Many years ago I performed a similar exercise, and it was one of the most profound experiences of my life, which is why I suggest it to you now. I set off into the landscape of Roslin Valley in Scotland with the intent of finding an animal ally that would work with me in the otherworld. I wanted to see that magick could manifest in the physical world, to prove to myself that it wasn’t merely a creation of my imagination or a psychological illusion. I had no mobile phone, nor did anyone know where I was, and the landscape was unfamiliar so there was an added element of risk. After walking a short distance into the wooded valley, I heard the hooting of an owl—rather surprisingly, as it was the middle of the day. The owl followed me for some time, moving from tree to tree in the branches above my head. As amazing as this was (and the ally has stayed with me to this day), I knew that there was more to come.
It was an incredibly wet day, with the kind of heavy summer rain that thoroughly drenches you to the point at which you no longer care, as you know you can’t get any wetter. As I wound my way down the valley, a movement caught my eye down by the stream many metres below—an otter? I leaned over on the muddy bank to get a better look and slipped. I started to slide uncontrollably down the steep, wet slope, catching hold of thorns and brambles to slow my fall. After sliding down about thirty feet, I finally managed to stop. There was still about the same distance again to travel downwards before I reached the valley floor, and no way to scramble back up to the path in the wet conditions. After mulling it over for some time, I realized that I would have to keep sliding, giving up control and trusting the journey. Eventually, much relieved and unharmed save for a few scratches and bruises, I reached the valley floor, full of joy and amazement at my adventure.
Then the most wonderful thing happened. The sun came out and shone in a dazzling golden ray onto the stream. It was shining directly onto a beautiful red deer that was standing in the stream and looking right at me; I knew I had found what I was looking for. The experience left me in no doubt, and I treasure the memory to this day.
Exercise: Walking in Awareness
Choose a location to begin your journey. This does not necessarily need to be somewhere familiar to you; indeed, I recommend when you are confident in the technique to try it in places that are completely new to you, but it is advisable to start somewhere where you will be undisturbed. If, as the journey goes on, you do encounter people, treat them as part of your journey. Wisdom and insights can come from unexpected places! Begin with the Faery Tree exercise as featured earlier in the book, drawing energy from above and below to meet in your centre. See the energies meeting at your heart centre in a warm golden light. Now, instead of releasing the energy back to the above and below, allow the golden light to grow and expand around you. Keeping your breathing steady, see the light reach from you, into your surroundings, in tendrils. These tendrils reach in all directions, connecting to the life around you. The light mingles with the energies of trees, of bushes, and of any creatures or energy beings in the area.
Can you feel a response from the life that you connect with? You can choose to either stay with this moment and then allow the energy to return to you, releasing it to the above and below, or you can hold on to this awareness and start to move forward into the landscape. If you are standing at a gateway, be aware of the gateway as an entrance into a new space, a new level of awareness.
Using the tendrils as a guide, feel your way through the landscape. Where does the energy draw you? Are you pulled along a path? Are you drawn to connect with a particular place on the landscape? Pay close attention to all around you…every breeze, every quivering leaf, every sound of a passing bee or bird. This is all part of the greater pattern of existence, the web of life in which you are now an active and aware part. Look at every detail. Listen intently to every sound. Where are you being led? What are you being told? Savour every fragrance in the air and every texture. Touch and feel the bark, the grass, the moss. Rub leaves between your fingers.
We are surrounded by a world of amazing sensory experience that we are often closed to, our minds busy with our lives and other matters. All this mental clutter is put aside, all that is now is the moment, the place where you are now and the feelings you are experiencing. Allow yourself to be guided by sensation and energy through the landscape. Look with both your inner and outer senses. Uncover your own adventure. Make connections and discoveries or simply find the peace of oneness. Pay attention…trust… if you truly pay attention, you will not get lost (unless you are meant to).
When you are ready, return to your original location, bring your tendrils back into your centre, and return the energy back to the above and below, thanking the land and its spirits for the experience. Sit with the experience for a while, and make any notes that you wish. A drink and a small bite to eat, or rubbing your hands in salt, should ground you. Though everyday life cannot be conducted in this intense level of awareness, your everyday awareness and sensitivity will naturally be expanded. This exercise can and should be repeated on a reasonably regular basis and in different locations.
Suggested Activities
Practice
Perform the exercise Walking in Awareness as featured above at least once during this month. If possible, try doing it during different phases of the moon, and make notes on any differences in energy and experiences.
Experiment
Experiment with a number of different dowsing techniques, and compare results. Find a simple technique that works best for you.
