Visit the Merry Fairies in Cassadaga

In the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp, live a band of fairies, gnomes, salamanders and mermaids. Together, these earth friendly creatures are called “elementals” because they represent the elements of the earth: air, earth, fire and water, respectively. They usually live quiet lives but this season they have decorated the trail and invite you to visit them. 

The idea started when a few of us humans were decorating the Davis Building for the holiday with lights, ornaments, ribbons and garland. Some of the items looked worn. Someone said, “Throw them in the trash!”
Immediately, I felt an unsettling vibration coming from the Fairy Trail. I walked up the hill to see what could possibly disturb these shy energies.
When I arrived, I heard a whispering voice from up in the air in gnarly old tree. “How could they?”
Then a pink light came glowed at the top of the Fairy Chair, and a fairy sang out to me. “Look at all that can be done here. Bring us your bling and beautify our place! Bring ornaments, and tie ribbons. Celebrate the trees and other plants that grow in the earth. Beautify them. They give off oxygen for all earth creatures to breathe.”
“I never understood why people cut down real trees or decorate fake ones.” The grumpy voice came from under a rock. “Why do they send those beautiful ornaments and decorations into the landfill when they’re a little old?”
Then a fat, bearded gnome walked out of a hole in the ground. “Yeah, they just dump it back in a landfill. That’s still the earth—where I live!”
Not to be outdone, a mermaid said, “People throw things in the water, too.”
“And they burn things.” I looked around and saw a colorful lizard-like salamander sunning himself on a pile of rocks. Soon I was surrounded by elementals anxious to have their say-so.
“What do you want me to do?” I asked them.
“We make earth look nice every day,” said the salamander. “Share some of your ornaments here and tell others to do the same. The deer, turtles, birds, squirrels and other creatures get curious and come by once in a while to see what’s going on. They would enjoy seeing the place dressed up for the holidays.”
So there you are. The elementals invite you to visit them this holiday season at the Fairy Trail on Chauncey Street at Horseshoe Park. Bring some of your old unbreakable decorations or use some that we have left in a box and spread the joy in the season.
Thank you for honoring the spirits that are around us each day—seen and unseen.
PS. From the elementals and humans here in the Camp, please recycle or properly dispose any items that are no longer safe.
 
Lilian Casselberry is a member and resident of the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp.