A Feri-Centered Review of 'Children of Cain'

A Feri-Centered Review of Children of Cain

by Storm Faerywolf

'Children of Cain: A Study of Modern Traditional Witches'

by Michael Howard

©2011 Xoanon Limited

Three Hands Press

‘Children of Cain’ is an important book within the traditional witchcraft revival and one that is likely to be cited for years to come. In this work author Michael Howard presents a case for the survival of pre-Wiccan (‘traditional’) witchcraft, treating us to a look within several “covines” and groups that make the claims of pre-1940 lineages, the rough date when Gardner’s Wicca came on the scene.

Drawing from stories, first-hand accounts, and folklore, Howard presents us first with a general study of the traditional Craft, demonstrating differences between the neo-Pagan practices of the majority of modern Witchcraft and focusing on the former’s “more informal and improvised structure”, frequently based on older (and often fragmentary) rites and ceremonies. Howard presents ‘traditional witchcraft’ in terms that distinguish it from modern Wicca, such as the formers’ non-adherence to the Three-Fold Law, a differing vocabulary, or the tendency to not celebrate the Wheel of the Year (a modern creation not used in pre-Christian cultures). One interesting observance, according to Howard, is that many pre-modern groups tend to place focus on male deities rather than on the Goddess, which is generally the primary deity for modern witches.  

Howard delves into specific traditions, individuals, and groups that have been influential to the modern traditional Craft revival. Individuals well known in traditionalist spheres such as Robert Cochrane and George Pickingill are given their due, and groups such as the Clan of Tubal Cain and the Regency are described in detail giving the reader a personal account of just how some of these groups operated and how they co-existed with each other.  Other secret societies such as the Horse Whisperers (and their offshoot the Toadsmen) are also explored for connections to what has been called “Old Craft”.

The influence of these older groups are shown to have affected Gardner and his inheritance from the ‘New Forest Coven’, giving argument for threads of the ‘Old Craft’ being present and woven into the framework of modern Wicca. This theme of the old informing the new is a theme that is explored further in this book.

Of particular interest to Feri tradition readers is the chapter titled “American Traditional Witches”.  About halfway into this section we are treated to an introduction to the late Victor Anderson, and even to a small bit of liturgy for ‘sealing the circle’ as well as some that purports to be from the initiation ceremony. Neither are core liturgies of traditional Feri (and a small deviation appears from the norm in the liturgy for the circle’s sealing) but still it is nice to see some distinctive elements of our tradition gaining wider recognition.

Besides Feri, in this section Howard also includes material on Pennsylvania Dutch, Pow-Wow, Hexencraft, and Hoodoo, all manifestations of magical craft unique to the New World that carry an inheritance from an old one. Here he does a great service in revealing how these “newer” forms are legitimate inheritors to an older way of practice.

While the book does a wonderful job of compiling many disparate paths and opinions it certainly has its flaws. The editing in this book is horrible, with several typos, mis-numbered chapters, incomplete or incorrectly constructed sentences, inconsistent formatting, and the like. But this is largely what we have come to expect from books of this type as anyone who remembers the travesty of editing that was The Pillars of Tubal-Cain, can attest; another work to which Michael Howard’s name is attached. As someone who has dabbled in self-publishing I can admit to what is often a daunting task as many of my own works have suffered from this very issue. But hopefully the message of this book will be well received and the sloppiness of editing will not detract readers from Howard’s otherwise respectable work.

There is, however, one area in terms of approach in which I feel the author misses the mark. In his dealings with the Feri tradition it becomes clear that the author is drawing from somewhat limited sources and proceeds to “fill in the blanks” with some assumptions of his own. Howard correctly identifies material, such as that from Huna, Voudou, and even the works of modern fiction, that have found home in the rites and philosophical understandings of many Feri practitioners. However he is too quick to assert that the inclusion of this material equates to a deviation from that which comes to us from the Harpy Coven, the traditional witch group that Victor was initiated into as a teen and which modern practitioners of Feri claim initiatory lineage. Howard states:

“This means that the newer groups have deviated from the original teachings of the Andersons that were based on the traditional principles inherited from the old Harpy Coven and representing the Old Craft. In that respect, it is debatable whether they can be classified as traditional witchcraft.”

