yessimessi

[yessimessi]

Spirits and the danger of spirit work, FAQ

Whenever the topic of spirit work comes up, the two messages I receive more than any other are, “how dangerous is this?” and, “I want to do spirit work, but I’m scared to.”

I can offer nothing but my own experiences. I am going to make this FAQ style to address a lot of the questions I have received over time.

My first and best advice is, if you are afraid of spirits, don’t do spirit work.

Certain spirits can sense fear, and some spirits want you to be afraid so they can feed off of you. When we are afraid, it is difficult to think straight. Some spirits will take advantage of this in order to confuse us and make us susceptible to attack or manipulation.

When you approach spirit work from a place of fear, you present yourself as prey.

If you feel called to do spirit work, yet you are afraid of it, try a lot of introspective journaling and meditation. Ask yourself these questions:

What are spirits?

Where do spirits live?

Why am I afraid of spirits?

What do I think will happen if I communicate with spirits?

Why do I want to contact spirits?

Where did my fear come from?

Do I believe all spirits are more powerful than I am? Why or why not?

Am I called or destined to work with spirits?

At some point, you were a soul waiting to be reborn in to human form. When you looked upon the world you saw evil and danger, yet you chose to take the risk. Why? Because the rewards of living this life far outweigh the negatives. Because you were called to be human again. Because you knew it was your destiny.

Spirit work is much the same. We can view the world of spirits and recognize there is danger there, and we can also accept this danger and step in to their world anyway. Just because there is danger does not mean it will destroy you if you encounter it, no more than a fender bender will destroy your life in the human world. Just because there is evil does not mean you are guaranteed to encounter it.

Q: Why should I try spirit work?

A: I find people are often eager to try spirit work, perhaps for a number of reasons. I think maybe the main reason is that they want proof or validation that magic and spirits are real. Maybe the second reason is that they want to get something out of it. Well, I have excellent news: both of these things are yours for the taking.

If you want to work with spirits, you have to face both sides of the coin. You must recognize that danger exists in the spirit world, just as it exists in our human world. You must recognize that if you go to the wrong places and interact with the wrong people, you could get hurt. You must take responsibility for your own actions and carefully think about what you do before you do it. But in exchange, you can get a lot. You can get help with magic, or even spirits who will perform magic for you. You can even be taught important magical techniques that you will not find online. You can receive visions of what it is like to live in other worlds, fly as a bird in the sky, or live as a sea urchin deep in the ocean. You can experience what the life of a flame is like, or how it feels to be a cloud. You can find spirits who will spy on others for you and return to you with information. You can contact spirits of wealth and beauty to work out contracts with them. You can evolve yourself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You can do much.

I am not here to convince anyone that they should try spirit work. In fact I am of the mind that many people should not. But I am not about to encourage abstinence-only education.

Q: What is my chance of getting hurt?

A: If you lack common sense and are obsessed with the “getting stuff” side of the coin, I’d say your chances are pretty high. If you crave validation and spirit contact and will do anything to get it, your chances are high. If you have zero experience with magic and could not banish a fly, your chances are high.

If you are very mindful of dangers, if you are willing to send spirits away, if you have experience banishing and cleansing, your chances are reduced. If you put safety as your top priority, above validation, above getting stuff, above proving how badass you are, your chances of being hurt go way down.

Q: How should I prepare for spirit work?

A: You must be confident and comfortable with your ability to handle whatever you are about to experience. It could be the spirit of a moth, and you still must be confident that A) you can handle interacting with it, and B) you can send it away when it is time.

Interacting with it means, if it takes on a scary form, will you be afraid? Or will you recognize that the form a creature takes cannot harm you? A moth is still a moth no matter if it looks like a moth or a scary demon. If it takes a beautiful and kind form, are you going to believe everything it says?

Sending it away, 98% of the time, means simply asking. “I am ready for you to leave now. Please go as you came, freely. Thank you for your time.” 2% of the time, it means banishing. I have interacted with a LOT of spirits and I can count on one hand the number of times I have had to perform a real banishing.

In pragmatic terms, you will simply want to feel confident about what you are about to do. Be calm and patient. Have with you a notebook or laptop to record everything that happens (it is totally fine to use technology during rituals; I regularly bring my laptop in to my circle). If you feel it is necessary, wear a protective amulet. Have with you various offerings and your tools of banishment. Go to a safe space where you feel confident. If you feel nervous about working in your home, go outside. If you prefer the safety of your home, go inside.

Clearly write your calls and exactly what you say and do. Keep meticulous records.

Q: What are offerings? Why do I use them? What do I do after I am done with them?

A: Offerings = gifts. They are a sign of appreciation. When you invite someone important to your house, you probably want to make them feel comfortable. “What can I get you? Do you want a snack or maybe a glass of water?” When we invite spirits in to our space, we do the same thing. Instead of leaving the question open ended, simply offer them what you have. “Thank you for coming. May I offer you some incense or this glass of water?”

Offerings that spirits tend to like are the same kinds of things that humans tend to like. Tobacco, any alcohol, any food (unprocessed is best), beverages like tea or coffee with real sugar, fresh water, or incense will work great.

If you know what kind of spirit you are going to contact (which, you definitely should) then gather offerings specific to what they like. A dog spirit would like meat or bones; a cat spirit may enjoy catnip. Bird spirits may enjoy seed or fish. If you don’t know what to offer, simply follow the generic list above.

When I give offerings, I wait until the time is right. For certain friends I will give offerings immediately. For others I will wait until the end of the interaction. I can see when spirits are enjoying offerings, so I wait until I see that they are done. If you cannot see when spirits are enjoying offerings, wait five to ten minutes before disposal. Before disposal, say, “thank you for appreciating my gift to you. It is time for you to go, thank you for coming.” Then simply throw the offerings away.

Pour beverages on to the ground if you can, otherwise pour them down the drain. Bury foods if you can, otherwise toss them in the trash. Throw away ashes from incense.

Q: What are tools of banishment? How do I use them?

A: These tools are anything you can use to banish spirits. I use salt (for protection) and flying devil oil (as a weapon). I may post some stuff on banishment later, but right now actual banishment rituals are outside the scope of this FAQ.

Other banishment tools could include any type of banishment powder or oil, a wand, protective or aggressive stones, and a variety of plants such as mullein, rosemary, bay leaf, or basil which can be burned or scattered.

If possible, you would want to burn a purifying and protective plant before and during your spirit work. This will keep malicious spirits at bay and make your working space more comfortable to benevolent spirits. If this is not possible, make a hot tea out of these plants and sprinkle the tea around your space, then let the tea sit and fill the room with steam.

Make a protective grid out of stones and sit in the middle of the grid. Bless a candle and let it’s radiating light keep away malicious spirits. Sprinkle a circle of salt around you (it really does work).

If a spirit is refusing to leave, ask the plant or stone spirits to help you send away this intruder. Mentally force the spirit away while you are in your protected space. Say stuff like, “by the power of rosemary I send you away.” If you are mean like me, corner the spirit and attack it until it is willing to leave of it’s own accord.

Q: What is proper spirit work etiquette?

