For several years I've been offering workshops at various pagan events and book stores; I've presented at PantheaCon, Heartland, Brushwood Folklore Center, and many others, as well as pagan and occult shops across the United States. These days I can mostly be found in the Pacific Northwest, since school and funding keep me close to home. However, if you would like to have me come present at your event or workshop, here's the booking info!

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Introduction to Totemism

Introduction to Totemism: One of the most popular magical topics today, animal totems are versatile aids in magic and personal growth. Lupa explains the basics of totemism, including what totems are, how to work with them and how to find your own totem. The complete version includes a guided meditation, so please wear comfortable clothing.

DIY Totemism

How many totem animal dictionaries can you fit on one shelf? Chances are that no matter how many books on totemism you have, most of them follow the exact same formula, and teach you to rely on someone else's definitions (whether the author intended it or not). However, the best information comes from your interactions with the totem yourself. In this workshops, Lupa shows you how you can create better relationships with totems, including unusual totems such as extinct and domestic totems, and how to write your own personal totem animal dictionary.

The Last Totem Card Deck You'll Ever Need

Totems aren't limited to Big, Impressive North American Birds and Mammals. However, commercial totem animal card decks tend to be primarily limited to these animals, and maybe a few others--which means that if your totem happens to be, say, Kookaburra, the decks won't work. Let Lupa show you how to construct a simple deck of thirty-three cards that can literally get you into contact with any totem animal.

Shamanism for the Postindustrial World

"Shamanism" is a loaded word these days. But what does it really mean? What's the difference between traditional shamanism and neoshamanism? What about core shamanism and plastic shamanism? And why all the different terms? Come learn about how shamanism can be relevant to the postindustrial society we live in, and how we can apply it to our lives without negatively impacting indigenous societies.

Totemic Shapeshifting Dance

Shapeshifting! The word conjures images of werewolves, and shamans changing into animals. We can't physically change ourselves, but we can learn to take on the energy and perception of nonhuman animals for a time through dance. Lupa has been doing intensive shapeshifting dance since 2002, and this workshop deals with what you'll need, how to determine what animal(s) to dance, and how to achieve the right state of mind to shift.

Experimental Animal Magic

Animal magic goes far beyond totem animal dictionaries and familiars that sit and watch you work magic. Join Lupa as she explains the various experiments in animal magic ranging from creating new species on the astral plane to shapeshifting to working with animal parts in a respectful, magical manner.

Skin Spirits: Animal Parts in Spiritual Practice

Do you pick up feathers off the ground? Is part of your ritual garb leather? Do you have sacred jewelry or ritual tools with bones, hides or other remains included? There are spirits in these remains, and they can be worked with both in ritual and everyday practice. Come join Lupa as we discuss the nature of these spirits, the legalities and ethical issues in possessing animal parts, and how you can incorporate feathers, fur and more in your practice in a spiritually sensitive manner.

Rites of Passage

What is a rite of passage? When do you have a rite of passage and how do you have it? How do you recognize them, and how do you deal with the upheaval in your life that can result from them? Must a rite of passage be organized and group-oriented, or can it be sponetaneous and solitary? Lupa explores these questions in this workshop with examples from her own life, with the goal of helping participants recognize the need for, and enact the practice of, these rites in their lives.

Cultural Appropriation

Pagans are fond of borrowing cultural items and religious rites from other cultures, particularly Native American tribes. But what impact can this have on the cultures we borrow from? How can we balance respect for other cultures with our own personal growth?

Neopagan Acceptance of Sex- and Gender-Based Subcultures

The neopagan community, comprised of Wiccans, pagans, druids, Asatru, and many other nature and magic-based paths, has historically been particularly accepting of other subcultures, including those related to sex and gender. Many neopagans participate in the BDSM/fetish scene, practice polyamory, and are queer friendly,. However, as inclusive as the community may be, we sometimes find ourselves marginalized by homophobia, transphobia, and misunderstandings surrounding polyamory. Learn how we have overcome prejudices in the past, how to deal with intolerance in the present, and how neopagan efforts to be accepted and recognized by mainstream society parallel and may be supported by efforts of gender- and sex-based subcultures.

Childfree Pagans

While many pagans feel called to be parents, there are some pagans who choose to remain childfree. In this workshop Lupa will explain how to go beyond the "procreative" slant of many pagan traditions, giving birth to ideas and projects instead of children, and the ecological and time-management benefits of being childfree. This is not a class to bash or complain about pagan parents; rather, it is a resource for childfree pagans, as well as for those curious as to why we made the choices we did.

Training the Wild Dogma: Maintaining Growth in Neopaganism

Every religion goes through its growing pains, and the many religions under the "pagan" umbrella are no exception. As we grow as a community and as individual religious paths, one of the obstacles is that of dogma. We face the potential reality of cultural stagnation, with ostracism of those who "just don't fit in", rigid standards of acceptable beliefs, and all the other things that many pagans dislike about organized religion. I'll discuss some ideas on how to stay flexible through our years of growth, where potential problems are, and why the Devil is the cure for dogma.

Therianthropy

Ever wondered what it's like to be a werewolf? Therianthropy is the modern interpretation of inherent internalized animal energy--in other words, being human and animal simultaneously. Learn about what therianthropy is (and isn't), what it's like to be a therian, and the magical implications thereof.

What Are Otherkin?

A unique subculture that shares some overlapping with paganism, Otherkin are people who believe in some manner that they are not quite human, whether through reincarnation, energy resonance, or other theories. Join Lupa as she explains how it is that someone may resonate with an animal, an elf, or a dragon, all while living a perfectly human life.

Every Little Bit Counts: Everyday Environmentalism

Many pagans are environmentalists. But sometimes that label can seem a little daunting, especially in the face of such vast issues as global warming, water pollution, and overflowing landfills. Being an everyday environmentalist, however, is as easy as making the decision to buy one piece of organic produce instead of conventional. This workshop focuses on ways in which you can work environmentalism into your everyday life, both magical and mundane.

The Pagan Publishing Industry

You've got some great ideas and you have friends who tell you that you should write a book. But is that all there is to the pagan writing industry? In this workshop, Lupa offers you her perspectives as an experienced writer and editor for Immanion Press/Megalithica Books, a pagan and occult publishing company. She'll tell you of the importance of promotion, marketing, and--of course--writing. If you want to get a book published, come to this workshop. Special emphasis on nonfiction.

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