Lots bubbling in the cauldron at the moment, so I figured I'd just list everything out here.
First off, I'm excited to announce a new workshop I'll be leading at Observatory next Friday at 7:30pm. Please email me if you'd like to attend, as space is limited:
Witches’ Thanksgiving: An Autumn Equinox Workshop
Remedios Varo “Still Life Reviving” 1963
A Class and Celebration with Pam Grossman
Date: Friday, September 21st
Time: 7:30-9pm
Admission: $20
Presented by Phantasmaphile
***You must RSVP to phantasmaphile [at] gmail.com if you’d like to attend, as space is limited
The Autumn Equinox – or Mabon - is a time of harvesting and celebration. Often called “Witches’ Thanksgiving,” it’s a prosperity holiday which asks us to gather with one another to count our blessings, connect, and re-balance. The nights are about to become longer, and soon we’ll be turning inward. But first, let us reap the rewards of summer and manifest future good fortune. Tonight, we’ll do ritual and spellcrafting to give thanks for what we have, attract even more positivity and possibility, and ready ourselves for the upcoming shadow season. And of course, we’ll end with some feasting!
Please bring:
-A bit of food or drink to share
-Any altar objects you like. These can be decorative (Thanksgiving and autumnal decor of any kind is welcome), and/or personal objects which you’d like to have charged
-A candle and holder
-A cushion, pillow, or fabric, as we will be sitting on the floor (chairs will be available for those who need).
Note-taking is welcome. This workshop is open to men and women, novices and advanced practitioners alike.
And don't forget about Amy Hale's fantastic presentation coming up at Observatory in October:
Dawn’s Left Hand: The Art of Ithell Colquhoun and Mid-20th Century British Occulture
Ithell Colquhoun
An illustrated lecture with Amy Hale
Date: Friday, October 5th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $10
Presented by Phantasmaphile
Until recently, Ithell Colquhoun was a footnote in the history of the Surrealist movement, but her enormous body of art and writings show her to, in fact, be one of the most prolific and unusual occult thinkers of the twentieth century. Her dedication to the Hermetic arts brought Colquhoun into contact with some of the most important movements and key occult thinkers in Britain during her life, including Thelema and the OTO, Witchcraft, Masonry, Golden Dawn, alchemy, Martinism, and Druidry. This illustrated talk will show how the key trends and figures of twentieth century British occulture directly influenced and intersected with the body of work of an important artist and seeker.
Amy Hale is an Anthropologist specializing in contemporary Celtic cultures with an emphasis on Cornwall and esoteric cultural history. She is the co-editor of New Directions in Celtic Studies (2000) and Inside Merlin’s Cave: A Cornish Arthurian Reader (2000) in addition to writing over 30 other articles ranging in topic from Neo Druidry to politics and occult culture. She is the past co-editor of the Journal of the Academic Study of Magic (with Susan Johnston Graf), and is working on a biography and several other projects related to the life and work of Ithell Colquhoun.
On a completely unrelated note, Channel Thirteen is airing The Met's entire Ring Cycle this week, every night at 8pm. My sweettart and I watched the making-of documentary last night, and it was absolutely fascinating and totally inspiring. Robert Lepage's stage design is stunning, an incredible testament to the power of technology married with unfettered imagination.
Lastly, I'm polishing up my Occult in Modern Art 101 presentation which I'll be giving at the Esoteric Book Conference in Seattle this weekend. I hope to see some of you there, it looks to be an exceptional gathering.
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