Faery-Faith Traditional Wisdom: Codex 1 Irish Cosmology & Faery Glamoury

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 10/12/04

ISBN: 1-4184-9293-0 (e)

ISBN: 1-4184-9292-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4184-9293-9 (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2004096921

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

OPENING MESSAGE

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FAERY FAITH

CHAPTER ONE INTO THE MYSTIC

CHAPTER TWO IN THE BEGINNING

The Five Before The Fifth

CHAPTER THREE HAIL CESSAIR

CHAPTER FOUR THE MAGIC OF WHOLENESS

The Irish Trinity

Sidhe Astrology

The Veiled Face of Goddess

The Wholeness of Cessair

The Mystic of Cessair

CHAPTER FIVE THE REALM OF BOCHNA

The Premise of Faery Glamoury

The Art of Air

The Art of Breathing Exercises

The Powerful Symbols of Air

The Silence of Truth

CHAPTER SIX THE ARRIVAL OF PARTHOLAN

CHAPTER SEVEN THE WILL TO DO

The Energy Of Fire

The Energy of Stillness

Dragon Lines

CHAPTER EIGHT THE FORCE OF SPIRIT

The Powerful Symbols of Fire

The Place of Enlightenment

The Glamoury of Fotla

CHAPTER NINE SIGNATURES OF THE SOUL

The Powerful Symbols of Water

Brain Wave Patterns

Scientific Theory and the Power of Visualization

The Power of the Moon

Communing with the Cow Goddess

The Moon’s Astrological Rulership

The Moon Signs

Moon in the Houses of the Natal Chart

CHAPTER TEN THE WISDOM OF NEMED

Gods of Light-Gods of Darkness

The Shadowy Powers of Faery

CHAPTER ELEVEN DARK POWERS, DIM POWERS, BRIGHT POWERS

The Dark, Dim & Bright Faery

Real Life Faery Encounters

The Dark Power and the Earth

Faery Trance Poses

The Light Order

The Confine

The Boundary

CHAPTER TWELVE THE FIVE PARTS OF IRELAND

CHAPTER THIRTEEN EARTH MAGIC

Creation and the Element of Earth

The Art of Relaxation and the Secret of Self Hypnosis

Awakening the Sense Impressions

CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE TRIBE OF DANA

CHAPTER FIFTEEN THE GOIDELS COME TO IRELAND

CHAPTER SIXTEEN MACHA ~ THE SACRED HEART

Macha and the Horse

The Broach of Macha

The Path Leads On

CLOSING MESSAGE

EXCERPTED OR QUOTED REFERENCE MATERIALS

MYTHS RETOLD BY AUTHOR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

POETRY, MYTHS & ORACLES

Oisin in Tir na Nog

The Myth of Cessair

Kisma’s Irish Creation Myth

The Myth of Partholan

A Modern Fairy Tale

The Myth of Nemed

A Tale of the Dark Power

A Tale of the Bright Faery

The Myth of the Fir Bolas

The Myth of the Tuatha De Danann

The Myth of the Sons of Mil

The Debility of the Ulstermen

Ode To Lugh

TRANCE POSES, EXERCISES, PATHWORKINGS, & CEREMONIES

The Pathworking Pose

Niamh The Faery Princess Pathworking

Cessair’s Sphere of Wholeness

Practice Breathing Technique

Breathe Exercise-Riding the Faery Horse

Breathe Exercise The Serpent Power of Morrigu Anand

The Breath of Banba

Orienting To Eiré-The Sacred Land

The Star Chamber

Meditational Practice Technique

The Passion of Fotla

Finding Your Patron Faery

Protection Shield of the Slayer

The Light Order Trance Pose

The Confine Trance Pose

The Boundary Trance Pose

The Marriage of the Twin Flames

Relaxation Exercise

Exploring Sight

Exploring Sound

Exploring Touch

Exploring Taste

Exploring Smell

The Four Treasures

Macha Sacred Center

UNDER THE NAME Kisma K. Stepanich

An Act of Woman Power

The Gaia Tradition: Celebrating the Earth in Her Seasons

Sister Moon Lodge: The Power and Mystery of Menstruation

Faery Wicca, Book One: Theory & Magic: A Book of Shadows & Light

Faery Wicca, Book Two: The Shamanic Practices of the Cunning Arts

Faery Wicca Tarot

UNDER THE NAME Kisma Reidling

The Druidic Clan of Dana: Inspired Grove of Usneach

The Beauty of Morrigu