A: Be polite. Avoid being aggressive. Ask yourself what the spirit is getting out of its interaction with you. Make your time with spirits a two-way street; ensure they get something out of it as well. Often, this will be offerings. When it is time for a spirit to leave, there is no need to shout at it or threaten it. “Thank you for coming. Please leave my home.” If a spirit does not leave, offer it a fair warning. “I am prepared to defend my home and send you away by force.” Most spirits do not respond when I threaten them. They respond when I pick up a weapon. At this point they will often try to flee. I recommend letting them go instead of being sadistic and torturing them. If a spirit seems prepared to fight, well, it’s time to fight.

Offer your gifts once to each spirit, either as they arrive or before you ask them to leave. Give them five to ten minutes to enjoy the offerings. It makes more sense to me to wait until the spirit leaves to share the offerings, otherwise they may feed then leave before you have a chance to talk! Always be humble and thankful.

Remember to never ask the spirit for it’s name, and never share your name. Rather, say, “what may I call you?” and say, “you may call me [magical name]. It is alright if a spirit does not want to give you anything to call it by.

Never force a spirit to stay in your life if it is angry, causes you fear, or wishes to move on. Once I received a series of messages from a young spirit worker who found a spirit’s home and brought it to her house. The spirit was clearly enraged and sent her visions to return him to his resting place, yet she refused – because this was the first spirit she encountered, and she wanted that “real” experience. Do not be like this person. Leave spirits alone if they want to be left alone.

Q: How do I know a spirit is gone if I do banish it?

A: The spirit will no longer appear in your mind’s eye. You will not feel as if there is a presence in your home. You should feel alone and unwatched.

Q: How do I craft protections for spirit work?

A: Simply research any magical protections. Any solid spell will do.

Q: How do I fight a spirit if I need to?

A: I’m not going to post this one publicly. If you already have a spirit that won’t leave without a fight, send me a private message.

Q: What are some red flags?

A: Again, this is all from my experience. Here are all the common spirit “scams” that I am familiar with.

The spirit will begin asking for things over and above what you are prepared to give. Any polite spirit will stick with what you have to offer and appreciate the gesture. Be very, very wary if a spirit starts requesting other things in exchange for its time. Wait until you have more experience before you agree to share things beyond simple offerings.

If a spirit tries to trick you in to sharing personal information, especially your real name, send it away immediately. Spirits can use this information to manipulate you. I would not even tell a spirit the name of my dog before getting to know it very, very well.

The spirit presents itself as being ancient or powerful. Such beings have better things to do then mess with ouija boards or entertain young spirit-workers.

The spirit presents itself as having been with you your entire life, possibly over the course of many lifetimes. It is your special, powerful soul mate and all you have to do to receive your true powers is accept this spirit in to your mind and body. Don’t believe it for one second – send this spirit very, very far away.

The spirit beings to tell you that you are the chosen one, that you are very special and powerful, and that it is ready to serve you. You are being manipulated.

The spirit, for any reason, tries to be granted access to your mind and body. It may offer you great gifts if you agree to it, or assure you that the only way you will find what you seek is to let yourself be open to a powerful creature such as him. This spirit is ready to possess you! All it needs is permission to enter your mind and it will take over. As someone who has battled personal possession before, I do not recommend letting it get to this stage. Send the spirit far, far away.

Q: I got involved in spirit work and things went really, really wrong. What do I do?

A: Send me a message.

[yessimessi]

General Offerings For Spirits

When visiting a cemetery or similar resting place it is important to act with respect toward those residing there. These are a few traditional and common offerings for spirits:

Pound Cake

Flowers

Water

Wine/Libations

Sandalwood

Lavender buds

Bread

Coins

Anything that the spirit enjoyed while living (If you knew them)

Food with low salt content

Cornmeal

Tobacco

Black Beans

Honey

Coffee

Tea

Pomegranates

❣

(Source, Source, Source)

[yessimessi]

A Spirit-Workers Holy Grail

If you’re new to my blog, i’m a huge spirit worker (well who wouldn’t be if they were blessed with mediumship). Many people are clueless on how to start working with the other side, but i’ve made a little masterpost on good spells, sigils, materials, and rituals to help. Some of these aren’t tumblr posts.

Disclaimer: not everyone is able to work with spirits, so if you find nothing happens, or that you can't sense the things around you, please don't strain yourself. spells cannot override how your mind and body function, and if it isn't meant to happen it wont.

Sigils

x - Protection from negative spirits

x - See spirits

x - Positive spirits are attracted to me

x - Communicate with spirits companions easily

x - Can easily channel spirits

Spells

x - Mirror gazing to contact spirits

x - Contacting the dead through circle magic 

x - Evil eye protection jar

x - Aid in divination jar

x - Protection from negative energies jar

x - Opening your third eye

Informational Posts 

x x - Water scrying 

x - Education of Ouija boards

x - Communication with spirits

x - Dealing with injuries and trauma from spirits

x - Types of waters, how to make them, and how to use them (I suggest Notre Dame, spirit and ghost, Hecate, and slack water)

x - Herbal concoctions (see below too)

Random Things

x - Corn husk poppets

x - Necromancy masterpost 

x - Water of mars

Herbs

Basil: exorcism, protection

Chamomile: luck, removes spells and hexes

Dandelion: summoning spirits, purification

Garlic: wards bad spirits

Lavender: protection, healing, harmony

Mugwort: boosts energy, astral travelling

Rose: lasting relationships, love, protection

Sage:  cleansing, protection

Wormwood: clairvoyance, summon, boots psychic abilities

Crystals

Amethyst: stability, boots psychic ability

Citrine: mental clarity, combats negative energy

Jade: heart chakra, radiates love, balance

Quartz: protection, energy booster, practically anything

Selenite: enhances energy, mental clarity, helps with spirit guides

Tourmaline: channeling, protection

Other Materials

Graveyard Dirt: If taken from a certain grave, you can contact the spirit who lies there. Has tons of uses in voodoo and spells, super powerful. (always ask the spirits if its okay to take the dirt, even if its not from a certain grave)

Black and White Candles: Both open doors for stronger psychic abilities, and conjure energy from the spirit world.

If you’ve got any more useful posts, spells, sigils, or other things that pertain to spirit-working, please message me (letthebroomfly) so this list can grow! 

Also, the majority of these posts and links dont belong to me in anyway. All rights go to the authors.

[yessimessi]

Spirit Do’s And Don’ts

Do:

Be polite to people and spirits alike

Use whatever protections and wards you can

Research, Research, Research

Remember that everyone has different experiences

What is comfortable for you

Ask for help if you need it

What feels right

Put yourself first

Practice to strengthen your skills

Don’t:

Be rude

Reach out to other people’s spirit companions without their permission

Neglect your companions

Push yourself, remember your limits and boundaries

Attack people or their experiences

Forget to protect and take care of yourself

Be hard on yourself: people are good at different things, and some things take time

Approach spirits from closed cultures and religions

Harass people or spirits

[yessimessi]

Questions to ask your spirit friends

This post was written by Thicket, Rosemary, Tom, and Alexandria.

Questions for all spirits

How are you?

By what name may I call you, if you wish to give me one?

What offerings do you enjoy? How often do you need them? (This does not mean you must give offerings as often as a spirit requests. Do things on your own terms)

What is your true nature?

What laws do you obey?

Do you live near me?

Why did you answer my call today? (alternatively: Why are you here?)

