People throughout history have experienced the world as alive. And they have looked to the plants and fungi we now call "psychedelic" as teachers. In this online class, we will look at the potential role of psychedelics in an animist revival and at animist ethics for working with these medicines.
Psilocybin accelerates the formation of new synapses in the brain. In this online class, we will put this knowledge into an ecological context, and discuss how, in the context of future legalization of psilocybin, people might work with this medicine to repattern their minds in healthy ways.
Humans have always told stories about Wolves. In Irish, the name for the Wolf is "Mac Tíre" – "Son of the Land." Join us as we explore the history, mythos, and magic of Wolves in the Irish tradition.
"The summer time is coming, and the trees are sweetly blooming..." Join us as we explore the medicine and magic of tree blossoms - Hawthorn, Elder, Linden, and more.
Bealtaine has always been a time for rituals to bring blessing, protection, and fertility to the crops, the animals, and the land. We will look at the traditions and lore of this festival that marks the beginning of the bright half of the year, and explore how they might guide us in dedicating ourselves to the healing and renewal of the land in a time of ecological crisis.
Many are beginning to acknowledge that the loneliness of modern life has given rise to a public health crisis. But our loneliness comes not just from our disconnection from other humans – it comes also, and perhaps first, from our disconnection from the rest of the living world. On the eve of Earth Day, we will explore how making relationships with our plant kin can begin to heal that deep loneliness.
For tens of thousands of years, humans have turned to Yarrow for healing, divination, magic, and prayer. In Irish, the plant is called Athair Thalún – Father of the Land. We will explore the many gifts and mysteries of Yarrow.
The plants and fungi we call "psychedelic" have been shaping and transforming the consciousness of humans since the dawn of our species (and brought the same medicine to many species before us.) At the same time that contemporary science is rediscovering their potential for psychological healing, we are beginning to understand the ways psychedelics can heal the body. We will explore the ways psychedelics work to address physical pain and inflammation – and what that teaches us about the nature of healing.
At the end of a long winter, and the end of a long ordeal, at the end of a long illness, how can you rekindle your vitality? Join us as we explore plant allies that can help us to rebuild ourselves when we are depleted.
As spring arrives, snowmelt streams irrigate the land. Our lymphatic system does the same for our tissues – delivering immune factors, draining excess fluid, and carrying away metabolic waste. Join us as we explore how spring herbs like Cleavers, Dandelion flowers, and Alder catkins can help us move our lymph.
Aisling is an Irish word for powerful, prophetic dreaming – and one that has long been connected with visions of She who is the living spirit of the land. On St. Patrick's Day, we will speak of the role that the tradition of aisling poetry played in fueling Ireland's dreams of freedom and sovereignty, and what a renewed aisling tradition can offer in guiding us in ecological healing and cultural transformation wherever we dwell.
Across the Northern hemisphere, people have approached Bears with awe, reverence, and curiosity since the dawn of our species. As the Bears begin to wake from their winter dreaming, we explore the mythic and magical dimensions of how Bears, and the plants whose roots they dig, connect us with the mysteries of the living Earth.