Courtly Consorte
Saturday, November 3, 2012
8 PM
Suggested donation:
$10 advance/$15 at the door
Groove to the music of the ancestors!
Lend thine ear to the music of the Renaissance, folk & rock
with…Courtly Consorte
Be transported to an earlier time of mystery, enjoy a cavalcade of tunes from our musical heritage. Courtly Consorte plays early music, Renaissance, and folk music.…followed by Aaron & Kellyann's blend of original and cover folk & rock acoustic music…..
Courtly Consorte is: Kellyann Binkowski, Aaron Hermann, and Sue Niedzwiecki. www.myspace.com/courtlyconsorte
and Facebook Courtly Consorte
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Faces of the Dark Goddess
with Szmeralda Shanel
Sunday, November 4, 2012
10 AM - 4 PM
$100
Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224
Preregistration required
Now in the time of the ancestors and the
thinning veil, we open to the wisdom of Dark Goddess. She is Tiamat,
Oya, Sedna, Nephtys, Kali, The Morrighan, her names are many. In this
workshop participants will create a sacred mask of a chosen Dark
Goddess. Through mask-making, ritual, song, dance and storytelling we
will meet , honor and celebrate the various faces of the Dark Goddess.
This class is open to all, no prerequisites.
Szmeralda Shanel is a
visual, performance and ritual artist. She holds an MA in expressive
arts therapy and has been working as a teaching artist for fifteen
years. A priestess with the international Fellowship of Isis and Temple
of Isis, Szmeralda is the founder of the Iseum of Black Isis, a temple
dedicated to Goddess Spirituality and Sacred Arts. www.blackisisiseum.com This class may be taken for 5 NCBTMB credit hours**
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Wild Onion Grove Samhain celebration
Sunday, November 4, 2012
4:30pm - 7:30pm
For info contact (312) 489-8610 or http://wildoniongrove.org/contact.shtml
Please join Wild Onion Grove at our Samhain celebration honoring the Ancestors.
Ár nDraíocht Féin ("our own druidry" in modern Irish) started in 1983
as an offshoot of the Reformed Druids of North America (RDNA). Wild Onion Grove ADF is an eclectic Druid Grove of Ár nDraíocht Féin
serving the Chicagoland area, holding public rituals and committed to
serving the Gods, Ancestors, and Nature Spirits within a modern context.
We are currently in our 17th year as a Grove and keep the High Days,
working strictly with Indo-European Gods and Goddesses, finding new and
creative ways to approach the Divine. We would love to have you join
your voice to ours as we seek out the wisdom They share with us. We
always give a pre-rite briefing for newcomers so that they know what to
expect.
We ask that attendants
please bring a donation of non-perishable food (no glass, please) to
benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. You may also bring Praise
Offerings to the Deity of the occasion. Donations to the Grove are
welcome but never necessary.
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Beginning Astrology Level 2
with Lin Ewing
6 Mondays, November 5 - December 10, 2012
7:30 - 9:30 PM
$180
info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224
BEGINNING ASTROLOGY LEVEL 2 continues
and builds on the work of Level 1 by providing a deeper understanding
of the elements and basics of astrology. The class considers:
-
Transits - how planets move through our charts throughout our life
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Progressions - the changes in configuration of the chart throughout our life
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Synastry - how people interact with one another based on their astrological configurations
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Composite Charts - the separate "entity" that forms when 2 people blend into one in a relationship
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Solar Arcs - how the difference between progressed Sun and natal Sun on a particular day helps forecast events
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Solar Returns - a snapshot of ourselves for a year, from birthday to birthday, showing the issues & events in that one year period
Astrologer Lin Ewing is the proprietor of Astrological Details, where she practices astrology and also gives Akashic Record readings. www.astrologicaldetails.com
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Runic Divination
with Kiel Milner
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
7 - 9 PM
Suggested Donation: $20
Preregistration required
For info and registration: info@LifeForceArts.orgor 773-327-7224
Join us for the second level of the lore
and magic of the runes, an ancient Norse-Germanic divination system. We
will cover the basics of runic spreads and divination: being able to
receive wise spiritual advice from Higher Self by means of the runes,
asking and receive answers to questions one may have by reading the
runes. We will work with the
runes of the Elder Futhark. Pre-requisite: an exposure to the Futhark
Runes and their lore. Please bring a set of runes if you have them. This is one of three classes in the Lore & Magic of the Runes series with Kiel Milner. The other two are: Intro to Runes and Bind Runes & Magic - December 5. Vitki Kiel Milner has been practicing runes for 20 years and is considered a rune master by the gods of this system.