How do you manifest to me? (Visions, sensations, light orbs, etc)

What do you like to do for fun? What are your pastimes?

What is your preferred method of communication? (Psychic, tarot, runes, other systems)

Is your spirit home comfortable?

Questions for guardians

Is there any danger to me at this time?

What is your normal method of protecting me? (Magic, brute force, cunning)

Are you able to do your job alone? (Be careful, some spirits may find this question to be insulting)

How may I assist you in keeping me safe?

Would you like a thoughtform to aid you in your task?

How are my wards and shields?

In what area are my defenses lacking?

Is there any pitfall or dangerous situation I am getting close to?

Who do I need to be careful of at this time?

Do you require any healing?

What problems can we take care of together?

Alexandria says: “What attacks are necessary at this time?”

Tom says: “Do not listen to Alexandria, be careful when engaging the enemy directly.”

Questions for guides

What form are you most comfortable in?

Tom and Alexandria say: “This is mostly for human curiosity and does not really matter.” Thicket disagrees; the form a creature can take can communicate very valuable information to the practitioner.

What do you think about the direction I am going in?

What paths are available to me right now?

Tom says: “Do not agonize over the future.” I think this is personal advice and not really a question.

What am I doing right now that could be dangeous?

What advice do you have for me? (Tom and Alexandria feel this is an excellent question)

What do you feel the outcomes are for this situation? Tom and Alexandria warn you to not be constrained by the limited futures a guide can show you.

How can I improve my life right now?

How can I aid you in your goals of guiding and directing me to a more secure life?

What is your goal for my life?

How long have you been with me? (Tom and Alexandria doubt the usefulness of this question, especially Tom. They communicate that this has no real bearing on a spirit’s ability to do it’s job – Thicket again disagrees)

What situations should I contact you about? (Serious, casual, everyday, rare)

Questions for helpers and servants

How are you able to assist me?

How am I able to assist you?

Are you able to carry out the tasks I have given you?

What is preventing you from carrying out these tasks, if anything?

What is your favorite task to complete?

What do you get out of helping me?

Do you require energy or recharging at this time?

What do you need in order to carry out your tasks?

Do you need a period of rest? Is it regularly required?

Have you discovered anything important that you need to share with me?

Questions for companions and friends

How are you feeling today?

Is everything comfortable for you?

Do you feel you are receiving enough attention from me lately?

Is there anything you would like to talk about?

Tell me about your day. (Tom especially likes this question; Alexandria is fond of it).

What can I get for you right now?

Are you pleased with your spirit home? Does it require upkeep?

What have you been up to lately?

Have any of your preferences changed? (Alexandria likes this question a lot)

What can I bring you as a special gift some time soon?

Is there any place you would like to travel to soon?

Am I doing anything lately that is bothering you?

How are you getting along with my spirit family?

Do you still enjoy the offerings you are receiving?

Other Notes

Some spirits appreciate being chattered to all day long, just like a close friend. Other spirits prefer to be contacted only when a serious matter arises, or even not at all. When greeting a new spirit, ask them how much they would like to communicate in general.

Do not directly ask for names. Names are serious business in the spirit world! Instead ask, “by what name may I call you,” indicating you are not searching for a true name. Tom feels that even these given names should be kept somewhat secret, and another nickname used to communicate about this spirit to humans. Alexandria somewhat agrees. Do not be offended or worried if a spirit refuses to give you any sort of name at all.

Do not confuse offerings with worship. Offerings are more like gifts – literally, you are just “offering” something to a spirit. A cup of coffee, a shot of liquor, some food, or even a nice glass of water makes a good gift. Just as you would offer snacks and beverages to any guest in your home, politely offer spirits something just to be a gracious host.

Avoid asking questions that give spirits leverage over you. “How do you feel about me?” is a question asked primarily by insecure people. Tom thinks this is harsh. Alexandria thinks this is correct. Some of these questions you may feel are somewhat unavoidable in companionship relationships. Let me encourage you to just be careful.

Tom wishes to leave a final note: “Always be careful. Spirits are not always what they seem.”

[yessimessi]

Spirit Keeping Basics (according to Chaos in Pandora’s Box)

