[Tutorial] Meet Your Local Genii

[ryen]

Depending on your path and tradition, working on building a relationship with the spirits of your environment could provide major benefits for your practices. For example, I work a lot with plants and trees. So strengthening my bond and understanding of the local genii is crucial to my work. I don’t just want to go and collect some oak branches just because I know they are there. I want to collect them in respect and understanding of the circumstances that particular tree has experienced, knowing that its OK and I’m not taking away from their existence.

We all for the most part, have a central location we call home. And for those nomads and travelers, the earth as a whole is your home, but you are only in one location at a time. This central location is host to a network of life. Even if you live if the Northern-most parts of Siberia, that network is there.

In this day and age, a lot of us are disconnected from our environment. We don’t eat from local food sources, we don’t use items from local sources for our magical practices (usually Amazon or some type of online shop who has stuff delivered), or we just don’t interact with local things at all. So what should you do?

1. Collect an offering of some kind (honey, flowers, etc), incense, a candle (or your pocket altar). The things you normally use for you practice, but an offering is the most important part.
2. Find a location(s) that symbolizes a culmination of all natural energies an go there. I live by the beach but also near swamps so there are major changes in environment just a few miles from each other. All of those distinct ecological areas are facets of the local genii in my area as whole.
3. Once you arrive to that area, observe every plant and animal. Understand that this is their home, and the things around them provide them life. Give thanks to each one for being part of the enormous network that provides for you, whether you see it/know it or not.
4. Find a spot that feels right, you’ll know it when you see it. Setup your portable altar and offering. Sit down, relax.
5. Explain to the local genii what your intent is, and that you hope to learn more from them. Explain that sometimes you will need something from their world, but that you will collect it with respect and with an offering for the exchange.
6. Listen to the environment around you. Every bird call, sweep of wind flowing through the trees, crash of the wave, sunlight reflecting off of the sand. Wherever your are, nature is beautiful and immense if you look for it. And in that search, you shall find the same peace that all life in that area encounters. It’s everywhere once you know how to find it.
7. Leave the offering while stating what your intent with it is.
8. Give thanks to the area and its spirits and mention that you will be back again.
9. As you walk away, don’t look back.

These steps can be changed to fit your own practice. But in general the idea is to find a spot, take an offering, and host a small ceremony thanking the spirits of that area and stating your intent. Establish yourself as someone who respects their space but understands that some things there may help others.

This is part of building your connection to the most root elements of our existence. First with our ancestors, but next with our environment.

 

[Scottish_Pride]

This definitely sounds like some solid advice. One thing I also like to do sometimes, is use things that the environment I'm going to would find beneficial on a mundane level. For example, fertilizer or native plant seeds, food that local wildlife can eat, etc. I'm very lucky to be absolutely surrounded by forests and swamps, myself. And though it's really too inhospitable temperature-wise to be outside much half the year (Even most animals aren't out during the heat of the day from about May to October) I take the time to build a relationship with the places around me for the other half.

 

[Scottish_Pride]

Are we talking about the same thing, though? Genii is a word I'm unfamiliar with, but fae is what I'd usually call nature spirits.

This definitely sounds like some solid advice. But when you say genii, are you talking nature spirits specifically? The word I usually go by is the fae, so I'm wanting to make sure we're talking about the same thing.

Another thing I'd like to add is that for those of us lucky enough to live somewhere with a yard or land of our own, that's a real opportunity that shouldn't be overlooked. Especially since what's right where your house is will affect you, too. In my experience, building a relationship in this circumstance is super important, as fae or nature spirits can just as easily help you out as they can make your life hard if you disrespect them.

 

[ryen]

Yup! We sure are talking about the same thing, nature spirits. Genii is plural for genuis, which has an alternate definition. From Oxford dictionary:

Genius
(in some mythologies) a guardian spirit associated with a person, place, or institution.
plural noun: genii

I see fae as part of the genii of a place, but we're both right

I really like the idea of taking something that the environment can benefit from. Going to definitely do that next time I'm out.