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Drumming the Chakras:
Intro to Shamanic Journeying
with Joan Forest Mage & Kevin Seymour
Friday, November 9, 2012
7 - 10 pm
Suggested donation: $20
Info & registration:
info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224
Experience
a powerful healing ritual as Shamanic Practitioners Joan Forest Mage
and Kevin Seymour cleanse the chakras (energy centers) of each
participant through singing and drumming. We will learn the ancient
meditation technique of shamanic journeying to the spirit realm, gaining
wisdom and healing from angels, ancestors, totem animals and other
helpful spiritual beings. Beginners welcome, no previous experience
necessary. Please wear comfortable clothing.
Joan Forest Mage,
founder and Executive Director of Life Force Arts Foundation, has
served as a shamanic artist, healer and educator in her hometown of
Chicago since 1995. Visit joanforestmage.com. Kevin Seymour is a Reiki and Shamanic Practitioner. He has studied Shamanism through Joan Forest Mage's Shamanic Training Program.
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Family Constellations Soul Work
with Danuta Jirik
Saturday, November 10, 2012
10 AM - 4 PM
$120
Info & registration:
info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224
Preregistration required
Read Danuta's article on Family Constellations Soul Work in Transcendent Journeys ezine
The patterns that come down through our ancestral lines determine how
we see ourselves, how we choose to live, how we relate to others. We
often carry the pain of our families, even back many generations to
ancestors we are not consciously aware of. Their unresolved traumas and
unfinished business eventually turn into our symptoms and problems.
Illness, anxiety, addictions, emotional and physical pain, relationship
issues, money issues, and lack of success can all be forms of unspoken
family loyalty.
In Family Constellations Soul-Work, we open a sacred space in which
participants help one another by representing each others family members
and ancestors, enacting scenes from the past. Through this process,
unresolved family issues can be seen and brought towards resolution. Within a day, your life can change as you let go of entanglements and burdens and reconnect to your own destiny. This class may be taken for 5 NCBTMB credit hours**
Danuta Jirik, Ph.D.
is a holistic/shamanic healer. She is certified by Bert Hellinger in
his 'Moving with the Spirit-Mind New Family Constellations', and
completed advanced training with Mark Wolynn of Hellinger Institute of
PA. She blends her shamanic training with the constellation work in a
unique and powerful way, holding a safe space in partnership with the
compassionate healing and healing spirits. Visit Danuta's website: www.HolisticResolutions.com
More information
Connecting with Crystals
with Steven Blaine Adams
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
7 - 10 PM
$55
Preregistration required
Info/registration: 773-327-7224 or info@LifeForceArts.org
Read Steve's article about crystals in Transcendent Journeys ezine
The art of healing with gemstones is
thousands of years old. Shamans and medicine men knew the power of
crystals and passed it down to the present day. This workshop is
designed to give you essential principles and tools to build your
relationship with crystals, and to understand and utilize their magical
and healing properties. You will learn how to:
-
work with crystals for healing and empowering mind, body and spirit
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"program" stones: put an intention into a crystal to accomplish a goal
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learn color theory as a simple, effective key to the energies of stones
-
cleanse stones of negative energy
-
build relationships with your crystals so you can receive their messages, healing and positive energy
Each student will apply what they have
learned by working hands-on with the crystals to create a pendant or
earrings as a charm for their own or another's healing. You will receive
valuable handouts about planetary and chakra correspondences, crystals
for aura protection, gem remedies for healing and more.
