On Liminal Powers or Fairy Gods

Liminal Fairy Goddess. Art credit: Pixabay

Shortly after I returned from Ireland, as a continuation of the initiatory experience that onset there, my fairy familiars instructed me to begin honoring specific Powers that fairies themselves – at least the group that I am primarily connected with- acknowledge. Each of these Powers appears to be both of Fairy and transcending of Fairy, operate on a much bigger scale in Fairy and also in the human world, and also acquire regional aspects. Such powers, I was told, are present within the cycles of seasons and in every single aspect of the natural world as well as in peoples’ lives. 

The idea of Liminal Powers and Fairy Gods isn’t a new one neither to me in particular nor in general. In their work, Morgan Daimler describes several such Powers standing at the core of Fairy Witchcraft as they teach it. (Daimler, 2014.)  I can’t even begin to describe my reaction when I first read about such Powers in Daimler’s work. The thrill and explosive joy were almost too much to bear. I read those pages again and again, carried the book in my bag for a while and re-read, until the dog-eared pages came lose and there was no space left on margins for how many side notes I had written. The reaction may seem out of proportion, right?  But, there I was after many years of trying to put a finger on, to name  something so elusive that I was not even certain they existed outside my own perception. Those were concepts that I had touched on intuitively, but I never dared to openly speak about because I did not know how. I was also afraid of ridicule, and anguished with uncertainty and self- doubt. 

 But…

 “The Liminal gods are not like other deities – they have no millennia of myths and stories behind them, no layers of theology, no nuanced understandings. They are both primal and wild and the only way to truly understand them is to experience them directly…The Liminal Gods are deities of the transitional space between wild and tame, between safety and danger, between our world and Fairy. They are not Gods of the mundane. They are the essence of Fairy, of enchantment, even as they are at the heart of our reality. They exist in ordinary moments and in magic. They are urban as much as they are in the wild woods…They are immortal, endless, and relentless. They are eternal and fleeting, constant and ever-changing. They are unspeakably beautiful and horrifyingly ugly. They are gentle; they are cruel. They are all of these things at all times.” (Daimler, 2015)

Reading these words gave me the courage to revisit my own glimpses of intuition and my childhood years, freed from cumbersome feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. In my mind’s eye, or through the window that opened in my heart, I saw a very young Daniela wearing a burgundy table cloth fashioned as a cloak, a tinsel crown, and a wand (this was a real thing, fully functional, made of Blackthorn), walking around in the backyard and solemnly addressing “ the highest among the Fairy Kings and Queens, and Powers who reign above all that is, who come and go with the seasons on Earth and in Fairy.” Or something like this. I had used many times the word Powers that I had heard from Grandma. Its meaning was ambiguous, same as the feeling associated with them: Powers that go even above fairies? Powers that are themselves of Fairy? I agonized over these and other questions for quite some time until everything in my young life went south and my relationship with my fairy familiar fell apart. I found myself on a completely different track where fairies had no place, and questions about the reality and nature of higher powers had to be shooed away. But this is a whole different story⁴. 

Fast forward, I found thus in Daimler’s work not only validation, but also the vocabulary I was lacking to organize, define, and ultimately talk about my relationship with those whom I called by the generic name, Powers. 

Inspired by what I read and learned, I began to listen again to how and what they, the Powers, speak to me.  Ever since, I’ve been walking by starlight, by moons risings and sunsets, and following the cycles of equinoxes and solstices. 

Calling the Powers. Art credit: Pixabay

I am aware that there are many, many more Powers such as the seven I was told to acknowledge. Maybe for some who are reading this post the seven Powers listed here will ring true. Some other people may find out that they connect with Liminal Powers who are completely different from those listed here. I truly hope that what I wrote and the resources listed at the end of this post will help readers on the individual paths they follow. 

- Queen of Apples: vitality, joy and zest for life, health and vibrancy, sensuality and sexuality, encapsulates the energies of the seed that will become the apple tree (of any tree for that matter) whose twigs can be made into wands used in healing work, and whose fruit nourishes and heals (...an apple a day...); empowered feminine and personal sovereignty. 


