Write a poem or song about your experience of the element of air.
Devise and perform a dance that expresses your experience of the element of fire (according to your physical capacity—even just hand movements can carry much energy and expression).
Using modelling clay, create a piece that expresses something of your understanding and experience of the element of earth. It may be as abstract or representative as you choose.
Paint an image in watercolours that expresses something of your experience understanding the element of water, as abstract or representative as you wish.
[contents]
chapter three
Trust
“Trust dreams, trust your heart, and trust your story…”
Neil Gaiman, Instructions
Chapter 3 is dedicated to the direction of north, the element of earth, and the quality of trust. In this chapter we will explore such themes as the land of Faery, the underworld journey, and finding a Faery ally. We will also look at the sacred landscape and learn about locations where our world and the otherworld interact, leading to a powerful exercise called Walking in Awareness.
At first glance you may wonder why this chapter is called “trust,” but in fact it is at this stage that trust becomes a vital quality in order to progress in Faery Craft. By this point you have built a foundation of knowledge and started to develop awareness of and connection with the land around you. In order to deepen your relationship with Faery and form bonds with sacred places, guardians, and Faery allies, you will need to be able to trust. It is usual at this stage to have lots of questions, the most common being “How do I know that what I am experiencing isn’t just in my imagination?” Questioning is an important process, and it is important not to blindly accept everything (remember, you can ask questions of your Faery allies when you start journeying and communicating with them). At the same time, it is possible to get caught up in unconstructive circular questioning that can only be escaped with the aid of trust.
Trust the work that you have done so far, trust your inner guides and allies, and, above all, learn to let go and trust yourself. The exercises and activities so far should have prepared you for taking your journey a step further, and as long as you stay grounded and true to yourself, the path will unfold before you…
The Land of Faery
“Sometimes lying on the hillside with the eyes of the body shut as in sleep I could see valleys and hills, lustrous as a jewel, where all was self-shining, the colours brighter and purer, yet making a softer harmony together than the colours of the world I know. The winds sparkled as they blew hither and thither, yet far distances were clear through that glowing air.”
AE, A Candle of Vision
Although we may encounter Faery beings in our realm when they choose to appear or in locations and times where the veil between our worlds is thinnest, the world that they inhabit has many differences from our own. It is also intimately linked with our world, and, though separate, is the same. Confused? Seeming contradictions such as this are part of the fascinating enigmatic riddle that is Faery.
Time and form work differently in the Faery realm—indeed, the whole realm is more fluid and less seemingly fixed than our physical world. It is the primal underworld, a place of restoration and renewal, untouched by time and the onslaughts of humanity and yet so interconnected with our world that our changes are keenly felt by them. Just as the seeming appearance of Faery beings changes through our own perceptions, so it is with their land, yet it makes it no less real. As our understanding of the nature of energy grows, so it may be that our perceptions grow closer to the truth, or at least closer to their own. You may find it helpful to consider the Faery realm as something akin to the original DNA of our world, containing the unspoiled blueprint of life, which may be used to restore what has been lost and damaged in our own realm. This is an interesting image when you consider that the road to the underworld is a spiral stair.
The Underworld Journey
As it is so difficult to describe the wonders of the land of Faery, I encourage you to visit yourself. There are many ways by which one might experience the land of Faery, all of which involve entering altered states of consciousness. The following method can be used by anyone, with no need for mind-altering drugs or plants, though in some cases it may take more than one attempt before results are achieved. For this technique you will need either a drum such as a bodhran, which gives a resonant beat, and someone to drum for you, or a recording of a steady drumbeat. These may be found quite readily and are used for shamanic journeying. You may find that you can journey well enough in silence or that you prefer another sound such as running water, ocean waves, the human voice, a musical instrument, or a rattle. This can only be discovered through experience and experimentation.
You will also need a place that you are familiar with in the physical realm that can act as a gateway to Faery. I strongly advise that this be a tree with a natural opening that you can visualize passing through and down into the roots, but other possibilities include a well, a gap in a hedge, or a cave. You do not need to be physically there when you are journeying (though if you are able and would not be disturbed there, it would enhance the experience), but you do need to have been there and be able to re-create it in your mind in strong sensory detail; i.e., sight, smell, touch, and sounds. If your visual imagination is not strong, concentrate on those senses that work best for you.
The following exercise is not a guided visualization, meditation, or pathworking. It is the foundation technique for sending your consciousness into other realms and can be adapted to many different intents and purposes. The most important first task when beginning to explore the inner landscape is to find guides and allies, so this is the intent for the following journey. These allies may take animal, human, or faerie form, and eventually you will gain a group of allies who will have different strengths and specialities, just as you do, that complement each other. They can then aid you in your further purposes, which must not be trivial or materialistic in motive. For example, once you have a guide or ally, you can ask them for assistance in leading you to places of learning to find inner teachers, further guides, or symbols for protection and empowerment.
