Aranyani - The Hindu Goddess of the Forest

ARANYANI - THE HINDU GODDESS OF THE FOREST-
Aranyani - Aranyani is the Goddess and protector of the woods, forests and all animals that dwell within them.

Aranyani is a Goddess of the Indian civilization who was guided by the diversity, harmony and self-sustaining nature of their forest. Aramya means forest. The Aranyakas form the third part of the Vedas. They were developed by the hermits, living in the forest. And reflect and explicit transition in the philosophy of life of man. Another aspect of the Goddess Aranyani  I discovered is that she represented the feminine principle in prakti. In the Hindu pantheon, forests have been worshipped as Goddess Aranyani, the Goddess of the forest and animals that dwell within them. Forests are the primary source of life and fertility. The forest as a community has been viewed as a model for societal and civilizational evolution. 
The Indian Culture considers the forest as the Highest form of culture Evolution-
The Goddess Aranyani governs the forests and is the protectress, guardian of all animals within the forests, woods and jungles. She is the mother of them all. Aranyani has been described as elusive a fond of quiet glades in the thickness jungles. She is an fearless Goddess of remote places. 
She is rarely ever seen if ever. A deity who is recognized in the sounds of the tallest trees, particularly at dusk.
She wears anklets with bells, and though seldom seen. She is also described as a dancer. And can be heard by the tinkling sounds of her anklets with the tiny bells that can be heard even in the deepest forest and jungles. She seems to be dancing all the time as if she is tilling the lands while dancing. An Rigvedic hymns is describe as the music that the Goddess dances to while she roams away so far from the busy fringe of civilization, to the deepest part of the forest.
Wendy.

Beehive Fairy Mounds

Beehive Fairy Mounds
In Ireland & Scotland there are many different fairy mounds all over the country sides and valleys. All of these date back to the 31B.C.


Beehive Mound  



Beehive Mound

As in this Bee hut dwelling that is out on the Dingle Peninsula, of the Westernmost tip of Ireland. It is said that there were at one time up to 400 of these Beehive fairy mounts that were on this three-mile stretch of coastline of the Peninsula of Ireland. They say that inside these huts you would feel much larger. In fact huge! compared to what it looks like on the outside.

Beehive Mound

 Dingle Peninsula of Ireland

To enter the hut you have to stoop to go through the doorway. It much harder these days on the Beehive fairy Mounds because of their building techniques that were used originally on them in 31B.C. And continues to be used to constructed storage sheds as late as the 1950's. This is just one of the many of the century old dwellings that have survived by the ancient faeries. Here are a few photo's that I have found around the Dingle Peninsula of Ireland. This is where many of the original Beehive fairy Mounds were originally built in 31B.C. and there are still a few left there . It is a beautiful stretch of coastline in Ireland. I guess that is why the faeries choose the area. Enjoy the photos.

Dingle Peninsula of Ireland

Wendy..   

Ghillie Dhu

Ghillie Dhu
In Scotland Gaelic - Ghillie Dhu - can be translated as a dark haired lad or dark servant.

Ghillie Dhu 

These Scottish Ghillie Dhu are faerie like, mostly depicted as an elf or sprite. They are also concerned the Scottish guardian spirits of the forest. 
The Ghillie Dhu is a Solitary Spirit who takes tasks himself with protecting the woodlands surrounding his home for destruction done by man or nature. 
The Ghillie Dhu primarily resides in Ross Shire near Gairloch in Scotland. He is typically found in birch groves, his preferred species of tree. Although he is most active at night, he is not spoken of as being nocturnal. When he does sleep he does so upon the ground in a warm round nest created from plant fiber. His diet consists of berries and nuts.
The Life of the Ghillie Dhu~
Tales of the Ghillie Dhu tell of a small slight dark Faired fae with light green skin who cleverly disguises himself in clothes frequently a coat covered in foliage. His attire may either be brown or green depending on the season and reportedly his attire is woven from grasses, leaves and moss.
The height of these wee fae's seem to be a matter of debate as some sources indicated that their stature is 7" while theirs say they can grow as tall as 36"(only3feet).
Additionally one account spoke of these creatures as having wild black hair as a moonless night and eyes the deepest brown of hazelnut. This account also states that his skin color changes from green to brown with the seasons. 
They say he is notoriously shy and is a harmless sprite who prefers to avoid contact with all humans. 

