Some musings on the Fae

By: Stephanie M.

Many cultures have stories and legends of magickal folk, tricksters, and magicians.  Shakespeare, the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen all wrote of the Fae.  At the Summer Solstice, a group with whom I worked sat down and read ‘A Midsummer’s Dream’ as part of our practice. From that or other sources, you may recognize the names of Titiana, Oberon, Puck. In Irish, Norse, Celtic, and Greek mythos, there are stories of elves and nymphs and other beings, such as the Tuatha de Danaan.  These are the Fae.  Some goddesses are associated with the Fae, Brigid and Aine come to mind.  From the glittering and devastatingly beautiful to the mundane and common, the Fae run the gamut from our imagination to our homes.

The Fae are generally seen as belonging to one of two groups:  The Seelie Court (Light) and the Unseelie Court (Dark).  As a note, just because a Fae, such as a pooka or a sprite or a brownie are part of the Seelie Court, it doesn’t mean that they are sweetness and light—they do their own thing and it’s not necessarily in line with what we mortals would have happen.  And, though those of the Unseelie Court are prone to darker things, it doesn’t mean that they don’t abide by the rules and codes of conduct of their kind. Some posit that their existence actually keeps free will and magic in the world.

The Fae have their own rules.  In some ways they are very rigid—the tales say that they cannot lie, but to quote Emma Bull in ‘The War for the Oaks’ (one of my favorite books), ‘they can shade the truth so that you’ll believe that the color red is actually green’.   In comparison to humans, they are wild and free, not agents of chaos, but can cause chaos in human lives.  

All that said, at this time of year, the Seelie Court holds sway. And Midsummer, the Seelie festival approaches in June.  So embrace the chaos, dance as if no one was watching, put a bit of honey or cream out for our fae neighbors.   Embrace your wild nature, but do not let it take you over.