It is often neglected and extremely important to realize that your guides are beings in their own right and not extensions of your psychology. As such, remember to ask on your journeys whether there are tasks in this world or theirs with which they require your assistance. This is the method by which strong partnerships and enduring friendships are formed.
Emily Carding, “The Invitation”
Exercise: Underworld Journey to Find a Guide
Make yourself comfortable in a place where you are absolutely sure you will not be disturbed. If you are unused to journeying, it is a good idea to find a space in your home or another secure indoor location where you can lie on the floor with uncluttered space around you. If the room is bright, use a scarf or something similar to cover your eyes. If you have someone to drum for you, be sure they know to keep a slow, regular beat, or find a good shamanic drumming track that you can play on headphones. Remember, you are listening for the sound between the beats; this resonant frequency will start to sound almost like song, forming a continuous note that aids in entering a trance state. Before you begin, arrange a callback signal with your drummer, such as three sets of three long beats followed by rapid drumming. Use this signal as an anchor or cord that guides you back to physical reality. Most drum tracks will have this, and you should allow about twenty minutes for your journey.
Take deep breaths and listen to the sound between the drumbeats. Allow it to transport you out of normal awareness. Feel the tension slipping from your body as if you are melting into the earth. Before you, you see the tree or other real-world location that you have chosen as your entry point into the underworld. Build as strong a picture as you can of this place—the
colours, the textures, the sounds, and the smells. Do not worry if in our world the entrance is too small for you to pass through; normal rules no longer apply. Either the entrance will grow, or you will shrink. It is possible that you may be met by a guardian at this point, or you may not. Allow for what naturally occurs, and remember to ask questions and not follow blindly or be discourteous. This is not fantasy or role-play; consider how you would act in real life. When you are ready, pass through the entrance.
Before you lies an ancient spiral staircase lit dimly by torchlight. It is spiraling downwards through the earth. Feel the walls; feel the stone beneath your feet. Is there any dampness or moss, or is it dry? Travel down the spiral stairs, deep down into the roots of the tree. Take your time, travelling slowly down the spiral stairs.
The stairs start to brighten, and eventually you emerge into a large cavern of reddish clay. The cavern seems to emit its own light. From above, you can see the roots of a great tree have pushed through the earth and are growing all around you. There are several passageways leading off from the cavern. There may be symbols above these entrances or there may not be. If there are, try to remember them, and make note of them when you return. Before you, sitting in the roots of the tree, is a large being who seems to be part man and part beast. He sits calmly, waiting for you to approach. If he addresses you first, state your business politely and firmly. You tell the figure that you are here to find a guide to the otherworld to help you with your journeys and your work with the Faery realm. He may or may not have more questions, which should all be answered truthfully and politely.
The guardian beats a staff upon the ground, and potential guides of many forms appear—some of which you may recognize, others that you may not, and yet others that seem to continually shift shape. Perhaps it will be only one who enters the chamber. If any seem to act aggressively or are clearly uninterested, they are not your guide. One or more may approach you. Always greet them and ask if they are your guide or if they have another purpose or perhaps a message for you. It is also possible that you will find a power animal or teacher at this point.
Once you have found a guide or power animal, it is best not to attempt to achieve more on a first journey unless they have something important to show you. Ask them to return with you.
Together you travel back up the spiral stairs. Eventually you re-emerge at your original starting point. Either wait here and converse with your guide until the call-back signal or cross your arms across your chest as a signal to your drummer that you are ready to return.
When you are ready, open your eyes and make notes immediately, as some details that may be important later can fade with time. Be slow and careful getting up, and have a glass of water and a small bite to eat or rub your hands with salt to ground yourself.
Maintaining the Relationship with Your Allies
Now that you have formed a link with an otherworldly being, it is important to maintain it, just as you would with any friendship. You can use the basic formula of the journey above to meet with your guide or ally, and if you inform them of your intent, they can help you to find your way in the otherworld, perform tasks, learn, and find more allies. Some will be with you for life, others only for a limited time, for specific tasks. Some will be limited geographically to certain locations; others may be able to travel with you wherever you go. Over time, if you journey regularly, you will build many alliances. You do not need to be in a journey to call upon them; they are with you all the time. Whenever you need strength and support, call on your allies. Remember that in return, they can call on you. Trust them, and never take them for granted.
The Sacred Landscape
“This is a faery stream we’re passing; there were some used to see them by the side of it, and washing themselves in it. And there used to be heard a faery forge here every night…”
Lady Gregory, Visions and Beliefs in the West of Ireland
Although the imagination is a valuable tool of perception when properly trained with experience, our first point of contact with the Faery realm must always be in the landscape around us, not in our heads. Too much meditation or journey work without a connection with the land can lead to a difficulty in sensing what is genuine contact and what is illusory. This is why it is important that you are experienced in performing the contemplations of the elements outside in the landscape as featured in chapter two, Connection, before you progress to deeper journey work such as the Underworld Journey.
