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Workshops Available from Ellen Evert Hopman M.ED Ellen Evert Hopman is a Master Herbalist and lay Homeopath
who holds an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling. She is a certified
writing instructor through Amherst Writers and Artists. She was Vice
President of The Henge Of Keltria, an international Druid Fellowship,
for nine years. She is the founder of the Whiteoak internet mailing
list, an on-line Druid ethics study group, and a co-founder of The
Order of the Whiteoak (Ord Na Darach Gile) www.whiteoakdruids.org.
She is also a co-founder of the North East Druid Coalition She has released three audio tapes The Druid Path: Herbs And Festivals, Celtic Gods and Goddesses, and The Herbal And Magical Powers Of Trees (from Creative Seminars, POB 203, West Hurley, New York 12491). She has been a teacher of Herbalism since 1983 and of Druidism since 1990. *New* The Nine Principles of Celtic Spirituality What are the basic principles of Celtic Spirituality? How do these principles apply to Celtic Christianity and Celtic Paganism? How is Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism different from more modern paths such as Wicca? In this class we will examine evidence from the historical Celts and their traditional practices, poetry, Celtic triads and aphorisms, and Brehon Law. *NEW* Writing Your Soul's Purpose - The Craft of the Written Word Whether you are an experienced writer or have a longing to express yourself in print, there is a magical alchemy that takes place in a supportive group setting. This workshop explores the basics of effective written expression. Come prepared to participate in writing excersizes and to share your ongoing or newest work with the group. Tree Medicine, Tree Magic Generally a week end workshop. Friday night I do a slide show of some common North American trees illustrating their medicinal and magical properties. Saturday morning we learn a traditional Druid tree meditation and learn to listen to the trees. Saturday afternoon we gather tree medicines such as leaves, pine needles, flowers, barks, etc. Sunday we prepare medicines from the ingredients we have gathered and each student presents an oral report on the ethnobotanical and medicinal uses of one tree. A shorter version of the workshop involves a slide show and talk followed by a Ogham making project involving self hardening clay. Each student leaves with an Ogham divination kit. Materials fee; $10.00 per each ten students. Materials needed ( per student ) 2 clean glass jelly jars with lids 1 quart olive oil Herb books bags for collecting, shears Introduction To the Druid Spiritual Path Also a weekend workshop. Friday night I present a slide show entitled Ancient Irish Sacred Sites which includes a view of Newgrange, the 3,500 B.C.E. solstice site in the Boyne Valley of Ireland, stone circles, holy wells, Brighid's fire at Kildare, several dolmens and important cairns such as the cairn of Queen Maeve at Sligo, the Druidic center at Uisnach, the Turoe Stone and the Aran Islands. Early Christian settlements such as Glendaloch and Clonmacnoise are discussed as is a re-constructed model of an Iron-age lake village with it's thatched huts, gardens, working areas and crafts. On Saturday we spend the day learning the standard Druid Tree Meditation and the basic Druid ritual form. On Sunday everyone dresses in their finest and we adjourn to the woods to perform a Druid ritual ( open to the public, workshop participants function as clergy ). Materials Needed Sponsor will supply 3 cast iron cauldrons (for water, earth, and incense ) two goblets/chalices, Mead or other spirits, and water. The rite traditionally takes place in the presence of an oak tree and with a fire nearby. Who Were The Druids? A lecture exploring the roots of Druidism, it's origins in the ancient proto-Indo-European homeland of the Black Sea area, it's full blossoming in the Celtic cultures of Europe, it's demise and rebirth in the 17th century Romantic Celtic revival period of England and France, and it's establishment in the United States as a vibrant neo-Pagan religion of the present. *NEW* Thinking Outside the Box - Ancient European Ritual Forms Many Earth centered folk have gotten used to the standard "Wiccan" ritual form, not realizing that "Wicca" was invented in the late 1930's. This workshop explores what actual ancient European ritual practices were, using quotes from the church fathers who tried to suppress the practices and the evidence of history and archaeology. Ancient Irish Sacred Sites One A slide show and talk covering dolmens, cairns, holy wells, early Christian churches and monastic communities, Iron Age villages, the Winter Solstice temple called " Newgrange ", stone