Classes

Join us for another installment of our Witch’s Salon series: Mundane Magick with local witch Marguerite Recupero.

Sunday, April 16th 4pm at A Novel Idea
$10-20 sliding scale/pay-what-you-can

What is Mundane Magick? Mundane Magick is the true art of the craft (i.e., Witchcraft.) Instagram influencers will have you believe the craft is solely about manifestation, but the real magic is in the self-improvement we do through Shadow Work. Magick has always been about healing. Healing yourself and others. Join Marguerite, as she talks about her journey of the self, through traditional witchcraft.

This offering is a part of Witch’s Salon, our series of bi-monthly talks on witchcraft, ritual, and community. Each talk will run about 60 minutes and include a lecture, time for questions, and an activity or ritual of some kind. Think of these as little introductions to a topic.

About the Instructor
Marguerite is a Death Doula, Tarot Reader, and Writer. As an extension of her work with the Tarot, in 2021, she became a certified Death Doula through the Conscious Dying Institute. Her work with Death and Tarot is largely based in the Mundane as she seeks to destigmatize what is often seen as the mystical. She hosts a podcast, called Death Becomes Tarot, where she discusses each tarot card through this Mundane lens to help people deal with the Changes of Life. 2023 marks her ten-year anniversary of her Tarot Journey. For more information about her work, visit her website: wickedwitchywriter.com

The use of sigils is an ancient form of communication that speaks directly with the subconscious mind, which makes them a powerful tool for magical workings. In this 1.5 hour workshop we will discuss how the use of sigils have been utilized in ceremonial and magical contexts, from the historic to the modern. You will learn about how the subconscious mind communicates through symbols & sigils, and you will be guided on how to create and apply your own sigils in various ways through a results based, chaoist lens.

The intention of this workshop is to learn ritual + wellness techniques in a comfortable, curious, and respectful way. All cultures, genders, non-genders, humans and magical beliefs are invited to attend. Be ready to get creative with a pen, paper (or magical journal) and your imagination.

Sunday, May 7th 4-5:30pm at A Novel Idea

Investment

$40

About the Instructor

Krystal is a hypnotherapist, massage therapist, and herbalist working in Philadelphia PA. She is the owner, creator and practitioner of Inner Sanctum RituWell located in Port Richmond. Krystal has considered herself a magical practitioner since she was very young. Over the years, she’s combined her evolution as a chaos magician with her passions for facilitating self-transformation through hypnosis, bodywork and herbalism. She loves to teach and support others in existing more deeply connected to their bodies, nature and their innate magical selves.

The Fool’s Journey, also known as the Hero’s Journey, can be seen as a metaphor for the phases and trials of life. In the Tarot, each card in the Major Arcana represents a different experience or lesson. This cyclical journey can be used for self-exploration as well as for shaping fiction.

This four-week workshop will focus on the intersection between creative writing and tarot. We will dive into the 22 cards that make up the Major Arcana, unpacking each card through lecture, discussion, art, and writing prompts. The class will culminate with each student writing a short story, a series of flash pieces, a series of poems, or an essay inspired by the Fool’s Journey. This workshop is open to poets, fiction writers, and memoirists. All writing levels and experiences are welcome.

Tuesdays, May 16th-June 6th 6-8:30pm at A Novel Idea

Investment
$175

Led by Christina Rosso-Schneider (she/they), a writer, witch, and bookstore owner dwelling outside of Philadelphia. They received an MFA in Creative Writing and MA in English from Arcadia University in 2016. She is the author of CREOLE CONJURE (Maudlin House, 2021) and SHE IS A BEAST (APEP Publications, 2020). Their fiction and nonfiction work centers around gender, sexuality, and fairy tales, and has been nominated for Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, and the Pushcart Prize. Learn more at christina-rosso.com.

Join us for a five-week workshop led by A Novel Idea co-owners Alex Schneider and Christina Rosso-Schneider!

The publishing process can often feel like a mystery. But there is a list of steps writers can take to draft, polish, submit, and get their manuscript published. This course will outline these steps, while also talking about what happens after the book is published, from building your author platform to how to work with independent bookstores to get your book on the shelves. Led by the owners of the Philadelphia-based independent bookstore A Novel Idea on Passyunk, this workshop will break down the publishing process into manageable, attainable parts.

Wednesdays, May 17th-June 14th 6-8pm at A Novel Idea

Investment
$250

About the Instructors
Alex Schneider (he/they) is a designer and bookstore owner living outside Philadelphia with his wife and two rescue dogs. When he isn’t reading or looking at memes he’s contemplating his innumerable high school mishaps.

Christina Rosso-Schneider (she/they) is a writer and bookstore owner living outside of Philadelphia with her two rescue pups and bearded husband. In 2016, Christina received their MFA in Creative Writing and MA in English from Arcadia University. She is the author of CREOLE CONJURE (Maudlin House, 2021) and SHE IS A BEAST (APEP Publications, 2020). Their writing has been nominated for Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, and the Pushcart Prize. For more information, visit http://christina-rosso.com or find her on Twitter @rosso_christina.