Regular contact with nature not only enhances our link with the Faery realm and our ability to sense Faery beings, but it also helps to keep us grounded in our bodies and aware of the physical world around us. We don’t necessarily need to live near obviously marked sacred sites to find points in the landscape where our realms overlap; in fact, the most powerful place for you will be the site where you find yourself undisturbed by the footsteps of well-meaning spiritual tourists.
Trees
Trees are our closest spiritual relatives in the plant kingdom, with their roots reaching into the underworld and their branches like arms reaching towards the sun. As such, they are an excellent first point of contact with the inner spiritual landscape and its inhabitants. Many trees have a strong individual spiritual presence. Others have something more like a hive consciousness, and others can act simply as a window or bridge into another reality. The latter are often hollow trees or trees that have an obvious opening in the roots through which our energy bodies can travel into the underworld. Trees such as oaks, which have a very strong individual presence, can often be home to dryads, who can be useful allies in the Faery realm if they are willing to work with you. Like people, they have distinctive personalities and even moods (though their moods are far slower to change than humans, of course). You must bear this in mind when trying to make contact with the spirit of a tree, for if it is hostile, it is best to leave it alone and find a contact that is more amenable. When first opening your sense to energy, it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between positive and negative signals. This is something that will come with practice as you hone your intuition and ability to interpret the signal that you are receiving. Again, contact with trees is an excellent place to start!
First Contact
When you have found a tree that you feel drawn to make contact with (for trees particularly associated with Faery, see chapter five’s section on tools), try not to make the mistake of blundering in without properly introducing yourself. Would you go up to a stranger on the street and hug them? Probably not, and if you did, it would most likely result in total bafflement at best.
To begin, stand a short distance from the tree and take in every detail that you can, using all your senses. Breathe deeply and slowly, remembering that the tree inhabits a very different rhythm of life but is no less alive than you are. Mentally acknowledge the individual physical and energetic signature of the tree, and open up your own energy to make a tentative first connection by opening your arms, palms open and facing out. If you feel that it is appropriate, approach the tree slowly with one hand outstretched. With the palm open, see if you can sense the energy field of the tree as you approach, stopping either when you feel the edge of the energy field or when you have an impulse to do so. If you are not used to sensing energy and are unsure what to be looking out for, it may manifest as a temperature change or a tingling sensation or even an unusual sensation elsewhere in the body. If at this point you feel the tree does not wish to make contact, it is best to politely withdraw. If, however, you feel welcome to proceed, you may greet the tree and move on to touch the bark of the trunk.
If you are unsure how to greet the tree, this may simply be an energetic exchange or you may choose to sing a short phrase or note. I use a simple salute in which I touch my lips, heart, and forehead and then present my hand outwards in a giving gesture. This represents the devotion, truth, and union of words, thoughts, and deeds, and I also use it to greet
sacred sites. Now it is time to close your eyes and allow the energy to flow between yourself and the tree. Images, sensations, and sounds or simply a feeling of peace may come. You are likely to have different experiences with different trees. If the tree is willing, send your awareness into its roots and then into its branches. Try to gain a sense of the tree as a living and aware being. When you have spent the time that you both need for this contact, which you should feel naturally, withdraw gently and give your farewells. If you have had a positive experience, your link will strengthen with repeated visits and you may well forge a valuable inner world contact. This can be further sealed with appropriate offerings and journey work.
Natural Gateways
Gateways are portals found within nature where it is possible to pass through from this worldly awareness into otherwordly awareness. They are an excellent place to begin a walking meditation such as the Walking in Awareness exercise at the end of this chapter. The most common gateways found in nature are when two powerful trees grow together and their branches link overhead. There is a strong energetic presence when this happens, and you may sense or even see a distortion in the air between them. This most commonly occurs with trees most strongly linked to the Faery realm (as you will see listed in the tools section of chapter five).
Exceptionally powerful gateways may be found when natural arches or holes azre formed from stone, such as in St. Nectan’s Glen in Cornwall or Arch Rock on Mackinac Island, Michigan. Caves are obvious gateways into the otherworld and the perfect place to contact and experience earth elementals and underworld beings. Other gateways may be found simply in a gap between hedges or stones. To acknowledge the gateway and experience the shift in awareness, move forward with awareness and stand between the two trees (or whatever is forming the gateway) with your arms reaching to either side, palms outwards. Breathe, close your eyes, and simply experience. When it is not possible to stand in the gateway, you will still find the area around the site to be magickally charged and a good place for connection.
Faery Craft: Weaving Connections with the Enchanted Realm Page 9