A Ritual for the Autumn Equinox and the Acronychal Rising of the Pleiades

Calling in the Liminal Powers

Art credit: Pixabay

For those who follow a spiritual path that is centered on fairies and the cycle of the Pleiades, the Autumn Equinox and the Achronycal Rising of the Pleiades mark an important holiday. The energy of this time is cheerful because there is much to celebrate, and the interaction between fairies and humans is generally positive in my experience. 

 

If you have been reading my posts in which I mention Fairy Gods, Liminal Powers and fairy holy days, then you are familiar with my approach to fairy faith. If this is you, I apologize for sounding repetitive. If, however, you just came across this blog, and this is the first post you read here, then a little bit of context will help. However I would suggest going back and reading some of the older posts about fairy holidays, rituals, Liminal Powers and Fairy Gods. These posts will shed light on what you are about to read from here on and hopefully make it sound less strange.

 

One of my assignments is to open portals between the human world and the Otherworld and to diligently keep these portals open. I have to do this at specific times throughout the year. Opening portals is a sacred endeavor for me as much as it is a reason for joy and celebration. 

The purpose for opening such portals is to facilitate the access of beings and energies of Fairy to the human world which is in dire need for re-enchanting (Daimler, 2018; id. 2020). It is a necessary thing for both sides, fairy and human, because it would restore a heavily compromised balance. Influx of Fairy would shake things up on our side, but it has to be done. Diminished fairy presence caused by destroying their spaces, distorting fairy lore and stamping out folk traditions, led to the displacement of fairy populations¹  This in turn brought about problems on every imaginable level. Just take a look at the ecological, health and spiritual crises humanity is confronted right now as we speak. The time for action aimed at restoring balance is past due. 

The Autumn Equinox and the Acronychal Rising of the Pleiades occur within few days from one another, so I celebrate this seasonal tide as one single holiday. It is one of the dates intended for portal-opening².  The outline for this ritual and most of what is said while performing it builds upon the work of my teachers who pursue similar paths, and on directions I received while journeying to access specific information. Please keep in mind that my ritual focuses on opening a portal between Fairy and the human world and honoring the Seven Queens. Celebrating the Autumn Equinox itself is part of this ritual’s purpose, but this aspect is more of a backdrop rather than the main purpose.

It makes sense to me to hold the ritual when I see the Pleiades in the sky and when I get the sense that night and day are equal, which means that I will wait for another day or two after the equinox. Chose the timing that feels right for you. 

Adapt the ritual described here to suit your beliefs and style of practice. Whatever you do, make sure that it fells authentic to your beliefs and is comfortable to you. I sometimes find other people’s recommendations for practice to fit perfectly with my own beliefs and personal taste in which case I gladly incorporate those ideas and then credit the sources. Other times I do things which are entirely my own. This ritual is based on recommendations made by Morgan Daimler in their books “Living Fairy” and “Traveling the Fairy Path”, on Cat Heath’s approach to setting sacred space as she talks about it in “Elves, Gods & Witches” (see “Resources”) and on what I learned from my own grandmother. But in developing this ritual into the form described here I followed primarily what my elven guides recommended. 

I suggest that you get familiar with the script in advance and prepare your tools and offerings beforehand. Elaborate your ritual components and celebratory aspects as much as you like. If opening portals is not something you resonate with, you can skip that part and still do the ritual focusing on the Fairy Gods, Goddesses, the Pleiades, and the seasonal tide.

What you need

- bowl with herb-infused water (you can use dried herbs or a couple of drops of herbal oil);

- cup, horn, or any other vessel with fresh water for offering to the Powers of the cardinal directions;

- cup, horn or any other vessel with fresh water or any other libation you feel it is suited (juice, wine, etc) for the Fairy Goddesses that are associated with the Pleiades, and for any other Fairy deity or Fairy monarch you are devoted to, if you chose to invite any;  

- food offerings for the Fairy Goddesses associated with the Pleiades and for any other Fairy deity or Fairy monarch you are devoted to, if you chose to invite any. 

For offerings, I usually have cakes³, or fresh bread and butter, fresh fruit, or a portion of what I have cooked for myself and my family.  It doesn’t have to be a lot, you can make the portions small, but whatever it is, it shall be the best quality you can afford.  

- candle in a jar or a lantern

- the script for the ritual

- any other items you wish to use: ritual blade, want, staff, figurines for the altar, extra dishes or bowls, etc.

Outline for the Ritual

- Stand at the center of the space where the ritual will take place. Face the direction that you would usually face when beginning a ritual. I face East because it is the best positioning I can get for the minimalistic altar I set up for occasions such as this.

- Announce what you are about to do using words like: “I am setting now sacred space. In this sacred space I will hold a ritual to honor the Seven Queens and Liminal Fairy Gods (name them here if you are inviting anyone. For example, I invite An Dagda and Freyr). I will open a portal between the human world and Fairy, a portal that allows the two worlds to merge within the confines of the space that I dedicate to this purpose”.

 - Turning to the left (counterclockwise), walk a spiral path starting at the center of the space and gradually expanding toward the periphery. I have a copper bowl filled with water in which I soak herbs I know are agreeable to fairies and Fairy Higher Powers. I sprinkle water on the ground as I walk around and repeat my intention out loud. 

