breath, movement, sound, intention, imagery and
awareness to increase your own arousal and develop your orgasmic capacity.
Claim your right to expand your repertoire of what’s possible and awaken
your inherent aptitude to become turned-on and ecstatic.
TOUCH MAGIC - THE RITES OF TOUCH
Learn the skills and techniques to become an accomplished dancer in the improvisational
dance of touch, to become a disciple in the Rites of contact and connection.
Discover your ability to appropriately give and to actively receive the sublime
gift of conscious aware touch. See how intention is transmitted, how to tune
into subtle cues and how to lose your mind in the absorption of contact and
connection. Come with a partner or find one there.
Philip H. Farber is the author of FUTURERITUAL: Magick for the 21st Century, a manual of neurological exploration. His articles on magick and popular culture have appeared in Green Egg Magazine, The Journal of Hypnotism, Hypnosis Today, Mondo 2000, High Times, Paradigm Shift, and other unique publications and web sites. Phil is a Certified Hypnotherapist and a Licensed Trainer of Neuro-linguistic Programming, with a private practice in New York's Mid-Hudson Valley.
His Workshops:
Magick and Entheogens:
Herbs, plant allies, and psychoactive substances have
been a part of religious, spiritual, shamanistic, and magical practices throughout
history, in every part of the world. Politically unpopular and ideologically
controversial, the use of mind-expanding "ritual activators" has recently begun
to be reclaimed by a wide range of people interested in consciousness exploration
and magick. What are the pros and cons? How can entheogens be used safely, legally,
and effectively? This workshop will include (safe, legal, and fun) demonstrations
of some of the techniques involved.
Group Evocation: Evocation is the art of "summoning forth entities" into external form for the purpose of communicating with them. When a group of magicians works together to summon forth an entity, what do you call it? A shared thought-form? An egregore? A god or goddess? Using simple and powerful methods, Phil will offer you the opportunity to ask the entity itself what it wants to be called! This form of group evocation is not only exciting and powerful - it is safe and easily learned for your own use, in other settings, with groups or alone.
And...
Exclusive World Premiere DVD Showing: Magick and Entheogens,
Vol. 1: Cannabis
Dr. Jaz holds a PhD in Clinical Hypnotherapy, directs the Integrative Hypnotherapy and Energy Psychology Center in Williamsville, NY, has been a popular radio talk show host on “Adventure in Consciousness”, has appeared on numerous television programs including WNY Live!, is the author of the esoteric drawing manual called “Drawing the Breath”, Reiki Master, Therapeutic Touch practitioner, Rune practitioner, and Energy Psychologist. He is a member of the APA, American Medical Hypnotherapy Association, and many other professional groups. He has taught college courses and gives frequent international lectures and workshops, including Wic Can Fest, Starwood Festival, and Winterfest Yoga Retreat. View his website-in-progress...
His Workshops:
More of YOU in Every Moment: Savor the Flavor of Dynamic Life Force.
Have
you ever had that experience of feeling extraordinarily ecstatic just for
a moment, a fleeting glimpse of a Key to it All nearly in your grasp? That
is an experience of Who You Really Are.
Do you want that more often? Maybe all the time? Is this possible? Yes. That's just what More of You In the Moment is all about.
Filling each second with You, your Life Force, more of You Here Now, experientially sensual zing awareness with clarity and focus, full of energy. It can happen whether you believe in it or not. It's based on the relationship of your Soul with your amazing physiology. We share with you some secrets, and if you do it…you'll have it. It's Love under Will, the best kind.
Normal existence is an impoverished condition that we have come to accept and expect, having been conditioned to mediocrity since birth. It's time to learn how to stop all that and start being simply Brilliant again, automatically, in you own way. You will learn an exquisitely fast means to filling every second with more of You, like ten pounds of sugar in a five pound bag, bursting with sweet calmness, balance, joy and curiosity while transforming anger, frustration, and anxiety into useful resourcefulness no matter what Chaos is running around you. Then Power Breathing and Chip Meditation bring you into a delightful re-awakening that will stay with you forever. Or until you stop doing what you learned in this workshop, whichever comes first!
Master Your Fear and Reclain its Power
The big secret is that even the Gods and Goddesses have fears. And they've
had to deal with them. We may safely assume that you are not yet at that
exalted level where the perquisites make embracing those fears tenable.
