Awentree

I am busy with the preparation of teaching materials for my Reiki Master Teacher Training Program that starts next week. If you have studied with me, then you know that I approach this work from my experience of being a Witch, Healer, Spirit Worker and Magickal Practitioner when it comes to the Reiki energy system.

This is my first time offering it since 2020. I have revisited the entire program and structure which includes expanding it to happen over the course of a month. In reality, I offer ongoing support to my Reiki Master Students beyond the initial training as I do with all my Reiki students.

The new version of the program will include (4) 2 hour weekly classes and a full weekend (2) 8 hours days. That will allow us to have plenty of time and spaciousness to go deep and integrate the teaching materials and hands-on practices.

This includes the full Reiki Master Teacher attunement process along with the knowledge and ability to pass attunements.
Whether you envision passing on attunements to others, or not, being a Wisdom Keeper of the Reiki Healing Tradition will be useful in your personal growth, spiritual evolution and work as a Healer.

You might seek this shift just for your own growth and development or feel called to support others on their path. Either way, working with the Reiki flow significantly expands your vibrational essence, opening you to be a conduit for the healing flow of the Reiki-Ray, and Universal Life Force Energy.

So, if you are already attuned to Level 2 in Reiki (with me or another Reiki teacher) and feel called to become a Reiki Master Teacher, I would be honored to be your teacher and guide on your path.

During the Reiki Master Teacher Training program, we will work together over the course of month, and honestly, beyond that. You will receive the FULL attunement and teacher process so that you can hold and work with that octave of the Reiki Ray.

You will also learn so much more about what it means to grow and develop your healing craft including.

If you feel called to learn more and register, you can check out all the details over on my website or send me a message here.

The Crone's Harvest Cauldron...
Into the cauldron these things must go
Pass them quickly or pass the slow
With gratitude, I release this gift
So for another it may lift

Wednesday's RITUAL we will co-create our magick to empower ourselves and each other on our journey of healing and transformation.

Working Cauldron Magick, each participant will bring one small item that has aided you in some way but that you are now ready to let go and pass along to another so that its healing wisdom can help them.

This can be a simple as a stone, seashell, key, coin, a little book, simple pendant or another item. Something spiritual, magickal, inspiration or comforting that you are ready to release so that it can work its spirit medicine with someone else.

Each participant will also receive one item, along with its wisdom, to take home with them to empower their journey.

The Crone's Harvest Cauldron...
In the Divine Dance of the Harvest, the Mother Earth is beginning to withdraw her energies from the outward expression of growth, pulling her focus inwards even as She celebrates the bounty of harvest-tide. In her Earthly Wisdom, the Great Mother in her unfolding Cronehood understands that the gifts of the harvest are not just that which you keep and hold onto, but also that which you are ready to let go of.

There is profound grace and beauty in sharing the surplus of the harvest by passing on what you do not need to others.

As we contemplate the harvest, it benefits us to consider what of the harvest do we want, or need, to hold onto as we head towards the darkening days of winter and what can we shed or share.

Join us at AwenTree on Wed. Sept. 4th, 7-9 pm, as we come together in sacred space to lean into our magick. The Monthly Rituals are facilitated by Winifred Costello, Founder & Owner of AwenTree and Anthony Gladu.

Held with a protective circle of intention and magick participants are invited to actively participate in co-creating deep and sacred work for their individual healing and for our global restoration.

Winifred and Anthony both have many, many years of experience and training in mindfully guiding deep magick within community ceremonies.

Our Rituals are intentionally kept small in the number of attendees, so we can facilitate a more focused and deeply supportive mystical experience with everyone invited to engage in co-creating the magick of the evening.

COST $15, you can sign up ahead or pay at the door. Please arrive by 7:15 pm.

REMEMBER to bring one small, meaningful item you are ready to release and give away during the ritual.

Wed Sept. 4th, 7-9 pm at AwenTree, located in the Maplewood Shops, Northampton, MA

September's Ritual: The Cauldron of Releasing & Receiving will be on Wed. Sept. 4th. Harvest season is upon us as we journey towards the Autumn Equinox. In the Divine Dance of the Sacred Wheel, the Great Mother is beginning to withdraw her energies from the outward expression of growth, pulling her focus inwards even as She celebrates the bounty of harvest-tide.

