DARKOVER GRAND COUNCIL MEETING XXX
DARKOVER ESOTERIC TRACK

CLASS TIMES & DESCRIPTIONS

(All classes but Christian Mass held in the Esoteric Room, directly across from the elevators in the front of the hotel.)

(All classes are available for CEU credits with a short series of questions and registry with Ecumenicon Fellowship — $10.00 fee — see Ecumenicon table in Dealer�s Room).

Ecumenicon Fellowship is a registered church in the State of Maryland . We offer academic credits and have a home school open to all families. Our Tests of Academic Development (TOADs) are very short quizzes on knowledge acquired in the classroom. See Charles Butler Neto (Ecumenicon Table) or Tchipakkaan in the Dealer�s Room about CEU requirements.

CHRS = Christianity (1 ritual), COMM = Communications (4 sessions),

DIVN = Divination (6 classes), ENRG = Energy Work (5 classes)

HEAL = Healing Arts (4 classes), IFAN = Ifan Tradition (1 class)

JUDA = Judaism (1 ritual), RITE = Ritual Ethics & Etiquette (2 classes)

SHMN = Shamanism (2 classes), TOOL = Ritual Tools (3 classes)

100 = Beginning Classes, 200 = More advanced classes, $ = Materials Cost

ESOTERIC TRACK

FRIDAY

11:00 AM - Curriculum Development Brainstorm (COMM1001) - (hosted by Ecumenicon Fellowship. This is a forum for teachers interested in teaching at Ecumenicon or Darkover conferences. The first session is to share ideas for long-term development of a 5-year accredited program).

1:00 PM - Setting the Wards (RITE1001) - All welcome. Setting a space of sanctuary for the weekend's work in energy, knowledge, and transformation. Mandala from last year will be present for continued decoration.

2:00 PM - Sage Feather Wands (TOOL1001) (Rik & Anna-Sara Fire) The wand is used as a tool in working with smudge (sage, sweetgrass or other). The wand is used to move the smudge around an individual�s body or auric field or used to energetically cleanse & clear a physical space. In this workshop, participants will make a feather wand to take home for personal ritual use. Adults & children welcome. Materials fee: $3. (pay teacher)

3:00 PM - Shields, Auras, and other Energies (ENRG1001). A basic working with shields, and objects such as pendulums and dowsing rods which detect them. Some sharing of aura detection and psychometry. Charles Butler & Bill Hegeman.

4:00 PM - Shabbat Service (JUDA1001) (Candle Lighting at 4:04). Short traditional service service with readings and prayers, all welcome.

5:00 PM - Transformation Tarot (DIVN2001) (Charles Butler Neto) a walk through a five-suit deck (roughly inspired by Piers Anthony's Tarot series), which uses a double-interlaced pentacle as the energy diagram. Basic readings. comparisons with other decks.

6:00 PM - Runes (DIVN1001) (Tchipakkaan) Runes are a system of writing that is now best known as a tool for divination, but has been more from basic communication to magickal practice. This workshop will give an overview of what the runes have been, and can be, cover the basic magickal meanings of the runes, and give you direction on how to proceed in your studies.

7:00 PM - Shamanic Journey Work (SHMN1001) (Rik Fire) Learn the basics of the shamanic meditative practice of journeying. Through entering a trance state facilitated by the drum or rattle and intention, participants will have the experience of accessing this sacred space and have the opportunity to connect with the "other side" of reality.

8:00 PM - Shamanic Drumming (SHMN1002) (Rik Fire) This will be a free-flow circle of sound. Bring drums, ratlles, other instruments, voices, bodies, etc. In this sacred container, we will connect with the rhythm within ourselves & our individual heartbeats; as well as the musical vibration of each other and the circle of community. Come join the circle and use the space to connect, relax, and trance. No experience necessary. There will be instruments to share.

9:00 PM - Tea & Tarot (DIVN1002) ( Chesapeake Pagan Community). Interactive light-hearted session sharing divination techniques from Tarot to Palmistry. Come and explore many ways of seeing. (2 hours)

10:00 PM - Tea & Tarot (DIVN1002) (continued) (Chesapeake Pagan Community)

11:00 PM - The Voice of the Goddess - An Oracular Trance Ritual - (DIVN2002) (Miriam Benson) - Drawing from ancient and contemporary sources,'The Voice of the Goddess' is a modern rite, meant to meet the spiritual needs of life today. Participants will symbolically erect a temple to the Great Goddess Ishtar and then have the opportunity to consult the oracle within, who will be in trance. Shulameet (Miriam Benson), will serve as oracular seer. Thoron and Myth, initiates in her coven, will officiate as priest and priestess.