Whether Feri deserves to be recognized as traditional witchcraft or not is beside the point, but the inconsistency in which the author presents the various groups and traditions is first made apparent here. The assessment that modern Feri groups and practitioners have deviated from our Old Craft inheritance by including newer material is completely lacking of any supportive evidence. It would have been more convincing had he demonstrated how a newer piece of material had supplanted or conflicted with an older one, but we are not given any examples of this. This line of thinking also incorrectly assumes that any of the actual rites, liturgies, and practices of the Feri tradition (modern or not) stem from the Harpy Coven to begin with. As an initiate and a practitioner of Feri for more than 20 years I can honestly say that I have never heard the claim within our traditional circles that anything that we do or what Victor taught were practices based on those form Harpy Coven. To this I say there’s just no there there.

But let’s explore this further. On the surface it would appear to make sense that if a group that received teachings in a traditional form were then to change those forms then they would not be practicing the same tradition. Unfortunately (for this line of thinking) Feri is not a static system; part of the ‘Old Craft’ inheritance that we receive is an ecstatic and ever-changing path that evolves to meet the changing needs of its practitioners, qualities that we will see praised by Howard in other forms of what he recognizes as ‘traditional Craft’, though not for some reason in Feri. While Howard earlier in this work freely admits that contemporary practitioners of traditional witchcraft have often borrowed from other sources (including from modern Wicca) in order to complete the ‘fragmentary rituals’ that they had been passed in their Craft, when it comes to Feri he does not extend this same consideration. This inconsistency of approach is at the heart of why this book is somewhat problematic in its dealings with Feri tradition.

This inconsistency is further highlighted in the chapter on ‘The Sabbatic Craft’. Here Howard presents the workings of the Cultis Sabbati, the work of the late Andrew Chumbley. This form of witchcraft is described to be a mode of praxis wholly created by Chumbley while still presenting itself as a legitimate vehicle for the traditional Craft into which he had been previously inducted. At the core of this tradition is the belief in a sort of astral convocation that is asserted as being the basis for the fantastical medieval depictions of “the Witches Sabbat”; flying astride brooms, taking the form of an animal, dancing around a fire, and orgiastic rites with the Devil himself. In the Cultis Sabbati we are given a picture of a traditional Craft that has beliefs and practices that are handed down in a lineage, but are also “ever changing and being informed by an ongoing praxis.” Howard goes on to say, “It would be wrong to think of modern traditional witchcraft forms as static or totally immersed in the past as they are always evolving and developing to suit changing conditions”. One is left to wonder why this mode of approach was not extended to his view of Feri tradition.

The chapter on the Sabbatic Craft was one of the most enjoyable for me to read. It is obvious that Howard holds Chumbley and his work in very high regard (rightly so!) and he did a beautiful job in presenting it to the reader. I would recommend this chapter especially to those who work in Feri tradition as I found many aspects of Sabbatic Craft as described in this book to deeply resonate with the teachings of Feri both as I received them and as they continually unfold in my work. Its focus on ecstatic workings and trance experiences that form the basis for praxis are of particular note for the Feri practitioner.

In summery, Children of Cain is a respectable and noted addition to the growing genre of traditional witchcraft. While it is not perfect I think it has much to offer both traditional Crafters and modern witches alike.

Feri Ceromancy Wax Divination with the Divine Twin Candles

Feri Ceromancy
Wax Divination with the Divine Twin Candles
by Chas Bogan

A typical Feri altar holds a pair of candles, each representing one of the Divine Twins. The colors of these candles vary among sects of the tradition, sometimes blue and red, white and black, silver and gold. The Divine Twins are often represented as opposites (although each is said to contain the other), and are commonly addressed in the guise of female and male, light and dark, moon and sun. How the Divine Twins are represented is not of major importance for this work, only that each is represented by an altar candle, and that their wax is together poured into a bowl of cold water for the purpose of having them bear insight into the future through symbols seen in the wax.