- When you reach the periphery, walk counterclockwise one full circle to mark the outer boundary and sprinkle herb-infused water on the ground. In my experience, sprinkling the herbs-infused water it makes the space feel hallowed and welcoming for the Powers that I seek to invite. In folklore, walking counterclockwise has been associated with calling in fairy beings.

- Get the bowl or cup with fresh water for offering:

   Face East, pour out a little water, and call "to the Powers of the Rising Sun", 

   Turn to face West, pour out a little water, and call "to the Powers of the Setting Sun",

   Turn to face South, pour out a little water, and call "to the Powers of the Midday",

   Turn to face North, pour out a little water, and call "to the Powers of the Midnight",

    I entrust this space to ground and keep"

Put aside the dish with the remaining water.

- Light up the candle. You will circumambulate to mark the outer boundaries of the portal with fire.  Walk the outer boundary counterclockwise carrying the flame. Say these or similar words:

"Fire I carry as I go around

Holy this space, sacred the bound,

Good wights come in, ill-meaning ones keep out!"

After circling once, put the candle somewhere safe so you won't trip over it. From this point onward, no one should move past the circumference of the sacred space. (Use discernment: if you have an emergency, by all means do whatever you need to do even if this involves you or someone else leaving the ritual space.)

You finished walking the circle that defines the outer boundary of your ritual space which also marks the space and size of the portal. Now open a portal.

- To open a portal, you can use a ritual tool or simply walk the bounds with nothing else but your expressed intent. I prefer to use my ritual knife, which is a Damascus blade with layers of carbon steel and copper and copper hand guard. My fairy allies are a mixed group. They are not entirely averse to iron although many among them prefer copper or bronze. Ask your own allies what do they encourage you to use in ritual and chose your tool accordingly. 

To open the portal, I begin by holding my knife in the right hand with the tip pointing up and walk the periphery of the space. I imagine the energy of the blade extending upward, as high up as it can reach. I walk and state my intent to open a portal, a space where the two worlds, human and Fairy merge, a passage for the Other to return and re-enchant this world as it once was and should be. 

When I arrive to the exact point where I started the circumambulation, I switch the position of the knife. I still have it in my right hand but with the tip pointing down. I walk again the periphery of the space. I imagine the energy of the blade extending downward, as deep down as it can go. I walk and state my intent to open a portal, a space where the two worlds, human and Fairy merge, a passage for the Other to return and re-enchant this world as it once was and should be. 

- If you used any tool, now set it aside. Pause and feel the energy in your space.

- Now it is the time to acknowledge the Pleiades and the Powers they represent. Stand at the center of your space or wherever your altar and offerings are. Say this or similar words: 

"I welcome the Seven Queens returning in the night sky illuminating the path and opening the ways for the Fairy Powers and this tide of the year.

Queen of the Greenwood

Queen of Winds

Queen of Waters

Queen of Sacred Earth and Ancient Stone

Queen of Flame,

Queen of Horns,

Queen of Wings and Talons,

We welcome you, and ask for your blessings on this day in throughout the months ahead.

With joy and gratitude, we offer to you fresh water (or whatever libation you prepared) and (any food you have prepared for Them)"

Pour out some of the libation and scoop some of the food (place food close to where you poured out the libation.

- If you have a particular Fairy deity, fairy queen or king that you are devout to, then you can invite them to join. You can say these or similar words:

"I welcome you, Name(s) and Title(s). Enjoy these offerings, a small token of my love and gratitude."

Pour out more of the remaining libation and food.

Portal connecting human world and Fairy.

Art credit: Pixabay

  - Welcome the fairy-beings of the place and your own allies from among fairies. You can say these or similar words:

"I welcome you, Fair Folk, Hidden People and all my fairy allies and guides.  Enjoy these offerings, a small token of my love and gratitude."

Pour out all of the remaining libation and food. 

- If you have any other offering, such as song, dance, reading aloud something that you chose for the Fairy Queens and your Other guests, you can deliver that now. You can burn incense or fragrant herbs with your offerings.

- Express your gratitude for the presence and support coming from those you invited and the peoples they represent.

- Intend for the portal to remain open and bridge the worlds asunder, human and Fairy.

- Walk around and scatter some leaves or dirt to restore a neutral feel to the space and sort of camouflage the portal. This may seem contradictory, but while the portal stays open it does not have to be overly conspicuous.  

Make merry and feast. Be careful about what food you leave outside, and make sure it is not toxic for the wildlife or the vegetation around. Alcohol is damaging for herbs and animals and chocolate is poisonous for dogs and the canis family in general (wolves, coyotes, foxes – etc), so best burry those items. 

Tell your Fairy invitees that they may stay or leave as they wish. A while ago I learned the formula “In good will and perfect trust/ stay if you will, go if you must.” I like it and still use it, although I occasionally play around with the wording.

Let the vibe of the ritual carry into the rest of your evening activities. Intend for the energy of Fairy to  flow through portal and extend smoothly into this world.

Happy Autumn Equinox, happy Opening of Ways celebration, and may the light of stars shine bright on your path.

Daniela

PS. In upcoming posts I will give more details about the Liminal Powers as well as templates for rituals for different occasions.

