College of the Melissae

Center For Sacred Beekeeping

2017 Program Overview

to Register click here

 

 

• Lessons will be taught via video, document, text,  links, movies and bi-monthly live online classroom.

• Students receive nine months of seasonally relevant, natural beekeeping techniques, cutting-edge, adaptive methodology and up-to-date science on the culture and care of apis meliferra (with an additional 2 months of seasonal information delivered, encompassing the entire Beekeeping Season)

• Homework will be ongoing; anticipate monthly reading, one video, up to four hours audio. Homework delivered by students in a variety of mediums to accommodate learning styles.

• Student receive 20-100 pages text and workbook, monthly, via google docs and/or pdf.

• Courses may be taken individually as arranged with director (write to: laurafergusonabc@gmail.com)

• For optimal learning students will have internet, google drive, vimeo and you tube accounts and purchase books on book list

• Owning a hive is optional though encouraged

• After two years and full completion of all of the courses with a minimum of 65% homework returned, students will earn the certification of Melissae of the Six-Fold Path of Sacred Beekeeping.

• Activism and service is an added requirement of Melissae certification

 

2017 Course Offering

First Year students will focus on paradigm shifting methodologies and historical reference points as well as developing their own symbolic structure with guidance from the Melissae.  Spending time with bees in observation and meditation supports the deeper work of Year II.

First year students will have access to Year II documentation in order to inform their studies but guided work will focus on developing individual practices, activism goals and languaging.

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Year II requirements include development of a capstone project, completion of studies, online presentation and support of Year I students.

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Tuition: Early bird $1000 plus $250 non-refundable deposit

$1250 plus  $250 non-refundable deposit after Jan 20, 2017

YEAR I

Beekeeping Basics; Finding your Style

Human: Bee-ing

Myth & Symbol

Bee Culture & History

 

YEAR II

Advanced Beekeeping;Disease and Immune System of the Honeybee

Reflections on Steiner

Melissae Path Offerings

Human: Bee-ing

Bee Culture & History

Bee Priestess Journey

Apis Arts

 

 

Beekeeping Basics; Finding Your Style

(Laura Bee Ferguson)

Overview of modern beekeeping practices, study of bee biology, lifecycle, biosphere, disease and treatment.  Explore many methods of beekeeping.  Strengthen observation skills and develop personal, informed beekeeping style. Work with a team.  Develop an understanding of local environmental and legislative activity in support of bees. Map your landscape; inner and outer.  

Students will be asked to bee aware of the Sacred within their experiences.

 

 

Human:Bee-ing

This course focuses on teachings of the bee and how we may apply these teachings to our own life. Breathwork, meditation practices and other techniques to support greater understanding and alignment with the bees and Nature Herself,  Dreamwork, re-envisioning the Divine Masculine and sound healing are just a few of the topics explored in this course. 

 

Apis Arts

(Taught collectively: Pati Tozer with contributions fromTanisha Lopes & Brooke Nuckles-Gentekos)

Exploration of arts and crafts related to Sacred Beekeeping, both practical and spiritual.

During monthly Apis Arts instruction, students will be encouraged to engage their creative with arts and crafts lessons to help them better approach and integrate beekeeping.

Each College of the Melissae Apis Arts lesson will include a make-it take it arts & craft project, insights and lessons, resources, and inspiration.

 

 

Bee Priestess Journey

(Instructors; Nikiah Seeds and Nao Sims)

An introduction to connecting deeply with your personal guides and the consciousness of your hive.

Students will learn about  historical  shamanic and priestess cultures, and how they relate to modern day beekeeping. Students will learn how connecting shamanically or through grounding with your hive can make us more sensitive and observant beekeepers, as well as learning directly from the bees how to heal ourselves. Students will have the chance to discover what ways of connecting work best for them and how to journey shamanically to connect to their own Power Animals. Students will learn how to journey or connect with hive consciousness and work with their individual hives in this way. We will also focus on honing the five senses as a deeper way of connecting.

