Some say that the only living things are those that grow, yet can you not feel that this still stone also has life? Holding the stone and emptying your mind of everyday thought, see what images or sounds arise; will the stone sing to you? It grows warm with your touch as your energies combine. You understand the qualities that led the ancestors to build circles of stone to mark and channel the sacred energies.
When you are ready, withdraw from the stone, but bring your new understanding and sense of connection with you into your everyday life.
The Faery Zodiac
Dividing the four elements into three different qualities, we find ourselves with a direct elemental parallel to the western zodiac system. I have assigned appropriate Faery beings and myths to these twelve elemental divisions to give us a Faery zodiac. Not only is this an interesting way to look at the different beings and stories that are associated with the varied environmental manifestations of the elements, but it is also an excellent way of personally identifying with the qualities of the elements and their spiritual personalities. This is, of course, only a brief look at the sun signs and does not take into account the full complexity of astrology with the positioning of the other planets, but there is certainly scope to take these ideas and develop them further as a system.
March 21–April 20
(Primal Fire—Sol)
Lugh the Warrior
Lugh Lamfada (“long-armed”) is a great warrior-poet and champion of the Tuatha de Danann, the gods of ancient Ireland from whom it is said the sidhe are descended. He is also known as Lugh Samildanach, which means “many-skilled,” for he was admitted to Tara, the sacred home of the Tuatha, on the grounds that although they had many amongst them who were highly skilled in the same areas as Lugh, there were none like him who were highly skilled in all areas.
People of this sign are natural leaders if they can learn to manage their quick tempers. There may be a tendency to react passionately and rush headfirst into challenging situations without fully thinking it through, but there is also a likelihood that luck will be with them, as well as the skill to come out on top. Warriors are ambitious but noble, channeling their fiery natures into ambitions that benefit those they care about. They are driven by a strong will and can inspire others with their charismatic natures.
April 21–May 20
(Still Earth—Stone)
Gogmagog the Giant
Gogmagog was a guardian of the ancient land of Kernow, once a country in its own right, now known as Cornwall in the southwest of Britain. Giants are known through the folklore and mythology of many lands around the world for their great size and for being intimately connected with the landscape. Unusual stone formations usually have their stories of great contests between giants or of giantesses who drop stones from their enormous aprons. They are also known for their great appetite!
People of this sign tend to be as reliable as stone itself. Though they may at times be slow to act, when they do, it is decisive and focused and little can get in their way. They are fond of the good things in life, and when they are in happy and stable conditions, they have a giant’s appetite! However, when they are unsettled or in stressful circumstances, they can be a force to be reckoned with. A giant in a temper cannot be reasoned with, and other signs may well find themselves giving way to the sheer force of this sign. However, they are generally gregarious, sensual, and loving in relationships.
The Cheesewring, Cornwall
May 21–June 21
(Living Air—Wind)
Pegasus the Winged Horse
Pegasus, the winged horse and steed of victorious warriors, is one of the most iconic magickal beasts of Greek mythology. Though his mythical origins are of the element of water, being born of Poseidon and Medusa, this beast is clearly associated with the more dynamic qualities of the element of air. Graceful and powerful, Pegasus can be seen as a personification of the wild wind itself.
People of this sign, like Pegasus himself, fly high and fast through life, often leaving others behind them. They are mercurial, and often their speech is as fast and intense as their thoughts. With a tendency to think out loud in rapidly shifting trains of thoughts, they can be fascinating yet exhausting company. Just as Pegasus’s fame comes through the deeds of others to whom he was indispensible, so people of this sign display great loyalty and devotion and work well as part of a partnership or team. Because their minds are like the wind itself, never still, they can seem to change their minds often. This is not hypocrisy or a split personality, however, but rather an exploration of all angles in the search for truth.
June 22–July 22
(Primal Water—Ocean)
Liban the Mermaid
Liban was an extraordinary figure, being the offspring of a union between Etain of the Tuatha de Danann and Eochaid of the Firbolg, who was transformed into a mermaid and eventually canonized by the Catholic Church as St. Murgan. Mermaids, beautiful women with the tails of fish, can be found in mythology and folklore all over the world. Quite often they are helpful and friendly to humanity, and in some cases they can even appear as humans when out of water. However, for every tale of a beneficent mermaid there is a darker encounter to recall, often of their haunting song and captivating beauty luring sailors and other unsuspecting souls to their doom.
People of this sign are deeply emotional and sensitive, befitting the association with the element of water in its most primal form.