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¹ As Norsemen began to populate Iceland they encountered the local land wights and alfs who acted benevolently toward the newly arrived. Making offerings and treating the local wights with respect ensured humans’ survival. Wights shared knowledge and made crops and game plentiful. Advancing of Christianity destroyed the balance. Priests sprinkled holy water on places where elves dwelt, making them leave. In leaving, however, the elves took away the land’s abundance, and people were left to deal with the consequences. (Gundarsson, 2007; id.1993) In feuding against each other, chieftains and kings intentionally offended the wights or elves dwelling into the opponents’ land to cause opponents' downfall, because without protection form local wights no ruler has control or power over land. (Gundarsson, 2007; id.1993) In Ireland, fairies seem to be bothered by church bells ringing which may caue them to abandon an area. (www.duchas.ie; Daimler, 2017; id. 2020) Destruction of fairy places is another reason for them to leave, oftentimes not before taking revenge on the humans who caused the destruction. (Gundarson, 2007)

² Portals open automatically at different times and/or in specific places, but ritual action actively supports the process by landing more energy to it. More over, through ritual action, such portals can be anchored into physical places so they become permanent or semi-permanent. With these in mind, portals are not to be opened randomly and carelessly. 

³ Daimler, “Living Fairy,” 2020. 

⁴ For details you may check Daniela Simina, Pagan Portals “A Fairy Path: The Memoir of a Young Fairy Seer in Training”, 2023, autobiographic.

Bibliography and Resources

Books:

Carding, Emily “Faery Craft: Weaving Connections with the Enchanted Realm”, 2012

Daimler, Morgan “Travelling the Fairy Path”, 2018

Daimler, Morgan “Living Fairy”, 2020

Daimler, Morgan “Fairies: A Guide to the Celtic Fair Folk”, 2017

Daimler, Morgan “A Modern Dictionary of Fairies: A 21^st Century Exploration of Celtic and Realted Western European Fairies”, 2020

Gundarsson, Kveldulf “Teutonic Religion: Folk Beliefs and Practices of the Northern Traditions”, 1993

Gundarsson Kveldulf “Elves, Wights, and Trolls: Studies Towards the Practice of Germanic Hethenry, Vol.1”, 2007

Simina, Daniela, “A Fairy Path: The Memoir of a Young Fairy Seer in Training”, 2023

On-line articles:

Winifred Hodge Rose, "Land Wights and Human Ecology", 2013, https://heathensoullore.net/landwights-and-human-ecology/  

“The Fairy Swelling on Selena Mor” https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/swc2/swc216.htm

Daimler, Morgan “Liminal Gods- Deeper Theology”, January, 2021 https://lairbhan.blogspot.com/search?q=Liminal+Gods

“The School Collection”, https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes

Seo Helrune, "Elves and Witchcraft, Seidr and Grimoirs" , https://seohelrune.com

Classes:

Seo Helrune, "Elves and Witches: A Survival Guide", for access to class recording and materials, contact Set Helrune at seo.helrune@gmail.com

Morgan Daimler, "Pulling the Wings off Fairies" https://irishpaganschool.com/courses?page=3 

Daniela Simina, "Fairycrafting: The Art of Fairy Magic", 3 parts course offered bi-annually. Email Daniela Simina at dsimina@gmail.com or check Daniela Simina Author Page on Facebook for announcements regarding course dates and description. 

September: On Autumn Equinox, Fairies and Portals

 

Art credit: Daniela Simina

The treetops have just begun to turn gold. Whenever the wind picks up, leaves dance in the air and twirl their way to the ground.  The days are still long but the light has a different quality to it and the sunsets are made of amber. September: the very word sounds magical, resonating like old bronze bells that in the century past called schoolchildren to classrooms. September: the name, as the month itself, brims with memories and magic, and memories about magic from as far back as my childhood years and sometimes from even farther back… 

Over the past few years, walking the fairy path added layers to both the meaning and the feeling surrounding September, and it shaped my perception not only of nature in general but of the Powers behind manifested nature and natural world. Because of this one and few other contributing factors that I will detail farther, the Autumn Equinox has become an even more special time and a weightier marker on my calendar of seasonal celebrations.

 

Altar for Autumn Equinox 2016. Photo credit Daniela Simina

Going a little on a tangent, I must restate that Ireland is for me a very special place. I connected to it psychically a very long time ago, and when I visited in 2018 the connection strenghtened. One experience in particular prompted a chain reaction that reconnected me with fairy faith and related practices. Fast forward to Ireland, 2022. As if picking things up form where I left them in 2018, I found myself going through a multiple-steps initiatory experience (totally unplanned). As a result, I came to see my path and my relationship to fairies in a different light. This new light concretizes as new ways of perceiving and understanding things but also translates into assignments and instructions, all related to the fairy path I've been pursuing. Firstly, on June 21, while at the Hill of Tara, I received a list of Powers/Fairy Gods and was instructed to connect with them and align myself with the nature aspects They represent. Based on this connection I began to develop a personal cosmology to guide my prcatice (more on this in a future post). Second, on the night of June 23, I was released from contractual obligations I had with Zâne[1]. Finally, on July 11, while I was mediatting, I was asked [2] to formaly acknowledge my connection to a specific group from among the Fair Folk[3]. It didn't realize until a little later, when I recorded the experience in my journal, that I had in fact renewed a commitment I had made many, many yers ago. By renewing the commitment that the overly enthusiastic nine-yeras old me had made, I agreed to a lifelong relationship with that specific group of fairies. The words of the adult Daniela sealed the promisse made by Daniela the child. In the larger scheme of things, I had placed myself in service to the Other though a double set of agreements. I was then tasked to carry out rituals as part of celebrating specific times of the year, and in doing so, open portals between worlds to facilitate the passage of certain beings.  I know this sounds bizarre, but things are far more nuanced than I can convey with words.  

