 Fairies, The Fary Race |
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Richard Bercot  |
Posted: 15-Dec-2003, 10:36 PM
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House of Hardy
Group: Ireland
Posts: 3,342
Joined: 29-Sep-2003
Zodiac: Ash
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?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde
From the earliest ages the world has believed in the existence of a race midway between the angel and man, gifted with power to exercise a strange mysterious influence over human destiny. The Persians called this mystic race Peris; the Egyptians and the Greeks named them demons, not as evil, but as mysterious allies of man, invisible though ever present; capable of kind acts but implacable if offended.
The Irish called them the Sidhe, or spirit race, or the Feadh-Ree, a modification of the word Peri. Their country is the Tirnaoge, the land of perpetual youth, where they live a life of joy and beauty, never knowing disease or death, which is not to come on them till the judgment day, when they are fated to pass into annihilation, to perish utterly and be seen no more. They can assume any form and they make horses out of bits of straw, on which they ride over the country, and to Scotland and back. They have no religion, but a great dread of the Scapular (Latin words from the Gospels written by a priest and hung round the neck). Their power is great over unbaptized children, and such generally grow up evil and have the evil eye, and bring ill luck, unless the name of God is instantly invoked when they look at any one fixedly and in silence.
All over Ireland the fairies have the reputation of being very beautiful, with long yellow hair sweeping the ground, and lithe light forms. They love milk and honey, and sip the nectar from the cups of flowers, which is their fairy wine.
Underneath the lakes, and deep down in the heart of the hills, they have their fairy palaces of pearl and gold, where they live in splendour and luxury, with music and song and dancing and laughter and all joyous things as befits the gods of the earth. If our eyes were touched by a fairy salve we could see them dancing on the hill in the moonlight. They are served on vessels of gold, and each fairy chief, to mark his rank, wears a circlet of gold round his head.
The Sidhe race were once angels in heaven, but were cast out as a punishment for their pride. Some fell to earth, others were cast into the sea, while many were seized by demons and carried down to hell, whence they issue as evil spirits, to tempt men to destruction under various disguises; chiefly, however, as beautiful young maidens, endowed with the power of song and gifted with the most enchanting wiles. Under the influence of the beautiful sirens a man will commit any and every crime. Then when his soul is utterly black they carry him down to hell where thee remains forever tortured by the demons to whom he sold himself.
The fairies are very numerous, more numerous than the human race. In their palaces underneath the hills and in the lakes and the sea they hide away much treasure. All the treasure of wrecked ships is theirs; and all the gold that men have hidden and buried in the earth when danger was on them, and then died and left on sign of the place to their descendants. And all the gold of the mine and the jewels of the rocks belong to them; and in the Sifra, or Fairy house, the walls are silver and the pavement is gold, and the banquet hall is lit by the glitter of the diamonds that stud the rocks.
If you walk nine times around a fairy rath at the full of the moon, you will find the entrance to the Sifra; but if you enter, beware of eating the fairy food or drinking the fairy wine. The Sidhe will, indeed, wile and draw many a young man into the fairy dance, for the fairy women are beautiful, so beautiful that a man?s eyes grow dazzled who looks on them, with their long hair floating like the ripe golden corn and their robes of silver gossamer; they have perfect forms, and their dancing is beyond all expression graceful; but if a men is tempted to kiss a Sighoge, or young fairy spirit, in the dance, he is lost forever?the madness of love will fall on him, and he will never again be able to return to earth or to leave the enchanted fairy palace. He is dead to his kindred and race for ever more.
On Fridays the fairies have special power over all things, and chiefly on that day they select and carry off the young mortal girls as brides for the fairy chiefs. But after seven years, when the girls grow old and ugly, they send them back to their kindred, giving them, however, as compensation, a knowledge of herbs and philters and secret spells, by which they can kill or cure, and have power over men both for good and evil.
The fairies are passionately fond of music; it is therefore dangerous for a young girl to sing when she is all alone by the lake, for the spirits will draw her down to them to sing to them in the fairy palace under the waves, and her people will see her no more.
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May your days be filled with Merriment and May you walk in Balance with Creator.
