NMR ISSUE 27

An Urban Wicca
Astrological Forecast 27
Cat
Crimson and Gold
Editorial 27
Elf-Calling
For Scott
Great Universal Mystery
Letters 27
New Abundance
Overcoming Inertia
Samhaintide Ritual
Shark
The Crystal Tree System
The Elves are Returning
The Life Flower Formula
The Secret of Magickal Power
Two References
Water Spirits

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The Elves Are Returning

Shjonarra

There has been a quiet movement in this country and beyond over the past couple of decades. It has been the returning of elves into this world. There have been a couple of Elven organizations that have developed in that time (E.L.F., Elf International, etc.), but the most significant progress has been in families and circles of friends. Socially, Elves are very aware ecologically, eccentric, creative and fun loving. Elven religious practices range from eclectic to self-created/discovered. Most Elves understand the essential balance of creative and destructive forces within Nature, and are not good or evil. Elves tend to have very little materially, but have a lot of happiness, friends, talent, will-to-live, etc. Elves also make quiet contributions, not for fame or money, but for fun—such as writing, singing and dancing, planting gardens, guarding woodlands, studying and teaching the Old Ways, and so on.

There are two basic attitudes about what makes an Elf an Elf. The first, most common, and most emphasized is the Elf `n' Ferie Spirit. The Elf `n' Ferie Spirit can awaken in anyone. At first it feels awful, alone, rebellious. Then, it develops into acceptance, a release of creativity, and draws one to discover and create treasures. The Elf`n' Ferie Spirit draws its kind together, but very slowly, as it is immortal. The Kindred are not limited to the accounts of elves in legend. They can awaken to be any being related to Ferie, be it elf, dwarf, troll, or whatever. It is the Spirit, and thus can take on any form.

The second, more controversial attitude (which can be added to the above) is that the ancient races of the legends did exist and were our ancestors. There were actual elves, dwarves, giants, and so on. There is some very experimental anthropological evidence that supports this; that is the theory that Cro-magnon people did not evolve from the Neanderthal people, but lived along side them. The point being, we have had more than one type of sentient homonid people on this planet (let alone elsewhere!). There are old accounts of explorers who stumbled upon giant human skeletons, or tribes who could vanish within mountains and forests. There is a huge mass of folklore and knowledge all around this world based on the teachings of our ancient ancestors, which people have died to preserve. There is also much racial memory cropping up within this century in particular. This racial memory is manifesting mentally as science fiction/fantasy novels, movies, role-playing games, and even as part of the Wiccan/Pagan movement. It is manifesting physically through recessive genes such as extreme height, having slightly pointed ears, unusual shortness, and so on. The general populace has regarded these differences as Satanic, rebelliousness, disease and even handicaps! Now a few scattered people are rethinking all this, opening-up their minds to their roots, using their racial memory, and benefiting incredibly. Perception controls a lot. This perspective is not meant to build racial barriers (even if they were there before), but to break them down and rediscover the beautiful individuality of our own people, for which human has become a generic term.

These two attitudes create much diversity within the Elven movement. Some Elves are bent on freedom and trading cities for the woodlands and clean oceans of the past, even using modern technology to do so (there are Elves who are professionals, scientists, and so on, though they are a minority). Other Elves are interested in recovering ancient magick. Many Elves are a part of the neo-hippie/gothic-punk movement, though this is not usually an end in itself. An Elf fits into a class all their own, sometimes being able to reach out and form families and circles of friends who are also elves (or dwarves, giants, etc.). Elves do not necessarily agree with each other any more than Wiccan or Pagan people do. It is an individual path that leads to unity with others that is both religious and practical. It is a life path. It is not forced by others or by the self. Those who are to awaken with the Elf`n' Ferie Spirit usually do so in time. In those with strong racial memory it is inevitable. The best way to learn about Elves is to be one! For more information write to:

Shjonarra
c/o Ravenclan
2191 Wilkins Ave.
Napa, CA 94559

Shjonarra (Erin Ahl) is a young Pagan mom. She, her daughter, Katana, and her mate, Eric, make up one of the Elven families in the Napa-Sonoma County area of California. As members of a dispersed Elven community, they emphasize the magick of nature, feries, elves, etc., and respect Wicca and other Earth religions. She explains:

We are a part of a small, so far very unorganized Elven movement. Feries are included in this because they are nature spirits, souls of Wiccans/Pagans who have rejoined nature, and our elven ancestors who have passed on to the `West' and returned to teach. The Elf `n' Ferie spirit (regardless of any ancestral/genetic knowledge we study) can be awakened in all things and everyone. That is what most of us emphasize. We are all ecologically active. Our spiritual paths are eclectic and are very much a part of the Wiccan/Pagan realm of knowledge and practice. Many of us like to create or discover our own material.

The Elven Passage into Ferie or the Lands in the West

The Elves passed into Ferie across the Waters, thus ending the Age of Elves that preceded the Age of Humans. When J.R.R. Tolkien referred to this place, he called it Aman or Ekkaia, the Lands in the West. This place was Ferie. It is this same place, Ferie, from which Elves are returning today. To understand this passage, for it is very unlike death as commonly known, you must look at the key Element involved. They passed across the Waters to the Lands in the West. This is the key. Water is most commonly associated with the West, Autumn, the heart, divination and so forth. Ancients associated Water with primeval life forms and pure energy itself. It emanates throughout and between all people, places, and things—all. The Elves crossed over the Waters means that they crossed through the Place Between Places—crossed over from one world to another. In truth, they passed over as the Waters, or as pure energy—elf-flight.

This place or world that the Elves crossed over to was and is Ferie. Ferie is the Shadow World. It is the Shadow of the World Tree. The World Tree contains the Upper, Middle and Lower Worlds that the shamans have always known about. Ferie, the Shadow World, also contains these three worlds, being the Shadow of the World Tree; however, in Ferie, as in all shadows, the parts or worlds are indistinguishable.

Because this passage was not like our mortal death, and actually has more to do with initiation and elf-flight, you might say that the Elves that crossed over are undead. That is a primary source for the development of the undead race we perceive today as Feries and Vampires, or Elves and Drow.