The Energy of the Fae

All of my life, I've had a profound interest and love for Faeries. Since I was a girl, to a teen, to an adult, Faeries have always been a part of my life. When I was younger, I read every book I could get my hands on. Irish Faery tales, books about Faery energy and magic, anything by Brian Froud, really anything I could find to continue my quest for knowledge about Faeries. Most "Faery tales" come from Ireland and the surrounding area. Although they were most prevalent in Ireland, many cultures from around the world have tales of creatures that are very similar or exactly like, the Irish Faery.

When I was younger, I could communicate with and sense their energy fairly easily. Although as I became an adult, and the reality of the mundane world set in such as working, paying bills etc., my ability to sense them and communicate with them left me. Of course I was still Pagan and still practice
my Pagan beliefs, and worship the Goddess (of course), the Faery energy I loved so much was no longer something I could tap into.

Since Im Irish and so is my family, it has been a dream of mine to one day go to Ireland. And that dream came true last year! So as soon as I knew we were going, I promised myself to ask an Irish person about the Faery folk. Even if they looked at me like I was crazy! In many rural parts of Ireland, people still believe in the ancient tales of the Fae, along with other creatures. So one day my husband and I were going to be taking a tour of Newgrange and the Hill of Tara. We had a private tour so it was just us and our driver taking us around all day. Our driver, Jimmy, was so nice and filled with stories of Ireland's sometimes violent and brutal history. I was astonished at how much information he knew and fascinated by his stories. So I thought to myself, this is the man Im going to ask about the fae! After Newgrange, on our way to the Hill of Tara, which was kind of a long drive, I took the opportunity to ask him about Faeries in Ireland. He started off by saying that most people don't really follow those beliefs anymore, but then he went on to tell me how his Mother heard the cry of the Banshee, and that his childhood was filled with tales of all kinds of Faery folk. So, I basically got my answer :)

As some of you may know, not all faeries are sweet and nice fluttering around with sparkly wings. Some are malevolent creatures who lure unsuspecting people into their world never to return again. So as we continue on our trip, going to Kilkenny, and Cashel, we decided to stay the night in a very small town called Adare. This town was very quaint with little cottages and a beautiful old church. We stayed at a beautiful B&B owned by literally the nicest people I've ever met in my life. Although everything on the outside seemed normal, I sensed an energy to the place that I couldn't figure out. It was an energy I had never felt before, and it wasnt necessarily a good energy, but I wouldn't say it was an evil energy either. We had kind of a strange night. My husband ended up getting sick, which never happens, usually I'm the one with the upset stomach. And we ended up going back to the B&B early since he wasn't feeling well. In Ireland, there is no air condition, so the windows are always open to let the cool breeze in. Outside our window, I could sense something, and my attention was constantly drawn to it. The energy I felt is hard to describe. I guess I could say it felt mischievous, in a meddling sort of way, and possibly slightly malevolent. It did not frighten me, I just wasn't familiar with this new energy I was feeling.

That night, I had a terrifying dream that I will never forget. And I kept waking up in the middle of the night through my restless sleep, and being drawn to the open window. The next day we left rather quickly to get to our next destination. It wasnt until after we got home, and a few days or weeks passed, that I realized what I had felt. What I experienced in the town of Adare was most certainly Faery energy. I know this from stories I've read about Faeries, and experiences I had when I was younger. I never felt that energy again in Ireland, nor have I felt it since. But the memory of it will always be with me.

Samhain, the upcoming sabbat, is a time when the veil between worlds is thin, and communication with Faeries and other spirits is much easier. It is said in Celtic Ireland that Faeries would roam the land on the night of Samhain, along with lost souls. People would leave a lit candle in their window to lead the souls home. So Samhain is a great time to tap into the energy of the Fae, just be careful, because as you know, not all Faeries are pretty little creatures. Leave out offerings such as milk and honey in little shells in your garden, they also like butter, this should attract the Fae to you and your garden.

I hope you enjoyed my story of my experience with the Fae! Feel free to share your own experiences as well.





Pictures courtesy of Brian Froud