Spirits of this place, people of peace, dwellers of the hollow hills, I humbly greet you and ask you to grant your blessing upon this work tonight. I bring you this offering as a gesture of cooperation. I honour you and the spirit within all things.
Present the offering and give the triple salute again. Wait until you feel that your request has been accepted or declined. If declined, give thanks and farewell to the spirits of place and proceed no further. You may wish to try again in a different location. If accepted, proceed as follows:
Create Sacred Space
Use the circlecasting technique detailed on page 136. If working in a group, you may wish to call to the seven directions with different people calling to each direction.
Invocation
Raise arms in a V shape up to the moon, with your chalice of water ready.
Great Mother, mirror of the Source, gateway to the enchanted realm, I call to you! Blessed Queen of the tides of life, ruler of cycles both without and within, hear my call!
Drawing Down the Moon into Water
Holding your chalice in both hands, raise it up high over your head so that the light of the moon is reflected in the surface of the water. Hold this position and will the power of the moon into the water as you speak:
As your silver light descends into this cup, so may your blessing fill this water. Imbue it with your great love so that it may carry your magick and inspiration forth into the world.
Hold for a short time. When you are confident that the power has entered the water, bring the cup back down. Use your forefinger to trace a septagram in visualised blue light above the surface of the water to seal it.
Blessing and Dedication
Described here for solo ritual, this may easily be adapted and performed by one member of a group as priest/ess, with another of the group performing the blessing on the priest/ess at the end. Simply change the wording in each case to “your” instead of “my.” Hold the chalice of water in the left hand as you speak:
I consecrate my body as a tool of creation and inspiration for my Faery Craft.
(face east)
May the spirits of air bless my thoughts with clarity and spiritual knowledge!
(dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to forehead; face south)
May the spirits of fire bless my centre so that my inner flame of divine inspiration will always burn brightly!
(dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to solar plexus; face west)
May the spirits of water bless my heart so that it may be open to the flow of truth and the purity of love.
(dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to chest; face north)
May the spirits of earth bless my hands so that they may be tools of sacred creation within the world, bringing the beauty of Faery into manifestation.
(dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to centre of palms; face the above)
May the spirits of the celestial realm bless my spirit so that it may shine like a star as a beacon for others.
(dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to crown of head; face the below, crouching down if possible)
May the spirits of the ancestral realm bless my feet so that they may walk with respect upon the sacred earth and ever feel the support of those who have walked these ways before me.
(dip little finger of free hand into water and touch to both feet; rise, and hold chalice in both hands over your centre)
With the blessings of all the directions and my Faery allies, I will carry this light into the world. May it shine through my every action, through my work, and through every part of my being.
(take sip of the water)
Close the sacred space and give thanks to the spirits of place. You may store the rest of the water for use in other work.
Other Subjects to Explore
This is a huge area, and there is not enough room in this book to cover it all in detail. In addition to the foundation techniques covered so far, I have highlighted some areas that you may wish to explore in more detail if you feel called to do so. With the aid and advice of your Faery allies, through journey and meditation, and also simply through spending time in the landscape and being open to experiences, you may find yourself being called to delve further into any of these practices.
Healing
If you use or feel drawn to try any kind of hands-on energy healing, this can be greatly supported by connection to the land around you. I am particularly lucky to live near a river and a holy well, and when healing I connect to their energy, feeling the power of the water flowing through me and clearing away energetic blockages.
Spirits of any of the elements may be able to help you in your healing work. Spirits of stone, hill, and mountain may help to bring stability and stamina or aid in healing bones, where the quality of stone is echoed in our bodies. Similarly, spirits of living earth may help with the healing of muscle and fleshy tissue. The energy of fire must be used with caution, but to have fire, or even just a candle nearby, to draw on when healing can add necessary focus and energy, bringing the light of hope to dark places. This connection can also be honed to purge unwanted energies but is not as gentle as water. Air, of course, can be called upon to help with respiratory ailments, and the power of breath can be used both to help in extracting what is not needed and bringing in
