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Tag Archives: fairies

Faerie Wisdom, by Gillian Kemp

Faerie Wisdom: Magical Guidance & Wisdom, by Gillian Kemp
CICO Books, 9781800653191, 64 pages, 52 cards, March 2024

With her set of Faerie Wisdom: Magical Guidance & Wisdom oracle cards, creator and illustrator Gillian Kemp takes us into the magical land of the fairies and other mythical creatures from literature and lore.

Gillian Kemp is an author of more than ten books, five other oracle decks, and a Love Spell Box for enhancing your love life. Kemp is a clairvoyant who utilizes astrology, tarot and playing cards, palmistry and tea leaves to predict the future for her clients; she is also a medium, who receives messages from those on the other side. Kemp was only twelve or thirteen when she saw her first spirit and viewed the event as a natural occurrence. Learn more about Kemp at her website.

As I unboxed the set, feelings of peace, strength, and calm surround me. I felt safe and held in the loving arms of the Divine and all these magical beings. The whimsical illustrations really drew me in, and I delighted in shuffling the card deck and flipping through the guidebook. 

Although only 64 pages, the guidebook is full of history and fairy lore and “wishes to reveal the importance of fairies in your life by revealing folklore as old as the hills in which fairies have lived since time immemorial.”1 From the introduction, Kemp goes into fairy wisdom, customs, and rituals and what she calls “Faeireland.”  In this section, she discusses how we can find fairies living among us and then shares how authors and poets have shared stories about fairies for thousands of years.

Next, the deck creator tells us “How to Lay the Cards,”2 with no less than twelve unique spreads. Many of the card spreads are quite unique, such as “The Gallitraps Circle”3 and “The Faerieland Dance Spread.”4 Most of the spreads utilize a large number of cards.  She includes two three-card spreads: “The Yes or No Spread”5 and “The Faerie Divination Spread”6. 

I chose “The Gallitraps Circle” spread and proceeded to go through the deck and select a card to represent myself. I chose the Faerie Queen of Fall. Her hair is similar in color to my own and she has a sweet spirit. Then, I shuffled the cards and placed 8 cards around the center card, starting at the top and going around clockwise. When I turned the cards face up, I read: “The first two cards reveal what Spring will hold for you; the second 2 cards predict Summer; the third two cards, Fall; and the last two cards, Winter.”7

From this reading, I came to know that my Spring represents both good fortune and winning and Summer will bring magic and sweet dreams. For Fall, I may see that “Optimism opens doors . . . (and) Your wish will most certainly be fulfilled.”8 The Winter season will grant wishes and bring strength. 

After a web search, I learned that “gallitraps” are circles of grass, which may have been created by fairies. These circles possess magical powers. Humans have also been known to draw circles in meadows or glens for magical purposes. Later, when I looked at the back design of the cards, I noticed three fairies dancing in a gallitrap!

At my Friday Coffee & Cards group, I shared the magic and wisdom of these cards, and my friends loved them!

My friend Z had just returned from a trip and was wondering what was next for her. She drew the #3 card in the suit for Summer and learned that the time is right for new people to come into her life. She expressed her gratitude and said, “I guess it’s also time to let go of some people that no longer fit in my life!”

Another friend had a dream earlier in the week and was looking for confirmation. She drew #8, also in the suit for Summer, which represents “the glory of winning” and that “a bonus or reward is imminent.”9 Her dream had been about a windfall coming her way in June.  She saw this card and the guidance as confirmation of that prediction!

The illustrations are so whimsical and beautiful that you are easily taken to another place and another time. The cards are divided into the four seasons, starting with Spring. Each section or suit contains thirteen cards. Within each suit, the cards are numbered 1 to 13, which is reminiscent of tarot cards. Each card spells out the season and number, so it’s easy to follow along in the guidebook for the extra wisdom Kemp shares.

What I like best about these cards is that a brief bit of wisdom is listed on each card.  So, if you were to use the cards at an event or in a group where going back and forth to the guidebook was not practical, each querent can easily gain a quick message.

The cards are an unusual size, in that they are 5.25” X 2.5” and horizontal in design.  The guidebook is printed in four-color, with a thumbnail version of each card shown with the expanded guidance. The guidebook is also filled with accents of drawings of faeries, mythical creatures, and magic mushrooms. Both the guidebook and cards are printed with a glossy varnish.

The card stock is a nice weight, and the cards are easy to shuffle.  The cards and guidebook fit nicely into the box, which is quite sturdy.  After placing the cards and guidebook into the side of the box, you can add the box top for safe keeping.

This set of oracle cards would be enjoyed by both new and experienced card readers. Someone who has an affinity for faeries and nature spirits will especially resonate with the colorful artwork and guidance shared.