12:00 MIDNIGHT - Oracle (DIVN2002) (Miriam Benson) (continued)

SATURDAY

9:00 AM - Tai Chi (ENRG1003) (educational tape). An introduction to the basic forms of Tai Chi and a walk through of a whole system as a healing art. This is the Crane & Serpent motif.

10:00 AM - Qi Gong (ENRG1004) - basic techniques of Qi Gong from teacher Bill Hegeman.

11:00 AM - Palmistry (DIVN1003) (Tchipakkan) - Reading palms is not hard- in one hour you will walk away with enough of the basic skills to read your own palm, and those of your friends (not that you shouldn�t keep studying!). The most useful aspect of palmistry is learning about yourself, and thus gaining control of your future- and it's fun too!

12:00 NOON - RunValdr (HEAL2001) (Tchipakkan) RunValdr is a system of energy healing like Reiki, but using Runes and other set of symbols. This includes the attunement (there is only one in this system) and instructions on how to go out and heal using Runes. Includes attunement so you can do it immediately. While I mostly use it for healing, it is also good for many other magickal practices. You don't need to know Runes before you start, but you will need to learn them to use it. (suggested that intro to Runes be taken if you don't already have a grounding in Runes)

1:00 PM - Guest of Honor Speech - No Programming

2:00 PM - Mandala. Add beans, feathers, and other tools to the group ritual remembrance.

3:00 PM - Clergy Clatch (COMM1002) (all clergy of all faiths welcome). If people walk up to you at odd moments and pour out their life stories, you are likely clergy. If you find yourself being called upon to pray at odd hours of the night, you are likely clergy. If the divine wakes you up one day and says "you are mine", you are likely clergy. Don't be shy, we are all in this together. An SF conference stirs up many people's emotions, spirits, and openness to exploration.

4:00 PM - Falling Stars Prep - have you lost someone in the past year? Come fill out a star, and write a card for them to be read during the ritual.

5:00 PM - Falling Stars Ritual (HEAL1002) - Service of Remembrance for all who have passed, especially since Darkover last. Family and friends, and especially those dying of AIDS, cancer, or other diseases. Begins with Kaballat Shabbat, includes prayers from Christian, Jewish, Ifan, Voodoo, Druid, Wiccan, and other traditions. Place a star for your loved ones.

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM - SimeGen Shiltpron

6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Ecumenicon Party and Curriculum Jam Session (COMM1003) (space to be announced - look for signage)

9:00 PM Clam Chowder (Don't even think there is programming)

12:00 MIDNIGHT - Hallelujah by the pool

12:00 MIDNIGHT - Divination Swap (DIVN1003) - Come share your techniques.

SUNDAY

9:00 AM - Michaeline Mass (CHRS1001) (Order of St. Michael), Open Christian Worship service for all. - In ALTERNATE PROGRAMMING

10:00 AM - Pagan Healing Service (HEAL1003) - Healing touch, prayers, and energy work.

11:00 AM - (Pagan Healing Service continues)

12:00 NOON - Feast of the White Cloth (IFAN1001) - a light-hearted and reverent storytelling on the Orisha (West African traditions) as a planetary astrological journey. This is an overview of some of the symbols, foods, and traditions of Ifa/Voodoo/Umbanda. We also will have potluck food, so feel free to drop in (Checkout break).

1:00 PM - Future of Esoteric Track (COMM1004) - Would you like to teach at Darkover next yyear? Here is your chance for input as we grow.

2:00 PM - Closing the Wards (RITE1002) - Returning the Esoteric space to ordinary ttime. (All welcome).

TEACHERS for Darkover 2007

Miriam Benson (Shulameet) is a 3rd degree priestess in the Protean tradition of the Gardnerian lineage, with over 25 years of magical experience. In addition to serving as Sweat Circle Coordinator at the Chesapeake Pagan Summer Gathering, she is a Discordian Adept. Nothing perks up one's karma like a bit of mirth in one's magic, now and zen.