 

           For the purpose of promoting and innovating traditional practice we will use the color associations and deity names from the Bloodrose sect of Faery Tradition. Although some are not comfortable with representing the Divine Twins in a gender binary manner, I will describe their traditional Bloodrosian aspect and leave it to the individual Feri Practitioner to find something more fitting if he chooses.

            Although some Faerie like to cast a circle before a working, many do not, and so I will not detail a circle script here. What I do believe is important is the lighting of the black Quakoralina candle, since a flame is lit from it in order to light the blue candle, symbolic of how all things emerge from the Star Goddess. You may say whatever invocation you believe is appropriate for calling in the Great Mother, or use the traditional one described at:
http://www.feritradition.com/grimoire/practices/practices_candleprayer.htm

            After the Star Goddess has been invoked, we focus on conjuring one of the Divine Twins, in this instance a female aspect represented by a blue candle. With a lighting stick we carry the flame from the black Star Goddess candle to the blue candle at its left. Lighting this we then chant the following goddess names: “Ashtoroth, Ashtoreth, Belili, Belkoreth, Lilith-Alure, Anatha-Tiamat.”

            To summon her twin, we ignite a lighting stick from the blue candle and light one that is red, and that is positioned to the right of the others candles. We chant: “Keraillos, Keranos, Kernunnos, Krana, Kronos.”

            At your altar you will need a bowl of chilled water. Something from your faucet is fine, or you may use blessed or conditioned waters, even add some scented cologne if that inspires you. Personally, I prefer to charge the water with Blue Fire in a manner similarly found at the following Feri Tradition site (http://www.feritradition.com/grimoire/practices/practices_bluefire.htm).

            Now that your candles are alive with flames, and the Divine Twins have manifested through the ancient names of Goddesses and Gods, the bowl sits charged and ready to receive insight. Speak aloud your question. The more succinct your question the more exact your answer will be. If you wish to be poetic, that is fine, query the Divine Twins with rhymes and flourish, however have a concise version of your question clear in your mind so that it is not lost amidst grandiloquence. The Divine Twins will answer the question that you most truly wish to know, so be certain that this is what you ask of them and not some lesser concern.

            Once spoken, simply take a candle in each hand and turn them towards one another. Let their flames touch, and say:

"From the One who is all By the Two who are one Divine Twins hear my call Show my future as done"

            By now a fair amount of wax will have poured from the two candles into your bowl of water, so reposition the candle on the altar and behold what forms have taken shape in the bowl. Their significance may mean something solely to you, or you may look for definitions of these symbols in dream books to find meaning. Often you will find such things as numbers, animals, or the shapes of things in your environment such as planes and telephones.

            If the future is to your liking, then you may wish to keep the wax, perhaps carry it with you in a pouch, or even pair it with a lodestone to draw your positive future to you quicker. If your destiny is bad, then you may melt the wax and petition the Divine Twins for a better outcome. I personally like to light a charcoal in a cauldron, burn some Frankincense and Myrrh resin as an offering to the Divine Twins, tell the smoke what better outcome I would like, then burn the regretful wax on the charcoal after the resins have died away. Those are creative ideas, however if neither appeal to you just be sure to dispose of the wax in a respectful manner, for this is symbolic of the bodies of the Divine Twins that have been shed to give you insight, so bury them properly. The crossroads would be a great place for this, as each road represents one of the twins, so burying it there where they meet is a way of returning their essence to them. Barring that, you can bury it wherever earth is available and simply draw an X over it. The water should similarly be disposed of with intention and reverence. Throw it to the West if you reject the future that was shown to you, or toss it towards the East if you wish to invite it to you.

            Candles should be snuffed out in reverse order with an appreciative heart.

-Chas Bogan, 2012

Feri Star Goddess

http://www.feritradition.com/grimoire/deities/star_goddess.html

Our Star Goddess page is now active on Feri Tradition.

Come check it out.

A Simple Bone Reading with The Divine Twins of Feri

A Simple Bone Reading with The Divine Twins of Feri

by Chas Bogan

The practice of casting bones for divination has grown in popularity (thanks largely to the work of cat yronwood's book "Throwning the Bones"). It is a highly personal way of divining the future, as everyone is free to choose whatever bones or other small curios hold meaning for them. I have a whole set that I have associated with Faery deities, spirits and ancestors, and am writing this to share a simple style of reading that requires only two objects, each representing one of the Divine Twins, for a question regarding which of two actions should be pursued.

