The Work of the Sidhe in Christianity and the Elven Connections of The Avalonian Catholic Church
The Work of the Sidhe in Christianity
Copyright 2001 Jon Ryner
Introduction
One of the most important aspects of Druidry that is frequently overlooked is its connection with the "fair folk". Often, writers stress the number of years required for mastery of the bardic arts, yet they neglect to mention the trials that accompanied them. Simply having requisite skills in rhyming and getting the right number of feet in one's lines was not enough to grant access to awen!
One place aid was apparently sought was the sidhe. There are a number of references in the extant Druidical lore to this. What is even more fascinating, however, is that the Celtic Christian clergy continued to resort to them.
Sacrifices to the Spirits of Place
One proof of this is found in the tale of St. Oran. St. Columkille and his men were building a monastery, but the walls would not stand. Finally, Columkille, knowing Oran was a native, asked him what they should do. Oran replied that the local spirits required a sacrifice, and volunteered to be buried.
After three days, the men found Oran still alive, and dug him out. He revealed that he had travelled to other dimensions, the realms of the sidhe. He looked at Columkille and said, "Things aren't like you think they are." This was the wrong thing to say to headstrong Columkille, who had Oran buried again, this time permanently.
Lest any think this practice only limited to the Celts or beginning late in time, let's look at an Old Testament version, where David is the priest committing human sacrifices:
The Sacrifice of the Sons of Saul
as Recorded by Sir James George Fraser in The Golden Bough, Part IV: Adonis Attis Osiris, University Books, New Hyde Park, NY, 1961, pages 22-23
Like other divine or semi-divine rulers the Hebrew kings were apparently held answerable for famine and pestilence. When a dearth, caused perhaps by a failure of the winter rains, had visited the land for three years, King David inquired of the oracle, which discreetly laid the blame not on him but on his predecessor Saul. The dead king was indeed beyond the reach of punishment, but his sons were not. So David had seven of them sought out, and they were hanged before the Lord at the beginning of barley harvest in spring: and all the long summer the mother of two of the dead men sat under the gallows-tree, keeping off the jackals by night and the vulture by day, till with the autumn the blessed rain came at last to wet their dangling bodies and fertilize the barren earth once more. Then the bones of the dead were taken down from the gibbet and buried in the sepulchre of their fathers.1 The season when these princes were put to death, at the beginning of the barley harvest, and the length of time they hung on the gallows, seem to show that their execution was not a mere punishment, but that it partook of the nature of a rain-charm. For it is a common belief that rain can be procured by magical ceremonies performed with dead men's bones,2 and it would be natural to ascribe a special virtue in this respect to the bones of princes, who are often expected to give rain in their life.
1 2 Samuel xxi. 1-14, with Dean Kirkpatrick's notes on 1 and 10. 2 The Magic Art and the Evolution of Kings, i. 284 sq.
Biblical Passages Which Seem to Support a Pagan Elven Weltenschaung
Listen, my faithful children; open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters; send up the sweet odor of incense; break forth in blossoms like the lily. Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise; bless the Lord for all he has done. -- Sir. 39:13-14
To be continued...
Thomas the Rhymer
ca. 1210-1294
The Eildon Hills from Scott's View.
Although some of the stories relating to Thomas the Rhymer may be fanciful, there is firm documentary evidence of "Thomas Rimor de Ercildoun" (the modern Earlston, in Berwickshire) witnessing documents in the 1260s. According to a poem which Thomas wrote about his life, (and to which Sir Walter Scott gave new life when he included it in his collection "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border" in 1804), Thomas saw the Queen of the Fairies in the Eildon Hills and returned with her to her kingdom under the hills. He thought he had been there three days but when he returned to the surface, he found it was for three years.
The Queen gave Thomas the gift of prophecy - and amongst his successful predictions were the death of King Alexander III in 1286, the defeat of King James IV at the Battle of Flodden in 1513 and the Union of the Crowns of Scotland and England in 1603.
One of his prophecies was, "Tide, tide, whate'er betide, There'all aya be Haigs at Bemersyde." The Haigs held the land until 1867 and it looked as though that prediction had failed - but in 1921 it was bought for Field Marshall Earl Haig. Thomas' prophecies were so revered that they were consulted by the Jacobites before the uprisings in both 1714 and 1745.
Thomas is believed to have also written a story "Sir Tristem" which Walter Scott also edited. Is is one of the oldest surviving pieces of Scottish poetry.
Notes on the Above
Coming soon...
It is also recorded that Aelfwine asked the elves for help to defeat the Normans, but they refused. That so many people believed that these beings existed should tell even the most skeptical person that there is something to this!
