Alcohol
Always a welcome offering! You may choose to give a whole bottle (or more) on a special occasion—for example, if you wish to ask permission for the spirits of place on a sacred site to perform a ritual. As a regular household offering, though, it is a good idea to give a portion of the alcohol that you are consuming as an act of sharing with your Faery cousins. Again, try to give them the first of the bottle if you can, and avoid drinks with too much artificial or chemical content. For example, a good wine, ale, or mead would make an excellent offering, but not an alcopop!
Cakes and Bread
Again, always welcome. Ideally these should be made by yourself so that they are imbued with your energy. Like the alcohol, you may wish to develop a household tradition of giving the first share to the faeries. Shop-bought is okay if it’s not full of yucky preservatives, so if you must use shop-bought, do try to make sure that it is simple and wholesome fare. Consider that if you do not bake yourself whether there might be something else you could give or do that would be more personal.
Incense
The burning of carefully chosen herbs, barks, and resins on charcoal is an excellent offering provided you do not leave it to burn unsupervised (in case of fire) and that you remember to clear the ashes afterwards. Of course it is preferable that the incense is blended with an appropriate magickal focus, and it’s particularly potent if sourced and blended yourself. If you are a keen gardener, you can grow and dry your own herbs for this purpose, thus connecting you and your offerings intimately with the land. Stick incense can be used, but try to make sure that it is all-natural and not full of artificial chemicals.
Music and Song
If you play a portable instrument, this is a wonderful way to express your dedication to the Faery path and pay tribute to your allies and the spirits of place. As already discussed, song is an excellent offering and way of connecting with their realm. Different beings have a particular fondness for certain instruments or types of music, and that is discussed in more detail elsewhere in the book. You may find that tunes and words come to you as you play and sing; this is the Faery beings sharing their gifts with you, and this becomes a two-way exchange and potentially a powerful connection. When you start to receive such inspirations, this is a good sign that a being wishes to form a relationship with you as an ally.
Dance
You might feel a bit silly going out into nature and dancing to no music! However, if you do find yourself moved by a sense of the rhythm of nature and the music that emanates from all living things and the otherworld itself, then dance can be the purest gift of all. Dance is an expression of energy that, like song, comes straight from the heart. You don’t need to be a great dancer if you are open and pure of intent. Dance is also a very good way of keeping energized and grounded in your body when dealing with the Faery realm, which can at times be draining and disorienting if we lose our balance.
Candles
Burning a candle either in your house or out in nature is fine, but remember to not leave it unsupervised and to clean away your candle stubs afterwards. Natural beeswax is best.
Creative Acts
Even if you are not normally creative in any obvious way (everyone has the potential for some form of creative expression), you may wish to create something as an offering. A painting, model, or sculpture may become the focal point of your Faery shrine, or you may choose to create something from natural materials that will, in time, be taken into the landscape. It is best not to do this at sacred sites, however, which should be kept clean and pure for all, both of this world and the otherworld. A piece of writing may be recited and either kept for future work with Faery or burnt to send it to the otherworld.
Wildflowers
Opinion is divided on whether cut flowers are an appropriate offering in Faery work. I would urge you instead to plant wildflower seeds that encourage bees and butterflies and bring beautiful, growing life to the land rather than take the life of a growing thing. Certainly shop-bought flowers are an absolute no-no both for offerings and as altar dressing, unless they have come from a reliably organic local source. Most flowers on sale in stores have been imported from countries with poor working conditions and intensive chemical treatments. If you wish to use flowers on your altar, if possible they should be grown in your own space, not taken from the wild or bought from a shop. Fragrant herbs grown specially for the purpose in your own space are a good alternative.
Shiny Things
Coins or jewellery may be left, but it is important to really use your judgement as to whether it is appropriate in individual circumstances. Again, sacred sites should be left pure unless there is a longstanding tradition of offerings being left. If you feel called to leave something of great personal value, that is far more fitting than buying something specifically to give away, as it is more the energy and the act than the object itself that is a gift. Also be aware that through your giving, the spirits of place may intend for the object to pass on to another who will find it. This is all part of walking in awareness of the greater patterns of the web that unfold around us.
Acts of Devotion to Nature
Acts of physical labour out in nature may be dedicated to your work with Faery allies or they may ask you to undertake certain tasks. This can be as simple as leaving food out for the birds, picking up litter in your local area, or planting trees. Certainly when you have found your particular sacred space or spaces where you best connect with Faery, you should undertake to keep them in an orderly fashion and free from human debris. Keep an old carrier bag with you to take rubbish home in! A similar idea would be to donate money to an environmental cause.