- Queen of Ancient Earth and Stones: stands for the earth itself, the fertile soil, the rock of mountains and sandy bottom of oceans and seas. She holds the potential for seeds to hibernate, germinate, grow into mighty trees, and then receive them back when they 

- Queen of Winds: she holds power over first and last breath, she is the air in the freshly aerated soil awaiting the seeds to fell and nestle in; the hollow and mysteries of caves, and bubbles in the lacy crests of ocean waves; she’s in the burning fire logs, the flame and the popping; she’s in the fluffiness of snow but also in the deadly blizzards: she in the summer storms, hurricane winds, the gentle breeze in springtime, and the forest’s cool shadow in summer. 

- The Ever-Shining One/ Queen of Flame She is the gold on treetops at sunset; she is behind the reds and purples in the morning sky; she’s in the tender warmth that make snow melt and first flowers peak through in springtime; she’s in the merciless heat the scourges man and beast and leaving deep cracks into rock-hard ground; she’s deep into the Earth where all is but fire, where molten rocks flow like rivers carrying continental plates on their backs. She’s in the moonshine that brightens up night, and she’s the spark making every star burn bright.  


- The Queen of Waters/ The Ever-flowing One is the spirit present in the raindrops enlivening the land, nourishing vegetation and animals; she’s is present in the downpour making torrents and rivers swell and drown everything in their path; she’s is present in oceans and sees as much as it is present in the crystal-clear lakes, mountain springs and small puddles. She is within tears and dew drops, in the pearls of sweat rolling down the skin, in the blood, as well as in the plants’ juices.  

- The Spinning Goddess/The Great Weaver: she’s the one who spins the thread of anything or everything, who turns wool into thread, and thread into tapestry or clothing, doing both work of art or utilitarian- as needed. Time itself is strung on the thread she spins: past, present, and future for her are one. She gives out her thread for people to use it, but then what individuals do with it is their own choice: she’s there to help, provide, teach but cannot complete the task for you; she’ll teach you how to work – magically and otherwise- but will not do the work for you. I personally associate her with the symbol of Triquettra, a triple spiral resulting from three overlapping circles, a never-ending cycle.

- The Horned Lord/Green Lord: he is solar, fiery, embodies the energy of spring when nature awakens to life, and the energy of early autumn, the mating season: he is merriment and laughter, and spirit of competitions; he is the exuberance of lighting in the storms, and the Sky Lord with power over weather. 

The H. 

- The Hunter King, Lord of Arrows, Hunter, The Arrow Master: he (she, they) impersonates separation of life force from the physical form; cessation of life in physical form; physical death. His/their arrow releases the last breath which then the Queen of Winds receives upon life departing the body. He/they ends suffering for the very old and the pained ones who are tired of dragging on yet another day. He trims down the numbers of animals in the wild maintaining balance: none shall exceed in numbers and none shall starve on his watch

-  Keeper of Passages, Key Master/ Master of Keys, The Gate Keeper, initially assigned to the list of foundational Powers, he then explained his role as go between people (of Fairy or human world) and the Powers themselves. He is the guardian of portals between worlds, opener of doors that are locked in the human world and the Other, and when he doesn’t have a key to offer you directly, he’ll help you blast the obstacles that block your path. He is behind the energy released in magic to manifest or dissolve. However, be wise in choosing what path you are asking him to open for you because he’s also known as Lord of Shenanigans, and bears this name for a reason.

Mine is still a work in progress[1]: The Powers’ attributes and their mythologies distill gradually as I work both with and for Them.
 

About two weeks after having written the post, and in line with the mentioning that this is a work in progress, more Powers with seasonal and regional agency added themselves to the list. They complement the action of the initial nine who form a core in the sense that without the existence of the nine, the other two won’t exist nor make any sense. 

- King of Waves and Queen of Tides. The King is ever-present in the ocean waves - the rise and fall of a giant’s chest while he sleeps, in the vastness of fluid emerald that glitters in the sun, in the howl and crash of mountains of water raising and dropping to crash the boat of the fisherman and drown him and his crew- the ultimate price, the blood tribute the Kings of Waves exacts. The Queen follows the moon-lit path, perpetually returning and going away from sandy shores; she moves quietly but is undeterred, her powers unstoppable. She’ll bring ashore gifts from hidden realms beneath waters, and sweep away whatever she encounters, washing it off into the sea. 