Steven Blaine Adams is an artist and designer who
works with natural materials like stones and crystals to create symbols
with spiritual resonance. He is LFAC's store designer, and is on the
curatorial committee for LFAC's art exhibits. Steve creates spirit-based
jewelry, and has been a Tarot reader for 30 years. This class may be taken for 3 NCBTMB credit hours**
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Libation:
Painting as an offering to the Ancestors
with Sujata Tibrewala
Genetic Heritage (c) Sujata Tibrewala
Thursday, November 15, 2012
7 - 10 PM
$70/$60 early registration by Nov. 8
Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224
Preregistration required
Dig out the memories deep inside and
translate them into physical reality in a painting personal to you. This
workshop is inspired by the Hindi tradition of tarpan, which is a
libation/tribute/offering to your ancestors. The workshop incorporates
dynamic meditation which was designed by Osho to lead even the most
beginning meditator and restless soul into tranquility and the depths of
their own being, by progressively releasing the toxicity of the mind
and body through 5 predefined stages. Next, we will use guided imagery
to lead you back to the place of memories, to whatever your connection
with your ancestors means to you. The instructor will then help you
translate the vision you had during the meditation into a work of art
(acrylic on canvas) by teaching you simple brush strokes and techniques
which need no prior artmaking experience. The result is a painting which
is made out of your own memory, and is your physical tribute to your
ancestors. This class may be taken for 3 NCBTMB credit hours**
Sujata Tibrewala (www.pratibimba.in)
is a self taught artist who was trained as a postgraduate electrical
engineer but in 2009 gave up her engineering career for her first love,
art. Born in India, Sujata moved to the U.S. in 2010. She has been in
solo and group exhibitions and conducted art workshops in India and the
U.S.
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A pre-conference for the Annual Meeting of the
American Academy of Religions
Presented by DePaul University and Phoenix Rising Academy
Friday, November 16, 2012
8:30 AM - 10 PM
Free admission
This event will be held at:
DePaul University, Daley Building, 14 E. Jackson Blvd, Room 806, Chicago
(Corner of Jackson Blvd. & State St)
This one-day symposium focuses on the city as a locus for power and
knowledge, both hidden and revealed. It incorporates academic panels
presented by an international assembly of religious scholars,
presentations on Occult Chicago, and an evening performance and
roundtable.
Joan Forest Mage, Executive Director of Life Force
Arts Center, will be one of the participants in the Roundtable
Discussion at 7 PM. Other presenters include Michael Bertieaux, Matthew
Ellenwood, Keith Green, Preston Klik, Jason Winslade. Full event schedule & info: http://occultcity.wordpress.com/
The mission of the American Academy of Religion (AAR)
is to promote reflection upon and understanding of religious
traditions, issues, questions, and values through excellence in
scholarship and teaching in the field of religion. A professional
association of teachers and research scholars, the American Academy of
Religion has over 10,000 members
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Learn How To Meditate
with Light Watkins
Friday, November 16, 2012
Free Intro Session 7 - 8:30 PM
Saturday November 17, 8 - 9:30 AM & 6 - 7:30 PM
Sunday November 18, 8 - 9:30 AM & 6 - 8 PM
info at www.ChicagoMeditationCenter.com
Pre-registration required. Please call (646) 450-3426 to register
The course is offered for a sliding-scale contribution
- Learn how to meditate in a way that feels deeply restful
- Beginners with busy minds and hectic lives are welcome
- Ancient but non-religious technique with straightforward instructions
- Short practice times with NO uncomfortable seated positions
- Gradual, step-by-step approach to learning and practicing
- Get results: you will be self-sufficient after only four 90-minute sessions
More information
Voices of the Ancestors
At
this time of year when the veil between worlds is thin, the voices of
our Ancestors can be heard on the wind, in the trees, and in songs.
Their experience and wisdom resonates through the ages. Are we
listening? Can we hear them? What do they have to say to us? Featuring original music and covers from well-known songwriters, guitarist Cathy McManamon and bassist Margaret Brumann bring
you songs that come from the wisdom of the Ancestors. Journey from the
dawning of life in primordial oceans, through the ancient forests,
through stone and light to the present day where we now breathe, live,
and act. Our Ancestors of blood and spirit have much to tell us, if we
are ready to listen.
Forecasting with Astrology:
Transits of Uranus
with Joseph Polise
Sunday, November 18, 2012
12 - 3 pm
$55/$45 early registration by November 15
Preregistration required
Info/registration 773-327-7224 or info@LifeForceArts.org
Joe Polise presents a series of classes on Forecasting with Astrology.
Transits are the most popular astrological forecasting tool; while
simple in concept, understanding both the salient and less obvious
features of major transits is often challenging. In Transits of Uranus,
we will review how the transits of this major planet influences natal
horoscopes. How we distinguish orb of transit's influence, the relative
"strength" of various transits, and other issues will be addressed. Please bring your own charts and an 21st century ephemeris. This is one of several seminars on Transits of the planets, including Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn & Pluto.
