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

 

 

 

The Insidiously Damaging Alteration of Fairy Characters in Stories

"Blue Hair Fairy" Art credit Desktop Nexus, 2022

I grew up with fairy stories which, to this day, still play a significant role in my life. There were two kinds of fairy tales, as I remember. One kind drew from bodies of lore connected to traditions regarding fairies, still in use and surviving through generations. Those had the inebriating flavor of history. Those stories were glowing, like powdered with golden dust that awaited to be blown off to reveal treasures of hidden meanings and deeds impossible for the modern folks to fathom. Yeah, that kind of lore. 

The other kind had nothing to do with the first. It was made up mainly through depicting objects caricaturized as fairies. Those stories, modern fairytales for children, or fairytales for modern children, were populated with stereotypes that had very little in common with the “a long, long time ago…” kind of tales. 

About the stories in the second category… well, oftentimes those involved turning objects into fairies to suggest that imagination can make a fairy out of everything. They were not connected to the belief that consciousness could found in many forms, other that human, often encountered in Romanian and German fairy lore, where trees and wells give protagonists advise or warnings. In the type of stories that I bring under scrutiny here, fakelore[1] and other similarly developed ones intended to replace children’s folklore, authors plainly turn objects of common use into fairies in a sort of personification taken to an extreme. 

Is this a problem? Let’s see.

I have a vivid memory of such story where aniline, the substance used in preparing oil painting colors, turns into Aniline, a fairy in charge of colors all around. It was not enough to personify aniline as a magical spirit that oversees colors: it had to be a fairy. 

When I red it, some fifty years ago, I found the story to be a pretty one, yet it left me with a feel of disappointment about the fairy character. That kind of fairy felt alien, and I could not connect with it, not even remotely. It felt like a kitsch plastic replica of some valuable antique.   

In retrospect, there are few things that I find quite annoying in this and other similar approaches to fairy characters in children’s stories. The stereotypical fairy, always good, is invariably clashing against a dragon or a witch, always villains. It isn’t the roles per sé that bother me: it is the always aspect. This doesn’t match what I know from older stories based in authentic lore, where fairies aren’t always that good, nor witches are always that bad. 

Fairy tales and stories in the second category didn’t and still don’t sit well with me. The cause of disconcert may not be obvious, so I shall explain: it is due precisely to this innocuous appearance that the effects of many modern fairy tales are insidiously destructive. I am not criticizing the use of fantasy in creating stories to teach children values and important life lessons. Far from it. But I am concerned about the muddling of fairies’ character, personality, deeds, legends, an understanding that was  preserved in lore of native cultures. Fairy lore acts as an intergenerational compass: if we just mess up with it carelessly, it will stop pointing north altogether. 

 

Why is flipping objects of common use into fairies as bad as objectifying and/or infantilizing fairies? Because it trivializes something that it was not supposed to be treated as trivial. Denizens of Fairy were and still are treated with reverence by many. Some fairies have connections with aspects of nature, abundance or fertility, such as Áine in Irish lore, Ileana Sânziana in Romanian lore, and Fro Ing in Norse traditions. They were and still are still honored as sacred beings. Trivialization destroys the sacredness, and turns something that once was treated with reverence into some sort of  toy. Infusing fairies with childishness has been done purposefully by various bodies of authority to strip them of power and make those who believed in them look awkward and ‘primitive’. Then once the mystique is gone, what’s left is mockery. Paradoxically, turning everything around into fairy- the example of aniline turned into fairy -  doesn’t bring more magic into our life. If anything, it strips off the enchantment, de-spiritualizes the world, and reduces all that surrounds us to a joke. 

 

Fakelore may teach that things turn into fairies, fairies becomes things, and children “learn” that with a little bit of imagination all things can be fairies, or that fairies are only a product of one’s imagination. Since they are an entirely made up thing, fairies have no real power or agency. This goes against the massive body of anecdotal evidence and corpus of material showing the exact opposite. 

 

There are of course great stories that incorporate fairies in order to educate young audiences and entertain readers of all ages. Carlo Collodi brings Fata Turchina (the exact meaning is The Girl with Dark-blue Hair) in his story “Pinochio”. Fata Turchina is Collodi’s creation. He doesn’t turn a pencil or an inkbottle into a fairy, he brings a fairy character that is very carefully developed. Fata Turchina, while fictitious, it is developed based on the lore of the Bambinin Aquatici (Aquatic Children), where fairy beings, oftentimes depicted as blue or having blue hair, take care of young children. The association with the aquatic fairy-beings known for both their blue color and nurturing of children, lend strength and credibility to Fata Turchina in her role of care taker, almost a maternal figure, for Pinocchio.  

 

Anthropomorphizing animals, plants and objects did and will always be efficient in teaching children. In a cartoons or books, seeing animals and plants speaking and acting like humans, help empathizing with the natural world. Empathy is the foundation for acting with consideration toward others and the environment. 