References to the Sidhe in Christian Ceremonials
In Altus Prosator, a hymn with text by St. Columkille, we read in O(rbem):
Under the earth, as we read, there are dwellers, we know, whose knee oftimes bendeth in prayer to the Lord; for whom it is impossible to unroll the written book-- sealed with seven seals, according to the warnings of Christ-- which He Himself had opened, after He had risen victorious, fulfilling the prophetic presages of His Advent.
This is a work which is quite older than the Dies Irae, and which includes much more material. The reference to written materials about the "dwellers" could be to material that has long since disappeared. One finds much the same thing in reading St. Ephraim of Syria, when he'll quote a prophecy or scriptural passage that doesn't exist. This is always embarassing to the mainstream exoteric scholars, so they just gloss over the problem.
If you, wise reader, have devoured much of this site, you know we always endeavor to be scientific. So, you ask, how is it possible for people to live underground?
Please note that it is totally unnecessary for the earth to be totally hollow for this to be (although there are some who claim it is). There would simply need to be "pockets" of sorts, similar to the approach that some fiction writers used as a device. However, we actually have some evidence (which we'll present later) that this is true, including sightings by the first exploration to the North Pole. For some reason, the "powers that be" have always worked assiduously to keep this information quiet....
Shapeshifting
There is also a connection between shamanistic shapechanging of the nonChristians and their later counterparts. The famous trick St. Patrick affected to escape the capture of himself and his men is really quite the same as that discussed in the ballad Tam Lin, where the elves are involved. Also, in the Rennes Dinnshenchas there is a passage in which fairies do this work: "Folks were envious of them (Faifne the poet and his sister Aige), so they loosed elves at them who transformed Aige into a fawn, and sent her on a circuit all round Ireland, and the fians of Meilge, son of Cobthach, king of Ireland, killed her." There is also the story in The Voyage of Bran of Mongan taking the shape of Tibraide, and giving Mac an Daimh the shape of the cleric, with a large tonsure on his head. As Evans Wentz points out, it was common for kings and great heroes to be able to shape shift themselves or others.
It is quite possible that Patrick and others actually used the old techniques (in the same manner that Moses used the tricks he learned studying in the Egyptian temples, according to Manetho), but claimed to be using a "superior" magic, or later writers, ashamed of the connections, rewrote the history. Given the rampant destruction of church sculptures throughout the world today by churches very uncomfortable with what they reveal (no pun intended), the latter is probably the case.
Given this kind of dishonesty, we must also be very cautious about the various claims made for the nature of the fey, elves, sidhe, etc. There were powerful ecclesiastical clerics who did not take kindly at all to the notion of members of their flock circumventing their authority by resorting to the elves for help of any kind.
The Avalonian Catholic Church believes that in these latter days of calm before the storm of coming of incredible earth changes, it is vital to investigate the knowledge of the fair folk, and to befriend them. They can teach much about the realms of both matter and spirit. To that end, we seek to be a bridge between our realm and theirs.
Here is an elucidation of how Tolkien's stories about the elves fit into our history:
Elven Connections of the Avalonian Catholic Church
Note: The material relating to the elves is based on realizations of November 10, 2001. The material relating to the Son of Glaston is from older realizations-remembrances after the founding of the Church. This is a hastily-sketched outline.
In the twentieth century, a man named Tolkien wrote what were believed to be novels that included elves, who were good and pure. In reality, Tolkien had actually managed to tap into the akashic record to write about events which actually occurred and people who had actually lived. This is why so many of his works include elements and names from "older" bardic tales, and why he took his material seriously enough to write some of it in the elven script he had discovered.
But there were many tales of bad elves circulated amongst the Celts. The "fair folk" were accused of kidnapping very young children and substituting their own sick ones. They were accused of being bloodsucking vampires. The elves in question were the dark elves.
These elves were not welcomed by the other elves who left Middle Earth (nor would they have been willing to be in their presence if they'd been asked). They thus had to make their own way in the world when the light elves sailed to the West. When the earth changes so dreaded by the elves arrived, they burrowed under ground, inside trees, and in other out-of-the-way places, away from the scrutinies of those lesser beings, men.
Unfortunately, they were suffering from the earth changes and from their own actions. They were dark because they had "opted out" of the traditional elven mandate to not have freewill. They had begun to have problems reproducing and had a high infant mortality rate, which led to their snatching human children to raise as their own. One can imagine some of the conversations which might have ensued:
"Is that a human child?
"Oh, my, no, he's ours!
Well, he looks so healthy, so fair in the flesh! And you, my dear--well, you appear not to have suffered at all. You're positively radiant!
It must be this new moisturizer I'm using!
