Final Information for Gaia Gathering 2012 in Toronto

We're only a few days away from the opening circle and four days of speakers, panels, roundtables, talks, and workshops. Not to mention all the other goodies. We're so excited!

Here are some instructions to help get you from the airport, bus depot or train station to our official accomodations and the conference site, as well as what to do when first arrive at the conference, plus some other handy information. (If you are registered for the conference, you should have received this information by e-mail as well.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
==================
* Arriving in Toronto
* Arriving at Gaia Gathering
* Information about the residences
* Main opening ritual
* Volunteering
* Gaia Gathering programme
* Thursday night pre-Gaia Gathering welcoming party
* Friday tours and extras
* Saturday and Sunday evening entertainment
* Gaia Gathering AGM
* Toronto museums, shopping and events
* More Information


ARRIVING IN TORONTO
 ====================
A map and full directions to NewCollegecan be found here: http://www.ncsummer.utoronto.ca/Location.htm.

Should you need help upon arrival in Toronto please call or text 905 952 9757. We will do our best to help you from there. Air: Toronto has two airports servicing the city. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport also known as “The Island Airport” and Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The Island Airport:

Porter operates out of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. To get from the island there are plenty of options which you can investigate here: http://www.torontoport.com/Airport/Getting-To.aspx

You may take the ferry and connect to the Bathurst Streetcar which will take you to Union Station, the complimentary shuttle to the Fairmont Royal York Hotel or take a taxi from the airport to New College.

Should you wish to take the complimentary shuttle to the Fairmont Royal York, you have a couple of options to get toNewCollege. You can take a taxi directly from the Fairmont Royal York, or you can walk across the street to Union Station and take the subway north on University to Spadina then take the streetcar south toWilcox Street.

Toronto Pearson International Airport:

There are several ways to get from Toronto Pearson International Airport to New College.

Taxi: Available on the Arrivals level. Approximately CAD$53.00 to New College.

Limosine: Available on the Arrivals level. Approximately CAD$53.00 to New College.

Airport Express Bus Service to Fairmont Royal York Hotel:

Approximately CAD$23.95 one way, approximately CAD$53.00 return. The customer service locations are: Terminal 1 - AE Customer Service is located on the Arrivals Level Curbside Post C; and Terminal 3 - AE Customer Service is located on the Arrivals Level Curbside at Area # 25

Public Transit: The TTC has several buses that will take you from Terminal 1 (Ground level) and Terminal 3 (Arrivals level) to the subway system depending upon time of arrival. The fare is CDN$3.00 (at the time of writing). GO Transit operates bus service from York Mills and Yorkdale subway stations to Terminal 1 (Ground level). This service operates every 60 minutes, from approximately 6:00 am to 1:00 am Monday to Saturday, and from approximately 9:00 am to 1:00 am on Sundays. The fare at the time of writing is CAD$4.70. More information can be found here: http://www.gotransit.com/publicroot/en/default.aspx

Union Station

Via Rail arrives to Union Station from all over the country. You will arrive near street level. To obtain a cab speak with the kind folks at the information desk and they will direct you. To get to the subway, go downstairs or use the elevator. The Via personnel will assist you should you have any questions. Signs or Go Transit staff will direct you to the subway station.

Go Transit train lines all converge here and Go bus lines arrive acrossBay Streetto the east. All bus travelers can access Union Station by walkway overBay Street. There is an elevator for those who do not wish to carry their luggage up stairs. You will end up on platform 1, there is another elevator to take you to the main waiting area for Go Transit. Customer service staff will be happy to direct you to the taxi stand or the subway system.

Please note that there are discounts available under the Groups tab on Go Transits webpage that can be found here: http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/fares/tickettypes.aspx

How to Get to New College from Union Station:

Go to the streetcar platform. The ticket booth attendant will kindly tell you where that is located before you go through the turnstile. Take the streetcar that is going Northbound to Spadina Station. This will be the Spadina car. The fare is CDN$3.00 (at the time of writing). Get off at the Willcocks Streetstop (first stop north of College Street). Total trip time from Union Station is around 15 minutes. New College - Wilson Hall Residence is on the north-east corner.

Bus Lines

The Toronto Coach Terminal is located on the northwest side of Bay St.and Dundas St. West. Taxis are available for those arriving at the terminal just outside on the southwest corner of Edward Street and Elizabeth Street. To get to the Subway there is a tunnel route to the Dundas subway station.

ARRIVING AT GAIA GATHERING
============================

The University of Toronto is made up of seven colleges. We are grateful and thank New College for accommodating us this year. 

New College is located at 40 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 1C6. The Residence is across the street. There is a quite well done interactive map of University of Toronto St. George Campus where you can locate Wilson Hall, New College Residence and how to get to TTC Stations.

Once you arrive at the conference site (New College), there should be someone to greet you, as well as signs directing you up the stairs to the registration area. The university information desk is also right inside the doors, so if you don't see anyone or the signs, just ask them for directions.

Our registration desk will be open from 11am on Friday and 8am on Saturday and Sunday.
Please go immediately to the registration desk and give them your name so we can give you a conference badge, printed programmed, some swag, and information for the AGM. It's a good idea to bring your ticket or confirmation e-mail with you in case of glitches (they do happen), but it's not neccessary.
At the registration desk, you'll also be signing a waiver form, and we will have sign-up sheets for various tasks that we need help with over the weekend. (Helping out is completely optional but we appreciate it.)
Your conference badge must be worn at all times to access the talks, panels, workshops, and evening events.


INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESIDENCES
============================

If you are staying at the university residences, you can expect the following:

• central air-conditioning
• single or double rooms (with 2 single beds)
• bed, desk and dresser
• linen (bedsheet), blanket, towel, pillow, pillow case
• a 23-hour reception desk (Wilson Hall Residence)
• private security guard patrolling the residences after hours
• complimentary broadband "wired" internet access (you require an ethernet cable or you can purchase one at the front desk for $5)
• in-room phone (for complimentary local calls)
• coin-operated laundry facilities on each floor (washer and dryers)
• iron and ironing board
• common rooms with limited kitchen facilities such as a microwave, burners, sink and fridge
• flat screen plasma TV rooms with sofas and armchairs
• shared communal washrooms
• library with computer lab use (small fee)
• business services
• non-smoking residence
• front desk where one can purchase long distance phone cards, TTC to kens for the streetcar and subway, postage stamps, laundry detergent, easy access to the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission–subway/metro system) just outside the door

Meals will not be provided however, there are a great variety of choice in the local area or just a transit ride away.

Be sure to bring an alarm clock and an extra pillow should you wish one. Please pack all necessary medications and special dietary requirements. Should you wish to cook your own food at New College Residence, be sure to bring what you need to prepare what you will make as the residence does not provide cooking equipment.