"For every day you fish, you live another day"
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| Richard Bercot |
Posted: 16-Dec-2003, 10:14 PM
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House of Hardy
Group: Ireland
Posts: 3,342
Joined: 29-Sep-2003
Zodiac: Ash
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?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde
The Nature of Fairies
In Connaught the people have many strange superstitions of great antiquity. If a child spills its tin of milk on the ground, the mother says: ?That to the fairies, leave it to them and welcome,? and the child is never scolded, lest that might bring ill luck. For the fairies hate everything that looks mean and niggardly, being themselves of a bright, free, joyous nature; except, indeed the Banshee, who is the spirit of sorrow and doom.
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| Aaediwen |
Posted: 21-Dec-2003, 04:16 PM
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Celtic Guardian
Group: Super Moderator
Posts: 3,069
Joined: 09-Oct-2003
Zodiac: Holly
Realm: Kentucky
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=) is it time to chime in www.sacred-texts.com again ?
Sometimes I wonder how much of what exists now, however, really reflects who the sidhe are. Soo much of the folklore has been twisted by the old (not so very) Christian world which would have liked nothing more than to see these wonderful, mythical, creatures banished as deamon spawn. In any case, I'm guessing that even originally there were those amoung the fae who were quick to provoke. Personally, I see them as an old race of beings who co-exist with humans, and have very old knowledge of magiks and the natural world. This being a knowledge which they are not very quick to share although occasionally they will share some of it, generally involving some sort of trade, for such is the way of nature and the world that nothing is completely without price.
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Poet and seeker of knowledge  |
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| Stargazer |
Posted: 21-Dec-2003, 06:52 PM
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Peasant
Group: Celtic Nation
Posts: 11
Joined: 10-Dec-2003
Zodiac: Alder
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The Faerie Realm has been one of my favorite interests. I've always found it very fascinating, for I remember the stories my grandmother used to tell me. I am a believer of the Faerie Realm, for the realm of the faeries is a gateway to the spiritual and physical worlds. I do have some info on faeries by Ted Andrews. I attended a lecture of his a couple years back, and this segment is basically about that. It's called Touch of the Faeries. So no matter if you believe or not, or you have a totally different theory on the subject of the Faerie Realm, it's very interesting if you're into Faeries:
Touch of the Faeries
Nothing captures our imagination more than the idea of faeries, elves and other nature spirits. Stories about them are found in every tradition upon the planet, and they never fail to touch us in some way. The truth is that most of us have had faerie encounters, but we have either forgotten, didn't realize at the time or allowed others to convince us that they weren't real.
For many years I was associated with a nature center. I worked in its animal program and I also served as one of the center's trail guides. I would take groups of kids and adults out into nature and teach about its various aspects.
I particularly loved working with the preschoolers because...well, first of all, you didn't have to walk very far with them. And second of all, you didn't need to get real botanical. I would take them along a wonderful trail and talk about some of the fairy lore associated with the plants and trees.
One day I was leading a small group of about 15 preschoolers, their teacher and a few of their parents. I came to a spot where there was a natural mound. Mounds are raised areas in the earth and many traditions around the world taught that communities of fairies and spirits often live within the mounds - hence the more common name of "fairy mound".
I was standing in front of the group on the trail telling them about the fairy mounds. The teacher smiled at me and then spoke to the group of kids, "Well, we don't really believe in fairies and elves, do we?"
The entire group was silent. They lowered their eyes, not looking at the teacher. I smiled to myself, thinking, "This is interesting...let's see where we can take this."
I proceeded to tell a bit more about the fairy mounds, and as I was talking a small boy from the back steps forward. He put his hands on his hips and looks up at me. Then in a challenging voice he asks, "How do they get in and out of there then?"
I smiled and replied, "Many people think it is through the small openings at the base of nearby trees."
At that moment a little girl steps up and says, "They do not. They use this flower and this flower and this on over here." And she proceeded to point out specific flowers.
The girl's mother blushed. The teacher rolled her eyes. And I was jumping up and down inside inside shouting, "Yes!"
We moved on at that point, but throughout the rest of our hike, the boy was plastered to my one leg and the girl to my other. Finally an adult that knew what they had been experiencing.
A little further on we came to a boardwalk that crossed our pond. I led the group across, and as we got to the middle, I paused to talk.
