Time and form work differently in the Faery realm—indeed, the whole realm is more fluid and less seemingly fixed than our physical world. It is the primal underworld, a place of restoration and renewal, untouched by time and the onslaughts of humanity and yet so interconnected with our world that our changes are keenly felt by them. Just as the seeming appearance of Faery beings changes through our own perceptions, so it is with their land, yet it makes it no less real. As our understanding of the nature of energy grows, so it may be that our perceptions grow closer to the truth, or at least closer to their own. You may find it helpful to consider the Faery realm as something akin to the original DNA of our world, containing the unspoiled blueprint of life, which may be used to restore what has been lost and damaged in our own realm. This is an interesting image when you consider that the road to the underworld is a spiral stair.
The Underworld Journey
As it is so difficult to describe the wonders of the land of Faery, I encourage you to visit yourself. There are many ways by which one might experience the land of Faery, all of which involve entering altered states of consciousness. The following method can be used by anyone, with no need for mind-altering drugs or plants, though in some cases it may take more than one attempt before results are achieved. For this technique you will need either a drum such as a bodhran, which gives a resonant beat, and someone to drum for you, or a recording of a steady drumbeat. These may be found quite readily and are used for shamanic journeying. You may find that you can journey well enough in silence or that you prefer another sound such as running water, ocean waves, the human voice, a musical instrument, or a rattle. This can only be discovered through experience and experimentation.
You will also need a place that you are familiar with in the physical realm that can act as a gateway to Faery. I strongly advise that this be a tree with a natural opening that you can visualize passing through and down into the roots, but other possibilities include a well, a gap in a hedge, or a cave. You do not need to be physically there when you are journeying (though if you are able and would not be disturbed there, it would enhance the experience), but you do need to have been there and be able to re-create it in your mind in strong sensory detail; i.e., sight, smell, touch, and sounds. If your visual imagination is not strong, concentrate on those senses that work best for you.
The following exercise is not a guided visualization, meditation, or pathworking. It is the foundation technique for sending your consciousness into other realms and can be adapted to many different intents and purposes. The most important first task when beginning to explore the inner landscape is to find guides and allies, so this is the intent for the following journey. These allies may take animal, human, or faerie form, and eventually you will gain a group of allies who will have different strengths and specialities, just as you do, that complement each other. They can then aid you in your further purposes, which must not be trivial or materialistic in motive. For example, once you have a guide or ally, you can ask them for assistance in leading you to places of learning to find inner teachers, further guides, or symbols for protection and empowerment.
It is often neglected and extremely important to realize that your guides are beings in their own right and not extensions of your psychology. As such, remember to ask on your journeys whether there are tasks in this world or theirs with which they require your assistance. This is the method by which strong partnerships and enduring friendships are formed.
Emily Carding, “The Invitation”
Exercise: Underworld Journey to Find a Guide
Make yourself comfortable in a place where you are absolutely sure you will not be disturbed. If you are unused to journeying, it is a good idea to find a space in your home or another secure indoor location where you can lie on the floor with uncluttered space around you. If the room is bright, use a scarf or something similar to cover your eyes. If you have someone to drum for you, be sure they know to keep a slow, regular beat, or find a good shamanic drumming track that you can play on headphones. Remember, you are listening for the sound between the beats; this resonant frequency will start to sound almost like song, forming a continuous note that aids in entering a trance state. Before you begin, arrange a callback signal with your drummer, such as three sets of three long beats followed by rapid drumming. Use this signal as an anchor or cord that guides you back to physical reality. Most drum tracks will have this, and you should allow about twenty minutes for your journey.
Take deep breaths and listen to the sound between the drumbeats. Allow it to transport you out of normal awareness. Feel the tension slipping from your body as if you are melting into the earth. Before you, you see the tree or other real-world location that you have chosen as your entry point into the underworld. Build as strong a picture as you can of this place—the colours, the textures, the sounds, and the smells. Do not worry if in our world the entrance is too small for you to pass through; normal rules no longer apply. Either