I use the tibia bones of a crow, each of which represents one of the Divine Twins. But you could use something else, such as the two sides of a wishbone that have been cut, or common chicken legs. For sacred items I like to know that they were not hurt, and therefore my crow bones work best for me since I know it died naturally and not in a corporate slaughterhouse. However you use what you've got, and you are not even limited to bones. A pair of sticks may work even better for you. As a devotee of the Arddu I work best with bones, however someone more in tune with Mari and plant consciousness could get better results from sticks, or someone working with Krom could saw either end from a stang and use those, so you have options and are encouraged to be creative, to find that which resonated best with your energy.

You may be asking "Why can't I use stones, or a coin?" The answer is that you can, however two long bones or sticks will sometimes cross one another, and in this position they demote that your path is crossed and/or serve as a warning not to go forward with either course.

To differentiate the bones that I use I have painted a red line on one and a blue line on another to represent each twin, which I associate with the red serpent and blue dove.(1)

The process of throwing them is simple. Think of two alternatives, such as, "should I attend Harvard law school or join the Circus". Hold a bone in either hand. Let's say you hold the red bone in your left hand, then give it a squeeze and ask the Serpent Twin if you should attend Harvard, then focus on your right hand and ask the Dove Twin if you should join the circus. Then thrown the bones ahead on you. The one that is closest to you represents the path you ought to take. If it seems witchier for you to say an incantation for this, then try the following:

On this path rides the Serpent red

On this path rides the Dove of blue

Unless these two be crossed before me

the closest is the path that's true

Of course, these two bones could be used in a more advanced reading with the addition on other symbols, making your readings will be more nuanced.

1. For more about the Divine Twins as Red Serpent and Blue Dove read "The Divine Twins" section of The Divine Twins Wiki at http://www.feritradition.com/grimoire/deities/divine_twins.html

Lifting the Veil: Ancestral Magic in the Faery Tradition

Lifting the Veil: Ancestral Magic in the Faery Tradition
by Storm Faerywolf

The practice of Witchcraft is varied. While particular traditions have formed over the years each offering their own style of working, underneath all of the religious trappings exists a common thread that can be viewed outside the context of the specific attitudes, eras, and even cultures of those traditions. In my many years of studying, practicing, and teaching the Craft I have come to identify one common element that all forms of witchcraft share regardless of their cultural origins: working with spirits. 

While these different traditions might have radically different views on how to work with spirits, or even what they precisely are, we can observe this one element in each and every form of witchcraft that has graced this planet, both ancient and modern.  Consider the witches of ancient Greece who met at a crossroads in the name of Hecate to commune with spirits who would grant favors or blight enemies… or those witches in the modern Reclaiming tradition who may just as easily (though not necessarily) approach the spirits and gods as psychological aspects of the human psyche. This article will not attempt to define these beings, but instead provide a practical way of working with them.

Faery tradition, being an American grown form of the Craft, embraces cultural ideas from a wide variety of sources. While some cultures fear the dead and impose taboos and restrictions on how to deal with them, other cultures revere the dead giving rise to traditions that offer practices on forging and maintaining relationships with the ancestors so that they continue to be an integral part of one’s daily life. American culture tends to put forward a rather schizophrenic version that incorporates both fear and reverence. Faery tradition addresses this and provides a means to effectively synthesize the two into one; by having us face our fear and then move through it into ecstatic union with the divine. This can be seen in the symbol of the Black Heart of Innocence, burning with the Blue Fire of creation where we are stripped bare of anything but our own divinity.

This is presented to us in the rite of Samhain when we open the Western Gate to the Land of the Dead; when we call to Ana and the Arddu, who teach us how to let our fears wash over and through us, to wash us clean, and prepare us for our own encounter with Death. We commune with the spirits of our own dead, opening our hearts to their wisdom. Through these practices we learn how to make death an ally; how to draw strength from the reality of our own eventual demise.