MAIN OPENING RITUAL 
===================
Our main ritual to open the conference will be held Friday night at 8pm. The ritual will be led by Richard James and guests based on the Mosaic of Canada highlighting different parts of Canada.This will be followed by a meet and greet. You must have gone through registration desk process before coming into the ritual.

Come as you are or dress up, it's up to you.


VOLUNTEERING
 ==============
Over the course of the conference, we will need volunteers to help sit at the registration desk, supervise the hospitality room, time-keep the panels and workshops, do whisper translation and more.
If you wish to volunteer or would like more information, contact saritaphoenix(at)sympatico.ca 


GAIA GATHERING PROGRAMME AND SCHEDULE 
======================================
The final programme is now available to download as a pdf. This includes the schedule of what is happening when. You can access it here: http://www.gaiagathering.ca/images/pdf/finalprogram.pdf


THURSDAY NIGHT PRE-GAIA GATHERING WELCOME PARTY
=======================================
Arriving early? Meet some Toronto-area Pagans in an informal setting. Some locals have organized an early-bird reception party on Thursday night. How awesome is that? The party starts at 7:30 p.m at 40 Homewood Ave (buzzer 364) in the recreation room of the building. It is strictly B.Y.O.B. and celebrants must monitor their intoxication levels as those exhibiting inebriation must be escorted off the property immediately (condo rules). The party room is on level B1 which may be accessed via the el evator. The closest cross-street to 40 Homewood Ave, is Jarvis and Carlton (Carlton is the same street as College but changes name east of Yonge street).


FRIDAY TOURS AND EXTRAS
=========================
All attendees have been kindly offered free admission to the Textile Museum of Canada (55 Centre Avenue -- Dundas St. W & University Ave., St. Patrick subway) on Friday. You will be required to show your Gaia Gathering conference badge to gain entrance to the museum.

On Friday afternoon there will be two guided tours. The first will be of local book shops with Richard James. The second is a tour of the Kensington Market and area with Sarita Phoenix. Both tours leave the Wilson Hall lounge at 2:15pm. Please arrive early so the tours can leave on time.


SATURDAY AND SUNDAY EVENING ENTERTAINMENT
===================================
On Saturday evening, we will meet at the JangBang Bar a Korean fusion bar located at 430.5 College Street. Cutting Bracken will entertain us with celtic music. A night of friendship and fun!

On Sunday, join us in Wilson Hall lounge for a wonderful networking opportunity with nibbles and mocktails; as well as acoustic music and storytelling from Wytchwood Children, Greg Currie and JD “Hobbes” Hickey.

GAIA GATHERING AGM AND BRUNCH ON MONDAY
 ===============================

At the AGM on Monday, we will decide where the next Gaia Gathering will be held, elect new officers for our national board of directors, and review the reports from our out-going board of directors and local conference committee.

This year we have one board position to fill. It is for a 3-year term. We will be asking for nominations during the AGM.

We welcome bids for hosting Gaia Gathering in 2013 and 2014. As of today's date, we still don't have any firm offers. If you would like to host Gaia Gathering, or want to find out what's involved in hosting, please email info@gaiagathering.ca or talk to one of the board members. The host city has one seat on the board of directors. It is a two-year term.

Everyone is welcome to attend both the AGM, however only those who have paid the full conference registration rates are considered members with voting rights. A buffet-style lunch will be served.


TORONTO MUSEUMS, SHOPPING AND EVENTS
========================================
Arriving early or staying later to take in the city? here are some useful links:

Museums:

• The Royal OntarioMuseum http://www.rom.on.ca/
• The Bata Shoe Museum http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/
• The Art Gallery of Ontario http://www.ago.net/
• Casa Loma http://www.casaloma.org/
• Spadina House http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/spadina.htm
• Centreville Amusement Park http://www.centreisland.ca/
• Fort York http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/fort-york.htm
• Elginand Wintergarden Theatres http://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/ewg
• Heritage Toronto Walks http://www.heritagetoronto.org/

Events:

• Artisans at the Distillery Show www.artisansatthedistillery.com

Shopping:

• The Eaton Centre http://www.torontoeatoncentre.com/en/Pages/default.aspx
• Kensington Market http://www.kensington-market.ca/Default.asp?id=1&l=1
• Toronto’s Chinatown http://www.toronto-chinatown.info/
• Yorkville http://www.bloor-yorkville.com/

MORE INFORMATION
====================
For more information, please visit our website, blog or Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter. The Gaia Gathering 2012 hashtag is #GG2012.

If you have any questions about the conference, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@gaiagathering.ca

Looking forward to seeing you all in a couple of days!
The Gaia Gathering National Board of Directors and Local Host Committee.


For more information click here:
Gaia Gathering, the Canadian National Pagan Conference, Toronto 2012

Academic Stream Presentations

We are excited to announce the details of our peeer-reviewed academic stream. The academic stream presentations will take place on Sunday morning from 9:00 am until 2:30 pm. Here are the titles and abstracts:

Sunday 9:00 – 10:15: Classroom 2
Academic Stream Block A: Esotericism in the Modern Time

• My Wax Wings: Or, How I am Pursuing the Academic Study of Magic in Canada.
  Presenter: RA Priddle
• The Mosaic of Neo-pagan studies, the emerging academic discipline of Western Esotericism, and Religious Studies: What is the relationship?
  Presenter: Shya Young

Sunday 10:45 – 12:00: Lecture Hall
 Block B: Witchcraft

• Double, Double, Toil and Trouble: Representations of Witchcraft in Contemporary Documentary Cinema
  Presenter: Aradia Rosa James
• The role of Handmaiden in Witchcraft.
  Presenter: T. Scarlet Jory
• Text A: Teasing out the early influences on Gardnerian Witchcraft as demonstrated in the personal writings of Gerald Gardner
  Presenter: Lisa Crandall

Sunday 1pm: Classroom 2
 Block C: Pagan Studies Panel
As a finale to the academic stream of this year's conference, some of the academics in our community will discuss the current state of the academic study of paganism. What achievements have been made so far? What questions still remain to be asked? What are the basic research challenges, and what are the rewards? What is the relation between the one who researches the pagan movement, and the one who participates in it? What if the researcher is a participant, too? Join us for a hearty and intelligent examination of these and related questions.

