18 September 2014

Hi All,

The absence of SOTAnews over the past week or so definitely doesn’t stem from a lack of news. There are a number of important things happening that you should know about.

First of all, Sheraton at the Falls has actually REDUCED our hotel rate from $117 per night to $99 per night. That’s plus tax, single or double occupancy. Additionally, they are giving each hotel guest a $15 voucher for the Seneca Casino across the street. How’s that for a nice perk. Nothing like making the hotel more affordable, is there? Note, however, that the last day to reserve your room at this rate is September 22. On the 23rd, rates will go up — this assuming rooms are still available. So don’t dawdle; call the hotel NOW at 1-866-961-3780 and tell them you’re with SOTA. Snooze on this one and you’ll definitely lose.

Second, SOTA is looking for one reader for the trade room. If you think it might be you we’re looking for, please let me know. If we haven’t filled the spot by September 25, chances are we will just run with one less reader.

Third, yes, banquet tickets are BACK! If you need one, let me know.

Fourth, the last day to register for SOTA at the current rates is September 25th. As of the 26th, ALL fees will go up. So this is another case of snooze and you lose.

Pretty much all of us here in SOTAland have spent vast portions of our lives on a spiritual journey. That journey is comprised of different things for different people. Obviously mine involved astrology, but it also encompassed a great number of other things, one being religion.

Growing up, religion only came in 3 flavors — Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish. When I moved to Montreal, however, things were very different. And one of the things I remember is seeing flyers here and there that said “Maybe you’re a Baha’i and don’t know it.” Well, to make a long story short, I wasn’t, but I did spend some time learning about Baha’i and I don’t regret it one bit.

That flyer came to mind the other day when somebody asked me why there was a lecture on spellcraft on the program. And the first thing that came out of my mouth is “Because maybe you’re a spellcrafter and don’t know it.”

Most people who haven’t explored spellcraft have all kinds of weird and wonderful notions that involve sticking pins in little dolls or burning candles to make someone fall in — or out of — love. There’s a lot more to it than that, and much of it is a lot less exotic than you might think. In fact, if you write abundance checks or do other New Moon or Full Moon rituals, yes, you might be a spellcrafter without even knowing it.

Here’s what Deirdre Norman has to say in her workshop description:

Spellcraft

A spell is simply our formalized intention. We use our intention every day — to get out of bed, to complete a project, to exercise. A spell is the use of symbolic actions and words to express our intention and focus our will in order to achieve a tangible outcome and change the world around us when other efforts are insufficient. It is most often in the form of words or a formula. In this workshop you will learn the basic steps of spellcraft for everyday use.

Not convinced that’s for you? That’s ok. Vedic astrology and astro-mythology aren’t for everyone either. That’s why we try to offer a variety of different topics and a variety of different speakers with different expertise.

So if Spellcraft isn’t for you, maybe one of these other lectures from our Open Forum track will be:

The Astrology of Movies

Adrianna Dream
Love movies? Crazy about actors? Astrology proves the stars are their roles. Grab some popcorn to watch the real magic of the big screen!

And by the way, Adrianna is serious about that popcorn. It WILL  be provided. Just remember that the Board Room holds 15 people absolute max, so it will be first come, first served.

Or how about:

The Astrology of Adolescence

Alex Trenoweth
Adolescence is frequently viewed as a difficult and troublesome time of a person’s life. However, the cycles of Jupiter and Saturn can provide beneficial insights.

Alex, by the way, is coming all the way from England by way of the ISAR conference to join us for this lecture. Let’s give her a good turnout!

And if none of these catch your fancy, worry not. We have more — LOTS more. Plus books and prints and jewelry and readers and lots and lots and lots of good conversation.

So join us, huh? Before time runs out and the rates go up. Because nice as it is, it just won’t be the same without you!

Have a good weekend and don’t forget to take your sweater. The heat wave is definitely over…

Donna