Neil Gaiman graphically followed this line of thought in his wonderful Sandman graphic novels, showing Queen Titania, King Oberon, and the Faery host emerging from the hill through the Long Man’s gateway to enjoy the first-ever production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Hedgerows
By their very nature, hedgerows are spaces that define the liminal. Ancient border markers that teem with abundant flora and fauna, hedgerows are rich in Faery lore and are obvious places to feel the presence of nature spirits and Faery beings. Be wary, though, as many of the beings associated with the hedgerow are as dark and prickly as the thorn bushes themselves, so be sure to always greet them with respect and keep your wits about you. Time spent in stillness near a hedgerow will start to reveal its secrets, and you may find that you start to notice faces and other features within the branches, leaves, and roots. Listen to the whispers of the wind through the leaves. See if they have a message for you, and be ready to answer a riddle!
Burial Mounds
The connection between the Faery race and the resting places of the dead is so intimate that in Scotland and Ireland they were even called by the same name: sidhe. Burial mounds are intentionally constructed to be gateways into the underworld; as such, they are powerfully liminal spaces for Faery contact. Many such ancient sites were aligned with the cycles of the sun, moon, and stars, such as Newgrange in Ireland, where the entrance is aligned with the midwinter dawn; this adds to their significance as points of contact for Faery Craft. However, it must be remembered that burial mounds are also the resting places of the ancestors, and they must always be honoured alongside the sidhe when you are working in their space.
When approaching a burial mound, keep respectful silence. The triple salute mentioned earlier is an appropriate greeting, and offerings of beer and wine are usually welcomed, but be sure not to leave any mess behind you.
Native American Burial Chamber,
Mackinac Island, Michigan
Mountains
Mountains are powerful forces of liminality, reaching from the depths of the underworld to the heady realms of the cosmos. They are sacred places in many cultures throughout the world, often formed by the stone-throwing contests of giants or from the sleeping forms of giants themselves. Mountains are the perfect place to experience the awesome power of nature and the spirit within the land, having been formed by primal forces and enduring many ages.
Due to the size and slow (compared to us) energetic heartbeat of the great mountain spirits, they are often unaware of humans. However, there will most likely be several or even a huge number of spirits of place within and around a mountain. There will be the spirit of the mountain itself, possibly a faery queen and/or king, and quite possibly a whole kingdom and hierarchy beneath them. Address the spirits of the mountain as if you were a visitor at a noble court.
The Hurlers, Cornwall
Other Sites
Not all places where the worlds meet are so obviously marked. Certain fields may be full of Faery activity, as may any space where there is growth or the potential for growth. In fact, Faery encounters can happen in such unexpected places as airports, train stations, and busy streets. Just because it is a built-up area in our reality doesn’t mean that there are not still places where the worlds overlap. However, the busy world of humanity, with its confusing electrical and airborne signals, is not conducive to the peace and harmony required for enduring Faery contact, which is best found in the green places of the earth.
Flowers and Fungi
Certain flowers have strong associations with Faery, such as bluebells, snowdrops, red campion, foxgloves, and roses, to name only a few. As is well noted in folklore, rings of mushrooms or toadstools, particularly the highly toxic and hallucinogenic fly agaric, are known as fairy rings. It is said that these are places where the people of Faery dance on starlit nights. It is also said that if you enter the dance, you may be taken into Faery and not return for many centuries, so such sites must be treated with great caution.
Timing
Although contact may be made either spontaneously or intentionally at any time (expect the unexpected when dealing with the Faery realms!), there are times of the day, month, and year when the connection between worlds is strongest and you are more likely to feel their presence. Dusk and dawn are powerful times to be out in nature. There are often fewer people around, and there is a tangible sense of magick in the air as you are between the night and the day. Around the hour of midnight is also a potent time; however, do take care that you don’t pass into places where you are not welcome or that are dangerous for more mortal reasons. The full moon is the best time for blessings, consecrations, and leaving offerings for Faery, whereas the new moon is best for divination and channelling work.
During the course of the year there are times when the worlds are considered to be closer together, when the veil between them is thinner. The days that are most associated with Faery are Beltane, which in the Northern Hemisphere is celebrated between April 31 and May 2 (or, if you prefer a more natural method, when the hawthorn starts flowering), Midsummer (June 21/22), and Samhain (October 31). If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, Midsummer and Midwinter (or, if you prefer, the Summer and Winter Solstices) are swapped round, as are the dates for Beltane and Samhain.
Far more important than the dates and traditions of cultures that might not necessarily relate directly to you is paying attention