In her Earthly Wisdom, the Great Mother understands that the gifts of the harvest are not just that which you keep and hold onto, but also that which you are ready to let go of. There is profound grace and beauty in sharing the surplus of the harvest by passing on what you do not truly need to others.

As we contemplate the harvest, it benefits us to consider what of the harvest do we want, or need, to hold onto as we head towards the darkening days of winter and what would can we shed or share.

As we contemplate this wisdom in our lives, what aids us in attaining that which we desire, or need? What we are ready to release? To pass on or to share the blessings of the harvest so that others might benefit?

Our Ritual in September, The Cauldron of Releasing & Receiving, will focus on co-creating sacred space for this process. >>> Each participant will bring to the Ritual one item that has aided them on their journey, but that they are ready to let go of, passing with it the gift of how it might help another in our magick circle.

This item can be a simple as a pinecone or more elaborate such as a crystal, a key or a coin. Consider something that has aided you in your journey that you are ready to release and its inherent spiritual or magickal properties would help another. Something small enough to fit in our community cauldron and that you are truly ready to pass on. (Please bring only 1 item.) During our ritual, each participant will also receive one item to take with them and aid them on their journey of transformation.

As usual, we will cast our sacred circle, raise a cone of power and lean deep into our co-creative magick as a community. We will ride the tides of magick and journey between the worlds as part of our healing process.

Facilitated by Winifred and Anthony, participants are invited to actively participate in co-creating deep and sacred work inside a safe, ritual space held within a magickal circle of protection.

Once the Ritual ends, attendees are welcome to stay for sharing in a light snack and socializing.

Winifred and Anthony both have many, many years of experience and training in mindfully guiding deep magick within community ceremonies. Our Rituals are intentionally kept small in the number of attendees, so we can facilitate a more focused and deeply supportive magickal experience.

The SEPTEMBER Ritual will be on Wed. Sept. 4th from 7-9 pm

Cost $15 and helps cover the cost of the resources it takes to prepare, create and hold sacred space. You can sign up ahead or pay at the door.

Reiki Level One Training has been rescheduled to Sun. Oct. 20th. There are 3 spots left if you are considering signing up.

August's Ritual is Wed. Aug. 7th, 7-9 pm, and the focus will be Plant Spirit Magick for personal and collective healing. In summer’s dance of heat and storm, we feel Mother Earth speaking to us, calling us to the sacred work; to remember our power, to work for our individual and collective healing.

In our August Ritual we will co-create magick to deepen our sacred relationship with our allies of the Plant Spirit Realms and ask for their assistance on our healing journey. We will journey to the Under World of stone, bone, root and soil to connect with plant spirit wisdom to aid us in our personal healing, but also to join together to charge a community talisman of reclaiming, restoration and renewal that we will place as a community healing anchor in the Middle World.

Facilitated by Winifred and Anthony, participants are invited to actively participate in co-creating deep and sacred work inside a safe, ritual space held within a magickal circle of protection.

Once the Ritual ends, attendees are welcome to stay for sharing in a light snack and socializing.

COST $15, you can sign up ahead or pay at the door.

We are looking forward to co-creating magick together in sacred space!

Winifred and Anthony

I will be teaching Reiki Master Teacher Training in a longer program this coming Autumn 2024. This will be a total refresh and expansion of my past Reiki Master Teacher training and the first time I am teaching it since 2020.

For those who are not familiar, my program includes the FULL Attunement process so that you are not only working with the Reiki vibration at the energetic octave of Reiki Master Teacher, but you will learn how to pass attunements, teach Reiki as well as how to facilitate your own reiki practice.

This will be a comprehensive series including all manner of supportive teachings that built upon the foundational platform of Reiki but also beyond just Reiki practices. Included in the program will be instruction and hands-on practice on integrating crystals, spirit work techniques, methods for creating the mystical container for your healing space, folk magick principles that aid you as a healer, how to work with healing guides and much more.