Since much of Faery practice relies on cultural precedent as well as individual experimentation, we can look to those systems of magic and spirituality that pre-dated our tradition’s contemporary form to catch a glimpse of those elements of working with the dead that inform our current practice. Of particular interest to us here are the ancestral practices of African and European (and specifically Celtic) cultures and their merging with Native American ideas to become the driving force behind Conjure or “hoodoo”. 

This homegrown American form of folk-magic draws from many cultural sources to achieve its ends. It is not uncommon to see a conjure worker utilizing objects and other materials from a diverse array of religions and cultures, all while tying it all together within the particular style recognizable as ‘conjure magic’. Candles dedicated to Catholic saints will burn alongside red flannel bags containing Solomonic seals, stuffed with native herbs and roots, prayed over with the Psalms, while standing at a crossroads. Many magical cultures have woven their threads throughout the tapestry that is conjure, and it is the tradition of conjure that forms a foundational basis for our own tradition of Faery.

With this in mind, we should be looking at those elements of pre-Faery practice that deal with the dead, and observe them from within the framework of our own practices. Immediately we can see how elements of Conjure that deal with the dead can help us in the formation of our own workings with the ancestors. Consider the time-honored practice of building and maintaining an ancestral altar.

The ancestral altar is where you will be praying and making offerings to your Beloved Dead and also to the Mighty Dead, two terms in traditional witchcraft that denote our personal and our spiritual ancestors, respectively. There are no rules, only guidelines when creating an ancestral altar. What guidelines I provide are based in the Faery tradition and what my Faery practice has revealed to me personally over the years of my work. Take from it what you will.

BUILDING THE ALTAR

The ancestral altar is traditionally placed in the west, the direction associated with the land of the dead in Celtic mythology. This is also the direction for the element of Water, and the image of the sea is a potent visual key that grants access to the Underworld, the realm of spirits, the Fae, and the dead. By placing the altar here we are drawing together threads of mythic power and weaving them into a potent magical trigger that will deepen our work as it progresses.

The altar itself may be of any material. Cases have been made for and against nearly every conceivable material and so it is probably best to go with what your own preference and abilities will afford you. When you have chosen the furniture or area that is to become your ancestral altar, and using whatever methods you feel empowered to use, you may wish to call upon the assistance of Ana and the Arddu to bless and charge it with their presence. If you do not have a preferred method you may use the following invocations:

Invocation of the Arddu

Primal Lord of Darkened land,

Sex and Death at your command.

Scent of musk and sight of bone

Guards the Gate to the Unknown.

Invocation of Ana

Ancient Queen of Death’s repose
Sharp your scythe and true your sight
Keeping secrets no one else knows

Grandmother! Queen of Night!

Once you have decided on a dedicated space for your altar, it should be adorned with objects and symbols that represent the dead to you. In general terms this might become images of skulls, bones, and other things associated with death. For specific ancestors this will likely be photographs, drawings, or other representations of them.

Generally candles are also placed upon the altar and are lit as part of ones devotional rites. I also tend to place a mirror here, especially that of a curved, black scrying mirror. Regardless of how our altars are decorated, the important part of this work is the work itself. Here we may find simple instruction in the tales often told in Irish and Welsh mythology where we find the practice of honoring the ancestors similar to the practice of honoring and befriending the Fae; that is to say the practice of making offerings.

MAKING AN OFFERING

Traditional offerings to the Fae often consisted of milk and honey. While we can certainly use this as a basis for our own devotional offerings, we can also draw from the personal experiences of those particular ancestral spirits with whom we wish to relate. Favorite foods and beverages are often given in this capacity, though incense, candles, stones, shells, and other items are also offered in this way. If grandma was collector of stamps who was known to have loved a shot of whiskey in her coffee, then we need look no further for what might be appropriate offerings for her.

Specific foods, beverages, and other items might also be associated with more specific types of workings as well. If we wanted grandma’s help for a love spell, for example, we might want to offer her some of her favorite flowers and perhaps some candies or dessert; something sweet to “sweeten up” our prospective love interest. Likewise, were I to request her assistance in healing work I might concoct a mixture of hot tea, lemon, honey, and whiskey that she used to make as a tonic for colds and flu.