Bringing fairy protagonists into modern children’s lore is a wonderful thing from all perspectives. However, such fairy protagonists must be developed carefully. Authors should draw inspiration from traditional ancient lore, not destroy it. Gradual substitution leads to annihilation and complete loss of original characters. This means cutting off bridges with spiritual roots. 

 

Whether you are writer or a parent telling your kids fairy tales, find creative ways to make up stories where innovation and preservation go hand in hand. Children, parents, and fairies, everyone wins.

 

Bright fairy blessings, 

Daniela

 

Resources:

The Right and Wrong of Fictional Fairies, by Morgan Daimler https://www.patheos.com/blogs/agora/2019/03/irish-american-witchcraft-the-right-and-wrong-of-fictional-fairies/

Le Sfumature della Fata Turchina, di Angelo Serfilippi https://heroica.it/le-sfumature-della-fata-turchina/

 

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[1] “Fakelore or pseudo-folklore is inauthentic, manufactured folklore presented as if it were genuinely traditional. The term can refer to new stories or songs made up, or to folklore that is reworked and modified for modern tastes. The element of misrepresentation is central; artists who draw on traditional stories in their work are not producing fakelore unless they claim that their creations are real folklore.” (https://www.definitions.net/definition/fakelore)

 

Making Offerings to Fairies

Offerings. Art credit Maria Orlova, 2021, pexels.com

The concept of making offerings to spirit allies, whether they are gods or from among the fairies, is as old as the humankind itself. However, for some, making offerings to spirit entities seems out of place, awkward, pointless, and even foolish. Is this really so? Does the modern person truly hold the monopoly on truth in deciding, based solely on “logical” understanding, that the practice of making offerings has run its historical course? If the answer is yes, the discussion might stop here. If the answer is no, then let's explore farther. 

Our earliest ancestors understood that the fate of human communities was, to its largest extent, at the mercy of forces controlling the environment. Land fertility or infertility, clement or inclement weather, presence or absence of game and that bit of hunters’ luck, meant either life or death. Aside from skill and astuteness humans needed the assistance of those powers beyond their direct control to ensure survival. Propitiatory action took on diferent forms. Extreme situations called for extreme forms of exchange, which often times meant a life-for-a-life. Sacrificial offerings, animal or humans, were thus means to bargain, appease, and sometimes express gratitude for a request met with favor. 

Dromberg Neolithic Stone Circle, Ireland. Photo credit Ingo Mehling

 

What was offered changed over time. Offerings followed the evolution of beliefs and relationships people had with nature and other forces governing aspects of human life. Human sacrifices were gradually abandoned but animal sacrifices persisted.[1] . Offerings of food have supplemented and in many cases replaced animal offerings for both economical and, later on, ethical reasons. 

 

Stories tell about denizens of the Otherworld asking for their share and human communities having no other choice but to comply. For example, An Dagda, god and king of fairies in Ireland, asked the human kings for a tribute of dairy and grains in exchange for fertility of land and cattle. People gave away portions of highly valuable resources, and from later texts we learn that sacrificial items were of premium quality: best animals, best dairy, best grains and/or baked good, votive items, etc.  Findings at Ard Mhacha in Northern Ireland show that offerings made at that site included various animals like horses, dogs and even a monkey. In modern times, the custom of making offerings is encountered across various religions in conjunction with honoring the ancestors [2]. Pagans, usually [3] offer or sacrifice to the deities and spirit allies to whom they feel connected. 

 

I mentioned in previous posts that in many cultures the lines between fairies and gods are oftentimes blurred. Back to the example of An Dagda. In the lore he appears as a god of incredible power and skill, one of the chief deities in the Irish cultural pantheon. He is also and the king of fairies in Ireland. Macha is mentioned as a goddess, a warrior and sovereign [4] , and a woman of the fairy mounds. In Norse mythology, god Freyr or Fro Ing is connected to elves. In Romanian fairy traditions several fairy queens and kings are actually ancient deities relegated to Fairy. This relegation doesn’t diminish their actual power but changes perception about their roles and how they fit along various other beliefs present in an otherwise Christian culture. 

 

Fairy is not populated with fairy queens and kings only. Many folk medicine women and men receive their knowledge from fairy allies who may or may not hold special ranks. Fairy familiars [5], as the name implies, are very close to their human partner. They provide support and impart various kinds of knowledge. Offerings are made to them in sign of gratitude, but also to balance the ongoing exchange of energy. 

 

Whether addressed as gods or fairies, the denizens of the Otherworld receive offerings in various forms today as they always did. 

 

Fairies are powerful entities who can and do intervene in people’s lives. Some among fairies are in many ways similar to humans, with the added bonus of magical abilities. Some others, the Liminal Powers [6], are decisively more akin to gods, and connect to various aspects of nature. 