circles, carved standing stones, Ogham stones and more. The talk generally lasts about 1 1/2 hours and is followed by a book signing. Ancient Irish Sacred Sites Two A slide show and lecture that covers Lough Gur, the largest stone circle in Ireland, the ring forts and standing stones of Kerry's Iveragh and Dingle penninsulas, early Christian beehive structures and oratories, ancient sundials and Ogham stones, a Tinker community in Cork and the Proleek Dolmen in Louth. Several sites in Ulster; Emain Macha, the "Druids Chair" at Altanadevan and the Cookstown stone circles, historical recreations of Bronze Age huts, Celtic settlements and an Early Christian community. The talk lasts about 1 1/2 hours and is followed by a book signing. Ancient British Sacred Sites A slide show and talk covering the South Eastern portion of Scotland with it's carved Pictish stones, the major English monuments such as Stonehenge, Avebury, Silbury Hill, some Arthurian sites such as Tintagel, Glastonbury ( Avalon ), and Camelot, and the mysterious and wonderful Cornish sacred sites of the Michael/Mary Brighid/Lugh ley line. The talk lasts about two hours and is followed by a book signing. Flower Essence Counseling Again a Friday night slide show of flowers used in this counseling technique. On Saturday morning we gather flowers and prepare essences ( weather permitting ). Saturday afternoon we learn some basic counseling techniques and practice on each other. Spiritual affirmations are a vital part of this healing modality. Materials needed Sponsor will provide a few crystal bowls and a bottle of natural brandy students will bring 2 or 3 clean glass jelly jars with lids Medicinal Herbs A Friday night slide show of some common medicinals found in North America. Saturday morning and afternoon we spend roaming the countryside looking at trees and herbs and identifying them. Sunday we make simple preparations such as tinctures and salves and poultices. Students bring herb books and other data bases from which they prepare a report to present to the class. Materials needed; 4 clean glass jelly jars with lids 1 quart olive oil 1 pint vodka Herb books collecting bags or baskets, shears Medicinal Herbs Slide Show A lecture and slide show of common medicinal plants, their uses and preparation. Endangered Medicinal Plants Slide Show A lecture and slide show listing endangered species of the East coast, the Midwest and the West coast. Tree Medicine - Tree Magic A slide show of trees that are easily found in North America, and a discussion of their medicial uses, mythology and spiritual significance. The Druidic Wheel Of The Year A lecture on the eight Celtic festivals of the Sacred Earth Year, Solstices, Equinoxes and Cross Quarters ( Samhain, Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasad ) with their attendant Deities and herbal and agricultural associations. This workshop typically lasts about two hours and is usually followed by a book signing and a question and answer period. Celtic Gods and Goddesses An evening lecture describing some of the major Celtic Deities, their appearance, attributes, spheres of influence, and archetypal powers. As true polytheists the ancient Celts had different Deities to cover different areas of life; childbirth, crafts, music and poetry, healing, warfare, holy wells, and fire are just some of their domains. Important for our own culture and times is the gender balanced aspect of these Gods and Goddesses, reflecting a time when men and women enjoyed relatively equal status. This workshop lasts about two hours and can include a short ritual to honor the Gods (requiring a bit more time). Introduction to Homeopathy An introductory lecture on the history of Homeopathy. What is it? How was it developed? A look at some common Homeopathic first aid remedies followed by a slide show of plants used in Homeopathic medicines. This is a one day workshop. The Metamorphic Technique A Hands on massage technique developed out of reflexology by Robert St.John. This is a 2 1/2 hour workshop that covers the theory after which students take turns working on each others heads, feet and hands. The book Metamorphic Technique, Principle and Practices is available from Element Books and will provide an excellent introduction to how this technique sets free the healing processes of the Mind, Body, and Spirit. Introduction To Chinese Five Element Theory A two hour workshop that covers the five elements with their associated times of year, tastes, emotions, body parts, smells, colors, and tones of voice. This theory can be applied to herbal case taking as well as to counseling and psychology, analysis of communities and groups, historical epochs, and spiritual paths. The workshop can be expanded to a day long class that covers facial diagnosis