 Presentation Abstracts
TITLE My Wax Wings: Or, How I am Pursuing the Academic Study of Magic in Canada.
BY: R.A. Priddle, H.BA, MA (Ottawa 2012), MI (Toronto 2013)
The cautionary tale of Daidalos and Íkaros tells us neither to fly to high nor fly too low lest our wings fail and we crash into the sea below. A careful reading of the myth tells a story of knowledge and control and provides a vital departure point to compare the myth to the academic study of magic by reflecting on how I have learned to traverse the atmosphere between the sun of my academic goals and the seas of material realities that I must cross to safe shore. There are three main themes that I will reflect on, the first is on my Canada mentors and their project asks questions about the cunningly crafted labyrinth of academics that I must learn to navigate. The second theme is how I gathered my materials for my wings asking questions about the education training I have been given to make my own project in the academic study of magic in Canada. The third theme is about the future of the academic study of magic in Canada, and reflects on the sorrow of Daidalos as he watched his son and his future drown in the sea.

TITLE: The Mosaic of Neo-pagan studies, the emerging academic discipline of Western Esotericism, and Religious Studies; What is the relationship?
BY: Shya Young, Instructor, Religious Studies, University of Alberta
I will argue that the study of Neo-paganism fits within the field of Western Esotericism, and that together both can play an important role within the discipline of religious studies by deconstructing the grand narratives of who we are and how we arrived there. I will do this by talking about my experience teaching Witchcraft and the Occult at the University of Alberta, delineating the emerging discipline of Western Esotericism, and summarizing the argument of Wouter Hanegraaff as to the importance of Western Esotericism within the Academy. I will also touch briefly on the work of Sabina Magliocco and Ronald Hutton, who both place neo-pagan witchcraft within the lineage of western estoric traditions.

TITLE: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble: Representations of Witchcraft in Contemporary Documentary Cinema
BY: Aradia Rosa James
The representation of witchcraft and witches in contemporary documentary often contribute to the dissemination of misinformation about what witchcraft is and what witches believe. Many of these ethnographic documentary films incorrectly essentialize the practice and technique of witchcraft as being synonymous with the new religious movement of Wicca. As the subjects speak to their own experiences, this essentialization is not due to misrepresentation of the filmic subjects of themselves, but is instead a shortcoming of the filmmakers in question, who often use their conversations with individual subjects to generalize the beliefs of many myriad practitioners. In the language used by narrators, reporters, and interviewers, the filmmakers incorrectly establish their subjects as delegates speaking on behalf of all witches. While it is vital that popular conceptions of witches (which, as explained by entertainment critic Dean Richards and historian William Monter in The Biography Channel’s Witches, largely remain in the middle ages and with Margaret Hamilton’s portrayal of Elphaba in The Wizard of Oz) are challenged and deconstructed and that practitioners of witchcraft today have the agency to represent themselves in popular media, it is important that that one type of misinformation is not replaced by another.

TITLE: The role of Handmaiden in Witchcraft
BY: T. Scarlet Jory, MA Concordia University
The history of the handmaiden is seen throughout our past. They were lady attendants, otherwise known as ladies in waiting, or handmaidens. In Japan, they served as concubines to the emperor. The history of the Robin (or Fetch or Page) is similar to that of the Handmaiden, except that it is a male assistant to a man. The role of the handmaiden in Wicca stems from the historical references to handmaidens in both the male and female sense. They were the intimate aid that was crucial for the smooth continuation of a practice. I propose to look at the various historical references and roles of the handmaiden (both male and female) as seen in history and compare these to the traditional practices of the handmaiden role in Wicca and Witchcraft. I will conclude with some of the issues and concerns facing this tradition in today's contemporary Pagan practices.

TITLE: Text A: Teasing out the early influences on Gardnerian Witchcraft as
demonstrated in the personal writings of Gerald Gardner
BY: Lisa Crandall, MA Candidate, University of Ottawa
Gerald Brousseau Gardner (1884-1964), generally acknowledged within Wicca as the founder of Gardnerian Wicca (Witchcraft), claimed that in 1939 he had been initiated into a highly secretive religious tradition that had a lineage dating back hundreds of years, possibly even predating Christianity. This claim has been energetically debated in academic and pagan circles for decades but it still constitutes an "origin myth" of contemporary witchcraft. Part of the debate is fueled by the lack of published analysis of early Gardnerian documents. Over the past three years I have been transcribing, sorting and analyzing the contents of Text A, Gerald Gardner's assumed first Book of Shadows. Building on textual and source analysis I will present some of the more startling discoveries I have made regarding the origins of some of Wicca's most cherished rules and words. How early was he using the word "athame"? When did the phrase "Book of Shadows" enter his, and our, lexicon? Was Gardner a goddess worshiper? Breaking Text A down into themes I have recognized some elements that have left their trace in today's rituals and beliefs and even the language we use. I look forward to sharing with you my fascinating journey through the literary elements that Gardner researched, pondered and compiled into the notebook that is now known as Text A. This research forms the basis of my Master's thesis work at the University of Ottawa.

Panels for Gaia Gathering 2012 in Toronto!

Finalized Topics!

