Although you may think that all faeries and devas (both nature spirits) are all cute and cuddly, they’re not, and there’s one thing you should never do—and that’s cross one! No fibbing, cheating, or any underhanded behavior whatsoever. If you think you can’t be good, don’t venture into the realm of faery magick. If you will recall, even Tinkerbell had her vicious side, and the faery population of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream were not particularly enamored with humans. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famed author of the Sherlock Holmes adventures, literally lost his reputation over them. When it comes to faeries, tread carefully. As the story goes, if you force them to choose between one of their own kind and a human, we mere mortals are almost always toast.
Now that I’ve gotten your attention, let’s talk faery. Faery energy is very much a part of modern Wicca, Druidism, and Norse belief systems. Faeries either like you or they don’t. They’ll either talk to you or they won’t. They’re not particularly dependable unless you can somehow prove that you’re the dependable, honest, and upstanding type. If you have fey (meaning faery) blood running in your veins, you have a better chance at having some type of relationship, unusual as it may be. You think I’m kidding? Not on your life. Above all, you must have patience when dealing with the Sidhe (pronounced shee, of Celtic derivation). There are two types, the English ones invented by Rudyard Kipling and the Irish ones, which are the Sidhe. The English ones particularly like outdoor offerings of milk and honey, and their sacred wooded triad is the oak, ash, and thorn. Since this seems to translate well for any faery or dryad, you should be safe with these offerings. Maybe.
Historically, this faery stuff was deadly serious, to the point of very frightening things perpetrated by superstitious humans as a result of their belief in said faeries. Not only did such a belief ruin the chance of home rule in Ireland in the late 1880s (the opponents against home rule claimed that since the greater population believed in the faery folk, they could not govern themselves), some of the superstitions also led to serious injury and death, especially to rural children. Although we think it an interesting tale now, many people in medieval Ireland believed that their children could be “changlings”—a human taken by the sidhe and a sidhe put in its place—and, to get rid of the faery energy, they would use fire. Logically, this did not sit extremely well with English Parliament, who could care less about children and used such incidents to enhance their political desires. As a result of the political home rule fracas, the Church declared war on paganism in general, hoping to suck up Irish and English money while they watched the chips fall where they may. Obviously, faery stuff was very serious business, indeed.54
Like many nouns, the word faery means different things to different cultures. In England, the first mention of faeries appears in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (800 c.e.), with writings related to charms against elf-shot, and the earliest origins for the stereotypical image of the faery as a small humanlike creature with wings comes from ancient Mediterranean art in Etruscan tomb paintings dating to 600 b.c.55 These fantastical little creatures were known as the Lasa.
A vast amount of folklore has developed from all corners of the world; however, Europe harbors more legends about faeries than any other area. The word faery is actually a collective term that loosely weaves several different kinds of unusual creatures together. Faeries come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and personalities, though often they are depicted as smaller than the human. There are nice ones and nasty ones, invisible ones and those you can plainly see. Some faeries are silly, some industrious, and most are mischievous. They can be loyal and helpful if treated with proper respect. In many stories, faeries are tied to the earth, nature, and the cycles of the planet. Some think they live in another dimension and the doorway to their home lies deep within the arms of the Earth Mother.
The word faery comes from late Latin fata, which is related to fatum, meaning “fate.” The word also means enchantment, magickal inhabitants of such a land, or the collective unconscious of nature. Other words that relate to the faery are fays and fees (French).56 Many theories have been advanced by folklorists to account for the origin of the concept of the faery. Some believe that the idea of the faery grows out of folk memories of the original inhabitants of a country conquered by the present (or a past) people, where those conquered fled and hid, attacking for as long as they could in the dead of night, giving these real people a mysterious, mythical aura. Conversely, some of these hideaways could have been helpful, working at night (as in the Girl Scout Brownie story) then stealing away before dawn. The offering of bread and cheese did not go into a faery tummy, but that of a real live person. When studying Irish folklore and learning about the Sidhe, this might be very true. The word Sidhe or side is plural for the Irish sid or siod, which means a round barrow, mound, or hill and the home of the Tuatha de Danann, the divine race of Old Irish mythology who were eventually conquered by another race of people.57 The Irish called the land of the faeries Tir-nan-og, meaning “Land of Everlasting Youthful Ones.” The Welsh labeled the faeries “the Mothers” or “the Mother’s Blessing,” and believed that faeryland was a place ruled by feminine compassion, a principle stemming from their original matrilineal society.58
Other folklorists judge that faeries are the discarded gods and goddesses of another time, whose memory lies in the tradition of a family unit, but the original meanings of rituals and magick associated with those practices has been lost. Many Pagan deities switched from god/ desses to nature spirits, such as the Roman Fanus (Greek satyr Pan), who morphed into fauns, a general word for woodland spirits.59
The third explanation for faeries, and one held by many magickal people, dates back to the origins of the human, when all things on the planet were thought to have a living energy associated with them (called animism).
