"....not to say that elves came before faeries or faeries before elves,
but that the modern conception of elves is much more ancient than
the notion that is currently popular concerning faerie folk."
but that the modern conception of elves is much more ancient than
the notion that is currently popular concerning faerie folk."
This question is a little bit like the chicken or the egg dilemma. However, most people these days conceive of Faeries as being small humanoid beings with the wings of butterflies, dragonflies or moths for the most part and this conception of faeries comes primarily from Victorian times (see The Dragon Legacy by Nicolas De Vere and Realm of the Ring Lords by Laurence Gardner), This notion of faeries is very recent. In that sense, elves did very much come first. And this is so at least as far as the fact that the general conception of elves, which these days is mostly derived from Tolkien, is closer to the traditional understanding of the Elven and Faerie folk, the combination of which these elves refer to as elfin or elfae. This is not to say that elves came before faeries or faeries before elves, but that the modern conception of elves is much more ancient than the notion that is currently popular concerning faerie folk.
The truth is that elves, faeries, pixies, brownies, the Sidhe and various other forms of faerie elfin folk are all merely various tribal formations, bands and groups of one essential people. Asking if the elves or faeries came first is like asking if First Nation tribes of the Sioux or the Cheyenne came first. Or the Apaches or the Navajos came first. We are all related peoples.
It is interesting to us, however, that the conception of faeries as winged little humans is so popular. This is truly a relatively recent innovation on faerie lore, created according to some folks to diminish the significance of our peoples, and it has little support in ancient lore except in the fact that the dwarves are often conceived of as being short of stature. Still, this idea has taken root in the minds and hearts of many folk so strongly that there are those who speak with these little winged ethereal beings. Which means, in effect, that this thought form is so powerful that such beings have actually been created on the astral and etheric realms of being, with some manifestation, mostly in an etheric fashion, according to these seers, on the material plane.
For our own part, these elves see the butterflies, dragonflies and moths as being these faeries. We don’t demand that they be anthropomorphized beings, giving them human bodies in order to see them as people but accept them for the unique faeries beings that they truly are. We also embrace many trees as being elfin in nature and many birds as well.
Now, we don’t have a problem with those who envision faeries as little winged human beings, except for the fact that these are often the folks who insist on faeries being in that form and deny our existence as living and manifest elves. And they often also fail to see or relate to modern manifest faerie folk who often wear various forms of faerie wings or elf ears in order to feel more truly our own s’elves as well as announce to the world our own unique faerie natures.
We would remind these folks that the idea of faeries as small, winged humanoids is a fairly modern idea and that the idea that the elves and faerie folk exist as manifest human beings interacting with mankind and others is nearly as ancient as the elfin ours’elves are. But being tolerant folk, we are perfectly happy with their conception of the fae as long as they don’t deny our own true existence. (See our books the Elven Way and Liber Aelph).
Kyela,
The Silver Elves
http://silverelves.angelfire.com
Kyela,
The Silver Elves
http://silverelves.angelfire.com
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The Elven Way: The Magical Path of the Shining Ones
"The Elven Way passes beyond the fields of the known
into the forest of the unknown illuminated by the glow of the elves."
into the forest of the unknown illuminated by the glow of the elves."
(quote on the top of the book cover)
THE ELVEN WAY: The Magical Path of the Shining Ones describes the Mystical, Magical, Spiritual Path of the Elf folk and their connection to the Shining Ones, those supra-dimensional beings who are our guides, guardians, ancient kindred and the source of Elven enlightenment. The Elven Way takes the reader beyond the field of the known and lays the road into the forest of unknown, revealing new, wonderful and exciting secrets about the world of Magic, the Path of the Elves and the rich Elven heritage. This book is about High Elven Spirituality and Magick, the philosophy of the Elven Way, and the teachings of the Elves. It is written for all elves and all those interested in learning more about and following the Elven Path, for advanced Elven adepts and magical folk of all kinds. The Elven Way reveals much about the Shining Ones, who are the ancient elves and our guardians, our Eldars, who are highly advanced and divine beings that help and protect the modern Elven folk today. It explores both the psychological and the spiritual component of the Elven folk and the development of this component! The Elven Way provides a vast reservoir of knowledge about how this world is arranged and how it works, who the elves are, and what is the Elven Spiritual Path!
Come here to enjoy reading a excerpt of Chapter 9 "The Magic of the Shining Ones" and also some of our readers' reviews from Goodreads and Amazon.
Touch the Center of this Star for Elven Blessings!