1. Ageing and the Elderly in the Pagan Community
   As our Neo-Pagan communities grow up we are also growing old! How can we build a community that will tend to the needs of our elders? What types of infrastructure is required to make sure that their wisdom is not forgotten? How do the roles of our various priesthoods change in our golden years?
2. Mental Health in the Pagan Community
   Our community is diverse and accepting of eccentricities. How do we manage a situation when eccentricity crosses the line into mental health issues? How do we tell the difference between delusion and profound spiritual experience? How do we support leaders in our community experiencing Pagan community mental exhaustion?
3. Marketing and Advertising of Pagan Events
   Pagan events are often running on a shoestring budget! How do we spread the word about our events without breaking the bank? Find out what resources are out there and the most effective marketing and advertising tools that really work for our communities from the folks who work with these things in their Pagan and mundane lives.
4. Revitalizing the Community
   A vital community involves Pagans of all ages and experience levels. How do we retain the longtime community members and engage them with the same enthusiasm as the new comers? How do we make public events enticing to all the members of our communities and introduce new people to local resources? Where are the opportunities for folks to meet and network?
5. Religious Tolerance
   Most Pagans come to their own spiritual paths from an existing religion often rejecting their religion of birth. As an open community how accepting are we of each other’s spiritual paths within the Pagan umbrella and within society in a whole.
6. Social Networking
   The internet has changed the way Pagans meet and communicate to each other. New ways of communicating keep growing and developing. How do blogs, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest impact the Pagan dialogue and community? Do they help or just water things down? Are we as accountable for our actions in this world?
7. Are you willing to pay for your Spirituality?
   Some traditions have strict rules about accepting money for teaching, some think nothing of it. When is it appropriate to pay for Spirituality? Is it ever appropriate? This panel will tackle this topic from different viewpoints.
8. Gender Balance
   How much of an issue is gender balance in our Canadian Pagan scene? Where is the pendulum swinging these days? Are we really a female dominated community? Are the opportunities equal for men and women? Are the Gods and Goddesses worshipped equally? Do they need to be?
9. Reconstructionist Traditions
   How do you respectfully honour the Gods and rituals of a past era? How can you revive forgotten practices from a distant place? Modern practitioners of old ways discuss how they breathe new life into ancient practices.
10. Pagan Arts
    How is the Pagan movement represented in art? Who are the creators of Pagan art and is our community supporting their effort? How do the artists honour their Gods and traditions through their chosen media? This panel of Pagan artists discuss how they work and why.
11. Ancestors in the Pagan Mosaic
    Ancestor reverence or a special time set aside during the year to remember our ancestors is common across many Pagan traditions, even if we approach it differently. It seems to be a piece of the Pagan mosaic that we all share. This panel discussion features Pagans who each place an emphasis on ancestors in their traditions or spiritual practice.
12. Supporting Social Change with Magic
    Some Witches and Pagans see magic as a tool that can be used during public protests and demonstrations such as the Occupy movement and environmental demonstrations. Who are the people who engage magic and activism together, why do they do it, and what tools have they found to be effective in demonstrations. Pagan activists share their stories.
13. Pagan Book and Media Share
    What are your favourite Pagan titles and who are your favourite Pagan authors? Join us at this facilitated round-table discussion as we introduce each other to the best books, podcasts, magazines, blogs and websites out there, especially Canadian ones.
14. Gender and Sexual Identity in Paganism
    This panel round table discussion will explore Gender and Sexual Identity within Paganism focusing on the moral implications of tolerance, acceptance and integration. The purpose of the panel is not to define a specific morality but instead get Pagans talking about issues that many would like to avoid or have just never thought about.
15. Planning Large Public Ritual
    Putting on a public ritual can be both exhilarating and terrifying. What are the skills and steps necessary to successfully plan and execute a public ritual? What makes some rituals more successful than others? What re the pitfalls to avoid (or at least consider)? Experienced public ritual planners from across the country share their successes, failures, and advice.
16. Conjures, Spellcraft, Rootwork, and Petitions. Oh My!
    Folk magic is practiced by Pagans and non-Pagans alike. It is also known by many different names, each with their own distinct flavour and style. What are these different types of folks magic? How do they differ and what makes them the same? And what traditions are they associated with. Join a diverse panel of magical practitioners as they discuss their flavours of folk magic.
17. Pagan Chant Share
    Chant plays an important part in many Pagan rituals for creating a group mind and raising energy. It's also fun! In this "roundtable", we will share songs and chants from our communities or personal repertoires. Don't worry if you don't have anything to share, simply join us to add to your own repertoire. The facilitators have more than enough songs and chants from across the country (and continent) to fill the time.
18. Ceremonial Magick
    Ritual Magicians have often been misunderstood, misrepresented and quite regularly maligned. With a magical path that seems to be secretive, solitary, and with few practitioners its easy to understand where information might be misinterpreted. Well no more! Join two active Ceremonial Magicians who will cut through the veil with truth and openness. You will get to experience actual ritual practises that will lead to a greater understanding of the theory and energy behind ritual magick.

Still to be finalized!
Pagans on Film

Some of the Worshops and Lectures for Gaia Gathering 2012 in Toronto

1. Ancient Egyptian Religious Practice
   This lecture will be an exploration of Ancient Egyptian religious belief and magical practices. This overview comes from Egyptological studies and will cover mythologies, deities, practices, rites, symbols, basic tenets as evidenced in the literature for the living and for the dead. Brief comparisons will be drawn to other more familiar Pagan cultures and their religious and magical rites. Information in list form will be presented for quick summarization. A visual presentation with illustrations will give the participants context to the explanations being given. Presented by Anat, Het Set, Het Eset.
2. Baltic Spring Rites
   A look at the various spring observances, rites and celebrations of the Baltics. Lithuania was the last country to convert to Christianity, with conversion starting in 1386. The last sacred oak grove was chopped down by the Russian Empire in 1795, and the faith though subjugated during the Soviet Era survived and flourishes in Lithuania today. We shall look at the various festivals, starting with the Spring Equinox (Pavasario Lyge) culminating with the Summer Solstice (Rasa). Please just bring yourselves, with lots of questions. Presented by Marija Kuncaitis.
3. Career Transition and the Soul’s Journey
   We incarnated with a purpose and a set of skills to develop and become. Our job is one way our Soul can fulfill its destiny and purpose: take your Craft to work! Magic happens when you accept that there is no separation between your Spiritual path and Career path. Call upon the path of Spirit and launch a career that reflects your Soul’s unique gifts and abilities. Learn to see career transition as Goddess’ Blessing and opportunity to take stock of your life, re-evaluate and re-choose situations that feed your Soul. Through the principles of Soul Based Energy Medicine™, meditation, divination, ritual and ceremony learn how to dance through your career transitions from a Spiritual perspective. This workshop is for anyone who is employed, unemployed, underemployed or considering a career transition and wants to explore their situation from the expanded perspective of Soul. Presented by Lydia Silent Magic.
4. Circles of Meaning, Labyrinths of Fear
   You’ve heard of sacred places, writings, relics, and rituals, holy days and magical times of year. But these are actually representations of relationships that people have with each other and the elements of the world. Some of these relationships environmental: they involve landscapes, animals, and the streets of your home town. Some are personal, such as families, friends, and elders. Some are public, involving musicians, storytellers, medical doctors, and even soldiers. This lecture examines twenty-two relationships, from a variety of traditions, and shows their place in ‘the good life’. Yet our world is utterly saturated with fear. From practical fears like anxiety about the future, to social and political issues like the fear of unemployment, or crime, or terrorist attack, to existential fears like the fear of failure, or of death, most people in our society live in an almost constant low- level state of fear. And what is worse, we trap ourselves into doing things that we think will keep us safe, but which actually make things worse for everyone. Yet life does not have to be that way. Brendan's ambitious new book describes how we imprison ourselves with our fears, and how we can escape from our prisons by treating our relationships as sources of spiritual experience. Join Brendan Myers to celebrate the release of his eighth book, "Circles of Meaning, Labyrinths of Fear." Brendan will introduce the book, read from some of the highlights, answer questions, and of course sign copies. Presented by Brendan Myers.
5. Deepening Spiritual Practice
   Sometimes we want to delve more deeply into a spiritual concept, practice or relationship than we are able to in our usual daily lives. Other times, we may have a single small thing that we never quite get around to. How do we create the space—physical and mental—to facilitate these experiences? In this workshop we will explore the concept of creating and implementing a personal mini-retreat around specific desires for deepening our spiritual practice. Please come prepared to work on a specific spiritual aspect or goal. (2-3 hours; maximum 8 participants) Presented by Amanda Strong.
6. Faith Blending – “Weaving One’s Faith”
   A common and unhealthy practice in several paths of Paganism, is to divorce themselves from their parents' "non-Pagan" faith, leaving a gap in their own spiritual identity. It is not a matter of returning to an original ancestral faith nor diluting one's past or present religious practice; but simply weaving one's faith. What is the difference between religion & Spirituality anyhow? Discover & deepen your spiritual path by retracing the faith of your childhood and strengthening your Ancestral roots in your Life through patience, seeking questions, and letting each faith speak its mind. "Tree in the Mind's Eye" - What the Neo-Pagan movement can Learn from Buddhism Prince Siddhartha sat beneath a Bodhi tree and reintroduced Buddhism to the world. There was more to the tale - there always is - but it is the simplicity & universality of Buddhist concepts which is part of its appeal. Join John, a former Dharma worker & teacher, as he shares some teachings of Buddhism and how they can reintroduce forgotten parts of ancient Earth-based Spiritualities and revitalize how you practise your path. A basic knowledge of Buddhism is not required. Presented by John Huculiak.
7. More Than Words: Movement and Gesture as Magical Tools
   In this highly cerebral world, we tend to overlook the power of movement and gesture, both as a method of communication and as a magical tool. In this workshop, we will explore the relationship between our bodies and our spirit, look at the ways we use or can use our physicality to maximize our ritual experience and magical strength, and work through a vocabulary of movement and gesture that can be used to communicate more powerfully with our Gods and each other. Presented by Julie Desrosiers.
8. On Oaths and Oathing: A Heathen's Perspective
   In Heathenry, one's worth is associated to one's word. We put a great emphasis on the value of oaths as they hold a central place in our folkway. They can bind a group very tightly together as well as destroy one's reputation if the oath is not fulfilled. We will look at oathing throughout history as well as take a look at different kinds of oaths throughout cultures and professional groups. Through the lens of the “Toasts, boasts and oaths” structure, we will examine how and why oaths are so powerful, how they can make our communities stronger and our luck shinier. Presented by MC Perron.
9. The Power of Myth in the Mosaic
   Take a journey with us as we explore the power of myth and storytelling for both personal practice and performance art. Part of the Mosaic that we as Pagans are building are the stories, the myths, and the truths that we share with each other, and in so doing, from generation to generation. These stories keep our traditions and are values alive, allowing them to resonate from community to community. The stories can be wildly different, but they still share that universal thread that binds us all as a spiritual community, but also allows us to celebrate our diversity. The workshop will cover such diverse topics as Mytheism (using myth for spiritual expression), bardic etiquette, performance techniques, as well as practical exercises for practicing and improving your bardic skills! Presented by JD "Hobbes" Hickey.
   
