Way of the Weaver Online Module | Jan 8 - April 1, 2024

Death Priestxing:
Tending the Threshold of Transition

Curriculum & Dates

Please Note: Enrollment is closed for 2024.

Death Priestxing: Tending the Threshold of Transition
Jan 8 - April 1, 2024

The Death Priestx (gender-neutral term) is the one who tends the threshold of transition. In this liminal space, they help the living navigate death, and assist the dead to share their wisdom with the living. Here’s a brief outline of what we will cover each week.

• Week One (Jan 8): Weaving Our Circle

  • Patrons: Thanatos & Hypnos (Greek)

  • Introductions, Group Agreements, Weaving the Circle Energetically

  • Grounding & Warding Techniques

  • Discussion:

    • Dying in late stage capitalism in the midst of climate chaos

    • How the lack of grieving time/exposure to death and dying leads to collective trauma, which in turn leads to more avoidance of death

• Week Two (Jan 22): The Good Death

  • Patrons: Makaria & Melinoe (Greek)

  • Three Cauldrons Exercise

  • What is a Good Death?

    • Three levels of service

    • Decolonizing & destigmatizing death and grieving practices

  • Necromancy/Ancestor Communication: Rachel Pollack’s Tarot Spread

• Week Three (Feb 5): Deathside Work & Psychopomps

  • Patron: The Crane (spans several cultures)

  • Active dying processes, deathside vigils, advocacy, etc.

  • The energetic release of death

  • Herbs for deathside work

  • Preparing the body for interment or cremation

  • Discussion:

    • White-washing of death care and grieving

• Week Four (Feb 19): Food & Animism

  • Patron: Gwyn ap Nudd (Welsh)

  • What is Animism?

  • Food, sacrifice, and gratitude practices

  • Death songs

  • The Wild Hunt as metaphor: bringing a good death to capitalism, oppression, etc.

• Week Five (Mar 4): Cemeteries and Ancestor Work

  • Patron: Mediterranean Cypress (spans multiple cultures)

  • Cemetery magic & etiquette

  • Working with Ancestors of blood and affinity

    • Discussion about genealogy and archival work. Sharing of examples of art installations, memorials, scrapbooks, etc. to spark ideas.

    • Trance practices to meet ancestors

    • Challenging ancestors & making reparations

• Week Six (Mar 18): Realms of the Dead

  • Patrons: Hel & Hades (Norse & Greek)

  • Pagan realms of the dead: Hel, Hades, Annwfn

  • Reincarnation

  • Envisioning our own afterworlds

• Week Seven (Apr 1): Ritual & Reflections

  • Ritual & Trance: What does your Death Priestx Toolkit look like?

  • Share reflections

  • Ways to stay connected

Class sessions are every other Monday from 6-8pm EST. Weekly format for Zoom sessions:

• 6:00-7:00pm: Welcome. Teaching topics for the evening.

• 7:00-7:30pm: Comfort break and small group breakout discussions.

• 7:30-8:00pm: Engaged activity such as learning songs, guided trance journey, energetic techniques, magical crafting etc. Sharing of journal prompts and invitations to practice.

Tuition & Logistics

Our desire is to make these modules sustainable and accessible, so we've designed a sliding scale to help fit costs into your budget. There is a reparations rate available for BIPOC applicants. If Way of the Weaver calls to you, please let us know what else you need to make your participation possible. What your tuition includes:

• Instruction from Jamie and Murphy at seven 2-hour online learning sessions, held via the Zoom platform, every other Monday evening for three months.

• Supplemental reading materials for our online learning sessions.

• Journal prompts and self-directed assignments to support your learning process between meetings.

• One special Weaver “snail mail” care package per module: this might include herbs, handcrafted artwork, and/or miscellaneous magical curiosities themed to the work. We love the USPS and pray for its continued operation!

• Video and audio recordings of our online sessions. (Personal check-ins, sharing time in breakout groups, and circle-cast rituals will not be included in the recordings).

Our Sliding Scale

The following income guidelines can help you select what part of the sliding scale you fall into. Please note that upon enrolling in a module, you are agreeing to pay the entire cost of that module, regardless of your ability to attend each meeting. We do not issue refunds for online classes. If the sliding scale is not financially accessible to you, please see the special rates below.

• I can pay my own way and help another person afford this class: $445

• I can pay my own way: $245

• I need help affording this class: $120

Special Rates

• BIPOC Reparations Rate: $5. If you identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color, we have a reparations rate available. We offer this reduced rate in the spirit of reparations, and in acknowledgement of the inevitable emotional labor inherent in participating in predominantly white spaces.

• Pay It Forward Rate: $5. For those who cannot afford substantial monetary tuition, make a pledge about specific work you will do to help others as a way of paying it forward in exchange for this course. For example: volunteer 10 hours at a food bank, housing assistance program, helping an elderly neighbor with basic needs, etc. Use your creativity and engage your gifts!

How to Apply

Enrollment has closed for Death Priestxing 2024. If you’d like to be notified when this module is offered again, please email us: wayoftheweaver@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your interest in the Way of the Weaver!