Elementals and Faeries

[Mystic Wolf]

Posted by Don Pendergast on February 15, 2022

The words 'fey' and 'faerie' come from the French and started to replace the Old English 'Elf' during the Tudor period. 
Spenser and Shakespeare popularized the change. 'Elfland' and 'Faerieland','Elf' and 'Faerie' were and still are interchangeable words. 

The spellings of 'faerie' are numerous: fayerye, fairy, fayre, faerie, faery, fairy.
It is far richer than fiction would generally lead one to believe and, beyond that, it is a world to enter with extreme caution, for of all things that Faeries resent the most is curious humans blundering about the private domains like so many ill-mannered tourists.
So go softly-where the rewards are enchanting, the dangers are real.
The myths and legends about Faerie are many and diverse, and often contradictory.
I don't know a lot about the Devic kingdom but if I understand it correctly it is about nature and angelic spirits; so I'd say yes.

The fictional Faerie is a world of dark enchantments, of captivating beauty, of enormous ugliness, of callous superficiality, of humor, mischief, joy, and inspiration, of terror, laughter, love, and tragedy.
Only one thing is certain that nothing is certain. All things are possible in the land of Faerie. 
The mystery of Faerie has been, from the earliest times, a subject of human speculation. What are faeries? Where did they come from?

The Icelandic version, on the other hand, states that Eve was washing all her children by the river when God spoke to her.
In her awe and fear, she hid those children she had not already washed.
God asked her if all her children were there and she replied that they were. He then declared that those she had hidden from him would be hidden from man.
These hidden children became the elves or faeries and were known as Huldre Folk in the Scandinavian countries. Huldre girls are exceptionally beautiful, but with long cow tails; or else they are hollow behind, presenting only a beautiful front. Thus, they fulfill the deception of their origin.

Elsewhere faeries are believed to be fallen angels; or the heathen dead, not good enough for Heaven, but not evil enough to find a place in Hell-compelled to live forever' in between' in the twilight regions, the Middle Kingdom.

Devon for instance pixies is considered to be the souls of unbaptized children. 
However, these beliefs stem only from the advent of Christianity, baptism is unknown prior to that time, and hence cannot be considered reliable. 
Faerie is very ancient and predated Christianity by several millennia. Moreover, it exists and has existed, in varying forms, in many countries all over the world.

Whatever these spirits are, however they came into existence, they are here and should be respected at all times.

Have you ever walked through a park or through the woods and felt a sudden sense of peace, minimizing all your problems after a discouraging day?
You probably had contact with an "Elemental".

Elementals are Nature Spirits and they are referred to by various names including Fairies, Elves, Devas, Brownies, Leprechauns, Gnomes, Sprites, Pixies as well as many others. 
If they choose to show themselves to you, they may choose a form that you will recognize and be comfortable with or will associate with the element they represent.

A fire elemental may appear as a spark, a face in a candle flame or bonfire, or simply a sudden warm spot.

A water elemental may be a cold spot. An air elemental could be a sudden breeze or tiny whirlwind in the dust.

A smell, taste, or an unexplained pebble in your shoe could be evidence of the earth elementals at play. 
They could appear as white orbs or spots of light. You may think you have mice, yet the cat is not interested in trying to catch it.
They often appear as lights, in Britain we do not have fireflies yet we still see those little lights.
They may also show themselves as one twirling waving blade of grass on a till day
whilst all the rest are still.
Any place that you expect to find deer, wolves, foxes, and the like, there is where you are likely to find faeries. 
Not where there is concrete and vinyl siding and glass. In fair woodlands, removed from the sprawl of housing and traffic.
They have not adapted to the changing face of the earth, nor is it in their nature to do so. 

There are two thoughts, one that a world of Faerie exists unto itself, a place where the little creatures reign supreme.
The sad reality may be that they exist in our world. Either way one needs to believe in the hidden, the shadowed, and have an open mind to “see” them.

 In myths, the race of faeries has existed side by side with our human one for many thousands of years. 
Once the human and faerie worlds were one. But our ancestors became less and less aware of what was previously hidden just beyond.
As our connection with nature and the loss of balance and harmony with nature has lessened the elemental spirits suffer the most.