   
10. For the love of Mother Earth - Pagan Sensibility and Pagan Land Use
    For over 20 years now, I have attended Pagan summer festivals in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. During this time, I have also participated in Native Powwows and visited Native camps and spiritual gatherings in the Yukon and Ethnic Minority Cultural Sites in Southeastern China. I've noticed some strong differences in the relation to the land, of its use and even in its abuse. These differences cannot be attributed to religious attitude or belief since all three groups (Pagans, Natives, Animist Chinese) profess a strong attachment to the land as nurturing mother. So what else is at work here? Why do some succeed in minimizing their ecological footprint while others have turned dancing on mother earth into stomping all over her? By comparing real examples of accommodation to the needs of both people and nature, I will invite discussion on how we as pagans can better express our love of Mother Earth when we gather to celebrate her. Presented by Lucie Dufresne.

2012 Mosaic Guest list!

Peruse this year's invited guests for Gaia Gathering 2012 in Toronto! In keeping with the the theme "Mosaic", we have a "Mosaic of Speakers". Here they are in alphabetical order:

Andy Biggers
Andy has been deeply involved in the North American Pagan and heathen community for over twenty five years. He is a past member of the board of directors of both Wic-Can Fest and Harvestfest – as well as serving on the board of directors of the American Vinland Association. He is an Elder in the Ásatrú faith and a past High Redesman of the Ring of Troth. Andy is also a key organizer and board member of SiMuCoR (Simcoe Muskoka Coalition of Old Religions), and holds several advanced academic degrees including Bachelor and Master’s degrees in History.

Mosaic Lecture - The Technology of Time Keeping in the Ancient North
We raise our eyes to the heavens. The celestial canvas unfolds like clockwork, revealing hints of the divine order of Creation. In this workshop, I will discuss the night sky, seasonal calendars, and time keeping from the ancient Northern European perspective. We will investigate how our ancestors marked the passage of the day tides, recognized the beginning of important agricultural feasts (planting and harvesting etc.), and regulated the passage of time in their world. More concretely though, the materials presented in this lecture will allow you construct a basic version of the traditional “Rune Clog” calendar – a device with which you will be able to calculate the date of every full moon, new moon, lunar eclipse, seasonal blessing, and day name for a period of one Aun (300 years).

Michel and Pamela Daw
Michel & Pamela are modern Stoics, reviving the ancient philosophical and spiritual path. Michel is a founding member of the College of Stoic Philosophers, an online study program for Stoic Practice. Pamela runs Stoici Civitas, a nacent umbrella organization for Stoic Spirituality. They have been jointly hosting monthly Stoic Workshops in the National Capital Region, the monthly Ottawa Region Pagan Discussion Night, and have spoken at festivals and conferences on Stoic Spirituality. Together, they also manage TheStoicLife.org, a Stoic website and resource center, as well as Words of the Ancient Wise, a daily Stoic blog.

Mosaic Lecture - The Path of the Stoics or How to Live the Good Life
This session will explore the re-emergence of Stoicism as a spiritual and philosophical path within the larger Pagan Mosaic. We will discuss the foundational principles of Stoicism and the Community which is being formed around them. The integration of Stoic philosophy with other Pagan paths will also be addressed. Come and see what the practise of Stoicism can add to your personal spiritual quest. What is Stoicism? - Stoicism is the study and practice of living a complete life based on reason and relationship, one where we explore and express our best selves, where we flourish to the best of our abilities in all places and circumstances. Stoics reach for personal excellence, which we call virtue, in all the domains of our lives, privately and publicly, to benefit ourselves and our communities. How is Stoicism a Spiritual Path? - Stoicism is the practice of changing the way we look at life to arrive at a point where our baseless worries are defeated, our paralysing fears abolished, our violent passions tempered, and our childish selfishness turned to generosity and compassion. Practising Stoicism involves all aspects of our being - body, mind and soul. We celebrate and honour our connections to Gaia and to each other. In short, it is to live deeply, purposefully and wholly. This is the Art of Living in accordance with Nature. Who is the Stoic Community? - We are a loosely connected group of men and women who have chosen to adopt Stoicism as an Art of Living. Our Stoicism is the same as the philosophy founded over two thousand years ago in Greece, and at the same time profoundly different, evolved for our current age and our current understanding of Science, Psychology, Philosophy and Religion. We choose to study and practice a philosophical life, in order to express our truest natures.