Putting this information together, we have several types of faery energy: those that constitute a race of people (such as the Sidhe of Ireland, the Lasa of Italy, and the dwarves of Germany), those that are connected with a place (such as mountains and streams), an element (earth = gnomes; fire = salamanders; water = undines; and air = sylphs), an event (such as the banshee that warns of the impending death of a family member), or nature itself (Green Man, flower faeries, tree elves, etc.). Regardless of the type of faery, time is unimportant to them, as they never grow old, get sick, or die. Some folklorists think the idea of never-never land actually belongs to Egyptian history, and comes from the ancient word nefernefer, the Egyptian word for “paradise” (meaning “doubly beautiful”). In magick, it is believed that faeries have control over time and that they can suspend it completely if they desire.
Occasionally you will read or hear about a faery ring or circle. These are dark green circles in the grass or weeds of a meadow, lawn, or field, caused by a fungus. Sometimes the ring is surrounded by mushrooms. Legend has it that this is the ritual circle of the faeries, a place of reverence, dancing, and merriment.60 All legends agree that one should never disturb such a place. The faery wind (or whirling dervish) is that mini swirl of wind on a calm day that picks up bits of leaves, flower petals, and other tiny debris, dancing across the road or skipping through the meadow. If you are working outside and the wind appears close to you, it is said that these are the nature faeries lending energy to your task. Scientifically, these winds are created by air currents, downdrafts, and wind shear. Others believe that the faery host are passing through, leaving blessings in their wake. The faery fortune often discussed in many legends is not a pot of gold or a stash of gems and silver, but the abundance of living energy found in all inhabitants of earth, and the ability to work with that energy to create harmony and balance. Also related to faery are holey stones or holed stones, which are bits of smooth, circular stone with a hole through the center often found near lakes, creeks, streams, or ocean beaches where the elements or sea creatures have worn away the center to produce the hole. Some think that if you blow gently through the hole of the stone you can call nature spirits, and others believe that a nature spirit lives within the body of the stone. These stones are used in modern Witchcraft to bring good luck, prosperity, and earth-related powers, hung on bedposts to prevent nightmares, and rubbed on the body to assist in removing disease.61
One of the sigils for modern elven (faery) magick is the seven-pointed star, called a heptagram (below).The heptagram also relates to the days of the week, their planetary associations, and energies (see page 185).
Gnome Spell for Prosperity
Prosperity isn’t just money. You can be prosperous by having good friends, a bountiful harvest from your garden, or enjoying a harmonious atmosphere at home, school, or work. There are only three requirements for this spell to work:
1. That you believe in faery energy.
2. That you believe you deserve good fortune.
3. That you honor the faery energy by leaving an offering out-of-doors.
Supplies: Three toy elves (Christmas ornaments will do) or gnomes; gold glitter; a drawing of the seven-pointed star (elven star, or heptagram); 2 gold illuminator candles; your favorite incense; a bowl of water.
Instructions: On the new moon, place the elven star in the center of your altar. Light the illuminator candles. Cast the magick circle. Dip your hands in the bowl of water and say: “I release any anger, unhappiness, sickness, and poverty into this water. So mote it be.” Mentally think of all these negative things slipping from your body, down into your fingertips, and out into the water. Set the water aside.
Use the following quarter calls:
North: Elven magick, I invoke thee through Spirits of the north. Gnomes from the depths of the fertile Earth, I call thee. Bring to me
prosperity in thought and mind and deed.
East: Elven magick, I invoke thee through Spirits of the east. Sylphs, faeries of knowledge and thought among the airy breezes, I call thee. Bring to me prosperity in thought and mind and deed.
South: Elven magick, I invoke thee through Spirits of the south. Salamanders, beings of creative fire, I call thee. Bring to me prosperity in thought and mind and deed.
West: Elven magick, I invoke thee through
Spirits of the west. Undines, creatures of the teeming seas, I call thee. Bring to me prosperity in thought and mind and deed.
Walk to the center of the circle and say the Call of Nine to invoke the Goddess and the God. Hold your hands up, palms facing the heavens, and say:
I call thee forth from heavenly sky
to answer now my call of nine
from misty vale and under hill,
I turn the spokes of the magick mill!
One! I stand before thy holy throne;
two! I invoke thy power alone;
three! I hold aloft my magick blade;
four! Ascend! I am the power
of night and day.
Five! Descend! Element of Witchery—
O gracious Goddess, be with me.
Six! Enchantment! Belongs to me
from sandy beach to roiling sea!
Seven! Power! The God bestows His mystery! Feel the pulse of energy!
Eight! Come ye now my work be done.
Nine! Your essence now and I are one!
So mote it be!
Slap your hands down on the elven star and repeat loudly: “Love, happiness, peace, patience, mercy, compassion, honesty, kindness, and self-control.” Sprinkle the gold glitter over the elven star. Place the three gnomes on top. Hold your hands over the gnomes, and repeat the following:
I invoke thee and call upon thee,
O powers of prosperity.