I plan to keep Faerie Wisdom in the box of cards I carry in my car trunk so that I have cards available for groups or coffees I attend.  Everyone loves fairies, and it is my hope that the wisdom and guidance from these cards may brighten the day and encourage someone who most needs it!

Pagan Portals – Folktales, Faeries, and Spirits

Pagan Portals – Folktales, Faeries, and Spirits: Faery Magic from Story to Practice, by Halo Quin
Moon Books, 178535941X, 104 pages, August 2022

Halo Quin takes us on a journey into the world of Folktales, Faeries and Spirits. She has a deep connection to the magic that resides in Wales and adores the wilderness there and the stories and tales that come from that landscape. Her love of faeries has been apparent since childhood, when she would greet them everywhere she went. She is keen to educate us on the practices of the faeries, how we can find and respect their ways and bring them into our lives. 

There can be mixed greetings towards the faery folk. Some people regard them as beings or spirits who can bring us good luck, wisdom, and beauty; others may view them as mischievous, malicious or even dangerous. Quin tells us that we should view them just as we would people. Each with their own personalities, feelings, values, and nuances. They can be found the world over, in woodlands, forests, rivers, lakes, and streams.

“Another debate among humans who talk about faeries is whether they are nature spirits and spirits of the land, or simply an otherworldly race of humanoids.”1

Personally, I like to believe they are the latter, an ‘otherworldly form of humanoid’. Because how wonderful would that be? Faery folk coming to visit us from another dimension. I can certainly get on board with that idea.

In Pagan Portals – Folktales, Faeries, and Spirits, Quin asks for you to keep a journal alongside as you drink in the wonders of these tales and the connections you can find. She also encourages you to make notes within the pages of this delightful little companion. 

My knowledge of faeries is, I’m ashamed to say, almost non-existent, unless we can count Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell in Hook (1991), and I don’t think we can. And so, honestly, I was entering into this world not really knowing what to expect.

Yet I was pleasantly surprised. I was welcomed with open arms immediately.  I felt looked after from the first page, nothing was pushed or forced upon me. I felt like I belonged, I wasn’t intruding on an unknown world, more like visiting an old friend. 

The book is to be used as a practical guide for you to approach and interact with the fae, using the New Age model by Doreen Virtue, which relies on the traditional lineage stories of faeries and their elementals, more commonly known as: earth, air, fire, and water.

Quin advises that when looking to work with the faeries you choose those that are close to you regionally or locally. She has researched and worked with the folklore of Wales, Edinburgh, and Spain. Although her work tends to focus on the Nordic Fae, the Alfar, as they are found worldwide.

Faery cultures vary from region to region, so it’s wise to do your research. Much like you would do if you were visiting a foreign country for the first time.

We are given an enigmatic insight into the world of faeries. I live close to where the Cottingley Fairy pictures were taken, and although these photos were proven to have been faked by the children, who’s to say we don’t still have them living there?

It’s a beautiful fairy-like landscape, something we’re not short of in Yorkshire. And now that I know how to approach and how to show my respect to these spirits, it’s something I will be more mindful of.

The book lays out steps for you to begin your connection with the fae. How to build your altar, where you’ll be able to communicate with them, and where you need to look in nature. There is also a handy guide which will give you trees and plants to look out for to bond and meditate with.

Quin also takes us deeper into the Fae folk, sharing who to call upon, who to thank, and who we can be inviting into our homes. 

Each chapter takes you on an easy-to-follow path, starting with an introduction to Faery history, how to begin, who you can find, and where to find them. You are then carefully taken, step by step into a new world. A world that is waiting not far from you now and may be closer than you think.

Learning to open the pathways, cross the rivers and enter Faery land. Invite these beings into your world, integrate your roots, call upon the already familiar elementals and encourage yourself to delve further into what they have to offer. 

Whether you have just discovered a spark of interest, you’ve been dabbling for a while, or you’re still on the fence about the whole idea, I think Pagan Portals – Folktales, Faeries and Spirits can offer a new insight into what you might have already learned. And isn’t it always good practice to keep an open mind?

Pagan Portals – Aos Sidhe, Meeting the Irish Fairy Folk of Ireland, by Morgan Daimler

Pagan Portals – Aos Sidhe: Meeting the Irish Fairy Folk of Ireland, by Morgan Daimler
Moon Books, 9781789049374, 85 pages, August 2022

Journeys have not been easy to come by for me this summer. However, although the pandemic kept my physical travel plans on hold, I was able to journey to the Emerald Isle with Morgan Daimler to visit the land of the Fair Folk through the pages of Pagan Portals – Aos Sidhe: Meeting the Irish Fairy Folk of Ireland.