This course will not make students shamans, but rather by learning ancient shamanic techniques, will offer a framework, spiritual practice, and language for your work with the bees.

 

 

Myth & Symbol

(Instructor;Laura Bee) (with select contributions from Krista Holland)  This course will take students deep into the symbols, practices and myths connected to the honeybee. Through the study of the stories, ancient artifacts and other remnants left by the Mediterranean Cult of the Melissae, Sacred Bee Priestesses and other cultures the world over, we will gain a deeper understanding of the mystical relationship between humans and the honeybee. Explore how ancient cultures revered the honey bee through their cultural myths, artwork, ceremonies and legends and how we, as modern day allies of the honeybee, might adapt and apply these ideals to our own lives. 

 

Bee Culture & History

Laura Bee will offer essays and explorations into world bee culture and history.  Additional readings will be delivered during this course.  Student’s will be asked to delve deeper into symbols, mythologies and cultures presented through documented journey-work, additional research and/or art and medicine creation

 

Advanced Beekeeping;Disease and Immune System of the Honeybee

Year 2 students will receive in-depth overview on diseases of the honeybee and review articles on the complicated and fascinating Immune System of the Honeybee.

 

Reflections on Steiner

Year 2 Students will review Steiners essay's on Bees and discuss.

 

Melissae Path Offerings

Year 2 Students will

• present a capstone project that includes a minimum of one-hour instruction and up to three hours of instruction for student body of College of the Melissae via on-line Live-Classroom,

• as well as 8 months of documented discovery via journal or blog

• public activism project of student’s documented design.

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Director Laura Bee Ferguson (OR): A beekeeper, educator and activist, Laura Bee brings a unique perspective to the study of the honeybee. Laura brings cutting edge natural beekeeping methodology and practices, combined with a cross-cultural and spiritual context to her well rounded curriculum. Laura  has developed educational programs for kids, teenagers and adults. She is also an active public speaker attending rallies, Council Meetings and events to speak for the Honeybee. Laura has a BA in Anthropology and Religious Studies as well as a life-long study of many forms of Spirituality. An artist and poet, Laura brings an ability to connect the scientific to the Sacred and is spiritually influenced by her work in the many apiaries she serves. Favorite among them are her home apiaries were she houses swarm-caught and locally produced survivor queens with treatment-free, bee-centric beekeeping methodology.Laura founded the College of the Melissae; Center for Sacred Beekeeping on January 1, 2012 and serves as its current Director. Laura is passionately devoted to the College goals, her students and Apis Meliferra.

Read more about her work on her Blog on this website 

In addition to developing the school Laura hosts a weekly radio show Honey Culture Radio (Thurs, 1-2, kskq. org livestreaming and archived) and regularly contributes to various blogs, workshops and conferences and is enjoyed far-reaching ethnographic beekeeping travel and volunteer work in Jamaica and Peru in 2014. Laura brings Leadership Training (High Ropes Challenge Course, Volunteer & Trainer, WA, 6 years), Disaster Relief (Hurricane Katrina, MS), formal art study and counselor training.2016 will be hosting a Sacred Bee Symposium & Immersion at Findhorn, in August with Andrew Gough and is currently serving as an Advisor for the BEe Healing Guild based in Asheville NC.

 

Additional Contributions from:

 