Tamara James
Tamarra was initiated as a witch on her 16^th birthday, almost 45 years ago, and remembers that the big mystery she received was that there IS a Goddess. She was part of the hippy movement of the late '60s, and found flashes of the old religion at love-ins and anti-war activities. Away from her original coven, she kept her craft as a solitary, and still emphasizes solitary growth with her students. When work took her to the USA, she found the craft manifested in Pagan bookstores, some with publicly available Circles. Her knowledge of herbs and divination learned as a farm girl and counter-culture worker led the founders of the Blue Star tradition to adopt her as elder. Back in Canada, Tamarra opened The Occult Shop, and began to teach. Her students demanded a Church, with weekly meetings, and were numerous enough to require group classes. So she found herself at the head of Canada's only Pagan Church, complete with a religious education program. In Tamarra's experience with Pagan Women's groups, they were often short-lived due to politics, so when she formed Sistrum, politics were banned. Sistrum is now 30 years old. As High Priestess of the WCC, Tamarra was drawn into being the first Pagan clergy person to serve in a jail. One of her students created Canada's first Pagan festival. This continuing service to a public ministry made it obvious that she wasn't following the old rules about secrecy, and the things that work for a private coven don't work as well for a public Church. Tamarra had invented a new Tradition, which has become known as Odyssean. Tamarra has been either actively involved or very close on the sidelines for most of the growth of Paganism in Canada since it poked its nose out of the broom closet.

Mosaic Lecture - How We Got Here
Tamarra will be sharing through stories and personal experience the history of the Canadian Scene over years, how it has grown and changed. She will describe the transition from secrecy (some of it rather ridiculous) through the time of local community building, to our times of being on the edge of mainstream acceptance. It has been a peculiar route, and Tamarra has been in a position to observe much from various parts of Canada.

Sydney Lancaster
Sydney Lancaster is an Edmonton-based visual artist, writer, and musician. She creates mixed media assemblages, drawings, photographs, sculpture, and installations that examine the construction and interpretation of lived experience -- in particular, how we ‘map’ our sense of place and belonging (or lack thereof), in psychological and spiritual terms. Lancaster has exhibited in solo and group shows in Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and St. Albert, and curated CORTEX: a multidisciplinary event in 2006 and 2007 for the Edmonton Poetry Festival. Recent exhibitions and projects include: a collaborative multi-media exhibition and chapbook project entitled Archives of Absence (with poet Catherine Owen); Make: Believe - a site-specific sculptural installation; EGG - a sculpture-based ritual/performance; and new work for the group show Lost and Found, exhibited December 2011 - January 2012 at the Art Gallery of St. Albert. She is the Artist in Residence at Harcourt House artist-run centre in Edmonton for 2012. She is an OBOD Ovate, member of the Druid Network, was involved in organizing Gaia Gathering in Edmonton and Winnipeg, and has assisted in various capacities with the Spirit of the West Druid Gathering.

Mosaic Lecture - What the Land Told Me: Objects, Places, and Processes
What the artist did with what she found Western culture is heavily indebted to a long tradition of visual artists expressing their philosophical or spiritual views through their work, work which is for the most part, congruent with whatever dominant iconography and world view prevails at the moment of it its creation. In this context, the question arises: how does a 21st century, contemporary visual artist living and working outside the dominant cultural perspective, spiritual view, and prevailing visual language, create work that functions in a similar fashion? How can work be made that goes beyond simply presenting an alternative iconography, to speaking directly about the lived experience of that individual and make it relevant and understandable to people in the wider community? What does the ongoing process of integrating personal spiritual practice into lived action mean in relation to creative process and creative work? I invite you to join me in exploring these and related questions, through the lens of my work in mixed-media assemblage, installation, sculpture and drawing.

Brian Walsh
Brian Walsh is a permanent part-time Spiritual Care Provider at a major Toronto hospital and a part-time Clinical Fellow in Spiritual Care at another major Toronto hospital. In the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care he is one of six members who identifies as part of a Pagan or Earth-based tradition. Additionally, Brian serves as Pagan (Celtic and Reconstructionist) chaplain at the University of Toronto, leads a private circle, and provides open rituals and presentations in the local community.

Brian is a priest in the Céilí Sídhe tradition of Celtic Paganism and holds a B.A. in Celtic Studies and Religious Studies from the University of Toronto, as well as an M.Phil. from the University of Wales. Also, as a licensed Wedding Officiate, Brian is able to perform legal weddings in the province of Ontario. Brian's passions include Celtic Studies, World Religions, Mythologies, Story-telling, Frame Drums, and Dogs.

Mosaic Lecture - Myth, Mystery, and Meaning: Different Understandings of the Divine; Why They Divide Us, and Why They Shouldn't
We all say that we value religious freedom, and we all say that in Paganism we are free to understand the world through the lenses that work best for us, and yet we aren't always just one big happy family. In this presentation, we will explore some the different ways deity and mythology have been understood in our community, as well as the value and limits of these understandings. Notions like hard and soft polytheism, transcendence and immanence, gender dualism, the role of a pantheon, and more will be explored as problems in our modern context, and solutions rooted on our ancient source cultures will be offered. Ancient Celtic, Greek and Vedic examples will be used to provide insight and poetic beauty that can lead us from being a fractured collection of random shards to being a community mosaic where different worldviews can be understood in the light of a deeper matrix or pattern than makes room for all. Whether you're a Recon, a Wiccan, or an academic; no one's assumptions will be complete safe in this 90 minute rollercoaster ride, but we will all come through unscathed, and closer as a community, so long as your arms and legs are kept inside the vehicle at all times.

Witchdoctor Utu
Witchdoctor Utu is the founder of the Niagara Voodoo Shrine, the world renowned Pagan drum troupe the Dragon Ritual Drummers and is a member of the New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple. He has been traveling the continent for over a decade sharing the traditions and mysteries of North American voodoo with lectures, workshops and rituals at some of the continents top tier spiritual festivals. Utu is a regular contributor to the international publication "Hoodoo and Conjure Quarterly Magazine". niagaravoodooshrine@hotmail.com

Mosaic Lecture - North American Voodoo; Separating fact and fiction, truth and misconception.
Voodoo has been gaining interest in the North American Pagan communities and festivals for a few years now, however it was not always the case. Not that long ago, Voodoo workings were frowned upon or outright banned from many events. It is still not a cozy relationship, even in the southern U.S. Canada, and in particular Ontario, has however been ahead of the bell curve in acceptance. Voodoo in its many forms is one that many Neo-Pagans simply do not understand; The complexities of its different traditions from Santeria, Ifa and Voodoo itself, to the lore of animal sacrifice and believed lack of any morals towards "karma" and magikal practices. All these will be discussed as well as a hands on example of a Voodoo working will be demonstrated as well as various tools and accouterments on display.

