SPOTLIGHT ON THE OPENING CEREMONIES AT SOTA

Opening Ceremonies at SOTA is your opportunity to meet the SOTA speakers and the other attendees, reconnect with old acquaintances, and have a bit of food and drink before and/or after our keynote speaker. This is also where you'll hear about any last-minute changes or late-breaking news you might want to know about in order to make the most of your conference experience. We'll have a selection of very nice nibblies --- not just chips and dip --- so you're safe to eat lightly on Thursday night. We will also have a cash bar. Doors will open on October 25 at 6:45, with the ceremonies beginning at 7:00 p.m.

This year the Opening Ceremonies are being co-sponsored by Astrology Toronto, Toronto's own very active local astrology group. Astrology Toronto holds monthly lectures on a variety of astrological topics and has an e-list that keeps people abreast of astrological happenings in the GTA. Several members of their executive will be on hand to provide you with more information about membership and upcoming events if you're interested.

Our keynote address, A TIME FOR OUR STORIES, will be presentedby Michael Barwick, Vice-President of ATI. Michael is a dynamic and interesting lecturer who has received excellent reviews both at past SOTA conferences and at local lectures.

Admission to the Opening Ceremonies is included in the full-conference package. If you're only attending on Thursday and/or Friday or if you just want to come out and hear Michael, the cost is only $20 CDN/$15 US until August 24.

If you want to hear Michael but can't make it to the Opening Ceremonies, he'll be back again at 4:30 on Saturday. His topic then is "WHO'S AFRAID OF PLUTO IN CAPRICORN? From what I hear, the answer to that one seems to be "a lot of people". Regardless of whether you're afraid or not, and regardless of whether you're a Capricorn, a mundane astrologer, a psychological astrologer, or a classicist, I'm sure Michael will have something to say that piques your interest.

A one-day admission for Saturday is only $80 CDN/ $70 US until July 24. Admission to the banquet is not included in this one-day fee.

Whether you come for a day, or come for the duration, I hope to see you at SOTA

SOTA 2007 (Updated May 6, 2007)

THE STATE OF THE ART CONFERENCE

OCTOBER 25 -28. 2006
Delta Toronto Airport West

Information:

Hotel Info
Speakers
Pre-Conference Events
Friday Schedule
Saturday Schedule
Sunday Schedule
Conference Policies
Fees

Hotel Information

Delta Toronto Airport West
5444 Dixie Road
Mississauga, ON L4W 2L2
1-905-624-1144

Rates:

$115CDN/night (approximately US$95)

(Parking is $8.00.)

Hotel ammenities:

• breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet & menu service


• 24-hour room service


• Free airport shuttle service from Pearson International Airport


• TTC and Missaussaga Transit accessible


• New fitness centre with pool, sauna, whirlpool


• Salon/spa


• Gift shop


• Near-by restaurants: Kelsey's, Montana's, Swiss Chalet, a donut shop, a Japanese restaurant

More hotel information is available here.

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Featured Speakers

Geoffrey Cornelius
Priscilla Costello
Monica Hable Dimino
Maggie Hyde
Marion McMillan
Chris McRae
Grace Morris
Amanda Owen
Sandra Leigh Serio
Kaye Shinker
Richard Smoot
Donna Van Toen
...and more

SOTA Conference

STATE OF THE ART ("SOTA") is an astrology conference geared to intermediate, advanced, and professional astrologers. As the title implies, its function is to illustrate the state of the art/discipline of astrology by featuring popular speakers and hot topics that exemplify leading-edge thought and techniques. We are unique in North America in that SOTA presents a mix of one-hour, two-hour, and three-hour speakers as well as all-day pre- and post-conference workshops. Featured speakers come from Canada, the U.S. and Europe and in the past have included Martin Davis, Nick Kollerstrom, Joyce Hoen, Maritha Pottenger, Noel Tyl, and many more.

