„The Legend was Back!“ The Spirit of Man Love … begins with the Sound. Two flutes play …. the „Sound of Faeries“. Rather than live as outcasts or useless pariahs, we Faeries have necessary tales to tell and vital roles to perform which advanced the human story. If you never found anyone who could tell me the stories of myself and of my people we Faeries would never exist. Our main theme of the 3rd „Sound of Faeries“ Gathering 2018 was inspired by the Andrew Ramers „Two Flutes Playing“ and we brought our legend back! I wanted such a spiritual gathering, and so it was.

At the short but solemn Opening Circle, I addressed the subject of our gathering: „Spread Love!“ And we also shared the Maori’s forehead greeting that in the beginning it was the woman who symbolically breathed life into the man with this greeting. Then I called the four directions and we all turned to our glorious High King. After the Inauguration of our Love Temple, the „Men loving Men“ sound meditation from the book „Two Flutes Playing“ started with Lucifer, while the other Faeries were able to attend the fire ritual in front of the bonfire. At wonderful workshops, Embrace surprised us with beautiful flower braids and Bel offered a shamanic circle, where we could experience our position in the gender spectrum.

There was a Filmnight, starting with Glitter, a Dokuvaganza on the Australian Sanctuary Faerieland, Harry Hay’s film „Hope Along The Wind“ and our „Feen von Hadres“ – in loving memory of El / Leo after her death and her „Faerieland“, which already became a legend in the film. In the Legend Circle, which I longed for, everyone had the opportunity to tell the essence of his story as gay, faerie and human. When our birthing girl Fey started singing „Somewhere over the Rainbow“, my tears started to flow. Now I first felt the Faerie Magic at this gathering. The next day there was a Circle about a possible new „Austrian and Central European Sanctuary“, which soon developed into a discussion about whether there was a Faerie Community in Austria, or whether some deliberately want to exclude certain people. In Austria, sometimes I have the impression that you are being reprimanded for doing something and that you have to deal with prejudice. I stand for Inclusion and not for Exclusion and it makes me sad, if in Austria other tribes do not invite you to Gatherings or Heart Circles. Everyone is welcome to me and I am firmly convinced that every problem is solvable. Faeries and men who love men are there to spread love – among themselves and beyond, – and that was also the main topic of this gathering. Some faeries, however, believed that we were well on our way to a better solution in the future. I hoped so too with all my heart.

On the last day we were looking forward to a relaxing hike through one of the most beautiful valleys in Austria, the nearby Blühnbachtal. Our goal was the castle Blühnbach, in which also the last son of the Krupp family, Arndt von Krupp, who was gay, lived and is buried and who openly opposed his Nazi family throughout his life. After the House Cleaning Party the Closing Ceremony called out, which was ceremoniously led by Embrace and Bel. This once again gave everyone the opportunity to say why we were Legends. Each Faerie should connect to the other and say: I can feel the connection. Real Deal stood next to me and said, „I am ONE with you!“ and I was so honored that he said that to me. The Faerie Gathering came to an end with the awareness that it should serve to express or learn your true deepest feelings, especially affection, to re-develop that sensitivity in a playful way and, above all, especially to learn to respond to the true needs of others again. It is our responsibility to create a safe place and to address the issue of consensus and community in order to solve all the problem areas together. With the exclusion of others we can solve no problems. We were glad that there were some small Afterglow Gatherettes in Vienna with the „Faeries in Austria“ which we need so eagerly. It seemed to me that we could soon realize our vision of a common community in Austria, but many more butterflies will have to die until people realize this eternal goal.