"You know, they used to say that if you tickled the water just right, all of the faires would come out, riding on the backs of dragonflies."
I then coaxed everyone down onto the walkway. I even made the teacher and parents do it. Then with the tips of our fingers we tickled the surface of the water for several minutes. When we stood up, there must have been 200 or more dragonflies soaring around us.
It was one of the most wonderful hikes that I ever led while at the center. I did get some interesting mail from it, but it was truly amazing!
Enchantment Still Lives
There are still places where enchantment lives - where streams sing and winds whisper. Where caverns lead to nether realms. Where trees speak and flowers tell tales. Where unicorns dance in the morning dew.
Fairies. Elves. Gnomes. Nature spirits. Devas. Unicorns. Dragons. The Realm of Faerie is filled with all of these wonders and more. Skeptics will say that this realm should never be taken literally. They will say that this realm and all of its inhabitants are nothing more than "the stuff of fiction". They are merely a product of the imagination.
Every tradition in the world at some point taught that all aspects of Nature have a spirit associated with them. When we have this phenomena of common threads - common teachings - happening all over the world, especially when those traditions and societies had no contact with each other, it should make little bells go off. It is a reminder that there is something universal - something truly wonderful - happening around us.
Throughout history, humans have tried to classify and put beings of the Faerie Realm into specific constructs - tried to find ways of organizing them. In older, more traditional metaphysics they were often classified as part of the angelic realm of life. The truth is that none of the ways of classifying them are exactly correct, but it sometimes helps people to understand and relate to them a little easier. The most important thing to keep in mind is not how those beings and creatures of the Faerie Realm are organized and categorized. What is most important now is to remember that they are Mother Nature's children, and opening our heart to them opens our heart to wonder and joy.
In Volume Six of this Series, Faerie Charms, we will explore this world more fully, including learning about all of its different inhabitants and some of its most amazing creatures, but for now we will focus on opening the doors for you.
Have you Had
Have you ever seen movements out of the corner of your eyes that could not be explained?
This usually occurs when contact is beginning to open more clearly.
Do you know that talking to your plants help them grow?
The spirit in the plant responds to you.
As a child did you have an "imaginary friend"?
Most children's imaginary friends are part of the Faerie Realm and are drawn to the child because of his or her openness.
Do you find things disappearing and reappearing around your house frequently?
Those of this realm often do this to get our attention.
Do you dream of strange beasts and places?
This can reflect dream journeys into this realm.
Faerie Encounters?
Are your favorite times of the day dawn and dusk? Times of the year the equinoxes and solstices?
These are powerful times for Faerie Realm experiences and encounters.
Did you believe there was something living in your closet or under your bed?
Closets often become the homes of Dark Elves - very old and creative beings. Closets and undersides of beds are also Tween Places, doorways through which we experience spirit.
Did you ever walk through an open field and have to brush the spider webs from your face?
Spider webs do not form in open fields. They need something to be hanging from. What you usually experience is the brush of the field faeries.
Have you ever caught the fragrance of a tree or flower as you passed by it?
This is usually a greeting from the plant's spirit.
A Glimpse into the Faerie Realm
The Faerie Realm is a magical place that overlaps our world in many wonderful ways. It is of our world, but it is also not. It is between our physical world and the spiritual world. It touches everything natural upon the planet. It is a shifting time and place with doorways and windows to it wherever there is a shadow or an intersection. Wherever there is Nature, there will always be nature spirits, beings and creatures of the Faerie Realm.
They are found within the mists, fogs and the border areas of field and forest. They are found in caves and along creeks. They can be seen peeking out from between bushes and appearing within the bark of trees. They will move among the shadows and follow deer trails through the woods. They gather at natural mounds (raised areas), and dance in flower gardens and small clearings in the woods.
Every flower has its fairy, every tree its spirit. Every wood has its Lady of the Wood. Faeries, elves, pixies, gnomes, leprechauns, trolls, unicorns, dragons, mermaids and more are found throughout the natural world of the humans. There are spirits of the stones and spirits of plants.
As we open to this realm we will realize that faeries and elves have a variety of shapes and forms. They range in size from the tiniest of pixies to great forest devas. They can be larger than a redwood or tinier than a firefly. Their shapes are changeable and they will often use "glamour" to show themselves. They reveal themselves only in the way they choose or the way they think you will more likely accept them. And they only reveal themselves when they feel comfortable doing so.
