Welcome to Wolf: Faemore's Power Totem!

"May Wolf ever walk beside me and grant me rest in his shadow ... May his paws ever guide my path and my howls be heard by all ..."

Wolf is the spirit of freedom, and he helps me to realise that having individual freedoms also requires having responsibilities. Because Wolf is a teacher and a pathfinder, he comes when I need guidance in my life. Those who have Wolf as spirit guide, will move on to teach others about sacredness and spirituality.

Wolf teaches me to develop strength and confidence in my decisions. He shows me that I will learn to trust my insights once I learn how to value my inner voice. This wisdom keeps me from inappropriate action. Wolf teaches me to learn about my inner self and to find my inner power and strength.

Wolf brings faithfulness, inner strength and intuition when he enters my life. He also brings learning to live with one's self. To achieve this I must take risks and face my deepest fears. Wolf demands sincerity. Wolf demands a lot of me but he gives me much in return. He gives me a spirit helper that is always there to help and he gives me extraordinary powers of endurance.

Wolf reminds me to listen to my inner thoughts and to trust my insights. He reminds me to not waste resources, and to avoid trouble and confrontations. People with Wolf as spirit guide have the capacity to make quick and firm emotional attachments. I always trust my insights about these attachments, because Wolf guides me. With wolf's help I can control my life with harmony and discipline.

Look into the golden eyes of Wolf and wonder what inner Knowledge ignites the fire that glows from the depths of his mysterious eyes. He walks quietly through the world, slipping like shimmering mist through the forest of ancient trees, gathering Knowledge and attaining Wisdom forged in the fires of Experience so that he might return again to the Pack and Teach all that he has come to know.



Wolf is the Soul that leaves the comfort and familiarity of the Pack, to travel out into the world of the unknown. The two-legged with Wolf as her spirit guide has an inner need to be of service for the greater good. Although the individual with Wolf as spirit guide enjoys the company of others, there exists as well, the need for time alone. This lone wolf time will be spent in quiet contemplation and reflection upon the experiences of life before translating these - thoughts to form - and rejoining the Pack once more.

Wolf is a creature with a high sense of loyalty and strength. Wolf is a social creature, friendly and gregarious with its counterparts. Wolf is also an incredible communicator. By using touch, body movements, eye contact, and many complex vocal expressions - the wolf makes his point understood. Those with Wolf as spirit guide are of the same inclination - they are expressive both vocally and physically. Those who have Wolf as their spirit guide are naturally eloquent in speech and also have a gift for creative writing. Those who walk with Wolf often make excellent bards and storytellers. It should come as no surprise then that I write for a passion.

Wolf belongs to those who truly understand the depth of passion that belongs to this noble creature. Wolf is a representative of high intellect, deep faith, and profound wisdom. Wolf is the pathfinder and guide. In the presence of Wolf, teaching is taking place. When Raven is present, the teaching is of the unseen world. Wolf is a powerful, swift and cunning brother of the woods, and he is said to have a special relationship with his two-legged brothers and sisters. Stories abound about young two legs being raised in the forest by Wolves.




Wolf makes powerful enemies of those who would destroy the fragile balance of nature. However, despite myths of his fierceness and blood-thirst, his sense of family is strong and loyal, and he lives by carefully defined roles and rituals. Wolf is the epitome of the Wild Spirit of Pristine Nature. Wolf is very ritualistic in many ways. He lives by carefully defined rules. He has specific territories and boundaries that are sacred to him. Wolf teaches me balance, how to use ritual to establish harmony within my life, and how to understand that true freedom requires discipline and the following of Natural Law.

Wolf does not fight or attack unnecessarily; in fact he may often go out of his way to avoid trouble. Wolf does indeed have the capability of being fierce and of going tooth, fang and claw, but he doesn't have to demonstrate it. He is extremely powerful and strong, however often only a glance, posture or growl is all that is needed to determine dominance or keep the peace. Part of Wolf Magick is to learn who I am, to develop strength and confidence, and to know that I do not have to physically demonstrate or prove myself to others.

Wolf is predator by nature. He travels great distances in his hunting, possesses the stamina and strength that enables him to cover these distances for extended periods. Wolf Magick tells me that slow and steady gets the prize, but that I have the capacity of speeding things along should it become necessary. Wolf will travel great distances in search of Truth and Knowledge and return to the Pack to teach and share his Magick.

Wolf usually consumes all that he captures, to the point of gorging himself. This can indicate a need to make use of all that is available to me, and to make the most out of what I have. Wolf reminds me not to waste as much as he reminds me to keep my spirit alive and nourished.



Wolf has a complex communications system using his body language. Those with Wolf as spirit guide are usually expressive with hands, posture, face or some other manner. Wolf also has a complex system of vocal communication. His howl is famous for having a variety of meaning: a signal to others, to locate the other members of the Pack, to warn, to mourn, to greet, to make territory, and at times to just howl for the sheer joy of howling. The poignant cry of the Wolf is the song that links this World with the one beyond, for Wolf is the Pathfinder.

