Paths

The Lilith Path

with Tava Baird

This Corrupted Heaven: Lilith, The Body, and the Theory of Ethical Daemonics is a Path for those interested in journeying outside the lines of dualistic thinking and deep into the territory of radical acceptance. Challenging definitions that our society holds of words like "Daemon", "Angel", "Sin", and "Dead", we will explore an alternative view of our existence as Humans through the teachings of Samael, Lilith's consort, a channeled entity who encourages us to recognize the divinity in ourselves.This Path is a plunge from the traditional Western way of thinking about Heaven and invites seekers to deconstruct the way they operate in daily life. During the pilgrimage to summon Lilith into our hearts through rebellion and rejection of self-limiting ideas we will engage in:

bone-casting as a method of communication with our higher selves and our ancestors
altar construction as a way to process our journeys
live-channeled meditations with Samael, who is described in various religious traditions as both the Archangel of Death and as a king or prince of Daemons
a funerary rite for energies we no longer wish to carry

The goal of this journey is for participants to access their connected selves in order to embrace their inherent power, better care for their bodies, and celebrate their incarnations.

Tava Baird

Tava Baird (Storyteller, Script Writer and Art Instructor) has been a mentor in the Pagan community for over thirty-five years. She is an author and folk artist and taught in a Montessori classroom as a guide and art instructor for over twenty years. Tava delights in building transformative experiences for persons of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities as a teacher of metaphysics, art, history, and ritual. She mentors Pagans of all stripes on their journeys through individual guidance and community service gatherings. Her work with her spirit guide, Samael, is documented in both her writing in The Book of Samael and on the podcast she co-hosts, Mystical Musings.

Lilith

The Salamander's Path

with Cael Jacobs

Salamander is a character of myth, who left behind everything that was familiar, to take her destiny in her own hands, and who was forever transformed by her journey. The Salamander’s Path is a course of intense learning and introspection designed to give you the tools to recognize, develop, and create your own destiny, and then shape the narrative of your personal journey to reach it.

We will be using elements and concepts of story from many different authors (including Stephenson, Orwell, Adams, Scalzi, and Heinlein) to explore our own narratives of life. Through sessions of listening, and writing, and introspection, and speaking, you will learn to create myth and story about this world, and about your part in it, so that you can take ownership of the narrative of your own life.

This will not be a physically-demanding Path, though there will be some light walking involved.

Cael Jacobs

Cael is a minister, a writer, a storyteller, and a creator of myth. He has been walking the spiritual paths since 1991, and teaching classes related to them since 2006. Cael is one of the co-founders of ShadowGrove, a spiritual community that began in 2004, and is the Speaker for the ShadowGrove Tradition; he is one of the founders of Fertile Ground Gathering, and has been teaching and leading rituals there since it began in 2008; he co-founded Wilder Grove in 2020 to help create a spiritual community with resources for a broad range of people in the greater northern Virginia region. Since 2008, he has been telling myths of his own creation at bonfire and bardic circle, creating a world full of magical places and creatures, and weaving their stories together in a setting called the Wilder Forest. He collaborated with award-winning artist Cory Godbey to publish an illustrated collection of those stories in 2014. Since then, he has kept writing, and speaking, and teaching, because that's what he is called to do.

Salamander

The Wilding Path

with Liz* Jacobs

We spend much of our daily lives being the person we "should" be: the person that work expects us to be, the person that family expects us to be, the person that society expects us to be. Over time, we can come to believe that the person those external expectations have shaped us into is who we actually are. The Wilding Path is a deep exploration of the self, which will offer you an opportunity to shed all of the "shoulds", all of the expectations that have been placed upon you by others, and tap into your Wilder Self, to reconnect with that untamed part of you that is bold, unapologetic, powerful, fearless, passionate, and full of joy.

Once you have reacquainted yourself with this fundamental part of who you are, you will dig deeper and connect with the more tempered, wise version of this Wilder being, so that ultimately, you can incorporate the Wilder Self into your everyday life, to bring forward who you genuinely are -- who you were always meant to be -- and become more than the shell of the person you’ve spent far too long being for the sake of other people.

This path may include physical activity, but individual participants will be encouraged to participate at a level that is right for them. Some light walking will be necessary.

Liz*Jacobs

Liz* enjoys life to the fullest; often seeking new experiences simply for the joy of it. She finds that looking at new perspectives helps her understand herself and the world around her, and she is always happy to help others see new perspectives as well. Her favorite thing to do is ask questions, much to the chagrin of many. Yet she does this to help those who seek her counsel find a deeper understanding of themselves, and the reasons behind what they do. Her child-like curiosity is infectious, and she wants to help you find that part of your soul that sings the way hers does.

Liz* is an eclectic witch, an animist, one of the co-founders of ShadowGrove, and a Shaman for the ShadowGrove Tradition. She has been working with people and helping them learn their personal truths for as long as she can remember. A native of Bolivia, she incorporates her family’s folk traditions with several other spiritual and magical paths she has discovered through years of study. As she traveled through her own spiritual awakening, she encountered several mentors who gave her the knowledge she needed at exactly the right moments in her life. These teachings, combined with her continuing personal exploration, led her to understand that her calling in life is to help others find their own personal truths, as her mentors did for her.

Liz* accepted this calling wholeheartedly when she co-founded ShadowGrove in 2004 with her husband, Cael, and has been working full time to serve the spiritual community ever since. She is a leader and ordained minister, serving both individuals and groups within the community. She regularly leads public and private rituals, facilitates rites of passage, and offers spiritual guidance, personal journeywork, relationship counseling, life coaching, and mentorship.

Wilding

The Sorcerer's Path

with Jenna Greene

This path is a profound journey to empowerment and serenity, guiding you to cultivate your body and mind as a sacred temple—a hallowed space to honor your soul. We'll explore practices that foster a deep sense of rootedness with Mother Earth and a powerful feeling of accomplishment through connection with Father Sky. Just like any temple, your inner sanctuary thrives with cleansing, beauty, offerings, sacred song, serenity, and devotional practices. You'll discover how to lovingly gift these to yourself as we delve into:

Somatic techniques to calm and reset your nervous system.,
Gentle exercises to support lymphatic cleansing.,
Breathing techniques to cultivate calm and clarity.,
Ways to deepen your connection with the elements.,
Micro-rituals to establish a daily devotional practice of holistic self-care.,
Uplifting sacred songs and mantras to nourish your spirit.,
A profound sense of self-empowerment and deep inner peace.,

Remember, self-care isn't selfish. It's the foundation for true generosity. As the wisdom goes, "It is only in filling our own cup that we can pour into others." Learning to replenish your energies will empower you to better serve your friends, family, and communities. What you'll receive: Profound replenishment, rejuvenation, serenity, and empowerment, along with a treasure trove of practical tools for a daily devotional practice that nourishes your body, mind, and spirit. No prior musical ability, holistic healing knowledge, or specific experience is required. Simply bring an open mind and heart and a willingness to set aside the weights of the world to care for yourself.

Jenna Greene

This transformative path is led by Jenna Greene, a gifted musician, holistic healer, and ritualist with over two decades of experience in sacred song, devotional practices, and diverse healing modalities. Jenna is passionate about helping individuals transmute feelings of "not good enough" into the life of their dreams.

Sorcerer