Big, powerful and autonomous: do fairies, under any name,  really depend on the bit of food a human can offer? The answer is a multilayered one.

 

Firstly, it is believed that fairies, like gods, only take the vital substance from offerings, not the actual bulk of food. In making sacrifices on their temple altars, the priests of ancient Greece explained that the gods feast on the aroma while the gathering of people feats on the flesh of the sacrificed animals. According to this perspective the community provides the animal that in the process of  being cooked releases the energy in form of the arome that gods feast upon. This is offered in exchange for help to be received or as gratitude for help already received. Offerings could also be made as an act of devotion, for the sheer joy of having  those spirit allies as part of one’s life.

 

Second, corporeal or non-corporeal beings need to replenish energetically much in the same way as humans need to replenish their resources through eating, drinking, and sleeping. Sending energy in whatever form is appropriate and inviting the fairy allies to partake is the equivalent of us, people, being offered a treat. How could one not feel grateful to the co-worker who cheerfully walks in the office with snacks or coffee for everyone ? It is not just about the food or the coffee being brought but the very gesture of bringing those threats which counts.

 

Third, even when offerings may not be explicitly needed it doesn’t mean they are not appreciated. Think of a friend who comes in to visit with you. Where I come from, it is a fundamental rule of hospitality to offer something: a cup of tea, a bite of food, a glass of water, just anything that would signal the visitor that their presence is welcomed.  It show good manners and it is also a statement about your desire to maybe have them visit more often. Now extend this to the fairy allies that you have as partners or teachers. Why would anyone, fairy of human, feel drawn toward us if we do not make any effort to make our guests feel welcomed? Let's not act entitled as if it is a duty of their's to come around. If we do, then we should not be surprised getting a cold shoulder next time when, in dire straits, we call on them for help. 

 

Fourth, the practice of making offerings also works for the giver's own benefit. In offering food, the conscious mind acknowledges them, the fairies, as real and endowed with both agency and power to intervene in our life. This in turn reinforces in the subconscious mind the belief in their existence. The doubt surrounding fairies’ corporeality, agency, and power may dilutes one's ability to experience their presence. Many children, if not all children, have experienced the numinous. With "help" from adults and the education system, children are taught to deny having had such experiences. In time, the child convinces themselves that they had only imagined, dreamed, or it was just play-pretend. Making food offerings and  setting up altars and spaces for fairies help reverse the induced numbing and blinding to the numinous. It doesn't matter whether as adults we see fairies 3D or not at all in order to trust their existence. They will find ways to reveal their presence and in time we will develop our perception. Let's start by creating the right premises for a relationship to form, basically learning to be good neighbors. 

 Offering: hot drink and study time. Art credit Melissa Munez, 2022, pexels.com

What qualifies as an appropriate offering?

We see that offerings do have a sacrificial character in that that people don’t give what they don’t need or have a surplus of. Offerings were never things humans wanted want to get rid of. Whatever people have offered traditionally to fairies were goods of value, items typically destined to sustaining life or enhance the quality of life.  I nkeeping with the tradition, offerings can be food that is fresh and prepared especially for the occasion, but any food that one would enjoy is suited for fairy allies, too. In cultures across Europe, milk and dairy along with baked goods are staple items. I found out from other people’s experience as well as my own that fairies appreciate fresh fruits, fresh water, and at most of them won't turn down a sip of beer, wine, or whisky. Aside from foods, artistic creation and certain types of action make great offerings. One can offer them a song, a poem, or a ritual dance performed exclusively for the fairy allies. One may be tasked with work to complete on fairies' behalf such as taking care of a piece of land, planting something, learning various skills, study the fairy lore of a specific culture, etc.  Offerings can take many forms.

 

If you leave food and drinking offerings outside, make sure that it doesn’t harm local fauna. Do not pour alcohol on or near herbs because it will damage them.  At sacred sites, DO NOT pour anything on stones, and DO NOT leave food offerings on the premises. Present the offerings during ceremony or ritual, but then take them away and dispose appropriately. I am not going into the details of how exactly to make offerings, because various traditions follow different approaches but common sense and a respectful attitude are common denominators. 

 

Don’t offer anything that you would not eat such as spoiled food or tastes bad. Do not give scraps that you plan to throw away. If you are a guest in someone’s house, how would you like to be treated? Or imagine that you have your favorite person in the entire world dropping by: how would you show your joy and gratitude for their visit? Certainly not by pouring out for them spoiled drinks in dirty glasses.

 

Conclusion

Making offerings as part of modern spiritual practice is anything but a relic. Same as thousands of years ago, offerings are means to strengthen the connection with spirit allies, in this case, fairies.  The act of inviting them to partake of that which we want to share adds yet another layer to the personal connection and bridges the gap between our world and the theirs. It is a way to show gratitude and joy for their presence in our life. After all, aren’t fairies the reason for us to be on this path? 