So, we all have fears, uncertainties, doubts, maybe even irrational guilt,
blame or shame that needs to be dissolved so we can more powerfully progress
toward brilliance. Imagine that someone such as yourself, experienced
and knowledgeable, may still have that 'unsettling something' that occasionally
rattles your bones and weakens your knees. Imagine how much power your
fear has mortgaged from your natural assets, so much so that it is capable
of shaking the timbre of your greatest energies. Now imagine that you
have made this elusive, indefatigable, and seemingly undefeatable foe
your greatest ally - to do your bidding! Learn techniques that make this
possible, techniques that you can apply frequently outside this workshop.
If this seems too impossible to believe before you take this workshop,
consider that you can, if you wish, easily accept the idea that you can
at least learn to make peace with these fearful forces formerly beyond
your control. Each one of us has a masterful element that we will learn
to exercise even more powerfully once our fears have become manageable
and then turn its power to our own desires. Each of us can transform the
energy held by those fears into a willing teacher and servant. Begin to
hone your masterful elements in this wonderful workshop.
The Rev. Ivan Stang co-sub-founded The SubGenius Foundation in 1980, and has authored 4 books about The Church of the SubGenius and fringe beliefs, including The Book of the SubGenius and Revelation X. Since 1985 he has produced the syndicated “Hour of Slack” radio show, and has preached the word of J.R. “Bob” Dobbs at hundreds of stage shows. The Church of the SubGenius carved out a niche for itself on the Internet, where Stang now resides.
His Rant: What's Left of "Bob's" Right Brain?
Not much. And in
his left brain, nothing is right. Meanwhile, a Conspiracy of Normal People
wants your very life to be part of the obsolescence they have planned for
EVERYTHING, from your car, to the Age of Reason, to this very Winterstar
schedule.
Rev. Stang explains how to sidestep the whole shebang by abusing Slack.
Nema is a veteran Magickian/Mystic who has written Maat Magick: a Guide to Self-Initiation (Weiser), The Priesthood: Parameters and Responsibilities (Black Moon), and The Way of Mystery: Magick, Mysticism & Self-Transcendence (Llewellyn). She is an Elder in the Circle of the Sacred Grove, Church of Pantheist Wicca, a former member of the Typhonian OTO, and a Chaos mage.
Her Workshop: Psychedelics and Consciousness Exploration
We are part of our living Earth, members of the biosphere from and for which
we evolved. Certain plants--shrubs, fungi, cacti, herbs--have the capacity
to open various "doors of perception", as Aldous Huxley named them.
In this workshop we discuss a variety of vegetable substances which have
the property of altering perceptions and points of view. Included are ethical
considerations, the role of entheogens in Initiation, and the importance of
set and setting in successful experiences.
The Babalon Finishing School was created in order to provide an exclusive forum for introducing select souls to the arts of the Left Hand Path of magick, and to the lifestyle which inevitably follows. For the last five years it has grown and flourished in Cincinnati, and evolved into a precise yet chaotic blend of ideas, rituals, and tradition. Since the way is not for all, it must be found by the individual, and only those who are willing to take risks, and explore the abyss will recognise the entrance to the journey. Questioning ones own perception of reality is the first step to awakening, and sometimes the first step to ones destruction. Thru destruction we recreate ourselves, again and again into the truly conscious nakedness of being. The founders of the BFS are dedicated to showing the way to those who wish to explore the mysteries of the active paths of magick. Join us in our journey!
Their Workshop: The Path of the Ethical Slut
Perhaps you don't believe that sexual openness is a
workable option. Polyamory, open relationships, non-monogamy and
slutiness are words for a lifestyle that many people enjoy. When
practiced openly and honestly, the people involved are able to follow
their desires and share their sexuality how they see fit. Not an easy
road to follow, all the partners involved must be honest and have great
time-management and communication skills.
It is a lifestyle that can be very rewarding. Explore lessons learned on
the road by the Babalon Finishing School, as members paint a broad canvas filled
with joy and heartache on the way to becoming Ethical Sluts.
Lyrus Landholder has studied and practiced many paths of Magick for over twenty years, from Wicca to Thelema, Tantra to Kabbalah. He is an Elder and past High Priest of the Circle of the Sacred Grove (Church of Pantheist Wicca), and a founding member of the Chameleon Club. He is a fine cellist, composer and arranger, with a B.A. in Music. Lyrus was trained in Yoga at the Light of Yoga Society in Cleveland, and has been practicing Yoga for 22 years. He has been presenting Morning Attunements at Starwood and WinterStar for over ten years.
His Workshop: Basic Yoga
An easy morning session of Yoga, demonstrating basic stretches, breathing
exercises and meditation. Great flexibility is not required, only the willingness
to push and pull the body in a few new directions. The emphasis is on gentleness!
You may wish to bring a small mat, a towel, or a blanket to put on the floor.