A Simple Guide for Beginners.

Walking the path of the Fae is not an easy task. Information is extremely difficult to come by & contacting the fae is quite the challenge. If it is your desire to learn the path of the Fae, you should first be well versed in another tradition, such as Wicca or Druidism. These will give you the tools & understanding of magick that will be essential in making contact with the Fae.

In order to contact the Fae, you must first understand who & what they are. The term Fae applies to may creatures, not just the cute little winged women you see in various fantasy novels & artwork. The terms covers fairies, elves, gnomes, trolls, pixies, unicorns, pegasus, dragons, and all manners of mythological creatures connected to the Earth & its magicks. Each creature has its specialty and purpose, as such each should be contacted separately. One thing the fae generally do not like is being called “the little people.” They are not always little & find the term rather offensive.

As you may have noticed, the Fae cannot be seen hovering about in everyday life using our mundane sight. They are no longer here as we are here. If you study your history, you will find that tales of the Fae ceased around the dark ages. Some types had longer lasting mentions than others but by the end of the dark ages almost no new record of any fantastic creature existed. Why is this? If you look at what was transpiring at that point, the world was going through some major changes in religion. There was no tolerance to the ‘old ways’ nor of the creatures that embodied them. The fae had long endured mankind’s treachery and deceit but things had reached a point where it was no longer tolerable. They needed to leave. They first started by retreating to the most remote areas of woodland & mountains & other natural areas. Mankind, however, pressed on & drove them out. In response, they banded together & performed one last great feat of magick—they created a gateway to the Otherworld & left. Not all the creatures went at first.

In fact, one of the last to leave was the unicorn, it alone held out hope for humanity the longest. There were several gateways opened since the start of the last millennia—the last was in the dark ages. The place that they retreated to is call The Ween by some—the place between here & there (wherever there is). Finding that place is the tricky part. It is not easily accessible & not something that you should try to enter. It is, however, easier to find a spot where a natural gateway exists and ask them to come across to you.

The Fae are notorious tricksters, it is their defense against the dangers posed by most humans. They are extremely leery of humans, to say the least, and will seem unresponsive. When you attempt contact for the first several times, you will most likely be ignored. You must prove that your intentions are pure & just and that you can be trusted.

So where do you find the natural gateways? Again, lets look to the lore. As you may know, when faeries appear they often leave rings of mushrooms, called fairy rings, behind. That’s a good place to start. However, fairy rings are not the only gateway. If you have a good feel for nature, which is a basic necessity for working with the fae, you will be able to ‘pick up’ on areas that ‘feel’ different. I know of a woman whose backyard turns into a public park. If you sit at the edge of her property on a full moon & peer into the woods, you can see the dancing lights of fairies—walking into the woods is something you have to experience to understand on that night. These areas exist all over, but can be hard to find. If you can’t find one, don’t fret, they can be created, which I will explain later.

As I mentioned earlier, a kinship with the earth is a necessity for working with the Fae. If your idea of nature is the well groomed horticultural center, you better stick with another path. The Fae are found in the most natural settings—those places little seen or touched by humans. This would require one to leave the neat little trails and paths & venture into the woods. Learn how nature behaves, learn to ‘feel’ the trees, plants & animals of the area. Learn about ecology & wildlife management. Get involved in park cleanup efforts. Learn to exist WITH nature, not just in it. If you have never worked with a nature spirit, start with the elemental rulers, or Gaia and Greenman. They can help you understand nature and how to work with it. When you are well versed there, then make your attempt to find the fae. The BOS provides some basic meditations for contacting the various elementals as well as Gaia & Greenman.

Trust is the essential part of working with faeries. You must help them to understand that you are a person that they can trust. Each time you make your attempts to contact them, state clearly who you are & that you mean them no harm. Also state that you would never teach the secrets of the Fae to others without permission. Be sure that you stick to you commitments to them. Folklore cites many examples of the ‘evil & mischievous’ things that the Fae can & will do to someone who betrays them.

Find a spot in the woods or other natural area & take care of it. Learn how it ‘feels,’ what it needs, what lives there. Meditate there often, do ritual there, perform spellwork there. The more magickal energy you put into the area, the easier it will be to see them. They are drawn to areas where magick is performed regularly—as long as the area is well maintained (not manicured, but maintained). They are also drawn to people who radiate the love for the earth & can be observed caring for it. Leave small tokens & gifts behind each time you visit. This will also help build the bond of trust.

There are several authors on the market who will give you example after example of gifts that the fae prefer, many of which almost seem to contradict one another. I have found that things such as crystals, ginger, sugary sweets, cookies, and planting flowers work well. Bare in mind that just because you leave a plate of cookies on the ground on Monday, & on Wednesday they are still there doesn’t mean that they didn’t come. Remember, they exist on a different plane than we do, you leave them as a token of respect & adoration—it’s the thought that counts quite literally.

Once you have determined that you are ready to try & make contact with the Fae and you have your designated area prepared, there are some other things that will help you make the initial contact. Since you have been doing ritual there already, you may already have seen glimpses of them as their curiosity is often peaked by such events occurring on a regular basis. After that, try performing the following rite:

To perform this rite, you will need a small charm, such as a crystal pendant—nothing elaborate or expensive, but beautiful & earthy nonetheless. You will also need a candle, any one will do (exercise caution when burning candles outside).

Find a quiet area within nature and get comfortable. Take several slow, deep breaths and relax.  Allow the stresses and anxieties of the day flow through your body and out through your feet.  Light the candle.  When you are relaxed, let your mind take in all that surrounds you. Notice the delicate nature of the leaves on the trees, the soft whisper of the breeze as it caresses your skin, the careless creatures that surely abound. Feel yourself as a part of this area, not a creature that is separate or dominant. See the union of each part of this area working in concert with one another. See how each and every thing depends upon the other. Close your eyes & hear nothing but the sounds of nature. Allow yourself to completely forget the human world that exists. When you open your eyes, imagine a small gateway among the foliage beginning to form. This is the pathway to the land of the Fae. Gently call the to caretakers of the Earth. Let them know, in your own words, that you mean them no harm. The Fae are very untrusting sorts. Introduce yourself (let’s not forget our manners) & let them know of your intent. Let them know about yourself. Let them also know that you understand that they have often been betrayed and that you understand that they are wary of humans. Let them know that you are dedicated (and you better mean this) to making the Earth better, cleaner & safer for all of the creatures of the Earth (citing examples helps). Pause for a few moments, leave the charm overnight. Retrieve it but keep it in a safe place, this will be your key when you return. Leave it just outside the spot where you see the gateway each time you return.

You will most likely need to repeat this process several times before seeing a measure of success. It will be a slow process if you have never worked with a nature spirit before, but with a little hard work & gentle coaxing, you’ll be an apprentice to the Fae in no time. Be warned, however, that they do NOT take kindly to those who betray their trust. Use what you learn wisely & do not share that knowledge without asking permission first.

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