A Witch's Wayfaring Guide: A practical approach to Bioregional Animism

Land-based witchcraft is the practice and art of establishing relationships with the living spirits of the land and is a key part of many old traditions. It is the magical practice of bioregional animism, rooted in the local landscape. It is the practice of the herbwife gathering willow bark by the spring-fed stream and of black-clad witches beneath the hill-top oak, calling upon the forces of land and sky.    This class will take you from your initial forays into the wild to establishing working sites far from the haunts of men. We will discuss the various tools and components that comprise the witch's wayfaring kit, examine appropriate offerings and the principles of reciprocity in establishing spirit relationships, and share techniques and rites to contact the living spirits of the land.

About the Presenters:

Dr. Tom Sharp is an ethnobotanist, spatial ecologist, and witch. Originally from West Virginia, his practice of witchcraft and magic is rooted in the history, folklore, and spirits of the Appalachian Mountains and is shaped by an ecological understanding of place and process. Tom is an initiate into an old craft lineage and has taught classes and workshops on magic and herbalism for over two decades. Together with his husband, Jack, he has run Otherworld Apothecary, a shop specializing in the materia magica used in their craft, since 2004.

Dr. Jack Grey is both a scientist and witch, two streams which draw from the same well -- a deep love for and curiosity about the wilds and their denizens. He’s a plant ecologist, who completed his doctoral work in the misty spirit-haunted forests of the southern Appalachians, as well as an initiate of a lineage of Old Craft, dedicated to establishing relationships with the living spirits of the land. Additionally, Jack is an Appalachian folk magician who is devoted to preserving and maintaining mountain magical and healing traditions. He is also an herbalist and half of Otherworld Apothecary, a shop specializing in botanicals and materia magica, in operation since 2004.

*This class is part of the General Admission & Thursday 8/12/21 Day Pass registrations, if you are interested in attending all of the events during this festival, or all of the events offered on Thursday 8/12/21, please select the appropriate registration type on our Events & Registration page.*

**Attendees will have access to this recording until the end of 2021 - class recording links will be emailed to attendees within 7 business days of the conclusion of the festival. To protect the IP of our presenters, class recordings will not be downloadable.**

***Your class link will be emailed to you in your confirmation email. If you have not received your registration confirmation email within 24 hours please email info@salemsummersymposium.com***

****PLEASE NOTE: We cannot guarantee that any class registration within 24 hours of the class start time will be admitted to the livestreaming of the class. You will however receive the class recording link within 7 business days of the conclusion of the festival and will have access to the recording for the remainder of 2021****