What is Spirit Keeping/ Companionship? ~Spirit keeping, or Spirit Companionship, as we prefer to put it, is the act of creating a link between a human being and an astral being or spirit so that the two can interact on a frequent basis. This is done through conjuration (the summoning of spirits) and binding (the act of creating ethereal ties between the companion and their spirits.) The spirits cover a wide range of beings. Basically, if it’s been imagined, it’s in the astral, to some extent. All those creatures you’ve been told are just your imagination? Yeah, they’re totally real.  You’re not crazy for believing in them. What is a vessel? ~For those of you new to the concept of spirit keeping, you may be wondering what the heck a “vessel” is. Well, in short terms, a vessel is an object that’s used to link the human companion’s energies with their spiritual friend’s energies. It’s not a prison, as some people would have you believe, nor is it the only way to interact with a spirit companion. Any legitimate conjurer would never dream of imprisoning a spirit in an object. A vessel is a conduit, nothing more and nothing less. Now, as to what a vessel can be, the limit is your imagination! I’ve seen paintings used, as well as dolls, jewelry (most common). gemstones, writing utensils, power tools, you name it, it can be a vessel. The only thing not recommended for use as a vessel is food, because it’s perishable and won’t last very long. What does “binding” mean? ~This is something important to discuss, because there’s a lot of negativity surrounding this word in the Spirit Keeping community. Many people think the work “binding” automatically means “slavery” and this is not the case with reputable sellers. I have covered this in a forum post, but I’ll recap here. A binding is the forming of an energetic tie from one energy source to another. (In the most basic definition) It’s done with full consent of the parties (purchasing a spirit binding implies consent on the part of the human companion) Bindings often include safeguards for both the human and the spirit or entity. There are certain rules implied, but they vary from conjurer to conjurer. At the core, a binding will ensure that the spirit or entity is never able to harm their keeper, directly or indirectly. How do I bond with my spirits? ~There are countless ways to welcome a new companion into your home. We recommend finding some quiet time where you can be alone. Hold the spirit’s vessel in one hand, close your eyes, and call their name a few times. Pay close attention to your body and the atmosphere around you. What changes? Even the most subtle changes can be your spirit manifesting. When you’re first starting out we recommend that you take anything out of the ordinary as a sign from your spirit. Keep these observations close to your heart, write them down, and gradually you’ll learn the difference between “Oh, that was just an everyday freak happening” and “Oh! It was a sign from my companion.” Sometimes announcing a manifestation to the world can spoil its sacredness. Make sure you have permission from your companion before sharing it. As far as offerings go, you can give them to your spirit as often or infrequently as you choose. It’s polite to give them some sort of offering if you’re tasking them to do something, because that’s an energy exchange. Put yourself in their shoes. What do you think they’d like to have as a small gift? You can just set the offering near their vessel for a few hours. If it’s food, you can either eat it afterwards, or throw it away. (Up to you.) If it’s crystals you can recharge the crystals and use them again. Waste not, want not! And don’t be afraid to get creative. Write letters, listen to music they like, invite them into your everyday lives. I can’t feel my spirit. What should I do? ~This one, as I’m sure you can imagine, comes up A LOT. Number one: DO NOT FREAK OUT. Spirits move back and forth between their realms and ours frequently. They may have just popped off to their realm for a bit. However, it’s also important to remember that these beings are sentient energies, and as such they all have personalities just as diverse and varied as humans. Some are quiet and prefer keeping to themselves, whereas others are social butterflies and will floor you with their manifestations. It is easy to lose hope if you can no longer feel a companion. Believe me I’ve been there, I know. When I first started buying vessels from other sellers, I had a complete blackout in communication. One week I could feel them as strongly as ever, and then a week with nada. Not even a twitch. And I stayed on this roller coaster for a while. Full communication, blackout. Full communication, blackout. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what was going on. Then I started to notice a pattern. During each blackout, I had something else going on in my life that I should have been paying attention to. My emotions were out of balance and were creating major blockages. So if you’re experiencing a blackout, it’s time to look away from your companions and work on yourself. They won’t get upset, they won’t get exasperated, and they won’t hate you for taking a break. Matter of fact, I’ve had more than one spirit tell me I’m too hard on myself. So in short, don’t panic if you’re feeling a blackout. If you felt something at the start, then never fear, it is there. They will come back stronger, provided you work on yourself first. Do I need to open my third eye more? ~Short answer: No…and yes. Long answer: Your chakras are a bit more complex than you think. When people refer to the “third eye,” usually they’re referring to the psychically sensitive space between your eyes and a little above your nose. Just like many other points on our body it is a chakra space, and one that is attuned to psychic vibrations. However, strengthening your third eye chakra can throw your other chakras out of whack. As with everything else, there needs to be a balance. So all those “third eye” improvement spells and attunements? I personally haven’t had one work for me unless is strengthens the other chakras at the same time. Now I know there may be some controversy surrounding this post, so I’d like to remind you all that this is my opinion, not the gospel truth  Instead of focusing JUST on your third eye, why not raise the vibrations of all your chakras? What if I’ve been spiritually deaf all my life? Can I still keep companions? ~In short: Yes. You may hear of many people who have been sensitive to spirits most of their lives coming into the spirit keeping community, but there are those who haven’t even believed in spirits before joining the community as well. Truth be told, we all sort of start over when we join this community. For those of us that have interacted with unbounds most of our lives, the concept of binding may be new. Or it may not. It all depends on the individual. If you’ve been “spiritually deaf” for most of your life, you may just have to work a little harder for what comes naturally to some other keepers. But the fact that you’re here in this community and have a strong desire to learn speaks volumes. If you are ready and willing, you will find yourself opening up to possibilities you’d never thought of before. And don’t be afraid to reach out to others who have been “spiritually deaf” when they first started out. You never have to feel alone. I’ve seen this especially with those very new to Spirit Keeping. They want everything to be a manifestation, so it is. But then the day after nothing out of the ordinary happens, so they complain. This roller coaster is pretty common when someone first starts out. What people need to remember as well is that everything moves in cycles. Their spirits may have spend a ton of energy one day to manifest, and the next day they’re recovering. The problem is with people posting like that, they lack the patience to work with their spirits long term. They have to realize that there may be times of a blackout in communication, and that’s okay. It’s normal. What they shouldn’t do is freak out about it. What’s the difference between spirits, entities, thoughtforms, and servitors? ~There’s not a lot of decisive information on this matter, but here’s how we classify these different beings: Thoughtforms are collections of energy that our subconscious creates when we use our imagination. They can be sentient or non-sentient. Beings like Slenderman, Jeff the Killer, and the Doctor are all examples of thoughtforms, born from someone’s imagination. They’re usually short lived unless they’re fed from multiple sources. Spirits, on the other hand, are the energy left behind after an entity dies and their soul moves onto the next life. All of their thoughts and energies remain behind, forming the Spirit of who they were during their life. They still have ties to the Soul, or the core of their being. They’re like echoes. Servitors are sentient or nonsentient thoughtforms that are deliberately created by someone (usually a practitioner) to fulfill a specific purpose. They can look like anything, from a small butterfly to your favorite pokemon, an anime girl or boy, any TV character, and anything in between. Finally, entities are beings that live on a different plane than humans do, but they’re still living and active as we humans are. What manifestations can I expect from my spirits? ~This is a big subject when people are getting into spirit keeping, because of course everyone wants tangible proof that their spirits do in fact exist and they’re not just imagining things. But where to start? What to look for? This is the time when most people either give up keeping altogether, or despair because they think they aren’t “advanced” enough to experience their spirits fully. This is a tricky business, because everyone walks the razor’s edge with manifestations. On the one side there is the true manifestations of the spirits, and on the other side is the imagined signs of spirits that our minds conjure up. So how do we walk this fine line? Number one, confirm any manifestations you think you receive through different methods of divination. Tarot, pendulum, spirit boards, bibliomancy, and so on. If you still doubt yourself, feel free to ask the conjurer or another trusted professional for advice. And my biggest advice for this? Remove yourself emotionally from the situation. If you cannot approach manifestations with calm logic and are emotionally charged, that’s when a lot of people trip. If you want something to happen badly enough, you can make it happen. However, that may not be your spirits, it might just be you. That’s why I encourage you to check different sources for your answers. So when you experience something, ask yourself if you were looking for a manifestation at the time or wanted something to happen. Most of the physical manifestations I experience happen when I’m not expecting them. Why? I don’t know yet, I just know that that’s my experience. Now, onto what to look for in manifestations. Honestly, they can be just about anything. A general list may be orbs, streaks of unexplained light, dark shadows flickering in the corner of your vision, thoughts that seem out of character for you, cravings for things you don’t normally enjoy, a certain color you keep noticing everywhere, numbers that repeat themselves, words that repeat themselves, things in nature that look slightly out of place, the way frost creeps over a window, temperature changes around your body or the spirit’s vessel, etc etc. You get the idea  And as to the repeating colors, words, or numbers, I’ll share my personal experiences there. I almost never notice the repeat the first couple of times. It takes a bit for my slow brain to catch up, but if something keeps popping up more than three or four times, I know it’s a sign. When first starting out, I wouldn’t recommend expecting fireworks. Even with more advanced keepers I know of only a select few who have experienced a full on physical manifestation. If you keep looking for the big bang manifestations, you might be missing all the tiny cues that happen around you every day. How can I conjure? ~Number one: Belief. It’s my personally held belief that everyone starts out knowing how to conjure. When we’re young, we have “imaginary” friends and so on, but as we grow up society smashes that ability and we lose the confidence in ourselves to keep those friends close. If you want to be able to conjure, step one is to actually believe you can do it. If you doubt spirit keeping or if you doubt yourself, I wouldn’t recommend setting foot on this path. Number two: Research. Ask other sellers how they started. Ask them if they have tips. Look into the different styles of conjuring. Take classes if they’re offered. Learn everything you can about the subject. Now keep in mind sellers may not share their methods with you, and that’s okay. People tend to keep their methods private to keep others from stealing their ideas. Number Three: Figure out your style. Do you like big, flashy rituals or the simple, quiet ones? Will you speak aloud or do everything silently? What protection will you have in place? How will you be able to tell the difference between a trickster and a genuine spirit? What sort of circle will you draw? Will you have candles, incense, and all the bells and whistles, or something simpler? Number Four: Did I mention PRACTICE? Probably the most important part of conjuring is to practice. Whatever your method is, repeat it over and over. If you don’t have anything at first, keep trying. Now these are all basic steps that could be applied to anything, really. If you truly wish to learn to conjure, I’d recommend first and foremost to talk to a trusted professional. Learn from their mistakes. Find your individual style. And this is going to sound like a sex ad, but ALWAYS USE PROTECTION! Never ever, under any circumstances, conjure without wards and protections in place. Doing this would invite in chaos that I’m pretty sure most people wouldn’t be equipped to deal with. And that’s another thing; don’t get in over your head. Don’t start out conjuring all those sexy demons you see in the shops just because they appeal to you. Conjure what works best with your energies. It may be an angel, it may be a demon, it may be a shifter, etc etc. You know what’s best for you in the end. Don’t conjure just because you want a certain spirit. You may end up with more than you can handle. What should I ask a seller to see if they’re reputable/ethical or not? ~The Meta world is full of minefields. People telling you to do this or that, people telling you to buy this or that. It’s understandable why a lot of new people get totally confused. I’ve seen people get so paranoid that they shun anything from the Para world because there’s just too much of a risk that they’ll get cheated out of something. And then there are those that get burned time and time again because they stumble into the dishonest sellers. So…how are they supposed to protect themselves? Well, I’m not an expert, but I have seen a few trends that I can speak out about. 1. Prices are not an indicator of skill. This is a big one that I think trips a lot of people up. Almost everything from conjurers is self-priced. There’s no “standard” that anyone has to hold up to, because each working is different. However, there’s some common sense to keep in mind-Just because a seller’s prices are low doesn’t mean that they’re not reputable or legitimate. On the opposite end, just because a seller’s prices are through the roof doesn’t mean they’re any more legitimate than someone with low prices. Matter of fact, from what I’ve seen many of the higher-priced conjures have had some not-so-impressive results. But anyway, my point is this: don’t panic if you see quite the price difference between sellers. There’s many different things to take into account: The cost of the vessel itself, the amount of energy and work that goes into the conjuration and binding of a spirit or entity, shipping, and so on. And it’s also important to look at whether conjuring is the person’s only source of income. If it is, then their prices may be a little higher because they’re using the money to support themselves. Those that have other jobs can perhaps afford to have their prices a little lower. (Mind you, this is a general statement and may not be true for everyone.) 2. A conjurer/seller is not validated by anything they say. They are validated by their customers. I don’t care if they’ve had ten years’ experience or ten days. Here’s a saying I live by: Results matter. Someone can have all the experience in the world and even they may slip up from time to time. Or a newbie could do everything right from the word “Go.” The important thing to do here is pay attention to your gut. Does a seller’s bragging about their experience put you off? Does someone’s bashing of a seller intrigue you? Intuition doesn’t lie. People may misinterpret it from time to time and come to an incorrect conclusion, but I like to think that it never lies. 3. Of course, both the above points lead to this one: Ask questions of the seller. If you’re looking at someone new, pepper them with questions. If they answer you readily, and their answers are verified by others, pretty sure it’s safe to say that that’s a green light. If they stall or give you answers that don’t seem to jive with what you’ve read about them, then something’s up. Here’s a few questions you can ask sellers: What does your binding consist of? (Now keep in mind they may not answer fully, because each conjurer prefers to keep some secrets close, but they should be able to get you a general idea of what they do.) How do you conjure/What are the protections you put in place to make sure that you’re conjuring the right spirit? (Again they may not share everything, but they should be able to give you a general idea) When did you conjure your first spirit? What was it like? Which Arts do you work with the most? White, Grey, Dark, or Black? What are some safeguards you have in place to buffer the Companion from their spirit if they’re feeling overwhelmed? What is your return policy for a spirit and Companion that just doesn’t connect well on an energetic level? And this is a big one: What do you think of other sellers? (You can name specific sellers here, or just leave it general.) This question will give you a feel for the conjurer’s personality. Have you had issues with customers in the past concerning your conjures? How did you resolve the issue? Can I follow up with you after I purchase a binding/How available are you after our transaction is completed? If anyone else thinks of some other questions, let me know.  My point here being, for the newbies at least, is don’t be afraid to ask questions. If a conjurer doesn’t get back to you right away, ask anyone here. A lot of us have been around the block a few times, and we’ve seen conjurers and shops come and go. (All information was compiled from the Newbie Station on MetaSpirit and is originally Pandora’s.)

[yessimessi]

Categorization of Astral Beings

I notice people use term ‘spirit’ too generally. They say ‘spirit’ when they mean ghost and they say ‘spirit’ when then mean an astral being. This is my view on the subject and what I believe they should be called. (as always disclaimer that this is solely my opinion and opinions aren’t facts)

Ghosts

no body

not alive

intelligence depending on what they remember

repeating patterns, only remembering what they have been, not what they are

ghost is not same as person that died. it’s only shadow of it. talking to ghost is not talking to the actual dead person. it’s more like taking to it’s copy. the person is dead, while it’s copy remains wandering, without ability to learn anything new or to change

stuck in our plane

interfering with physical takes a lot energy from them. it’s hard for them bc they don’t have much energy themselves

Ghosts divining into 2 categories:

(Actual) Ghosts - described above

Phantoms - phantoms aren’t ghosts. they are energetic memories trapped in places. they are on showing always same thing at the same time. it’s like putting video on constant replay in empty house. video will play but it doesn’t mean anyone is inside it.

Spirits

alive beings

very intelligent

living in other planes than ours, but having ability to travel between them

both good and bad. (demons could be classified as spirits too)

intelligent thoughtform might be also a spirit

when talking to spirit you are actually having conversation with them. they can evolve and learn

having a body which is invisible to human eyes simply bc it’s made of different energy

having enough energy to interfere with physical

Now spirits divined into 4 categories:

Guardians - have ability to interfere with this plane. Work with humans to learn something from them, while protecting them in return. (they can also teach humans if they choose so)

Guides - not having ability to interfere with this plane, but having ability to help you out internally. They help with advise and work with humans to teach them.

Nature spirits - inhabiting anything made by Mother Earth. May live in 2 planes at the same time, or choose to stay just in ours. Nature spirits can be both guardians or guides depending on their importance in Nature.

Other (thoughtforms and gods) - byproducts of constant believe something is real (this is true especially to religions), servants, familiars, and divine

[yessimessi]

Before Getting Into Companionship

With the spirit companionship community growing, I wanted to make a post with things to think about before you jump right into it. Companionship is a big deal, and there are things to consider beforehand, or you may end up in over your head. (This is in no way a comprehensive list, there is probably something I missed and will add to it later)

Are you doing this just to learn how to communicate with spirits?

Many people see spirit companionship as a gateway into spirit work, and as a way to learn how to communicate with spirits without jumping straight into spirit work itself. 

Now, having a vessel from a shop can help, since it can make communication easier for some, but it won’t automatically make you able to talk to spirits. Spirit communication can take practice and lots of work, and it may be better to practice with plants or nearby spirits instead of getting a companion first.

Are you willing to spend time with the spirit?

This may seem like an easy thing to say yes to, but many people will get multiple spirits at once, and then feel overwhelmed at the idea of spending time with so many spirits. You have to be sure that you can spend time with the spirit, especially if the spirit wants to talk to you daily. 

