Do Elves Interact with Genii Loci?

“…these elves are ever aware that we live in relationship to and in association with the spirit of the place where we currently abide and which forms the living body of our realm of Elfin that we call Eldafaryn.”

The Ancient Romans believed in and interacted with Genii Loci (plural), or Genius Loci (singular), the abiding and protective spirit of a place. This belief, however, was not exclusive to the Romans and was a widespread understanding that still exists today in the form of the idea of “haunted houses” and restaurants or other places having a particular ambience or spirit.

Elves and fae folk in general have long been associated with various wild places and in particular seen as protective spirits of certain forests, streams and springs. This is not entirely different from the idea that faeries are often protectors or caretakers of flowers or other growing things. And that we fae folk could with a wave of our hand either bless or blight livestock or crops. This idea was extended, as elves and fair folk in general were increasingly seen as elements of fantasy, to witches and their ability to bless or ruin crops. And during the inquisition, one of the many accusations about a particular woman accused of witchcraft was that her neighbor’s crops failed or their cattle fell ill.

For our own part, these elves relate to the various spirits of whatever place we may be. We typically greet the trees each day as we see them, often bidding hello to the Faerie realms through them, saying, “Good morning, Faerie,” or well, not morning, we are seldom up for morning, but surely, “Good afternoon, Faerie,” or “Good Evening.” We also greet the birds and the other creatures we may encounter. When we used to live out in Makaha (often referred to here on O’ahu as the Wild West) in a valley between two mountains, we’d greet the mountains each day. However, these were old mountains, formed from volcanic ash, and every six months to a year someone would go climbing on them and fall to hir death, thus voluntarily offering their lifeblood to these ancient spirits.

There might be a tendency for many people to picture the spirit of a mountain as being separate from the mountain, and in the sense that we are spirits that live in humanoid elven bodies but are not those bodies, this is true for those spirits as well. At the same time, the mountain is the spirit in the same sense that our bodies are a vibrational manifestation of our spirits and while we might be separated from each other, and surely will in time, while we inhabit these bodies we are one. (See our book Eldafaryn: True Tales of Magic from the Lives of the Silver Elves.)

Thus these elves are ever aware that we live in relationship to and in association with the spirit of the place where we currently abide and which forms the living body of our realm of Elfin that we call Eldafaryn. We also, when we go traveling, carry stones that we’ve painted sigils upon and instilled with magic to leave as gifts for the genii loci of the various realms we are passing through. It is, after all, from an elven point of view only courteous to bring gifts when visiting others. Hoping in this way to gain the friendship and blessing of the spirits of those realms.

We are, of course, animists seeing the life in all things, just as the physicist understands that everything is composted of atoms and energy, we understand that everything is indeed alive with its own vibration, nature, experience and inclinations. As elves, we ever seek to be on friendly terms as much as possible with everyone.

Kyela,
The Silver Elves
http://silverelves.angel fire.com

If you enjoyed this article, then be sure and read sample stories from our book Eldafaryn!

Eldafaryn: True Tales of Magic from the Lives of the Silver Elves

     Eldafaryn (Elf Haven) contains a series of vignettes from the lives of the Silver Elves starting in the present and going back and forth through time describing their lives, their magic, their philosophy and their unique view of the world. If you’ve ever wanted to see Elfland from the inside, as the elves view and live it, here’s your chance.
These are true stories of elfin magic from the lives of the Silver Elves. They are as complete as our memories and confidences allow. There are things we cannot tell you, some secrets we cannot reveal, but what we do tell you is true. The book begins with the latest relocation of our Eald (magical home/realm) and the energizing thereof, and proceeds to reflections from former Ealds and magical events and people in our lives in the past and present. We hope you enjoy it.

We also invite you to read about and read sample chapters of our other 41 books on elfin magic and enchantment and the Elven Way. You may also read what other readers have said about our books on each individual book page.

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Tags: Eldafaryn, elven bodies, Genii Loci, vibrational manifestation