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[1] Not as often as they were in the historical past, animal sacrifices are still part of reality. Whether it has survived in form of the Christian custom of pig slaughtering around Christmas or lamb slaughtering for Easter, the black rooster or hen killed on Michaelmas or in Voodoo rituals, the practice of animal sacrifice is still alive.

[2] Dumb supper on Samhain in Ireland, the feast of Rusalii in Romania, and around Yule in Norse traditions.

[3] I am aware of many Pagan traditions who honor deities and spirit guide with offerings, but I cannot speak for all Pagans of all traditions, because many of these are outside my knowledge and expertise.

[4] In this hypostasis Macha fulfills the social attributes of a king, not those of a queen. For more details of gender stereotypes in Irish history see “Uncovering Ireland’s Secret History” with Dr. Gillian Kenny at https://irishpaganschool.com/p/queer-history 

[5] Fairy guides who have become very close to the human partner in a relationship that is long term and involves a high level of commitment. When present in animal shape, fairy familiars are NOT pets but go-between a human and a fairy monarc or group of fairies. Fairy familiars are assigned to humans by fairy queens or kings.

[6] The post “Liminal Powers: Fairy Gods and Gods of Fairy” coming up next.

Building Sound Foundations: Read the Fairy Lore

Art credit: Daniela Simina, collage.com, 2022

Pretend that you are someone interested in fairies but have little or no background at all. What would you do to begin learning?  Search the Internet for information, right? In doing so, there is a good chance for you to become overwhelmed and confused rather quickly. Nowadays, information abounds and the access is so easy. This is good, because easy access to information allows people to educate themselves. It is also bad, because a lot of the information out there is inaccurate at best, and sheer fabrication presented as historical fact at worse. The range in quality for the fairy material available online is broad, ranging from great to deplorable. Good sources are really hard to distinguish from bad ones [1] . This complicates the matter significantly, because fairies themselves are complicated, and an immensely diverse group as well.

 

There are numerous reasons for wanting to know better these beings, especially if you feel drawn toward them. It is in a sense similar to making friends among humans, enrolling to a new school, or moving into a new neighborhood. Gathering information that is accurate and weighing pluses against minuses helps one make the best decision. Whether entering relationships with people or fairies, knowing the terrain upfront paves the road for positive experiences, or at least, helps avoiding more serious trouble.
 

Learning the lore that is authentic to various cultures where fairies feature prominently is a very important step in getting to know them. This should be the first piece in the foundation that you are laying for a healthy and rewarding relationship with fairies. It is not the only piece, but it is a very important one. 

 

Throughout the history, fairy lore has developed from experiences that people had with fairies. (I am including modern times here, because fairy encounters and sightings not only did, but still do occur in the twenty-first century as much as they did in all centuries past [2].) Each epoch generated its own body of fairy lore. From lore we gather that both fairies and humans are subject to change with the passing of time and the world of Fairy [3] mirrors to a certain extent human society and culture. New encounters generate new lore which adds continuously to the already existing body. Conversely, the existing lore shapes people’s perception of fairy and to a large extent influences interaction. I know of teachers who insist that fairies did not change one bit over centuries, but in my opinion it is unrealistic to believe that fairies are frozen in time and only humans move forward. This is like claiming that people of today speak, write, dress, eat or interact with one another in the exact same way they did a thousand years ago. This holds true for fairies as well.[4] If humans changed, and fairies mirrored the change, then the premises for interaction have also changed to some extent at least, which means that in many ways the relationships we develop with fairies today would differ, at least to some extent,  form the past. At this point you may be wondering, with all these changes why should one still bother reading the lore? How could stories, hundreds of years old in some cases, still be relevant?

 

Photo credit: Daniela Simina, 2022

I am aware that we live in the twenty-first century and our understanding of life, nature, and reality in general is different in many regards from how people perceived these, say five hundred years ago.  But many things change on the surface while their core, the essence of what or who they are, doesn’t change.  There is a reason why children in school study World History: it is not an attempt made by the school system to entice people to live a lifestyle fit for the Middle Ages, but a way to help younger generations understand how the world has changed in time and the implications of change. This extends to our relationship to fairy traditions past and present: learning about their past helps us to better understand them in the present. The quality of our relationships depend on the degree of understanding, and the degree of understanding depends on what and how much we read, study, and allow ourselves to experience.

 

Fairies are not an element of fashion. Fairy-based spiritual beliefs are not fashion accessories. Being a fairy witch is not a trend. This is as serious an endeavor as any spiritual pursuit. In any successful partnership proper understanding is of paramount importance, and in the case of fairies, reading their lore holds the key.