Wolf has extremely keen senses, specifically that of smell. This sense of smell endows Wolf with great Discernment, as the sense of smell has often been associated with Spiritual Idealism in metaphorical circles. Wolf also has excellent hearing sensitivity, and he reminds me that I should listen to others, especially those closest to me, and also to myself, to my most inner thoughts and words. This strengthens and enhance my own intuition and discernment.

Wolf brings with him a strong sense of faithfulness, inner strength and intuition. He also brings learning. Sometimes one needs to cross barriers, take risks, go beyond the limited compass of 'normal' behaviour in order to learn and grow; although crossing these boundaries may seem repugnant, and even painful at times.

However, I cannot fear the inner power and strength I feel when I spend time alone. Instead I must come to know my deepest self, and even in the darkest places, with Wolf as ally, I will find closeness and spiritual companionship. I am never alone. Above all, Wolf will teach me, through my experience, to trust myself and not fear and reject those parts of me that I don't yet understand or know. Wolf will guard me as he teaches, sometimes gently, sometimes strongly if not harshly, but always with love.



Wolf is a shy, yet very sociable creature with strong rules of behaviour. If you were to keep company with Wolf you would find an enormous sense of family within him, as well as a strong individualistic urge. Even though living in a close-knit pack provides Wolf with a strong sense of family, he is still able to maintain his individuality. Wolf is Teacher of the clan and of the tribe. We study his ways of hunting and social structure.

Wolf is connected with the Dog Star, Sirius, and some cultures believe that humans came from this distant star. Wolf has much to teach us, if we will only listen. As a Celtic symbol, Wolf is a source of lunar power. Celtic lore states that Wolf would hunt down the sun and devour it at each dusk so as to allow the power of the moon to come forth. Wolf is associated with lunar influences, and the energies that rule psychic perception. He teaches me to respect my emotions, the wildness of my animal nature, and to willingly face the darkness within. He teaches me to trust in the unspoiled nature of my inner child and wolf self.

When Wolf enters the forest of my mind, it is to teach me that all things have a natural order amid chaos, and to accept my duties in life, whether they be leadership roles or otherwise, with humility and strength. When Wolf enters my psyche, I am fortunate to have a spirit guide who knows the importance of communication, one that will find many ways to make his messages known to me. His ability to communicate is a sign to hone my own speaking skills, to effectively relate my own feelings and ideas, in the right way, and to pray, sing and dance in praise of the blessings of the Creatrix.

When Wolf is seen alone in the wild it symbolises freedom. His primal, piercing howl marks his territory boundaries, telling me to stand my ground and defend my own. Wolf has great stamina and strength. However, he does not fight needlessly, and often avoids fighting whenever possible. He teaches me to know who I am, and to develop strength and confidence. Wolf is also ritualistic. He knows the importance of regular lunar howling ceremonies, and daily social rituals designed to communicate needs and express feelings. The message of my wolf spirit is to honour the forces of spirituality and to connect with the life forces of Mother Earth.



Wolf is the great teacher of humanity and keeper of the night. He is here to help me to adapt to change as he adapts to his environment, embracing the coming seasons, and the availability of food. From birth those who walk with Wolf, are forever transforming as they meet the experiences of their world, embracing the changes and the lessons it brings. Wolf shows me the value in transformation.

Speak from the heart, Wolf relaxes. Speak from the intellect, Wolf becomes tense. I cannot hide anything from Wolf. Wolf teaches me to embrace lunar energy, to respect my psychic urges and unconscious desires, and to be aware of and accept my keen intuitive and psychic perceptions. Those who walk with Wolf are proud, they are lovers of the night, and have a wild streak in them which allows them to live on the fringes. Yet familial connections keep them grounded.

Wolf teaches me the importance of and inspiration in connection, cunning, dreams, facing fear, freedom, intuition, teaching, guardianship, group consciousness, hunting, independence, individuality, inner strength, introspection, knowledge, leadership, listening, magick, path-finding, psychic energy, risk-taking, seeking, shape-shifting, spirituality, stamina, stealth and wisdom. In many Native American traditions, Wolf is considered to be the highest spiritual teacher in the kingdom, even above the hawk and the eagle.

Wolf is loyal to a fault. Some she-wolves have died trying to save their own pack members from danger, when they could have run away and saved themselves. Wolf is territorial, and not afraid of fighting for his home or pack. Wolf can be jealous of those he does not know or trust, and will often try to put himself between his home and family, and others. This is an act of protection, not possession. He is also always on guard to sense the slightest changes and shift in energy, for good or bane.



When not threatened and when treated with respect Wolf will allow others to get close to him and his pack. However, when approached with deceit, or hidden agenda, he will often pick up on that scent and be wary of the contact. Often this "feeling" will appear much earlier than others. Wolf has good ears for listening to the most intricate details, up close and far off. This early warning kicks in, even when the energy is at a far distance and has not yet arrived. When you cross the path of Wolf, he often knows you've been coming for a while.

Those who walk with Wolf as their spirit guide are often around others who are like-minded, with those who are equally spiritually active, and we often back this family of friends to the point of getting ourselves into a fight. However, our territorial nature often tends to come out in our relationships as well.