In the meantime, the light elves had sailed West. Since we know that Tolken believed that places in Middle Earth were actual locales in the British Isles, we believe that their destination on this planet was the "New World". It was actually they who were the inspiration for the tales of the "Native Americans" about Quetzlcoatl, Kukulkan, etc. They were quite pale of skin, and though their appearance was very different from that of Cortez et al., the conquistadors also differed in appearance from what the red skinned folk should have been expecting, as they bore guns, wore plain shirts and trousers, and did not wear the plumed headdresses, pectorals, jade ear plugs, and other items which their deity-counterparts would. They were white and had arrived at the appointed time, so they were mistakenly taken to be gods. They would, of course, commit atrocities which would make the crimes the dark elves were charged with pale in comparison.
The Druids, being the leaders of an ancient cult closely associated with the land, were quite knowledgeable about the elves and their ways. It was not surprising, therefore, that when the Celtic monks grew weary of being sacked by the Vikings, those among them who had been trained as Druids suggested they attempt the journey West. That their journey was successful is proven by the many ogham Celtic inscriptions in the United States of America, many with Christian symbols and messages, and the many rock works that they built there.
In the early years of the twentieth century, another author and architectural consultant named Frederick Bligh Bond was hired by the Church of England to investigate the ruins at Glastonbury, which they had recently purchased. He was contacted by discarnate entities who claimed to be the spirits of deceased monks of the place. These entities gave Bond much historical information, gave him accurate information on the placement of structures, which told him where to dig successfully, and prophecies concerning the end of World War I, which proved to be completely accurate.
One of these prophecies concerned a mysterious "son of Glaston", who was stated to be from "beyond the sea". He was to rebuild the great church to be even greater than it had been formerly, and even then was watching and waiting for the appropriate time. Since Glastonbury possessed one of the grandest church edifices in the world, and was perhaps the richest abbey in the world, it seems obvious that the reference is to a spiritual building more than a literal physical structure, though the great lessons carved in the Gothic cathedrals must not be ignored and, indeed, must be implemented in various ways to accomplish this Great Work.
The Son of Glaston has awakened, and is set to his task! The singing spheres in the crypt cry forth, as Glaston's raised at last. The western knight-wight will rise in might, to refound ancient ways. Profound Mystery ornately plays: He manifests his lays.
To be continued... (though there is more material about the Son of Glaston on the Artifacts Page. Scroll down to Introduction to Our Work right under the grey Gothic bar)
Examples of Tolkien Elven Magical Analysis:
Mystic Alignment of the Two Trees, the Silmarils, the Three Rings & the Phial of of Galadriel by Martin Baker
The 36 Taratir (Vision) Archetypes (The Wisdom of Life Appendix C) by Martin Baker includes Elven prototypes of runes
The Lore of Life, Leaf & Stone, Part 2: Taratir to Tarot, the Royal Road by Martin Baker includes Elven prototypes of tarot, runes
Ring Ritual by Ginger Wages
The Arthurian Connection
We're woikin' on it! ;)
For Further Reading
Introduction to the Tale of Tamlane: On the Fairies of Popular Superstition, from Sir Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W.Y. Evans-Wentz
Tam-Lin Org a whole lotta relevant stuff!
"Otherkin" Today?
The Eald of the Silver Elves Maybe you'll find yours-elf!
Valinde's Otherkin
Amanjaku
The Elenari The Elenari hold periodic gatherings and are a good source to find out about a variety of modern elven happenings.
Elven Drums
Butterfly Messiah
ShadowCat
Ardere's Ardenwood and Elven Song
Sorcerer's Grove
Highglade Palace-Lord of the Rings Community A place for all to come and chat. Choose from a set of races: Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Ents, Humans upon login. Search for magic rings.
Avallenau (Apple Trees)
by Merddin
Stanza 1
To no one has been exhibited, at one hour of dawn, what was shown to Merddin, before he became aged; namely, seven score and seven delicious apple trees, of equal age, height, length, and size, which sprung from the bosom of Mercy. One bending veil covers them over. They are guarded by one maid, with crisped locks; her name is Olwedd, with the luminous teeth.
Stanza 2
The delicious apple tree, with blossoms of pure white, and wide spreading branches, produces sweet apples, for those who can digest them. And they have always grown in the wood, which grows apart. The nymph who appears and disappears, vaticinates--words which will come to pass...
Stanza 3
(Merddin tells us that he had armed himself with sword and shield, and lodged in the Caledonian wood, guarding the trunk of the tree, in order to gratify Bun, the maid, Proserpine, who, by way of acknowledgement, calls to him in the Northern dialect, 'Oian a Phorchetlan, attend little pig,' and bids him listen to the songs of the birds. The bard complies, and learns the secrets of futurity.)
Stanza 4
The sweet apple tree has pure white sprigs, which grow, as a portion for food. I had rather encounter the wrath of a sovereign than permit rustics in raven hue to ascend its branches. The lady of commanding aspect is splendidly endowed; nor am I destitute either of talents or of emulation.