Create
Using the techniques covered in this chapter, find a natural object that you feel will help you connect to your Faery ally. For example, if your ally seems particularly earthy, you may choose a stone, pebble, or piece of wood, or if they seem connected to the element of air, perhaps a feather, and so on. Obviously, if there is a definite combining of elements, you may choose to combine a couple different items. Be sure to reach out to the spirits of place with your heart and mind and ask permission before you take anything, and leave something in its place if it feels necessary.
Now you may choose to embellish your object as much or as little as you like, to empower it with a personal creative touch. Perhaps if a symbol comes to mind that relates to your ally, you could paint it onto your item, or you could decorate it in any way that seems appropriate to you, bearing in mind keeping it as natural and organic as possible.
[contents]
chapter four
Honour
“The nature of those spirits, or Elves, is they are affected with and Love all those that Love them, & hate all those that hate them; yea they Know both our minds & thoughts in a great measure, whereby it comes to pass, that we may Easily Move them to come to us, if we Rightly understand the Rules thereof.”
The seventeenth-century Sloane MS 3825
In this chapter we will look at ways we can best honour our relationship with Faery and the world around us. This most important quality, so often neglected in our modern consumerist society, is connected to the sun and the direction of within. The symbolism of this assignation in itself says much about the focus of these pages. The sun represents the centre of our spiritual being and our own innate divinity. Just as the actual sun brings light, warmth, and life to the world, dispelling shadows of illusion, so we should draw on and express that energy within ourselves, casting off lies, doubts, betrayal, and deception to shine with an inner light of truth and honour. If we live our lives true to this inner radiance, then the Faery beings, spirits of place, and ancient gods will sense it and respond accordingly.
Here we will cover in detail the all-important subjects of shrine building and offerings, as well as a reminder of the importance of etiquette when dealing with Faery.
Shrines
To create a permanent sacred space that honours your Faery allies and strengthens your connection with them, you may wish to build a shrine, either within a special design
ated area of your home or (more appropriately for work with Faery) in an outdoor space. This can be as subtle and minimalist or as extravagant and over the top as you like—it is your personal expression of your devotion to Faery.
A shrine becomes a focal point for your interactions with Faery. Through regular use and leaving of offerings, it will become a meeting point between the worlds, and Faery beings and elemental spirits will be attracted to it. For this reason, if you choose or are compelled by circumstance to build your shrine within your home, do try to keep it as far as physically possible from any electrical items, especially computers! Not only will they play havoc with your equipment, but the electrical energy interferes with their ability to interact with you clearly as well. Imagine it as being rather like static noise or crossed lines on a telephone.
A common problem that some people have is that they share their space with people who may not be very understanding of their beliefs. Your shrine can be a simple as a painting or a single statue on a table or shelf. If it serves as a point of focus and you can regularly burn a candle or some incense near it, it can be just as potent a shrine as the most flamboyantly decorated creation.
Most shrines tend to build up over time around a main focal point, for which I recommend a statue, painting, or photograph. If there is a painting or photograph that transports you or that gives you feelings or impressions when you spend time looking at it, that will be perfect. Be creative and let yourself be inspired; shrine building can be fun!
Candles (remember never to leave them burning unattended), statues, crystals, stones, and objects collected from nature can combine to make a beautiful sacred space. You may also choose to keep your Faery Craft tools on your shrine (more about these in the next chapter), as once they have been dedicated you would be well advised to keep them in a special place and not let others touch them (unless you feel called to do so or it is under special circumstances). Certainly if you have space it is a good idea to have representations of the four elements on your shrine. Although you will probably accumulate all kinds of bits and bobs over time and your shrine may become quite abundant (cluttered), try to keep it as clean and tidy as you can to keep the energy pure.
Exercise: Building a Faery Shrine
As you have already read, there are no dictatorial rules for your shrine. Indeed, the more personal it is to you, the better. However, here are some ideas to get you started…
The first consideration must be location. Will yours be an outdoor or an indoor shrine, or will you have both? Outdoor shrines are preferable as good focal points for offerings, and indoor shrines are useful places to keep sacred objects that wouldn’t last outdoors, as well as a focus for meditation. You should choose somewhere that will be undisturbed, easy to keep clean, and as peaceful as possible.
Gather the items that you wish to form the foundation of your shrine, bearing in mind that natural materials are preferable. If you have been working your way through all the exercises and activities in the book so far, you should have a number of objects with which to build your shrine. It is a good idea to have a single focal point, such as a painting or statue, and then build around that, adding objects in such a way that are aesthetic and meaningful. Before you begin, be sure that the area is clean and free from clutter. You will also need a chalice or bowl of water (from a natural source such as a spring, lake, river, or the sea, if possible) and some incense. You may use these initially to cleanse the energy of the space (see next chapter for more details if you are uncertain), and you will also need them at the end.
