Paganicon 2025

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psychospiritual framework used within modern mental health care modalities to address trauma at the source. IFS holds that we all have multiple aspects inside us: many parts but only one Self. Through IFS we have tools that allow us to recognize when a part is making our decisions vs when the self is driving the bus. IFS also gives us the beautiful gift of connecting the compassion of the Self to the parts so that the parts can become unburdened and released from their extreme roles. This is the deeply transformative work of post traumatic growth that Katrina has dedicated herself to studying and sharing with the world. In this presentation, Katrina will break down the major components of IFS so that participants will walk away with knowledge of the framework. She will also build upon the inherently spiritual aspects of this modality. IFS is quite rare in the world of psychology in that the creators of IFS are open that IFS is absolutely spiritual in nature. Katrina will share her perspectives on Self as relating to spirit and source. She will offer prayer and other animist practices as crucial pieces of trauma healing and share ways that the participants can take these practices home with them.

In this class we will discuss several ancient potions from old herbals and alchemical texts that were used for everything from attracting love to making one invisible and learn how to make your own magical concoctions using herbs.

Are you eager to deepen your magical connection with the moon’s power? Join us as we delve into the cyclical energies of the moon’s phases and discover how they intertwine with astrological qualities to enhance your magic. Each moon phase amplifies its unique creative and/or destructive power, further enriched by the astrological sign it occupies. No prior knowledge of astrology is required. By learning a few basic principles, you’ll find it easy to combine the moon’s phases with astrological energies. We’ll also explore techniques and magical processes that serve to better integrate this information into your moon magic. Join us for fun and perhaps even a good howl!

Being quiet is comfortable. Keeping things the way they’ve been is comfortable. A journey to spiritual discovery often is fraught with pitfalls and blessed with joys. Many come to various Pagan, Heathen, and polytheist traditions as already socialized adults, with the presumption that the rules learned in our homes and at school are sufficient for our encounters on our new chosen path. In reality, we are left vulnerable as we learn new norms, language, values, beliefs, and behaviors common in the earth-based Pagan/Heathen/polytheist communities that do not fall into a traditional monotheist perspective shared by Christianity, Islam, or Judaism. As more enter our communities, there is an need to avoid a norm of silence in favor of an embrace to speak openly before emotional and spiritual wounds drive an individual to express grief or remorse at joining our community or a particular path. As a minority religion, followers of Pagan/Heathen/polytheist traditions are vulnerable to the ravages of silence or the reality of only hearing news when it is a bad or harmful to our communities. This panel is a conversation, a starting point to engage with how to break this tendency towards silence within our various paths, and how to replace it with a reasonable openness that encourages speech in a positive manner. Just as children are socialized in families and at school, we need to address the socialization as a community to allow growth and permanence.

Want to take your herbalism up a notch or two? Then join Witch Jodi as she guides you through the wonderful world of herbalism. You will learn medicinal and magickal properties of the herbs discussed and the appropriate ways to utilize them. How to gather, store, and even make into product. A practicing witch of nearly 50yrs, Witch Jodi is a RN, master herbalist, Reiki Master, and psychic-medium that has been teaching herbalism in the Twin Cities for nearly 2 decades. Her classes are highly sot after.

Asclepius, the great-grandfather of medicine and very possibly the first psychotherapist, had a unique and effective approach to healing, offered in the over 300 asclepieia (healing centres) which flourished in Greece for an astounding 1,000 years between the 6th century BCE and the 6th century CE: recognizing the power of the liminal to offer healing wisdom. So important and respected was his approach that asclepian healers were a significant part of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The fourth day of the Mysteries were marked by the Festival of Asclepius during which initiates undergo “dream incubation” in preparation of the march to Eleusis. This presentation is an introduction to Asclepius, asclepian dream healing, and the power of the liminal spaces to transform.

When people begin practicing witchcraft, many wonder, "Is this real, or is this all in my head?" That's an important question. There is a big difference between magical thinking, the diagnostic symptom, and magickal thinking, the pagan mindset, though the two are not mutually exclusive. Neurodiversity and complex mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression, are estimated to affect 70% of the population and are nothing to be ashamed of. This class explores their key differences and how to tell them apart and offers a combination of empirically proven clinical practices and ritualistic ways to maintain positive mental health within magickal traditions and shadow work.
*This class is designed to be a resource and is not intended to diagnose or treat a person's specific mental health concerns.

Ragnarök is a Trickster-teaching, and not only because Loki plays a prominent role in it. Like other Trickster-tales in our world mythologies, Ragnarök simultaneously warns, teaches, and guides us in unexpected and insightful ways. In this workshop, we will explore these Trickster-teachings in hopes of gleaning the most from this most foreboding and most paradoxically inspirational and promising of myths. Ragnarök shows us what is possible (in the best way and the worst way). Ragnarök shows us that—even though cataclysm may be an inevitability—we may still have a choice on how this cataclysm unfolds. Will it play out as Civil War II, and WWIII, and the near-total self-destruction of humanity? Or will it play out as an internal, alchemical psycho-spiritual-social healing-transformation? Let’s see what the Trickster has to say.