 
-The Queen of Snow and Ice is the spirit in the snowflakes dancing through the air, the snow blanketing the earth, in the icecaps, in the sheets of glass covering bodies of water or the silvery-white coating grasses and rooftops with the first frost in late autumn, within the grains of hail in summer storms. She is the cold soul devoid of emotion or devastated by loss as much as she is spark of joy, perfection and beauty, and sheer potential awaiting to express itself.
 
These last two sets of Powers, like the other nine, may appear in various other forms to other people and everybody can relate to them in their own personal way.

Thanks for reading, and until we next meet, blessings of the Liminal Powers to all of you.
Daniela

Bibliography and Resources

Books:

Daimler, Morgan “Fairycraft. Following te Path of Fairy Witchcraft”, 2015

Daimler Morgan “Traveling the Fairy Path”, 2018

Daimler, Morgan “Living Fairy”, 2020

Heath, Cat, “Elves, Witches & Gods”, 2021

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

Blogs:

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

Morgan Daimler, “New Liminal God- The Queen of Apples” https://lairbhan.blogspot.com/2019/12/new-liminal-god-queen-of-apples.html

Morgan Daimler, “Meting a New Liminal God” https://lairbhan.blogspot.com/2016/11/meeting-new-liminal-god.html

Morgan Daimler, “Meeting New Liminal Gods- Thallea and Thessilae” https://lairbhan.blogspot.com/2018/04/meeting-new-liminal-gods-thallea-and.html

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

 
           Rose, Winifred Hodge, “Landwights and Human Ecology”, https://heathensoullore.net/landwights-and-human-ecology/

Classes:

Seo Helrune, “Elves and Witches: A Survival Guide”, class. For access, contact Seo Helrune at seo.helrune@gmail.com

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

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[1] As of last night, October 2^nd, 2022, after observing the positions of the Pleiades to track the moment they will rise above the horizon, and the time when they are first visible from my location, two more Liminal Powers made themselves known and announced that only now the list is complete. Part of the reason for these two Powers adding themselves to the list later on, is their regional character. For example, the Queen of Snow and Ice is not a strong presence in the Sahara Desert. The Queen of Waters too takes various aspects, depending on Her manifesting oceans, seas, large rivers, torrents, raindrops, dew, tears, sweat, or blood. Depending of context, she may be entirely absent, such as dew or rivers in the desert, and only manifest in some forms, such as body fluids in plant and animal people who live in such areas. The Keeper of the Passages relates to the energy gathered and released in ritual, magic, and prayer - energy that is intrinsic to both manifestation and dissolution

 

A Ritual for the Autumn Equinox and Acronychal Rising of the Pleiades: Opening the Gate Between Worlds

Calling in the Liminal Powers

Art credit: Pixabay

For those who follow a fairy-related spiritual path, the Autumn Equinox and the Achronycal Rising of the Pleiades mark an important holiday. The energy around this celebration is cheerful because there is much to celebrate, and the interaction between fairies and humans tend to fell into a relatively positive category.

 

If you have been reading all my posts about Fairy holidays and are familiar with everything that happened since I returned from the last year’s trip to Ireland, I apologize to you because this may sound a little repetitive. If, however, you just came across this blog, then I must provide a little bit of context; I would also suggest to go back and read some of the older posts about fairy holidays, rituals, and Liminal Powers or Fairy Gods. These posts will shed light on what you are about to read and make it look less strange.

 

Last year, while in Ireland, I have been tasked by the fairy beings I work with (and for) to open portals between human world and the Otherworld, and to diligently keep these portals open. I have to do this at specific times throughout the year. Opening such portals is a sacred endeavor for me, as much as it is a reason for joy and celebration. So the whole process takes the form of ritual followed by feasting.  

