The indolic scent of cempasuchil, the flower of a thousand petals as golden as the sun, rides the copal smoke rising from its sahumador, joining the scents of cacaloxochitl (red frangipani), cacao, molé, pulque, sugar skulls and almond candies in their song calling the spirits of the dead home for a short window of time. What began as an ancient indigenous Mexican veneration of Mictecacihuatl, the Goddess of Death, Dia de los Muertos is now a celebration that spans the whole of Mexico, crossing contemporary borders and boundaries between generations.

During this class, we will discuss the history and construction of the Dia de los Muertos altar, along with the role scented offerings play in this ancient Mexican tradition. We will explore important botanical species and sacred foods, as well as the importance of the “non-scented” components of an ancestral altar.

Students are welcome and encouraged to attend with the optional smell-along materials listed in the class resource.

Students will leave the class with knowledge of:

• The origins of the Dia de los Muertos celebration in Mexico, and some of the differences among regions

• The plant spirits who play key roles in this ritual

• The elements that make up a Mexican Dia de Los Muertos altar

• The fundamental metaphysics of physical offerings

• Methods of venerating spirits in their own lives, traditions and cultures

IMPORTANT NOTES

This class will take place online, on Zoom. Please look out for an email from us about 24 hours before class starts, which will contain Zoom log-in information and the class handouts. We will share the video for this class with registered participants for 3 days after it takes place.

Cost: $25

Tickets available here.

Image credit: Mfmegevand

Hosted by Tigerlily Perfumery and the Ministry of Scent.

Designed to complement our Remote Introductory Perfumery Workshop, the Floral Accords Workshop narrows our focus to the blending of key floral accords. Taught by perfumer and aromatherapist, Mauricio Garcia of Herbcraft Perfumery, the workshop will also feature a "guest perfumer" Ineke Rühland, classically trained and bringing years of professional and niche perfumery experience.

During this remote workshop, students will explore and utilize natural and human-made floral ingredients, learn the history behind this floral fragrances and refine their abilities to harmoniously blend ingredients together to create specific floral accords.

Topics include:

• Background of the floral fragrance family

• Origins and interesting lore of these ingredients

• Ingredients sustainability 

• Strategies and tips for creating floral accords

• Experimentation with and formulas for creating a rose accord, jasmine accord and one unusual mystery flower

Students will be sent a Perfume Blending Kit prior to the workshop, which includes curated fragrance ingredients in glass dropper bottles, a beaker, pipettes, extra glass bottles for finished accords, test strips and floral perfume samples.

Tickets available here.

The Modern Witches Confluence is an educational gathering of modern witches, celebrating their wisdom and sharing their craft. Our 2019 theme is: ELEMENTAL MAGIC!

WORKSHOP

It is said that the four Elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water as one make green: the ancient, primordial color of the most important biochemical process on the planet—photosynthesis. During this workshop, participants will explore the relationship between botanical spirits and the four Elements through fragrant materials, and discuss how botanical essences can channel their respective geniuses. When that particular form of conjuration is understood, we begin to see how such materials can be used in spellcraft. The construction of magical objects in the form of fragrances and fragrant blends will also be explored.

Tickets Available Here

During this seminar, participants will discuss the role fragrant materials can play in magical practice. Botanical extractions from all over the world will be experienced in the context of spirit work and spellwork. What does it mean to work with plants for magic? Are they merely ingredients in a spell? How can an essence from multiple individual plants be used to conjure the Botanical Genius of the species? What does it mean to work with that great spirit? These questions and more will be explored in the context of witchcraft, and spiritual and magical work. Sustainable alternative materials and magical techniques will also be discussed in regards to endangered botanical species.

Tickets Available Here

This hands-on workshop introduces novice perfumers to the basic principles of natural and synthetic perfumery. Students learn about the structure of perfume and basic formulation techniques.

The heart of the course focuses on getting to know the materials by smelling natural essential oils and professional fine fragrance ingredients, exploring fragrance families and fundamental top/middle/base notes.

Students will be encouraged to incorporate their own personal style and preferences as they create a custom mixed media perfume to take home.

Tickets Available Here.

This intermediate natural perfumery intensive is designed to succeed the Introductory Natural Perfumery workshop. Students will immerse themselves in the molecules, extractions and combinations that further expand the palette of the natural perfumer.

Students will leave the class with a deeper understanding of what makes essential oils smell and act the way they do, how to utilize natural isolates in their fragrance creation, what fragrance accords and bases are, and how to construct their own. After discussing and experiencing additional materials to those introduced in the first workshop,  students will design their own blends under the instructor’s guidance.

Tickets Here

In this natural perfumery workshop, students will explore the foundations of fragrance structure, scent and material families, and the craft of natural perfume making with Mauricio Garcia of Herbcraft Perfumery.

Students will leave the class with an understanding of the differences between perfume mediums, fragrance materials, scent ideation and evaluation. After discussing and experiencing essential oils and absolutes from Mauricio’s workbench, students will design their own fragrance under the instructor’s guidance.

Tickets Available Here

From the infamous Witches’ Flying Ointment to divinatory unguents made of rose, oud, immortelle and labdanum, infusions of herbs and aromatic materials have been combined into solid mediums to aid practitioners and the curious alike in their rituals and explorations for millennia.

In this fragrant workshop, students will explore the foundations of creating ointments and solid perfumes using fragrant materials and infused oils with Mauricio Garcia of Herbcraft Perfumery.

Techniques and lore regarding both fragrance creation and botanical intelligences will be explored. After discussing and experiencing essential oils, absolutes and infusions from Mauricio’s workbench, students will create a balm of their own design under the instructor’s guidance, to serve whatever purpose they desire.

Tickets Available Here

In this natural perfumery workshop, students will explore the foundations of fragrance structure, scent and material families, and the craft of natural perfume making with Mauricio Garcia of Herbcraft Perfumery.

Students will leave the class with an understanding of the differences between perfume mediums, fragrance materials, scent ideation and evaluation. After discussing and experiencing essential oils and absolutes from Mauricio’s workbench, students will design their own fragrance under the instructor’s guidance.

Tickets Available Here

In this natural perfumery workshop, students will explore the foundations of fragrance structure, scent and material families, and the craft of solid perfume making.

Students will leave the class with an understanding of the differences between perfume mediums, fragrance materials and evaluation methods. After discussing and experiencing natural materials from the Mauricio's workbench, students will design their own solid perfume under his guidance.