In the case of working with the Mighty Dead we might not have first hand accounts of what an appropriate offering might be and so we have to rely on stories and tradition. In the case of the late Faery Grandmaster Victor Anderson we can rest in the knowledge that a favorite of his beverages was a cup of hot buttered tea, bringing us to the point that it is unnecessary for us to indulge in the offering ourselves lest we needlessly clog our (still very living) arteries! His wife, the late Faery Grandmaster Cora Anderson was well known to have loved pie and so these two items are quite appropriate as offerings to our own Mighty Dead.

Often people will say something as they place the offerings upon the altar, or at least address the particular ancestor in some fashion. The most important part of all of this is the feeling of being connected to her through the act of making the offering.

The offerings themselves are not eaten, but instead left so that the spirits can draw forth the vital force from the food as their nourishment. I generally recommend leaving offerings for no more than 24-48 hours, as the food will generally spoil making for a pretty nasty offering! I often bury the remnants of offerings but feel free to follow your own direction.

Whether we are honoring the Beloved Dead, the Mighty Dead, or both, the purpose and the practice are basically the same. We make offerings to them… we speak their names and tell their stories. We share their wisdom. We ask for their help. We form a personal relationship to them and maintain that relationship through repetition of ceremony, through practice, though attention, and love. We devote part of our practice t honoring their memories and keeping their spirits alive through our own works, because as the saying goes, “What is remembered lives!”

Nimue Project

Coming January 2013...
The Nimue Pages

The Lords of the Outer Dark: Exploring the Guardians of the Feri Tradition, by Storm Faerywolf

The Lords of the Outer Dark:
Exploring the Guardians of the F(a)eri(e) tradition
By Storm Faerywolf

“and so they descended from their starry thrones to walk amongst us,
And seeing our potential, they mingled their blood with our own.
Thus was born the Faery race; great beings of power and beauty,
of terror and courage,
of magick and darkness,
of light and of renown.
And by their names do we call them... and by their signs do they come,
to teach us the ancient secrets of science and culture
of magick and sorcery,
and even unto the greatest secret of all:
The alchemy of becoming as gods.”1

A large part of the F(a)eri(e) tradition (and indeed of any sect of what has come to be called Traditional Craft) centers around forming relationships with spirits and various otherworldly beings. From the earliest tales of primal shamanism, to the varied rites of ancient seers and religious practitioners, to the multi-layered workings of ceremonial magick and necromancy, and even into the practices of the modern day occultist, the invocation of spiritual intelligences is a near constant component of a productive religio-magickal spirituality.

A sizable portion of the established rituals of modern Witchcraft stems from the rites of Freemasonry2 , which influenced the various occult lodges in the Western world. Of particular interest is the practice of invoking the elemental powers by attributing them to the cardinal points. In some sects of the Craft, the elemental powers themselves are called directly, while in others it is intermediary beings that are called into the presence of the circle.

The presence of these beings can have different magical focal points, depending on the tradition or purpose of the rite in question. In some circles these beings are called upon simply to bring their energetic presence, thus heightening the quality of energy in the ritual space. In others they are called upon specifically to “witness” the rites, perhaps bringing to mind the idea postulated in quantum physics that states that to observe an event is to participate in it. Another purpose for working with these beings is to provide a barrier of protection from outside and potentially harmful or disruptive influences. In Feri they are usually called upon in some combination of all of these purposes.

The Guardians of Feri tradition Witchcraft are celestial entities who are sometimes said to be the supreme manifestations of the Elemental principles. Known also as the Watchers, Grigori, or Nephilim (which Feri lore defines as meaning “Cloud People”3 ), they are said to have long ago come to our world from beyond the stars in order to teach humankind the arts of civilization, medicine, warfare, and magic. It is also said that these angelic beings "mated with the daughters of men" in order to produce a magical race of people.4 These hybrid people are described in numerous cultures. In some they are giants. In others they are quite small. In all of them they are powerful. They are the Faeries, and it is from them that the Feri tradition is said to be descended.

While they are not wholly what we would call ‘Elemental beings’ our tradition places them according to directional and elemental attributes to which they most closely align. It should be understood that they are much larger than simply being the intelligence of the elemental power. They are complex beings who seem to be primarily concerned with teaching humanity about how to become as gods; i.e. to assist in developing our fullest potential.