 

The purpose for opening such portals is to give more free access to beings and energies of Fairy to flow into 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, and it has to be done: diminishing of fairy presence by aggressively blocking their access and displacement of their populations¹ – knowingly or unknowingly-  has brought about problems on every imaginable level. Just take a look at the ecological, health, and spiritual crises humanity is confronted as we speak. 

The Autumn Equinox and the close by Acronychal Rising of the Pleiades is one of the dates suited appropriate for portal-opening². The the outline of this ritual  and most of what is to be said throughout performing  it, comes from inspiration I derived from my teachers' work and the  directions I received  while journeying to access specific information. 

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. For example, I begin facing my altar by the Fairy Tree, which is East, then turn North or South depending on what do I want to accomplish.)

- Announce what you are about to do, using words like: “I am setting now sacred space. In this sacred space I will open a portal between worlds, human and Fairy, a portal that shall allow the two worlds to merge within the confines of the space that I dedicate to this purpose”.

 - Turning to the right, walk a spiral path starting at the center and gradually expanding toward the periphery of the space. I have a copper bowl filled with water in which I soak herbs that I know are pleasant to fairies and Fairy Higher Powers; I sprinkle water on the ground as I walk around and repeat my intention out loud. You can walk one several coils, depending on how large your space is. My own space accommodates a 3-coils spiral.

- When you reach the periphery of the space, walk one full circle to mark the outer boundary. As I walk around this last full circle, I sprinkle herb-infused water on the ground. In my experience, it makes the space feel hallowed and  also welcoming for the Powers that I seek to invite.

- Mark the space with yarn or thread, any color that is suggestive of the ritual you are conducting, any color that you relate to boundaries and protection. Check with your fairy allies that the yarn color you use is not perceived by them as repelling. Move clockwise to mark the bounds with yarn, affirming your intention to define the sacred space where the portal will open for the Powers and your allies to com through. (This step is optional. If you chose to include it, chose a biodegradable thread.)

- Light up a candle – kept in a jar or lantern- to mark the outer boundaries of the portal with fire.  If you prefer, a censer with smoldering herbs or incense would work just fine; do what feels best for you.  Walk the outer boundary clockwise carrying the flame and declare the space protected by the power of fire and the power of the sun itself, so no inimical, unhael beings shall pass.  Use your own words, and any formulation that feels right. You can prepare your words in advance or speak extemporae, and see where inspiration takes you. After circling once, put the candle/censer somewhere safe and out of the way so you won't no trip over it. From this point on  no one should move past the circumference of the sacred space. (*Use discernment: if you have an emergency, then by all means do whatever you ned to do even if this involves you or someone else leaving the ritual space.)

- After you finished walking the circle that defines the outer boundary of your ritual space and which also sets the size of the portal, acknowledge the Pleiades, the Seven Sister, Seven Queen, or the Hen and Chicken as I knew it while growing up. Pleiades Acronychal rising is the marker for the liminal time we are entering, and there is plenty of evidence that fairies time various holidays based on star cycles. 

- You can now begin to invite the Powers associated with the Autumn Equinox. Feel free to adapt what is described next.

In my practice I acknowledge nine Fairy Liminal Powers, or Fairy Liminal Gods. In my own experience, three among these seven relate to the Autumn Equinox: Keeper of the Passages/The Gatekeeper, Queen of Apples, and The Horned Lord. These three Fairy Gods are the ones who I call following the four which I see as more foundational in their nature and whom I call first. I call seven Powers in total anchor the portal, and bring balance and the blessings of the season through the months to come.

- Begin the ritual by standing at the center of the space. In my case the ritual space is in my own backyard.

- Start making the first round of offerings, water, or if you prefer, sweet tea. I have already prepared a small jug with fresh water which will be the first offering I’ll make to the Powers. 

First call out the four Powers, who have a foundational role: The Queen of Waters, The Queen of Flame/The Ever-Shining One, The Queen of Winds, and the Queen of Ancient Earth and Stones. You can call them in any order you chose. For me personally, the order is arbitrary since I do not have any fixed correspondence linking a Power to a specific cardinal direction. I call one of the four Powers, then I simply make a quarter turn and call the next one.

- Stand at the center, facing the altar, fairy tree if you have one, or the direction you chose to begin. A lot of people who work fairy magic begin their rituals facing East. 