Bright fairy blessings, and until next time, really, read the lore.
Daniela

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[1] “Discerning Good Source Material”, Morgan Daimler,  https://lairbhan.blogspot.com/2018/02/discerning-good-source-material.html

[2] “The Paranormal and popular Culture, A Postmodern Religious Landscape”, Darryl Caterine and John W. Morehead; “Living Fairy”, Morgan Daimler; “Magical Folk: British and Irish Fairies, 500AD to the Present”, Simon Young and Ceri Houlbrook.

[3] Generic name for the part of the Otherworld, or the dimension where fairies live.

[4] “Fairies as the ‘Other’”David Halpin, https://www.facebook.com/page/505240543157960/search/?q=FAiries%20as%20the%20Other 

Fairy, February, and Brigit

Imbolc altar space for Brigit, 2020

Photo by Daniela Simina

February 1^st is only days ahead. It is the day when, for many years now, I do acknowledge Brigit and that shift in energy, that little nudging that speaks of spring being somewhere around the corner. Fairy Gods and Powers related to fairies hold the center stage in my practice, but Brigit has also been a companion for some time.  Today I found myself pondering over the question: how does Brigit and Na Daoine Maithe fit together in my fairy-focused prcatice? Is Brigit, the Irish goddess, connected to  fairies the way fairies are understood in Ireland? 

If we look at the the body of lore surrounding Brigit, the immediate answer would be no. There is no mention in the lore of Brigit being connected to fairies. She does not appear to be a liminal goddess that takes on the role of fairy queen,  as does Áine for example.

However, in the original corpus of material [1] Brigit identity as one of the Tuath Dé Danann [2] is clearly stated. Also, looking up the origin of fairies in Ireland, we find out that the Tuatha De Dannan become fairies themselves after the Milesian conquest. 

Aside from being part of the Tuath Dé Danann who went to live into the fairy mounds and became the Aos Sí [3] Brigit is also the daughter of An Dagda,  who is known as the king of fairies in Ireland [4]. And speaking of family ties, Finnbheara, one of the  Tuatha Dé Danann who is now mostly known as a fairy king, is a son of the Dagda too. 

As daughter of a fairy king, sister of another fairy king, and a member of the tuath that became the Fair Folk or fairies in Ireland, doesn’t Brigit herself have a place among fairies then? I want to say that she could be considered one of Na Daoine Maithe based on her genealogy. But again, no text mentions Brigit as a fairy, or as a liminal power holding roles as both goddess and fairy queen. And I can’t stop wondering why? Could it be that Brigit has the saint aspect so strongly connected to her and maybe, just maybe, for the church and many people the saint and fairy are mutually exclusive? 

 

Probably I am not the only one who tries to reconcile a fairy-based spiritual path with inclusion of deities or beings who are not traditionally associated with fairies, at least not explicitely. In my case, this deity is Brigit.  I bring up for discussion my own case study here not because it is the most interesting, but because it is the one that I can understand best and because I feel at ease revealing as much detail as I need to without infringing on anyone else’s privacy.

 

I have been in a relationship with Brigit for a few years She has been one of my spiritual guides, and actually, she is the one who opened the door for me to meet An Dagda. It is because of her that I ended up writting poetry (something I never thiought I woud be able to do), and teaching Reiki (not something I had considered teaching).  

 

But my own path is centered on fairies. 

 

I am questioning whether I  reached a fork in the road: one branch bearing a sign that reads “Brigit”, and the other a sign reading “Fairies”. An image comes to my mind, that of two roads running parallel to each other: the “Fairy” road and the “Brigit” road. Walking both while having one foot on each becomes painfully difficult because in so doing the much-desired cohesiveness in my practice shatters. This doesn’t feel right. The more i sit with it, the more itt feels like an either-or type of situation. Neraly a decade ago I had the experience of a goddess who, after years of partnership, let go of me. I considered the possibility that now, after few years of Brigit’s mentorship which include two years in her service as flame keeper, she’d feel that our journey together has reached conclusion. Maybe.

 

From my experience with fairies, I gather that they sometimes demand exclusivity. Sometimes they expect people to find ways around, and sustain long-term partnesrships with other beings, deities or not. In my case, I was never offered the clearly this option of a duality, this and that. I’m not saying that they don’t offer it to other people, it is just not the type of agreement they made with me, and whenever I forget, the reminders are ususlly harsh. 

Which leaves me wondering, how do I reconcile my relationship with Brigit and walking the wild Fairy Path I’m on? I don’t have a clear answer. Some musings, but nothing more. As the daughter of An Dagda, as one of the Tuatha De Danann and therefore one of the Aos Sí, I could connect Brigit to the Fair Folk implicitly even if the lore does not make such connection explicitly. I’m aware that, like all things related to fairies and Irish mythology, this situation is as clear as mud. 

