Faerie 101: how do you start? part 1

gardenofthequeen:

How does one start working with fairies? Part 1

For those that may be confused

• Faerie 101: Part 1 What are Faeries?

“A fairy (also fay, fae; from faery, faerie, “realm of the fays”) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature in European folklore, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural….” -Wiki

There are various fae-like or fairies from different cultures and mythologies all across the world, though the word “faery” originates from Europe. 

So you wanna work with fairies! but…how do you begin? I would suggest the following steps

• Research (read folklore, personal experiences of others, etc)
• learn how to protect yourself
• how do you want to work with them? religiously? purely work-based relationship? other?
• where?? here or over the fence? (in their lands)

You can learn a lot about fairies from folklore, both historical and modern. Take time to read about them and to get a feel for them. 

Some things I suggest learning about

• Trooping, Solitary, and Exiled fairies
• different kinds of fairies 
• what fairies like (things that can attract them)
• what fairies don’t like (things that can ward them)
• how they can act
• how they can treat people 
• what to do and not to do around them

Trooping, Solitary, Exiled?

The trooping fairies contain the aristocracy of the fairy world, including the Irish Aos Sí.^[7] They are known as trooping faeries because they travel in long processions, such as the one from which Tam Lin was rescued.^[15] But the trooping fairies also include other fairies of lesser importance; a trooping fairy can be large or small, friendly or sinister.^[16]-Wiki

Trooping fairies are basically fairies that live within a group. They are the courts, the clans, the communities. They are also known as social fae.

Solitary fairies are basically what they seem to be. Fairies that live alone or in very small groups (usually family groups of around five or under). They live alone or live around people. A lone brownie in your home is an example of a Solitary fae.

The Fairy Queen banishes from Fairyland any fairy who disobeys her orders. Then the exile wanders about alone through the land in search of companions. As the queen’s subjects shun the banished fairy man or woman, he or she must needs make friends with human beings.

-source

These fairies can either be solitary or migrate into a new trooping. They were once apart of a group, but were banished by their rulers. 

Planning

Its also a good idea to figure out how you want your relationships to be. How will you treat them? How do you expect to be treated? If you plan on inviting them into your home, you may want to create a “rule list” that will be followed. 

It is your domain. The fairies might be a guest, but they should respect your home and land. 

You may want to physically make a rule list and place it in your home.

I would also suggest coming up with a “face name” or something different that you use around the fairies. Fairies have many names, so they most likely will not notice if you use a different name around them.

Local, Wandering, Arcadian?

The next step is to figure out if you want to work with fairies in your local area? Travel to see them? A combination?

• How I categorize Fae: Part 1 Location

-Local Fae: These fae exist and live on our side of the fence, within our own realm. They willingly (but not always) came to our realm to physically live.

-Wandering/Traveling Fae: Traveling Fae are wanderers. They constantly travel from realm to realm in a nomadic-like lifestyle. 

-Arcadian Fae: The fae that exist and live on the other side of the fence, within the faelands. They, on occasion, do travel into our realm, but usually for specific purposes. 

Depending on that will help narrow down what you should do. 

Next Parts:

• part 2- Working with Local Fae
• part 3- Working with Arcadian Fae

  

Fae Offerings

lavenderwrath:

Beer: This is made from fermented barley, a favorite grain of the faeries. Beer-making is a process that requires the blessings of the faeries, particularly if you want everything to come out tasting “good.” In exchange, the faeries are fond of offerings of beer, especially barleywines, bocks, and Belgian ales.

Cakes and Candies: Like children, the faeries have a sweet tooth that is satiated by cakes and candies.

Dairy Products: Because of their association with farm animals and the first milking at Imbolc, faeries appreciate offerings of milk, butter, cheeses, and so forth. Because milk is associated with the Mother, it is a favorite of faeries. If milk either goes bad or is spilled, it is seen as an offering to the faeries.

Fruit: Traditionally, the first and last piece of fruit on a fruit tree is left as an offering to the faery energy. The faeries are fond of all kinds of fruit is left, such as apples, peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums, and pears.

Honey: The faeries’ sweet tooth is satisfied by a bit of honey. Offering wild honey is best.