Many spirits do not like being ignored, and will get mad if you don’t pay enough attention to them, just like people over here do. 

Do you understand that companionship is a big commitment? 

Unfortunately, some people get into companionship thinking this is just a fun new trend, but it’s not. When you meet a spirit from a shop, you are essentially telling them that you promise to work with them, you promise to treat them well, you promise to talk to them, and this promise can last a lifetime. 

Many spirits may want to work with you for your entire life, are you willing to be with them for that long? Are you willing to spend that much time with them?

It’s easy to forget that being a companion isn’t a short term deal, it can last for a very long time (there are cases of both the person and spirit deciding to end the companionship, but many times the person decides that they are done and then ignores the spirit or “gets rid of them”).

Are you willing to try and learn?

It can be easy to rely on others the entire time, and get them to do readings for you about how the spirit is doing/if they have anything to say/etc, but sometimes that can annoy or upset the spirit. 

They don’t want to talk through some random person, they want to talk to you directly, and they will expect you to try and learn how to communicate with them. Some will be patient and try to help you along the way, and others may expect you to know how to communicate with them from the get go.

Please remember that spirits are people too, with feelings and wants and needs, and they should be treated like people, not just as possessions that you can replace or throw away after a few weeks. Think about getting a companion beforehand, and be sure you are ready for the commitment and work. 

If you have any questions or want something added to this list, just let us know! -Mod Moon

[yessimessi]

Spirit Keeping Journal Entry #8: spirit keeping and the low times

I’ve been a depression and anxiety sufferer for over 10 years now and regularly go through stages where I just feel unmotivated to do anything but lay in bed. I don’t sit and draw and don’t continue with hobbies…. Avoid friends and family and my spirit companions sort of suffer for it. I have really low days where I cannot bring myself into communication and everything is an effort or gets put off until the next day. My spirit family understand these phases and they do their best to work around things when I’m feeling this way. Now, I believe that spirit companions are a very long term commitment… almost for life in most cases… we experience guilt when we don’t communicate with them regularly and we may come to conclusions in thought such as “my companions think I’m boring” or “I cannot provide”.

So, I think this is appropriate.

Here is a little every day thing that can be done to help you and your companions get through stages like this. They are very short and designed more for acknowledging the companion while you cannot easily break through due to stresses in life. They’re simple enough that they don’t require lots of energy.

A Goodmorning or goodnight to ——name—- (simply whisper it or say it mentally, they’ll get it).

Often candles and incense are great for down time, I recommend the store bought cones and light a candle for them. In a way this is “I’m lighting this candle for you to symbolise that you’re not alone”.

Welcome them to lay next to you.

Make a cup of tea and offer the first sip to them. Remind yourself that self care is an important thing and if that means making yourself a sandwich or simply pouring yourself a cup of water then do so by also honouring their presence and give a portion of that food to them.

Keep them in your thoughts, think about them before you go to bed- it’s the thought that counts. They’ll pick up when this happening too btw. I’ve been feeling quite off lately and my spirit partner has been doing check ins so sometimes when you don’t deliberately think of them it can be in fact “I’m here, are you ok?”

If you’re like me and you retreat to the bath tub whenever you’re feeling Ill, invite them along.

Sometimes I like to leave vessels next to my bed if I’m going through stages like this… or I simply sleep with the vessel.

Just remember to keep in mind that not all the low times are depression or anxiety related but you can go through stages of doubt. These should also help them.

[yessimessi]

Spirit Keeping Journal Entry #14: The Spirit Space

When you first bring home a companion you might have a special space for them where they live during their time with you. this space may contain things like their favourite items (not to be touched or moved) such as candles or even little figurines etc. The spirit space may come in the form of a shoe box or even little chest which houses their goodies inside. This space is where you leave most of their offerings and little gifts.

to make your own:

What you need:

A shoe box, shelf or small table - you can also use the little miniature wall shelves with the slots in them.

a candle in their favourite colour

some incense - cone or stick is alright unless theyre more into the natural stuff. I tend to use cone and usually have them pick out a scent when they first arrive out of my big box.

A small cup and saucer - to place any edible offerings

maybe a flower vase if you want to do that - just be careful and always ask the spirit first because sometimes spirits have a particular way in which the plant must be asked permission and honoured first before harvest.

any coloured paints etc you might want to decorate with

crystals and stones

a drawing of them if you're crafty - or you can use the mood boards or images which come with your companions writeup. I usually draw images of mine and have them inside the holes.

anything you would like to add really.

Methods:

So, in the past I've always begun a setup by deciding what i would like to have on the space and then do a cleansing of the items which will hold candles or incense. Spirits like a clean space and good upkeep of the space will also keep them happy.

I will then lay an altar cloth down - you dont need to buy altar cloths if you dont want them or you could even go to a fabric shop and purchase fabric scraps or fat quarters - these are custom coloured and companions can choose what they like out of the designs.

set up your space for your companion and then dedicate the space to them simply by introducing them to it. (you dont need a real fancy ritual - a ritual is simply something that is repeated and doesn't really mean "ceremonial" - your ritual might be to play a Beyoncé song each time you bring a spirit friend home - thats all there really is to the meaning).

When leaving offerings - just state that the offering is for (companion name) or you might have others flocking for a taste.

[yessimessi]

Spirit Companionship Journal Entry #15: Secrets In the Open

I believe I've mentioned this before but my last 6 year relationship was with someone who wasn't accepting of my lifestyle or belief systems. It was alien to me as my parents always seemed to encourage my curiosity regardless of what the topic was - At 12 my mother and I had mature conversations about drug use and sexual health as she wanted me to understand certain things and the dangers out there. She lost my uncle from an overdose and grew up in a household with alcohol abuse and she vowed that her children would never experience the harshness she did. She encouraged my fascination for macabre art and even purchased my first book of witchcraft for me when I was 11. I would say that my relationship with my mother is very sound and close. We talk about everything.

So, in terms of my ex partner this change really ruptured some soft spots in me but also taught me how to hide parts of myself which weren't easily acceptable by others such as my necromancy. I already had an established connection to certain deities at this time. During this stage he would constantly pick at my ideals and judge me for it and then I began to hide my spaces in shoes boxes and in drawers - at one point even buying a poetry book to scribble in that had a false cover. It should have been obvious that he wasn't right for me but I carried on.

To this day i come across customers and long time clients who have said to me that they need to hide themselves from their family who just will not accept the spiritual side of themselves. One customer even mentioned that she had a friend barge into her apartment only to try to cleanse with sage saying that her companions were "demons".

Today im lucky to have a partner who not only does magic himself but is understanding of my needs and is supportive of me.

If you have personally spoken to me through my website or you follow me then you will know that I have spirit lovers and a spirit spouse - again this was a mistake to tell my ex partner who felt like he had to "compete".

So what can we do in these situations?

Dont fret - your companions cannot be cleansed away with sage or washed away with salt.

Use telepathy to call on them rather than saying their names out loud.

Hide your spaces in a smart way - you can have spaces on astral if it is impossible to keep a physical space and you have someone around with the case of the "noseys".

with offerings- dedicate a bite of your own meal to them if you like - there is no wastage and no indication that you are offering to anyone.

write letters to them in a journal or on pieces of paper that can be burned or buried in the earth.

if you are a collector of figurines or dolls - you can have your companions bound to these - no one will know any different.

