Faery Craft: Weaving Connections with the Enchanted Realm Read online

  Glass Bottles

  Many people use plastic bottles to gather water from springs, rivers, or the ocean for their work, as they are lightweight and convenient. Unfortunately, plastic is an unnatural substance made from polluting chemicals and is thus unsuitable as a container for magickal energy, so try to use glass bottles instead. It is fine to reuse bottles that originally contained other liquids, providing that they are thoroughly cleansed.

  Offering Dish

  As has already been covered in the previous section, offerings are an extremely important part of Faery Craft, so it is a good idea to have a dish or dishes (again, not plastic) that are used purely for this purpose.

  Earth

  When consecrating tools, it is most effective to bless them by the four elements. You may wish to use a special stone or rock for earth, but another idea is to have a small wooden or ceramic box in which you keep earth, leaves, small pebbles, and so on from places that hold special significance for you. You can even ask friends to send you small quantities of earth from different sites around the world. Do be careful who you ask, though, as the average person is liable to think this a slightly odd request! I have a small box of earth from the different Celtic lands, and I use this for consecrating and sometimes for offerings, as it was a gift at my ordination and is sacred to me.

  Censer

  Loose-grain handmade incense burnt on charcoal is far preferable to joss sticks, so you’ll need either a censer or a ceramic dish dedicated to the purpose of burning incense. You may prefer something natural such as a large shell or even a flat rock on which you can place the burning charcoal disc.

  Candles

  A candle is the most obvious choice to represent the element of fire on your shrine or in any magickal work. If you can, try to get a special beeswax candle for use in consecrations.

  Exercise: The Consecration and Dedication of Tools

  Consecration need not be a hefty or complex process; indeed, it can be quite simple. There is no set technique for consecrating tools for working with Faery, and you may find and adapt your own methods based on this basic formula:

  Set up your sacred space in your preferred method (see sections on sacred space and the seven directions earlier in this chapter). Be sure to have representations of the four elements on your altar. Incense is normally used to represent the powers of air, a candle (red if you wish to use a colour) for the powers of fire, a chalice or bowl of water for water, and either salt, earth, or a sacred stone for the powers of earth. If you have magickal oil you can also use this to represent the fifth element of spirit, which also acts as a seal of the other elemental blessings. If you don’t have an altar, a special cloth that you bring out purely for this purpose and lay on the floor will be fine—just make sure that it is protected from any objects that may get hot, such as your censer if it is metal. Before you start, make sure that you have everything you need within your space.

  You may wish to allow words or song to arise within you as you pass your tool or object through the elements, or you may wish to write something beforehand. You may use the following example as a foundation for developing your own personal practice:

  By the east and the element of air I do bless this tool to bring clarity and truth to my Faery Craft. (pass item through the smoke of the incense three times in a clockwise circle)

  By the south and the element of fire I do bless this tool to bring will and passion to my Faery Craft. (pass item through the heat of the flame three times in a clockwise circle)

  By the west and the element of water I do bless this tool to bring healing and intuition to my Faery Craft. (sprinkle item with drops of water three times)

  By the north and the element of earth I do bless this tool to bring stability and strength to my Faery Craft. (either touch your item to the stone or sprinkle with earth or salt, depending on your preferred method)

  By the above, the realm of stars (present to the above), and the below, the realm of the ancestors and sidhe (present to below), and by my own ineffable divine spark that dwells within and the stars within the land itself, by the spindle of the web, I dedicate this tool to my Faery Craft for as long as it will work with me.

  Thank the powers and close the sacred space.

  Weaving Magick

  Faery magick has three main strands. There is magick that is performed in the otherworld, there is magick performed in this world, and there is magick that weaves the two together, the latter being the most profound. Magick encompasses many forms and methods but mostly follows the simple formula of intent + focus + energy + action = transformation. Thus the exercises throughout all the sections of this book are magickal, for they all use intent, focus, energy, and action in order to bring transformative powers into our lives, bringing us closer to connection and understanding.

  All of the above elements are equally important and must be in balance for magick to be effective, just like the ingredients of a recipe or the elements of a car journey—if you have no fuel and you don’t know the way, you won’t be going anywhere even if you may know where you want to go. Equally, if you have fuel and a working vehicle and even a map but no idea where you want to go, you could end up anywhere. The outcome is unpredictable and the journey pointless, as much of a waste of energy as if you were to perform magick for the sake of it but without any real intent or focus. Even if you have a decent car, fuel, map, and an idea of where you want to get to, you have to drive it! Without action, all the intent, focus, and energy in the world will only remain within yourself.