Academic Stream : Revised Deadline for Papers

The deadline for submitting an academic paper to the academic stream for peer review has been revised to April 1st. Thanks to everyone who has already submitted a paper so far.

The call for academic papers can be found on our website. Please remember that you don't need to be affiliated with a university of post-secondary institution to submit to the academic stream, and we encourage "armchair", amateur or retired academics. If you have a good 'meaty' or scholarly topic that you'd like to present at the conference, write up a quick 250-word summary and send it along to us!

Also, if you know any Pagan academics or academics that study Paganism, please forward the call to them! We're finding that even though our Call for Papers has gone out to over 400 department heads and department secretaries across the country, the information isn't always filtering down to professors and students. Help us spread the word!

Finally, if you are an a Pagan academic or academic studying Paganism, please join our "Call for Papers" mailing list so that you don't miss future calls for papers or reminders about deadlines. You can signup here.

Travel Subsidies for GG Toronto 2012

We are looking forward to seeing people from all across Canada. We understand that there may be constrictions to travelling from a distance and therefore the Gaia Gathering has set up a travel fund to help subsidize travel expenses with preferences is given from participants coming from the north or remote areas and to those traveling furthest to get the conference.

If you wish to contribute some funds to the travel subsidy fund, please indicate it on the registration form. Even a couple of extra dollars will go far in assisting someone from far away to attend the conference, and this will make this truly a national event.

To apply for the travel subsidy, we will need (you can put this into an email):

1. A written request for travel assistance, including where you are from.

2. An explanation for your need.

3. How you will be helping the conference by attending (panel presenter, presenting a paper in the academic/scholar stream, etc.).

4. How your local community, clan, grove etc. will benefit from you attending Gaia Gathering.

5. A written budget outlining costs to attend the conference. (Subsidies range from 100 - 300 dollars depending on the number of applicants for the conference year)

When you apply does count. Deadline for applications is March 20th of the conference year.

Decisions for awarding subsidy to applications will be made by end of the month.

For more information, or to send in our application for travel subsidy, please contact us at info@gaiagathering.ca

Call for Academic Papers

TORONTO 2012 CALL FOR PAPERS
Release February 6th, 2012

Gaia Gathering: Canadian National Pagan Conference
Theme: Building the Mosaic

CALL FOR PAPERS

Gaia Gathering was founded in 2004 and had its first conference in 2005. Each year the conference is hosted over the Victoria Day long weekend in a different Canadian city through a bidding process similar to the Olympics. Past host cities include Edmonton, Halifax, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal. Legally, we are incorporated federally as a non-profit organization and operate with a national Board of Directors as well as a local host committee.

The conference is organized collaboratively by Canadian Pagans and includes four days of discussion and workshops about Canadian Paganisms. After seven years of traveling across the country, the conference this year will be held in Toronto, Ontario at the University of Toronto New College. The theme for 2012 will be "Building the Mosaic". Individuals make up the whole of a community. By bringing together pieces of respective Pagan communities and local groups during the conference, a representation of the larger Canadian Pagan Mosaic emerges.

In keeping with the theme "Mosaic", we have chosen to present a "Mosaic of Speakers” representing the rich diversity of Canadian Paganism:

• Andy Biggers (Simcoe County, ON) has been deeply involved in the North American pagan and heathen community for over 25 years.
• Michel & Pamela Daw (Gatineau, QC) are modern Stoics, reviving the ancient philosophical and spiritual path.
• Tamara James (Toronto, ON) is a founding member of the Wiccan Church of Canada, which was established in 1979, and was one of the first Pagan clergy to serve in a Canadian prison system.
• Sydney Lancaster (Edmonton, AB) is a visual artist, writer, musician, Artist in Residence at Harcourt House, and an OBOD ovate.
• Brian Walsh (Toronto, ON) is a permanent part-time Spiritual Care Provider at a major Toronto hospital and a part-time Clinical Fellow in Spiritual Care at another major Toronto hospital.
• Witchdoctor Utu (St. Catharines, ON) is the founder of the Niagara Voodoo Shrine, the world-renowned Dragon Ritual Drummers and is a member of the New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple.

The complete bios for our invited guests can be found here on our website.

In addition to the speakers we will also feature workshops, panel discussions, academic presentations and evening entertainment throughout the weekend.

The conference will be held May 18 - 21, 2012 in Toronto, ON.

SUBMISSION CRITERIA
We invite papers and proposals for our academic stream from all faculties within the humanities who touch into the realm of alternate spirituality, Paganism, New Religious Movements and related subjects. Also, if you are a retired, solitary, armchair, or aspiring academic not affiliated with an institution then you may also submit by the same criteria and to the same locations. We hope to see everyone rise to the challenge and welcome them to this opportunity to present here in Montreal with like-minded individuals.

Submissions may be sent via mail or e-mail and are to be no more than one page. They must include a publication-ready, titled abstract of 150-200 words. The name, address, telephone numbers, e-mail address, college or university affiliation and level of study of the presenter(s) must also be included. Any special requests or needs for audio-visual equipment must also be indicated. We will be accepting submissions for peer and academic review between February 2nd and March 20th (Ostara 2012). Abstracts and proposals (and thus presentations) may be in English or in French. All received submissions will be acknowledged, with notification of acceptance, by early April 2012.

Email to: bmyers@cegep-heritage.qc.ca

Or mail to:
Dr. Brendan Myers
C/O Cegep Heritage College
325 boul. Cite-des-Jeunes,
Gatineau Quebec
J8Y 6T3

Call for Panels and Workshops

Panels and Roundtable Discussions

The focus of Gaia Gathering is knowledge-sharing through panel and roundtable discussions. These are determined collectively through discussions on our Yahoogroup, blog and Facebook page, as well as through discussion in the host city community. We invite you to join the discussion. To give you an idea of what we’ve done in previous conferences, some examples of past discussions can be found here, here and here.

Workshops

In the last couple of years people have been asking for workshops to be included in the program in addition to panels and roundtables. We listened and we have included programming space for several workshops for Toronto in 2012.
Workshop topics should pertain to Paganism. The topic can be theoretical, practical, or a combination of both. We especially welcome topics pertaining to specialised knowledge or skills that may not be widely available in various Canadian Pagan Communities. Gaia Gathering offers a unique opportunity for people to hold these skills and knowledge to share them with peers from across the country, who can then bring them home to their communities.