Ghillie Dhu 

Although contact is not advised, they are occasionally contacted by lost humans who they comfort and redirect homeward out of their forest. 
The History of the Ghillie Dhu~
There are other stories of an darker side of the Ghillie Dhu which speaks of them disliking humans-
This tale says of warnings to people traveling in the enchanted woods at night that they must be very careful not to be grabbed by the very long green arms of the Ghillie Dhu. Because they just might dragged you off into fairyland where there you will be enslaved forever. Of course this fairyland isn't the typical happy and fun kind as you can see. There is always a dark side to anything even in the land of enchantment too. 

There is one thing about the Ghillie Dhu that you might find interesting - They are fond of children and will help them if they get lost in their forest. But if offended by an adult human the wee man could decided to reach out his thin long arms and crush the offender in a angry embrace, leaving the adult human to rot into a earthly compost. So size doesn't always matter so beware of the Ghillie Dhu if you are an very tall human and older adult.
The Scottish Forest~
The Scottish Forest and woodlands were once heavily populated by these Ghillie Dhu Creatures. but are now becoming very rare. Some have chosen to migrate in search of areas with greater isolation. The fewer that have remained in Scotland are presumed to have either died or inter married with other more domestic varieties other faeries, loosing their Ghillie Dhu attributes after a few generations of offspring.
There are some Ghillie Dhu who have followed their path for their love of children. There by choosing a role as a faerie to be closer to children. These variations of Ghillie Dhu live in the backyards and parks and only visit children at night in order to collect their teeth which they cast protective magic on the children. This is the Scottish version of the tooth fairy.
I found Ghillie Dhu to be a kind soul fae. That loves his forest and woodland of the highlands of Scotland. And is saddened by what we the humans are doing to our earth. because of what we humans have done to the earth and the forest he goes, deeper into the depths of the forests.  Some are even leaving their sacred forest for more isolated forest ones away from the Scotland highlands. It is sad that even more have left their true path behind and mated with other faeries - so the Ghillie Dhu attributes after a few generations is gone forever. So This fae is really a dying species due to what we have done to the forest and woodlands all over the world. But mostly in the highlands of Scotland in Ross Shire near Gairloch. 
Wendy..
  

Dryads - Spirits of the Forest

Dryads
Dryads & Oreides were the beautiful Nymphs of the trees, groves, woods and mountain forests. They

were the ladies of the Oaks, Pines Poplar and Ash trees. Also the Apple and Laurel trees. These  dryades would spring up from the earth at their birth, their lives would be very closely tied to each and every tree that was born in the times of the Greek Gods. While these Dryads Nymphs were alive the tree that they were connected to would flourish, and bloom with no disease or fire. but when the tree did passed away, So did the beauty Nymph. This is how it was in the days of the Greek gods and their Beautiful Dryads Nymphs. 
There are many different kinds of Nymphs In Greek Mythology. In that time period, many of them were water, lake, rivers, marsh, ponds fountains, waterfalls, earth, fire, blue nymphs, wood, underworld and even air Nymphs.
 Dryads Nymphs are just as beautiful and cunning as those above.  The Dryads Nymphs are the

beautiful ladies of the forest and woods who live in their trees and there around them. They are born in their tree and will died with their tree, but there is so much more to these ancient deities than meets the eye.
For one there are several classes of the Dryads with a particular type of tree.
I will give you a couple of examples of these amazing ancient deities that roamed our earth centuries ago.
1) The Meliai were the Nymphs of the ash-trees. They sprang up from Gaia the Earth she was impregnated by the blood of the castrated Ouranos. The men of the Silver Age married these Nymphas - [in the time before women were created and from them all of mankind was descended]. 

2) The Oreiades were the Nymphs of the mountain conifers. The first of these were offspring of the five Daktyloi and the five Hekaterides. Note: These are the descendants of the elder Oreiades and their brothers the Satyroi's. 
Also, The old forests of the ancient Greece were primarily found high in the mountains since the majority of the lowlands forest had been cleared for farming. It was, therefore, natural for the Greeks to think of the Dryades as mountain dwelling at the time.
3) The Hamadryades were the Nymphs of the Oak and the Poplar Trees. These were usually associated with riverside trees and sacred groves.  (most of the most beautiful of all Nymphs were found in these places.)

