Faery Craft: Weaving Connections with the Enchanted Realm (2 page)

Introduction

“This is what Mr. William B. Yeats wrote to me, while this study was in progress, concerning the Celtic Fairy Kingdom: ‘I am certain that it exists, and will some day be studied as it was studied by Kirk…’ ”

W. Y. Evans-Wentz,
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries

T
he world of Faery has always been with us—from the time of our ancient ancestors and their deep connection with the land, forged from the need to survive; through the rise of Christianity, merging new beliefs with the old ways; through the Industrial Revolution and humankind’s rising need to “tame” nature; all the way into the twenty-first century. Beliefs and practices have changed much over the centuries, as fluid and mercurial as the shapeshifting realm of the otherworld itself, and yet, through all of that, the core of truth remains.

One hundred years ago, the anthropologist Walter Evans-Wentz undertook a remarkable task. Over the course of many months, he travelled to a great number of locations within the Celtic landscape of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Brittany, the Isle of Man, and Cornwall and interviewed those who had personal tales to tell of contact with the Faery realm or valuable gems of folklore. Most of the eyewitnesses he managed to interview for
The Faery-Faith in Celtic Countries
were extremely elderly, and it must have seemed as though contact with Faery was a fading relic of the past, a victim of the rising tide of industry and technology. Yet here and now, in an era of rapid progress and almost unbelievable technology, it is clear that the Faery faith is not only alive and well but thriving. After all, here you are—reading this book!

Why Faery Craft, not Faery Faith?

For good or bad, we do not live in an age of faith; we live in an age of science and proven results. However, there is no need to see this as being in opposition to a practice of magick or interaction with otherworldly beings. On the contrary, the need for experiential evidence and transformative results from our actions and interactions can do nothing but strengthen what is true and enable us to discard what is false or ineffective. These results may be subtle indeed, but for those who make genuine contact with the Faery realm, life will not be the same again.

Of course, this is also an age of quick fixes and instant gratification, which is a path that benefits no one. In order to truly gain wisdom and evolve as spiritual beings, we need the discipline of “Craft.” The term
Faery faith
implies a passive, though respectful, belief passed down through generations without it necessarily involving any experimentation, effort, or discovery. Faery Craft, on the other hand, is more evocative of a practical approach of work and collaboration with the Faery realm. The Craft is, of course, also a well-known term for Wicca and Witchcraft, for much the same reason: it is a discipline that requires practice and skill and produces results. So are you ready to roll up your sleeves?

Of course, it’s not all work and no play—this is Faery we’re talking about, after all! The Craft is, in essence, referring to the art of integrating Faery into our day-to-day lives, not as a form of escapism but as a way of truly engaging with the world on a deeper level.

A Note on the Spelling

For those of you drawn to this subject for the first time, the spelling of Faery/faerie as opposed to the usual “fairy” is used to differentiate between the modern, disempowered fantasy creation and the authentic living beings (faeries) and tradition (Faery), which can be surprisingly different from expectations!

Before We Go Any Further, What Exactly Is Faery?

“Something from the dawn of time. Who could possibly put a name to that?”

Captain Jack Harkness in “Small Worlds” (
Torchwood
season one)

There is certainly no “exactly” when it comes to Faery! What we understand as the Faery realm today is an umbrella term that covers a huge variety of beings and phenomena, from the piskies of Cornwall to the tall and noble sidhe of the Gaelic lands. But the Faery realm is by no means solely Celtic in nature or tradition. It encompasses the spirits of place and nature and otherworldly beings of the entire globe, which can vary in size and appearance as much as the landscape of the world itself—from the small yet potent to beings of almost unfathomable size.

They are the intelligence behind the living force of the planet, and as such they reflect the wondrous variety of our vibrant world. Their nature may be highly individual, part of a mass consciousness, or anywhere between, but they are living beings—with their own existences, functions, and goals—who inhabit a realm that is only separated from our own through a difference in frequency or resonance. Essentially they are around us all the time, in a more fluid and intangible form than our own comparatively solid reality. This makes sense on a scientific level when you realize that all matter is essentially energy, and its solidity is solely dependent on the speed at which the atoms are vibrating.

“Can you wonder that the People of the Hills don’t care to be confused with that painty-winged, wand-waving, sugar-and-shake-your-head set of impostors?”

Rudyard Kipling,
Puck of Pook’s Hill

We can add to our understanding by taking a moment to look at what they are not, for there are many misconceptions lurking in the guise of certain New Age teachings. They are not reflections of aspects of our personality, though they may choose to reflect those to us at times. Reducing magick and the otherworld to psychology is, in my opinion, one of the most harmful developments in magickal practice of the modern age. Neither are they all tiny winged striped-socks-wearing beings, though they may appear that way if they so choose. This is simply a modern fashion overhaul of the Victorian flower fairy. Faery beings do not simply giggle and play all day, though many are indeed fun loving, but they are as much a balance of light and dark as we are ourselves. I would also like to emphasize that working with them is about achieving mutual goals, not self-help. They do not exist purely to enhance our lives, though of course our lives are indeed greatly enhanced by their presence.

