I have just completed reading “A Faerie Treasury” By Alicen Geddes-Ward and Jacky Newcomb. I loved most of it, but parts of it made me repel. I think it’s all the focus on the ideas of glitter and sparkles and the faeries only being nice and benevolent helpers that my reading eyes didn’t agree with. I understand that for some glitter and sparkliness could be a gateway to the faerie realm but in my mind faeries are far more down to earth than that. They live in moss, brambles and briar roses. In the poor cut-back hedge in my front yard. They dig appreciation for nature and messages written on fallen leaves, scented beeswax candles and not stealing snowdrop bulbs. (Is there still a law on that in England? I mightily think so). They are like people in the way that half of them aren’t interested in us. There will be some faeries unwilling to work with humans because they can’t see past the damage we have done. There will be some who are keen to forge links while they still can. Then there will be some who don’t care one way or the other, and want to stay in their said moss/bramble/rosebush and not think about humans and think about faerie things, whatever they may be. And yes, I have expressed my wish for beautiful fairylove wings but other than that I have a strict no glitter guideline. The glitteriest things I own include a tastefully sequined black and green belt and a funky little hat with mirrors on it. Glitter is tacky.

Word round the campfire is that you can buy edible cake glitter. Now I am into glitter I can eat……

Back to the important topic at hand. I have been somewhat wary of working with the fae for many years, because, like Finvarra, they deserve a lot of respect, have their own personalities and should be treated like people. If I am rude to them, use magic in their name for something stupid or do something that isn’t very faerielike, I expect them to be annoyed. They are tricksy too – I am sure they have lifted stuff to cause me frustration for no reason other than it is funny to see me frustrated. Finvarra, my Faerie God/King, is very strong and powerful and has a definite personality. I have been worrying away about how to work with him because I do not want to upset him or be disrespectful.

Checking up on faerie websites, reviews and the kind of stuff faerie enthusiasts are into, there seems to be a lot of this glittery lovely faerie image. Is that because that is the way they are? Is it that people who love faeries attract helpful fae who want their cause of environmentalism and faerie belief to be championed? Is it that the experience of faerie energy is like the deep and primal energy I feel but they find it easier to be a part of the good glittery faery culture?

I don’t know. I guess I need to make up my mind from my own faerie experiences, and I need to cultivate more of them. A part of me wishes that faeries were 100% love and light, but nature isn’t that way, and faeries are if anything bound up with the ways of nature.

Faeries dig this.