Call the Ever-Shining One/ Queen of Flame. She is the gold on treetops at sunset; she is behind the reds and purples in the morning sky; she’s in the tender warmth that make snow melt and first flowers peak through in springtime; she’s in the merciless heat the scourges man and beast and leaving deep cracks into rock-hard ground; she’s deep into the Earth where all is but fire, where molten rocks flow like rivers carrying continental plates on their backs. She’s in the moonshine that brightens up night, and she’s the spark making every star burn bright.  

Ask her to receive the offerings and cast her benevolent light upon the space and those in it; ask her to anchor the portal you are about to open and keep it safe and sturdy. Pour out some of the water for her.

- Turn to your left. If you started facing East, now you will face North. 

Call the Queen of Ancient Earth and Stone. She is part of the Earth itself and any earthy body in the Universe. She is withing rocky grounds and fertile soil. She holds the potential for seeds to hibernate, germinate, grow into mighty trees, and then receive them back when they die. She is the power within crystals, gems, and metals. She’s in the walls of caves and sandy bottom of seas and rivers. She’s the one who hides or uncovers springs, and is behind the healing powers of waters. She’s present within the magnificent desolation of deserts and the alluring sandy beaches. She supports life and receives the bodies which life has deserted: she is both the nurturer and the recycler. 

Invite her presence and her blessing in the ritual space that you have created. Ask the Queen of Ancient Earth and Stones to receive the offerings and bring her strength and nurturing into the space and those in it; ask her to anchor the portal you are about to open and keep it safe and sturdy. Pour out some of the water for her.

- Turn to your left. If you started facing East, now after the second turn you are facing West. 

Call to the Queen of Winds: she holds power over first and last breath, she is the air in the freshly aerated soil awaiting the seeds to fell and nestle in. She is the hollow and mysteries of caves, and the bubbles in the lacy crests of ocean waves. She’s in the burning fire logs, the flight of sparks and the popping sound of burning wood. She’s in the fluffiness of snow but also in the deadly blizzards. She is in the summer storms, hurricane winds, the gentle breeze in springtime, and in the forest’s cool shadow in summer time.

Invite her presence and her blessing in the ritual space that you have created. 

Ask the Queen of Winds to receive the offerings and bring her strength and nurturing into the space and those in it; ask her to anchor the portal you are about to open and keep it safe and sturdy. Pour out some of the water for her.

- Turn to your left. If you started facing East, now after the third turn you are facing South.

Call to the Queen of Waters/ The Ever-flowing One.  She is the spirit present in the raindrops enlivening the land, nourishing vegetation and animals; she’s is present in the downpour making torrents and rivers swell and drown everything in their path; she’s is present in oceans and sees as much as it is present in the crystal-clear lakes, mountain springs and small puddles. She is within tears and dew drops, in the pearls of sweat rolling down the skin, in the blood, as well as in the plants’ juices.  

Ask the Queen of Waters to receive the offerings and to bring her strength and nurturing into the ritual space and those in it; ask her to anchor the portal you are about to open and keep it safe and sturdy. Pour out some of the water for her.

Open and anchor portal.

Art credit: Pixabay

Next, call the other three Liminal Powers connected with the Autumn Equinox and with this time of the year. To call each of them, you will turn counter-clockwise about one third of the circle that marks your ritual space. Just approximate how far you turn. Don’t worry about being supper precise and don’t check if you turned 120° degrees exactly: keep in mind that this is a magical ritual not a geometry lesson.

- Face any direction you feel drawn to. Call the Keeper of the Passages/Gatekeeper. He is the guardian of portals between worlds, opener of doors that are locked in the human world and the Other, and when he doesn’t have a key to offer you directly, he’ll help you blast the obstacles that block your path. He is behind the energy released in magic to manifest or dissolve. Ask him to open between worlds and keep them wide open throughout he ritual. 

Ask the Gatekeeper to grant free passage, from one side ant the other, only to those among humans and fairies who are goodly inclined toward each other’s world and its inhabitants. Invite his presence and his blessing in the ritual space that you are creating. Welcome the Keeper of the Passages, and pour out some water as an offering for him.