A nature spirit may be given guardianship of a particular tree or rock, a faerie may dwell around a particular pond or root on the forest floor.
They are timid and shy to us, just as other woodland creatures are - they tend to vanish at the glance of man.
One who is tuned to them can see them if only in peripheral vision.
"Faerie" is a collective term for many different beings, classes, or races usually possessing magical powers. 

Some fairies can have a human form, but some have animals or other shapes.

 Legend has that when the first Gaels arrived in Ireland, they found that the Tuatha De Danaan - "People of the Goddess Dana" - already had control of the land. 
They defeated them in battle, driving them into the hollow hills or sidhe mounds. 
There these faerie people made their home - inhabiting rolling hills, fields, streams, and forests ranging from the northern tip of Scotland to the southern shores of England and all of Ireland and Wales.

Still today farmers will not disturb fairy mounds and you will see often in fields in Britain a stump in the middle of a field that is carefully avoided by the plows and harvesters
 Some are small timid creatures, others horrid in appearance and some, like the death-whaling Banshees of Ireland, you do not wish to encounter.

In Celtic lore, some faeries have distinct tribes, ruled over by fairy queens and kings.
They have their own noble palaces where they hold merry festivals with music and dance where is much magic to the Faerie Realm. The fairy kings and queens, it is said, are in fact guises for the old Pagan Gods and Goddesses of the Earth. 

The Celtic gods thus preserved from the mastery of Christianity.
Tools of copper, silver, or woods that are sacred to Faeries. Bells attract them.

Elementals are very mischievous and like to play, but their play may appear to us as disasters rather than play, such as thunderstorms, blizzards, raging seas.
When Elementals decide to enjoy themselves, it's best for us humans to take cover and hope they tire soon.

Contrary to how it seems, Elemental’s activities are not always destructive, even though they may seem that way to humans at times.
The elementals have their own agenda and they have a definite purpose, which we may not understand, but may be for the good of the planet as a whole. 

The Elemental Spirits
Nature faeries are included mermaids, water spirits, gnomes, tree spirits, and elementals. They align with the elements; air, fire, water, and earth.
We have covered them a little before but I will go over them again in more detail
The ancient concept of the four elements is the key to understanding. The elements are living personalities that have dominion over their material counterparts.
They are tied to simple objects that they care for. A tree, rock, or pond can have an elemental spirit tied to it that looks after it at all times.

Air Elementals travel far and wide. They are associated with mental work as spreaders of knowledge and great ideas. 
The muse of artists and writers, their source of inspiration and information is limitless.
They are attracted by perfume oils, incense, fragrances, and well-constructed incantations.
They are Sylphs and Zephyrs, led by Paralda.

Fire Elementals are Spirits of Sun. They are least interested in humans.
They can clear away problems of a psychic nature. They are attracted by the candle flames, charcoal, and incense.
Well, rhyming incantations may induce them to burn away troubles without harm.
They are Salamanders who often escaped from logs that were thrown on the fire. They are led by Djin.

Water Elementals have the essence of plant life in their charge. Associated with emotions and the healing of plants, animals, and humans.
They are attracted by water and herbs and often work in cooperation with earth elementals. They are Nymphs and Undines. Their leader is Neckna.

Earth Elementals are happy spirits entrusted with the treasures of the earth, such as gemstones, gold, silver, and platinum, as well as soil and rock.
They are associated with matter and lower nature and are attracted by powders, salts, and happy sounds.
They are Gnomes and Trolls led by Gob. They don't particularly like people and are very wary of us.
All of these sprites are perfect, pure, bodiless spirits; they are active and intelligent, possessing great knowledge.
They are less dependent upon space and location than we are, but are capable of self-development.

Gremlins, a term developed by early pilots to place blame on unknown things that go wrong with technology, can be very real.
Not the film gremlins though!
The subgroups of the Earth Gnomes consist of Brownies, Dryads, Durdalis, Earth Spirits, Elves, Hamadryads, Pans, Pygmies, Sylvestre's, and Satyrs.
The subgroups of the Water Undines consist of Limoniades, Mermaids, Naiads, Oceanid, Oreads, Potamides, Sea Maids.

