The five seeds begin to glow. They may take on different colours and different levels of brightness. Something about one or more of the seeds draws you to it/them. Laying down the other half of the apple, take the seed or seeds out of the apple and place it in the palm of your hand. The seed changes shape and becomes a new object. This is a symbol of your Faery gift, a part of your divine nature, what you are here to share with the world. Remember this symbol well. If it does not make sense now, study it, meditate on it further, and it will make sense in the future. Trust. The symbol becomes a seed once more. Ask your Faery ally or animal guide to take you to an appropriate location and plant the seed in the ground of the otherworld. When this is complete, return to your starting location and slowly return to normal awareness.
Open your eyes. Make any notes you need to and draw any symbols you have received. Now take the physical apple and cut it in half across the horizontal, revealing the five-pointed star and the seeds within. If you can, choose the corresponding seed to the seed or seeds you were drawn to in the meditation, or if that is difficult for whatever reason, choose whichever seed you are drawn to now. Take the seed and the two halves of the apple either to a personal power place or your outdoor shrine. Give one half of the apple as an offering, eat the other half yourself, and plant the seed in the ground as a sign of commitment to your Faery allies to develop and use your gift in both worlds.
Some Thoughts for Further Study
Which direction or element did the position of your seeds correspond to on the pentagram? What is your relationship like with this element? What qualities do you associate with it?
What does the symbol that you received mean to you? What other meanings might it have? List all the words and meanings you can think of connected to this symbol. Does it reveal anything unexpected?
What location were you taken to in the otherworld? Did it resemble any real-world location you are familiar with? What significance might this have? Ask your guide in a future journey what the significance of this place is and what future work you have to do there, if any.
Suggested Activities
Practice
Perform the exercises as detailed in the chapter. Experiment by adapting them with your own wording, and make notes on your results.
Create
Use Walking in Awareness to find a wand for use in your Faery Craft. Consecrate it as detailed in this chapter and decorate it as you see fit. You may choose to keep it on your Faery shrine.
Once you are comfortable and confident in creating sacred space using the seven directions, write your own calls to the directions and circlecasting.
Make notes on any changes of energy and effectiveness.
Using the examples given in this chapter as a reference and your knowledge and experience of the elements so far, devise your own simple protection spell using a combination of three elements in their natural form.
Experiment
Call on your Faery allies to help you choose some different methods of divination. Record your results, and see which method works best for you and your ally.
Observe and Analyse
Start a diary, paying close attention to the changing cycle of the moon, and make notes of your own moods and energy levels. Keep a record of any significant dreams and also any magickal exercises, divinations, and spells attempted during each moon phase and their results. Entries need only be brief, but try to be disciplined, and remember to note any other factors such as health, exercise, diet, and so on. This should give you an idea of how the moon affects you through its different cycles.
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chapter six
Joy
In the sixth chapter we look to the west and the quality of joy, represented by the element of water. Water is the element of emotions, healing, and memory, and through the following pages we will look at different ways in which you may experience the most positive aspects of these qualities within the Faery community. So far in Faery Craft we have concentrated on skills and experiences that are practiced in isolation and with a serious and respectful attitude, yet there must always be room for fun and celebration! To share your love of Faery with others can be a deeply rewarding experience, and you will soon learn that beneath all the glitter and spangles of the Faery events there is real depth to be found.
We will look at taking your first steps into the Faery community and the first points of contact that are available, including magazines, the Internet, and the large variety of events that are ever-welcoming to new faces. We will speak with some key members of the Faery community and take an in-depth look at what you might experience at a Faery festival. We will then look at the deeper aspects of dressing up, which is so often dismissed as frivolous but can carry significance and bring both transformation and connection when performed with intent. While it’s important to take our Faery Craft seriously, it is just as important not to take ourselves too seriously…so let your hair down. It’s playtime!
“As I look, they seem to me like children of the wind and sunshine, leaping and running in these flowing pastures, with a laughter as sweet against the ears as the voices of children at play. The joy of life vibrates everywhere.”
Fiona Macleod, At the Turn of the Year, Essays
