Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. Today’s blog post is a look at seeking to live an Authentic Life. I thought this would be a good topic given that we have just entered a New Year, and it is, for many, a time of new beginnings. For this post, I will be discussing how walking a Path of Authenticity is something that is very aligned with Faery through a focus on Selkies, Swan Maidens, and then Faeries in general!
So, I have written about Selkies several times, including a post specifically about how Selkie stories are great examples of folktales that show the importance of Authenticity. That being said, I could not do a post on seeking Authenticity in the New Year and not discuss Selkies again! I want to begin with a brief overview of Selkies for those unfamiliar with this beautiful species of Fae or those who need a refresher on the lore. The Selkie is the Scottish Seal Maiden, and although there are also male Selkies (and tales about Male Selkies), the most common Selkie lore speaks of them as Seal Maidens, much like how Mermaids are more discussed than Mermen. The Selkie has the ability to be in either humanoid or Seal form with the aid of her magickal Seal Skin. This is why many tales of Selkies feature a man stealing the Seal Skin of a Selkie and forcing her into marriage. The Selkie is presented as being a good wife to her husband in these tales but incredibly unhappy as she longs to return to her home in the sea. Of course, the story never ends well for the man. Eventually, the Selkie finds her Seal Skin, often with the help of one of the children she had borne her husband. The Selkie ends her tale by abandoning the husband she was forced to marry to regain her freedom and return to her home in the sea! As a side note, there are many Selkie tales where she also abandons her children, which is terribly sad, but some tales do have her take them with her into the sea.
A similar species of Faery Woman is the Swan Maiden, as they have Swan Feather Cloaks, which are also often stolen in the folklore, leading to a forced marriage. Swan Maidens are powerfully aligned with Imbolc, which takes place on February 1st, as they are known as innocent and pure-hearted, much like the first flowers, the Snowdrops, that are just beginning to peak through the Snow, bringing with them the hopes of Spring! Now, while the Swan Maiden is also forced into a marriage, and she does leave when she regains her Feathered Cloak, her pure heart does often allow her to truly begin to love her husband. If her husband goes through trials to prove that his heart and love are also pure, the Swan Maiden may just return to him, now having gained the ability to have her freedom of form. The husband of the Swan Maiden has to remain true to his love and not try to force his wife to remain with him, as she deserves to live in her Authenticity! So, the Swan Maiden has a much more uplifting and romantic energy than the Selkie, but both do have a thread of needing the Freedom to Live in Authenticity!
On a broader level, the idea of Authenticity and living in your truth is very aligned with the Fae Realms and Faery Queens at the core. The Fae are very accepting and very open, as the Fair Folk live within liminality. And liminality is, after all, the misty and in-between, with nothing feeling very set in stone. That air of acceptance is so intrinsically linked to the Fae Realms, which inspires us to be more Authentic! I also find in my own personal experience that the Faery Queen Goddesses, to whom I am devoted and to whom I Priestess, are so supportive in my striving to live in Authenticity. I feel like embracing my own Inner Truth is something that is, therefore, an act of devotion to the Faery Queens for that reason!
I hope you have enjoyed reading my thoughts on how Faerylore can aid in a quest to seek Authenticity in your life. How have you been feeling about expressing your own Authenticity? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Notes on Image: The image at the top of the post is a Brian Froud artwork of Sleeping Beauty. I found the art on https://www.wikiart.org/fr/brian-froud/sleeping-beauty.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
Further Reading
- The Fairy Bible by Teresa Moorey
- A New Encyclopedia of Fairies by Morgan Daimler
- Priestess of Avalon Priestess of the Goddess by Kathy Jones