Rejection of the magic, of the wild, of the feral and of Fairy is destructive because healthy balance can only be achieved among forces whose action is both competing and complementary. 

Back to the Autumn Equinox.

Autumn Equinox is one of the times when I shall open the portals I talked about. This is be the first time when I will be performing the ceremony which I’m not sure yet what form will take precisely. What I know with a fair degree of certainty is that we need such portals to open wide again between our world and the Other. I am not alone in concluding that the Powers of Fairy must flow freely to allow the restoration of a balance that modern society is slipping away from, farther and faster with each passing day. Greed and aggressive industrialization coupled with policies of spiritual annihilation lead to calcification of minds and spirits alike 

I am thus getting ready for the Autumn Equinox and once I’ll have a relatively clear outline for the ceremony, I will share. Maybe several of us can coordinate and gather more power by working together. 

September Sunset, Picture by Daniela Simina, 2017

In line with everything that I said in the last part of this post about the need for ushering more of the Fairy into the human world as a necessary albeit not devoid of danger course of action, I made a list of resources that I believe to be very useful.

1. Morgan Daimler, “Fairy Witchcraft”, “Fairycraft”, “Traveling the Fairy Path”, “Living Fairy”, “21st Century Fairy: The Good Folk in the New Millennium”, and for those particularly interested in the Irish fairies, “Aos Sidhe: Meeting the Irish Fair Folk” is one of the best resources available anywhere on the market. Also, I would recommend the books in the high fantasy series “Between the Worlds”, and “Into Shadow” by the same author. Morgan does an amazing job at developing fantasy characters in ways that do not distort traditional lore. 

Also, Morgan Daimler's blog “Living Liminally”, https://lairbhan.blogspot.com , is a great resource. 

2. Blythe Rhymer, “The Raven and the Lotus”, http://theravenandthelotus.com , an excellent blog written by Blythe oftentimes in collaboration with her fairy partner, Tadhg. I cannot recommend it highly enough for both style and content quality.

3. Barbara Campinoti, “Chime- A Space for UPG and Italian Fairy Folklore”, https://upgandfolklore.blogspot.com/2022/08/welcome.html . Barbara has a strong, lifelong connection to fairies who guide her personal and professional paths. Her approach to fairy faith is eclectic, and what Barbara shares on her blog, flows straight from her own experiences with the Fair Folk.

Thanks for reading, and until we meet again, bright Fairy blessings to all of you.

Daniela

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[1] Generic term used for Romanian fairies. 

[2] There have been three or four occasions in my life so far when the fairies I am partnering up with presented me with this kind of one way or no way choices. To be clear, the choice has always been mine.

[3] The name Fair Folk could be misleading so I shall specify that it is a generic name that I use for a group of fairies that are not all from among the Irish Aos Sidhe, but include Wights and members of the Álfar. 

              

Where Fairies Meet: The Relevance of Comparative Material

There is a sense of delight that I feel, as I hold the author copy of “Where Fairies Meet: Parallels between Irish and Romanian Fairy Traditions.” It is the first comparative study that brings side to side Irish and Romanian fairy folklore, and as I sit here, with the hard copy in hand, I can only think of why and how “Where Fairies Meet” came to be. The book came to life in his format because They (by ‘They’ I mean fairies[1]) wanted it so. I’ll give you the full story, shortly. My personal motivations however, lay along the lines of wanting to offer a useful resource to those who are interested to pursue a fairy-based spiritual path or have an interest in researching fairy lore cross-culturally. 

 

Being one such a path myself, I found it very important to have access to authentic fairy lore and folklore, especially to resources that examine similar traditions across two or more cultures.  I will underline the words authentic and cross-cultural, and here’s why: I need more context for my own experiences as well as a better understanding of who and what I am dealing with from amongthe Othercrowd. I need a solid framework, one built on scholarship as opposed to speculative interpretation of lore, on traditions – such as those of fairy seers from places in Southern and Central Europe, that still survive today albeit scanty- as opposed to fakelore. 

 

More than once, I found myself running circles while trying to piecemeal an approach to working in partnership with fairies. I shall explain. I found excellent guidance through the work of Morgan Daimler, Lora O’Brien, Cat Heath, Sabina Magliocco, Dr. Simon Young, whose blogs, papers, books, and webpages I am adding to the list of resources at the end of this post. I also have had the memories from the times I apprenticed with my grandmother, herself a fairy seer and medicine woman. But the path I found myself treading over the past few years is an eclectic one, so I needed, and still need, resources that present information more in the fashion of comparative studies. I also believe with all my heart that I am not the only one trying connect bits and pieces into something coherent, into something that makes sense from a broader perspective and in the same time feels true to the practitioner. To all those seekers like myself, here’s one resource which I truly hope you may find useful.

 

I am aware that comparative studies can be problematic due the tendency to whitewash differences and present for example deities and fairy beings form various cultures as one and the same under different aspects. In the vast majority of cases this is not accurate, and in my opinion, it is offensive to the cultures as well as to the deities themselves to be conflated, squashed together as just one thing disregarding individuality. 