The Art of Meditation, Book One: Soul Growth

The Art of Meditation, Book Two: The Journey of the Soul

The Love of Dana

The Truth of Brigid

NOVELS BY Kisma K. Stepanich~Reidling

Faery With Teeth: Book One of the Faery Chronicles

The Last Matriarch

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My to the works of the late: R.A.S. MacAlister, D.Litt, for his translation of the Lebor Gabálla Érenn, Irish Texts Society, 1932-56 (and the permissions granted from ITS). A heartfelt thanks to all the authors of today and yesterday whose own research and works may indirectly or directly factor into my own study presented herein. Though attempts have been made to credit every text I’ve ever read on these subject matters, it is impossible to always remember where one piece of information or one fragment of a saying may have come from, as well as find copyright owners of various materials that are now out-of-print. I make no ownership claim of the materials brought forth to light herein, except for the myths that I have colored in my own voice. I am, however, a modern Bhaird and Seanachi of the Irish Faery-Faith Tradition, though I am of American birth. I have been trained and ordained by Irish teachers to keep the Faith alive by telling the stories and sharing the practices as close to the original versions accepted by the ancient people and passed on to me.

To the members, Bhairds, Sagarts, Bansagarts, Druids, Herenachs, Sages, and Ollamhs of the Faery-Faith Tradition & Network, I wish to thank you for your continued interest in my writing, and your desire to learn more about our tradition and the ways of Sidhe.

For Eiré

I seek the land of Ireland,

Coursed be the fruitful sea,

Fruitful the ranked highland,

Ranked the showery wood,

Showery the river of cataracts,

Of cataracts the lake of pools,

Of pools the hill of a well,

Of a well of a people of assemblies,

Of assemblies of the king of Temair;

Temair, hill of peoples,

Peoples of the Sons of Míl,

Of Míl of ships, of barks;

The high ship of Eiré,

Eiré lofty, very green,

An incantation very cunning,

The great cunning of the wives of Bres,

Of Bres, of the wives of Buaigne,

The mighty lady Eiré,

Erimón harried her,

Ir, Eber sought for her—

I seek the land of Ireland.

CODEX 1

Irish Cosmology

&

Faery Glamoury

OPENING MESSAGE

On September 19, 1999, after three years attempting to visit a sacred site in Ireland, and failing each time, my mission was completed-I finally stood upon Emain Macha in Armagh!

Located over the northern boarder, the checkpoint was no longer set-up and guards did not patrol the road to Navan Fort. There seemed, for all intent and purposes, the aegis of peace, of rest in this most tumultuous part of Ireland.

Having received what I deemed to be a mission from Macha in 1994, I began my crusade, bringing pilgrims to the Emerald Isle to work the heart center, helping to restore a balance between the male and female energies on the sacred land. Each year I traveled with a group, sometimes twice a year, to open our hearts to the heart of Ireland, to the heart of the world, to the heart of Faery.

We would visit the Hill of Usneach, my own personal favorite, and undergo life-changing ceremonies. But each time I sought to visit Emain Macha the civil unrest clouded the day, taking the reality away.

Finally, with a small group of women, I was walking the winding path that lead to the hill-top, the ancient site of Navan Fort, home of the Red Branch, the Ulster Warriors, and the sacred site of the Great Faery Queen Macha. Our mission was to chant the Peace Chant, and be instrumental in helping Peace to prevail not only in Ireland but also throughout the world, as well as between the sexes.