How I approach teaching Reiki >>>

I have held and worked with the Reiki vibration since I received my training with Wendy Weatherwax in the 1990’s, including maintaining my own healing arts practice with clients and students for over 20 years. It is essential for me to bring a respectful approach to teaching Reiki, drawing upon my many years of direct experience, study and training within energy healing systems, pastoral care, spirit work, ancestor work, folk magick and witchcraft.

I have spent considerable time unpacking and evaluating the problematic colonial underpinnings of Western Reiki in order to reconstruct a more aware, inclusive practice with teachings that are mindful of cultural appropriation and the importance of harm reduction. I strive to have a respectful, informed approach, one that seeks to be aware of unconscious bias, to know the deeper mystery traditions of my own culture, and the ones I have studied in, and how all that informs my teaching others to step into their roles as healers.

As a teacher, I focus on providing deep support and robust teachings, centered on empowering students to claim their personal agency and find their unique way of working with the energies of Reiki so that they can confidently and competently step onto their path as healers.

I encourage students to have an intuitive, responsive and compassionate approach to healing, rooted in listening, witnessing and creating safe space. I am a very engaging and approachable mentor, maintaining ongoing connection and relationships with folks long after the “official” training ends.
This Reiki Master Teacher Training Program begins Sept. 19, 2024 and will take place over the course of 4 weeks of study together including a weekend of immersive teaching, attunement process and practice. This is an in-person series happening at AwenTree in the Maplewood Shops, Northampton, MA.
Class is limited to 6 attendees. You will need to be certified by myself or another teacher in Reiki Level One & Two to attend. Pre-Registration is required.

If you feel called to join us in this training, I invite you to check out all the details or get in touch with your questions.

with blessings and grace,
Winifred

August Ritual: Nurturing Sacred Relationship with Plant Spirits for Collective Healing

In summer's dance of heat and storm, we feel Mother Earth speaking to us, calling us to the sacred work; to remember our power, to work for our individual and collective healing.

In our August Ritual we will co-create magick to deepen our sacred relationship with our allies of the Plant Spirit Realms and ask for their assistance on our healing journey. We will journey to the Under World of stone, bone, root and soil to connect with plant spirit wisdom to aid us in our personal healing, but also to join together to charge a community talisman of reclaiming, restoration and renewal that we will place as a community healing anchor in the Middle World.

Facilitated by Winifred and Anthony, participants are invited to actively participate in co-creating deep and sacred work inside a safe, ritual space held within a magickal circle of protection.

Once the Ritual ends, attendees are welcome to stay for sharing in a light snack and socializing.

Winifred and Anthony both have many, many years of experience and training in mindfully guiding deep magick within community ceremonies. Our Rituals are intentionally kept small in the number of attendees, so we can facilitate a more focused and deeply supportive magickal experience.

The August Ritual will be on Wed. Aug. 7th from 7-8:30 pm

Cost $15 and helps cover the cost of the resources it takes to prepare, create and hold sacred space. Pre-Registration strongly encouraged so we can plan accordingly, HOWEVER you can pay at the door at the time of the Ritual. Please arrive by 7:15 pm. You can sign up ahead of time or pay at the door.

These sacred ceremonies are for like-minded mystical folk who desire to come together (in-person) in facilitated, safe space to explore and embody their magick. Co-facilitated by Winifred Costello, founder of AwenTree, and Anthony Gladu.

Each month will center on a different mystical element within ritual space. While not anchored in any one specific Craft Tradition, there still will be a grounding, protective, structure of a Witch’s Circle to safeguard our mutual energies. All expressions of being human and all levels of experience are welcome.

About Winifred Costello:

Winifred has over 30 years experience, training and practice in Paganism, Witchcraft and Folk Magick Traditions. She weaves together her knowledge in the Craft with the spiritual tools of Energy Healing, Reiki and Tarot to help students create empowered transformation in their lives. She is an Intuitive Tarot Reader, Reiki Master Teacher, Certified Hypnotherapist and Past Life Regression Certified Facilitator. She is the Proprietress of AwenTree and the Founder & Mentor of the Witching Well Community. Winifred is a forever student and recently graduated from Year 5 (Ministry Training) in the Temple of Witchcraft Mystery School.

