Online Mystery School

Please make sure you have read all the general Mystery School information before proceeding to the material specific to the online Mystery School.

Online Mystery School classes are recorded and specific times to attend live are not required unless specified otherwise.

Online Mystery School Classes

The Online Mystery School Team

In the spirit of Witnessing, Feedback, and Fellowship, we have created a team approach to these three areas of education. Rather than work solely one-on-one with a teacher or mentor, there is a group experience, especially for the online classes. While ideally we’d like everyone to enjoy every aspect of the teachings personally, the very nature of spiritual teachings indicates they are not personal, but are drawn from the forces of nature and the subtle realms. Our personal responses and reactions to them, and to fellow walkers on the path, provide valuable personal teaching tailored to our own self development. With this in mind, having several people to witness, give feedback, and provide fellowship helps us make a variety of relationships and personal connections. Our education is not dependent upon any one individual or relationship within the Temple, including the instructor. It becomes a communal network.

Students submit homework first to a mentor (often a student in an upper level class), providing a level of support closer to peer support, while offering the upper-level student an invaluable experience as a mentor. The mentor offers feedback, sending it to the student and a Teaching Assistant, usually a graduate of the program serving the education ministry and often getting experience and practice prior to becoming an instructor. The view of the experienced graduate can offer further insight or confirmation, and often a differing experience. The Teaching Assistant sends materials back to the Mentor, Student, and the Dean of Students, who notates the assignment is done, and offers final feedback. The instructor guides group discussion of the class, and offers personal check-ins, answers questions, and addresses concerns as the course progresses. Students are not required to sign in online at any particular time for group discussion or to receive class information. Lessons are emailed out directly. Discussion and questions occur in Google Classroom. While participation in discussions is not required in the earlier levels, it is encouraged, and subscription to Google Classroom to receive updates is mandatory. This pattern of team feedback creates a web of guidance in our model of Accountability, Support and Community.

Time Commitment

Each level of the mystery school does require a certain significant amount of time and energy to complete. Since each student reads and works at a different pace it is impossible to estimate the number of hours per week, but please keep in mind:

Reading One Chapter Per Month
Listening to 2-2.5 hour Audio Lecture with exercises
Reading PDF Book of Shadows, and reviewing both the textbook and traditional only material not in the textbook
Reading short PDF Syllabus study guide with tips, tricks and further ideas to aid study
Occasional Supplemental Reading Assignments
Almost daily online written “Wisdom Lectures” varying from a few lines to a few paragraphs or a link to an article. This is a supplemental aid and usually nothing further is required beyond reading though some posts that explain required assignments in more detail.
Multiple exercises/rituals per lesson
Regular practice of new and old exercises
Written monthly homework, due on a specific date, documenting your experience. Feedback is usually provided by a Student Mentor, Teaching Assistant Graduate, and the Dean of Students.
Regular Journaling
Classroom Peer Conversation (Optional)

One can consider this akin to the serious study of a new language, martial art, new artistic craft, or musical instrument. It is not a casual go-at-your-own-pace course. (For those types of courses we offer an array of non-degree courses, with and without some previous education or experience and with homework recommendations that are not requirements.)

Reading the appropriate textbook prior to the class without doing the exercises to familiarize yourself with the content is highly recommended to ease the workload of the course.

There are differences between in-person and online classes, as each individual teacher has the freedom to tailor the material to their own teaching style and needs. Requirements online are established to oversee larger classes with students from multiple regions and backgrounds.

Immersive Nature

In-person and particularly online, despite the nature of online education, the Mystery School is intended as an immersive program designed to change your life with new habits, daily practices, and new paradigms for life.

If you are already undergoing, or planning to undergo, other major immersive experiences – other metaphysical training, higher education programs, moving your home, or starting a new career, – and this would impact your ability to fully commit to the program you should wait before applying.

While no online process can replicate the in-person experience of a coven, lodge or physical school, our intention is to provide the same level of intensive work to make such changes through the online medium.

Advanced Placement

While it is possible for experienced Witches to obtain advanced placement in the Mystery School, entering into the Third Year, it is generally not advised. Much like a martial arts school, when a black belt seeks to enter into training in a new dojo, or a new style, even the most experienced student starts at the beginning to truly learn and master the system. As advanced students are required to mentor others, it is important to have had the experiences from all the prior courses. Specific rituals, lore, tips and wisdom lectures not found in the textbooks are offered in the classes and complement the knowledge as it is applied in the Temple’s Mystery School.

If an applicant truly feels called for advanced placement, tests are available that include written and psychic portions. Applicants should have worked through the textbook for the degree(s) they are testing out of in detail at their own pace, reading all lessons and experiencing the exercises and rituals. To request an advanced placement test for the Mystery School, please email [email protected].

Mentoring Program

Many teachers of magick are thrown into the situation because of necessity or calling but don’t always get much guidance and training on working with others. Our mentorship program is the first step in gaining experience in helping the development of other magickal students in a supported environment.

All advanced students are required to be open to mentoring at least one student in the previous levels. The process of offering feedback and ofwitnessing is invaluable, for often the student’s fresh perspective can teach the mentor many things about both the material and themselves. Advanced students take on a greater degree of accountability in the community and educational process, giving back in the same way in which they were helped.