When we work on project after a significant amount of effort, we can get upset when someone crosses a line and tries to usurp it from us or infringe on our part of the process. This is often mistaken as possessiveness, when in actuality it is more often a sense of danger or foreboding. We want to protect what is ours, from those who would have it when it is not theirs. Above all we want to protect our mate, and our family. Wolf walks beside me to show me my innate ability to "sense" and to "see" spiritual undercurrents and lessons. To understand that I am not ever alone, for I have many "family" members to rely on.

For as long as I can remember I have had recurring dreams about Wolf. Although I didn't understand it when I was younger, the dreams are here guide and assist me. In them I am asking Wolf for strength and courage. In them I am asking Wolf to help me to see the nature of an issue from spirit so that I can learn why it is occurring, and how to proceed.



Wolves are considered by many to be the highest animal in the spiritual plane. They represent the teachers and the guardians of the balance in nature within the Divine Universe. They are spiritual messengers in animal form, between the Divine force and incarnated beings.

Wolf is a pathfinder. He is a bringer of new ideas, returning to deliver teachings, and to allow us to learn and participate in knowing our spiritual heritage and path, sharing his magick. Wolf teaches us loyalty. If we follow him we can learn loyalty. The wolf pack provides an enormous sense of belonging and family, yet even within the pack Wolf still retains his individuality.

In my spiritual development, I look for teachings from Wolf, my spiritual guide. He is my brother, and he would not come to me without me making a request to the path-finder for his appearance in my life. He is partnered by the moon when he comes. By howling at the moon Wolf asks me to seek connection with new ideas which lie just below the surface of my waking mind, to look into my unconscious, to release powerful energies. By doing this, and discovering him within, I am encouraged to become a teacher, a tutor to all people, to aid them in understanding the mystery that life brings us. It should come as no surprise then that I teach for a living.

Wolf comes to teach, and to endow the gift of wisdom on those who will take the time to listen to his teachings. It is said that when you have travelled every path and located those that lead nowhere, you will truly know your territory. In discovering this, a simple true is revealed, that nothing stays the same, all things change as Nature intends.

Wolf may tell me to seek places to be alone. In these places, in the absence of other people, brother Wolf may reveal himself and allow me to see my inner spirit guide and teacher. This in turn can deliver a vision of the true being I am and will become. Wolf will always urge me to seek teachers and pathfinders that will provide me with ways to achieve new life experiences. I will remember that teachers and way-finders can be the tiny voice which comes to me from within, or a lesson in the form of a stone, a book, a cloud, a tree, another person or the Great Spirit that binds us all as one.



Ritual is very important to Wolf; both daily ritual as well as the more significant rituals of lunar howling. Those who walk with Wolf will feel more in tune and attuned when they honour and relink with the life force. When Wolf appears it is time to breath new life into my life rituals; find a new path, take a new journey, take control of my life. I am the creatrix of my life. I inspire it and I direct it. When I do so with the harmony and discipline of Wolf, I know the true spirit of freedom.

Brightly-spun breezes,
Faemore Lorei.

Welcome to Owl: Faemore's Power Totem!

Owl is the bringer of wisdom. She is omnicient, possesses mystical gifts and is often connected to intuition, clairvoyance and clairaudience. Her energy is at its pinnacle in the very soul of darkness, where we are flung, hurtling into blindness and confusion. Owl pierces the darkness of the blackest night, sensing and seeing and hearing what others cannot.

A magickal creature of the forest (same as faeries ^_^), Owl is enigmatic and powerful, and calls upon us to open our senses to Truth, and to listen to the wisdom deep within our hearts and souls. She is the still, small voice trying to reach us, and to aid us in a current challenge we might have encountered and experienced. When I call on my own intuition I tap into her power.

Listen to your own wisdom here for there is something you need to hear and see. As Owl is so strongly connected to the night time, her wisdom may come to us while we slumber. Take the time to be aware of your dreams, and remember and write down any significant ones you may have. Owl is a messenger that can gift clarity and vision, enlightenment and illumination.



Owl is the totem of the Crone and the familiar of the Witch. She is a symbol of the feminine, the moon and the night ... Her realm is of magick and darkness, prophecy and wisdom. Owl is the messenger, responsible for carrying communications from Spirit to Manifestation. As such she delivers messages from the Ancestors to us of the corporeal as we journey through our incarnations on this Earthen Path towards their celestial domain.

Owl has large, alert eyes. As she is a nocturnal creature, her eyes reflect her habitat. Goddess has given this magnificent creature beautiful vision, and the capacity to penetrate the darkness and alert her to any threat or encroachment upon her territory. Owl helps us to penetrate beyond the masks, untruths, white lies and deceits of others in order to see Truth and the individual. She sees all.

Throughout the ages Owl has been a symbol of wisdom. She embodies the Gifts of Higher Knowledge and Insight. Her large eyes reflect her otherworldly knowledge and wisdom. Her stare is direct and penetrating as though she sees beyond the masks to the truths that lay beneath. Her wisdom is forged through life experiences that are then transmuted into greater understanding.



Sometimes Owl wisdom is sought out for, and at other times it is not fully understood or embraced. As a totem animal, Owl, with her capacity to cross from physical life to spirit, symbolises the constant spiral of the Soul's Transmutation. As such she is connected to reincarnation, which is the evolution of the soul as it enters into the Great Experience of Life.

For those journeyers who are Owl-Souled, there will be an innate understanding of the recurring cycle of Life, Death and Rebirth. The devotees of my Matron Deity Baba Yaga also possess an innate understanding of this cycle and of reincarnation. Owl is also thought to be a creature blessed with Shape-shifting, that is the ability for her to change her form from that of Owl to human and back again.

My Patron Deity Lesovik too can Shape-shift, changing his form from that of a blade of grass to the tallest tree. Owl is attributed to and sacred to him as is my other animal totem, the wolf. Both creatures accompany him and I through his forest, as well as my own. With Owl this shape-shifting ability is closely connected to Lunar Magick, for this beautiful creature is sister to the Moon (Selene!). The Crone and the Owl-Souled much like their animal totem will shift and transmute themselves like the waxing and waning phases of the moon and the ebb and flow of the ocean's tides.



The emotions of the Owl-Souled are always attuned to the calls of many different planes and energies. When the delicate balance between grounding and receptivity is found and practiced, the Owl-Soul takes flight into a higher form of awareness, intuition and Light.

The majestic and mysterious Owl has been revered with awe and fascination, yet she has also inadvertently served as an agent of fear. Still even as some shied away from Owl, calling her an agent of darkness, others yet recognised the depths of awareness in her beautiful eyes. Owl is a patient messenger, a bringer of sacred knowledge and a holder of wisdom. She is capable of seeing the unseen.

With her keen eyesight she can glance into the soul to discern meaning and motive. She is a totem of truth. However, Owl wasn't always revered as a symbol of wisdom. To reveal those hidden elements of the self that impact your life for better or for worse, we must often make our way through the darkest parts of our soul as if we ourselves are the nocturnal hunter. There is indeed both a darkness within the self, as well as without, but like Owl we can transcend it by drawing nourishment from the insights we receive when we penetrate it.



Owl has the power to extract secrets. She can hear, not just what is being said by others, but what is hidden. No one and nothing can deceive her. She can see into the darkness of others' souls, and is connected with clairvoyance because of this. The Owl-Souled trust their instincts about people, for their totem the Owl guides them.

Owl sees and knows the Truth. She has long been connected to both death and wisdom. Her connection with death comes with her peerless capacity as hunter of the night, and her ability to charter a course through the most densely forested areas in order to seek out and capture her prey. Owl knows that all apparent manner of death is in fact a liberation into new life. Something must first be cleared in order for something new to be born.

Mati Syra Zemlya has also taught me this lesson very well. Both her and Owl take me beyond fear, for Owl sees far into the future, and she knows that even after the darkest night there is a new dawn that is approaching. From every death something new must emerge for life is ever renewing itself. All of life is interconnected and we are all part of the same fabric that wends its way through the stories of our own life and death. Death then becomes not a loss to be feared, but a new adventure to be explored with great abandon and joy.



Owl knows what is needed in the right amounts and what needs to be released because she perceives truths that are veiled to many, thanks to her silent flight at night. Owl is skilled in detecting untruths, thanks to her acute hearing which detects what others do not. She is a skilled hunter thanks to great knowledge. Owl has long been connected with the mystery, twilight and magick that aids in this perception.

Owl is magick and omens, knowledge and great wisdom. She is a creature of the night and the moon. She is connected to astral travel because of her nightly travels and she is able to see through deceptions to the truth contained beneath the lies. Owl is helper of man and giver of prophecy. Wealth, abundance and riches of the soul are oftentimes associated with her.

Owl is able to sense those with magickal powers and she can see the good and evil in people. She is messenger of the Gods, and the Universe. She guides people to and through Baba Yaga's underworld. She unmasks those who seek to take advantage of one's kindness, and reveals the hidden motives of those who would seek to disguise their intentions to those wise enough to seek her counsel.



Owl is a silent and swift hunter. She is nocturnal and her eyesight is very keen. The hoot of Owl is an omen that death is forthcoming. Owl is shy but will guard her home and charges fiercely against challenge and threat. Her talons and beak are razor sharp for she is a predator of the animal kingdom. Owl possesses powerful luck and the great gift of will. She is a strong, peaceful spirit, magickal, influential and virtuous.

Owl has been called cat with wings. She knows how to move silently and when to be still, making her the keeper of secrets. Owl doesn't feel the need to proclaim her presence to anyone until the timing is right. She is at home in the night, and has a great awareness of all that is around her at all times. Owl has the vision of a predator which means she sees clearly what she looks at, and has great intuition on how to approach and treat it.

Owl has the courage to follow her instincts and comes to us when we need to open our eyes and do the same. Owl makes us comfortable with our shadow selves, and gives us the gift of freedom. The secretive habits of Owl, her quiet flight and hoot, have made her the object of fear and superstition. However the Owl-Souled are fortunate because the messages of Owl are deep, far-reaching, very complex and well worth it.