Confronting the fallout of a loved one’s entanglement in a high-control group can be a raw, grueling experience for family and friends left on the outside. Join us for a no-nonsense workshop designed to cut through the noise and focus on your self-care in the shadow of cult influence. Unpack the manipulative tactics of high-control organizations, spot the warning signs, and arm yourself with actionable strategies to set firm, compassionate boundaries.
Led by Emrys Anu—widow of a cult member and an unflinching expert in cult dynamics—this workshop is a space for honesty, reflection, and gritty growth. If you're a parent, sibling, partner, or friend grappling with the ripple effects of cult involvement, it’s time to reclaim your mental and emotional health. Dive into the tools and insights you need to navigate the chaos, protect your peace, and rebuild with resilience.

From grant funded research projects, to 501(c)3 nonprofit, to active archive, the Cultural Archive of Modern Paganism is now rolling along, not only with research centered in Minnesota, but it’s ready to start accepting digital submissions from around the country. Doc Murphy and Velvet Caponi, as well as other board members of CAMP, will be chatting about the mission, and answer questions about data collection, where we are in the process at this point, and where we are headed with next projects. In particular, we will be discussing the project grant that set up the archive online, and the Wiccan Church of Minnesota’s Oral Histories project. We'll also be taking questions and collecting perspectives from you regarding your interest, concerns, and ideas regarding educational needs, and hopefully engender your moral, community and financial support to keep this archive active and going strong.

Witches have unique bonds with their pets and animal companions. When we lose one to death, how do we grieve and recover from such a profound loss? In this presentation we will explore how death, and what may come after, affects witches and pagans, and ways we can connect with and honour the significant animals we have known after they have transitioned into their afterlife.

It takes two minutes on social media or watching cable news to feel like we are doomed. The world can feel like it is full of nothing but negativity. It's not hard to get caught up in a cycle of hopelessness. This workshop is the antidote to those feelings. Through the use of the Beauty Pentacle you can shift the negative energy and re-enter into a world of beauty and delight. By reconnecting to the world, to mystery, to find awe in life, we can change the world. The Beauty Pentacle is a energetic tool, a diagnostic tool, a meditation, and power that can transform your relationship to your life. We will explore the points of the Beauty Pentacle and put them into practice.

The Mórrígan is an ancient Irish goddess frequently associated with warfare and Magick. Yet in many myths, the Mórrígan shape-shifts, influencing major events in Irish mythology. This class will begin with a brief introduction to the Mórrígan, with a special focus on the myths in which the Mórrígan changes shape. Through original exercises inspired by these mythologies, participants will have the opportunity to explore ways in which they can shift different courses of events in their personal lives.

Why is forgiveness necessary for Pagans, and what are the benefits? This workshop teaches ways to spiritually free yourself from hatred, let go of poisonous bitterness, plant the seeds of emotional healing, and water those seeds with self-care by continuously removing the invasive weeds of resentment. We will discuss how hatred depletes your energy and how forgiveness strengthens your spirit. It is time to put animosity behind you.

The Christianization of Slavic lands from the late ninth century CE onwards took root in established major cities and the administrative hubs of empires. For the common people living in rural areas, however, attuned as they were to natural and agricultural cycles, the Eastern Orthodox Church's campaign of trying to displace indigenous Gods and spirits was a much slower, more complex, centuries-churning affair. A robust "Dual-Faith" tradition emerged with a rich catalog of spirit Beings and folk beliefs and magical practices that proved consistent across Slavic lands. This workshop gives an overview of the various classes of spirits found in Nature as well as within and around the home--spirits that are not only widely believed in, but whose influences are actively courted today across the global Slavic Diaspora. From guardian spirits of the natural world to spirit helpers in the home, there are many Beings Who continue to animate the soulscapes of the Slavic peoples. Sit for a spell and learn about Them from a first-generation Serbian-American who was raised in Dual-Faith folk ways.

Philosopher Sara Ahmed defines a "feminist killjoy" as someone who is willing to get in the way, disrupt what is harmful, find joy in building a more just world, and refuse to stand by in the face of misinformation or injustice. In this session, we'll discuss the importance of countering misinformation and injustice in our Pagan and Craft communities, along with techniques for doing so. Susan draws on her own experiences as a feminist killjoy disrupting transphobia, biological essentialism, and misrepresented history in her own Feminist Witchcraft tradition, as well as her work to build a more just, inclusive, and joyful community.

Join award winning Tarot designer and author of The Celtic Tarot, Yuletide Tarot and The Bee Tarot - Kristoffer Hughes - on a journey into the branches of the Tree of Life. Discover how the mysteries of the Kabbalistic Tree can enhance and heighten your experience and understanding of the Tarot. Often perceived as complicated and sometimes bewildering, the Tree of Life is essentially a map of Tarot, that once understood will elevate your readings to new heights of insight and clarity.