To Sumon a Fairy

Some things that Fae usually expect as payments/gifts for their presence; Whole, fresh milk. Fresh beer. Fresh shugar/candy. Fresh real butter. And silver or gold coins. Things that are small but that had/have value and worth or are items of luxury.

I would expect that you would leave the offering outside and unattended for at least a day. If it disappears or has been consumed then it was accepted. If not, then either fae are not near, or the offering was not sufficient/something they want.

@Weide, research the type of fair folk in your area to get a general idea what type you might find. Fairys are everyone, and some traveled from the old world to the new, but it is more common to find certain fairys in certain areas. If you know there are earth fairys in your area, you can adjust your offering to be specific to them. If you are unsure, you can focus on offerings the type of fair folk you wish to work with would enjoy. Milk and honey is a popular offering. If you garden, research flowers which attract butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators as they are similar to types fairys enjoy. My parents had a lot of lilac bushes on their property and fairys seemed to enjoy them. That is how I began working with them. I would meditate in the lilac bushes around Beltane when they were in bloom.

Shiny objects, pretty things, sweet things, dairy and saffron are also popular. Gnomes and other fairys in that family enjoy oatmeal with a lot of butter. You can also offer a section of your lawn to fairys. Going back to my childhood, we had a large back yard and the section along the fence at the very back of the yard was left untouched. It was an offering to the local nature spirits. We never mowed the grass, planted flowers, or stepped foot into the area. If our ball landed in the area, it belonged to the spirits. It sounds a bit extreme, and not everyone can do this, but this is another way to honour the good neighbours and give them a home which is nearby but separate from your own.

A word of caution, there are fairys who enjoy meat. Redcaps come to mind. I encourage you to not contact them. This is also why I urge you to research ancient lore so you can study the signs and know what type of fairy you are dealing with. Brownies or house elves are another type of fairy you need to know how to interact with correctly. While the fae have their own etiquette, Brownies are the type who will move into your house and keep it clean, but will move out if you gift them clothes or leave offerings. And at the same time, you need to pay them. What I do for my Brownie, I leave a cup of tea on the mantle, but I do it in a way that it appears as if I forgot my drink. They get paid, but do not get offended.

As for altars, you can have them indoors or outdoors. It really depends on your craft. You can always ask them, but again, you need to do so respectfully and after a certain amount of time has past. Do not ask the first time you meet a fairy. Also, never thank them. It implies you owe them a favour and they will come to collect. I also suggest you keep a piece of iron in your pocket just as a precaution if things go south. Personally, I do not have a fairy altar. I have places in nature I will meet with them, or leave gifts, but not one specifically for fairys. I do have a fairy garden, couple objects, stones and windchimes in my garden that they enjoy, but that is more gifts for them than for me to use in my craft. I have three altars of my own, and my wife has three as well, but each one has a specific purpose. I suppose you could consider my working/spells altar my fairy altar because I call on the ones I work with at that one more than the others, but it is not designed exclusively for them. Also, the only ones I call on at that altar are the ones who live inside my home. The rest of the time, I go into my back yard or a specific spot in the forest and speak my intentions to them.

If you want a book on the subject, might I suggest Forbidden Mysteries of Faery Witchcraft by Storm Faerywolf.

You could, but it is highly unlikely. I say this because the Fae have different morals than humans. That is the first hurdle people need to overcome. On the physical, humans are used to being the top of the food chain. Spiritually, however, we are pretty low. Fairys have their own set of standards and for some, a simple mistake could be seen as unforgivable and you will never be granted access to advanced knowledge. At least, not from them. Most fairys want nothing to do with humans, and those who do interact out of necessity. Say they live near a human town or enjoy observing humans much like how a human might marvel at a fox. If you manage to gain a fairys respect, they may share information about their realm, they might even take you there. However, this is ill-advised. For some, this might be a trap. Others might take offense if you ask, or refuse to tell you certain things based on their oaths.

As for taking you there, fairys have more spiritual power than humans and can interact with other dimensions in ways humans cannot. They simply choose not to for a variety of reasons that is specific to them. If they invite you into their realm, it is not because they are your friend. There is always a selfish reason. Time in the fairy realm is different from ours. A five minute visit could mean you lose twenty years in the physical and will return to a vastly different world. Fairys usually take humans into their realm because they plan to keep them there. It is best to work with them to further your own path, but not to expect friendship. Fairys work with humans because they want something in exchange. I have worked with a particular member of the fair folk since I was thirteen. We have a strong relationship, but I would never consider her my friend. It is a working relationship, nothing more. Yes, we get along, but we have an agreement. That is the only reason she stays around.