  Faery magick is essentially folk magick, simple and based in the world of nature. That, however, does not preclude exploration of other magickal paths in addition to Faery work; indeed, they can be complementary if the intent is in harmony and there is no conflict between practices. Knowledge expanded through a search for truth can only increase our understanding in other areas, all forming part of an enormous jigsaw puzzle. There are often as many moments of confusion and doubt as there are of illumination, if not more so, but with strength and persistence the light of truth is found and the patterns of connection become clear.

  Faery Magick and the Elements

  In Faery Craft we can use our understanding gained through contemplation of the elements and their different aspects as building blocks for practical magick. Here are some simple examples for you to try. You should recognise, within the simple formulae of these workings, the elements and the divisions of primal, living, and still that you were introduced to in chapter two. A good connection with our Faery allies and the world around us can teach us many such possible applications, which are simple yet potent techniques. Once you have tried these examples, work with your Faery allies to expand upon these principles and create your own practices.

  The following practical magick exercises show how, in Faery Craft, actions and instinctive connection with nature take the place of the human construct of “spells.” As implied by the name, spells are constructs of words and symbols designed to combine with energy and intent to bring about a particular result. The practical magick of Faery Craft takes us into the realm of nature and is reliant on our connection with the elements and the hidden beings of the inner landscape. These workings are exceptionally simple in construct, the strength being in the action, energy, intent, and connection.

  Exercise: To Be Rid of Negative Thoughts

  Sometimes we can get caught in negative thought patterns that can affect our well-being and ability to focus. For this simplest of magickal workings, take a walk by living water—either a stream, a river, or a waterfall. Whilst walking, bring the troubling thought to the front of your mind. Form the thought with as much clarity and definition as you can. Does it have a shape? A colour? A scent?

  When you have the thought defined within your mind and separate from the rest of your self (as well as you can manage this), find a small stick or piece of wood that has fa
llen near or on your path. Taking this piece of wood in your hand, stand by the running water and feel the connection with your surroundings.

  Call upon your Faery ally by whatever method you feel works for you, either internally or through words or song. Asking your ally to aid you in ridding yourself of this troubling thought, focus on your intent and the thought in as much detail as you can, taking a deep breath.

  With your piece of wood in both hands before you, visualise the negative thought and feelings associated with it leaving your body with your breath, and blow them into the piece of wood. Throw the piece of wood with as much force as you can muster into the water, then breathe in feelings of peace and unity from the landscape around you. Envisage the space that the evicted negativity has left behind being filled with golden light, making you whole once more.

  Give thanks to your Faery ally, and walk on without turning back either physically or mentally. This exercise may be repeated over a number of days if necessary.

  Exercise: To Aid in Healing

  This may be performed on your own behalf or another’s, but be sure that whomever you are intending to perform healing for has asked for your help, as healing should not be performed without permission. This practice will be most effective for ailments that are the result of infection or toxins in the system and can be combined with methods of hands-on healing as covered later in the chapter.

  Find a palm-sized stone out in the landscape that you feel somehow represents the person in need of healing. Call on your Faery ally to aid you in this work. Focus on the person and their ailment with as much detail as you can, and breathe into the stone.

  Next, either in a small pot or a location that you will easily find again, bury your stone in soil for one night, with the intent that any illness will seep out into the earth. The next day, take your stone and any soil that is still attached and wash it in living water—for example, a stream or a river—with the intent that you are washing away impurities. Hold your stone up to the sunlight and visualise the power of the sun filling the stone with golden light. You may now gift the stone to the person in need of healing so they may carry it with them or keep it close to their bed at night as a healing charm.

  This working may be adapted with intent to heal a particular location rather than an individual, leaving the stone in that location when the work is complete.

  The Importance of the Moon

  The quality of magick corresponds with the moon and the direction of below on the Faery Craft septagram, and the moon and her cycles are indeed useful things to bear in mind in the practice of magick. When the moon is waxing or full, it is a good time for productive or creative magick, building towards a goal. When she is waning, that is a good time for any clearing of blockages or banishing magick. When the moon is completely new and in her dark phase, this is the best time for any kind of divination or channelling work.

  The following simple magickal working builds on elements you should already be familiar with from earlier chapters. It is written here for the solo practitioner, but you may easily adapt it for group work if you wish. It is broken down into clear sections so that you can clearly see the structure. This will help you devise your own future ritual workings.

  Exercise: Full Moon Ritual

  Preparation

  This ritual must be performed outside under the light of the full moon, so you will need a suitable location where you will not be disturbed. You will need a chalice of water (preferably silver if you can manage it, but certainly of a natural substance and not plastic). If you have a wand, you may wish to use this for the circlecasting. You will also need to have an offering of food and/or drink prepared, traditionally a saucer of full-cream milk, but look to the section on offerings for other ideas. You will need to be aware of the directions, using a compass if necessary. You will also need a glass or ceramic container in which to keep your water after the ritual.