Stanza 5
The fair apple tree grows upon the border of the vale; its yellow apples and its leaves are desirable objects, and even I have been beloved by my Gwnem, and my wolf. But now my complexion is faded by long weeping; I am neglected by my former friends, and wander amongst spectres who know me not.
Stanza 6
Thou sweet and beneficient tree! Not scanty is the fruit with which thou art loaded. But upon thy account, I am terrified and anxious, lest the wood-men should come, those profaners of the wood, to dig up thy root, and corrupt thy seed, that not an apple may ever grow upon thee more.
I am become a wild distracted object, no longer greeted by the brethren of my order, nor covered with my habit. Upon me Gwenddoleu freely bestowed these precious gifts, but he is, this day, as if he had never been.
Stanza 7
The proper place of this delicate tree, is within a shelter of great renown, highly benificient and beautiful. But princes devise false pretences, with lying, gluttonous and vicious monks, and pert youngsters, rash in their designs--these are the aspiring men who will triumph in the course.
Stanza 8
Now, alas, the tree which avoids rumour grows upon the confluence of streams, without the raised circle.
Stanza 9
This sweet apple tree abounds with small shoots; but the multitude cannot taste its yellow fruit.
Stanza 10
I have been associated with select men, to cultivate and cherish its trunk--and when Dyvnant shall be named the city of the stones, the bard shall receive his perquisite.
Stanza 11
Incorruptible is the tree which grows in the spot set apart (the sanctuary) under its wide envelope. For four hundred years may it remain in peace! But its root is oftener surrounded by the violating wolf than by the youth who can enjoy its fruit.
This tree they would fain expose to public view; so the drops of water would fain wet the duck's feather.
Stanza 13
The fair tree grows in the glade of the wood. Its hiding place has no skillful protector from the chiefs of Rhydderch, who trample on its roots, whilst the multitude compass it round. The energetic figures are viewed with grief and envy. The Lady of the Day loves me not, nor will she greet me. I am hated by the minister of Rhydderch's authority--his son and his daughter have I ruined. Death who removes all, why will he not visit me? After the loss of Gwenddolen, the lady of the white bow, by no nymph am I respected. No soother amuses my grief; by no mistress am I visited. Yet, in the conflict of Arderydd, I wore the gold collar. Oh that I were precious, this day, with those who have the hue of the white.
Stanza 14
The tree with delicate blossoms grows in concealment amongst the forests. A report is heard at the dawn that the minister has expressed his indignation against the authority of the small sprigs twice, thrice, nay four time, in one day.
Stanza 15
The fair tree grows on the bank of a river. A provost cannot thrive on the splendid fruit which I enjoyed from its trunk, whilst my reason was entire, in company with Bun, the maid, elegantly pleasing, delicate and most beautiful. But now, for fifty years, have my splendid treasures been outlawed, whilst I have been wandering amongst the ghosts and spectres, after having enjoyed abundant affluence and the pleasant society of the tuneful tribe.
Stanza 16
The sweet apple tree, with delicate blossoms, grows upon the sod, amongst the trees; and the half appearing maid predicts--words which will come to pass!--Mental design shall cover, as with a vessel, the green assemblies, from the princes, in the beginning of the tempestuous hour. The Darter of Rays shall vanquish the profane man. Before the child of the sun, bold in his courses, Saxons shall be eradicated; bards shall flourish.
Stanza 17
The blooming tree grows in Hidlock, in the Caledonian wood. The attempts to discover it, by its seeds, wil be all in vain, till Cadwaladyr, the supreme ruler of battle, comes to the conference of Cadvaon, with the eagle of the Towy, and the Teivi--till ranks be formed of the white ones of the lofty mount, and the wearers of long hair be divided into the gentle and the fierce.
Stanza 18
The sweet fruits of this tree are prisoners of words. The ass will arise, to remove men out of office; but this I know, an eagle from the sky will play with his men, and bitter will be the sound of Ywein's arms.
Stanza 19
A veil covers the tree with green branches--and I will foretell the harvest when the green corn shall be cropped, when the eagle and the eagle shall arive from France.
Stanza 20
The sweet apple tree is like the bardic mount of assembly: the dogs of the wood will protect the circle of its roots.--
Stanza 21
Sweet are its branches, budding luxuriant, shooting forth renowned scions.
Stanza 22
The sweet apple tree, producing the most delicious fruit, grows in concealment in the Caledonian wood. In vain will it be sought upon the bank of its stream, till Cadwaladyr comes to the conference of Rhyd Rheon, with Kynan, opposing the tumult of the Saxons. Then Cymru shall prevail. Her chief shall be splendid. All shall have their just reward. Britons shall rejoice. The horns of joy shall sound--the song of peace and serenity.
All written material in this site is copyrighted by the Most Rev. Jon Ryner, except where noted.