 

Yet those studies that present various elements and practices from different cultures using comparison instead of leveling out differences, that treat with care and consideration the uniqueness of each culture, are useful resources. In her excellent class “Charms, Wihta, and Story: An Animistic Approach to Modern Heathen Magic”, Cat Heath explains why comparative material is important.  Viewing the same practice (healing charm or ritual element, for example) through different cultural lenses offers different angles and perspectives that are oftentimes converging.  This in turn help seekers shed light especially in those cases where material is scanty or very fragmented.  Since modern personal practice is not a one hundred percent replica of something done in the distant past, comparative studies can help one’s personal practice to grow through the integration of various elements. Integration is different from slamming things together into a hodge-podge. Integration of elements coming from different cultures is based on understanding of how things evolved over time in response to the changes that occurred within society. Knowing the background gives a thorough understanding which is very important as one seeks to connect with theses practices, (healing, protective charms, ritual elements, propitiatory offerings, etc.) at deeper levels. Deep connection leads to internalizing the material which then can be adapted and incorporated into personal practice to create an organic blend.

 

I admit to the fact that I was not planning to write this book: not the way it came out anyway. Initially, I was focusing on a conference paper to present at Mystic South, Atlanta, 2022. I initially wrote the abstract of what I believed would be my paper, and then let it percolate before submitting it. That very night, one of my fairy guides told me in unequivocal terms that I was not going to submit that abstract. What I began as a paper had to be expanded into a book. I agreed to the undertaking, but I also made it clear that I needed ASAP a new idea for a paper as well as an abstract; you see, I had less that twenty-four hours till deadline.  Reassured by the fairy that it’ll all work out, I went back to sleep. In the morning, I woke up with a new paper title, and as soon as I sat down in front of the computer, the abstract began to flow through as if under dictation. (The link to the paper, which was accepted to the conference, is in the list of resources at the end of this post.)

 

Next, I focused on writing the book. As I expanded the initial outline, it became increasingly clearer that I have to go beyond focusing exclusively on scholarship which had been my initial intent. Thoroughly researched and complete with a long Bibliography section, the book offers study material for everyone interested in authentic fairy traditions, past and present. It also invites pondering over the reality behind the phenomena described in the collected material, since it includes the testimony of fairy seers living in  the twenty-first century, and personal experiences. This last aspect may be of use especially to those who have a more eclectic take to working in partnership with fairies. 

 

There’s never too much material to equip us for functioning in the space where the fairies meet, the space where fairy and fairy-like beings tug at one’s sleeve, inviting a partnership (I put this in the mildest possible terms). For all those needing such material, I was thus guided to write “Where Fairies Meet: Parallels between Irish and Romanian Fairy Traditions.”

 

Thank you for reading, and until we next meet, bright fairy blessings.

Daniela Simina

Notes

[1] The term fairy/fairies as I use it here is intended as an umbrella term to include beings that are strikingly similar yet unique to the cultures they come from, and are known as the Aes Síde, Na Daoine Maithe in Ireland and zâne, either Rusalii or Sânziene, in Romania. 

 

Resources

Daimler, Morgan “A New Dictionary of Fairies: A 21^st Century Exploration of Celtic and Related Western European Fairies” , 2020

Daimler, Morgan “Living Liminally” https://lairbhan.blogspot.com

Heath, Cat “Elves, Witches, and Gods: Spinning Old Heathen Magic in the Modern Day”, 2021

Heath, Cat “Charms, Wihta, and Story: An Animistic Approach to Modern Heathen Magic”, https://www.eventbrite.com(contact Cat Heath for class recordings)

Magliocco, Sabina “Magliocco, Sabina, “The Taming of the Fae: Literary and Folkloric Fairies in Modern Paganism”, Magic and Witchery in the Modern West edited by Shai Feraro and Ethan Doyle White (Palgrave MacMillan, 2019) 

O’Brien, Lora, and Jon O’Sullivan,  “Irish Pagan School: Authentic Connection to Ireland” https://irishpaganschool.com

Young, Simon, Ceri Houlbrook, “British and Irish Fairies -500AD to the Present”, 2017

Young, Simon, Ceri Houlbrook, “Magical Folk: A History of Real Fairies, 500 AD to the Present”, 2022

 

An Herbal Charm to Propitiate Abundance

Bearded Iris. Photo credit: Daniela Simina, 2022

Sânziene, the fairies which according to Romanian lore are intensly active during summer, have under their purview the use of herbs for both medicinal and magical uses.  From my own practice, I am sharing here the nuts and bolts of crafting a little herbal charm to propitiate abundance.  

https://youtu.be/C7PYDRY2bhA 

Enjoy watching, and until we next meet, bright fairy blessings to all of you.

Daniela 

Fairy Partnerships: Who Comes in, and Who Stays Out

 

 Whimsical window display. Hill of Tara coffeeshop, June 21, 2022

Photo credit: Daniela Simina

According to the fairy lore provenient from several European cultures, fairies – by whatever name they go- are best when left alone.  To this day, people in Ireland caution against disturbing fairy mounds and fairy trees. Actively seeking to encounter fairies is not only discouraged, but regarded as very unwise. In Romania, as well as other countries in the Central and Eastern Europe, fairies are presented with offerings on different occasions outside of which people do not seek to engage with them in any form. From culture to culture, fairies show various degrees of hostility and friendliness toward humans, all of which is context bound.