Types of Faeries
Sprites are playful nature spirits that live in ponds, trees, or other cool places. They are often associated with nymphs and butterflies.
They are muses to artists and poets and can bond to humans, in which case they stay for the rest of their lives.
Gnomes are earthly creatures, guardians of sacred places or things.
Their weakness is sparkly things like precious stones. They make beautiful things out of stones and gems.
Goblins are pranksters and are known to rearrange items in the house.
Elves are carefree nature spirits. The good elves live in trees, the evil one is underground. Their pranks have been harmful to humans, but never intentionally.
Some faeries have the shapeshifting ability and are normally transparent, composed of flame or vapor.
They can disappear into the earth, air, or solid objects.
While I was researching this class, I found a so-called Wicca website that described some spirits as an evil which is rather odd
Wiccans believe that everything is created for a purpose and therefore is divine
and therefore there is no absolute evil

The magical ability of the faerie is awesome; they are the strongest users of magic in the world, and they have awesome speed and quickness to support this ability
It is a very good power to have working on your side.
The first religious tradition of Ireland was that of the Tuatha De Danann - "The People of the Goddess Dana".

It was a Pagan religion that came to be known as the oral Faerie tradition.
It is from this pre-Christian Tradition that the modern Faerie Wicca comes.
Inherent in it is a deep respect for the wisdom of Nature, and a love of beauty.
"Dana" is the primary aspect of the gods. The Wiccan tradition sees the polarity of male and female, Dana is seen to be of this polarity.

There are other Celtic deities that are recognized, among them Bean Si (Banshee), the messenger of death or the "Crone" aspect of the Triple Goddess;
Brigid, a goddess of poets and smiths; Erie, Goddess Queen of the Tuatha De Danann; Dagda, God of the Tuatha De Danann; and Midhir, King of the Gaelic Underworld. 
Other facets of the Faerie Faith include interaction with nature spirits, devas, angels, fairies, and the like.

Faerie flowers and other facts 
The foxglove derives its name from "little Folks-glove", for the florets are worn by faeries, sometimes as hats, sometimes as gloves.
Another name often attributed to the flower is "Goblins Thimbles". Not, perhaps, inapt, considering that the Foxglove contains digitalis, a heart stimulant, and source of wild, dark excitement that Goblins bring.
Primroses boast a unique power-they make the invisible visible and to eat them is a sure way to see faeries. If one touches a faerie rock with the correct number of primroses in a posy, the way is opened to faerie land and faerie gifts, but the wrong number opens the door to doom.

Ragwort and ryegrass are used by faeries as make-shift horses. John Aubrey in the 17th century states that "horse and Hattock" were the magic words to make the stems fly. 
The four-leaf clover will break a faeries spell.
Being able to find four-leaf clovers amongst three-leaf clovers, the old saying goes, means you can see Faeries.
St. John's Wort is even more efficacious against spells for it provides actual protection from faeries. The St. John's Wort, being a sun symbol like the daisy,
was used extensively in midsummer pagan festivals, and is both powerful protection and a healing plant.

Many trees are the haunts of faerie. Humans foolish enough to pass by a host tree late at night find their arms bruised or pinched by small faerie fingers.
Three Thorn trees growing closely together at an acute angle are especially potent and should be approached warily if at all.

On the other hand, Thorn tree branches can be hung with ribbons and even rags as propitiating gifts for the faeries. 
Other trees most favored by the faeries are the Blackthorn, Hazel, Alder, Elder, and Oak. 
Elementals and strange creatures haunt these trees, especially if twisted together, two Thorns and an Elder are thought to be a dangerous combination.
So are Oak, Ash, and Thorn. Strangely, however, a twig from each bound together with red thread is a protective charm against hostile spirits.
In general, however, one should beware of faerie trees for they are fiercely protected. As will all things faerie, one must approach the benefits with caution.
The Elder tree is sometimes a witch in tree form, and should not be axed without asking her to leave. "ourd gal, give me thy wood An Oi will give some of moine when Oi grows inter a tree". 
While to burn Elderlogs is to invite disaster as these bring bad luck into the house.
Remember the Witches Rede. The Elder is the Ladies tree, burn it not or cursed you'll be.
The Alder tree is protected by water faeries.

Water has always been of importance in faerie lore. Its ambivalent nature as a provider of food, nourisher of crops, and taker of lives makes the divinities associated with it particularly potent. 
The "fairy ring mushroom', is the one that marks the boundary of the faerie's favorite dancing places.
To be misled by faeries, whether by light or night or a subtle changing of landmarks and features by day, is described as being Pixy-Led. 