 

I shall go on from here, and prepare to acknowledge Brigit on February 1^st while also hnoring the Fairy Queens that I personally associate with this time of the year. It is a subtle nuance that I am fully aware not everyone will connect with nor agree upon. While lighting up the candle and putting out offerings for Brigit I'll ask for more clarity and guidance. I’ll be sensing, feeling my way through, and be open to follow whatever course my relationship with Brigit is going to take.

Until next time,
Happy Imbolc, and bright Fairy blessings,
Daniela

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[1] Cath Maige Tuired https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T300011.html

[2] A mythical race of people with extraordinary powers and levels of knowledge who inhabited Ireland before the Milesian invasion. The Milesians, or Gaels, are considered the ancestors of the Irish people.

[3]https://www.connollycove.com/tuatha-de-danann/

[4] The Dream of Oengus, http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/oengus.html

Out with the Old, in with the New! Magic for New Year’s Eve

Since the olden of times, people marked transitions from season to season and the threshold between years through ritual and magic. I am inviting you to mark the departure of the old calendar year and greet the arrival of the new one with a short, simple, yet powerful charm. This charm is intended not only to spice up the energy of New Years Eve but also lend energetic support to your intentions, whether they revolve around letting go or manifesting something new in the months to come. You can approach this as  a family activity. Children could learn valuable skills such as planning, goal setting, prioritizing and building motivation. For the young and old alike, this is a great way to find closure through ritually releasing feelings and thoughts about habits, situations and people that one wishes to part ways with.

                                      Image by Leandro De Carvalho from Pixabay                                       

I usually begin this practice sitting by my altar, but any quiet space would do. You can gather the family members together and  sit around the table. Or, each person can work in separate quarters and only gather together for the final act. 
I like to light up a candle and then collect my thoughts for few moments. If you wish you can play music in the background. Surround yourself with anything that makes the moment feel tranquil and special.
 
On one piece of paper I would write all things that I want to release, let go, purge from my life. For this task I chose the softest and thinnest paper available. Toillet paper is ideal - you will understand the reason for this choicve in just a moment.
 
On the other piece of paper, I would write the things that I want to see coming to fruition in the year ahead. I mentioned 7 objectives in the previous post, and this can be a reiteration of the same list, or it can be literally the same list, if I still have it. For this list, chose paper burns fast and easy. I prefer a small square(s) of parchment or flying wish paper. 
 
Shortly before midnight, I shred to tiny pieces the release, let go, purge list. When I do this, I focus on my intent of eradicating from my life the items on the list. I drop the shreds in the toilet and intend for the deffective patterns themselves be washed off, the energy trapped into those patterns to be cleansed, freed  and made available. I flush the paper down the drain.
 
Then I get to the second piece of paper.  This part gets done outside. I ask for help from my Fairy Guides and Liminal Powers to accomplish what I wish to accomplish. You can ask for help whoever is on your team. I intend for the energy of this liminal moment to pour into the list and breathe life into the items on it. I like to re-read the list before dripping a tiny bit of rose and frankincense oils on it and set it aflame. [1] If you plan to use oils, be very careful because the oils are highly flamable. One or two drops of each is enough.  I burn the paper in a fire-proof dish that also has some sand on its bottom. As the watch the curls of smoke floating upward, I think of my petition flying to reach the higher powers. I make sure the ashes are cold before scattering them in the wind. If I use flying wish-paper I DO NOT apply any oil on it. The oil makes the paper heavy and likely to stick to the hand or whatever surface it lands on. Adding oil to flying wish paper  not only prevents it from fly up while burning and instantly dissapear, but it is a significant fire-hazard too.
 
Be still. Notice what is happening- there may be small or not so small things getting your attention. What comes to your mind? What are you picking on? Do some divination or take omens. Are you being asked to do something in return for the help you expect? Write down all that you can, even of it doesn’t seem directly connected. It may appear in a different light later on. 
 
That’s it.
 
Remember that a little magic goes a long way if backed up by practical steps. And practical steps reach farther and faster when backed up by a little magic. So, careful what you are wishing for because you might get it.
 
Until next time, 
Happy New Year, and thank you for reading!
Daniela 

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[1] If you cannot do this part right away, if you are visiting or entertaining guests, you will burn the list later on, whenever circumstances would allow to do so safely and relaxed. Just make sure that it’s getting done no later that sunset on January 1^st. 

“It’s that Wonderful Time of the Year…” Winter Holidays on my Fairy Magic Path

December is upon us. I realize that this is a statement of the obvious, but I would like to draw attention to this time called by default, wonderful. It is wonderful, yes, unless chaos takes over to the extent that there won’t be neither time nor energy left to even notice the wonder, let alone fully experience it. I am speaking from my own experience because I found myself several times exactly in this situation, and as of now, I’m done with it, really. Which statement leads to the question: what are actually my plans to restore the ‘wonder’ in ‘wonderful’, and make these weeks wonder-full?

Art credit: Daniela Simina, 2022

Zoom out to get the broader perspective.