Some pieces of Feri lore depict the Guardians as being created when the Star Goddess gave birth to the Universe. Moving outward from Her in the six external directions they gave form to the universe and became the directions themselves; not as simply an attribute, but in fact.5

Our legends tell us that we do not know if the names we have for them are their own or of those beings to which they hold their allegiance. In either case their names are descriptive keys that attempt to define their energetic presence which we invoke in our rites so that they may witness, charge, and protect us when necessary. At one time in our history the names given below (usually referred to as the English names) as well as their post-initiatory counterparts were considered secret, but so much has been written about them publicly at this point that I have decided to present them here for those who are genuinely interested in forming a relationship with them.

When I teach classes in the Feri tradition I am clear that, ultimately, it is the Guardians themselves who are the real teachers. It is my role as an initiate who has worked with these beings to “open the door” so as to allow the student to come into a deeper presence with them. By opening up to the presence of the Guardians of the Elements of Life, we are allowing them to work directly with our personal energy fields, thus giving them access to how we are “wired” spiritually. When we work with them consistently, we can then allow them to make subtle changes in our energy fields; changes that both immediately and over time can prove to be quite profound. When we work in this manner we are literally learning how to perceive in new ways, as new neural pathways are being forged with each experience.

What follows is a combination of the “teaching visualizations” that are used in the Bloodrose-descended lines of Feri, imagery that has come to me personally while working with the Guardians, as well as a series of original sigils I created to help contact these ancient beings. I have also included original invocations for each of them. While different branches of Feri have their own takes on these multifaceted beings6, it is important to keep in mind that the Guardians appear to us in many guises, forms, and even genders, depending on their whim and our own need or desire. Their quintessence–like that of our own souls–is fluid, changeable, and androgynous.

Guardian of the East: StarFinder

The StarFinder wields the power of Knowledge. He may appear as vaguely humanoid, his body transparent golden yellow, the color of morning sunlight. His eyes are very bright, light blue stars, and he has enormous wings of pale violet. He stands or flies before the rising sun, his right hand holding a sapphire rod, bound at the top with gold, and bound at the bottom with silver. He may also appear as a slash of soft sunlight, carrying a gentle wind.

StarFinder! (x3)

The morning sun that steps upon the clouds,

is the great herald that speaks your name.

Dancing proud across the sky,

your eyes are stars, your touch is golden.

We sing together through our breath,

the sacred spiral made manifest 7

Guardian of the South: ShiningFlame

The ShiningFlame wields the power of Truth. He also may appear in humanoid form, his body transparent ruby red, surrounded by an aura of fire like a teardrop or candle flame. He stands or dances in a desert at noon, holding in his right hand a sword of polished blue metal. Alternatively, he may appear as a raging red star, or simply as an enormous explosive fire.

ShiningFlame! (x3)

Sharpness is the tongue of flame,

that slices through the great illusion.

A sword of strength that steadily rises

to greet the sun of summer's skies,

finds its place and turns the wheel

that all may live and grow and die.

Guardian of the West: WaterMaker

The WaterMaker wields the power of Love. She may appear as a great dragon rising out of the primal seas, surrounded by the colors of sunset. Her body is transparent green, with water gushing from her jaws. In her left paw she holds a silver chalice. She may also appear as a great octopus, a kraken, or as an enormous wave or whirlpool that comes from the depths of the dark sea.

WaterMaker! (x3)

Flowing twilight, sinking dream,

rising from the depths below,

where light and dark with garments shed

dance together in silver bliss.

Yours is the cup that's filled with wonder

that flows into my heartfilled sea.

Guardian of the North: BlackMother

The BlackMother wields the power of Wisdom. She may appear as a jet-black goat with silver horns and golden eyes, surrounded by a halo of flickering blue fire and suckling a thousand offspring in a cave deep in the earth at midnight. Her left hoof rests upon a perfect cube of green stone upon which is carved a black pentacle. She may also appear as a bull, a large rock or boulder, or a monolith.