The remarkable ability of Grandmother Owl, to fly silently and to quietly move from place to place offer us lessons in stealth and poise for our everyday and spiritual lives. The wise appearance of her large eyes and stout body, teach us who hear her call to find deeper meaning in all things. Her vision and hearing are very powerful and gift us with ability to become clairvoyant listeners and hear the human psyche.

Because Owl is most active at dusk and dawn, she is sometimes called a messenger from the dark side. If she comes to you, it may indicate a need to peer into the dark and face your fears, and a great mystery which is unfolding that will be revealed by looking into its deeper meaning. She comes to those who need to let go of some part of their life that is no longer needed.

As my guide, Owl teaches me to see and hear past shadows, beyond fear and the dark, through to the other side that promises light, happiness and knowledge. She is a symbol of death and the mysteries of witchcraft. She is sometimes believed to visit those about to die. This doesn't always mean a physical death as much as it means a letting go the parts of me that no longer serve me.



Owl will give you the gift of seeing what is truly beneath the surface and not being deceived by external appearance. With her spectral senses, Owl guides us through the dark tunnels of fear, change and unknowing to the light at the other end. There is hardly any other animal so deeply connected with magick, witchcraft and omens, as Owl. She can fly in utter darkness in the middle of the night and see everything, and she can hear the lowest whisper.

It has always been said that both witches as well as Owl have their secret ways deep in the dark night forest, and whatever they do there is hidden from ordinary eyes. Owl can see the invisible and hear the impossible. She looks deep below the surface of things, her sharp talons pierce the truth and her energy protects us from illusion.

To connect with Owl also means to merge with her talents of farsightedness, hearing the slightest sounds, a sharp mind, love of truth, silent but quick action, the ability to hear in the world of night, the power to see at night and beneath the shimmer of illusion. Owl is ruler of the night and seer of souls, and she is honored as the keeper of spirits who had passed from one plane to another, winging their newly-freed souls from the physical world into the realm of spirit.



Owl teaches us that it is safe to look at what we may consider to be the darkness of our own souls, and that in that darkness we may find much food for growth. She teaches us to acknowledge our shadow selves, invites us to peer into the dark as she can and gives us courage to accept and come to love all that we find there. The Owl-Souled cannot be fooled, not by others or themselves. They know more about an individual's inner life than that person knows about her- or himself.

Above all, Owl calls you to keep a keen eye on deception. She calls us to be diligent and observant, of ourselves and of others. She asks us to look into our own potential for deception as well as our own potential for creation. She is the one who sees clearly through even the most concealed deception. She sees the tricks we play on ourselves and others. She sees our manipulations and does not hesitate to call us out on them. She tells no lie and she does not look away. She reveals all.

Owl is a mysterious creature who is friends with the night and flies on silent wings. Her presence is rarely noticed unless you know where to look. Her lessons are never easy. Owl sees what we want to remain hidden. Owl is honest and sees directly into our heart and soul. She perches in the trees, moving from one to the other, looking down to notice the smallest details and never making a sound as she continues to observe and learn.



Owl's honesty can be very unsettling. As many of us struggle with the truth and lies we hide within, Owl sees them clearly. She brings our deceptions forward and looks within us with giant, piercing eyes. She looks into the depths of us and sees us for who we are deep down. When Owl is asked to reveal something she does it with naked honesty. When she is asked to call out the truth she does so even when the requester is not prepared for it.

Owl works in mysterious ways. Owl's magick is shown through illuminating the dark, all that which is unseen, hidden from view, or lying in shadows. Owl's magick is also relevant to Dreams as well as connected to the other feminine energies of creativity, sensitivity and an awareness of things not yet in form. As such Owl is a messenger of Prophecy. For some, she comes to tell of the future, as the future lies in the Shadow of the Unknown from our current perspective.

Here Owl directs us to look forward, to envision something not yet manifest, and to take appropriate action now to foster it's creation. As such Owl is also a shape shifter and a master of adaptation. Because of her great talent for observation, Owl can move, adjust and transmute according to new knowledge and insights, understanding and wisdom. As the flight of Owl is silent, her shape shifting movement is perceived as invisible, and unnoticed by others.



The Owl-Souled need be humble, for here humility is called for, as Owl does not boast. She merely goes about her Magick, silent in the dark. Because Owl prefers the cover of darkness and the camouflage of trees, her Lunar symbol is the Dark Moon, a time for inner magick, and the Full Moon, a time for magick manifest. May Owl of the deep peace of inner knowing and protection be with you always.

Brightly spun breezes,
Faemore Lorei.

Lesovik: Faemore's Patron Deity

Lesovik is a very ancient being, one who has been there from the very sprouting of the primal Russian forest - for in a strange way, Lesovik is the forest. Some say he rules it and all that live within it. Some say he looks like a man, and is small and covered with fur, while others have said he is tall, with the horns and hooves of a goat. I see him as above, very otherworldly in manifestation and manner, with a crown of antlers upon his head and a goddess spiral upon his brow. Lesovik's eyes are deep, discerning and a bright, brilliant green. He is bearded and his beard is of living vines and grass, ivy and foliage. His body is liminal, a tall and willowy torso joined at the waist to the withers of a horse. He smiles with a smile that is unfriendly, but never cruel.



