Mystic South: Full Schedule

9:00am EDT

Friday July 17, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT

This class will explore the ways that Picatrix engages with Hermetic concepts and ties them to alchemy, astrology, herbalism and magical foods. We will examine a few specific passages that illustrate how to use microcosms/ macrocosm connections in your current practice.

Speakers

Meg Raphoon

Friday July 17, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Ashford

PAPERS

Take aways: A basic understanding of Alchemical concepts in Picatrix Strategies to use alchemical concepts in spellwork.

10:30am EDT

Matter-Reality in the Charge of the Goddess: Bodies, Objects, Places, and Sensations

Friday July 17, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am EDT

Ashford

Shelley Rabinovich and James Lewis called the Charge of the Goddess “perhaps the most important single theological document in the neo-Pagan movement". Knowing Paganism’s deep affinity with materiality, or matter-reality, such a foundational Wiccan document as the Charge would naturally incorporate bodies, objects, places, and sensations. Material aspects bring a sense of value, meaning, and order to Wicca, serve as symbols to be interpreted for religious meanings, build traditions over time, participate in assemblages along with Wiccans, and act on Wiccans and shape them. In this paper, I will compare five versions of the Charge dating from 1899 to 1979; and the short excerpt from the Charge which Gerald Brousseau Gardner included in his 1954 book Witchcraft Today, to understand what material aspects he and his initiators considered suitable and best to share with Wicca’s earliest public audience.

Speakers

Polly Springhorn

M.Div. student, Theology & Religious History, Cherry Hill Seminary

Polly Springhorn is an M.Div. student at Cherry Hill Seminary studying Theology and Religious History, and the Pagan Studies Unit Chair for the American Academy of Religion Western Region. She's also a Gardnerian High Priestess who's led one of the oldest covens in the San Francisco... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am EDT
Ashford

PAPERS

Take aways: I would like attendess to come away with a more detailed sense of the history of the Charge of the Goddess, and how the material aspects in the different versions have changed over time. I would also like for them to have a heightened awareness of how the bodies, objects, places, and sensations in the Charge have shaped Wicca as a religion, and the individual experiences of Witches.

12:30pm EDT

Practicing Ancient Ritual Magick: Techniques and Examples

Friday July 17, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

Ashford

How did ancient Pagans invoke gods and daimons to aid their magical work? You might think that these ritual techniques were forgotten or lost many centuries ago, but in fact we have a lot of information, if you know where to look and how to understand and adapt what you find. This workshop will provide an introduction to ancient Graeco-Egyptian magic and how it works, and it will teach several useful rituals. You will learn

Speakers

John Opsopaus

John Opsopaus, PhD, has been practicing Hellanismos (the worship of the Greek gods) since the 1980s. He has more than forty publications in various magical and Neopagan magazines. He frequently presents workshops on Hellenic magic, Neopaganism, Pythagorean theurgy, and spiritual practices... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Ashford

PAPERS

Take aways: (1)an acquaintance with ancient Graeco-Egyptian magical techniques.(2)our sources for ancient magic.(3)a brief history of ancient magic.(4)the types of ancient magic.(5)how to adapt ancient magic for modern use. (6)how to perform several ancient spells and rituals for both spiritual and practical purposes.

9:00am EDT

Mind over Magick: The Psychology of Ritual Magick

Saturday July 18, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT

Ashford

In this presentation, Richard Kaczynski draws on peer-reviewed research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and real-time brain imaging to show how and why ritual magick produces profound experiences with tangible benefits. For solitary practitioners and group participants alike, Richard shares what happens, on both a psychological and neurological level, when they enter sacred spaces, use ritual implements, enter deep meditative states, or experience the transformative effects of initiation. Attendees are encouraged to approach magick as a science to hone a more effective and empirically grounded practice.

Speakers

Richard Kaczynski

Saturday July 18, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Ashford

PAPERS

Take aways: An understanding of the role that psychology plays in magick and related spiritual practices, which will make their practice more effective and rewarding, and arm them with the tools to critically evaluate their own ritual work.

10:30am EDT

The Closeted Witch: Textiles, Colors, and Accoutrements for a Magical and Purposeful Wardrobe

Saturday July 18, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am EDT

Ashford

Not every magical individual wears linen, earthy tones, or has a million piercings with tattoos galore and knows their way around a sewing machine. Sometimes, most times, we have to work with what we already have in our closet or what we have access to, and that's okay. The history of textiles, their uses, color language, and ceremonies is as old as time and textiles themselves. Let's see how this history and knowledge can be used with our wardrobes to guide us in protecting and arming ourselves for our daily lives and everyday adventures.

Speakers

Edna

Saturday July 18, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am EDT
Ashford

PAPERS

Take aways: Power and strength, in themselves and in what colors and textiles they choose to wear. I want them to be able to feel like they've chosen pieces that can help protect, calm, or advance them in their day to day activities. The clothes, textiles, colors, and choices we make tell more about ourselves that we sometimes realize, and can also send powerful messages to our guides and spirts.

