The Faery Altar 

   In working with the Faeries, you may want to create a special altar. This is optional, and a nice touch, but not strictly necessary to the work by any means.  Such an altar can serve as a reminder of your connection with and dedication to Faery Healing work.

  On your Faery Altar, which may be draped in a simple green cloth, you will have a representation of the Faery Hearth. The Flame of Being is the fire of life which blazes brightly in all worlds, realms, and Beings. Every living Being contains a spark of this fire. Within the Faery Realm, this fire burns in the Faery Hearth, which is at the Center of the Faery Realm.

On your altar a special candle is used to represent the Faery Hearth and its flame. The candle should go in the exact center of your altar. Around it you may place objects that represent the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danaan: the Sword, the Spear, the Cauldron and the Stone. These may be quite simple and inexpensive representations. The altar may be adorned with rocks, stones, and seasonal plants or flowers as you wish.

   This altar and Faery Hearth may be used as a focal point while you do your Faery Healing work. As stated above this is not strictly necessary; however, it is pleasing to work with such beauty before you.  

    Here are some suggestions for creating and dedicating such an altar.

          Find a suitable space in your home for the altar. This can be a dresser top, a windowsill, a bedside table or other small table, a bookshelf, or even a bit of floor space in the corner of a room which is off the beaten track and which will afford you a bit of privacy when you wish to work there.

          The altar itself need only contain a few items, the most important of which are a bowl of water, a stone, a feather, a flower, leaf or small branch, and the center candle to represent your Faery Hearth. These items are representations of the Four Elements and the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danaan. I often use a feather to represent Finias/Air; objects more representative of a blade such as small sharp kyanite crystals are also good, but remember, nothing made of iron.

          The altar may also contain, if you desire, items that remind you of your connection with faery: special stones, flowers, even pictorial representations such as greeting cards with pictures of faeries. As I said, these are all optional to the work, but pleasing aesthetically and helpful to the imagination.

          The focus should be on simplicity and beauty.  Don’t make it too cluttered.

         When you are finished constructing your altar, dedicate it to the work with a simple blessing and ritual. For example, call on the Powers of the Four Directions/Elements and the Center, call on the Faery King and Queen and your Faery Allies. State your intention to dedicate this altar to the work of Faery Healing. Ask them to bestow their blessings and protection on your altar and your work.

The Faery Hearth

   Your center candle will serve as a representation of the Faery Hearth. The Faery Hearth is the Fire of Life—the Flame of Being at the heart of all life—as it burns within the Faery Realm. 

   This representation of the power of Life’s Spark is truly the Center of your circle for Faery workings. It is the most important part of your Faery Altar, and belongs in its exact center. In fact, if you have nothing else on your altar, or decide not to have an altar at all, please do use the Faery Hearth candle when you do faery work. 

   The Flame of Being burns in all the worlds, and so connects them all. By use of this fire, you may enter Faery, travel through it, and access the other worlds as well, if need be. It is recommended that before you do this, however, you first learn the other techniques presented, and practice them well, before taking this shortcut. 

   In addition, this Faery Hearth is the place to do all Center related work, that which has to do with no particular Direction or Element, but has to do with the very core energies of a person or situation.

(Excerpt - Faery Healing, Chapter 15, pg 208-209)