Faerie Magic
Nature is one of the truest realms of magic left to us today. It is a place of wonder and marvelous, magical works. Within Nature is the magic of life, death and rebirth. Within Nature is the power hidden within you.
The faerie beings are Mother Nature's children, and as such, they have many abilities and great magic. If our hearts are open, they will share their magic and knowledge with us. Some have the gift of words and music and can show us how to use them to charm and change the world. Some can control the weather and the elements. Some posses the secrets of healing with herbs and plants. Some can teach us to communicate with animals. Some hold the knowledge of crafting tools of great power and magic.
Different beings of the Faerie Realm do have different powers, but almost all have the magical ability to weave glamour, to shapeshift, to bestow secret wisdom of Nature, and to awaken joy though creativity.
Faerie Magic of Glamour
Glamour is one of the most powerful forms of magic found in the Faerie Realm. Glamour is the magical ability to make things appear a certain way, even though they may not be that way. IT is a form of shapshifting and we explore this in volume one of this series. Glamour is common to the Faerie Realm and it is common to our own lives as well.
TV advertisers use glamour (through music, words and imagery) to make people feel they need a particular product. They make us feel our breath isn't fresh enough and that our underarms really stink.
The faerie beings use glamour so that they appear to us in the way they desire. It may not be how they actually are, but often how they believe you think of them. Most often they use glamour to affect our moods. They are very feeling beings. They are more emotional, and they will use their magic to make us feel things more strongly. They stir our emotions.
A number of years ago I was a speaker at a summer solstice celebration - one of the most powerful and magical Tween Times of the year. On the night of the solstice, I decided to take a walk in the woods before my lecture rather than participate in the bonfire celebration. As I stepped into the woods, all sounds from the celebration disappeared. It was as if i passed through an invisible shield.
I followed a short path and sat down on an old log, in a small clearing. It was so relaxing and comfortable. I glanced at my watch so I could time how long I would be gone. I didn't want to be late for my talk. To my amazement an hour and a half already disappeared in what I thought was a 15 minute walk. I was amazed, discovering it was time for my lecture.
I realized then that I didn't know which way to get back. There was no sound from beyond the woods to direct me. There was no sign of the path I had followed. A soft mist encircled the little clearing and lights danced all around it. I knew that faerie glamour was at work. There was an overwhelming feeling of comfort and peace and a part of me was perfectly willing to just sit back down and forget about my lecture. Glamour of contentment had been woven around me.
Then I heard my name spoken, and as I turned around, there stood one of the ladies from the celebration. She said, "It's time for your lecture." She smiled and led me out of the woods. I was only 30 yards from the bonfire clearing! Later, when I spoke with this lady, I asked her how she knew where to find me. She explained simply, "I am a Druidess and the trees called me to you."
When we get caught up in faerie glamour, we lose track of time and sometimes we lose track of where we are. We get enveloped in the feelings of the moment. The beings of the Faerie Realm can teach us how to weave glamour so that people understand us better, so that we can accomplish things more easily, so that people can see who we truly are.
Faerie Magic of Shapeshifting
Faerie beings are natural shapeshifters. they change their form to suit the situation. They will show themselves in a variety of forms. They may take human form. They mat even take the form of an animal. They may shapeshift to become a flower or plant, but most often they will take the form expected by us.
When I first moved onto my farm, I began seeing a strange creature in the bushes around my house and at the edge of the woods. I knew that curiosity was drawing this being out, as it so often does with faerie and human encounters.
I was patient, and soon he began showing himself to me. He became my "monkey man", appearing half-human and half-ape. Although I don't see him as often, when he comes near the house, he uses this form. When I see him out in the woods, he is but a shadowy form.
Faerie beings frequently take the form of an animal to first approach humans. Animal forms seem easier for them, probably because animals are closer to Nature. If you are ever out in Nature, sitting quietly, and small animals seem to approach you, while looking at you, it is likely to be a faerie being. True wild animals do not approach humans in that way. It is contrary to their natural behavior and instincts.