12:30pm EDT

Crafting a therapy ritual: Using your magic to support your inner work

Saturday July 18, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

Ashford

Therapy, like ritual, is a sacred space where healing and transformation unfold. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore how pagan spiritual practices can be thoughtfully woven into personal growth and therapy work. We’ll briefly review the academic and clinical foundations that support integrating ritual, meaning-making, and spirituality into therapeutic practice, grounding this work in both evidence and lived experience. Together, we’ll explore how ritual—through engaging the senses, honoring the elements, setting intention, and creating protection—can deepen presence and support inner healing. Participants will learn the difference between habits, routines, and rituals, and will design a personalized therapy ritual to use before, during, or after sessions. We’ll also discuss how to talk with a provider (pagan or not) about incorporating spiritual practices into therapy. Presented by Rachel, a pagan therapist with over 20 years of experience and co-founder of Pagan Affirming Therapy & Healthcare (PATH), who is currently writing a book on this subject.

Speakers

Rachel Anne Kieran, PsyD

Co-Founder, PATH - Pagan Affirming Therapy & Healthcare

Presenting at Spirit Northwest 2026:
Crafting a Therapy Ritual: Using Your Magic to Support Your Inner Work

About Me:
I’m a psychologist, educator, and program director working at the intersection of ethics, inclusion, and access in mental healthcare and professional education.I a... Read More →

Saturday July 18, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Ashford

PAPERS

Take aways: An understanding of therapy as a ritualized healing process grounded in both psychological science and spiritual practiceA brief overview of the academic and clinical support for integrating ritual, spirituality, and meaning-making into therapy workClear distinctions between habits, routines, and rituals—and why that difference matters for healing and personal growthA practical framework for creating personalized therapy rituals that support grounding, intention, safety, and integrationTools for engaging the senses, elements, energy, and protective practices in therapeutic or inner workConcrete tools for seeking pagan-affirming and spiritually responsive providers, including how to assess fit, ask informed questions, and recognize affirming vs. non-affirming responsesGuidance on how to respond when providers do not appear affirming, grounded in research on therapeutic alliance, client outcomes, and professional ethical responsibilitiesLanguage and strategies for advocating for one’s spiritual needs in therapy while maintaining safety and agencyIncreased confidence in ethically, intentionally, and sustainably blending magic and mental health

2:30pm EDT

Sex and Spirituality

Saturday July 18, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

Ashford

What happens when we stop pretending sex and spirituality aren't already deeply intertwined? Explore the taboo space where faith, kink, and power exchange overlap - from Pagan ritual sex to Catholic guilt, ecstatic mysticism, and the spiritual undertones of D/s dynamics. We'll also discuss purity culture recovery and reclaiming pleasure as a path to psychological healing and spiritual transcendence. All belief systems welcome!

Speakers

Jess Renard

Saturday July 18, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Ashford

PAPERS

Take aways: We want attendees to take away a feeling of validation in wherever their spirituality and sexuality intersect as well as have resources and vocabulary to better understand where things get complicated between sex and spirituality and to work on improving their experience in both.

4:00pm EDT

Plant Spirit Communication: Relearning the Language of the Green World

Saturday July 18, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Ashford

In this Plant Spirit Communication talk, we will explore how to go beyond simply identifying plants and dive deep into the art of building meaningful, reciprocal relationships with them. You will learn the language of the plants so you can commune with their spirits, for both personal and community healing. Cheyenne Jolene Yates, Ecologist (M.S.) and Herbalist of Among Oaks and Owls, weaves together both science and spiritual awareness to offer grounded, ethical ways to communicate with plants. We will learn how plants communicate through ecology, chemistry, and subtle perception, and how we can begin to tune into them. The talk explores practical foundations of plant spirit communication, such as connection to breath, sensory awareness, and consent. Cheyenne will also address common misconceptions, ethical considerations, and the importance of spiritual discernment.Participants will leave with simple, grounded practices they can begin immediately and a renewed sense of kinship and responsibility toward the green world. This presentation is ideal for anyone longing to reconnect with the living intelligence of the Earth.

Speakers

Cheyenne Yates

Saturday July 18, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Ashford

PAPERS

Take aways: I want attendees to leave feeling open, curious, and willing to expand their understanding of how we relate to the plant world. My hope is that this presentation gently invites them to consider the possibility of plant spirit communication as a meaningful and accessible practice, rather than something abstract or out of reach. More than anything, I want to inspire participants to begin engaging with the unseen presence of the living world around them. Whether with a house plant on their windowsill, the herbs in their backyard, or the trees in a nearby forest, I hope they feel empowered to start listening, conversing, and building relationships with our more-than-human kin.

9:00am EDT

The Buddhist Tantric Mandala

Sunday July 19, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT

Ashford

A discussion of the use of the Five Buddha Families. We will look at important correspondences the mandala has to the five elements, their positive and negative emotional expressions, and it’s use as a protection sphere. We will discuss the mandala as a use as a psychological tool in Buddhist practice. Several different deities and their mandala forms will be presented.

Speakers

Alannah Brown

Insightout Therapy

I'm so happy to share with you two seemingly separate ideas which have been so defining to me. Here is my bio. It's hard to talk about myself, but here you have it.

I started studying martial arts and Buddhism at a very young age and have been studying 50 years. There was no yoga... Read More →

Sunday July 19, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Ashford

PAPERS