In Ireland, this 'misleading' is attributed to a faerie tuft of grass or stray sod which when trodden on, triggers a spell.
Under its influence, a usual experience when trying to cross a field is to discover that a stilled exit which may have been clearly visible on entering, has suddenly disappeared; and no amount of systematic searching of the surrounding hedges will reveal its whereabouts.

In other cases, a walker might abruptly find himself heading in a totally different direction to the way he wishes to go and no amount of re-alignment of his course seems to put this right.
The spell may be counteracted by the traditional method of turning one's coat inside out and wearing it this way.

The faerie temperament is a complex one and the behavior of the little people is governed by a code of ethics far removed from our own. 
Most faeries, whatever their size, appearance, or character, have powers of some kind and can bestow good or ill luck at will so the more we know about them the more likely we are to emerge from an encounter unscathed.
Careful handling and respect in faerie dealings are of paramount importance. Only too easily is offense was taken and woe betide who is tempted to take liberties.

To ask for elemental help, or to encourage faeries in your garden, leave offerings

then DO NOT go back to them let the faeries take them as they will if you hang around they won't stay.
There is an old story of inviting pixie luck if you kept bothering the elementals
Pixie Luck is not quite bad, but not quite good.

Faery Offerings

If you want to attract fairies to your garden you should leave some food offerings.
This will give the fairies something they want and it leads them to trust you.
Try leaving small cakes, candies, ginger, barely, icing candies (like for birthday cakes), etc.

They love gardens, so leave some of these offerings there, in a bowl or basket.
Planting roses, bluebells, thyme, etc. will also help attract them to you. 
Don't look for the offering to disappear because the fairies don't physically eat them. Fairies are capable of taking the energy from the offerings, rather than taking the offering itself. 
Of course, if an animal comes along and eats the offering, this is a good sign. Don't send it away. It may be the fairy in animal form coming for its present.

Faerie Garden
You can plant a garden for the fairies.
You can think about planting bluebells and roses in the garden since fairies love them. Also, fairies and animals alike love water.
You can create a wonderful pool in the middle of your garden. Just dig a small hole and line it. Place rocks around the edge.
You can replenish the water each time you water your garden. Fairies also like the wild.
Let a small portion of your garden overgrow and get tangled, without de-weeding it. This will be the place for those wild Faeries.

Fairy Bubbles 
Buy one of those cheap bubble bottles (for kids) and sit in your garden. Ask the fairies to join you and just blow bubbles. Watch the bubbles and relax.
be nervous because 1) there is no reason to be and 2) the fairies may sense it. 
I also add some fine iridescent glitter to the bubble mix, the bubbles sparkle and leave glittery marks when they pop on the floor.

Fairy Magick
Fairies can be very helpful in magick, as they have a lot of power and they are certainly not ignorant when it comes to using it.
However Intent is very important any bad wording could be misconstrued by them so be careful.
Fairies know a great deal of magick and glamour themselves, so, if you can get them to trust you, they can be a great help.
Fairies, with the exception of a small few, hate love spells and will not be able to help you with them. Love isn't a big thing on the Astral Plane, so they really don't understand it and can't work for it.

Selfish spells, for only self-improvement, are not good spells to ask for help for either.
Fairies will gladly help, when asked correctly and well thanked by offerings, with spells that benefit others and nature. 

When asking a fairy to help you, make sure you are safely inside a sacred circle of power or at least have a protection charm and spell working for you.
Never let a fairy inside your circle of energy, as there is no telling how dangerous they could be. If a bad fairy comes through to you, send it on its way and ask for another. 
Fairies are not content to simply stand on the outside of your circle and watch. Get them involved. Singing, chanting, and music are great for involving the fairies, along with enhancing your spells.

Get them interested. If you're singing and dancing, they'll want to come to you.
Thank the fairies when you're done, but give them an offering too. They prefer food and trinkets glittery items, bells, mirrors, and crystals to a simple little "thanks".
The Faerie rite is for only 10 faeries but I would like you to research as many as you can.
I especially would like you to look at Bogart's who mutated into Bogeys then Bogeymen or Bogy Men. Just an interesting little exercise!

One warning though don't go off tonight and try calling faeries and elementals into your house. You will regret it!

Views: 1

[Dancing Fingers]

This is so good! Thank you for Sharing!!!

[MARGARIDA MARIA MADRUGA]

Wonderful approach to the topic. Thanks.