Bodily Fluids
We may be a bit squeamish about bodily fluids and so on, but an offering of saliva, a tear, a drop of blood, menstrual blood, or even hair can be an excellent offering if accompanied by the right intent, usually to seal a pact or promise rather than as a gift. Giving from your body in this way is an act of trust, as to an extent it is giving the spirits of the place access to your energy signature that can be used against you if they have cause (for example, if you break a pact or a promise). Because an offering of this nature forms a powerful physical link with the land and spirits of place, do think carefully before it is used as to whether you can maintain that link and commitment (especially with blood; no more than a drop or two is needed or advised).
Things to Avoid
Glitter
Glitter is fine in its proper place—on your face! As most glitter is made of tiny bits of aluminium, plastic, and glass, leaving it out in nature is not only littering but very damaging for any wildlife that may ingest it. Edible glitter is a biodegradable alternative that should always be used when making children’s bottles of “fairy dust,” as they will inevitably want to pour it on flowers and plants.
Chocolate
Many well-meaning people leave chocolate as an offering out in nature, and even some so-called authorities on the subject recommend it. you must not under any circumstances leave chocolate out in your garden or anywhere in nature! Because of the high amount of theobromine it contains, chocolate is extremely toxic to most animals, sometimes even deadly. I’m sure you can understand why it would be a highly inappropriate offering. Make sure you leave it out of any baked goods you leave as offerings too.
Leftovers
When leaving food or drink out for the faeries, it must always have been specially made for them or be the first and best portion (if necessary, it can be put to one side to be left out for them later). Giving them what is left over after you have eaten or drunk first is not an offering, it’s a sign of disrespect. The same applies to any offering given because it’s something that you no longer have a want or a need for.
The Neglected Shrine
If you are going to have a shrine—either in your dwelling place or preferably in your garden—it shoul
d always be kept clear. Food offerings should always be cleared the next day, as described earlier, and it should be kept free of any debris or mess. Neglected shrines attract negative energy and mischief (the bad kind)!
Crystals
Crystals are actually fine in your own space, either in your home or your garden shrine. It is recommended to check with your supplier to make sure they have been mined ethically. There is an unfortunate trend in modern times to leave crystals or even bury crystals at sacred sites. This is, of course, well-meaning, but it interferes with the natural energy network of such sites and as such is not advised as an appropriate offering. Sometimes a simple pebble charged with your own energy might be accepted by the spirits of place.
Timing
It is advisable to maintain a regular routine of offerings, even if it is just monthly or a few times a year, as well as when you feel the call to do so. The most important times to leave offerings for Faery is at the ancient Celtic festivals of Beltane (May 1, Northern Hemisphere; October 31, Southern Hemisphere), Midsummer (June 21, Northern Hemisphere; December 22, Southern Hemisphere), and Samhain (October 31, Northern Hemisphere; May 1, Southern Hemisphere). It is at these times that the veil between worlds is tangibly at its thinnest. If you work within another tradition that has dates particularly associated with faeries or spirits, then you should be sure to give offerings at those times. The phases of the moon have a magick that is above any details of human culture, so you may wish to leave offerings for the Faery beings at full moons and new moons particularly.
Remember…
Honour is not only in your outward acts towards Faery but is carried within you at all times.
Respect the everyday as much as the obviously magickal, for there is potential magick in every act and thought; all deeds both within and without send out ripples of consequence. A wise man once said to me, “You must wear your marigolds (rubber gloves worn for housework) at the same time as your crown,” meaning you must always keep grounded, not take yourself too seriously, and see the wonder in the mundane! I’ve never forgotten that, and it has served me well.
Always keep your promises, and don’t ever make promises you can’t keep. This goes for the everyday as well as with Faery! For one thing, they’ll know. For another, once you are on a path, you cannot choose to step on and off it to suit yourself. Learn to select your words carefully, and act within awareness.
Do not lie. Faeries may have a reputation for being mischievous and even amoral, but they do not lie. If they have been called deceptive it is because of their skills of glamour and illusion, but through the use of these they teach us much about ourselves if we are willing to listen, and we can start to see through the layers of illusion to the core’s light of truth.
When we can walk the path with truth and honour, we gain insight and knowledge not only of Faery but of our true selves. That is when we are ready to embrace magick.
Suggested Activities
Create
Perform the main exercise for this section, Building a Faery Shrine, and be sure to maintain it, keeping it clean and tidy. Lighting a candle, burning some incense, or placing the occasional new object on your shrine are ways of strengthening your bond with Faery and your allies. Your shrine will now be your point of focus for any daily practice you have developed.
Practice
Have a good think about what you can best give, and try to get into a regular rhythm of leaving offerings. Experiment with offerings during different cycles of the moon and make notes of any fluctuations of energy or response.
