[English below] Deze herfst organiseert het Bes Netwerk een weekeinde, waarin we ons onderdompelen in (onze band met) de Elementen. Deze aankondiging is in het Engels, omdat de voertaal tijdens dit weekeinde ook Engels zal zijn. Waar nodig, kunnen we hier en daar helpen met vertalen, maar we bieden deze keer geen volledige vertaling naar het Nederlands.

This autumn British Reclaiming/Feri Witch Raven Edgewalker will visit the Netherlands to give a special workshop. Our Bes team member Soleil will be co-teaching at this residential weekend. During this weekend intensive we offer the opportunity to build relationships and deepen our existing connections with the elements.

Join us for a weekend of intense, ecstatic magic as we journey together through the five Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. We will work with the tools that may include: trance, movement, sound, silence, divination and more. We hold the intent that this work will help us to build and deepen our relationships with the five sacred elements of life as we open to the deep magic of the elements and listen to what they have to teach us.

Elemental work is fundamental, and also endlessly fascinating and illuminating magical work. No matter how little or much experience we have with them, there are always new, powerful and subtle mysteries to discover and explore. Whether you are new to witchcraft and looking to explore a new path, or an experienced practitioner intending to reconnect with or deepen your own work, this work is for you! This workshop is open to any folk regardless of experience level, who are 18 and over.

Elements of Magic is a Reclaiming Tradition core class, and will be taught by Reclaiming trained teachers. We believe that this work is fundamental to all pagan practice thus we welcome all genuine seekers whether or not you have connections to Reclaiming. Along with forging a relationship with the elements, this workshop will provide the opportunity to explore and practice some of the core, foundational magical skills of the Reclaiming Tradition.

Date, Time & Venue

The workshop will start on Friday evening 24th November, 18:00 and close on Sunday afternoon 26th November, 16:00. Participants are expected to attend for all sessions of the workshop.

The venue is group accomodation De Elegast, a beautiful, historical location in Beek-Ubbergen, near Nijmegen in the Netherlands. The location is easily accessible by car and public transport, as well as being wheelchair accessible. It includes an accessible toilet and shower. You can indicate any other accessibility needs with your booking.

The Workshop is fully residential. Directions, location and other information will be given closer to the start of the workshop.

The workshop will be in English, we can offer assistance with some language translation, but are not offering full translation into Dutch.

About Raven

Raven Edgewalker (they/them) is a British Witch, teacher, artist, photographer, writer and collector of sticks who dwells in the magical landscape of Somerset, UK. They are a Reclaiming and Anderson Feri initiate and has worked within both traditions for around 25 years. They have an ongoing, passionate love affair with the natural world, its physical and non-physical spirts. Raven sees their work in the world as that of building relationship, with self, with each other, within community, with deity and land and its beings. They have spent many years walking the land, listening to its wisdom, songs, stories and poems that it has to offer, deepening their own connection with this glorious earth and learning how to guide others to open to deeper connections of their own.

Raven has been lucky enough to teach many Reclaiming Witchcamps, workshops and classes around the world, both face to face and online as a founder and member of the teaching faculty of World Tree Lyceum – an online pagan Mystery School. Raven owns the popular pagan business Greenwomancrafts and makes their living crafting beautiful pagan tools and jewellery - usually out of sticks. 

You can find their writing in Elements of Magic - edited Jane Meredith and Gede Parmer and Honoring the Wild by Irisanya Moon.

About Soleil

Organizing and 'enabling' is one of the talents that Soleil uses to show people with or without disabilities ways for better chances in this world. Helping people to dare to look at and behind the horizon and to be confident about themselves. Claim your birthright.

As a young adult, she organized weekends for young people with a muscular diseases as a member of the Youth Peer Group of Muscular Diseases Netherlands. At the same time, Soleil studied early music at the Utrecht Conservatory, with recorder, voice and harpsichord. As a music teacher, she not only taught how to play an instrument, but she stirred up the incredible possibilities to enjoy music.
Since 1997 she has been active in Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN), part of the World Council of Churches. As a paid employee at the trade union, she coordinates volunteers who support their peers when work disabilities and disability pension is coming.

She is also involved in herbal medicine, core shamanism, ogham and loves to prepare diner with and for friends. She knows she is a witch for about 40 years. When her brother gave her some hours to spend on the internet the first word she checked out was Witchcraft. She searched and read everything she could lay her hands on. She tried to combine with Christianity which worked very well in the beginning. From 2011 she chose to go for Feri and Reclaiming.

Workshop cost

The fee for this workshop is € 240.

The participant fee is all-in: the programme, the overnight stays, and food and drinks.

Please contact us if the fee is challenging to you. We are happy to discuss how we might be able to meet you with payment options, such as payment in installments or a discount. We hope to be able to make this workshop accessible to participants, organisers and teacher.

More info & booking

Click here to book for this amazing residential intensive.

For questions about the content of the workshop please contact Raven.

For logistical information and registration please contact the organising team.

Suggested reading

For those who like to read more about Reclaiming and/or Elements of Magic:

• Reclaiming Principles of Unity
• The Spiral Dance by Starhawk
• Elements of Magic: Reclaiming Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit - Edited by Jane Meredith and Gede Parmer
• Reclaiming Witchcraft by Irisanya Moon