What is crucial to understanding is that Faery beings are our close relatives in the spiritual realm (hence they were and still are often referred to as “cousins”), and we are already connected to them, whether we are aware of it or not. The door is open—we need merely to learn how to perceive it and have the courage and discipline to walk through…

Why Work with Faery?

We are incomplete without interaction with the invisible realms of the inner earth. The land that Faery beings inhabit is the vibrant inner landscape of our world, where the full potency of the primal powers are preserved and may be accessed through our work to revitalize our own land and its inhabitants. To walk the earth in the pretence that all that exists is what is on the surface is almost like living off the leaves of a carrot. We may get dirt under our fingernails, but to delve a little deeper brings great rewards!

Denial of the spirit within the land has brought with it such severe destruction that the lasting consequences cannot be known. Although this century brings with it many great wonders, it also brings new terrors. Although we cannot know in detail the spiritual practices of our ancient ancestors, who depended on the land for their survival, in many ways we find ourselves full circle. We cannot help but be aware of the environmental crisis we find ourselves approaching, and our true dependence on the powers of nature is becoming more and more clear. Humankind’s attempt to tame the wild earth is failing, so it is time to revive our connection with the land through communion with our Faery allies. It is a common tendency to reach out to magickal beings for help, as we see them as being capable of great wonders beyond our means. However, it is of key importance to understand that in order to be truly effective in the physical realm, there are certain things that they need our help with. When we work with Faery, the whole definitely becomes more than the sum of its parts.

How Can This Book Help?

Faery Craft
brings together many strands of practice like never before to give you a comprehensive guide to human-faery relations. Together we will look not only at ancient folklore but also at contemporary experiences in the context of relevance to our own work with Faery, and we will explore practical exercises to expand our awareness and form new bonds with the spirits of the land. We will also be deepening our connection and perception of the elemental beings of earth, air, fire, and water as part of our awareness of the world around us. We will learn how to create sacred space, how to use tools from the world of nature, and how to recognize and locate places of power within the landscape.

There are many ways to work with Faery, and though it can be an individual path, we will also take an objective look at some of the traditions and teachings that have developed over the years and see what they may have to offer. Join me while we take an inside look at how different individuals and groups working (and playing!) in the world today express their connection and love for Faery, including the modern phenomenon of the Faery festival. We will explore the creative expression of the Faery community through interviews with some of the most outstanding artists, musicians, and authors in the field.

How to Use This Book

Faery Craft
consists of eight chapters, each of which is designed to build your strengths in the different qualities needed for Faery contact. The structure is built around the symbol of the Faery Star, or septagram, a symbol which has been used with many varying meanings throughout history and which I have used here in
Faery Craft
with original interpretations and meanings inspired by my own work with Faery. The “Faery Craft septagram” (as I have dubbed it) connects each point of the star with the seven directions of north, south, east, west, above, below, and within, which in turn are connected with the four elements and the sun, moon, and stars. From these we find our key
qualities
needed within ourselves for Faery Craft: knowledge from the east and the corresponding element of air (
chapter one
), connection from the stars and the direction above (
chapter two
), trust from earth in the north
chapter three
), honour from the direction of within and the power of the sun (
chapter four
), magick from the moon and the direction of below (
chapter five
), joy from the west and the element of water (
chapter six
), and inspiration from the element of fire in the south (
chapter seven
).

The eighth chapter represents the central point of balance within the star, where all the qualities meet. This may seem complicated or confusing now, especially if you are unfamiliar with the directions and elements, but don’t worry—all will become clear as the book progresses.

Faery Craft septagram
by Tamara Newman
(www.tamaranewman.com)

Seven Months in Faery

There is a tradition within Faery lore that tells of people taken into Faery for periods of seven months or seven years. If you feel drawn to do so, you may choose to take a chapter a month and work through the exercises contained within and at the end of each chapter a number of times during that month. This will give you time to thoroughly explore each quality and pace yourself as you progress, enabling you to establish practices and routines that will enrich your relationship with the world and its hidden depths for the rest of your life. Faery Craft cannot be rushed. There are exercises contained within each chapter and also additional exercises and suggested activities at the end of each chapter in order to make it clear to follow.

I strongly suggest that you keep a notebook or journal in order to record your experiences and progress, including any interesting dreams you may have during this time. Faery experiences can be powerful, but they can also be subtle, and it will be easier to remember key moments, messages, and images if you keep a good record. Things that may seem insignificant or nonsensical at the time can gain meaning later on.