4)The Maliades, Meliades, or Epimelides were Nymphs of the Apple and other fruit trees. They were also protectors of the sheep.
5)The Daphnaie were the Nymphs of the Laurel trees. 
Dryads Nymphs~
The Greek gods put them into these different groups-  1) Nymphs of mountains and grottoes which were called - Orodemniades and Oreiades at the times of the ancients. 2) Nymphs of forests, groves and glens were believed sometimes to appear to and frighten solitary travellers. 3) Nymphs to trees were believed to die together with the trees which had been their abode, and with which they had come into existence. They were called Dryades, Hamadruades or Hadryades.
The Dryades of the Ancient times of The Greek Gods~ 
These are a few of the Dryades of The Great Zeus & Hera of the Greek Gods-
DAPHNIS   An Oreiad of Mount Parnassos in Phokis who was appointed by the Goddess Gaia as the prophetess at the oracle at Delphoi in the time before it passed into the hands of Apollon. 
DRYOPE  A Hamadryad nymph of Mount Othrys in Malis. She was a princess of the Dryopes who was transformed into a poplar-tree nymph by her Hamadryad sister-in-laws.

EKHO  A Oreiad nymph of Helikon in Boiotia, and a handmaiden of the goddess Hera. She was cursed to only repeat  the words of others by her mistress. When she fell in love with the self-obsessed youth Narkissos, he spurned her advances, and she faded away in her grief.
HELIADES Daughters of the sun-god Helios, the Heliades were transformed into amber-teared poplar trees. They were probably regarded as a typed of Hamadryad.
HESPERIDES The three guardians of the golden apples were sometimes regarded as Hamadryad or Hamameliad (apple-tree) nymphs.
KHELONE  An Arkadian Oreiad nymph who ignored the summons to attend the wedding of Zeus and Hera and as punishment was transformed into a tortoise.
KYLLENE An Arkadian Oreiad who was the eponym of Mt. Kyllene in Arkadia. She was the wife of Pelasgos the very first King of Arkadia.
PENELOPEIA   An Oreiad or Epimellid nymph of Mount Kyllene in Arkadia. She was the mother of the God Pan by Hermes. 

PHIGALIA A Libyan Hamadryad nymph who was the mother of several of the Danaides by King Danaus.
PITYS An Oreiad nymph loved by Pan. She fled his advances and was transformed into a pine-tree.
SYKE  A Hamadryad nymph of the fig-tree.
OTHREIS An Oreiad of Mount Othrys in Malis. She was loved by the Gods Apollon and Zeus. 
These are few of the Dryads of the Greek Gods with a brief descriptions of each. At some point, I might decide to add to this post. By adding a more details to the different Dryads I have shown you here or maybe different ones. I hope yu enjoy the Magic of the Dryads
Wendy...
Note... Note the images are note mind 
they are incredible artist that have depicted the dryads so elegantly.  

Water Faeries

Water Faeries
Water spirits can be found in lakes, ponds,marshes, rivers, pools, springs, wells, fountains, raindrops,

teardrops and at the oceans edge. Also waterfalls, ghettos, hidden lakes in deep forest, the tiniest pool of water. They especially love to running water in the form of bubbling springs and waterfalls But any type of running water you can usually find a water spirit faerie dancing on top of the water or fluttering about through the mist of the falling waterfalls or even the foam of the sands of any lake or beach. Some say that crossing over certain parts of water depending where the body of water is could be a method of entering the realm of the faerie world. But it has to be a very special area for this to happen. 
Nixie's are the ancients of a race who are beautiful river faeries with translucent white skin and long green hair. Some have said they are related to the magical creatures who haunt the waterways all around the world-

 There are the seductive Nereid's of the Greeks-
The playful Fenetten's of Germany-
The enchanting Kallraden's of Sweden-
The dangerous Bonga Maidens of India-
The Glaistig is a Scottish goat woman who lives in the darkness behind waterfalls-
The Stromkarlis is a Norwegian faery who dwells in waterfalls and is loves his elfin dance tunes-
The Ghostly Water wraith of Scotland leads travelers to a waterlily death and is a horrify faery called Jenny Greenteeth lurks at the bottom of stagnated pools- 
The monstrous Welsh water leaper-
These are all different Water Faeries from around the world that you must take care if you ever come across one in any type of water. So beware of the Water Faeries 
Wendy..

Note. later in on I will go in deeper details about each of these water faeries.
These are not my photos..Enjoy the beauty of them and how the Artist depites them so well with water faeries.