And I totally agree about those with a yard/land. It should be a "I scratch your back, you scratch mines" kind of relationship with the land we live on.

 

[Fausto]

Depending on your path and tradition, working on building a relationship with the spirits of your environment could provide major benefits for your practices. For example, I work a lot with plants and trees. So strengthening my bond and understanding of the local genii is crucial to my work. I don’t just want to go and collect some oak branches just because I know they are there. I want to collect them in respect and understanding of the circumstances that particular tree has experienced, knowing that its OK and I’m not taking away from their existence.

We all for the most part, have a central location we call home. And for those nomads and travelers, the earth as a whole is your home, but you are only in one location at a time. This central location is host to a network of life. Even if you live if the Northern-most parts of Siberia, that network is there.

In this day and age, a lot of us are disconnected from our environment. We don’t eat from local food sources, we don’t use items from local sources for our magical practices (usually Amazon or some type of online shop who has stuff delivered), or we just don’t interact with local things at all. So what should you do?

1. Collect an offering of some kind (honey, flowers, etc), incense, a candle (or your pocket altar). The things you normally use for you practice, but an offering is the most important part.
2. Find a location(s) that symbolizes a culmination of all natural energies an go there. I live by the beach but also near swamps so there are major changes in environment just a few miles from each other. All of those distinct ecological areas are facets of the local genii in my area as whole.
3. Once you arrive to that area, observe every plant and animal. Understand that this is their home, and the things around them provide them life. Give thanks to each one for being part of the enormous network that provides for you, whether you see it/know it or not.
4. Find a spot that feels right, you’ll know it when you see it. Setup your portable altar and offering. Sit down, relax.
5. Explain to the local genii what your intent is, and that you hope to learn more from them. Explain that sometimes you will need something from their world, but that you will collect it with respect and with an offering for the exchange.
6. Listen to the environment around you. Every bird call, sweep of wind flowing through the trees, crash of the wave, sunlight reflecting off of the sand. Wherever your are, nature is beautiful and immense if you look for it. And in that search, you shall find the same peace that all life in that area encounters. It’s everywhere once you know how to find it.
7. Leave the offering while stating what your intent with it is.
8. Give thanks to the area and its spirits and mention that you will be back again.
9. As you walk away, don’t look back.

These steps can be changed to fit your own practice. But in general the idea is to find a spot, take an offering, and host a small ceremony thanking the spirits of that area and stating your intent. Establish yourself as someone who respects their space but understands that some things there may help others.

This is part of building your connection to the most root elements of our existence. First with our ancestors, but next with our environment.

Pretty interesting, thanks, dude.

 

[Lyssia]

I would suggest also repeating this ritual now and then, especially if it's your own backyard (literally or simply as in, a place you often are), or at least make an offering fairly regularly, and perhaps take some time to listen/meditate and see if there's anything the genii might seem to need from you. It doesn't necessarily have to be any kind of mystical experience; I'm amazed at what I will simply notice really needs to be done for the land after I've made an offering, sometimes almost immediately. (Always, of course, within reason and the restrictions of the kind of area it is, if it's a public place.)

 

[Scottish_Pride]

I would suggest also repeating this ritual now and then, especially if it's your own backyard (literally or simply as in, a place you often are), or at least make an offering fairly regularly, and perhaps take some time to listen/meditate and see if there's anything the genii might seem to need from you. It doesn't necessarily have to be any kind of mystical experience; I'm amazed at what I will simply notice really needs to be done for the land after I've made an offering, sometimes almost immediately. (Always, of course, within reason and the restrictions of the kind of area it is, if it's a public place.)

Something I often find useful, for example with gardening, is to keep to keep myself open to my surroundings at the same time. Often I'll be able to "hear" from the plants themselves what they need, if it's something out of the ordinary.

 

[Crows&Ravens]

Well, I'm in need of a wand so I'll follow this guide, thank you very much.