About Anthony Gladu:

Artist, Gardener, Herbalist, Magickal Practitioner and Tarot Reader. Anthony has been on his spiritual journey and practicing Witchcraft for many years. He recently completed the coursework of Year 3 in the Temple of Witchcraft Mystery School. Anthony is excited to be able to facilitate safe, sacred space for folk to gather together for ritual and a bit of magick.

Join Winifred Costello for a FREE tarot workshop,
Demystifying Three Card Tarot Spreads, over at the Chicopee Public Library on Tues. July 23rd, 6-8:00 pm.

If you are drawn to tarot and ready to demystify a three card tarot spread in a way that is fun, meaningful and engaging, then this interactive class is for you.

We will begin by learning user-friendly tips to read a tarot card intuitively and then move on to working with actual “Three Card” spreads together.

Participants will learn:

The foundational basics to reading a tarot card intuitively
How to navigate a Three Card spread
Sample Three Card spreads to explore
Tips for understanding the flow and interaction in a spread
How to expand this spread by adding additional cards

Join Winifred for this empowering approach to working with the cards and get started unlocking deeper meaning and relevance in your readings.

You are encouraged to bring your tarot deck to class if you own one. However, Winifred does have extra decks she can lend for use during class.

Thank you to everyone who came out for tonight's ritual!

Our July Ritual (Wed. July 10th) will tap into the healing energies of the Waxing Cresent Moon in Virgo, an auspicious combination for healing work. Join us as we come together to co-create deep and meaningful magick held within, and empowered by, a community of like minded Earth Mystics.

During July’s Ritual, we will center our magick on creating healing talismans using folk magick practices to make Charm Bags. Guided by Winifred and Anthony, everyone will make and charge their own charm bag that they will take home. Together, we will turn the mill of magick to infuse and empower our healing talismans with our individual intentions. You can continue to work with your healing charm bag in your personal life as a powerful vessel to help you embody and ground your healing in the every day.

Once the Ritual ends, attendees are welcome to stay for sharing in a light snack and socializing.

Facilitated by Winifred and Anthony, together, we will co-create sacred space as we cast our magick circle to hold us while we work our magick for healing, renewal and liberation.

Cost $15, you can sign up ahead or pay at the door

Local Mystical Friends,
July's Ritual will be on the SECOND Wednesday, July 10th, instead of our usual first Wednesday of the month. July's Ritual will tap into the waxing energy of the crescent moon in Virgo as we focus our magick into creating healing talismans.

Guided by Winifred and Anthony, everyone will make and charge their own charm bag that they will take home. Together, we will turn the mill of magick to infuse and empower our healing talismans with our individual intentions. You can continue to work with your healing charm bag in your personal life as a powerful vessel to help you embody and ground your healing in the every day.

The Monthly Rituals at AwenTree are mindfully facilitated to empower everyone present to lean into their inner magick as active participants in their own healing, transformation and spiritual renewal.

You can sign up ahead or pay at the door that night.
Cost is $15. Please arrive by 7:15 pm.

FYI: The August Ritual will be back to the first Wed. on Aug. 7th.

See you then!

Eventually you discover that being a witch is about being in service to something greater than yourself.

What calls you to the table of Witching?

Are you >>>

Seeking your own healing?

Wanting to reclaim your personal power or to recover lost parts of your soul?

Feeling restless in the deep center of your spirit and driven to find out why?

Does the notion of casting a spell send shivers up your spine?

One day you awoke to the realization, brewing in your blood, that you are a Witch (whether you whisper that word out loud or not). A stirring, or quickening, that you can’t ignore. And that initiates your journey of seeking. Seeking to know more about what Witchcrafting really is all about.

But what does it mean to claim these Earth-Centered Mystery Traditions as your path?

It is no longer a secret that Witchcraft and Paganism are growing in popularity at a fast pace, with more and more folks walking the ways of Witching. While that is not necessarily a bad thing, it is always a challenging situation, honestly, problematic, when “trendiness” takes hold of a spiritual practice.

