{"id":11286,"date":"2015-07-01T01:10:08","date_gmt":"2015-07-01T06:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=11843"},"modified":"2015-06-29T11:15:33","modified_gmt":"2015-06-29T16:15:33","slug":"interview-with-halo-quin-a-fae-existence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2015\/07\/01\/interview-with-halo-quin-a-fae-existence\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Halo Quin: A Fae Existence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Halo Quin: A Fae Existence<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"quinn\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Halo Quin is the author of upcoming Pagan Portal, <\/span>Your Faery Magic<\/i><\/span>. I caught up with her to find out a bit more about the Faery world, and about Halo herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mabh Savage: <\/b><\/span>What was the main inspiration for your upcoming book, <\/span>Your Faery Magic<\/i><\/span>?<\/span><\/p>\n

Halo Quin: <\/b><\/span>The main inspiration for <\/span>Your Faery Magic<\/i><\/span> was my experiences as an enchantress. I’ve spent my whole life following a fae path, looking for faeries, working with them, visiting the realm that is their world, and I found very little Faery specific information that properly prepares the seeker for such work. I had to work out the process for myself, by learning from various magical traditions and applying what I’d learned. <\/span><\/p>\n

I had three main motivations for it though, firstly I wrote the material that became <\/span>Your Faery Magic<\/i><\/span> when I needed a guide through a disenchanted time in my life to the magic I loved and felt at home in – Faery magic – and, at the same time, I wanted to put into context what I’d gained from working within various traditions. The thread I follow through every tradition I encounter is that of the Fae, so I wanted to honour that. I also wanted to offer the work I\u2019d done to the world so that others who are picking their way on this path have a light that might help them find their way. Because I love books this seemed like the obvious route!<\/span><\/p>\n

So YFM is a guide to uncovering the magic of Faery for yourself which then allows you to bring enchantment into your life, written originally so I could do exactly that for myself.<\/span><\/p>\n

That material was then both refined and expanded, with the help of someone with editing skills, into something that could guide someone else through a process I’d developed instinctively under the guidance of the Fae.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>Is there a release date as yet?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ:<\/b><\/span> Not yet! But the release date should be finalised next month, and I\u2019ll be keeping everyone updated on my website (<\/span>www.aworldenchanted.com<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span>) and facebook page. (<\/span>www.facebook.com\/aworldenchanted<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span>) <\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>How have you found the book writing process? What have been the challenges and triumphs?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>The hardest part for me was ensuring there was enough guidance to help people through the process but not so much that they would feel dependent on the text, alongside the issues of the reality of faeries. The term ‘fairy’ conjures images of sweetling flower fairies from the Victoria era for many people, but for me, and in many more traditional tales, the Fae are wilder than that. Avoiding the trap of thinking of them as just the diminutive form, the garden Fae which we most often encounter in our tamed natural spaces, whilst not invoking the Unseelie elements was an interesting balancing act.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>Do you think there are many people who feel disengaged with the world, simply because they have not realised their connection to magic or the natural world?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>Very much so. Our culture specifically promotes a disconnected view of the world and deliberately distances us from our place in nature. We are encouraged to live in ways which run counter to our natural rhythms, inside physical and metaphorical boxes which keep us from relaxing into a healthy relationship with the world we belong to.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>Have you experienced this yourself?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ:<\/b><\/span> For most of my life I have been very lucky, I spent my childhood chasing faeries and being encouraged to follow my own heart and my own way of being \u2013 though occasionally that annoyed my family as one of my natural patterns is a slow-but-steady day to day life, constant rushing does not sit well with me so the fast pace of modern life is stressful, so I unconsciously but deliberately slow down. I don\u2019t think I\u2019m the least bit unique in finding that kind of pace stressful, but I am unusual in that I was encouraged to find my own pace even when it left my school reports littered with comments like \u2018always away with the faeries\u2019! <\/span><\/p>\n

When I wrote the material for this book, however, I had found myself stuck in a job that required living in a space that depressed me, away from my friends and the magic that supports me. It took me some time and a leap of magic to find my way out of the hole I was in, and deliberately connecting with the Fae and writing the foundational pieces of my Enchanted path out in detail really helped with this. I began creating \u2018Pixie Kisses\u2019, suggestions for play and enchantment for folk in a similar situation, and they helped too!<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>Does everybody have some natural magic within them?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>Of course! We are all natural beings and magic is everywhere, so natural magic must be within each of us. The skills and understanding required to consciously tap into that magic are often drummed out of us though \u2013 trust, playfulness, connection, self-knowledge, respect for the natural forces, and so on \u2013 but everyone that wants to learn those again can do so. The fact that the ideas resonate with you mean you can feel the magic in them and the longing to tap into that gives the motivation to overcome the challenges on the path.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>Who will get the most out of this book?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>Anyone who loves faeries will get something from this book, even if it is only a different perspective on them to what is most often published. However, it was written with someone at the early stages of their path in mind, I really wanted to lay out foundational work that can encourage the creativity and confidence in the reader to unlock their own relationship with the Fae and their own Faery Heart, the natural magic inside them. Once you\u2019ve got that, you can go anywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>And what impact would <\/span>you<\/i><\/span> like to see the book have? What would mean the most to you, in terms of what your readers get out of your work?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>What I would love, really love, is for people who have been struggling with feeling that disengagement to discover their own power to connect with the Fae and to re-enchant their lives. Beyond that I hope that it gives a different voice to the story of Faeries. We\u2019re in a time where our relationship to nature and ourselves is so important. We, as a culture, both need to come home to ourselves and reconnect with the world in respectful ways and the Fae, who are real whether you understand them as spirits or as metaphors, are a clear route to that place. When we know who we are and feel good in ourselves we can share that joy in empathetic and respectful ways to protect those around us and build a better world. And we really need to build a better world for all of us.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is why re-enchantment is so important to me. <\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>Tell us a bit about your other projects. What is the Goblin Circus, for example?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>Oh goodness, ok. So I\u2019m a storyteller, an artist and am currently working on my PhD thesis \u2013 in philosophy of art and how creating art can help us to re-enchant the world. I tell tales locally, folklore, myths and legends specifically, under the name \u2018Blue Hare Storytelling\u2019. I\u2019m currently working on a novel\/performance based on parts of the Welsh mythology of The Mabinogian, which is part of my research for a multi-cultural, multi-gendered Oracle deck called Healing Hearts. The Goblin Circus, however, is a synthesis of all the things I love. It is a one-woman-many-goblin multi-media, multi-platform storytelling circus! In part it is a storytelling show, just me, as the Ringleader, bringing the circus to life on stage (which debuted in February at a pagan conference). Then it is an art project, illustrating the Circus through paintings, posters and a comic. Then it is also a walkabout show, which will be me and others exploring several (hopefully) events over the summer in character. I also have notes for a novel and various other things for it too! <\/span><\/p>\n

The important thing about The Goblin Circus for me, though, is that it is where enchantment has led me and I can already see how it is spreading the enchantment around by inspiring others. In following the steps to get out of the hole of disenchantment, I found myself surrounded by Goblins and inspired to start a Circus. I put myself in their hands and the ball began rolling\u2026 <\/span><\/p>\n

You can find links to all of the projects I\u2019ve spoken about on <\/span>www.AWorldEnchanted.com<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span>, including the circus, if you are so inclined.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>After having a look through your projects, I was fascinated by the idea of intuitive art. Can you tell me a bit about this?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>Very simply this is a form of divination where I tap into the energy of your life or a situation during a conversation and I then doodle you an artwork\u2026 which I then interpret as we go and at the end as though it were a tarot card. I have followed this up with an acrylic painting on canvas and a more in depth reading. The art then acts as a talisman and the reading offers clarity. I also use this technique to listen to the spirits and my Muse on which direction would be good to take projects, new stories and so on, which is fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>When did you first discover your intuitive, magic talents?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>I always knew I was magical. When asked \u2018What do you want to be when you grow up?\u2019 my earliest answer was always \u2018A Faery\u2019. I discovered paganism when I was 10 or 11 years old, so I never really lost my belief in the magic of the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>What support did you have along the way?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>Books!!! I love books; they have been my guide and inspiration throughout the years. Aside from that, my mother had brought me up to listen to the trees, so I listened to the spirits of the world around me and followed the guidance I heard. The time I ended up in a tangle, which I mentioned earlier, was when I\u2019d stopped listening and started trying to work out what to do purely logically.<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>What piece of advice would you give to anyone taking their first steps into the world of the Fae?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>Read faery stories! Spend as much time outdoors as possible, soaking up the fresh air and clearing your head. Make an altar, even if it is only a picture hung on the wall or a candle on a shelf. We have to make space for them in our lives if we want them to join us. Oh, and ask the Faery Queen for guidance and protection. Not all Fae are sweetness and light, just as not all humans and animals are. It is part of her role to help those that ask for it sincerely to build the bridges between our worlds, and she\u2019ll send you help in navigating what can be quite a tricky land to manage. <\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>You speak about the importance of storytelling; something very close to my heart! Is there a particular story that resonates with you more than any others?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>I love the tales of Blodeuwedd and of the Birth of Taliesin, but the story that always makes my ears prick up is Thomas the Rhymer and his visit to Faeryland!<\/span><\/p>\n

MS: <\/b><\/span>Finally, is there a special place you go to when you need inspiration; worldly or otherwise?<\/span><\/p>\n

HQ: <\/b><\/span>I go to the sea if I can and near trees on the river bank if I can\u2019t. I don\u2019t like to be wet but just sitting and watching the water washes my spirit clean and makes space for inspiration to return.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep up with Halo at <\/i><\/span>http:\/\/www.aworldenchanted.com<\/i><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span> and look out for Pagan Portals: Your Faery Magic coming very soon!<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Halo Quin: A Fae Existence   Halo Quin is the author of upcoming Pagan Portal, Your Faery Magic. I caught up with her to find out a bit more about the Faery world, and about Halo herself. Mabh Savage: What was the main inspiration for your upcoming book, Your Faery Magic? Halo Quin: The main inspiration for Your Faery Magic was my experiences as an enchantress. I’ve spent my whole life following a fae path, looking for faeries, working with them, visiting the realm that is their world, and I found very little Faery specific information that properly prepares the seeker for such work. I had to work out the process for myself, by learning from various magical traditions and applying what I’d learned. I had three main motivations for it though, firstly I wrote the material that became Your Faery Magic when I needed a guide through a disenchanted time in my life to the magic I loved and felt at home in – Faery magic – and, at the same time, I wanted to put into context what I’d gained from working within various traditions. The thread I follow through every tradition I encounter is that of the Fae, so I wanted to honour that. I also wanted to offer the work I\u2019d done to the world so that others who are picking their way on this path have a light that might help them find their way. Because I love books this seemed like the obvious route! So YFM is a guide to uncovering the magic of Faery for yourself which then allows you to bring enchantment into your life, written originally so I could do exactly that for myself. That material was then both refined and expanded, with the help of someone with editing skills, into something that could guide someone else through a process I’d developed instinctively under the guidance of the Fae. MS: Is there a release date as yet? HQ: Not yet! But the release date should be finalised next month, and I\u2019ll be keeping everyone updated on my website (www.aworldenchanted.com) and facebook page. (www.facebook.com\/aworldenchanted) MS: How have you found the book writing process? What have been the challenges and triumphs? HQ: The hardest part for me was ensuring there was enough guidance to help people through the process but not so much that they would feel dependent on the text, alongside the issues of the reality of faeries. The term ‘fairy’ conjures images of sweetling flower fairies from the Victoria era for many people, but for me, and in many more traditional tales, the Fae are wilder than that. Avoiding the trap of thinking of them as just the diminutive form, the garden Fae which we most often encounter in our tamed natural spaces, whilst not invoking the Unseelie elements was an interesting balancing act. MS: Do you think there are many people who feel disengaged with the world, simply because they have not realised their connection to magic or the natural world? HQ: Very much so. Our culture specifically promotes a disconnected view of the world and deliberately distances us from our place in nature. We are encouraged to live in ways which run counter to our natural rhythms, inside physical and metaphorical boxes which keep us from relaxing into a healthy relationship with the world we belong to. MS: Have you experienced this yourself? HQ: For most of my life I have been very lucky, I spent my childhood chasing faeries and being encouraged to follow my own heart and my own way of being \u2013 though occasionally that annoyed my family as one of my natural patterns is a slow-but-steady day to day life, constant rushing does not sit well with me so the fast pace of modern life is stressful, so I unconsciously but deliberately slow down. I don\u2019t think I\u2019m the least bit unique in finding that kind of pace stressful, but I am unusual in that I was encouraged to find my own pace even when it left my school reports littered with comments like \u2018always away with the faeries\u2019! When I wrote the material for this book, however, I had found myself stuck in a job that required living in a space that depressed me, away from my friends and the magic that supports me. It took me some time and a leap of magic to find my way out of the hole I was in, and deliberately connecting with the Fae and writing the foundational pieces of my Enchanted path out in detail really helped with this. I began creating \u2018Pixie Kisses\u2019, suggestions for play and enchantment for folk in a similar situation, and they helped too! MS: Does everybody have some natural magic within them? HQ: Of course! We are all natural beings and magic is everywhere, so natural magic must be within each of us. The skills and understanding required to consciously tap into that magic are often drummed out of us though \u2013 trust, playfulness, connection, self-knowledge, respect for the natural forces, and so on \u2013 but everyone that wants to learn those again can do so. The fact that the ideas resonate with you mean you can feel the magic in them and the longing to tap into that gives the motivation to overcome the challenges on the path. MS: Who will get the most out of this book? HQ: Anyone who loves faeries will get something from this book, even if it is only a different perspective on them to what is most often published. However, it was written with someone at the early stages of their path in mind, I really wanted to lay out foundational work that