On this most solemn and auspicious day, a cool wind blew in from the east. Grey clouds hung in the sky, holding back the golden rays of the late afternoon sun. I was sharing the myths of Macha, as found in Chapter Sixteen, and we all laughed, as what sounded like Gaelic war shouts could be heard from a group of young lads playing hurly on the opposite field.

Ah, the Red Branch is alive and well, I said, acknowledging this lingering ancient spirit.

Round the bend appeared a little old man, his hair wise white, and his twinkling blue eyes the epitome of the laughing Irish eyes. Behind him trailed a little black-and-white dog.

He hailed us, stopping to chat and share his wisdom. At first, we simply indulged his interruption, not wanting to appear as rude American women, but as we stood there, listening to his condemnation of what he felt was really false peace, and the level of poverty all the farmers in Northern Ireland were put under, the atmosphere around us began to change.

The little dog circled three times around the legs of the little man, before moving off to roll on the ground three more times, followed by running to and from the little man and the hedge bush three times. As the magic of the threes turned into the vibration of nine, the little man stopped mid-sentence and reached into his pocket.

I’ve a gift for you, he told us, taking from his pocket a roll of peppermint candies, the equivalent of our Lifesavers breath mints.

Lifesavers? I mused, having the fleeting thought that here before us stood a Faery who was giving us a Faery gift, and that the message of this gift was two-fold:

Macha was telling us our lives were saved, and

two, that we were saving lives by completing this

mission.

I accepted his gift, immediately placing the candy in my mouth to taste its freshness.

He laughed and said, These are really treats for my dog, but I shall give them to you anyway.

We all laughed with him. And then he drew close to me, and gazing straight in my eyes said, When you return to California you write about what you’ve seen here. You write the Truth!

And this surprised me, for he had no knowledge of who I was. I nodded in acceptance of this new mission a Faery was giving me; apropos as it was, for I was completing a mission Macha had given me five years earlier.

He turned to each of the women and, pointing his little finger at them, added, And you were witness to what you’ve seen here today.

With a small nod of his head, he whistled his dog to him, and saying Farewell, remember what you’ve seen here, he continued on the path, disappearing around the curve.

As we marched the hill, we chanted loud and proud the Peace Chant. We chanted it nine times for each generation of Ulstermen who had been bound to the Cess Noinden Ulad, or Macha’s curse.

May peace prevail in Ireland.

May peace prevail in our minds.

May peace prevail in our hearts.

May I know peace.

May my ancestors know peace.

May my children’s children

Unto nine generations know peace.

May peace prevail on Earth.

For me it was a time of completion, it was an ending and another beginning. Who I was, clearly, was transforming, again. I knew that all my successes, all my failures, all my wrongs, all my rights, had been important experiences to prepare me for that moment in time and space.

I also realized that all the sorrow I’d endured, caused by the people I had loved or known or felt community with, was taken from me, was absorbed into Macha’s bosom. I was free at last. I was awake, and I walked straight and proud off that hill, for I knew-I knew, and the Truth marched with me.

The soft arms of the sun

Spread wide ‘oer the country side,

Reflecting on the waters

Of the Lough.

The soft call of the swan

As he glides ‘oer the water,

Reaching the shore of

The little isle.

Distant thunder

Unforgotten past

Flashes awake the mind.

The time has come

~ now ~

Arise and be mine.

The soft lures of the Celtic twilight

Washes the sky in subtle colors

Of gray and blue and

Silver black.

The soft shine of the mid-summer moon

Illuminates the sky

In brilliant magnificence

I have come!

Who or what I was

~ then ~

shudders the soul.

Far reaching,

~ Retrieving ~

I see through mortal eyes once more.

This book is the beginning of the fulfillment of the Faery Mission the little man gave me. I now begin to share with you the Truth of what I know, what I have experienced, and who I am.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FAERY FAITH

The Irish, like any indigenous people, have long since merged with other bloodlines. We can never know the minds of our ancestors, but we can know our minds, and create a powerful tradition applicable to today; one that will carry forward the whispering of the ancient ways through our efforts of the Faith’s Revival.

In this Codex 1, I shall endeavor to explain, explore and provide experience into the Irish Faery-Faith Cosmology through the reconstruction of a Creation Myth and how this applies to Faery Glamoury.

