This weekend is the annual Occult Conference in Cardiff, run by Dragonoak Coven, this year titled: Earth, Sea, and Sky.
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I was asked to come and share some stories about fairies to finish the day and it sent me down a research rabbit hole weaving a talk with stories from history and legend on one of my favourite topics: the relationships between cunning folk and those fairy spirits that are our neighbours and allies.

While there is no substitute for in person performance, my first draft was much longer than it should have been so I offered the long version as a work-in-progress talk for my lovely Patrons & students!

It also got me thinking that I’ve been writing, speaking and teaching on fairy magic for about half my life, because I have loved them for as long as I can remember. When I was small, I wanted to be a fairy when I grew up, and even then I didn’t mean tiny and sparkling… I meant magical.

Throughout history, the “cunning folk” – a term for those healers, wise-folk, and “service magicians” who have made magic for their communities – have worked closely with spirits in general, including the Fair Folk. There are stories of magical skills taught and granted, of lovers and parents, and of conjuring kings and queens.

This relationship between magicians and our Good Neighbours runs deep, and it has always been a blessing in my life that they encourage me to share.

So here are a few resources for those of you that want to dive in deeper.

FREE TALK

Faery Books

Courses, Classes, and Storytelling

And if you miss the live talk, or want to revisit it with a longer WIP version, it’s available on my Patreon now:

And for those that want more… here’s the bibliography!

Comment below… Do you work with the Fair Folk? Why did you start?