Aether
Margaret Evans Price (1888 – 1973 American)
published ‘A Child’s Book of Myths’ (1926)
Earth, air, water, fire – and aether. The thought of Aether has been a long time meditation for me – what it is, is it is, as it is. Classical interpretation of it, is as the fifth element, the quintessence of the celestial sphere, or as a diety, a primordial god of Roman mythology. Or the personification of light, or energy, or the air the gods breathe, or the omnipresent light that fills the upper sky. In more modern times, scientific theory has held that aether is a hypothetical substance, through which sound travels, or light waves propagate. More modern thought holds that aether is a fundamental quantum or zero point field that permeates the universe, providing a medium for forces like gravity and electromagnetism. And then there is the consideration, does it even exist at all, is aether just a cover to explain things not understood, sort of a lazy blanket or default answer or explanation to that which has no answer?
In terms of fairies, and closer to much of my thought, is how aether is used as a term for magical or spiritual energy that can be harnessed and is the basis of the magic that fairies possess, basically a a power source for fairies. Or aether existing as or in a separate realm, the home to aetherial beings, or as a celestial substance of a more spiritual realm, the place of ethereal fairies, or the ancient ones? Are there aether fairies?
by Henry Meynell Rheam (1859 – 1920 English)
Such is the nature of my meditation, letting my thoughts fly around the concept of aether, butterflies in the wind, not landing anywhere. However, I have noticed… I do a little ritual some early mornings, similar to casting smoke to the four directions, where I name the four elements, as a reminder of the nature of nature, nothing too much, just a grounding ritual… and I have noticed that I have added ‘aether’ to that mix, ‘earth, air, water, fire, aether’. In that context and to me, aether means animation, that undefinable energy that binds the elements, moves through and with each of the four, a mysterious life force, an energy of essence, one which one might even call love.
The four elements, while describing much of the natural world, and much of the dynamics of it, seems mechanical – as if one could simply mix the elements together and create life, or the mystery of life. It just doesn’t seem to add up, that something is missing, hence my inclusion of aether, that mysterious, undefined energy that animates life, as love does. Indeed, is aether love, the love of the elements for each other, whereby something mysterious, something magical is created? Is this what fairies tap into to create their magic?
Upon pause, I realize this essay is composed of mostly questions, and do not pretend nor profess any answers. I just wonder, sit, let what comes up and see how it feels, eventually becoming thoughtless, and hence my description calling this a meditation. Including aether as an element, or magical force of the world, or divine energy of goddess, settles me, quiets my thoughts, brings me home to the present. There is definitely something there, and not there, like fairies, there and not there. Such is the mystery, of fairies, of aether, of life, of love.
See Also, Ethereal Fairies – https://faeryfae.com/ethereal-fairies/