With the rise of the “trend” of Witchcraft, there is a growing emphasis on centering your Spirit Craft solely around yourself. While we certainly need quality self-care practices in our lives, I have noticed a concerning trend of a little “too much self” as the primary ingredient when it comes to Witchcraft. But there are so many more layers to Witching than just doing what entertains, pleases or serves you.

It is true you must seek to know yourself first, to heal yourself first, when it comes to your spiritual development as a Witch, but at some point, it is important to understand that being a Witch is to walk a sacred path, to discover how to be in service to something greater than just yourself.

If you are ready to learn how to uncover the patterns and themes in your tarot readings, then you will want to check out the online tarot workshop Winifred Costello will be teaching on Wed. June 26th, 7-9 pm ET.

Learn how you can follow the path within a more complicated spread, one with many cards, to uncover the overall themes and explore the patterns being revealed in your tarot readings.

In this workshop, you will learn how to

> Find the overarching themes in a reading
> Look for the patterns among the cards
> Harvest the insight and wisdom the themes and patterns reveal regarding the reading
> How to apply this wisdom to the general structure and system of tarot to support your interpretation of themes and patterns in readings

While all levels of experience are welcome to take this workshop, it is designed to help folks with a basic grasp of tarot take their understanding to a deeper level that you can apply to your readings, whether you are reading for yourself or others.

This is an ONLINE workshop that will broadcast live and will be RECORDED with ongoing access available afterwards if you cannot attend live virtually.

You will be sent a zoom link via email after purchasing your spot.

COST $30
Pre-Registration is required to attend.

Yesterday I had such a wonderful sound & energy healing session with Janet Kessenich, our guest practitioner, at AwenTree. It is so important to find time for renewal and revitalization.

As a healing practitioner myself, folks sometimes ask me, why do I book with another healer when I can facilitate my own energy healing? This is such a great question. While it is true that I routinely facilitate self healing practices which are deeply beneficial, it is also true that I am able to receive on a whole different level when I let someone else facilitate the healing process.

Giving and receiving energy work can create profound shifts in our healing journey. I know this is true for me. When I first became attuned to Reiki, it ushered in a whole new and expanded way that I could engage with the World, both Seen and Unseen. It felt like I had grown ethereal spirit wings to assist me on my transformational path.

Reiki is a wonderfully integrative energy healing system, an incredible resource for navigating the Intangible Realms as well as the everyday.

This weekend, I will be teaching Reiki Level Two Training for those who are already certified in Reiki Level One. I keep my classes intentionally small for more focused and attentive atmosphere for each individual. There are 2 spots left for the training this coming Sat. June 22nd. so get in touch if you feel called. I do take students who began their training with another teacher.

Also, I will be offering Reiki Master Teacher Training in a whole new, refreshed and expanded program format for those who are ready to receive the full Reiki Master Teacher Attunement as well as learn how to pass attunements. This will be a very comprehensive program starting Sept. 19, 2024 and going until Oct. 10th that includes 4 (2 hr) classes AND a weekend of immersive learning and practice.

I have not taught a Reiki Master Level course since 2020 and I am very excited to bring this expanded version of study to empower and support folks who are ready to step into this level.

If you are not familiar with my work, my approach to teaching healing work sources from many years of study, practice and experience in reiki, energy systems, spirit work, folk magick and witchcraft.

I have spent considerable time unpacking and evaluating the problematic colonial underpinnings of Western Reiki in order to reconstruct a more aware, inclusive practice with teachings that are mindful of cultural appropriation and the importance of harm reduction.

I work to have a respectful, informed approach, one that strives to be aware of unconscious bias, seeks to know the deeper mystery traditions of my own culture, and those I has studied in, and how that informs my teaching others to step into their roles as healers.

As a teacher, I focused on providing deep support and robust teachings, centered on empowering students to claim their personal agency and find their unique way of working with the energies of Reiki so that they can confidently and competently step onto their path as healers.

I encourage students to have an intuitive, responsive and compassionate approach to healing, rooted in listening, witnessing and creating safe space. I am an engaging and approachable teacher, maintaining ongoing connection and relationships with folks long after the “official” training ends.

