HearthCricket said:
For me I would have to say it is because this is not your traditional faery, seen through the eyes of Victorians, for example. Not that that is bad, but to me this is far more nature based, more realistic and more universal.
(These questions are for anyone; it just happens I responded to HearthCricket's post, but feel free to chime in, anyone!)
Just curious. As I am a background of Scottish/Irish, and have just discovered the Fairy Ring Oracle, which delves more into traditional lore surrounding the faeries from the region where my ancestors lived.
Do you find those types of faeries, the traditional ones from decks like the Fairy Ring Oracle, can peacefully co-exist with Froud's Faeries?
HearthCricket said:
Do you believe in faeries? Good, bad, the ones that live in your house, the ones that live in the woods? If you are a true believer, then you know faeries come in all sizes and shapes, have a multitude of personalities and gifts, including some very nasty ones. Froud connects to the faeries on a level that is from a true believer.
I admit that I do not yet entirely know if I believe in faeries. But, I have a vivid imagination, and I can see how I could easily begin to believe in them if I were to get some cards in-hand, whether they be Froud's Faeries, the Fairy Ring Oracle, or Wild Wisdom of the Faery Oracle.
The trouble I have, or questions I have, with how to proceed with faeries is two-fold.
1. If one believes in faeries, that means one believes in both the good and bad faeries. I have never believed my tarot cards could hurt me. I have never been afraid of my tarot cards. I see myself as someone extremely psychically (not sure this is the exact term I would use) susceptible, extremely susceptible, to ... bad faeries, if they were to somehow be "invited" into my home because I brought faery cards into my life. So even if I don't officially invite them, I am asking you guys, if I have faery cards in my life, how do I keep the bad faeries away? I live alone, and I would feel vulnerable unless I knew what to do.
2. With regard to the good faeries, the little I have read is that, when I "take" from them, as in, if I use the faery cards for a reading, but I do not give back to them, they may get angry with me. Or if I ignore them, by putting them in a drawer (as I am wont to do with many of my decks!) for months at a time, they may get angry. It seems they expect me to "give" back to them. I am not much good at "giving" and don't really have much to give. I spend a lot of time alone. I don't have food or drink to offer to the faeries or to put on my doorstep for them. So what is an acceptable offering for a faery if one needs to "give" to a faery? Can I light a candle? Is that enough of an offering?
HearthCricket said:
Not just ethereal beings with pretty wings and lovely gowns. But ones that actually wear very little or might be draped by a cloth spun from a spider's web. The kind of fae you will find in the brambles, behind an acorn, or as an acorn, for that matter. Look at the ones that are just a bright light...no form, really. The faeries that you see flash in front of you, or in the corner of your eye.
I love the way you describe these faeries. I can see one draped by cloth spun from a spider's web. This makes sense to me! Or rather, I can imagine them this way.
HearthCricket said:
He covers the whole realm. The book is awesome. The card quality is awesome. There is no other like it! I love all the faery decks, and appreciate the vision so many have. But to me, these are the real fae.
I love the artwork on the cards, even though it is about the opposite from The Fairy Circle Oracle, which uses photorealism (not my favorite technique, but I do see a "why" as to why they did use photorealism; because my ancestors, the Irish and Scottish, saw faeries as *real*, as part of their everyday world, so I can see why they were depicted in this way).
As to the "real" fae, I have questions regarding if there has to be one definitive deck that encompasses the "real" fae.
Can one believe in the faeries Froud has painted, but also believe in the traditional faeries of my ancestors, the Scottish and Irish, as well as the many traditional faeries from across the world?
Here is an example:
http://faerywisdom.com/laume.html
This is Froud's interpretation of the Laume. Yet when I read up on the Laume (check wikipedia) you can see his interpretation of the Laume is nothing at all like the traditional folk fairy tales from Latvian and Lithuanian mythology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauma
So I am confused. I do want to get to know the faeries. I want to stay safe while doing so
and also I don't want to get too confused if I learn the traditional, historic faeries and then Froud presents me with a whole new set of faeries in which he may have renamed them or recast their roles (such as the Laume).
Can one work with faery decks which on the surface appear to be conflicting?
I think of this similar to RWS-based tarot versus Thoth tarot; one system versus another; but I don't see those systems as clashing, whereas here, with faeries, it seems somehow I feel the desire to "get it right." I don't want to be misled.
*sigh* I hope I am not taking this too seriously, or asking too many questions, but these are the questions I have before proceeding further.
Any advice, from anyone who loves faeries! and is familiar with them, would be appreciated.