Joseph Polise, C.A.
NCGR-PAA, has been an active practitioner in astrology since 1990. He is
vice president of Chicago's Friends of Astrology and Education Outreach
Chair of Professional Astrologers' Alliance.
More information
Ancestors

art exhibit ~ performances ~ events
Sept. 21, 2012 - Jan. 8, 2013
Free admission to exhibit & Closing Reception
Gallery hours:
Mondays & Thursdays 1:30 - 6:30 pm & by appointment
Info: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224
Honor and commune with the ancestors and explore the many meanings of heritage, lineage and identity at Ancestors,
an art exhibit running September 21, 2012 - January 8, 2013 at Life
Force Arts Center gallery, 1609 W Belmont, Chicago IL 60657. Closing
Reception is Tuesday, January 8, 2013 from 7 - 9 PM. Workshops,
performances and other events related to the theme of ancestors will
also be held as part of the show.
The exhibit celebrates ancestry of various kinds: biological,
spiritual, geographical, cultural, ethnic. Contemplating one's ancestors
is about belonging, acknowledging or discovering who you are and how
you express yourself, and understanding the primal instincts of your
beginnings. Cultural expressions including art, music, architecture and
fashion are connected to ancestors and their creativity over the
generations. There is also the aboriginal concept that all of nature is
"the ancestors". However diluted our conscious knowledge or awareness of
them may be, ancestors influence us.
More information
Open Drum Circle
with Cathy McManamon
Friday, November 23, 2012
8 - 10 pm
Drumming is often called the heartbeat
of Mother Earth. Drumming has been shown to alter human brainwaves to
an elevated state, reduce stress, speed healing, and just be plain fun.
Whether you have never played a drum before, have been drumming for
years, or are somewhere in between, come join us for this open drum
circle. Drums of any kind, as well as shakers, tambourines, bells,
sticks, vocals, body percussion, etc. are very welcome. Some
instruments will be available to borrow. Cathy McManamon
is a musician who plays a variety of instruments. A ritual drummer who
enjoys supporting group energy and dynamics, Cathy has facilitated open
drum circles and rhythm workshops at MuseCon, scout youth and leader
events, and most recently at Life Force Arts Center.
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Siria Family Channeling

with Sharyl Noday
Thursday, November 29, 2012
7:30 - 9 PM
$25 advance; $30 at the door
Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224
This event is held once a month on a Thursday
Read "The Channel and The Painter", an interview with Sharyl Noday by Liz Baudler in LFAC's Transcendent Journeys ezine
Experience a wonderful spiritual healing
with Sharyl and the Siria Family! If there is anything you want to
change and improve in your life, any "stuck" places, this is the event
that can do it for you energetically. You will see Sharyl go into trance
and bring through the beings of light called the Siria Family, who
exist on the spiritual plane. They are funny, warm and wise, and they
are here to assist us in our growth, and release the blocks that are
holding us back in life. Their goal is to create heaven on earth.
Witnessing Sharyl channeling is truly something to behold; this is real
trance work. The end of the session is a meditation led by the Siria
Family. It is powerful; you will have a shift. These beings love to
heal, and that is their purpose in coming. You can trust Sharyl and the
Siria Family.
Sharyl Noday is
certified as an active Full Trance Channel and Channeling Teacher, and
has over 25 years of study in metaphysics, multidimensioal consciousness
and paranormal investigation. Please visit www.sharylnoday.com for more information.
More information
Forescasting with Astrology:
The Art of Reading Transits
with Joseph Polise 
Sunday, December 2, 2012
12 - 3 pm
$55/$45 early registration by November 30
Joe Polise presents a series of classes on Forecasting with Astrology.
Transits are the most popular astrological forecasting tool; while
simple in concept, understanding both the salient and less obvious
features of major transits is often challenging. While
forecasting with planetary transits is a central tool for an
astrologer's skill set, many are not aware of the multiple levels of
interpretation accessible to one using this technique. In this
presentation, we will look at three distinct dimensions to transit work:
the main impact of the transiting planet to a natal point; the houses
ruled by the planets joined in the transit, by their birth position and
house rulership. Please bring your own natal charts and a 21st century ephemeris. This is one of several seminars on Transits of the planets, including Jupiter, Pluto, Saturn & Uranus.