(Rev.) Charles Butler Neto (Tio Neto) (Charles.Butler.333 @ gmail.com) - Creator of the Transformation Tarot, and co-Founder of Ecumenicon Fellowship, is the coordinator of the Esoteric Track at Darkover. He has training in Pentecostal Christianity, Ifa, Wicca, and related traditions. (Shields, Auras and Other Energies; Clearing Sacred Space; Dark of the Moon Healing Service; Transformation Tarot; Tea & Tarot; Clergy Clatch; Feast of the White Cloth, Pagan Healing Service). He has recently returned from Brazil and will be sharing as astrological journey exploring the Orisha as a planetary interactive meditation. He is working on an extended novel (Princess of Galilee), a first-person historical novel on Salome, the daughter of Herodias, who danced for the head of John the Baptist.

Chesapeake Pagan Community (jesterbear @ erols.com) presents workshops at various times of the year. As an annual outreach they give a two-hour session of various intuitive readings at Darkover and Balticon called "Tea & Tarot" (Tea and Tarot).

Ecumenicon Fellowship (ecusec @ hotmail.com, www.ecumenicon.org) is a multi-faith church in Maryland . Charles Butler (Tio Neto) is the founder of this church and we run the Esoteric track at Darkover as a continuing ministry to the fandom community for reliable training in esoteric spirituality. Tchipakkan, Peggy Thompson, Rik and Anna-Sara Fire, and Bill Hegeman are all members.

Anna-Sara Fire (aanasara @ hotmail.com) is a Swedish Sami who ended up in US 3 years ago because of love. She is journalist, a writer and is completing her Masters in Divinity from Stockholm �s University with focus on Sami studies. For the past 3 years she has been a student of Shamanism under Rev. Dr. Crow Swimsaway and Bekki Shing Bearheart of the Church of Earth Healing . She is the chair of the Caring Committee at Bux-Mont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Anna-Sara and her husband are in the midst of building a Healing Center in Bucks-County (Sage Feather Wands).

Rev. Rik Fire (rfire @ magellanhealth.com) is an Ordained Interfaith Minister with Ecumenicon Fellowship. His primary spiritual pathways are Shamanism, Ifa, Gnosticism & Unitarian-Universalism. He is employed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for a managed behavioral healthcare company. His eclectic private practice specializes in working with clients in areas related to spirituality, gender & sexuality & energy healing, as he is also a Reiki Master & shamanistic practitioner. Rik lives in Bucks County , Pennsylvania with his wife, Anna-Sara, child, Markus & their dog, Cherokee. Rik has been traveling & teaching at various venues for the past 10 years. (Sage Feather Wands, Shamanic Journey Work, Shamanic Drumming).

Bill Hegeman (Archonstone) (archonstone @ speakeasy.net) Bill is an independent magician of 35 years. His independent studies include divination of many sorts, astrology, ceremonial magick, yoga, chi gong, and many mythologies from around the world. He teaches chi gong or nadi yoga, with the idea of cultivating individuals personal energy to augment their own spiritual paths. While many have pondered the links between Eastern Philosophy and Western Science, Bill has been able to synthesize the two into a personal life practice. He has had experiences from nature spirits, hauntings and supernatural orders of beings. He also teaches psychic self defence and healing. As Archonstone, Bill has developed practical magical exercises for the working witch/wizard for the work-a-day world without the ivory tower. He created and continues to build on an evolutionary magickal and spiritual model for the future. (Shielding, Auras and Other Energies; Clearing Sacred Space; Qi Gong).

The Order of St. Michael is an esoteric, ecumenical Christian community oriented toward self-knowledge (gnosis in its original meaning) and spiritual growth. They present at open Christian Mass every Sunday morning at Darkover. (Christian Mass)

Tchipakkan (tchipakkan @ tds.net) is an artist, writer, healer, and eclectic pagan-heathen-rustic. She has a small farm in NH aimed at self sufficiency and sustainability. Author of Divine Cookies - a cookbook with tales about gods and magical cookie recipes, and the Rune article series in the Blessed Bee Pagan Family Magazine. She is currently working on Subtle Pagans a book on the many who remain "under the radar". She practices and teach RuneValdr and Reiki, huna healing, herbalism, healing seidhr, soothsaying with runes, palmistry, tarot, numerology, and other systems. Her special area of interests are early Anglo-Saxons life and pagan life. (Rune Magic, Palmistry).

jaelle @ darkovercon.org

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Silver Spring, MD 20907