Fairy Magic to Brighten Your Altar
Let your inner child out to play with our newest offerings celebrating some of the most magical creatures of all: fairies! Let these enchanting beings bring insight to your day with the beautiful Fairies Oracle Deck and Guidebook: Wisdom, Inspiration, and Magic from Folktales Around the World by Eugene Fletcher, illustrated by Camelia Pham. Spend a dreamy afternoon piecing their teachings together with the whimsical Fairies 2-in-1 Double-Sided 500-Piece Puzzle.
Read on for an excerpt from the puzzle’s included mini book. Plus, explore a sampling of the diverse inspiration found in the deck with a sneak peek at six oracle cards featuring ancient Mayan aluxes, Indian yakshas, Cajun feu follett, the European water nymph Undine, the Unseelie Court of Scottish lore, and the much-adored Tinker Bell.
The Fairies Oracle Deck and Guidebook and Fairies 2-in-1 Double-Sided 500-Piece Puzzle are on sale now wherever books are sold.
“A Little Book of Fairies”: Introduction
“If you’re reading this book, it’s likely that you already know a thing or two about fairies and have perhaps even encountered a few in your lifetime or have felt their magical presence. Fairies, one of the most beloved creatures of Fae, are typically small, though they should not be underestimated for their size. Throughout history, they’ve been known to be fierce, temperamental, and capricious, with a penchant for playing tricks, and their attitude can change from friendly to ferocious without warning if they are offended.
“The fairies featured in this puzzle reflect a wide range of cultures and histories. From Korea to Ireland, from Senegal to the Louisiana Bayou, all around the world people have believed in the concept of a small enchanted being who has the power to affect change. But how a fairy favors you ultimately depends on the kind of energy you exude. They tend to like those who seek them out, who believe in their ability to bestow luck and take it away. Get to know these cunning shape-shifters, and they just might bring new joy and laughter into your life, even stirring up a little trouble every now and then, hopefully only when it’s necessary.”
Six Cards for an Enchanting Season
Aluxes are fairies of ancient Mayan tradition who are invisible to humans though they will reveal themselves when they want something. Often, aluxes want something! These mischievous, chaos-loving fairies adore gifts. Farmers in the Yucatán Peninsula would leave offerings to aluxes, hoping to win their favor so that their crops might flourish that season. Aluxes can summon rain and protect your property at night, but only if they get something first.
When this card is drawn, it is time to treat yourself. The defining characteristic of aluxes is that they are childlike, demanding treats and doling out punishment when they don’t get enough attention. Channel the alux and your inner child, and give yourself to your desires. Live a little—or a lot! Consider creating a small home, like Mayan farmers used to do, to beckon an alux into your space.
The feu follett are fairies of Cajun folklore who appear as balls of light that have been spotted repeatedly over the marshlands of Louisiana. Known as swamp fairies, the feu follet are only visible at night. Many claim to have seen these fairies with their own eyes as phosphorescent orbs flickering across the bayou, but there is discrepancy as to these fairies’ intentions. Some say they are the spirits of loved ones. Others warn that they lead onlookers astray, luring them into the water, where they ultimately drown. The feu follet vary in size but are consistently described as dancing on the water.
When this card is drawn, turn on some music and do a little dance, even if you feel silly. While showing off your moves, remember that you, too, are filled with light.
The Unseelie Court, opposite of the Seelie Court, is a category in Scottish folklore used to describe fairies who are darkly inclined. Associated with all things unfavorable, gloomy, and evil, fairies of the Unseelie Court need no provoking to bring down cruel punishments, perpetrating bad luck in all its various forms.
When this card is drawn, you might be dealing with some negative energy. If you’re feeling tired or low or you’re just in a bad mood, do something nice for yourself to replenish the good vibes and get back to a place of feeling solid. Bid these Unseelie fairies goodbye by saying some positive affirmations to yourself or writing them down. Be easy on yourself.
Undine is a figure of European myth, a water nymph with a beautiful singing voice who becomes human after she falls in love with a man. You may be familiar with her story from the Disney animated classic The Little Mermaid, which was based on this tale. The legend has evolved over the years, but one basic tenet has remained the same: If the man whom Undine loves is unfaithful to her, he dies.
When this card is drawn, you may want to examine your desires, whether they’re romantic or related to career, creativity, or something else. What do you want right now and why? Consider if what you want is truly what would be good for you at this moment. Sometimes our desires reveal authentic needs, and other times they are based in jealousy, peer pressure, or even selfishness. Question your desires, and if it’s really what you want, then go for it.
The yaksha of Indian mythology, like many fairies, are protectors over nature. These Hindu supernatural beings live in forests and mountains, watching over hidden treasures. Some sources describe them as beautiful and benevolent, others as terrifying and malicious, haunting the wilderness and searching for travelers to scare. In Thailand, yaksha statues can be seen guarding Buddhist temples.
When this card is drawn, allow yourself to contain multitudes. Others may try to put you in a box, but you know you are many things all at once. Like stories told about the yaksha, you, too, might be perceived differently by different people, and that’s okay. Let yourself be a mystery—to others as well as to yourself.
Tinker Bell might just be the most popular fairy of all time, thanks to the Disney animated classic based on the original play Peter Pan, by Sir James M. Barry. She is named after the sound she made, like tinkering bells, and after her role of fixing pots and kettles. Adored for her feisty personality, Tinker Bell is emotional and can act childish at times, drawn by the seat of her whims. She is Peter Pan’s companion on his adventures in Neverland.
When this card is drawn, lean into innocence, and take a child’s frame of mind. Embrace the idea that you can do or be anything because you have all the time in the world, because it’s true. Like the children in Neverland, there are parts of us that remain young forever. What impossible things will you believe in today?
Dive Deeper
- Gorgeously Illustrated: Each of the 40 cards in this oracle deck is illustrated with stunning original artwork that bring the magic of fairies to life. Let Joan the Wad shine light on a path forward, or cry with The Banshee in your hour of grief; re-center yourself among your belongings with the help of the Korean Dokkaebi, or dance in a Fairy Ring. These and many more fairy oracles are just a pull away in this one-of-a-kind set that celebrates these small yet powerful creatures.
- Deluxe Set: This set includes 40 full-color illustrated cards (3 x 5 inches); an 88-page, full-color illustrated paperback book (3 x 5 inches); and a keepsake magnetic closure box; cards and travel case are embedded in an interior tray
- Fully Illustrated Oracle Guidebook: This set includes a full-color illustrated companion book to the card deck, providing the history and context of each oracle and a dose of inspiration
- Perfect Gift: This whimsical, beautiful oracle deck and book set is an ideal gift for fairy lovers or anyone interested in divination
A note on packaging: In order to help honor our planet and reduce waste, we have only shrink wrapped the interior cards, rather than the keepsake box. Please feel confident that your product is not defective or used.
- Specifications: A double-sided 500-piece puzzle, printed in full color on high-quality stock.
- Puzzle Dimensions: This puzzle measures approximately 20 x 16 inches when finished.
- Fully Illustrated Package: This puzzle, deluxe box, and book feature original illustrations of fairies from different folklore traditions, including favorites like Puck and Morgana le Fay as well as lesser-known characters like the Chinese huli jing or “fox fairy.”
- Book Included: Learn the characteristics and history of dozens of different fairies in the enclosed 48-page paperback book (5 x 6 inches), featuring full-color artwork throughout.
- Perfect Gift: A unique gift for fairy lovers of all ages.