Joseph Polise, C.A.
NCGR-PAA, has been an active practitioner in astrology since 1990. He is
vice president of Chicago's Friends of Astrology and Education Outreach
Chair of Professional Astrologers' Alliance.
More information
Kriya Vedanta meditation
with Swami Purnatmananda Giri
Saturday, December 8, 2012
10 - 11:30 AM
Free admission
(815)267-8977, Email : TempleOfHarmony@Kriya.org
Public Lecture Series : Theory of Karma (Part 1)
The law of causality or the theory of Karma is the basic building
blocks of all eastern philosophies. In simpler terms it explains that
every individual has the freedom to choose an action to perform and that
action will eventually brings result which the individual must
experience. Though it sounds so simple, the complexities arise when we
realize that most of our actions seem not decided by us but by
circumstances. Do we have freedom to choose our own action ? Is there a
self will ? Why there is suffering and inequality ? How do we
synthesize the idea of omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient God with
law of Karma ? This interactive lecture series will shed light on the
above subjects with discussion and Question & Answer.
Swami Purnatmananda Giri
is a monk in the lineage of Kriya Yoga masters Paramahamsa
Hariharananda and Paramahamsa Prajnanananda. Swamiji was born in India
and trained as an Industrial Engineer. After completion of his study in
India he came to the USA to pursue higher studies. He worked in a
Fortune 500 Company in various roles for 11 years. Swamiji brings unique
explanation of spiritual scriptures of both east and west through his
experience in India and USA. Swamiji is a resident monk in Kriya Vedanta
Gurukulam, Joliet, IL. Visit http://www.kriyavedanta.org.
More information
LFAC Holiday Party & Gift Faire
Saturday December 8, 2012
2 - 6 PM
Free admission
For information: 773-327-7224 or info@LifeForceArts.org
Please join the LFAC family for a jolly time
at our annual Holiday Party & Gift Faire. Enjoy refreshments,
shopping from local artists and sing-a-long Christmas carols. Tarot and
rune readings will be available, too, for guidance into the New Year!
Local artists will be present with lovely artwork, jewelry, ornaments,
crystals, and more, for you to find those special holiday gifts in a
loving, peaceful , fun atmosphere.
Admission
is free. Everyone who attends will receive a door prize (from good St.
Nick!) as a Holiday gift to you, such as books, crystal specimens, CD's
and cards. Stay for our FREE raffle of a one-of-a-kind crystal necklace from the Steven Blaine Adams Collection.
More information
Himalayan Singing Bowls
with Edward Farnham
Saturday, December 15, 2012
7 PM
Suggested donation: $10 advance/$15 door
Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224

Read Edward's article about Himalayan singing bowls in Transcendent Journeys ezine.
This performance features overlapping layers of sound healing
modalities, including Himalayan singing bowls, ganta bells, ting shaws
(cymbals), gong, and mantra. The instruments are made by Tibetan monks both as a method of healing and as meditation instruments, as
part of a highly symbolic spiritual process using an alloy of at least
seven metals, including pure steel from asteroids that hit the world's
rooftop in the Himalayas. They are formulated by the monks to work on
many planes of our multidimensional being and can facilitate emotional
catharsis, the release of blocked energies, and healing from
the physical to spiritual. They sound beautiful with primary notes and
layers of overtones. Mantras are words
of power that use the primal creative force of sound as primal
emanations for affecting any facet of our universal experience.
Together the instruments and mantra can function on many levels for
profound effect. Edward Farnham has
studied numerous spiritual and healing techniques, including Himalayan
bowls and sound healing with Richard Rudis, and mantra with Thomas
Ashley-Farrand and his wife, Margalo or Satyabhama, two of the world's
foremost experts on Hindu mantra. Edward is a singer with the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus (www.cgmc.org) and a painter who attempts to use the creative force as a vehicle to the divine.
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Team LFA thanks you!
photo: Kat Kidwell
A big THANK YOU to all who donated to the
Team LFA Campaign
From Sept. 10 - Oct. 30, 2012, we raised almost $1400 towards our goal of $10,000.
Thanks to everyone who contributed!
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