Online Course Policies

Assignments are not graded in standard alphanumeric grades, but generally in the form of satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Some unsatisfactory assignments may need to be repeated.

The instructor may withhold future lessons when previous lessons are not yet completed. Questions are answered both privately and in Google Classroom, and feedback will be given.

Online students will be required to participate in the Mentorship Program and will be mentored by an advanced student or graduate in the Mystery School, allowing others in the community greater experience in teaching, mentoring, and leadership.

Students in each online class will be provided with updated class policies and procedures.

For general policies of the Temple of Witchcraft, please see the Temple of Witchcraft Handbook.

Payment Policies

An application fee of $100 is due before the application can be considered. This will be refunded only in the event that the application is denied by the admissions committee.

Online Course: Please note that pricing and payment policies have been updated.

The course fee for Witchcraft I–II online is $275 for the yearlong class (for a Total $375: $100 application deposit + $275 fee for the yearlong class).

The course fee for Witchcraft III–IV online is $260 for the yearlong class (for a Total $360: $100 application deposit + $260 fee for the yearlong class).

The course fee for the Witchcraft V Seminary program is $750 for the seven-week intensive plus a yearlong class (for a Total $850: $100 application deposit + $750 fee for the yearlong class).

The course fee is due two weeks before the first lesson is sent out, but may be paid in installments between time of admission and the due date. Email [email protected] to inquire about a possible payment plan. Course fees are refundable only in the following circumstances:

In the event that the student notifies the dean prior to 2 weeks before the first lesson that they no longer wish to take the course, a full refund of the course fee will be made.
Students who notify us of withdrawal from the course before the fourth lesson is sent out will be refunded 75% of the course fee.
Any other withdrawals will be handled on a case-by-case basis and may be eligible for refunds based on circumstances.

Students withdrawing from a course due to health or family reasons may be able to apply their refund toward credit for re-taking the same course with the same instructor.

The course fee covers all online written and audio and/or video materials, usually sent in PDF and MP3/MP4 formats. This does not include the required textbook or CD companion (required for the online course) both of which can be ordered at fine local metaphysical stores or online, including at www.christopherpenczak.com. The class fee also does not include any suggested reading or supplies, such as incense, candles, herbs, stones, or jewelry. You will be notified of suggested materials in each of the appropriate lessons.

Payment: A payment link to pay via PayPal (including credit and debit card payments) is included in the confirmation message when you complete the online form, which you may use to submit the deposit, balance of your payment, or to pay for the class in full; you may also mail a check or money order. Please do not send cash. All checks and money orders can be made directly to “Temple of Witchcraft” and mailed to:

Temple of Witchcraft
Attn: Mystery School Financial Dept.
49 North Policy Street
Salem, NH 03079

Please be sure to include your legal name, class, and class start date with your payment to ensure proper processing of your payment.

Scholarship

The Temple of Witchcraft offers scholarship opportunities for those in situations of financial hardship. Discounted tuition through partial scholarship or, in some cases, a full scholarship based on academic excellence in previous classes within the Mystery School, are possible for those accepted into the program. There are limited scholarships available for each program, so each scholarship application will be handled on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Dean of Students under advisement from the Temple. Before applying for a scholarship, you must first apply for the class. Then you can write to [email protected] to request a scholarship application.

Mystery School Payment Frequently Asked Questions

When do I pay for the course?

Payment in full is due two weeks before the start of the course. We recommend that you pay the balance of your course fee upon receipt of your acceptance letter. Those students with an unpaid balance when the course begins will not receive course materials.

Will you send a bill?

No. The Temple will not send out a bill or invoice for payment. It is the responsibility of the student to make the necessary payments on time. However, if payment is not received in a timely manner, a reminder will be sent. Payments not received before the end of the 3rd month of the course will be subject to an additional $25 late fee.

Online Class Format

The Online Course is taught via email, with lessons provided by email, including a MP3 Audio Link to the class lectures, a PDF of the lesson’s Book of Shadows section, a PDF of additional Wisdom Lectures and supplemental material, as well as the Lesson’s Syllabus and Assignments, including tips, trick and optional assignments.

Students are expected to listen to the MP3 recording, read the PDFs, read the appropriate chapters in the textbook, do the required assignments, and write their own experiences of the required exercises and rituals, including both what they technically did, and what they experienced as part of the process. Students will receive feedback from a student mentor, Teaching Assistant (TA), and the Dean of Students or Assistant Dean of Students.

Questions can be asked in homework assignments, in the Google Classroom for group discussion and sharing, or emailed directly to your teacher, Christopher Penczak.

MP3 Audios are from a “live” class, not a studio recording, thus capturing the specific feel and rhythm of such classes, to give a distant student a window into the live experience while still being online. Some material may have to be adapted for home use.

Witchcraft II 2024-2025 students will have the option of attending a live Zoom video class, held monthly at 7 – 10 PM Eastern time, but are not required to attend. All registered students will get a recording of the class to download.

Online Class Schedule

Classes are scheduled in an alternating series of September-start and then March-start dates. Witchcraft V is only taught in the March-start years, current scheduled dates are as follows:

Witchcraft I Online: March 2024 – March 2025
Witchcraft II Online: March 2024 – March 2025
Witchcraft III Online: March 2024 – March 2025
Witchcraft IV Online: March 2024 – March 2025
Witchcraft V Online: March 2024 – May 2025