Workshops proposals must be submitted by March 20th, 2012 to programming@gaiagathering.ca and should include the following information:

1. Name of presenter(s)
2. Geographic location of presenter(s)
3. Contact information
4. Title of presentation
5. A 75-150 word summary of the workshop
6. Bios for the presenter(s)
7. Details of your experience presenting this workshop in the past and/or specifics about what makes you qualified to present the workshop.
8. A brief explanation of why you want to present the workshop and who you expect to benefit from it.
9. Any scheduling restrictions (ie, if you’re only arriving Saturday morning)

Please note that we have limited programming slots available for workshop. Workshops will be selected by a committee based on the uniqueness of the presentation and the broadness of its appeal.

Workshop proposals should be submitted by e-mail to programming@gaiagathering.ca.
Please feel free to direct questions and comments to programming@gaiagathering.ca.

GG Fundraising in Montreal Feb 4th

February is the national fun(d)-raising month for Gaia Gathering. Montreal kicks of the month of fun activities raising awareness (and funds) for Gaia Gathering on Saturday February 4th with an evening of music, story, poetry, and song.

Why not add your event to the line-up? A fund-raiser is a great way to raise funds to help get people from your community (or other communities) to the conference, or to donate funds to the conference in general. It's your fundraiser, you decide how the money is used.

Beat the Winter Blues.
February 4th, 2012
An evening of music, story, poetry, and song to raise funds for the Canadian National Pagan Conference, Gaia Gathering taking place in Toronto in May 2012.

Performers include:
Taelstrum (Hobbes & Shayne)
Kym Dominique Ferguson (Spoken Word poet)
Loran Magie Mystique (stage magic)
Laura Jane Beach (Bluegrass / Folk / Indie)
Alex del Busso and his Goddesses
Ryan Sauvé (dancer)
and more to come!

Cost: $10

Atwater Library Auditorium
1200 Atwater Ave
Montreal, QC

Doors open at 6:30 pm.
Entertainment starts at 7pm.

Funds raised will be going to travel subsidies.

Facebook event page

Getting to Gaia Gathering 2012 in Toronto

Gaia Gathering 2012 in Toronto is fast approaching. There is less than four months left until the conference, which takes place May 18th to 21st at New College, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.

Information about getting to the conference via plane, train, bus or automobile is now up on our website. Links to accommodation is also on the same page.

For those of you who were thinking of taking the train to Toronto for Gaia Gathering, Via Rail is having a 50% off seat sale until January 26th 2012! Prices probably won't get much better than this unless you manage to book last-minute with one of their express deals.

To get the most out of the conference, plan to arrive before noon on Friday to take advantage of the Friday afternoon workshops. The conference wraps up on Monday afternoon. Our list pf featured speakers and what to expect at the conference is available here. More will eb revealed as it becomes available.

You can register online for the conference here. Or download the pdf of the registration form and mail it to us with payment.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Toronto in May!

Invited Guests for GG2012!

We finally have a line-up of confirmed invited guests for Gaia Gathering 2012 in Toronto. In keeping with the the theme "Mosaic", we have a "Mosaic of Speakers". Here they are in alphabetical order:

Andy Biggers
Andy has been deeply involved in the North American pagan and heathen community for over twenty five years. He is a past member of the board of directors of both Wic-Can Fest and Harvestfest – as well as serving on the board of directors of the American Vinland Association. He is an Elder in the Ásatrú faith and a past High Redesman of the Ring of Troth. Andy is also a key organizer and board member of SiMuCoR (Simcoe Muskoka Coalition of Old Religions), and holds several advanced academic degrees including Bachelor and Master’s degrees in History.

Michel and Pamela Daw
Michel & Pamela are modern Stoics, reviving the ancient philosophical and spiritual path. Michel is a founding member of the College of Stoic Philosophers, an online study program for Stoic Practice. Pamela runs Stoici Civitas, a nacent umbrella organization for Stoic Spirituality. They have been joinlty hosting monthly Stoic Workshops in the National Capital Region, the monthly Ottawa Region Pagan Discussion Night, and have spoken at festivals and conferences on Stoic Spirituality. Together, they also manage TheStoicLife.org, a Stoic website and resource center, as well as Words of the Ancient Wise, a daily Stoic blog.

Tamara James
Bio to come

Sydney Lancaster
Sydney Lancaster is an Edmonton-based visual artist, writer, and musician. She creates mixed media assemblages, drawings, photographs, sculpture, and installations that examine the construction and interpretation of lived experience -- in particular, how we ‘map’ our sense of place and belonging (or lack thereof), in psychological and spiritual terms. Lancaster has exhibited in solo and group shows in Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and St. Albert, and curated CORTEX: a multidisciplinary event in 2006 and 2007 for the Edmonton Poetry Festival. Recent exhibitions and projects include: a collaborative multi-media exhibition and chapbook project entitled Archives of Absence (with poet Catherine Owen); Make: Believe - a site-specific sculptural installation; EGG - a sculpture-based ritual/performance; and new work for the group show Lost and Found, exhibited December 2011 - January 2012 at the Art Gallery of St. Albert. She is the Artist in Residence at Harcourt House artist-run centre in Edmonton for 2012. She is an OBOD Ovate, member of the Druid Network, was involved in organizing Gaia Gathering in
Edmonton and Winnipeg, and has assisted in various capacities with the Spirit of the West Druid Gathering.
www.sydneylancaster.ca
www.rustymetalthings.blogspot.com

Brian Walsh
Brian Walsh is a permanent part-time Spiritual Care Provider at a major Toronto hospital and a part-time Clinical Fellow in Spiritual Care at another major Toronto hospital. In the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care he is one of six members who identifies as part of a Pagan or Earth-based tradition. Additionally, Brian serves as Pagan (Celtic and Reconstructionist) chaplain at the University of Toronto, leads a private circle, and provides open rituals and presentations in the local community.

Brian is a priest in the Céilí Sídhe tradition of Celtic Paganism and holds a B.A. in Celtic Studies and Religious Studies from the University of Toronto, as well as an M.Phil. from the University of Wales. Also, as a licensed Wedding Officiate, Brian is able to perform legal weddings in the province of Ontario. Brian's passions include Celtic Studies, World Religions, Mythologies, Story-telling, Frame Drums, and Dogs. For more information go to www.newtara.org

Witchdoctor Utu
Witchdoctor Utu is the founder of the Niagara Voodoo Shrine, the world renowned pagan drum troupe the Dragon Ritual Drummers and is a member of the New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple. He has been traveling the continent for over a decade sharing the traditions and mysteries of North American voodoo with lectures, workshops and rituals at some of the continents top tier spiritual festivals. Utu is a regular contributor to the international publication "Hoodoo and Conjure Quarterly Magazine".
niagaravoodooshrine@hotmail.com
www.niagaravoodooshrine.com