Respect
By now you should have identified at least one potential outdoor sacred space that is important to you. When you visit this space, try to remember to take a bag with you to clear any rubbish there might be in the area, and always act respectfully. Consider ways in which you might actively care for your local environment, including local groups and volunteering.
[contents]
chapter five
Magick
“I remember…I walked in Merlin’s footsteps, sometimes halting, sometimes fleet, with bright tremendous Powers and old Enchantment spiced with fear…”
Rosaleen Norton, Thorn in the Flesh
We now look to the direction of below, the moon, and the quality of magick (the “k” is used here simply to distinguish between true magick and stage magic). The cycles of the moon affect us all and are of great importance in magick, ruling the realm of dreams and instincts. But what exactly is magick? Indeed, even seasoned practitioners still debate the definition—and since there are so many paths, techniques, and practices, it is no wonder! On its most essential level, magick is the art of causing transformation according to will. This transformation must always begin with the self, for when the self is in balance and connected with the inner and outer worlds, then energy is free to flow in accordance with the will of the individual. Hence, if you have been performing the exercises featured in previous chapters, you have already set foot on a magickal path, as you have begun the process of self-transformation with the aid of the elements, the spirits of the land, and your Faery allies.
Each chapter builds on the next, so in this chapter we will cover the subjects of sacred space, tools, and consecration, and bring all our acquired knowledge and experience so far to bear in some simple magickal exercises.
The magick of Faery Craft is not attached to or dictated by any particular doctrine or religion, nor is it in discordance with any particular path (other than fundamentalists of any religion that may have their issues with aspects of it), so it is purely a matter for your personal judgement whether it is for you. Certainly you do not need to be Pagan or Wiccan in order to practice these skills. This is wisdom of the land and its intrinsic energies, and thus it is open to all who feel the call.
The Seven Directions and Sacred Space
In order to be connected to the inner spiritual dimensions of the landscape, it is helpful to be aware of the interplay of the elements around you and your place in the universe. We are taught to be humble and not self-centred, and indeed we are all just a small part of the vast, unknowable span of existence. However, we are a part of that universe, and no part can be insignificant. Without the sum of its many parts, existence would not be. We are all of us the weavers of our own web of existence, all the centre of our own magickal universe. This is a key understanding when seeking for connection and awareness.
When we consider this, we can visualize ourselves as a central crossroads where the directions and their elemental correspondences meet. A number of magickal traditions work with the four directions and their elements as east (air), south (fire), west (water), and north (earth). In Faery Craft we expand this to include the additional dimensions of above, below, and within.
East
East is associated with the element of air, and hence with sylphs. It is the direction of new beginnings, clarity, truth and inspiration. The east rules over the mental faculties. When you call on the east, visualize the colour yellow or gold and imagine a cool breeze coming from that direction. Feel the power of the breath entering and leaving your lungs.
South
South is associated with the element of fire, of which the elemental being is salamanders. This direction brings the qualities of will, passion, and action. The south rules our creative and passionate drives. When you call on the south, visualize the colour red and feel glowing warmth coming from that direction. Feel the power of the electrical impulses within your body and the energetic potential contained within your centre.
West
West is associated with the element of water and the elemental beings called undines. The qualities brought by water include wisdom, understanding, intuition, and healing. Water rules over the emotions and instincts. When you call on the west, visualize the colour blue and the sound of running water or waves coming from that direction. F
eel the flow of the water within your own body and how your emotions are affected by your surroundings.
North
North is associated with the element of earth and the qualities of endurance, stability, patience, and nurture. The elementals connected with this direction are gnomes. Earth rules over the physical body, your flesh and bones. When calling on the north, visualize the colour green, see and feel the presence of a mighty forest, and feel the stability of the earth beneath your feet.
Above
Above is the celestial realm, source of divine wisdom and the angelic and planetary powers. Above is the realm of our spiritual destiny and aspiration. When calling on the above, see a clear night sky and hear the song of the stars.
Below
Below is the realm of the ancestors, those who have walked these paths before us. It is also the land of the shining guardians of the inner, primal earth, the sidhe. When calling on the below, remember that every step we take is on the shoulders of the ancestors, and the land is made from their bones and blood. See a primal, vibrant landscape untouched by time and progress, and hear the deep, slow heartbeat of the land.
Within
Within is at the same time the divine celestial spark within ourselves and the spindle at the centre of all existence. When calling on the within, contemplate the vastness of the void and the huge potential of the divine self. Picture yourself as a star amongst a web of stars, and see the connecting energy between them all, with yourself at the very centre.
above: south/fire
below: east/sky
above: north/earth
below: west/water
Faery Craft: Weaving Connections with the Enchanted Realm Page 12