The placing of each object should be done with focus, positive intent, and significance. To use the objects from your previous activities and exercises as an example (this works best for an indoor shrine; use your judgement as to what items will withstand being left outdoors), you may wish to use your creative piece based around the symbol of your choice as a central focus. To the north of this, you may wish to place your clay object that you made to represent your experiences of the element of earth, with your painting of water to the west, your poem or song for air written neatly and placed in the east, and a candle in the south. Choose which direction best suits your Faery ally, and place the object that you found and decorated for them in an appropriate place. This gives you a good starting point, and shrines do tend to grow and change over time—for example, an indoor shrine may be an excellent place to keep your Faery tools, which will be covered in the next chapter, Magick.
Once you are happy with the way that your shrine looks, light your candle and call your Faery ally to you to help with the dedication. With incense burning, take your water and, using your fingers, sprinkle it lightly three times over your shrine. Words or a song of dedication or even a dance may come to you as you do this. Ask your ally for inspiration. It may be as simple or as elaborate as you wish, but it should be heartfelt, dedicating your shrine to your Faery Craft. If at this stage you feel drawn to make any promises connected to your ally and your work with Faery, be sure that you will be able to keep them. If your shrine is outdoors, this is a good time to make a hearty offering of wine or mead!
Once you have completed this work, sit quietly in contemplation with your shrine for some time before blowing out your candle and thanking your allies.
Offerings
One of the most practical and effective ways of strengthening or building your connection with the Faery realm is through offerings. This is an area that seems to prompt far more questions than it does helpful answers, so I will address this issue in detail here. Let’s start with the fundamentals.
An offering is a gift of energy from you to the beings you wish to build a relationship with. It is therefore important to consider what you can give that they will appreciate and respect. It is also extremely important to consider the impact of your offering upon the physical environment, as the spirits of that place will not work with you if you do not show respect for the area over which they are guardians. For example, if you are leaving a plate of food for them, remember to be certain that any creature that comes along will not be harmed by eating any of that food. Faery beings will sometimes take the form of physical creatures, “borrowing” their bodies or sending them as representatives, and of course it is of utmost importance to live with awareness and respect for all living things when working with Faery. Continuing with this example, once the food has been out for one night, then the offering is complete. If it has been accepted it will either have been consumed by creatures or the energy inherent in the food will have been taken out by the Faery beings. Any food that remains the next day must be either buried, burnt, or disposed of appropriately and not left to rot on the shrine or site. Any remains or debris left on a shrine or sacred site detracts from the purity of the energy, gives disrespectful signals to the spirits of the place, and can only attract negativity.
For offerings to be most effective, it is helpful to really put some thought into them. Think about what it is that you contribute creatively to the world, what your strengths are, and how you can incorporate that into your offerings. For example, if you enjoy baking, then you could make cakes or bread with appropriate herbs (remembering, of course, to burn or bury them after one day/night). A writer may wish to write and recite a poem, an artist may paint or draw something in their honour, a singer may sing a song. Indeed, we all have a unique energy signature that is carried in our voice, and one of the very best ways to connect with Faery is through singing from the heart, even if you don’t consider yourself a singer. It is not for the judging outside world to hear, it is for the Faery beings, and they hear with their hearts. Through song we can directly connect our energy to theirs, and you may find that the more you use your voice in this way, the stronger both your voice and Faery connection will become. The great advantage of song as an offering is, of course, that it is always with you and leaves no trace in the environment.
Offerings are very closely tied in to the concepts of sacr
ed space and spirits of place. To build a strong relationship with your allies and the spirits where you live and wish to do your magickal work, you should leave regular offerings in the same place, at the same time, and in the same way. If you have a garden, then it would be a good idea to have a special part of that garden put aside for your offerings. Ideally you can build a simple shrine, but of course that is not possible for everyone, nor is it essential. Faery is a path that does not require trimmings or tools but integrity, truth, and purity of intent.
If you do not have a garden, then find a particular area, tree, or plant within the land around you where you feel the energy of nature most strongly, then spend as much time there as you are able and use that space for your offerings and as a meeting point in this world between you and the Faery realm. Be aware that if you do set yourself a regular routine, it is important to maintain it or you may inadvertently cause offense. To begin with it is best to start with a regular monthly offering that is easy to remember, perhaps at the full moon. As you develop, you will find that your relationship with different beings at different sites will grow, and your way of leaving offerings will adapt according to the responses you receive.
Some Suggestions and Important Dos and Don’ts
A Bowl of Cream or Milk
This is a traditional household offering, particularly at the full moon, as the offering mirrors the appearance of the moon. Always use fresh full-cream milk, and give them the first of any bottle/carton if you can. This is an easy routine to maintain, and any remaining milk can be poured directly onto the land the next day.
Faery Craft: Weaving Connections with the Enchanted Realm Page 11