Saints, Spaceships & Fairies: Divine Beings or Otherworldly Hoax?
The Strange Connection Between a Fairy Abduction, a UFO Investigator, & The Church Fathers.
Second Sight & The World of the Fairies
Throughout history, tales of otherworldly encounters have captivated the human imagination. From the mystical realm of fairies to the perplexing phenomenon of UFO sightings, these experiences seem to transcend time and culture. The story of Robert Kirk, a 17th-century Scottish minister, and the work of renowned UFOlogist Jacques Vallée shed light on the intriguing connections between these seemingly disparate realms.
Born in 1644 in Aberfoyle, Scotland, Robert Kirk was a respected minister in the Church of Scotland and an avid collector of mystical lore. His doctoral thesis focused on the fascinating world of fairies, which he later expanded into his magnum opus, "The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns, and Fairies," completed in 1691.
In his book, Kirk documented the hidden world of fairies, their customs, hierarchies, and interactions with humans. He described three distinct types of fairies: the benevolent "Seelie" fairies, associated with light and goodness; the malevolent "Unseelie" fairies, linked to darkness and harm; and the most intriguing of all, the "co-walkers," fairies that attach themselves to human beings and live alongside them in a parallel world, mimicking their actions as doppelgängers.
Kirk also explored the concept of "second sight," a hereditary ability to perceive and communicate with the fairy world. Those gifted with this ability were believed to see fairies, predict future events, and communicate with the dead, as long as they remained in their ancestral homeland.
Tragically, on May 14, 1692, Kirk took a walk on the fairy hill near his home in Aberfoyle and never returned. His lifeless body was discovered on the hill, but according to legend, his ghost appeared to his brother-in-law, Graham of Duchray, claiming that he was not dead but had been taken by the fairies. Kirk's spirit instructed Graham to throw a dagger at his ghost during his funeral the next day to free him from the fairy realm. However, Graham was so shocked by the apparition that he failed to follow through, and Kirk disappeared forever, trapped in the realm of the fairies.
A UFO Investigator Takes a Second Look
Nearly three centuries after Kirk's mysterious disappearance, renowned UFOlogist Jacques Vallée revisited Kirk's work in his book, "Passport to Magonia." Vallée argued that the strange encounters of the past can be interpreted through the modern lens of the alien encounter, drawing parallels between contemporary UFO sightings and historical accounts of otherworldly encounters.
Vallée proposed that encounters with fairies, aliens, and other supernatural entities may be linked to altered states of consciousness, parallel realities, or interdimensional experiences. This concept resonates with Kirk's notion of second sight and the ability to perceive and interact with the unseen realm. Intriguingly, Kirk's idea that "second sight" is hereditary coincides with the common notion that UFO abductions often run within families, suggesting a possible genetic or hereditary component to these phenomena.
The “Elemental Spirits”
While some may dismiss these ideas as the fanciful musings of eccentric individuals, the debate surrounding "elemental spirits" can be traced back to the very origins of Christianity. In his epistles to the Galatians and Colossians, the Apostle Paul warned against "elemental spirits," which could be interpreted as either lower passions or actual spiritual entities. In Galatians 4:8, Paul cautions, "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods."
The early Church Fathers also grappled with this concept. Origen of Alexandria, writing in 248 AD, acknowledged the existence of invisible agents or guardians responsible for the natural world, but denied that these entities were demons. This demonstrates that the idea of unseen realms and their inhabitants has been a topic of theological and philosophical discussion for centuries. Origen said:
"We indeed also maintain with regard not only to the fruits of the earth, but to every flowing stream and every breath of air that the ground brings forth those things which are said to grow up naturally — that the water springs in fountains, and refreshes the earth with running streams — that the air is kept pure, and supports the life of those who breathe it, only in consequence of the agency and control of certain beings whom we may call invisible husbandmen and guardians; but we deny that those invisible agents are demons."
The enigmatic connection between fairies, UFOs, and the paranormal challenges our understanding of reality and suggests that there may be dimensions of existence beyond our ordinary perception. From Robert Kirk's "The Secret Commonwealth" to Jacques Vallée's "Passport to Magonia," these ideas have persisted across time and culture, inviting us to consider the possibility that the boundaries of human experience and consciousness are far more fluid and mysterious than we often acknowledge.