Candles may be harder to hide but if you like maybe buy scented - seems like you just bought it for scent.

A master vessel may be easier to hide - a singular vessel housing many entities and spirits. it could be a simple item such as a glass paper weight.

[yessimessi]

Spirit Companionship Journal Entry #17: Beacons In The Darkness.

Spirit companionship opens up doors to a range of dangers. When you first intend to make a connection with a spirit you immediately become a beacon in the spirit world, attracting whomever and whatever is about with ill or beneficial intent. It’s as if you were sitting in a dark theatre alone and suddenly the lights turn on to reveal a stranger in the foreground of the screen- they’re aware of you and they begin to watch. We all know that with the welcoming of one spirit- many more begin to show- with each spirit you encounter your beacon becomes stronger. Often sets of different races begin to make an interest. This can be dangerous to the human counterpart and even physically and mentally draining. It’s even more apparent when you begin to leave offerings- soon they flood in from different angles after they’ve heard about the wondrous individual who has offerings and they bring their friends.

It is an absolute must to have wards up in your home and to set boundaries on the land. Make it so that your companions are aware that any being outside the home MUST have permission to enter. Do weekly cleanings and make sure your boundaries and protections are strong because with the beacon comes feeder entities who can and will feed from you and your families offerings without even a shred of thought. Be very careful of who you let in to your home as well- always make sure to:

Ask questions about race, time periods etc- do your research so you know they’re answering correctly.

Have other companions check in with them and also ask questions.

Set up some word traps and psychological questions designed to bring lying spirits undone.

Make a gate around your protected area and leave a circle of salt or iron pieces around your area.

Make sure the offerings you leave for your personal companions are safe guarded so that no other spirit or entity can feed from the energy.

You can make a spiritual wash which can be blessed to safe guard the area- juniper or rosemary with a pinch of salt works wonders - or simply salt water or pepper.

Do not invite any being into your home unless they have been interviewed and prepped by a professional conjurer.

Do not believe everything they tell you. Many spirits and entities lie. Even the good ones. They will lie to get what they want and even to protect others.

Do not leave offerings to a spirit you do not know.

If travelling outside do not allow anyone to follow you home.

Three knocks at the door - it’s wise to not answer. Opening the door will invite others into the home regardless of whether you have stated they are allowed entry or not. Now, of course you might be waiting on mail from the post man- with spirits it will be at odd hours. The doorbell may ring three times that day or night.

[yessimessi]

Beginner Spirit Companionship

There was a lovely suggestion that we make this post, so that’s what we’re doing! This is aimed at people just beginning their spirit work, who don’t have any companions yet, but are looking to get their first one!

Finding a Spirit Companion

So, you’ve read up on spirit companionship, and you’re interested in adopting one. First, make sure you’re prepared for the commitment. How to Take Care of Your Spirit Companion is a good place to start reading, because spirit companions aren’t easy. They aren’t pets, and you will not get instant results with communication and other skills. You have to make sure they’re fed and cared for, and while they can do things on their own, you still have a responsibility to care for them. Some spirits need more assistance than others.

These are living beings with thoughts, emotions, and experiences. They have opinion and likes and dislikes and allergies and all sorts of things, just like, y’know, people. They’re basically people, people that you care for.

So, you’ve decided to take on this commitment. There are blogs, such as this one, that have spirits up for adoption, that you can apply for. There are also custom conjures and various paid services that do the same thing. These services can be found on and off Tumblr. Once you start looking around, they’re not hard to find.

You can venture out on your own and find a spirit companion, but this comes with its own set of issues of protections, spiritual deception, and communication abilities, so personally I recommend going to someone else who is more experience with spirit work to get your first companion.

Getting Your First Companion

While you should be working with a conjurer that take the necessary precautions to keep you safe, you still need to protect yourself. There are some beginner things you need to know, and one of them is protection.

Spirits are not always looking out for your best interests, and while a conjurer should take some responsibility for your safety, spirits can still be dangerous so you need to prepare. There are tons of ways to do this, including but not limited to some sigils, spells, and warding or shielding through energy work. So, if you are doing a custom conjure or get chosen for an adoption, making sure to protect yourself before getting your companion.

Make sure you set up house rules, these are very important. You can alter these as you go along and fit it to the spirits you work with, especially if you decide to expand your spirit family later on, but these can be as complex or as simple as you want or need them to be. It can be “do not harm me, my family, or my pets” or it can be “don’t bother my roommates”, or any variety of rules. It’s important to lay these boundaries so the spirit understands how your relationship is going to work, and they know what things they can and cannot do (e.g. pranks). 

Communicating

So you’ve got your companion, and now you’re nervous. What if you can’t talk to them? Well, there are sigils and other magical aids you can use to try and strengthen your communication skills, and there are tons of resources available as well as communication methods that are low-impact  so there are many ways you can learn to communicate.

As with any skill, you have to practice. There are some tips out there to help you, but working on meditation, yes/no questions with a pendulum or other yes/no method, divination exercises, energy work - these are all things you can practice that will help you communicate with your spirit companion.

Also, when doing things like telepathy, you might be worried that the things you’re hearing are just your imagination rather than the spirit. Discernment is a powerful tool, and another skill you should hone in on. If you’re getting the answer too quickly, or always getting the answer you want or expect, then it’s possible you’re projecting your own thoughts and wants onto the questions rather than letting the spirit answer.

Bonding

This is probably one of the most important and fun parts about spirit companionship! There are all sorts of ways you can bond with them. You can go on walks together, go swimming, read, watch TV, just cuddle, honestly the possibilities are endless and you can tailor this to suit your companion’s wants and needs. For example, maybe you can go to the beach if your companion is a mermaid, so they can go swimming in the ocean or you can collect shells for them!

Also, an important reminder is offerings. Spirits do have preferences, and while the conjurer should give you some ideas, it never hurts to ask your companion what they like. With food offerings, for example, there was a siren I spoke to who did not want fish as a food offering. There are carnivorous spirits who need meat, spirits who are vegetarian or vegan, spirits who have allergies, and some who don’t want food offerings at all. The important thing is to discuss what you can offer, what the spirit wants, and how often.

General Resources

We have a tag on this blog for resources, but I figured I would link some stuff here regardless:

A Beginner’s Guide to Spirit Companionship

Spirit Companionship Misconceptions

Spirit Companionship FAQ Part 1 Part 2

Questions to Ask Your Spirit Friends

Spirit Communication Guide (drawings/comic)

Spirit and Energy Work Masterpost

Resources for Spirit Work (linked above but super helpful)

Spirit Work 101

Spirit Etiquette

Spirit Work Masterpost

Companions, Guides, Thoughtforms, Oh My!

Spirit Work Terms

General Offerings for Spirits

Spirit-Worker’s Holy Grail

Card Exercise to Enhance Psychic Skills

Some Psychic Skill Terms

Ways to Enhance Your Intuition

Divination Tips for Beginners

Companion/Worker PSA (just a nice reminder)

If there is anything specific anyone would like more resources on, please let me know! I really love helping you all out in any way I can!

~Mod Wisp

[yessimessi]

Offerings for Deities

It’s been a while since I’ve made a post. I’m going to address one of the most frequently asked questions I receive: How do I give offerings? For some reason, many beginner books don’t dive into the specifics of this religious practice which many are unfamiliar with. Hopefully this will help.