Ireland is one of my favorite places to visit but I do remember being warned not to disturb the places where the fair folk dwelled. I was surprised by this warning as we are living in the 21st century. Did people still believe in the fair folk? This book answered my question with a resounding “Yes!”

In the Author’s Note, Daimler indicates that she is “writing this book because of an aisling, a vision, I had and because I feel like this book is a necessary thing to help people sort out Irish folk belief from pop culture and fiction.”1

Aos Sidhe (pronounced Ace Shee) means “people of the fairy hills” or people of the Otherworld. According to Daimler, “They are the beings who interact with our world but exist in and come from a place that is foreign to our world, and that is the realm of the sidhe, beneath the earth, also called an Saol Eile, the Otherworld.”2 The English term for Aos Sidhe is fairy. 

Although short in length, the book is packed with various sources of information on what Morgan refers to throughout as the Good Folk or Fairy Folk which “do not exist within one cohesive grouping.”3

The book is divided into six chapters. Chapter One investigates just who the Aos Sidhe are by looking at folklore and myth. Chapter Two, “Across Belief”, provides sources of accounts with the Fairy Folk, including anecdotes of people who have had experiences with the Aos Sidhe over the last hundred years or so that they have chosen to share.

There are certain times and places, liminal points, where one could have a greater chance of encountering these beings or as Morgan writes “running afoul of the Fair Folk.”4 Samhain, the month of November, and Beltane are the strongest times. Various traditions grew around these times to appease or avoid bothering the Fairy Folk through offerings or ways to protect one’s self from the Fairy Folk. To make matters worse for us humans, the Fairy Folk cannot be seen except by choice, only manifesting in physical form if they so desire. 

Chapter Three focuses on Changelings, “a fairy surreptitiously put in the place of a human being.”5 Typically, those taken are infants, young children, newly married adults, and new mothers. They are taken to increase the number of the Fairy Folk, or for entertainment, or on a whim. She recounts four cases from 1826 – 1895 of people who were accused of being changelings and the treatments they suffered at the hands of friends and family, all of which ended in death. To aid in protecting against being taken, iron and Christian holy items were used, such as pinning a safety pin to a baby’s clothing or by the sacrament of Baptism. 

Descriptions of the types of Fair Folk are covered in Chapter 4. A few favorites stand out in this chapter for me. Having grown up watching the movie Darby O’Gill and the Little People. I was scared at a young age by the screams of the Bean Sidhe (banshee) in the movie.  This “woman of the fairy hills” is probably one of the best-known of the Fair Folk, as being one who predicts death. I was surprised to learn that there are Cat Sidhe and Dobharchu or water dogs. Other Fairy Folk include Maighdeana Mhara, or “sea maidens” or mermaids, Puce or goblins and sprites, and Ronata, seal folks who the Scottish refer to as Selkies.  The Ronata use seal skins to transform themselves. 

Of course, everyone has heard of Leprechauns whose name is thought to come from the Old Irish word, luchorpan which means a very small body6. According to Daimler, there remains debate as to whether Leprechauns are part of the ranking order of Aos Sidhe or are separate, distinct beings.

Chapter 5 is titled “Safe Dealings with the Fairy Folk or Good People” to ensure people responsibly interact with these folks. As Morgan warns:

“Throughout recorded accounts of the Aos Sidhe there have always been humans who have encountered or interacted with these beings, sometimes with good results and sometimes with bad results.”7

She cautions that there are rules to interacting with the Good People in order to promote safety but that there are “real risks of encountering or dealing with these beings.”8 The chapter covers etiquette, offerings, and protections that include things to carry on one’s person in those liminal times (such as salt or a red thread) or hanging an iron horseshoe above one’s door. 

Chapter 6 and the Conclusion deal with common misconceptions of the Good Folk. Morgan reminds us that “stories of these beings have been woven into Ireland’s very earth for well over a thousand years.”9 Daimler notes that the book is meant to be an introduction not a tome. 

Also included at the end of the book is a much-appreciated Terms and Pronunciation Guide. Though, I would have liked to see this at the beginning of the book, as I spent the entire book mispronouncing the Irish terms. 

I highly recommend this book by Daimler, an author with many books on subjects such as Fairies, Brigid, and Irish Paganism to her credit. I learned a lot in reading Pagan Portals – Aos Sidhe: Meeting the Irish Fairy Folk of Ireland, but I have to admit that it left me with an uneasy feeling. I do not want to cross these beings, or inadvertently encounter them. I avoid conjuring them up. I recently resisted the temptation of staring too long at a fairy garden because as Morgan reminds the reader,  the Aos Sidhe are “always leaving but never gone.”10