Fairy witches, fairy doctors, fairy seers, known by different names and whose attributes vary slightly according to the culture they belong to, share one common denominator: they all work in partnership with fairies. This seems to contradict everything the cultures themselves recommend, namely, leaving fairies alone. It seems though that certain individuals are somehow called to develop working partnership with fairies. The tradition of fairy witches/doctors[1], once wide spread, has currently declined and it has been driven nearly to extinction. However, isolated cases of practitioners working in partnership with fairies are still to be found. For example, a Romanian community settled in Eastern Serbia, has active fairy seers[2]. In Ireland, Pat Noone[3], at Green Hills Farm in Co. Longford, talks about the fairy activity on his farm which has acquired a world wide reputation. 

In modern times, barriers around spiritual beliefs have thinned, and people are more comfortable talking about various experiences they’ve had, including encounters and interactions with fairies[4]^,[5]. It seems that fairies themselves have began to show a vested interest in humans, to an extent previously unknown. This goes hand in hand with modern spiritual seekers’ desire to develop partnerships with fairies. For short, fairies associated with different pantheons and bodies of lore seek to connect with humans, while people from the most varied spiritual paths are actively seeking to connect with fairies both local and from pantheons outside one’s native culture. 

While many express positive feelings and impressions following fairy interactions, others follow along the norms presented in the source material which describe fairies as mainly dangerous, and as previously stated, best left alone.

 

Positive or less so, sought after or steamrolling into one’s life regardless the human’s intent or desire, fairy interaction happens today as it always did, maybe nowadays being marked by a more pronounced willingness from people to encourage or actively seek such connection. In the modern world, similarly to the ages past, humans and fairy relationships take a wide variety of expressions. Regardless of form, degree of closeness, degree of casualness or structure, entertaining these relationships brings up one important question to consider: how does someone invite fairy partnership while still protecting against fairy beings who are less then fond of humans? Warding and shielding with materials which repel fairy presence will keep out all fairies, including those one wishes to partner up with. On the other hand, not warding against anything at all allows all kinds of energies and beings to gather around, including fairies or beings of other nature who are not necessarily friendly or goodly inclined. 

Selective, filter-like protection measures seem to be the answer to this dilemma. I cannot speak for everyone, but I would like to share what is my own approach to selective protection. By selective protection I mean what I do to allow and actively invite near me some among the fairies, while respectfully keeping away some other.  I’ll emphasize that respectfully is a key word, and it applies to everything I do regarding fairies. This is how Grandma taught me to approach anything related to them. 

In practical terms:

-Grandma[6] taught me to keep mugwort and basil under my pillow, and when doing so to intend for the spirit/energy of those plants to keep away anyone and anything inimical to me. In retrospect, I discern several layers to this kind of protection. Firstly, in Romanian lore, some fairies are averse to basil and mugwort while other are not. The ones known to be verse, are the unfriendly ones, while the ones who are not deterred by these herbs are know in the lore as friendly and goodly inclined toward people. With this in mind, I would suggest to anyone who seeks to use herbs for protection, to check out in the specific body of lore what is the relationship between fairies in that culture and the herbs intended to be used for protection. Second, I was not to simply dump a bunch of mugwort and basil on my bed and slam the pillow on top. The intention regarding whom to allow and who to keep away had to be clearly expressed. Also, I was told to give thanks to the plants themselves. These details made me realize that clearly stated intention is not only a powerful and very important component in setting up protections, but more like the crux of it.

-My main line of defense has always been my allies. I will compere here my personal allies to really close and trusted friends that I feel not only comfortable but outright happy to have around at any given time. Since very young, I developed such a relationship with a fairy woman whose true identity and power I only came to know much later in life. Back then, at some point, I did something really disrespectful toward her, and it came at a price. Years later, our relationship healed, and she is with me now as much as, if not even more than when I was a child. Our relationship is rather complicated, but she was, is, and will always be around to protect me. This has nothing to do with the anthropocentric view of fairies being guardians-on-duty to silly humans doing silly stuff. I have been tasked with work to carry on, by her and other members of the Other Crowd to whom I have various degrees of connections. In Fairy nothing is really for free, and I am not to take for granted the protection and friendship they offer.  To this fairy woman and to the fairy king to whom I am connected, I make offerings regularly. Offerings consist of food and drinks presented weekly, and on special occasions I am adding poetry, music, or dance. I also consult her through omen-taking or divination to see what she expects from me. 

Photo credit: Daniela Simina

-While I leave offerings for the closest allies on the indoor altar, there is an outdoor space where I leave offerings for various Other whom I do acknowledge and respect but do not have such close, intimate connection. Whenever I present their offerings, I explicitly welcome only those among the Other Crowd who are friendly and goodly inclined toward me and mine, and express gratitude for the protection they provide.

-I also strengthen my personal defenses by cultivating the connection to, and living in alignment with, the cycles of the seasons, solar and lunar cycles, and the Powers associated with these, the Fairy Gods. 

- I am aware that different bodies of lore recommend iron as a protection against fairies in general, so, if someone does not want any fairy in their proximity, they are advised to use iron in various forms: knives, scissors, horseshoes – etc. But, if someone seeks to connect with fairies, then iron may undermine the purpose. Most of the fairies around my household and the close fairy allies that I have, do not mind iron. However, I still prefer to use wood, ceramic, copper, and glass bowls for their food and drink offerings out of respect and caring for the Other Crowd, if nothing else. There may be places around one’s house or yard that demand special warding, and iron implements could be used on that isolated patch. As always, being specific is very important, so state clearly what is the extent of the warding and who is guarding against. 