Shapeshifting is a natural part of life and of Nature. Plants and many animals go through metamorphosis, changing their forms. Because the faerie beings are so strongly connected to Nature, it should be no surprise that they have this ability as well.
They can teach us how to be better shapeshifters within our life. It is something that we have all done and can benefit from doing better. Think about it. We learn early on in life how and when to smile, when to be serious or when to be studious. We have learned to present a particular image. This is part of shapeshifting.
It is something we can all learn to do very well. Through the beings of the Faerie Realm we can learn to shift to all aspects of ourselves more easily and powerfully. We can become more natural in how we relate to the world around us. We can learn to melt into our environment, to become invisible or to become more compatible with others around us. And in the process we discover that we can shift our dreams into reality.
Faerie Magic of Nature's Secrets
Within Nature are many secrets - magical and marvelous - that have yet to be uncovered. There are uses of plants and stones that are healing and can make us strong, psychic and powerful. Many uses of plants and stones have become lost, were never recorded or are yet undiscovered. The faerie beings though posses this secret knowledge and hold the the keys to the natural cures for diseases.
The spirit of a tree, flower, plant or a stone knows how it can be used magically. These spirits of Nature know how to use it for healing and blessing. They know the herbal qualities and the magical, spiritual qualities. And they can reveal them to us.
Some plants and stones can heal. Some can open the heart to love. Some will comfort sorrow and some can bring prosperity. Some will protect us and some will open up vision of other worlds ans wonders. To those who demonstrate a reverence and prospect for Nature, the faerie beings will reveal the healing and magical qualities of their plants and stones. And they will guide you in their uses.
They are the experts of making things grow. They will show you the magic of planting seeds so that they grow faster and stronger. They will show you how to sow seeds of hopes and wishes so that they take root and are fulfilled. Their is the magic of weaving new life and new growth in the world - whether it is through plants or through activities. They can show you how to grow your dreams like a plant in the earth or grow strong like the great rock foundations.
Faerie Magic of Creativity
Nothing is more drawing to the Faerie Realm than creative activities that bring joy. They are drawn to all creative artistic efforts in which there is joy. One of the most beneficial ways of inviting the Faerie Realm into your life is by involving yourself in something creative. But it must be something that you truly enjoy doing. It doesn't matter whether you are good at it or not. What matters is that you enjoy it. The faerie beings will be drawn by your enjoyment in the creative process.
You will know when they are close, while you are in the midst of your activity, by the fact that you lose track of time. Their energy has helped you slip into the Tween Times. People often ask me how I am able to come up with so many ideas for writing. Part of it is that I so enjoy the weaving of a book together that the faerie energy is strong around me at those times. I slip into the Tween Times and I am filled with inspirations and imaginative possibilities throughout the process.
One of the great benefits of faerie contact is the creative inspiration that comes while in the midst of your activity. They add their creative energy to yours and new ideas, new approaches, new inspirations and insights unfold and blossom, like a flower. Sometimes it's like a field of flowers. And your activity takes on a life of its own. It becomes faerie charmed.
The faerie beings are the experts at creativity and inspiration. After all, what is more inspiring than a beautiful scene from Nature? They can teach you how to be more creative and productive in your life. They will help inspire you to new expressions of your joy and life.
Opening to the Faerie Realm
When we experience the Faerie Realm, we do so through the five senses. We may see flickering lights around plants or shadowy faces in the trees. We may hear the whispered voices of the pine as a breeze brushes through it, or we may hear music from unexplained sources. (A tinkling of bells is a common sound experience.)
We may also feel their presence. They stimulate goosebumps. We get a chill or a change of pressure in the air around us. We get the "fly walking through the hair" kind of feeling.
One of the strongest senses by which we experience them is through the senses of smell. Have you ever walked down the street and caught the fragrance of a flower or tree? Most traditions teach that this is a greeting. Extend a greeting back.
The more you acknowledge the greetings, the stronger they will become around you - even if you are not sure. I operate on the assumption that most people think I am a little bit strange. (I know - hard to believe, isn't it?) If my neighbors see me talking to a tree, they just usually roll their eyes, and bring their kids inside until I've moved on.
Every flower has its fairy. Every tree has its spirit. When we learn to recognize this, we open ourselves to wonderful possibilities. We can uncover some of the secrets of that plant or that aspect of the natural world. If nothing else, it will help us in working with the herbal qualities of the plant. And we can use this to our benefit in many areas of life.