Gentle gnomes, by elven magick
I bid thee to leave this place
And bring back (list your need here)
to my sacred space.
Ensure that I will never fear,
for food or drink or loved ones dear.
Go forth and fulfill my humble desire.
3, 7, 9, and 21;
end ye well, that’s here begun!
As I will, it shall be done!
Place the gnomes, glitter, and elven star under or behind the altar (depending on the shape and size of your altar). In my experience, gnomes won’t skip off your altar to fulfill your need while you are looking. They like to prowl around in privacy.
Thank deity. Thank the quarters and release them. Release the circle. Don’t forget to ground and center. Set a bowl of milk along with a piece of bread, cheese, or bit of honey outside of your home as an offering of thanksgiving, then leave the gnomes to do their job. If you have asked for continued prosperity, you may not have to do this spell again for quite some time. If, on the other hand, your request was finite and is granted, gather up your gnomes (if they are still there), wash them off, and put them in a safe place. Sprinkle any leftover glitter outside. Place the paper in your Book of Shadows.
Blessing House Plants
(and Reviving Dying Ones)
Supplies: Spring water; your favorite incense; fertilizer (specifically made for that type of plant).
timing: When the moon is in Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces.
Instructions: Research the needs of the plant. Does it require a lot of sunlight or not so much? Does it need a lot of water, or just a bit? What sort of history does it have (magickal, folklore, and medicinal)? By knowing all about the plant, you can better serve Mother Earth. Place the plant and all supplies on the altar, or where the plant is under direct sunlight. Clap your hands three times and say loudly: “All negative energy, seen and unseen, be gone from this place!”
Hold your hands over the altar, and say: “I invoke and call upon thee, elven magick.”
Sprinkle the plant with a little water, saying: “Blessings of the undines upon thee.”
Light the incense and pass lightly over the plant, saying: “Blessings of the sylphs upon thee.”
Add a little fertilizer to the soil (follow the directions on the package), and say: “Blessings of the gnomes upon thee.”
Hold the plant up to the sun, and say: “Blessings of the salamanders upon thee.”
Set the plant on the altar. Hold your hands over the leaves/flowers, and say:
From under hill and faery glen
from darkest forest to meadow’s end
from elven mound and shining sea
fill this plant with energy.
Protect it in its time of need
bless the flower and the seed.
So mote it be!
Cut Flower Blessing
Most Wiccans do not use their ritual circle knife (athame) to cut flowers or herbs. This task is reserved for the bolline, much like a small paring knife. Before any plant is cut, the Witch asks permission of the plant and holds his or her hand over the plant. If the energy is soft and loving, permission is granted. If you do not get these feelings, choose another plant or flower. As you cut, give your thanks to the plant for its gift to you. Once you have the flowers arranged (on your altar or in a vase for a gift), give a blessing of thanksgiving.
Faery magick strong and pure
King and Queen whom I adore
bless these blooms with love and grace
bring joy and peace unto this place
and as these flowers wilt and fade
return their energy to the glade.
Removing Negativity from
a Room or a Home
Supplies: Freshly cut flowers with long stalks, or a few branches from a willow tree; cinnamon; red, white, and black ribbons, each about 2 feet long; holy water; incense of your choice; salt.
Instructions: In the fourth quarter of the moon, or when the moon is in Cancer, tie the flowers or willow branches together with the three ribbons. Clap your hands three times over the flowers/branches and say: “Evil be gone!”
Sprinkle the flowers with the three elements and the cinnamon. Hold your hands over the flowers/branches, and say:
Power of the earth, awaken elven magick!
Power of the air, awaken elven magick!
Power of the fires, awaken elven magick!
Power of the water, awaken elven magick!
Red for the blood of life
white for the Lord and Lady
black to remove all negativity
waken golden energy.
As I will, so mote it be!
Using the flowers/willow branches like a broom, sweep the entire area in a counterclockwise direction, starting from the center of each room outward toward the door. When you are finished, open the door and sweep the threshold in an outward motion. As you make the final sweep, throw the flowers/willow out the door, saying: “This house is clean. So mote it be.”
Place the flowers off of your property with a final blessing of thanks.
In considering just what faery energy might be, I think Doreen Valiente, in her book An ABC of Witchcraft, puts it very well:
My own opinion is that the fairy creed is a composite of several factors: actual spirits of nature whose presence can sometimes be perceived, but who usually share this world invisibly with humans; souls of the Pagan dead, who take the third road that the Fairy Queen showed to Thomas the Rhymer, “the road to fair Elfland,” away from either the Christian heaven or the Christian hell; and folk-memories of aboriginal races, now mostly vanished. There may be a fourth factor, the very old and apparently world-wide belief in a hidden land or underworld within the earth.62