- Turn about a third of the circle and call the Queen of Apples, beholder of vitality and life-force, she who embodies abundance, whether on fields, orchards, or as the health and vigor of mind and body. She is joy and zest for life, health and vibrancy, sensuality and sexuality. She encapsulates the energies of the seed that will become the apple tree (of any tree for that matter) whose twigs can be made into wands used in healing work, and whose fruit nourishes and heals. She is the essence of personal power personal sovereignty. 

Invite her presence and her blessings in the ritual space. Welcome the Queen of Apples and pour out some water as an offering to her.

- Turn another third of a circle, and call the Horned Lord. He is the energy of the ripe grapes ready to turn into wine, the plentiful of crops reaching the storage, the physical strength of people, domestic beasts and wildlife, cheerfulness and merriment, the beauty of the season as leaves turn color, and fierceness of stags fighting for mates and territory. I invite his presence and his blessings in the ritual space that I am creating. I welcome the Horned Lord, and pour out some water as an offering to him.

You are now going to open the portal. Use a ritual blade made of copper, bronze, or silver. The blade can be any size and style: a sword, a knife, a letter opener. You may use a stick or a wand made of a wood that has fairy associations. Apple, Hazel, Birch, Rowan, Oak, are few suggestions. 

-To open the portal, turn counterclockwise, either pivoting in place or walking the boundaries of the circle holding the blade or wand up above your head. See yourself cutting a round opening that matches the ritual space you set up. Focus strongly on opening the portal. Say out loud, these words or similar ones: “I am opening a portal between worlds, between Fairy and the world of mortals. The Liminal Powers themselves ground and guard this portal. Starlight shall flow through. Hael and holly beings, goodly inclined toward me and mine, my Fairy allies – I welcome you and honor you at this time when the Seven Sisters  (or however you chose to call the Pleiades) herald your arrival, illuminating the Path.“ Change the wording to suit you.

- Stand at the center of the space, or by the altar if you sat up one, and face any direction you wish. Invite the Fairy Queen or King that you are devoted to or connected with, if there is/are any. Pour out water for them too. Affirm that the portal is open for them to move through as they please, and ask them to guard it against any inimical being that may want to come in.

- If you believe that you have ancestors or relatives in Fairy, invite them to join. Pour out water for them. Affirm that the portal is open for them to move through as they please, and ask them to guard it against any inimical being that may want to come in.

- Invite your fairy familiar(s) and allies. Pour out water for each of them, and greet them individually. Affirm that the portal is open for them to move through as they please, and ask them to guard it against any inimical being that may want to come.

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

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

- Present the offerings of food, and other drinks if you have any (I usually have cakes³, or fresh bread and butter, fresh fruit, or a portion of what I have cooked for myself and my family. I may also offer milk, wine, beer, fruit juice etc. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but whatever it is, it shall be the best quality you can afford.)

- If you have any other offering, such as song, dance, reading aloud something that you chose for Them, you can deliver that now. 

- You can burn incense or fragrant herbs as part of offerings.  (MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON’T BURN ANYTHING TOXIC!!)

- Leave the offerings in their dishes in the ritual space for as long as you plan to be around celebrating the Autumn Equinox. Please keep in mind that on this particular occasion the ritual focuses on opening a portal between Fairy and the human world. Celebrating the Autumn Equinox is part of this ritual, but it is more of a backdrop rather than the main purpose in itself. 

- If you created a yarn boundary, you can remove it now or later; go counterclockwise when you do this.