If I could look from a vintage point at myself, my thoughts, feelings and spiritual needs in the context of this month, what would I see?  What is this month all about? What does this December-vibe suggest that I should focus on in my personal practice and my life in general?

For this year, I was considering some complex journey work, a ritual inclusive of circle casting, elaborate offerings, drumming…  It sounds interesting. It would be undoubtedly thorough. BUT would this be what I really want?  I realize that in fact, I want something simple. Meaningful yet uncomplicated, like meeting old friends. No need for protocol, just basic good manners, some food to share and a warm heart to welcome the Other. So, each time I feel drawn to create a special moment in a simple manner, I light up the candle on the altar and sit down with a steaming cup of tea or coffee and usually, a sandwich or a snack. I leave a piece of food on the offering plate on the altar and pour some tea or coffee for my Fairy Guides and Gods as well. Then our conversation begins. Or we may just sit in silence. I am keenly aware of the changes around me, the sounds, variations in temperature, ideas, images, impressions etc. I might read runes or cards asking if there's anything in particular I should know or do.

Contemplate, listen and take notes

It may sound funny, but note taking is critical. Yes, I can enter an altered state of consciousness while eating a sandwich, and carry on a conversation with Powers and Spirit Guides while sipping my tea; however, chances are that I might not remember much, if anything, once that mild trance state ends. So this time, like any other time, I begin jotting down everything that comes through. Once the chitchat ends, I spend few more minutes to organize the contents. I notice reccurent paterns of thought, bold ideas, images. They may not have a clear meaning at the moment but later on they may prove to be useful bits of information. 

Gratitude.

I genuinely express gratitude for all the achievemnts big and small.  I give heartfelt thanks for the challenges I have faced and the support I received in overcoming them.  I don’t subscribe to the “everything happens for a good reason” kind of thinking which I find overstated and largely untrue. I believe that most of the times bad stuff happens due to error, negligence, or just because. But I do believe in th eold adaggio “whenever life hands me a lemon,  I'll try to make lemonade out of it.” By facing challenges of different kinds I developed new skills and learned things that I would not have learned otherwise. In the process of overcoming challenges I also got to know myself better, to honestly tell what are my strengths and admit to my weaknesses, to own my mistakes, and to own my reality without apologizing anymore for who I am and what my limitations are. 

Planting new seeds.

The end of October and begining of November is the time frame when I take stock of both what I had intended to accomplish and what I actually managed to accomplish up until that time, which strategies were successful and which ones were not. December is the time to plant new seeds for new objectives and allow the incubation stage begin. However, incubating , as I see it, is not a passive process. What I call incubation stage goes beyond generating a bunch of ideas and then sleep on them for the rest of the month, or through the entire winter. Plans treated this way rarely come to fruition.  I’ll stick for now to agricultural analogies to explain what I mean. I think of ideas for my plans and projects as seeds. It’s not enough to just put seeds into the ground because they may either rot, dry out, or sprout something so frail that it would die way before bearing any flower or fruit. So. Once planted, seeds still need care and nurturing, like watering and warmth. By analogy, the plans that I make now need nurturing and active support before taking a definite shape and bear results. The incubation stage includes all the of the preliminaries and the supporting steps required for my plans to succeed, or sticking to the analogy, for my seeds to germinate and grow.

As an example, let's say that I plan to publish a book next year. Assuming that I already have a clear idea about the subject, I will go ahead and find a working title that will make me feel inspired and connected to my work each time I think of it. This is the seed planting stage. I might hold a little ritual to bless the project before addingit to my list of objectives for the next year. Then the incubation stage begins. I put together a list of  resources that I shall consult, start reading, take notes, think of how am I goung to structure the book, and write bits and pieces when inspiration strikes.  I also think of who is going to proofread the manuscript. I’ll make a list of people who I could ask to write endorsements and the preface. Do I need illustrations? If so, will I draw those myself or will I hire somebody? Last but not least, I shall consider publishing options. Brainstorming with friends, contemplating, getting inspired by what other people in my field are doing are also part of the incubation stage. When the incubation stage is over, I begin to write the book. 

I usually have more than just one objective in sight, so I need prioritize and budget my resources. One of these days I’ll sit again by my altar in the same polite yet casual manner, and make a list with everything I would like to manifest in the year ahead. I do not focus on constrains and limitations but on what do I want. Then I’ll write five or seven of them in order of priority with the highest ranking at the top of my list.[1] The list will remain on the altar and I will  begin tending to the incubating seeds. This means that I will apply to each objective on my list the same kind of analysis that I mentioned above. Tempting as   it may be, I wouldn’t work on all of them simultaneously. I shall start with objective ranking #1 on my list, and once the preliminaries for this one are well underway, I’d tackle objective #2. More often than not, circumstances may demand that I work on a couple of things simultaneously, or address them in different order than initially listed. It’s perfectly fine: I’ll just go with the flow and make sure I don’t create bottlenecks by undertaking too much at once [2].