Now in its tenth year, SOTA is a small, friendly conference with accessible speakers and numerous events such as the opening reception and banquet/dance where you can mix and mingle with them. While many of our attendees are from Ontario, we also have attendees from other provinces, very sizeable contingents from Michigan and Ohio, and occasionally attendees from England, Australia, and elsewhere in Europe. Many of our attendees are themselves professionals, though many are students involved with Canada's CAAE programme.

SOTA has received good reviews on many astrological lists and in publications. Come and see why we're called the hidden gem of independent conferences!

For more information:
SOTA 2008
SOTA 2007
SOTA 2006 (Photo Gallery)
SOTA 2004 (Photo Gallery)

SOTA 2007 - Conference Policies

CANCELLATION POLICY:
After July 24 --- $50 cancellation fee
After August 24 --- Absolutely no refunds.
Registration may be transferred to anyone not already registered at any time without penalty with notification in writing

TAPING POLICY:

Personal taping is not permitted. Tapes of the lectures will be available during and after the conference.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES POLICY:

Laptops and other devices that can be used for the transcription of lectures are not permitted in the lecture rooms.

CELL PHONE POLICY:
We request that you turn off your cell phone or have them on silent ring during the lectures.

SOTA 2007 - Sunday Schedule

Sunday, October 28, 2007
REGISTRATION AND TRADE ROOM OPEN AT 9 A.M.

Hickory Room
10:00 – 11:00 AM
THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS
Bob Mulligan
11:30 AM – 12:S0 PM
SKIPPED STEPS
Rose Marcus

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Linden Room
10:00 – 11:00 AM
ASTROLOGY IN ACADEMIA
Wynne Jordan
11:30 AM – 12:30 – PM
PRIMARY DIRECTIONS
Ken Bowser

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Hawthorn D
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
NUANCES OF RETROGRADES
Chris McRae
12:30 – 1:30 PM
ESOTERIC ASTROLOGY
Eva Smith

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Butternut Room

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
HOW TO PICK STOCKS 2008
Grace Morris

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Hawthorn D --- 2:00 PM
Closing ceremony and prize draw

SOTA 2007 - Saturday Schedule

Saturday. October 27
REGISTRATION AND TRADE ROOM OPEN AT 9 AM


Hickory Room
10:00 – 11:00 AM
DETECTING DEATH WITH SOLAR RETURNS
Dorothy Figg
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
BETWEEN ASTROLOGERS AND CLIENTS
Bob Mulligan
3:00 – 4:00 PM
WESTERN AND EASTERN SIDEREAL ASTROLOGY
Ken Bowser
4:30 – 5:30 PM
EVOLUTIONARY ASTROLOGY
Rose Marcus

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Linden Room
10:00 – 11:00 AM
ASTROLOGY AND THE SOUL (Kabbalistic)
Ellen Bourn
11:30 Am – 12:30 PM
THE ASTROLOGICAL WORLDVIEW
Wynne Jordan
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
CARE OF THE SOUL (Outer Planets)
Alphee Lavoie
4:30 -5:30 PM
WHO'S AFRAID OF PLUTO IN CAPRICORN?
Michael Barwick

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Hawthorn D
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
LET'S PLAY DOCTOR (Saturn transits Virgo)
Amanda Owen
12:30 – 1: 30 PM
CRACKING THE CODE OF MINOR ASPECTS
Priscilla Costello
3:00 – 5:00 PM
DISPOSITORSHIPS AND SUBPERSONALITIES
Donna Van Toen

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Butternut Room
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
THE THREE WHEEL WALTZ
Monica Dimino
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
CHART SYNTHESIS
Richard Smoot

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Laurel Room
7:00 PM – 12:00 AM
BANQUET AND DANCE with comedy by ANTOINETTE IMHOFF
Great food for vegetarians and carnivores alike!