My intention here is to provide an outline of a ritual that focuses on opening a portal between Fairy and the human world. I time this ritual in conjunction with both the achronycal rising of the Pleiades and the Autumn Equinox, so the dates for the ritual are relative. Where I live, the Pleiades are not visible above horizon on the exact astronomical date of the Autumn Equinox. Also, the difference in length between day and night from one day to the next is only about one minute, which means it is not really perceivable without precise measuring instruments. It makes sense to me to hold the ritual when I do see the Pleiades in the sky and when I get the sense that night and day are equal; which means that it won’t be until a day or two after the astronomical date of the Autumn Equinox when I’ll get into my backyard and hold the ritual. If you chose to align your practice with whatever timing you feel is 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 you. I sometimes find other people’s recommendations for practice to fit perfectly my own beliefs and personal taste, in which case I adopt the ritual and credit the source where I learned it from. Some other times, I come with things that are entirely my own. This specific ritual is based on recommendations made by Morgan Daimler in their books “Living Fairy” and “Traveling the Fairy Path”, with added elements from Cat Heath’s approach setting sacred space as she talks about it in “Elves, Gods & Witches” (see “Resources”) but in developing the ritual into the form described here I followed what my elven guides recommended. 

I recommend that you get familiar with the script in advance, and prepare your supplies and offerings before starting. Elaborate your ritual components and celebratory aspects as much as you like.

Make merry and feast, and when you are done, pour out the offerings: you can bury them, put them into fire if you are having a fire for the occasion, leave them on a rock, by a tree, or on and outdoor altar if you have one. Be careful about what 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 toxic for dogs and the canis family in general (wolves, coyotes, foxes – etc), so best burry or burn those items. 

Since there is no plan to close the portal, find a moment to 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. Ask the Keeper of Passages and those whom you entrust with protection to guard the portal. 

Let the ritual melt into the rest of your evening, or night, without closing abruptly. The ritual itself extending naturally into feasting and celebration mirrors the opening of the portal and the smooth flow between world, a subtle but continuous process without any steep halting to it.

Happy Autumn Equinox, and may the light of stars always shine bright on your path,

Daniela

PS. I will give more details about the nine Liminal Powers in an upcoming post, 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 and alfs 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 alfs dwelt, making them leave. In leaving, however, the alfs and wights took away the land’s abundance, and people were left to deal with the problem. (Gundarsson, 2007; id.1993) In feuding against each other, chieftains and kings intentionally offended the wights and alfs dwelling into the opponents’ land to cause opponents' downfall, because without protection form local alfs and 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 case 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; Paxon, 2021)

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

Paxon, Diana, L. “Taking up the Runes: A Complete Guide to Using Runes in Spells, Rituals, Divination, and Magic”, 2021

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 SiminaYoga on Facebook for announcements regarding course dates and description. 

September: On Autumn Equinox, Fairies, and the Importance of 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 in 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 a fairy path added layers to both the meaning and the feeling surrounding September, as it shaped my perception not only of nature in general but of the Powers behind nature and natural world. Because of this – 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 on a tangent, just a little bit, I must restate that Ireland is for me a most special place. I connected to it psychically a very long time ago, and when I visited in 2018 not only did I feel the connection strengthening, but also had one experience in particular which prompted a chain reaction that reconnected me with fairy faith and 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 and 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 7 Powers/Fairy Gods and was instructed to connect with them and align myself with the nature aspects They represent. Based on this connection I would then begin to develop a personal cosmology (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, my birthday, I was asked, in a take–it-or-leave-it fashion[2] to acknowledge and embrace my connection to a specific group among the Fair Folk[3] , and when I did, I knew that I was not only in a lifetime relationship with that specific group, but also officially in service to fairies in a larger scheme of things. I was then tasked to open portals between worlds at specific times, and keep them open.  I know this sounds bizarre and complicated, but things are far more nuanced the words can convey, particularly in this case when I cannot write about every single detail: I do not want to challenge readers’ patience by turning this post into a novel. Done going on tangents, and back to Autumn Equinox.

Autumn Equinox is one of the times, four in total, when I am to open the portals I talked about. This will 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 Powers of Fairy must flow freely to allow the restoration of an energetic 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 the ossification of minds and spirits alike by rejecting the magic, the wild, the feral, the Fairy. 

This is destructive in both intent and outcome because healthy balance can only be achieved among competing and complementary forces. 

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. 

Opening Portal. Art credit Daniela Simina, womboart.com 

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 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. Daimler 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 entire 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 needed more context for my own experiences as well as a better understanding of who and what was I dealing with. I needed 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 me. 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 of 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 over the 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 ally 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 of 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 (I put this in the mildest possible terms) a partnership. 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