Krista Holland (OR); Krista Holland; Yoga and Living Arts instructor has been teaching yoga for over 14 years and has been practicing yoga and studying the living and contemplative arts for over 20 years.  Krista's teaching and dharma draws from a mandala of life-enhancing modalities both ancient and modern. Surya Soma Yoga, Tantrik philosophy, sacred drumming, permaculture, organic gardening, aromatherapy and the contemplative arts combine symbiotically to offer a deeply nourishing, practical and alchemical pathway to healing, ecological reawakening and holistic life mastery.  Krista offers classes, immersions and retreats on yoga, sacred drumming, and aromatic alchemy.  She is also is a designer and plant ally who works in the mediums of landscape/permaculture design and  aromatic botanical alchemy.  Krista began apprenticeship with Layne Redmond author of When the Drummer’s Were Women in 1995 and holds numerous credentials in her chosen fields of study. Krista began apprenticeship to Apis Mellifera in 2012 through the College of the Mellisae; Center for Sacred Bee Keeping and envisions the honey bee at the very center of her mandalic world view and life's work.  For more information please visit:  www.facebook.com/yogaandlivingarts or kristaholland.com

 

 

Nikiah Seeds (Canada): Nikiah has been beekeeping since 2008. Before her sacred bee work though she worked in the realm of women's spirituality and healing for 15 years in both birth work and ceremony. Nikiah is an elder priestess in the 13th House Mystery School, an ordained Spiritual Minister, and shamanic artist. As a sacred and shamanic beekeeper Nikiah has been working with the bees spiritually, while learning how to care-take them within the current state of our environment. Since 2006 she has been a devout student of shamanism and this deeply informs her work as a beekeeper and priestess. Nikiah is an apprentice in the Wolven Path Tradition a Northern Celtic shamanic tradition, and the co-author of the book Moon Mysteries; Reclaiming Women's Menstrual Wisdom. She honored to bring her wisdom in these realms to the faculty at the College of the Melissae. (http://redmoonmusings.com/)

 

Pati Tozer (Canada): Pati is a painter, sculptor, aesthetician, computer programmer, and alchemical artist, who holds a Master's degree in Art History. An eternal student, she is excited and honoured to join the College of the Melissae as both a student and as a member of the faculty.

 

Les Crowder (CA & NM)  Les served for many years as the president of the NM Beekeepers Association and previously served as the NM Honeybee Inspector for five years.  His hive-of-choice is the Top-Bar and he also brings over 15 years of experience of treatment-free beekeeping and queen-rearing to his course.  Les is a published Author and winner of the “Best Instructor” award at the NM Organic Farming Conference, Les brings a great deal of experience, knowledge and forward thinking methodology to the College of the Melissae. Les is also working on development of the International Natural Beekeeping Federation as well as dozens of International programs.  He is a popular speaker and educator and is sought after for workshops and conferences, worldwide.

 

Nao Sims (Canada): Nao founded BeeCause Pollination Project:2008 A project dedicated to keeping bees in the backyards of  neighborhood gardens. vimeo.com/7229580  In 2011 Nao moved from her city home a 6-acre rural property on Vancouver Island to create Honey Grove, a sanctuary for honeybees. www.honeygrove.ca  Honey Grove has since become an international destination for Agriculture Tourism. Nao offers hive tours, honey tastings, flower essence workshops and educational talks with regard to beekeeping.  For Nao, her bees are her greatest teachers. The wisdom she gleans from the hive profoundly impacts all aspects of her work. Nao is also a teacher of Sacred Dance for Women www.dancesacred.com and  co-author of the book Moon Mysteries- Reclaiming Women’s Menstrual Wisdom, which she wrote together with Nikiah Seeds. moonmysteries.com Nao and Nikiah have been working together in the realm of Women’s Spirituality for well over a decade.

 

Brooke Nuckles Gentekos (OR):  Brooke is an Artist, Arts Advocate, and Priestess of Ashlandia. Brooke is also a trained Ava-Sha Priestess, Sacred Beekeeper, professional artist, and Education Director for the Rogue Gallery & Art Center in Medford, Oregon.  Brooke has  been teaching art for 15 years and 2014 will be her third season sacred beekeeping.  

Brooke’s artwork can be seen on her website: brookenuckles.wix.com/bngart.  Brooke is most interested in helping students to reawaken ancient traditions and offers illuminating steps to manifest one’s sacred beekeeping dreams through art, journaling, and conscious intention.