BlackMother! (x3)

Midnight's grasp and earthen womb,

leads into the world below,

where logic fails, and fear is struck

with white hot knives that pierce the flesh

to tear away the ego's burden,

that we may drink the milk of mother night.

Guardian of the Zenith (above) : HeavenShiner

The HeavenShiner wields the power of Pure Consciousness in the spiritual realms and may appear as a humanoid frontal silhouette of indefinite gender whose blackness is blazing with a billion stars. S/he may also appear as a great star-filled eye with numerous wings.

HeavenShiner! (x3)

Shining brilliance, piercing dark

Radiance of conscious power

Within my mind, Your spark exists

We speak without words

Our minds ever knowing,

and awareness ever flowing.

Guardian of the Nadir (below) : Fire-in-the-Earth

The Fire-in-the-Earth wields the power of Pure Consciousness in the physical & sexual realms. S/he may appear as a great fish coiled in a circle deep in the earth, with dark brown scales speckled with blue and green iridescence, carrying a burning ember in its mouth. Alternatively, s/he may also appear as either a burning lump of coal or magma, or a hermaphroditic newt or toad with pale white skin and dark unblinking eyes.

Fire-in-the-Earth! (x3)

Coiled deep and down below

Your eyes are bright, your mouth is fire

Turning silent, writhing slow

Your primal power radiates

from deep within the land, Behold!

Awareness is your gift.

Guardian of the Center: Guardian of the Gates

Once we have aligned ourselves both with our own divinity as well as with the powers of the other Guardians, we can then step into the role of becoming the seventh Guardian; that nexus point of convergence between the worlds. Unlike the other Guardians that we have worked with, the Guardian of the Gates is actually a state of being that the practitioner cultivates within themselves in order to meditate and direct the powers in ritual, thereby “opening the gates” into the Otherworld, and the inner planes, so that we may travel them and learn. It is that perfect state of holding both one’s fullest divinity as well as our fullest humanity simultaneously, and in so doing becoming fully Fae. It is this state of being in which we are said to have become enchanted and it is this state from which magick is made. This is another way to approach what in Feri is called the Black Heart of Innocence; that presence in which we are completely aligned in our Three Souls, devoid of outside restriction, and are acting from our own Divine authorities.

Guardian of the Gates! (x3)

Between six points that flow from one

Calm, the eye of tempest’s winds

Within the center outward shines

The light of three now so aligned

Awake, alive, aware, divine...

The Black Heart drums a primal beat.

It is important to remember that while these beings are certainly geared toward assisting us in our own evolution, we need to remain in control of our own lives. They are not human; are not bound by physical limitations, and so they sometimes can lead us in directions that —while powerful— might not be the safest or the most pleasant for us in the moment. As when working with any otherworldly being: use caution.

That having been said, working with the Guardians can be one of the most fulfilling and enlightening aspects of practicing Feri tradition Witchcraft. With them as our allies there are many new doors open to us as we seek to traverse the inner realms. There is much that they can teach us, both about ourselves and of the deeper magicks. Like the butterfly from the chrysalis we seek to emerge as the gods and goddesses that we were born to be; these shining beings our brilliant guides. To this end we call the Guardians ever closer. May there ever be peace between us.
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1. From my own Book of Shadows.

2. Hutton, Ronald. The Triumph of the Moon. 1999, Oxford University Press.

3. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/5569/faeguardians.html

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephilim

5. Sill-Holeman, Jenny. “Who Are the Guardians?” Witch Eye #3, 2000, p10. Reprinted in By Witch Eye: Selections from the Feri Uprising, Vol. 1

6. In the line of Vanthe, for example, only four beings are invoked and each possesses different names and visualizations. While it could be tempting to see them as being entirely different beings, they possess attributes that are similar enough to suggest that they are perhaps different manifestations of the same beings. In my own research I have uncovered rituals that were performed in the early days of Faery (sic) that use both the Vanthe names as well as the commonly used English names as a part of the same invocation, further suggesting the equivalence (or at least resonance) of these beings.

7. These invocations are from my personal Book of Shadows, and (with the exception of the final verse) appear in the poem “The Watchers of the World” from my book The Stars Within the Earth. © 2003 Storm Faerywolf.