Travelling the Fairy Path

by Morgan Daimler

An in-depth and experiential look from the inside at practicing Fairy Witchcraft. This unique form of spirituality is one that melds the traditions of the Fairy Faith with neopagan witchcraft, creating something that is new yet rooted in the old. In this third book in the series the reader is invited to travel down the path to Fairy with the author and see how their journey has unfolded over the last twenty-five years, weaving together practical experience and academic study. Looking at this form of witchcraft with an eye that is both serious and humorous Travelling the Fairy Path offers insight and suggestions for practices shaped from the source material and lived in daily life to help as the reader moves from beginner to experienced practitioner.

Genres: Paganism, Spirituality, Witchcraft

288 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2018

About the author

My name is Morgan Daimler. I have had my poetry and prose published in different places including various anthologies, Circle magazine, Witches and Pagans magazine and Pagan Dawn magazine. I am the author of the urban fantasy series Between the Worlds and (through Cosmic Egg Books) the high fantasy novel Into Shadow. I've written more than a dozen non-fiction works through Moon Books including Fairy Witchcraft, Pagan Portals: the Morrigan, Fairies: A Guide to the Celtic Fair Folk, A New Dictionary of Fairies, and Pagan Portals Aos Sidhe

Reviews

[Corrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been trying to figure out how to write a review for this book. I loved it, and I got a lot out of it. But, as Daimler says in the introduction, “Walking the road to Fairy is and always will be a deeply personal thing.” And reading this book is a bit like traveling in Fairy. You see the guideposts, and you get the experience, but once it’s done, you may not be entirely sure where you’ve been or what you’ve seen. It took me a while to process (I know I’ll need to read it more than once to see all there is to see), and what I got out of it was deeply personal.

Let me start with what it’s not. If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide to setting up and following a complete religious practice, this probably isn’t the book for you (although you may want to take a look at another of Daimler’s books, “Fairycraft”). It’s not a step-by-step guide at all. It’s also not a guide to Fairy Wicca or Anderson Feri.

So what is it? It’s a guidebook, of sorts, written by someone who has done the scholarship and walked the path. It offers travel advice for journeys to Fairy, to the Otherworld. Things to see along the path. Etiquette tips for the folks you’ll meet on your journey. Best practices for safety. If you want information on how to tell folks of Fairy from other spirits, it’s there. There’s information about some of the different types of folks of Fairy. There’s information about using omens to guide your way. On finding wisdom in the old ballads. On listening to your own intuition and the messages you receive, during journey, trance, or dreams. There’s a bit on ethics. There’s also a bit on the magics used by those who journey to Fairy or come across its denizens.

Those are the bones of the book, but they don’t get across the part that really sang to me, and I’m not entirely sure how to express that bit. I recognized in the words places I’ve been, folks I’ve met, and, more than any other book I’ve read, it helped me to make sense of those experiences. It put into words things I knew but couldn’t articulate. It provided confirmation that some of the things I’ve seen and experienced are real, that someone else has experienced the same things. That’s not something to discount. These wild paths can be lonely, and it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between what’s in your head and what’s out there (another topic Daimler addresses in the book).

And, importantly, “Travelling the Fairy Path” also gave me tips on how to move about more safely in a world that I’ve visited, that I can’t help but visit, but that I haven’t always come back safely from. I’m not fooled; I know there are still dangers there, ones that I may not see beforehand. But because of this book, I now have a few more tools I can use to both avoid bad situations and also get out of bad situations I don’t manage to avoid. There’s no putting a price on that.

So would I recommend “Travelling the Fairy Path”? Definitely. If Fairy or its people call to you at all, you should read this book.

[Nightshade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes a slight departure from Daimler's other material on Fairy and is more personal exploration of Fairy Witchcraft, and what that has meant for her life, going into various topics like oaths, ethics, and some of the Witchcraft practices that have always been of interest to my little dark soul like shapeshifting, and journeying.

Daimler makes it clear that this path is a difficult and daunting one, and even likens it to one beset by thorns. And while I cannot say that my path is quite the same as hers, I do feel that reading her work has added some extra layers of understanding for me, and shows me that I am not alone in practicing and walking a path little understood not only by society, but even the wider Pagan community.

If anything this book offers some inspiration and wisdom on my own path, especially as I journey forth, somewhat anew, after a dark and difficult year.

[K.S. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Those who walk on this path must do so understanding that they are choosing to engage with beings who can be dangerous, even if, ideally, that danger is mitigated or avoided with caution and care in how they are dealt with."

