Seeking Faery: An Introduction to the Hidden World of the Fae

Seeking Faery is a small, almost square book with a whimsical illustration on the jacket and many more equally lovely line-drawn and watercolor pictures within by the artist Siolo Thompson. These images serve as inspiration to find the hidden realm of the fey. Author Emily Carding introduces faery folklore from the Celts and briefly touches on similarities in other cultures. The initial chapters mix a bit of storytime with historical context to explain the distinct perception of the fey from ancient times to Shakespeare to Walter Scott to now.  Once your interest is piqued, the book serves as a guide to meet the faery folk and explore their world.

The myths, folklore and techniques of guided meditation will aid beginners in finding their connection to the world of the faery folk. The guided meditation exercises lead the reader to find a faery ally and journey into their land. If you already do journey work, these exercises will feel basic and familiar so I recommend this book as an introductory work. Carding talks about the tradition of shapeshifting that occurs in the Celtic myths. It may not be obvious to all potential readers that the land of the fairies is most easily visited through shamanic journey work. The guided meditation may work as stepping stones to a deeper trance practice for those who wish it but for those who are not so inclined, the meditations will help one become calm and focused and establish a link to the fey. The folklore serves as a warning to some of the behaviors one should not do in their land or when interacting with the fey. Carding offers suggestions for how to curry favor with faeries connected to the land and how to avoid trouble if you’ve offended them.

It's important that potential readers know that this book is not intended to introduce the wider range of Celtic mythology or spirituality. The scope is limited to the faery so those just looking to understand where they originate and what they are will find that in the beginning of the book and those who want to build a relationship with the faeries will find that in the later exercises. It’s not expected nor required that readers follow a particular spiritual path. The exercises are mostly visualizations and some movement exercises with a basis in the Celtic folklore. Beginners should get a good amount of information and techniques to start their journey.
 
~review by Larissa Carlson

Author: Emily Carding
Llewellyn Worldwide, 2022
pp. 275, $ 18.99