Lesovik is a magickal creature as changeable as the forest, very similar to sunshine on a leaf. He is also as full of wily tricks as the forest is of leaves. Sometimes these pranks can be fatal. Sometimes he can be dangerous. He doesn't like hibernating in the Winter and breaks forth in the Spring with such violence, that no mortal would wish to encounter him, not even his devotees. Most of the time though, his pranks are not meant to be harmful. Not to anyone who does not harm the forest, that is. And he truly does enjoy a visit from any human who can tell a joke silly enough to make him laugh out. Lesovik, whom I fondly refer to as Leshy, is the male woodland spirit in traditional, pagan Slavic mythology, who protects wild animals and forests and is my Patron Deity.



Leshy is a strange creature, the very soul of the forest, with blue blood, a long, grassy beard, bushy eyes brows and bulging green eyes. Leshy appears as a man and is tall, but he is also a shape-shifting forest divinity and a changeling, and can change his form, height and size into any animal or plant at will. He can shift from being a small, thin blade of grass when moving through open fields to a very tall, imposing tree when in the forest, but either way he will have no shadow. His hair and beard are made from living grass and vines and he has antlers, a tail and cloven hooves. Lesovik's skin is pale white or blue and contrasts with his vivid, brilliant green eyes and beard. He holds close bonds to the grey wolf - the king of the beasts in Slavic folklore, and the owl, and is seen in their companionship often.



A traveller to the vast forest can hear Lesovik whistling, shrieking, singing or cackling somewhere in the distance through the trees. He is the Forest Lord and carries a club to express that he is the master of the wood. Leshy is the King of the Forest and Lord of the Slavic Wilds. He is like an old tree, green and tentacled with tendrils and colored earthen like its trunk. He is like a harvest mouse, passing unnoticed through the under growth. He is like a whirlwind, with leaves dancing in its core. He is like the owl, or the wolf, who is his constant companion, powerful and wise. Leshy has hair like ivy and a long, thin face, with a bright, cold look. He makes taiga sounds, sounds of the boreal forest, such as owl's call, wind howl, rain falling, leaves rustling and stirring in a breeze and echoes heard amongst trees.



Lesovik is the protector of all animals and birds in the forest. Mass migration happens at his instruction. When he is in human form, he looks like a common peasant but his eyes glow, his shoes are worn on the wrong feet and his coat is button on backwards. In some tales he appears to travellers as a large talking mushroom. Leshy will teach a person the secrets of magick if they befriend him, but he has many tricks, including leading peasants astray, tickling them to death and hiding the axes of woodcutters. If Lesovik crosses the path of a person in the forest, he can make them lose their way in an instant. To find the way out, you have to turn your clothes inside out and wear your shoes on the opposite feet. Leshy is a terribly mischievous creature, with a somewhat jealous spirit. He has a horrible cry, and imitates the voices of people familiar to wanderers to lure them back to his cave.



Leshy removes signs from their posts in his domain. Although he enjoys misguiding humans and kidnapping beautiful maidens, he is not evil, and is known to keep grazing cattle from wandering too far into the forests and getting lost. As one walks through the forest, Lesovik is the crackle of leaves one hears behind, and the presence one sometimes feels watching, from a small distance. He leads travellers astray in the woods, making them circle round and round until every tree begins to look the same and landmarks melts away. However, Leshy would almost always release them if they invert some aspect of their nature (such as their clothing), which is a sure way to break his enchantment. Sometimes a good joke just might persuade him to let you be. Still Lesovik has a temper and will not hesitate to send a person into the dark forest to their death, if they cross him.



Lesovik is linked to the life of the forest, dying in the fall, returning angry and vicious in the Spring, and always ready and rearing to make mischief. Hunters and woodmen knew they would be forced to abandon their original path, meeting grave and dire peril, if they carefully listened to Leshy's call. Every single noise could disguise an obscure danger. He often lives on branches, sleeping like a baby in a cradle. One can hear him laugh, cry or sigh in his sleep. At the height of his power however, Lesovik is a wild and capricious sovereign, as ambiguous and complex as the forest herself. Late in autumn, before he takes his underground refuge, all the animals run away from Leshy's destructive rage. In summer time however his temper improves a lot, and he would sometimes put the path-signs back in their places, help wayfarers to find their way and guide a lost child back home to its village.



On the contrary however, at other times Lesovik would amuse himself by carrying a traveller to the wrong track, leaving him in the middle of marshes and on the edge of fearful precipices. Now pleasant, then terrorising, Leshy's laughter was able to cross over forest borders. Walking in his woods are risky. You can try to get into his good graces by offering him bread and salt as a promise of eternal friendship. Bread is the symbol of life, and salt with its preserving properties, is a the symbol of eternity and the steadfastness of earth. Of course Lesovik is only one of the bewitching creatures living within wild, earthy places, and inhabiting my forest. I know he is weird and eldritch, scary and frightening, but the most dangerous quality of my Patron Deity is his alluring and captivating, enchanting and enthralling call to my soul ... through the trees.