Juice: The faeries have a fondness for fruit juices, which were traditionally termed “the nectar of the gods.” They prefer naturally sweet juices, such as apple, grape, and cherry.

Spices: The faeries are attracted to spices that are aromatic, such as ginger, bay, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, and basil. Faeries are fond of teas, especially those made from sassafras, chamomile, and vanilla. Various teas have a soothing and healing effect on them.

Vegetables: As with fruits, oftentimes the first and last part of a harvest, such as the last corn stalk, is left as an offering to the faeries. Besides corn, other vegetables that the faeries especially enjoy include carrots, summer squash, beans, toma- toes, and sugar peas. When chopping vegetables, take the last piece and put it in the compost as an offering to the faeries.

Water: Being one the basic Elements, faeries prefer water that is pure and natural, with no chemicals. Mountain streams, with water that’s as pure as the Earth itself, are what the faeries like best.

Wines and Spirits: Certain house faeries were usually given the task of pro- tecting the cellar, the storehouse of beers, wines, and spirits. Wine-making, like beer-making, is a process the faeries can help or hinder. The faeries are always appreciative of an offering of wine and spirits to enjoy in their celebrations.

(x)

  

Books and Resources (Paganism, Witchcraft and More)

natural-magics:

This list has been updated over the years and will continued to be updated over time. If you re-post this elsewhere, kindly credit me because it’s taken a long time to compile what I feel are useful resources on the following topics. The very basics are covered in my FAQ.

Last updated: 6/20/2015

Paganism:

• A Pagan Primer — For Those New to Paganism
• Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by River and Joyce Higginbotham
• Pagan Spirituality: A Guide to Personal Transformation by River and Joyce Higginbotham
• Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America by Margot Adler
• Connecting to the Power of Nature by Joe H. Slate
• Exploring the Pagan Path: Wisdom from the Elders (a collection of articles, essays and general commentary from various pagan authors)
• ChristoPaganism: An Inclusive Path by River Higginbotham and Joyce Higginbotham
• Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe by H.R. Ellis Davidson

Wicca:

• Wicca for the Rest of Us
• Wicca Resources
• Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin
• Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner 
• The Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald Gardner
• The Spiral Dance by Starhawk (most recent edition only, old editions have inaccurate info that has since been updated)
• Elements of Ritual: Air, Fire, Water & Earth in the Wiccan Circle by Deborah Lipp
• Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Scott Cunningham) – note that this book is somewhat outdated, due to it being written in the 1980s.

Witchcraft (non-Wiccan):

• The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft by Judika Illes
• Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells by Judika Illes
• Crone’s Book of Charms & Spells by Valerie Worth
• Witchcraft: a History by P.G. Maxwell-Stuart
• Mrs. B’s Guide to Household Witchery by Kris Bradley
• Candle Magic for Beginners by Richard Webster
• Master Book of Candle Burning by Henry Gamache
• A Grimoire for Modern Cunningfolk by Peter Paddon
• Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways by Gemma Gary and Jane Cox
• Non-Wiccan Witchcraft Reading List
• Witch of Forest Grove: Sarah Anne Lawless
• Welcome to Witchcraft - A Post for Beginners
• The Salem Witch Hunt: A Brief History with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture) by Richard Godbeer
  

Witchcraft by Type:

• Hedge Witchery Resources
• Traditional Witchcraft Resources
• Historical Witchcraft Books
• Sea Witchcraft Resources / Sea Witchcraft Tag
• Cottage Witchcraft Resources
• Kitchen and Green Witchcraft Resources
• Green Witchcraft: Walking the Green Path
• Kitchen in the Cottage
• Urban Witchcraft Resources
• College Witchcraft/Tips

Chaos Magic:

• What is Chaos Magic?
• Resources for Sigil Magic and Crafting
  

World Mythology:

• www.sacred-texts.com (free archive of online books about religion, mythology, folklore, and the esoteric)
• Mythology: Myths, Legends and Fantasies by Alice Mills
• Illustrated Dictionary of Mythology: Heroes, Heroines, Gods, and Goddesses from Around the World by Philip Wilkinson
• The Oxford Companion to World Mythology by David Leeming
• World Mythology: The Illustrated Guide by Roy Willis

Hellenic Polytheism and Greek Mythology:

• www.hellenion.org
• www.theoi.com
• neokoroi.org
• baringtheaegis.blogspot.com
• Hellenic Recon Beginner’s Guide
• Reconstruction of Hellenic Polytheistic Practices
• Hellenic Calendar
• An Outline for a Presentation on Hellenismos
• Hellenic Resources by Bayoread
• Hellenic Resource Download Bundle 1 by Elaphos
• Hellenic Resource Download Bundle 2 by Elaphos
• Orphic Incenses
• Hellenic Terminology
• Treasury of Greek Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, Goddesses, Heroes & Monst​ers by Donna Jo Napoli
• D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d’Aulaire
• Old Stones, New Temples by Drew Campbell
• Greek Mythology and Prehistory by W. Harris
• The Gods of Reason by Timothy Jay Alexander
• A Beginner’s Guide to Hellenismos by Timothy Jay Alexander
• Hellenismos Today by Timothy Jay Alexander
• The Complete World of Greek Mythology by Richard Buxton
• Did the Greeks Believe in Their Myths? by Paul Veyne
• Kharis: Hellenic Polytheism Explored by Sarah Kate Istra Winter
• Homer’s Iliad, The Odyssey and Homeric Hymns
• The Homeric Hymns (PDF) and The Orphic Hymns (PDF)
• Homer’s Odyssey (PDF)
• Homer’s Iliad (Theoi.com)
• Hesiod: Works and Days (PDF version here)
• The Theogony of Hesiod (PDF version here)

Magic in Ancient Greece:

• Magic in the Ancient Greek World by Derek Collins
• Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds by Daniel Ogden
• Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds by Georg Luck
• The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation (PDF)
• Magika Hiera: Ancient Greek Magic and Religion
• Greek Folk Religion by Martin P Nilsson 
• Curse Tablets and Binding Spells from the Ancient World by John G. Gager
• Magic in the Ancient World by Fritz Graf
• Magic and Magicians in the Greco-Roman World by Matthew W. Dickie

Roman Polytheism:

• Click Here for Books and Resources

Kemeticism and Ancient Egyptian Mythology:

• www.egyptianmyths.net
• Kemeticism by The Twisted Rope
• The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Richard H. Wilkinson
• Symbol & Magic in Egyptian Art by Richard H. Wilkinson
• Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt by Geraldine Pinch

Celtic Recon and Myth:

• Celtic Folklore on Sacred Texts
• The Celtic Recon FAQ
• The Religion of the Ancient Celts (Sacred Texts)
• What is Celtic? 101
• Carmina Gadelica by Alexander Carmichael
• The Celts: A Very Short Introduction by Barry Cunliffe
• The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales by Patrick Form
• Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend by Miranda Green
• Gods and Heroes of the Celts by Marie-Louise Sjoestedt
• The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles by Ronald Hutton
• Early Irish Myths and Sagas by Jeffrey Gantz

Druidry/Druidism:

• druidry.org
• druidnetwork.org
• Druidry - A Mega List of Resources
• Non-Wiccan Witches: Modern Druidry
• Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions (Sacred Texts)

Asatru, Heathenism and Norse Mythology:

• www.thetroth.org
• grumpylokeanelder.tumblr.com
• “Alright, I’m interested in this Norse stuff. Where do I even start?”
• The Eddas: The Keys to the Msteries of the North by James Allen Chisholm
• The Poetic Edda (PDF)
• The Prose Edda (PDF)
• Exploring the Northern Tradition by Galina Krasskova
• Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs by John Lindow
• Dictionary of Northern Mythology by Rudolf Simek
• Teutonic Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie
• The Nature of Asatru: An Overview of the Ideals and Philosophy of the Indigenous Religion of Northern Europe by Mark Puryear

Crystals and Stones:

• The Encyclopedia of Crystals by Judy Hall
• The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall
• Crystal Healing by Judy Hall
• Rocks & Minerals by Chris Pellant  (identification handbook)
• Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham
• Crystal Grids: How and Why They Work by Hibiscus Moon
• The Book of Crystal Spells by Ember Grant

Herbal (Magical, Medicinal):

• The Master Book of Herbalism by Paul Beyerl
• Compendium of Herbal Magic by Paul Beyerl  
• The Green Mantle: An Investigation Into Our Lost Knowledge of Plants by Michael Jordan
• The Book of Magical Herbs: Herbal History, Mystery, & Folklore by Margaret Picton
• A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: of Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides)
• Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham (good for quick reference, but not in depth information)
• The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews by Scott Cunningham 
• A List of Threatened Magical Herbs
• Resources to Start Learning Local Plants

Notes: please take care before using herbs for medicinal and/or supplemental purposes. Many herbs are toxic (some authors fail to mention this!) and/or have harmful side-effects. Always do research and consult a professional before use. 