We know that all plants have their own energy - their own spirit. If you are having trouble with aches and pains, go sit under a willow tree for about 10-15 minutes. Just feel the embrace of the tree around you. The aches and pains will disapear. If we examine this phenomenon from an herbal aspect, we discover that within willow bark is a chemical called salicylate. This is the basis of modern aspirin.
If you have trouble handling strong emotions - especially feelings of guilt. Go sit under a pine or evergreen for a bit. Let the spirit of the tree embrace you. I have wonderful blue spruce in my front yard, and I am often found sitting under it a half hour before my family visits...and several hours afterward. (Bless their hearts.)
Every plant - every aspect of the natural world - has some spirit, some energy associated with it. The fairies and elves are Mother Nature's children. They are her caretakers and they are no further from us than we allow. They hold the key to of the mysteries of life and nature. They stimulate intuition, creativity and artistic energies. They hold the secrets to the healing powers of plants, stones and all of nature.
If we open ourselves to them once more, they will bless our lives many times over.
10 Steps to Faerie Encounters
1. Spend time in nature.
You cannot expect to encounter them if you do not spend time where they are found.
2. Meditate and pray regularly in Nature - under trees, next to ponds or at creek beds and seashores.
3. Take up a fun, creative activity.
They are drawn to anyone, who expresses joy at doing something, even if they aren't very good at it.
4. Let an area of your yard grow wild so that they can play.
5. Sing often and learn to play something musical - even if you aren't very good at it.
They are drawn to those who try to express themselves through music.
6. Be loving, appreciative and protective of all things in nature.
7. Read fairy tales.
They are powerful, magical doorways into the heart and the part of you that still believes.
8. Leave gifts - stones, little ribbons, a splash of milk.
9. Honor Nature.
10. Spend MORE time in Nature.
Faerie Friendly Plants
Apple tree - one of the most inviting fragrances to faerie beings; the home of the unicorn.
Basil - invites dragons and dragon spirits that are protective.
Carnation - provides protection against unwanted spirits and ghosts.
Gardenia - draws the faerie beings while stimulating your telepathic ability to communicate with them.
Lilac - helps awaken clairvoyance and spirit vision, especially of Nature spirits.
Rosemary - very protective; used at Christmas to thank the elves for their help throughout the year.
Violet - the flower of the Faerie Queen, draws all Nature spirits and stimulates telepathy with them.
Remember: Every flower has its faerie - Every tree its spirit.
Faerie Misconceptions
There are many misconceptions about the Faerie Realm. These are two:
It is dangerous to work with the Faire Realm.
There are as many different personalities in the Faerie Realm as there are in the human realm, but in and of themselves, faerie beings are not dangerous. They can be mischievous and they often take things - usually when we most need them. If offended or disrespected, they can initiate a string of bad luck. Faerie energy also amplifies our emotions. We feel things more strongly - whatever our mood is.
You do not need a protective magic circle to work with them. Those who profess this do so out of their own fears. They project human behaviors onto the Faerie Realm, which is an insult to them. Using magic to control the faerie beings and spirits shows great disrespect for them. Work with them should always be cooperative. Beings believed to be disruptive and dangerous are usually some other kind of spirit.
Faerie Realm Beings war with each other.
This is the stuff of fiction. It makes for good fantasy and fun computer games, but the beings of the Faerie Realm do not participate in this kind of behavior. It is contrary to their nature. Again, teachings of such activities are little more than humans projecting human behavior onto these beings.
Visible Signs of Faerie Presence
Faerie beings control their appearances to us. They decide when they will reveal their presence. They appear and fade in shadowy places along the fringes of yards, woods, etc. They are like a gathering of shadows on a grey day, subtly shifting when no air is actually moving. They are shadows where no shadows should be. When we gaze at those places and relax, we lose track of time and the world around us slips away - just as if we are mesmerized.
Once we start seeing them, the occurences do come more often. Sometimes it's because now we are more aware of their presence and where to look. Sometimes it is because they are more comfortable revealing themselves to us.