SOTA 2007 - Friday Schedule

Friday, October 26, 2007
REGISTRATION AND TRADE ROOM OPEN AT 9 AM

Hickory Room
10:00 -11:00 AM
MARS RETROGRADE: S.T.O.P
Amanda Owen
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
GEODETICS AND GLOBAL HOT SPOTS
Chris McRae
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
RED FLAGS FOR ASTROLOGERS
Brad Kochunas
4:30 – 5:30 PM
ASTRODRAMA: PLUTO IN CAPRICORN
Jean Brereton

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Linden Room
10:00 – 11:00 AM
SOLAR INGRESSES AND WORLD EVENTS
Dean Bensics
11:30 – 12:30 AM
YOUR 12 NEIGHBORS AND HOW THEY RELATE
Alphee Lavoie
3:00 – 4:00 PM
SO WHAT ABOUT CERES?
Donna Van Toen
4:30 -5:30
WORKING WITH SABIAN SYMBOLS
Blain Bovee

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Hawthorn D
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
PLUTO AND THE END OF WILD ASTROLOGY
Geoffrey Cornelius
12:30 – 1:30
WHAT TIME IS IT?
Marion McMillan
3:00 – 5:00 PM
SOLAR RETURNS
Kaye Shinker

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Butternut
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
THE BOAT OF A MILLION YEARS (Solar Symbolism)
Maggie Hyde
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
YOUR WEALTH POTENTIAL
Sandra Leigh Serio

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Hawthorn D --- 7:00 PM – 1O:00 PM
CAAE SHOWCASE
A LOOK AT SATURN --- Joan Ann Evelyn
THE SUN AND MOON AS PARENTAL INDICATORS --- Janet Markham
A HUM0ROUS LOOK AT THE BIRTHCHART --- Tamara Wizinski
Come and hear some of CAAE's teachers and learn about their programs!


Trade room will be open until 7:30 PM tonight.

SOTA 2007 - Pre-Conference Events

OCTOBER 25, 2007
9 AM – 5 PM


THE MAGIC OF HORARY

GEOFFREY CORNELIUS

Horary is a powerful method in its own right, but it also opens up another whole dimension of astrology's potential and has the power to revitalize every other part of the astrologer's practice. There are pitfalls on the way, though and much horary looks feeble and irrelevant to non-horary practitioners. This workshop starts with the archaic origins of horary in the katarche and augury, showing how right attitude, a true understanding of the source of questions, and a poetic simplicity of symbol are all essential to effective practice. We then move on to the development of traditional and modern horary methods, showing what works best in contemporary practice. Illustrated with practical examples. Not recommended for beginners.

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ROADMAPS FOR CHANGE

MONICA HABLE DIMINO

In almost all astrological consulting, the matter of change (or no change) is tacitly tucked into the querent's questions. This workshop looks at signs of change and explores ways to get off a treadmill --- and when. Premature change, delayed change, and times to move in new directions will all be explored.

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ASTROLOGY AT WORK

Sponsored by OPA

This Professional Day workshop will demonstrate practical and time-proven methods for starting or improving an astrological practice. It is presented by four very successful astrologers --- CHRIS MCRAE, BOB MULLIGAN, SANDRA LEIGH SERIO, and RICHARD SMOOT. They are all seasoned lecturers who have presented at OPA retreats and elsewhere and have taught both professionals and students. Together they have more than 125 years of experience. In this workshop they will talk about how to set up a practice, what kind of office space and procedures you need, planning to be successful, giving and receiving referrals, your relationship to the community, the need for structured supervision and peer support, handling difficult clients, and much more. The day will flow from one topic to another, with plenty of audience participation, experiential work, and more. Everyone will receive a booklet of material including outlines of every topic discuss. This material alone is worth the price of admission. If you've always wondered what goes on at an OPA retreat, this is your chance to get a taste of it at a fraction of the cost. And if you've been to a retreat before, this workshop will allow you to build on it and add new information to what you've already learned.