who is Sidhe?

The Corpus of Electronic Texts, or CELT, a collection of Irish cultural materials. This includes English translations of Irish myths.

Mary Jones - similar to CELT, and a resource we used for translations in the Irish mythology class I took in undergrad.

An Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katherine Mary Briggs, a British folklorist.

The Folklore of Cornwall by Ronald M. James. Unfortunately this book is harder to access and is often only in university libraries, but if you're interested in piskies it's a potentially very helpful read.

Research is the most important thing to do before heading into Faery work and witchcraft. You want to have a lot of in depth and versatile knowledge covering many areas of the topic so you’ll be able to understand and interact with the Fair Folk! If you don’t want to work with the Fair Folk you can use this list to help yourself understand them and take the proper measure if you ever stumble upon them. I know the list could go on forever but I’m compiling the topics I find build a good foundation of understanding. I have compiled this list to give those interested guidance and a push in the right direction, it is best you do your own research before asking other’s personal knowledge and opinions!!

The Basics

Terminology ( Fae, faery, fairy, changeling, seelie, unseelie, sidhe, etc)

The Origins of the Fae (Tuatha de Dannan, Aos Sí, Tylwyth Teg)

Faeries in Different Cultures: Celtic (Irish, Scottish, Gaulish, French), Norse, Influences from Greek and Roman culture.

Folklore & Myths!! ex. Oisin and Tír na nÓg , Fenian Cycle, Arthurian Legend. 

Celtic Gods, Goddesses & Heroes- strong influences and connections to the Fae

Types of Faeries (study diverse types from pixies,brownies, pooka to Kelpies, Bwbach and Red caps) *Make sure you can at least answer who, what and where about them.

The Otherworlds (Tir na Nog, Caer Arianrhod, Annwn, Alfheim, Svartalfheim, etc.)

Faery Landmarks (fairy tree, fairy ring, fairy hill)

Signs of the Fae

Sacred Trees and Plants (Hawthorn) 

Protection!! very important

*Bonus if you learn Celtic Culture

Getting into Working with Them

Connecting to Nature and the Land

How to Banish Faeries & Protect yourself, house, family, etc.

Faery Behaviour and Proper Etiquette

Proper Offerings, How to give an Offering

Animals associated with the Fair Folk and Why? (raven, deer, etc)

Faery Festivals and Holidays (Samhain, Midsummer, Beltane)

Why certain things offend them- iron, saying “thank you”,etc.

The Courts (Seelie, Unseelie, trooping fairies, solitary)

Setting up a Faery Altar

How to work with them in Rituals 

Faery Flowers, herbs and crystals

A proper and personal way to communicate with them!!this means developing psychic ability, tarot, meditation, signs, etc.

Hagstones, heptagram/faery star

Some Good Books :) 

The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, by W. Y. Evans Wentz  

Encyclopedia of Spirits by Judika Illes 

Enchantment of the Faerie Realm by Ted Andrews 

Faery Craft by Morgan Daimler 

Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes by Phillip Freeman

Changeling by PhemieC.

An Original Song. About feeling different and strange and even a little scary, but still ok. Recorded on my phone in one take so it’s very rough and I’ll make a nicer version at some point probably. Until then Enjoy. :)

  Download at Tindeck.

~

Still crying after ten She’s paler then the day before Can she hear us? Does she know we’re watching her? We’re taking notes. We’re asking the hard questions. Is she ours? Where is she from? I cannot say I recognize her face. Sure I didn’t look like that or act so strange when I was her age. So quiet, but so much rage she broke another toy today teacher told us no one tries to play with her at recess but she doesn’t even notice isn’t talking yet, instead she sits outside drawing symbols in the dirt Haven’t seen her walk in days but she’s always somewhere different when you turn I think I am a changeling I was born with long dark hair, the nurse was scared, I didn’t cry but I was teething I think I am a changeling I broke open all the eggs ‘cause I heard baby birds inside and they were screaming So far I cannot see a family resemblance but something in her reminds me of a story I heard as a child in the dark can’t explain the milk we found under her bed, or the earthworms in her hair can’t explain the feeling I’ve forgotten some important thing somewhere… I think I am a changeling I was born with little claws instead of nails and I was pale and barely breathing I think I am a changeling I broke the mirror because the me who wasn’t me inside was shaking, she was seething, she was screaming Oh, changeling you will find your home some day your friends among the fairies your family with the fae

Weapon Fairies # 5 - 8

flameskimmer, calendula, war hammer

mother of pearl, hibiscus, claymore

damselfly, burdock, hunting rifle

Fae Aesthetic

Or as I like to call it “How not to die 101″

1) Don’t say “thank you” to them saying thank you means you owe them a debt, the same goes for “i’m sorry” these are also words we say every day and so much that they have become hollow phrases which the fae don’t appreciate and prefer action over words. 

2) Don’t take gifts from them. This honestly depends on your relationship with the fae in the area and have a post further explaining it, then again you should always be warey and I go more in depth here

3) If they replace a lent or borrowed item its not a gift

4) Never lie to them, they know when you lie, they also can’t lie

5) Always keep your word as they always keep theirs

6) Never tell them your name or any name you go by instead tell them “unfortunatly I cannot tell you my name but you may refer to me as __” some witches also have a “fae” name which they use only when working with the fae

7) Never dump dirty water outside/on plants or grass without warning instead put it on a rock or down a drain

8) Don’t brag about them, you may have to ask permission to talk about certain events in detail that they are involved in

9) Don’t try to look at them by force ie, using a hag stone. They don’t want to be seen for a reason and if you do see them there is a chance they are using glamour. In folklore they are known to rip out the eyes of those who look at them by force.

10) Don’t accept/eat/drink food or drinks from them. This binds you to their realm.

11) Don’t refer to them as the “fae” out loud, it is considered rude and they have many other names such as the shie, little people, kind neighbors, ect. Personally I have permission from the fae I have connections with to call them that in gegards to educating people about them.

12) Don’t carry pure iron. Fae don’t like iron but this originated with christianity and wasnt mentioned in their folklore before hand and read caps are know to have boots with iron so take this with a grain of salt and a depends on the fae situation.

13) Don’t go into a faery ring. At night the fae have partys and dance in faerie rings and during the day they are sleeping if you step into one you will disturb them. Punishments in folklore have included being taken away to their realm as a slave/survent to the fae, being cursed to dance untill the person dies unless someone comes by to save them or other horrible curses.