Fae and Faerie Faith:

• My Masterlist of Fae Resources
• Fairy Faith 101
• Working with Faery (Info and Resources)
• The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W.Y. Evans

Runes:

• Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic by Edred Thorsson
• Runelore: A Handbook of Esoteric Runology by Edred Thorsson
• The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Runes by Nigel Pennick

Authors to avoid (due to misinformation, historical inaccuracies, poor research, potentially harmful advice, and/or failure to cite sources):

• Silver Ravenwolf (here’s why)
• DJ Conway
• Edain McCoy
• Ann Moura 
• Ralph Blum (runes)
• approach Llewellyn-published books with caution — there are some great ones, but many aren’t well researched and may contain misinformation.
• if all else fails, Google the author and ask around to see what people have to say about them - many bad authors have entire pages or discussions dedicated on why to avoid them!
• always fact check information (especially if it involves ingesting anything or putting anything on the skin — just because an ingredient is natural does not mean it isn’t harmful/toxic)
• How do I know what to believe? Critical Thinking and Pagan Books

  

gardenofthequeen:

breelandwalker:

This should cover most of the questions people may have. Enjoy!

Awesome list!

on another note…

I would suggest crossing out Kenny Klein’s book. He was arrested and convicted for keeping child pornography. I haven’t read his book in a long time, but some pointed out troubling themes in his books.

  

Witchcraft On A Budget

wood-fires:

Candles

Melt Micheal’s Ashland® Basic Elements™ Tea Lights, 50 Pack ($2.99) with Dollar Tree Crayons ($1.00) to create your own unique rainbow of colors. However, in my experience, Dollar Tree brand crayons are more pastel / muted versions of the colors. For more exact primaries use Micheal’s Crayola Crayons ($0.59 - $4.99).

Once your candles are set, pop them out of the metal container and place in glass candle holder for safe wax-pouring in spell work.

Candle Holders / Wax Burners

Shop around at your local Dollar Tree to take your pick of their fair selection of wax burners ($1.00) and candle stick holders ($1.00). If you’re wanting to pour your candle wax onto vials or parchment, I recommend going with a stemless glass candle holder as glass has minimal heat-transfer.

Melting Wax and Incense 

The Dollar Tree and Micheal’s both have a number of scents that you can pick up in both melting wax and cone incense forms. Dollar Tree price, $1.00 each; Micheal’s price, $2.99 each. Keep in mind that Dollar Tree wax only comes with 4 cubes, while Micheal’s wax comes with 6 cubes.

Crystals

Check out Etsy and Ebay for great crystal deals! Most are priced between $0.50 - $3.00 depending on the size, and on Ebay it’s always possible to find great stones that come with Free Shipping! Take heed, though, while Ebay may be cheaper, you’re going to have to wait. My Ebay purchases usually take a month or more to arrive and more often than not do not come with tracking. It may be worth it to pay the $2.00 - $4.00 shipping charges on Etsy to get your package in a week or two with tracking.

Also, many Etsy shops give shipping deals if you buy more than one item from them. Find a stone deal you like then browse that seller’s shop for the other stones you’re looking for!

Vials and Bottles

Large bottles from Micheal’s are $1.49 each, a pack of small vials cost $6.99. Micheal’s also sells cork packs from $1.99-$4.99.

You can also find amazing vial deals on Ebay. I just bought a pack of 20 with corks for less than $8.00, but I’ve seen packs as low as $4.00.

Altar Decorations

The Dollar Tree has an amazing assortment of baskets, flowers, leaves, and fake fruit, all $1.00 each!

The Dollar Tree also has a number of cheap frames that range in size, so you can easily print out pictures of your deity or any animal you choose and frame them without the cost.