- Leaving offerings and setting up spaces especially for the fairies to enjoy are ways to invite them near. There are fairy flowers that make a space more appealing to the fairy people. In choosing how to render a space fairy-friendly, check the lore. Whenever possible go to the source material first, and see what flowers, herbs, trees, crystals, rocks have been recorded as fairy-friendly within specific cultural frameworks.  Then proceed from there.

I shall conclude that selective protections act as filters that allow some things to pass through, while holding back others. In forming fairy partnerships, the challenge is to invite the fairies that one would like to partner with while avoiding the intrusion of unfriendly entities. Combining defensive and propitiating elements into a synergistic approach, clearly expressed intent about who shall join and who shall not, being courteous, smart and cautious shall help.

 

Thank you for reading, and until the next time, the blessing of the Shining Ones be with you.

 

Daniela

 

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[1] An excellent article that details the functions of fairy witches, fairy doctors is Morgan Daimler’s paper “The Witch, the Bean Feasa, and the Fairy Doctor in Irish Culture”, available at  https://www.academia.edu/17823067/The_Witch_the_Bean_Feasa_and_the_Fairy_Doctor_in_Irish_Culture

[2] Maria Vivod, “Fairy Seers from Eastern Serbia”, available at https://www.academia.edu/36940629/The_Fairy_Seers_of_Eastern_Serbia_Seeing_Fairies_Speaking_through_Trance?email_work_card=title

[3] Pat Noone, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yci8WOlo7T0

[4] Simon Young,  Magical Folk: A History of Real Fairies , 500AD to the Present

[5] Sabina Magliocco, “The Taming of the Fae” available at https://www.academia.edu/40416801/The_Taming_of_the_Fae_Literary_and_Folkloric_Fairies_in_Modern_Paganisms_prepublication_copy

[6] My Grandmother was a fairy seer and, when I was a child, I apprenticed with her. The full story is in the book “A Fairy Path: The Memoirs of A Young Fairy Seer”, that will be released most likely toward the end of 2023.

May Day: Integrating Beliefs and Traditions

I grew up in a strongly dualistic society. The beliefs in the supernatural ran deep, and the majority of people honored those beliefs with a certain degree of discretion. On the other hand, what I was taught in school and what was publically, albeit superficially upheld as the norm, was to deny the supernatural. Great mental and emotional place to be, isn’t it, especially for a child who can see those things that the official system of education affirms they don’t exist. 

Back then, the way I approached holidays attempted to bridge this duality. I enjoyed the days off from school and my parents' days off from work because we could visit with friends or travel. But on such days I also wanted to do something special for the Others, like I saw my grandmother doing more or less secretly. My personal feel was that holidays encompassed the laic and spiritual dimensions, and the spiritual layer always stood out bold and strong, no matter how much the modern and “progressive” forces within society tried to drown it.  Bealtaine [1] , Walpurgisnacht [2], or as lived it in my childhood years, May Day, is one such example. I shall explain.

In Romania of my childhood, May 1^st was officially celebrated as the International Workers Day, when schools and public institutions were decorated with flowers and flags in the national colors, and parades were organized in all the cities. People gathered around tables on terraces for cold beer and “mici” [3], gathered for picnics, and generally had a good time. But in the rural areas, May Day had a different flavor. May Day marked the transition into summer, and signaled the beginning of a new season in the agricultural calendar. As a time of transition, the beginning of May called for specific rituals. Such knowledge has been handed down from one generation to the next through hundreds, if not through thousands of years. Maypole, specific foods, fire-lighting, people dressing in traditional garb, dancing and feasting, magic for protection and prosperity, and charms for health and beauty – that was, and still is, my kind of holiday. 

May Pole dancing in teh Ardeal region of Romania, 
Photo credit: "Unirea" newspaper archives

Fortunately, many traditions survived modernization quite successfully, especially in rural areas. Same as forty-five years go, on May Day Eve, green boughs are hung at doors and gates, around byres and stalls to keep people and livestock safe from the mischief caused by iele⁴ and other malicious spirits. A long pole with green boughs tied on top, or a small tree, is decorated with flower wreaths, and then planted in the front yard or at the front gate. This is done for protection, but also to propitiate the God of vegetation⁵, protector of crops, orchards, wildlife, and cattle. I found this practice to be very similar to the Irish custom of decorating the May Bush for Bealtaine, May 1^st. 

A much older name for May Day still in use in rural areas is Armindeni. It is also known as the Wormwood Holiday. Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is a close related to Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). Both herbs are known for their magic properties and are used in similar ways. On May Day, bunches of Wormwood and/or Mugwort are used to sweep back (bring back) a person who has left home and their return is much desired. The same bunches can be used to sweep out disease. This is done either by the elder woman in the house who uses the herbs to sweep all family members with long, downward strokes running from head to feet, or by each person using the bunch of herbs to brush themselves form head to toes.  Wormwood is also added to red wine which is drunk on this occasion to strengthen the body. Wormwood and/or Mugwort twigs are carried inside pockets, belts, or pinned on hats to ward off malicious spirits.

May Bushes.

