The Falsehood of Fae Propaganda

I’ve always been a little reluctant to fully talk about the fae. They’ve been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, yet they rarely come up in spiritual conversation and even in my writings. I held back on talking about them because I didn’t want to be viewed as kooky. My energy isn’t really aligned with the DnD energy that most of the people in my life would associate with the fae. I was afraid that it would seem too outlandish. 

But lately they’ve been nudging me to open up about them, and to stop pretending that I’m too grounded for such things. I’ve always walked that line of “realistic” and “fantastic,” and it’s been my motto that the proof is in the results. I wouldn’t practice magick if it didn’t work. Nor would I be on the path I’m on if I didn’t get anything out of it. I wouldn’t have 24 years of reading tarot under my belt if I couldn’t find any accuracy in it. 

Working with the Fae

And I wouldn’t be where I am today without the fae. To be frank, I usually lump working with them in with working with my ancestors. It’s all the same to me even though they aren’t all technically the same. I make offerings to the fae out in my yard. I make offerings to my ancestors on their altar, and eventually those offerings end up in my yard (when they are environmentally appropriate). My ancestors are in the same world as the fae: the Otherworld. 

That world that exists within our world. They are known by many names and faces, they still curse and they still heal. They exist in the suburbs and in the cities and in the country, they live in your home and under your feet. Your land is awash with them, as is mine. And just like it is with humans, so it is with the fae: some of them are quite dangerous and have their own motives and won’t be your allies for one reason or another. Others are happy to work with us and build relationships, and they can also be dangerous.

You’re Probably Already Working with the Fae Too

There’s tons of memes going around about how you shouldn’t make offerings to the fae, and how you should avoid them. There are some that reference the fae as a spiritual mafia.  I don’t really understand that mindset. Is the archangel Michael also the spiritual mafia? What about your ancestors? Are we not trading offerings for protection and help with our workings from them, or from deities? Why is there so much fear for the fae but not for these other beings? Marketing, that’s why. Marketing rooted in old folklore and old Christian beliefs. Much like the Bible should be read in context of the time it was written and the audience it was intended for, so should folktales. 

We should always be careful about the spirits we work with, respectful toward them, and thoughtful in how we approach and interact with them. We should always be aware that there is an element of danger. But let us not pretend that we don’t work with the fae whether we recognize it or not. Anytime you honor a particular plant, you’re honoring the fae. I have a money plant growing in my yard- Lunaria annua- also known as Moonwort, Silver Dollar, and Honesty. Honesty is one of the first faeries I ever met, and I love that I planted him right in my yard. I didn’t even realize it at the time of choosing which plant would go in the ground. When the realization dawned on me, it was like meeting an old friend at a masquerade. I knew the faery before I knew the plant. 

Faery Propaganda

The point is, it’s not more dangerous to work with the fae than with any other spirit. It’s not more fantastic to work with the fae than with angels or demons or deities or the benevolent dead. One reason I lump the fae in with my ancestors is because in some folklore, the fae are considered to be the benevolent dead. Now, you may read this and think to yourself, “this is faerie propaganda!” And it is. So what? They’ve been a blessing in my life and a cornerstone of my magickal, spiritual, and psychic practice since childhood. If you’re a practitioner who’s written them off because of folklore, take another look at your practice. You may have been working with them this whole time. Maybe it’s time for a formal introduction.

Jessica Jascha is a Clinical Herbalist, Intuitive Consultant and writer in Minnesota. She also writes for Witch Way Magazine. She owns Jascha Botanicals and Owl in the Oak Tarot where she gives readings, teaches ritual, and provides holistic consultations. You can find her on Facebook.

featured image via pixabay