I have been drawn to the Other Crowd for as long as I can remember. Thanks in part to the work of Brian Froud and Alan Lee, I was well aware of the fact that Fairies are not all goodness and light. I have always been more fond of the "original" tales, where all magic had a price and there wasn't always a "happily ever after". Even with all of the information I'd collected, all the books that lined my shelves, I had no idea of the level of commitment this path would require. Having said that, there was a reason that I hadn't immersed myself fully. In spite of all of the knowledge I had, it was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

One of the things that stood out for me was Chapter 9, entitled "Wild Witchcraft". It is the first Pagan book that I have encountered that offers any information on hexing and cursing. Of course the topic is covered in most books, but the information provided typically only serves to intimidate and scare you into avoiding it altogether. Most Pagans spew the typical BS about Karma (a term which has been bent and twisted and misused more often than not) or tell you that "real witches don't". It's truly unfortunate because I feel that it's an important topic that definitely needs to be discussed and demystified so that one is able to make educated choices with regard to what does and does not fit into their personal practice.

As always, Morgan Daimler has provided us with material that is extremely well-researched. While they do not include many accounts of their personal experiences, they do explain why that is. If you are going to travel the Fairy Path, you need to do so with the understanding that much of what you do must remain between you and the Other Crowd. To do otherwise is to risk their wrath and your own well-being. This is not the path to power or bragging rights, it is (in my opinion) one of the most serious magical commitments you could choose to make and it's best to be as informed and prepared as possible before you decide to proceed. This book is an essential part of the process.

[Vyviane Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Morgan Daimler writes a deep yet easy to read and put into practice book

[Ulvhud · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐

Daimler non mi ha mai deluso come scrittrice, ma questo libro un po' lo ha fatto. Riporta ottime informazioni e assolutamente non vengo qui per contestarle, sono piuttosto basito dal rapporto che l'autrice riporta con le Fate.
Verrà detto più volte che il percorso non è "sicuro", nel senso che si rischia grosso, e più della metà del libro è concentrato su ciò che può andare storto. Sebbene sia importantissimo farlo presente, è esagerato. L'idea che mi sono fatto è che si riferisse a gente del tutto "a secco" di informazioni folkloriche e abbia deciso volontariamente di esagerare per allontanare chi vuole provare per gioco, curiosità o aesthetic. Inoltre, dato che è una scrittrice attenta, mi sarei aspettato meno semplicismo sul fattore folklore. Riporta le leggende e le tratta come se queste fossero verità assoluta, non tenendo conto di un aspetto fondamentale: il contesto storico, sociale e culturale nelle quali sono state formulate. Questo per me è stato un malus.
Insomma bello ma non lo consiglierei a cuore leggero.

[Alan D.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mientras que el libro anterior se basaba más en una práctica religiosa, este es más bien una guía para la práctica diaria, más sencillo, lleno de consejos e información para integrar la Brujería de las Hadas en el día a día sin problemas. Con fuentes mitológicas, folklóricas y académicas, ofrece una base más que sólida que no deja de ser interesante. Excelente, como siempre.

While the previous book was based more on a religious practice, this is more of a guide for daily practice, simpler, full of tips and information to integrate the Fairy Witchcraft in the day to day without problems. With mythological, folkloric and academic sources, it offers a more than solid base that is still interesting. Excelent as always.

[Carolina]

Há algum tempo que nutria uma certa curiosidade sobre a magia com a Boa Gente, por isso decidi comprar este livro, que não sendo propriamente introdutório tem uma série de histórias, mais anedóticas ou mais sérias, sobre encontros com Fadas e os outros habitantes do mundo feérico.

A autora relata uma série de experiências pessoais, o que foi a parte que mais me aborreceu porque são muito americo-cêntricas, mas também muitos mitos e lendas que demonstram a existência das Outras Pessoas, que são Bonitas. Dá também um pequeno lamiré sobre como nos comportarmos perante esta Gente Bonita, que é com todo o respeito, com cuidado com a semântica e muita educação, mas não demasiada.

Foi uma leitura muito interessante, tanto que passei o Avante com o livro na mão.

[Pseudonym Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended

Even if Fairy Witchcraft is not the path for you, Morgan's books contain valuable insight and practical knowledge about the Good Neighbors. They are a great resource for research or for developing your own craft. This book was a little more personal than her more educational books and for that, I'm grateful.

[Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love Morgan Daimler's books. They work so hard to tie their concepts, work, and teaching to the lore and history of the land and people that is native to those concepts. This is no exception.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book for going further down the road Morgan Daimler set us on with "Fairycraft"! Highly recommended!