Spiritual and mundane intertwine in daily life.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance I place on the mundane and spiritual going hand in hand. What do I actually mean by this?  I am a pagan walking a fairy-led path, and my beliefs inform my spiritual practice. My spiritual practice, in turn, informs how I live my everyday life and supports my every step. Hence it is only normal at this time of the year to ask for help, guidance and express gratitude to my Fairy Allies and the Liminal Powers that I honor. Which brings me to the point of considering who do I address and how during the Winter Solstice celebration.

Offering of incense and apple cider 

Photo by Daniela Simina

I celebrate the Winter Solstice as a several days holiday. While there is a precise astronomic time that marks the longest night and shortest day, the actual extending of dayligh and night shortening is felt one to three days later. For the most part, I prefer to go with how things are felt naturally in the absence of astronomical instruments and sophisticated measurements. I hold a little ritual for this occasion sometime between December 21-25. 
I invite An Dagda, Irish Deity and Fairy King in Ireland, without whom I can’t even imagine  celebrating this seasonal marker. I also acknowledge Grian, sister of fairy queen Áine[3]. Central to this holiday is The Queen of Apples, Liminal Goddess with whom I connect over healing and mysteries of the feminine nature. (I do not tie feminine or masculine to biological gender)

Offerings to the Queen of Apples, An Dagda and Grian

Photo by Daniela Simina

The way I celebrate Winter Solstice or Yule is in keeping with my stated desire for simplicity. I cleanse myself and the house with smoke. For this purpose I burn a mix of juniper and sage in a bowl which I carry around the house. I move around quickly so the smoke coming from the smoldering herbs doesn’t get excessive. As I walk around, I thank the spirits of the herbs and ask them to lend their cleansing and protective qualities to our home. I then smoke-cleanse myself and whoever else in the family is willing to undergo cleansing. In Romania, basil and rosemery are among the best known herb used for purifying spaces and people.[4] On top of the smoke cleansing, I get some a twig of dried rosemary, which i prefer to basil, dip it in water[5] and asperse around rooms, onto myself, and onto family members. 

I change the altar cloth and decorate accordingly. My altar is quite simple, with places for the Liminal Powers, a little corner dedicated to my ancestors, and a candle holder surrounded by a feather, a stone, and a shell to symbolize the Three Realms of Land, Sea and Sky. The candle at the center stands for Fire at the core of everything alive.  I also keep on the altar a couple of little bowls for offerings, my wand and my ritual blade. 

I light the candle and invite the Powers I mentioned above and any of the goodly inclined spirit beings who wish to join.  I make offerings[6]  which will remain on the altar for a little while and then be taken outside and poured out by the Fairy Tree[7]. The magic work that usually follows is specifically directed at supporting the plans I made for the coming year.  More precisely, the list of plans and objectives that I had left on the altar will receive magic/ energetic support.  After that, I take time to sit, listen, and feel. I divine and take omens to find out if the offerings are well received and if anything else is expected from me on this occasion.  The rest of the day and is dedicated to activities that involve family and friends.

All these may may sound complicated and contradicting to my expressed desire to simplify things. But, when compared to the ritual structures I used in the past, this  is a whole lot simpler. For me, what makes rituals special is not their length, nor the intricacy of their structure. I evaluate the quality of ritual actions based on where do they take me emotionally. Getting there, sellecting what to do and say challenges my ability to adapt, do only stick to what is heartfelt, to be in the moment and out of my head. Then the feeling of holiness brought by the presence of the Other spills beyond ritual time and space like bubbly champagne spills over the rim of a cup.  

 

In conclusion, what I do and how I do it is between me and Them. Simple, honest and heartfelt holds the key to sparking magic and bringing wonder in the days and nights ahead.

Until next time, happy celebrating and fairy blessings be upon you,
Daniela

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[1] This is an actual piece of guidance that I received during the first informal, unplanned meeting I had with Fairy Guides.

[2] This is where I  usually fail short, but I am honestly trying to follow my own advice for the sake of my mental and physical health.

[3] Irish fairy lore.

[4] In Romania, where Christianity is the dominant religion, house cleansing and blessing is usually done by a priest who visits the houses in his church district on the eve of specific holidays. However, I personally witnessed my grandmother and my own mother blessing the house with basil and holy water on several occasions.

[5] I use moon water, water from melted snow or ice, or rain water.

[6] Any of the following: incense, asperse around the altar water with herbal oils, food, fresh drinking water, milk, some wine or beer. The offerings may include a poem written for the occasion that I’ll burn after reading it out loud, or anything that I could craft for Them- in case I decide to offer something of this sort. 

[7] I did not know there was a fairy tree in the backyard when we moved into this house, but the fact became evident quite soon, so I learned to treat it accordingly.