Experience the Magic of Swamp Mystics: Descriptions of Presenters Below

The Plume-laden Path: Tracing the Mystical History of the Peacock

Sanat Kumara is the founder of the Yazdani Temple, a syncretic pagan revivalist movement with roots in Vedic, Indo-Iranian, and Tantric traditions. After a series of profound mystical experiences as a young man, Sanat became obsessed with the esoteric arts, pursuing them adamantly until the Gods made their intention known—that he was to establish a temple dedicated to some of humanity’s oldest and most long-forgotten deities.
 

Using syncretic reconstruction methods and a strong aesthetic emphasis, the Yazdani Temple centers its practice around its Seven Major Yasnas. These feast-oriented holidays, each dedicated to a different God in the Temple’s Heptad, span the course of a calendar year, capturing the essence and mystery of each deity while providing a positive environment for spiritual growth. Under Sanat’s leadership, the Yazdani Temple provides an alternative voice to the contemporary Pagan discourse while contributing to the vibrancy of the alternative spiritual community as a whole.
 

The Plume-laden Path: Tracing the Mystical History of the Peacock Renowned for its beauty since ancient times, the peacock spread outward from its native home in southern India, capturing the hearts and minds of peoples around the globe and finding its way into the art, literature, and iconography of many ancient cultures. So adored was this Lordly Fowl that it even secured a place in the religious lives of those who revered it.
 

Please join us for an informative exploration of the peacock’s mystical history, beginning with its emergence among ancient Dravidian hunter-gatherers, continuing with its spread to other “pagan” cultures, and culminating in more modern forms of worship and reverence. If you, like so many others, have glimpsed the essence of the Gods amid the shimmering eyes of the peacock’s tail fan, this is the presentation for you!

Intro to Magical Herbalism

Plants are inherently magical, and when we learn to call upon them our magical practices we open ourselves up to a whole world of potential. Whether it is in partnership for spellwork, as plant spirit allies for meditation and inner journeying, or as teachers that grow all around us plants have numerous ways of showing up in our magical and mundane lives. In this presentation attendees will learn how to begin speaking the language of leaf and flower, through planetary and elemental correspondences, and develop an understanding for choosing which herbs to work with in spellcrafting and how to incorporate them through a variety of formulas.

Coby Michael is an occult herbalist and magical practitioner specializing in the ritual use of poisonous and psychoactive plants. He studied religion at Arizona State University and has been a folk herbalist since a young age. 

He owns and operates The Poisoner’s Apothecary, an online shop and educational resource for The Poison Path. Coby has been blogging since 2016 and is a prolific writer including articles for This Witch Magazine, The Witches' Almanac, and Alraune. Coby is author of The Poison Path Herbal, The Poison Path Grimoire and the forthcoming titles The Poison Path Oracle, creator of The Poison Path Oracle Deck and Herbal Magic for Dummies. He is also co-author of Leo Witch. Coby is the founder of Botanica Obscura Conference, an annual gathering of magical plant practitioners from around the world sharing their plant spirit knowledge. He travels the country teaching people about plant magic, the Poison Path, occult herbalism and plant medicine.

Lux is a lifelong practitioner of magic, pagan spirituality, and spirit work with decades of experience exploring the intersection of myth, ritual, consciousness, and the unseen world. Drawing from a wide range of magical traditions, Lux has devoted years to the study and practice of witchcraft, folk magic, energy work, divination, spirit communication, dreamwork, and devotional practice. As a teacher, ritualist, and community leader, Lux has designed and facilitated workshops, rituals, and spiritual experiences for gatherings ranging from intimate circles to large public events. His work is rooted in a deep respect for both ancient traditions and living magical practice, emphasizing direct experience, personal sovereignty, and meaningful relationships with spirits, land, and the powers of nature. 

Lux is a founding member and High Priest of the Twilight Shore coven and serves as a priest, ritualist, and magical guide within his community. He has created and led rites involving labyrinth walking, spirit contact, faery traditions, seasonal celebrations, elemental mysteries, and transformative initiatory experiences. 

His classes have explored subjects including the Fae, magical symbolism, divination, ritual design, dreamwork, energy cultivation, and practical witchcraft. 

His magical practice incorporates tarot, pendulum work, rune lore, spellcraft, spirit communication, ancestral connection, and visionary techniques developed through years of experimentation and personal practice. He is particularly known for his work with dreams, liminal states, storytelling, and helping others develop a deeper connection to their own spiritual gifts and magical potential. 

Beyond formal teaching and ritual leadership, Lux has spent countless hours serving pagan and magical communities through mentoring, fire tending, sacred space holding, event support, and the preservation of traditions that foster connection, wonder, and transformation. 

At the heart of Lux's work is a simple belief: 

Magic is not merely something one studies, but something one lives. His goal is to help others discover authentic spiritual power, deepen their relationship with the unseen world, and walk a path of enchantment, wisdom, and personal sovereignty.

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