  The intent behind this ritual is to call on the energy of the moon, the seven directions, and your Faery allies to aid you in a creative goal for the month ahead, so be sure to have a positive goal in mind.

  Greeting and Asking Permission

  With all your tools and the offering prepared and accessible, centre yourself using the Becoming the Faery Tree exercise on page 50. Touch the fingers of your right hand (or left if you are left-handed) to your lips, heart, and forehead in turn as a greeting. With arms by your sides and palms facing forward, call to the spirits of the place:

  Spirits of this place, people of peace, dwellers of the hollow hills, I humbly greet you and ask you to grant your blessing upon this work tonight. I bring you this offering as a gesture of cooperation. I honour you and the spirit within all things.

  Present the offering and give the triple salute again. Wait until you feel that your request has been accepted or declined. If declined, give thanks and farewell to the spirits of place and proceed no further. You may wish to try again in a different location. If accepted, proceed as follows:

  Create Sacred Space

  Use the circlecasting technique detailed on page 136. If working in a group, you may wish to call to the seven directions with different people calling to each direction.

  Invocation

  Raise arms in a V shape up to the moon, with your chalice of water ready.

  Great Mother, mirror of the Source, gateway to the enchanted realm, I call to you! Blessed Queen of the tides of life, ruler of cycles both without and within, hear my call!

  Drawing Down the Moon into Water

  Holding your chalice in both hands, raise it up high over your head so that the light of the moon is reflected in the surface of the water. Hold this position and will the power of the moon into the water as you speak:

  As your silver light descends into this cup, so may your blessing fill this water. Imbue it with your great love so that it may carry your magick and inspiration forth into the world.

  Hold for a short time. When you are confident that the power has entered the water, bring the cup back down. Use your forefinger to trace a septagram in visualised blue light above the surface of the water to seal it.

  Blessing and Dedication

  Described here for solo ritual, this may easily be adapted and performed by one member of a group as priest/ess, with another of the group performing the blessing on the priest/ess at the end. Simply change the wording in each case to “your” instead of “my.” Hold the chalice of water in the left hand as you speak:

  I consecrate my body as a tool of creation and inspiration for my Faery Craft.

  (face east)

  May the spirits of air bless my thoughts with clarity and spiritual knowledge!

  (dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to forehead; face south)

  May the spirits of fire bless my centre so that my inner flame of divine inspiration will always burn brightly!

  (dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to solar plexus; face west)

  May the spirits of water bless my heart so that it may be open to the flow of truth and the purity of love.

  (dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to chest; face north)

  May the spirits of earth bless my hands so that they may be tools of sacred creation within the world, bringing the beauty of Faery into manifestation.

  (dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to centre of palms; face the above)

  May the spirits of the celestial realm bless my spirit so that it may shine like a star as a beacon for others.

  (dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to crown of head; face the below, crouching down if possible)

  May the spirits of the ancestral realm bless my feet so that they may walk with respect upon the sacred earth and ever feel the support of those who have walked these ways before me.

  (dip little fi
nger of free hand into water and touch to both feet; rise, and hold chalice in both hands over your centre)

  With the blessings of all the directions and my Faery allies, I will carry this light into the world. May it shine through my every action, through my work, and through every part of my being.

  (take sip of the water)

  Close the sacred space and give thanks to the spirits of place. You may store the rest of the water for use in other work.

  Other Subjects to Explore

  This is a huge area, and there is not enough room in this book to cover it all in detail. In addition to the foundation techniques covered so far, I have highlighted some areas that you may wish to explore in more detail if you feel called to do so. With the aid and advice of your Faery allies, through journey and meditation, and also simply through spending time in the landscape and being open to experiences, you may find yourself being called to delve further into any of these practices.

  Healing

  If you use or feel drawn to try any kind of hands-on energy healing, this can be greatly supported by connection to the land around you. I am particularly lucky to live near a river and a holy well, and when healing I connect to their energy, feeling the power of the water flowing through me and clearing away energetic blockages.

  Spirits of any of the elements may be able to help you in your healing work. Spirits of stone, hill, and mountain may help to bring stability and stamina or aid in healing bones, where the quality of stone is echoed in our bodies. Similarly, spirits of living earth may help with the healing of muscle and fleshy tissue. The energy of fire must be used with caution, but to have fire, or even just a candle nearby, to draw on when healing can add necessary focus and energy, bringing the light of hope to dark places. This connection can also be honed to purge unwanted energies but is not as gentle as water. Air, of course, can be called upon to help with respiratory ailments, and the power of breath can be used both to help in extracting what is not needed and bringing in favourable energies.