Do you remember looking through the encyclopedia when you were young, feeling as if all the world's secrets and knowledge were at your fingertips? As the pages turned, one by one, you'd come across the entries on the human anatomy and there, in full color, was a diagram of the human body on onion skin paper. With each image that was lifted aside, another layer of the body was uncovered, another portion of the whole. Although each page seemed self-contained, it was only by layering them all together would you have a complete picture of the human body.
Our world and the faerie realm are much like that onion skin diagram. We exist simultaneously, each a layer of the whole, seperated only by the thinnest of veils. In certain places, at certain times, this veil becomes nearly transparent, and the two worlds mingle as one.
Much has been written about the realm of the faire folke. In my opinion, each vision of the faerie realm is an interpretation of the relationship between our "layer" of reality and the realm of the fae. People often try to categorize the mystical, wrapping it in neat little packages so that they can manipulate it to fit their needs. But the faerie realm defies definition. By its very nature it is elusive, even more so when we try to firmly grasp it.
I've been blessed to work with the faire folke and be accepted by them. I've watched them dance in groves of old growth forest, heard Elven calls echoing across lonely mountains. I've come across peacocks in the midst of the wilderness; a traditional sign that Elven royalty is near. Sometimes I've been alone. Other times friends have sat with me as we listen to ethereal voices spoken in strange tongues, broken only by the most delicate laughter. I feel blessed to count the faire folke among my magical friends. We've exchanged gifts and blessings, love and magic, developing a bond that is difficult to describe in the harsh light of the waking world.
If you'd like to work with the faerie world, there are some simple places to begin your quest. You'll find them in high, rocky places and in forests sprinkled with mushrooms and shelf fungus that climbs the trees like stair steps. Watch to see which portions of the garden or fields children are drawn to, the places where they will often sit quietly and talk to unseen friends, or laugh as they watch the air, their eyes following beings you can't quite see. I've heard stories of the faire folke inhabiting vegetable gardens and flower beds, but my own experience is with the Wild and I don't have any first hand knowledge of the cultivated world.
Once you've located a likely spot, cast a Circle and speak your intent. Address the faerie realm and let them know you come as a friend. Then show them. Spend a day cleaning up the garbage of a wild area. Gifts given to the spirits of the forest (for instance, organic apple juice libations or offerings of bird seed) often lend their energy to your quest to connect with the faerie realm. Give it time. The faire folke are notoriously shy. And while you wait, whether it be minutes or months, learn to laugh at yourself. A sense of humor is a must. If you managed to meet them, you'll know exactly what I mean.