Year and a Day class 2004-2005

 

The Ozark Avalon Year and a Day Class is a face-to-face intensive-study class with emphasis on activities and discussion of previously read material.  With very few exceptions, the class meets on Sundays, 11 am to 3pm, following Full Moon Circles.  The class is currently facilitated by Rose, Mac, Grant and others.

 

Most of the classes will take place at Ozark Avalon’s 160 acre nature preserve.  Some activities are either optional or can be completed in a setting closer to your home.  We encourage students to be actively involved in ritual, retreats and events bother here at Ozark Avalon and through other Pagan organizations.

 

The class will cover the basics of both Wicca and Shamanism, as well an introduction to the modern Pagan community through service projects.  This course of study is geared towards motivated, self-directed students.  Our path is no dogmatic: free thinking is encouraged. The completion ritual will coincide with Samhain 2005.  Students who have attended a partial Year and a Day Class are welcomed back with open arms.  For many, completion of the class in a year’s time frame is not possible due to other life events and they may choose to graduate at another time.

 

A donation of $25 or 5 hours labor is asked for each class session.  Most students choose to work on Saturday, spend the night, and attend class on Sunday.  This energy goes to support the land and on-going projects of Ozark Avalon.  Class teachers are volunteering their time and are not paid.  We prepare communal meals during our class weekends and camping or housing in the Retreat Center is provided.  

 

A class booklist will be provided but other books may be used with permission of the teachers.

 

 The class is not a requirement for OakSpirits status but is required of persons wishing to teach or service as clergy.  Persons with large amounts of prior experience may participate as teachers as well as students with permission. In addition to the Full and New Moon classes there will be several intensives on specific topics such as tarot, runes etc that can be used with teach permission to complete the attendance requirements. All students are required to obey the Natural Laws of Ozark Avalon.

Completion Requirements:  to receive a completion certificate at Samhain you must:

 

·        Attend eight or more classes in person.  There must be at least one class attended in each season. Classes may be made up by attending a Weekend Intensive with teach permission.

·        Read and complete all assignments, which include 4 book reviews (hard copy or email), by Oct 15.  The book reviews can be aimed at finding appropriate teaching materials for future students or satisfying personal interests..

·        Attend six or more OA rituals and retreats as well as two or more rituals and gatherings of others groups.

·        Demonstrate ability to call directions in a Wiccan circle.

·        Participation in one of the community service projects of Ozark Avalon:

o       Boonville Correctional Center Outreach

o       Columbia Earth Day

o       Adopt-a-Highway clean up

o       Pagan Pride events

o       St. Louis Pagan Picnic

o       Heartland Outreach

 

If you have not finished these, you can finish them for graduation at a later time. We are also looking for folks who wish to participate in future classes  as additional facilitators.

 

2004-2005 Tentative Schedule

 

NOV 28

 

·        Expectations

·        Review schedule

·        Defining Wicca and Shamanism

·        Brief discussion of the class book list and Ozark Avalon library

·        13 Principles of Wiccan Belief by the Council of American Witches, 1974

·        Homework:  Only if None Be Harmed by Judy Harrow (used with permission) Brief discussion of the class book list and Ozark Avalon library

·         

·        Homework: Ground and Center! by Ivo Dominguez, Jr. (Used with permission)

Dec12

 

·        Wheel of the Year :Yule

·        Ethics, discussion of article Only if None Be Harmed by Judy Harrow (used with permission), other ethical questions

·        Discussion of grounding and centering 

·        Natural Laws

·        Working and playing well with others

·        Guided meditation to your village

·        Brief overview of a Wiccan circle

·        Homework: Explaining Shamanic Traditions to the Public by John Long

 

Jan 19

 

·        Wheel of the Year: Imbolc

·        Brief overview of working in a Wiccan circle

·        Casting

·        Centering

·        Shielding

·        Discussion of article Explaining Shamanic Traditions to the Public by John Long (used with permission)

·        Discussion of article Advanced Grounding Techniques by Ivo Dominguez (used with permission)

 

Feb 16

 

·        Wheel of the Year: Moons

·        Calling and Honoring the Directions

·        Trance states in Wicca and Shamanic Work (discussion)

·        Drum Trance with Partner

·        Homework: The Charge of the Goddess by Doreen Valiente

 

 

 

Mar 16

 

·        Wheel of the year: Ostara

·        Deity: Who are the Goddess and the God?

·        Discussion of article The Charge of the Goddess by Doreen Valiente

·        Meditation to meet Deity

·        Chants useful for Trance

·        Celebratory Chants

·        Homework: Working With Nature Spirits by Larry Cornett (used with permission)

 

Apr 13

 

·        Discuss article Working With Nature Spirits by Larry Cornett (used with permission), personal experiences with nature spirits

·        Spring plants of OA: walk and lecture

·        Wheel of the Year: Beltane

·        Gender and polarity magic

·        Great Rite

·        Five Fold Kiss

·        Women’s and Men’s Mysteries

·        Homework: Patterns of Wiccan Ritual 1.1 by Isaac Bonewits (used with permission)

 

May 18

 

·        Discussion of article The Patterns of Wiccan Ritual 1.1 by Isaac Bonewits (used with permission)

·        Wiccan Ritual elements

·        Altar

·        Time and setting of workings: following the moon

·        Movements within the circle: following the sun

 

June 15

 

·        Wheel of the Year: MidSummer

·        Shamanic Journeying

·        Working with Animal Spirits and Totems

·        Soul retrieval and other Shamanic practices

 

 

Jul 13

 

·        Wheel of the Year: Lammas

·        Religion, magic and practice

·        Divination

·        Designing workings to meet your needs

·        Group ritual

 

Aug 10

 

·        Wheel of the Year: Harvest and Mabon

·        Celebrations and Pagan rites of passage

·        Planning meaningful rituals

 

Sep 14

 

·        Living Pagan

·        Covens

·        Groves

·        Circles

·        Churches

·        Solitary practices

·        Pagan Lifestyle issues

 

Oct 12

 

·        Death, dying and rebirth

·        Pagan views of the afterlife

·        Festivals and customs around death

 

Oct 28

·        Embracing the Dark:  Graduation