and the diagnosis of warts, lines, pimples and the tongue. A poster is available for $15.00 that shows the facial types. Introduction To Herbal Healing And Self Care A six month intensive offered one weekend a month. Covers Western herbal Materia Medica, formula making, case taking, Chinese Five Element Theory, Homeopathic First Aid, Flower Essence Counseling, plant identification, ethnobotany, and hands on herbal techniques such as poultices, tinctures, salves etc. Over 400 pages of handouts are included with the course. A certificate of completion is offered at the end. Cost is $200.00 per weekend. Sponsor attends for free and must cover transportation costs, advertising, and provide room and board for Ellen for each weekend. Students are expected to attend every class and a minimum of 15 students is required. The proceeds from this class are not split 50/50 as in the other classes and arrangements must be made on a case by case basis. Pre-Christian Celtic Beliefs and Ethics Using texts such as the Audacht Morainn and the Colloquy of the Two Sages we will examine the ethical beliefs of the pre-Christain Celts. Copies of excerpts from the texts will be provided for group discussion and meditation. Bardic Poetry Workshop This is a weekend poetry class. On Saturday and Sunday students hike out into the forest and meditate on the elements of earth, fire, water, and air, as well as the sacred animals, the sacred plants and the sacred human beings. After each meditation a poem is presented to the group. Some ancient meters and rhyme schemes will be explored. Celtic Goddesses A weekend workshop. The Celtic Goddesses cover many spheres; warrioress, mistress of crafts, healer, mother, shape shifter, sorceress, river spirit, guardian of the land, dryad, huntress, and lover are just some of their aspects. Participants will use poetry, guided meditation, drawing and music to enliven a particular Goddess archetype which they feel called to explore. The basics of Druid ritual form will be taught and the experience will culminate in a formal Druid ceremony honoring the Goddesses we have worked with. Participants should bring ritual or celebratory robes, musical instruments, tools and materials of their chosen craft if they have one, notebooks, blankets to sit on out of doors, and offerings for the Goddesses (flowers, fruit, songs, poetry, etc.) Paganism as a Path of Service When traditional faith communities established themselves in the New World the first things they did were to build houses of worship, establish cemetaries and schools and set up charities. What are the natural directions for Pagan charity to flow? The environment? Humanitarian causes? How can we help? This workshop offers suggestions for specific environmental and humanitarian charities and ideas for service for Covens and Groves. VIDEO PRESENTATIONS: PAGANS A showing of the video and a discussion about the Pagan wheel of the year. This video was designed as a teaching tool for schools, libraries, and public education. Filmed entirely in beautiful rural New England, the video shows Pagans as we really are, without hype or theatrics. Original music from Paddy Keenan of The Bothy Band, poetry and song round out the presentation. GIFTS FROM THE HEALING EARTH - VOLUME I Filmed in rural New England the video takes the viewer to field and forest gathering plants which are then brought into the kitchen to be made into remedies. Covers the basics of hands-on herbalism. Original music from Dr. James Duke, noted botanist. (This video is offered for sale in both English and Spanish versions) GIFTS FROM THE HEALING EARTH - VOLUME II Ellen interviews holistic nurses on the topics of Medical Herbalism, Reiki, Guided Imagery and Therapeutic Touch with a special emphasis on their application in the hospital setting. Addresses and other information are provided for those who wish to pursue education in these healing paths. Harp music by Christopher LaFond. Venues Ellen Evert Hopman has presented at the following venues;
She has participated in numerous radio and television programs including
National Public Radio's "Vox Pop" and the Gary Null show
in New York. She presented a weekly "herb report" for WRSI
radio, out of Greenfield, MA for over a year and was a featured subject
in a documentary about Druids on A & E Television's The Unexplained For more information, scheduling and costs, email Ellen via the website. Please put the title of the workshop or lecture of interest in the subject line of your mail. Transportation costs and advertising are covered by the sponsor. |
 A Druid's Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year |
Email: Saille333@mindspring.com
Snailmail: PO Box 219, Amherst, MA 01004 U.S.A.
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