Photo credit: Mythologica.ro

My practice, as it is today, still carries a flavor that is reminiscent of the traditions that I grew up with, specifically those traditions that focus on fairies. I bring this up for discussion because as I said in previous posts (August and September 2021), I currently follow a path that is centered on fairy and integrates beliefs from Romanian, Irish, and to some extent Norse[6] traditions. It is hard work to preserve balance with regard to authenticity of traditions in their cultural context and the need to practice in a way that is authentic to myself and my own beliefs. I am pretty sure that I am not the only one trying to integrate elements from various cultures into a cohesive personal approach, and this is the reason I am sharing form my own experience . 

In Ireland Bealtaine, May Day, is one of the four fire festivals. The holiday, under various names, is celebrated everywhere in the territories inhabited by Celtic languages speaking cultures, and in places where Germanic influences are present, such as Romania.

Bealtaine marks the half way between Spring Equinox and Summer solstice, but more importantly, it marks the beginning of summer on the agrarian calendar. The Pleiades, know as 7 Queens, 7 Sisters, The Hen, The Clock, The Wren, disappear from the night sky (by April 22 this star cluster it is no longer visible in the night sky anywhere in the Northern hemisphere) Their dissapearing, kown as the heliacal setting, announces that the time for various seasonal activities has arrived. It is not so much the date, May 1^st that is important but it is the Pleiades position signaling people to engage in agricultural, farming, fishing, and sailing activities. 

This is a time when I acknowledge the presence of the Other as I learned from my native culture as well as from those traditions that fused into my current path. Bealtaine, May Day, or Walpurgisnacht, officially begins on April 30, at sunset (May Day Eve). In my own practice and beliefs, during this time the Fairy Gods or Liminal Powers exercise a very strong presence. They are connected to the seasons changing, the shifting into summer. Also, fairies travel around more than usually, and their paths intersect those of humans. In my own experience and according to Romanian fairy lore, this is the time when Sânziene begin to make their presence felt. Their activity peaks on their eponymous holiday, the Feast of Sânziene on Midsummer. In addition to the Fairy Gods, on this holiday I welcome the Zâne, acknowledge the Aos Side and the Alfar, and honor my guides and familiars.

On April 30^th, early in the day, I decorate the May bush, clean and arrange the altar, and prepare what I need for the ritual that I’ll hold later. At sunset I bring the supplies and offerings by the Fairy Tree, where I have a dedicated space for rituals, meditation, offerings, etc. I like to keep things simple. I prepare the space, acknowledge the Powers, invite my Otherworldly guests, make offerings (whatever forms offerings may take) light the fire, do some magic, give thanks and pour out some libations of fresh water, and close the ritual. 

My May Bush.

Picture taken by Daniela Simina on May Eve,2022

I do not have a proper fire pit in my backyard, so I light up the fire in a rather large, heat-resisting ceramic bowl which I crafted myself when I was in college. I also light some incense. I walk around the fire, basking in the warmth and brightness, and invite cleansing and protective energies. I meditate, renew the wards around the property, and after the fire goes out, I scatter the ashes in the yard and around the house, on the outside, for prosperity and protection.

My small scale ritual fire

Picture taken by Daniela Simina on May Eve, 2022

The next day, May 1^st, I get out early to walk barefoot in the grass and wash my face with dewdrops as I learned from my grandmother.  I spend time outside, by myself or with my family, take omens, feast, and have a good time.  If I do any warding or cleansing, I prefer Mugwort. I have never been fond of red wine with wormwood in it because it is too bitter for my taste, but I do acknowledge it as a powerful liver tonic used in folk medicine [7]. 

I also add May 2^nd to the actual holiday since it feels right to do so. My feeling is that the energy of Bealtaine doesn’t, all of a sudden, stop flowing at the end of May 1^st as if someone flips a switch to the “Off“ position.  April 30 through May 2 feels, in my own perception, a smooth continuum that initiates with the approach of April 30, builds up gradually, and begins to fade with the sunset of May 2^nd. On this evening, May 2, as I take down the May bush, I give thanks for the Spring that just passed and ready myself the Summer ahead. Another season filled with Their gifts, blessings, and challenges is just about to begin.

Notes:

 [1]  I began to use systematically the name Bealtaine in 2013 when I shifted toward an Irish-based pagan practice.

[2] In my family, we also referred to May Day Eve as Walpurgisnacht. For context, my father was born and raised in the German community in Transylvania, the western region of Romania. I attended German pre-school until age 7, so I had a fair amount of exposure to German customs and lore.

 [3] “mici” literally translate as “smalls”, and are made of ground meat and spices, shaped into small rolls which are then roasted on the grill. 

 [4] Fairies who can become very dangerous when shown disrespect or intruded upon. Iele are not particularly fond of humans, although they can heal people, or grant healing powers to those fairy-seers who they favor.

 [5] The practice maintains its pagan overtones and interpretations alongside the Christian meanings acquired later on.

 [6] I shall explain  in a separate post where the Norse-Germanic component comes from and how does it fit along with the rest.

 [7] This is not intended as medical advice, nor is this something I recommend that you consume. Whatever food and drink you ingest, ritually or otherwise, it is entirely your own responsibility.  

Resources:

Daimler, Morgan “Living Fairy”, 2020
Dobrescu, Petre  “1 Mai- Sarbatoarea de Armindeni.” , 2018. Retrieved at https://www.libertatea.ro/stiri/1-mai-sarbatoarea-de-armindeni-traditii-populare-romanesti-2230701
Ghinoiu, Ion “Romanian Folk Almanac”, 2021
Gundarsson, Kveldwulf “Elves, Wights, and Trolls”, 2007