Star Made Witch: Viridis Genii (Event Review)

There are so many kinds of spiritual events, but perhaps none so sublime as the retreat. I attend quite a few events throughout the year: pagan pride, conventions and conferences. Retreats are my favorite and Viridis Genii in Damascus, Oregon is particularly special.


Learning about plants by Sara Star

Last week at this time I was sitting in a creek surrounded by the green world, digesting a days worth of lectures and conversations about plant spirit work. Esteemed experts spoke and taught workshops and every break was full with chats about favorite plants, gardening and alchemy tip swapping and green lore trading. Over the river and through the woods I had gone to gain the wisdom of my elders and peers the plant people.

The second annual Viridis Genii brought together an incredible line up of plant teachers from the truly prehistoric Baltic Amber clocking in at 40-400 million years old, the vintage American Ginseng roots showing ages of up to a prized 70-100 years to a lucky hunter, and more common garden plant allies harvested after just a few years like autumn olive.

I spend a lot of time with other witches outdoors, but the rare experience of an entire retreat full of experienced plant spirit workers drew notice and the air was teeming with excited green spirits that felt to me as intoxicating as absinthe. I was more concious than usual of the swirling curious etheric sentience of nature.

There isn’t anything quite like listening to a lecture on a local sacred plant like Devil’s Club (many sacred plants were named devil, it’s a pretty strong clue of a wise plant teacher) while passing around a tincture bottle and stalks of the plant so we could learn from the lecturer as well as directly from the plant. Or finding yourself sitting in a chapel while the speaker holds up potted plants as his visual presentation.

I have to admit my mind was blown the most by the inner city dwellers from Brooklyn that found the goblins of the city’s nature as allies and annoyances of note. I hadn’t ever understood such a casual and snarky attitude with spirits, but the approach made sense for someone dealing with the slime in the gutter and it gave me perspective for dealing with a less than ideal spirit in my entourage. Sometimes you just have to say no and offer another avenue.

Between lectures there were amazing vendors selling plant jewelry, potions, perfumes, medicines, charms and books. Many of the lecturers held workshops where you could make goblin idols, lotions, and alchemical concoctions to learn more intensively about the plants.

I spent my free time between things running off into the woods to get muddy and wet or hanging out in my friends witch cottage and garden down the road. I was so inspired by the talks that I wanted to work directly with the plant spirit world, but honestly I was so worked up I just chattered with my friends new and old.

I suppose the week since the Viridis Genii retreat has been when it has all sunk in. Sitting with my plants, rummaging through family recipes, planning the foods, drinks and medicines to be made from the bounty of my yard and garden and all the lessons to be learned and ways of hearing the plants around me lecture.

If you are interested in the Viridis Genii, I highly recommend the Verdant Gnosis Vol. 2 journal from the conference which features excellent articles from the experts at the conference like ethnobiologist Daniel Schulke and Philosopher of Astrology Dr. Jenn Zahrt. I want to extend a special thank you to Marcus McCoy and Catamara Rosarium for another lovely event.