can encourage the creativity and confidence in the reader to unlock their own relationship with the Fae and their own Faery Heart, the natural magic inside them. Once you\u2019ve got that, you can go anywhere. MS: And what impact would you like to see the book have? What would mean the most to you, in terms of what your readers get out of your work? HQ: What I would love, really love, is for people who have been struggling with feeling that disengagement to discover their own power to connect with the Fae and to re-enchant their lives. Beyond that I hope that it gives a different voice to the story of Faeries. We\u2019re in a time where our relationship to nature and ourselves is so important. We, as a culture, both need to come home to ourselves and reconnect with the world in respectful ways and the Fae, who are real whether you understand them as spirits or as metaphors, are a clear route to that place. When we know who we are and feel good in ourselves we can share that joy in empathetic and respectful ways to protect those around us and build a better world. And we really need to build a better world for all of us. This is why re-enchantment is so important to me. MS: Tell us a bit about your other projects. What is the Goblin Circus, for example? HQ: Oh goodness, ok. So I\u2019m a storyteller, an artist and am currently working on my PhD thesis \u2013 in philosophy of art and how creating art can help us to re-enchant the world. I tell tales locally, folklore, myths and legends specifically, under the name \u2018Blue Hare Storytelling\u2019. I\u2019m currently working on a novel\/performance based on parts of the Welsh mythology of The Mabinogian, which is part of my research for a multi-cultural, multi-gendered Oracle deck called Healing Hearts. The Goblin Circus, however, is a synthesis of all the things I love. It is a one-woman-many-goblin multi-media, multi-platform storytelling circus! In part it is a storytelling show, just me, as the Ringleader, bringing the circus to life on stage (which debuted in February at a pagan conference). Then it is an art project, illustrating the Circus through paintings, posters and a comic. Then it is also a walkabout show, which will be me and others exploring several (hopefully) events over the summer in character. I also have notes for a novel and various other things for it too! The important thing about The Goblin Circus for me, though, is that it is where enchantment has led me and I can already see how it is spreading the enchantment around by inspiring others. In following the steps to get out of the hole of disenchantment, I found myself surrounded by Goblins and inspired to start a Circus. I put myself in their hands and the ball began rolling\u2026 You can find links to all of the projects I\u2019ve spoken about on www.AWorldEnchanted.com, including the circus, if you are so inclined. MS: After having a look through your projects, I was fascinated by the idea of intuitive art. Can you tell me a bit about this? HQ: Very simply this is a form of divination where I tap into the energy of your life or a situation during a conversation and I then doodle you an artwork\u2026 which I then interpret as we go and at the end as though it were a tarot card. I have followed this up with an acrylic painting on canvas and a more in depth reading. The art then acts as a talisman and the reading offers clarity. I also use this technique to listen to the spirits and my Muse on which direction would be good to take projects, new stories and so on, which is fun. MS: When did you first discover your intuitive, magic talents? HQ: I always knew I was magical. When asked \u2018What do you want to be when you grow up?\u2019 my earliest answer was always \u2018A Faery\u2019. I discovered paganism when I was 10 or 11 years old, so I never really lost my belief in the magic of the world. MS: What support did you have along the way? HQ: Books!!! I love books; they have been my guide and inspiration throughout the years. Aside from that, my mother had brought me up to listen to the trees, so I listened to the spirits of the world around me and followed the guidance I heard. The time I ended up in a tangle, which I mentioned earlier, was when I\u2019d stopped listening and started trying to work out what to do purely logically. MS: What piece of advice would you give to anyone taking their first steps into the world of the Fae? HQ: Read faery stories! Spend as much time outdoors as possible, soaking up the fresh air and clearing your head. Make an altar, even if it is only a picture hung on the wall or a candle on a shelf. We have to make space for them in our lives if we want them to join us. Oh, and ask the Faery Queen for guidance and protection. Not all Fae are sweetness and light, just as not all humans and animals are. It is part of her role to help those that ask for it sincerely to build the bridges between our worlds, and she\u2019ll send you help in navigating what can be quite a tricky land to manage. MS: You speak about the importance of storytelling; something very close to my heart! Is there a particular story that resonates with you more than any others? HQ: I love the tales of Blodeuwedd and of the Birth of Taliesin, but the story that always makes my ears prick up is Thomas the Rhymer and his visit to Faeryland! MS: Finally, is there a special place you go to when you need inspiration; worldly or otherwise? HQ: I go to the sea if I can and near trees on the river bank if I can\u2019t. I don\u2019t like to be wet but just sitting and watching the water washes my spirit clean and makes space for inspiration to return. Keep up with Halo at http:\/\/www.aworldenchanted.com and look out…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":206,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/206"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11286"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11286\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}