When we start seeing, they appear as vague forms, tiny shimmering lights and shifting shadows. Then it is usually a face that flickers and disappears like a puff of smoke. Sometimes it is just a set of eyes that seem to peer out of the shadows or between the foliage. The face may appear in the bark of a tree, like one of those games of finding the hidden pictures.
Initially it happens so quickly that we think it is our imagination, but once when this occurs, they will appear more frequently and more clearly. And remember: they are as curious about us as we are of them.
Open Your Heart
Sometimes in life it is more important to feel than to know. By stirring some of those forgotten embers, by remembering what we felt and knew as a child, we rediscover the joys and mysteries of the world.
Remember that we can starve as much from a lack of wonder as we can from a lack of food. Nature and all of her spirits keep the wonder in us alive.
May your eyes be always open.
May your hearts overflow.
That which enchants will also protect -
May this you always know.
- Ted Andrews
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Mellonīn, Im annale i galu calad, meleth, ar i Benain
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| Richard Bercot |
Posted: 22-Dec-2003, 10:07 AM
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House of Hardy
Group: Ireland
Posts: 3,342
Joined: 29-Sep-2003
Zodiac: Ash
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?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde
Fairy Doctors
The fairy doctors are generally females. Old women, especially, are considered to have peculiar mystic and supernatural power. They cure chiefly by charms and incantations, transmitted by tradition through many generations; and by herbs, of which they have a surprising knowledge.
The fairies have an aversion to the sight of blood; and the peasants, therefore, have a great objection to being bled, lest ?the good people? would be angry. Besides, they have much more faith in chars and incantations than in any dispensary doctor that ever practiced amongst them.
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| Richard Bercot |
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 09:53 AM
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House of Hardy
Group: Ireland
Posts: 3,342
Joined: 29-Sep-2003
Zodiac: Ash
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?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde
Sprites and Spirits
The Banshee
The Ban Sidhe, the fairy spirit of doom, never appears but to aristocrats. She is an appanage only of the highest families, who are always followed by the shadow of this spirit of death, supposed to be a beautiful young girl of the race, who cannot enter heaven until some other member of the family, who must be likewise young and beautiful, takes her place through death. Ban, or Van, means woman; and Vanitha, the lady of the house, in Sanscrit, as in Irish, comes from the root Van?to love, to desire. To this day the lady of the house is called The Vanitha by the Irish, the work having the same meaning as Venus, ?the loved one,? in its original signification.
At Lord O?Neil?s residence, Shane?s Castle, there is a room appropriated to the use of the Banshee, and she often appears there; sometimes shrouded and muffled in a dark, mist like cloak. At other times, she is seen as a beautiful young girl, with long, re-gold hair, and wearing a green kirtle and scarlet mantle brooched with gold, after the Irish fashion.
There is no harm or fear of evil in her mere presence, unless she is seen in the act of crying; but this is a fatal sign, and the mournful wail is a sure and certain prophecy that the angel of death is waiting for one of the family.
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| Aaediwen |
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 11:51 PM
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Celtic Guardian
Group: Super Moderator
Posts: 3,069
Joined: 09-Oct-2003
Zodiac: Holly
Realm: Kentucky
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well, I've found a refrence that is as I recall. Having a bear of a time finding the story to support it though. Here is what I have found as refrence, although seems as I recall it being her son she lost, rather than her husband
The Banshee, spelled Bean-Sidhe in Gaelic - means "Woman of the Sidhe",
"Woman of the Good People". Her heritage stems from the ancient times when
Tuatha de Danann and mortal-humans' freely inter-married. She is not a
ghost. She is not a spirit of the dead. She is a woman of the Good People,
who, in ancient times, married a mortal man. She loves the human race so
much, that she feels an over-whelming sadness for the great mourning and
sorrow that loved ones feel during their loss of someone they hold dear,
and so she wails and laments; as much for those experiencing the loss, as
for the one who has lost their life, as she did when her mortal husband
eventually died. Her sympathies and sentiments are directed at those
displaying a kinship to the ancient race, and the now-lost coexistence.
Her sadness is increased with each loss of a human that may display the
slightest spark of re-kindling some sign of the coexistence. This loss is
also her loss, and a loss to the Good People race; and so she wails and
laments also at this loss.
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/outlawkel/banshee2.html
still looking for the story though.
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