The importance of having a comprehensible Creation Myth—of which none exists—in the Irish Faery-Faith Tradition is twofold.

1)   it gives a sense of beginning,

2)   it provides greater understanding into the attitude of our ancestors.

This insight aids in shedding light on their modus operandi. If there was an MO behind Faery Faith practitioners, it could very well have been one centered in the message of a division of ego-soul, ergo conscious separation from divinity due to a warrior spirit, which may have occurred after the Celtic tribes invaded Ireland.

While it is not secret that the Keltoi were a race of warriors, at their core was a lovely sentimentality toward life. A romantic world-view, if you will, for they held a strong belief in the invisible and natural worlds; the land was of extreme importance to them and considered sacred.

This warrior spirit was not aimed at conquering nature, but other human beings. Their attitude toward nature, while it may very well have not been submissive, might have been one of gaining the trust of nature’s domicile, engaging in battles of challenge to become an entrusted champion. Such championship may have showed a great strength and humility, a genuine touch of loyalty and respect toward that aspect of life, which, in many ways, is far greater than the mere habitation of humanity.

The Keltoi were a chivalrous class of people, who allied the invisible and natural worlds and, who, quite possibly lost their inner spark and faded away (just as the Tuatha De Danann). The mentality of humankind, which turned ever increasingly toward conquering and annihilating the natural world, would have been against their religion.

While the Tuatha De Danann reigned supreme in Ireland, their magical realm touched the life of the tribes so intimately that, perhaps, of all the Celtic tribes, the Irish clans became and still are the most mystical. For theirs is a poetical mind, one touching the Mystic, which is why this ancient oral Faith’s survival was ensured by those who began recording it in the 4th-century of the common era.

Not unlike other spiritual traditions with a pagan origin, the Faery Faith has evolved over the centuries, undergoing reconstruction and needing a great deal of recreating to become a viable practice of today.

The spiritual work we do today in the Faith, is centered around co-habitation with the natural world, reconnecting with the dormant powers of the OtherWorld, re-activating doorways into these realms, awakening the Faery Sleepers (Guides, Guardians, allies, and companions), to assist us in connecting more fully with their world.

Obscure literature, folk-lore, fairy-tales, and historical accounts have been procured and researched with the hope of finding a glimpse of a sign, or a key rather, which would provide the next piece of the puzzle, unlock the next door, and allow admittance into the next chamber of the Crystal Palace or Sidhe Mound.

Many times I’ve found that, upon entering such a chamber and finding that next piece of the puzzle in the form of a word or symbol or archetype, while it did, indeed, shed light on what was recently unclear or missing, it simply burdened me with but more questions.

However, these keys must be shared willingly and not claimed exclusively; for in doing so the Faith of the Faery becomes tied-up in the minds and hearts of the greedy and the Faith falls prey to that insidious ego-war of who was there first, or whose religion is the oldest, or more authentic, which we know to be a misnomer. Every religion, every spiritual tradition, every so-called truth being voiced or lived or practiced today probably came from the same source, and boils down to the same thing anyway. In this commonality we can and ought to find peaceful allowance for and acceptance of all religions and spiritual practices.

I hope that someone will take the keys I bring forward and continue to deepen into the passage I reveal—that is how we share the power, that is the way of Faery! I believe, that when it comes down to it anyway, all we really want is to have a brush with the Faery, to experience Them in Their uniqueness and Otherworldliness; perhaps, to appease our own sense of mortality.

These printed words simply help to create a foundation off which one can do so. Printed words are not, nor should be considered an end to a means, but a means to a new beginning. And so, I turn my attention to this volume of printed words and hope that they will inspire your mind.

My Irish mind is poetical, one always seeking to touch the Divine and recognizing that the ways of the world today threaten the purity of the Faery realms and that of our planet.

When the mind and heart are robbed of their precious romantic wanderings, and the soul of nature pushed farther away under layers of concrete, machinery, politics, materialism, religion and technology, the