Brightly-spun breezes,
Faemore Lorei.

The Otter

The very first time I laid eyes on an Otter that I can remember was on the cover issue of National Geographic World Magazine (the kids' version of the famous magazine - they now have NatGeo Kids and World is aimed at teens).

In April of that year, I got a large parcel in the mail, not knowing what it was - My dad had bought be the subscription as a belated ninth birthday gift. I opened the packet and there among all my membership papers, was the magazine that would be my lifeline for another nine years until I graduated to the adult National Geographic.

In September, I opened my envelope as usual, all excited to read that month's issue. The sweetest little face I had ever seen was staring at me from the magazine cover.

The lead story was covering the ravages of the Oil Spills on otters (there had been three major oil spill that year alone, and of course the infamous Exxon oil spill just a year and a half before).

The pictures on the inside made my heart ache - there were ducks and other birds covered in crude oil that clumped their feathers and thus made them chill to the point of hypothermia, and that poisoned them as they tried to clean their feathers of the muck; the dead fish washing up on the beach by the thousands; the sand stained black by oil.

But the images that just shattered my heart into a milion pieces were the title story photos: A little sea otter, covered from head to toe in oil, her eyes almost glued shut by the black muck.

She was freezing and almost dead because, like the birds, the oil clumped her thick fur, rendering her natural insulation useless and letting the freezing water all the way to her skin. She was sick from swallowing oil and was listless. There were photos of her being washed, as I remember it was a lengthy process because she, like most other survivors, had to be washed several times, dried in between washings to check for more oil and residue. She was handled carefully because they didn't know if she was cut or had anything broken from slipping around in the oil. And all throughout, the fire in her eyes burned bright, even when they were obscured by oil and she could barely move.

The image of the otter on the front cover of the World magazine is something that has stayed with me these past 20 years and burns brilliantly in my mind. It was the pivotal image that imprinted Otters into my brain. Ever after that I was always aware of them, whenever they were on TV or in a magazine. Sometimes I would just switch channels "absent-mindedly", for no particular reason, to the NatGeo or Discovery channels and there would be an otter or two, playing or eating or floating on their backs, soaking up the sun.

From the moment I first saw her, I felt an affinity for Otters. Their playfulness, their resilience, their friendliness and gentleness with each other and with other animals, and the sparkle in their eyes. It wasn't until earlier this year, when Faemore and I were on separate quests for our spirit guides and totem animals, that my mind turned immediately to the Otter, and then to the Cat, to whom I been connected on a deep spiritual level for as long as I can remember. I set about trying to determine what these animals meant to me, and I started with the Otter.

I believe that my totem animal is an animal whose general behaviour I can emulate, and which is a symbols of the elements, attributes and traits that should govern my life and spirit. I also believe my totem to be a symbol of my ancestors. I do believe that a person can have several totem animals, but I believe that one or two will have prominence for you general life. I also believe that we both choose our totem and it chooses us. We can be aware of our totems for a very long time and not realize that it is actually the symbols of our existence. The Otter is a perfect example of this for me: I have always loved her, she chose me long ago from the minute I laid eyes on her, but it is only recently that I chose her too.

Through meditation, I have come to understand that the otter is my totem animal. Completely separate to that, in Native American folklore, I was born under the sign of the Otter.

The Otter is a symbol of Joy, of primal feminine energy. She is both an earth and a water creature, and embodies the qualities of these two elements. Because of her balanced feminine and healing energy, the hide of the otter was the material of choice for a Native American Medicine Woman's pouch.

The otter teaches us that balanced feminine energy is not catty or jealous, but it is sisterly and generous, She has no fear of replacement and feels no envy at the accomplishments of her sisters. She teaches us to go with the flow, to be curious, to enjoy Life's tide, the play in the waves and revel in the water's rush, until we find a steady spot of land to rest.

She awakens our inner child, beckons us to frolic and delight in the gifts of the water. She is a symbol of sensuality: long, sleek and graceful, otters are natural flirts and courtship is an engaging and exciting exercise. She is referred to as coquiettish and fun. She is mischeivous and boisterous. She is innocence and joy.

Though she is non-confrontational, the otter is a fierce protecress of her young. She understands the beauty of nurturing others and sharing their joy. Otters form strong familial bonds and large family groups, travelling together and usually remaining together for life.

She teaches us the freedom and wonder of love without jealous or fear.

As a Birth Sign, the otter is influenced by Air, and she brings many of her totem attributes, plus a few more. According to Native Americans, whose wisdom and lore I love and respect, I am an Otter, born on February 9th.

The Otter born is an Air Child, which accounts for her flexibility, communication, intelligence, creativity and wealth of ideas. She belongs to the Clan of the Butterfly (another animal I have long been fascinated by). This explains her free spirit and verbal skill, but also her indecision and the tendency to waste her energies.

An Otter is born under a time when the North Wind Blows and the ground is frozen, but underneath the ice there teems vitality. The sun's power is increasing and the promise of renewed life is invigorating.

Knowing intuitively that nature will soon bring forth new and splendid life, the Otter Born is full of hope and confidence. She is intellectually active, well-liked and alruistic. She has a very keen sense of justice and cannot tolerate the fact that very priviledged people exist side-by-side with people who are poor and suffering. Otter borns are revolutionaries and rebels.

The Otter born is cooperative and capable of positively influencing the team spirit in groups and organizations. Friendship and solidarity are very important for her. She will share or even give away her last shirt when a someone is in need. She is sociable and playful.

Otter borns tend to to be idealistic and fond of utopian ideas, but they embody the things they would like to see come to pass. They are proud and unconventional, loyal and loving, brilliant and often misunderstood.

In Love and in Life, the Otter born needs freedom to express her romantic nature as well as her practicality. The Otter born is faithful and free-spirited in love, and loves with her whole heart.

She is represented by the colour silver, the mineral turquoise, and is at her best in the middle of the day and the middle of the night.

I am an Otter Born, and the Otter is my totem.

Faeries: Part 1

Faeries have forever been my fascination. From the time I was a young child they
were family and friends, adversaries and lovers, home and the world. I listened to their whispers in the green rustling of sunlight-dappled leaves. I looked at their faces in the gnarled roots and gnome holes, in the twisted trunks and canopied branches. My eye espied them in earthen cracks and caverns and cannons, and in deep, dark, nether places, desolate places where human eye would never dare to fall. I heard their song wafting through the tinkling warmth of pearlescent breezes. I heard their songs wafting through the gentle shadows and mists of my dreams. I felt them in my heart because we shared the same heart. They were not Other kin. They were My kin. They still are. And to this day I still listen and look, espy and experience, learn and live and love the secrets they share with me even now.



Faeries are children of Earth and they are as myriad-faceted as Nature herself. They are differentiated in shape and size, character, form and personality. They are utterly unfettered to corporeal manifestation, through which they may reveal themselves when they so wish to. The origin of their name, like their being, is incongruous and obscure. Faerie derives from the Latin fatum, acknowledging the talents faeries have for divining and influencing human destiny. Faerie encompasses both their art of enchantment as well as the entire realm in which faeries have their being. The Good People as they are at times called, held a significant place in a world where each tree had a name and every deer was recognised, known and even called to. They were countless and very powerful. They played a pivotal part in daily living. Now however, the realm of faerie is not so frequently found or so easily explored.



The shadow lands still lie veiled in the heath. Children, poets, psychics and healers oftentimes unearth them without even realising it. Those gifted with the second sight and humans at one and attuned with nature will have these realms and the beautiful being within revealed to them. Although the doorways and gateways to Faerie are elusive, they can be still discovered. The world and ways of Faerie are so fathomless I cannot wish to write an all-inclusive article. However I hope to touch on enough to expose you reader to the entrances of Faerie. Whether or not they open the door and let you in, whether or not you step over the threshold and enter in, is up to you. I will speak of signs and times, places and habitats, and the nature spirits of the earth. Take from it what you will.



Signs of Faerie Approach and Presence

A whirlwind or dust devil
An unexplained loss of time
The bending of grass blades with no perceptible cause
Extreme silliness and times of uncontrollable laughter
Sudden unexplained trembling or whispering of the leaves
Sudden unexplained chills or goose pimples when alone in nature
The feeling of an insect walking through your hair, when there is none
A rippling of the water when not caused by fish, a breeze or something tangible

The Best Times for Faerie Approach - All of the "tween times"



Dawn
Dusk
Noon
Midnight
Equinoxes and Solstices

The Best Places for Faerie Approach - All of the "tween places"

Islands
Lakeshores
Thresholds
Tidal pools
Glades in woods
Bends in the Road
Where streams divide
Beaches and Seashores
Intersections of roads
Fences and Border Hedges
Any opening in sea or land
Stairwells, landings and hallways
Grates, Portals, Doors and Gateways



Habitats of Nature Spirits

Faerie cannot be seen by the vulgar eye. However the eye of the child can see Faerie naturally. This is why it does me well to keep my inner child alive and happy. Faeries live everywhere and nowhere. They are always in woodlands, forests and fields, and living within hollow oak trees. They can be found between bushes, in caves and under water, around lakes and streams. They can be found beneath human dwellings and even within them. They are always found wherever there are manifestations of nature. Faerie mounds, raised areas upon the ground, indicate their underground habitats. Faerie rings, areas of grass marked by a circular perimeter of some kind, indicate the places where they play.



The spirits of nature talk to us oftentimes without us ever realising it, as they exist within all elements of nature: earth and water, air and fire. When you take a walk in nature and catch the whiff of a pine as you pass the tree they talk to you. When you catch the fragrance of a flower while those you are walking with do not, they talk to you. When a tree rustles on a still day while you pass beneath it, they talk to you. When there is a ripple in a pond or creek just as you sit down beside it, they talk to you. When a bird comes and sings especially to you, they talk to you. Their presence and touch are soft and subtle. They teach us how not to take anything for granted. They teach us to appreciate them and to take joy in all things. They will make their presence known and your bonds with them will strengthen with constancy. I will leave you here for now. In Faeries: Part 2 I will write about the nature spirits of the Earth.

Merry meet again and blessed be,
Faemore Lorei.