You can read all the details over on the website event calendar or send me a message to chat.

Blessings,
Winifred

If you are considering attending the Reiki Level Two Training that Winifred will be teaching on Sat. June 22nd, please be aware there are only 2 spots left.

Reiki Level Two Training and Attunement opens your healing journey to the next level, increasing both your vibrational rate and your ability to conduct the Reiki-Ray. This, in turn, enhances the healing work you can facilitate with the physical, emotional, mental and subtle energy bodies.

In this training you will learn:

>Review of the 5 Principles and 2 Precepts of Traditional Usui Reiki
> Wisdom Teachings and knowledge on the three Reiki Symbols for Level 1 and Level 2 Energics including the Distance Healing Symbol
> The absentee healing process, also known as remote-distance healing, will be activated and taught during your attunement
> Reiki Level 2 Attunement including Reiki Distance Attunement
> Techniques, tips and hands-on practice for working with the Level 2 healing vibration including

About Winifred Costello, Reiki Master Teacher since 1997:

As an Integrative Healer and Reiki Master Teacher, Winifred draws upon her experience developed from over 25 years in practice, study and embodied wisdom of many modalities including Spirit Work, Crystals, Drum, Rattle, Singing Bowls, Seership, Witching and more. She an engaging and approachable teacher focused on empowering her students to step into their healing agency.

COST $199
Pre-registration is required. Pre-requisite: Reiki Level One Certification with Winifred OR another teacher.

The healing is released on this new moon in Gemini! There is more than just prep work that goes into facilitate the Monthly Rituals at AwenTree. There is post work. Sometimes, there are sacred remnants from the co-creative magick that required ritual release the following day.

I take my role as the attending priestess holding sacred space for our community rites very seriously. I have so much gratitude for the support and assistance of our co-facilitator, Anthony Gladu, as well as the incredible group that gathers each month.

Sending out blessings of transformation on our journeys of healing.

June’s Monthly Ritual: Mask of Shadow, Mask of First Light: Release & Illuminate with the Crone of Crescent Moon
Join us for June’s Ritual where we will work with the sacred mysteries of the Crone of the Waning Crescent Moon in Gemini on the eve of the New Moon on Wed. June 5th.

Once our circle is cast, our evening will begin with a guided meditation to the Astral Shadow Chamber where we will meet with the Crone who holds court there to seek their support and insight our two selves, shadow and light, to understand the masks we wear generated by both. We will focus on just one aspect within our shadow that we wish to unlock and transform. Then we will seek guidance on transforming that aspect of our shadow into new understanding, strength and possibilities for our Mask of First Light.

Upon our return from the Astral Shadow Chamber, we will work with our Shadow Masks for release and transmutation. Once we have completed that process, we will illuminate and empower our Masks of First Light that you will take home to work with once the first crescent appears in the sky.

This will be a potent ritual to support you on reclaiming your sovereignty which you can then continue to work with in the coming lunar cycle and Gemini season. The dual nature of Gemini energy invites honest communication with yourself for deeper exploration and integration, to be aware of and bring dual aspects of self into greater harmony. Coming on the heels of the planetary alignment of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, provides a unique magickal tide to co-create our healing transfomation.

Once the Ritual ends, attendees are welcome to stay for sharing in a light snack and socializing.

Guided by Winifred and Anthony, together, we will co-create sacred space as we cast our magick circle to hold us while we work our magick for healing, renewal and liberation.

Winifred and Anthony both have many, many years of experience and training in safely facilitating and guiding deep magick within community ceremonies. Our Rituals are intentionally kept small in the number of attendees, so we can facilitate a more focused and deeply supportive magickal experience.

The June Ritual is Wed. June 5th from 7-8:30 pm

Cost $15 and helps cover the cost of the resources it takes to prepare, create and hold sacred space. You can pay ahead of time or at the door. Please arrive by 7:15 pm.

These sacred ceremonies are for like-minded mystical folk who desire to come together (in-person) in facilitated, safe space to explore and embody their magick. Co-facilitated by Winifred Costello, founder of AwenTree, and Anthony Gladu.

All expressions of being human and all levels of experience are welcome.