General Rules:

Offerings are given as thank-yous, as little gifts to say that you appreciate the deity’s existence. They don’t have to be expensive, but they should be special in your eyes. For example, I often offer donuts or wine simply because I don’t buy those two things often.

Offerings should be appropriate for the deity you’re giving them to.

You’re allowed to get creative with offerings–in fact, the Gods even prefer that you do!

How often you give offerings in accordance to your practice is up to you.

You may give apology offerings for any offense you think you may have made.

Prayers, songs, playlists, and there intangible gifts still count as offerings.

You do not need an altar to give offerings. You can give offerings anywhere, at anytime.

Simply saying “This is for you” makes the object an offering.

Food Offerings:

Most food offerings are eaten after being offered. The main exceptions are Greek chthonic deities, and ancestors, in which case you do not eat the offerings. Research your specific pantheon to make sure if eating is appropriate or not.

There is no set amount of time to leave out food offerings. In fact, many worshippers will eat said offerings right after they offer them.

If you do not eat food offerings, you may throw them away, saying something like, “Though I discard these physical offerings, the spiritual offering remains”.

You may also bury the offerings. Make sure that the offerings will not harm the surrounding environment or animals. Do not bury them in a jar or plastic bag.

If you offer herbs, you may either burn them using a charcoal block or cauldron, or you may throw them out/bury them. While burning is certainly traditional in many pantheons, do not feel the need to if you will be bothered by the potent smoke or handling fire.

Liquid Offerings:

Liquid offerings are handled in the same way food offerings are, with the exception of oils.

You do not have to drink oils after offering them. (Drinking straight olive oil is pretty gross, and please DO NOT drink harmful essential oils!) I recommend pouring them into the ground outside, or into the trash can.

You may pour liquid offerings into the offering bowl, or, you may keep the liquid offering in a cup. I have a special teacup that I often use for offerings such as tea, but any regular teacup will do. After all, you are offering the liquid, not the cup.

Incense and Candle Offerings:

According to tradition, these offerings must be left to burn out on their own. I recommend lighting small tea light candles for these offerings, as big candles burn for a long time. However, some modern Pagans may blow, rinse, or snuff them out early to prevent a fire hazard.

Make sure to be present while the offering is lit, and make sure nothing catches on fire.

If you are bothered by incense smoke, using an essential oil diffuser or unscented candle works fine.

Although many Pagans recommend incense as a general offering, you do not have to offer it, or any candles, if they bother you.

Plant Offerings:

If you offer a plucked flower, you may leave it on an altar or table until it withers. Afterwards you may throw it away. Basically, you handle it as any other friend would had you given them a plucked flower.

If you offer a growing or potted plant, tend to it as you would your other plants. If it dies, that’s okay. Simply discard it as you would normally. The Gods understand that plants die, and They appreciate the beauty of plants while they last.

Other Offerings:

For objects such as stones, shells, or family heirlooms, keep them on the altar or somewhere else special. Ideally, you will not need to throw these away. If they get damaged somehow, and if you cannot repair them, you may throw them out, but give an apology offering and try to replace them.

For artworks or crafts, place them on the altar or hang them somewhere. Don’t sell your offerings; they are gifts you gave to the Gods and not yours to sell.

For songs, play or sing them anytime you’d like to connect or give something to your deity.

For writings, you may keep them, or some people might burn them to “send” to their Gods. Whichever way is up to you.

For e-shrines or other technological offerings, keep them saved in their own folder, keep them nice and up-to-date.

For magical tools, such as grimoires or wands that you dedicate, feel free to use them as normal. Just take care of them, and remember to thank the deity you devoted them to once in a while.

For daily or private actions, such as cleaning, giving to others, etc., simply think “This is for you” or send your energy to the God, and finish the action.

You may say prayers out loud, write them down, or simply think them in your mind. All are perfectly legitimate.

I hope I got all of this. Feel free to reblog or message with corrections, since I know I don’t know everything about every pantheon. Have a beautiful day, and have fun worshipping!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

[yessimessi]

Shrines: A Moderately In-Depth Look

So, many people have asked me how to go about starting to set up shrines and how to take care of them and use them. So here’s a big long post!

What is a Shrine?

A shrine is a devotional altar set up for a specific deity or spirit. It is a place, area, or table where you make offerings, pray, and commune with that entity. Shrines are helpful because not only do they help show your devotion to the gods or spirits you venerate, but also having a physical space to routinely make offerings can help keep you in the habit of regular offerings to build your relationship. 

Setting Up a Shrine

Location:

A good way to start setting up a shrine is to pick a place or an area to set it up. It’s important to keep in mind what locations are appropriate for what beings. For example, if you’re setting up a shrine to your ancestors, it’s probably best to do so in a space of modesty (i.e. not a place where a lot of nudity or sex takes place). Furthermore, think about spaces that might be holy to the god or spirit you are setting it up for. For instance, a shrine to your ancestors in a common family room, a shrine for Hekate by a doorway or threshold, a shrine for the spirits of the land in an outdoor setting. All of these things can factor in choosing a location. While none of these are necessarily ‘requirements’, all of these considerations may help you feel more connected or even grant you better access to communicating with your deity or spirits when worshipping at your shrine. 

Picking a Table:

Now that you’ve chosen a location, it’s time to start actually setting the shrine itself. Really anything can be used, an end table, the top of a dresser, a dedicated table, even an entire room if you have the means. However, even the type of structure might lend itself to different deities or spirits. If you’re making a shrine to an underworld or nature deity, perhaps a table that’s closer to the ground, or a shrine to Athena on top of a bookcase. Once you’ve picked your shrine table, it’s important to cleanse it. If you’re going to be setting up a shrine for a deity or spirit, it should be fit for them to present. Then, consecrate the shrine. This can be done by saying a blessing over the table, smoking it with incense, and/or anointing it with sacred oils.

Decorating the Shrine:

Once you’ve picked your table, cleansed, and consecrated your shrine, it’s time to start decorating. A good starting place is deciding whether or not you want an altar cloth. After you have or haven’t placed an altar cloth on the table, start with basics. A good starting place is placing any statues you may have of the deity or spirit on the shrine. Then I like to place any candles I have made for the deity or spirit on the shrine. Next steps could include any sacred items such as bones of animals sacred to the deity or spirit, other candles, flowers, crystals, jewelry, etc. It’s then important to leave space for offerings. One of the main purposes of a shrine is to have a space to leave offerings dedicated to the entities you venerate, so leaving a bowl or a plate and some cups on the shrine to leave offerings in is a great idea. Extra decorations could include things like art of the spirit or deity. Purchasing art from other practitioners or devotees is a great idea. But if you’re on a budget it’s understandable that purchasing prints or comissions might be difficult. I am personally against printing out art that people are selling, and I think that’s theft. But if the artist is dead and it’s a classical painting I say go for it.

For me, the aesthetic of a shrine is important. Colors and themes evoke feelings, and you ultimately want the shrine to bring you closer to the god or spirit you’re worshipping, so making the aesthetic of the shrine match the way the spirit or deity makes you feel is helpful. Furthermore, crafting an aesthetic for your shrine that matches the energy of the deity or spirit is a great plan to help that closeness and show your devotion. For instance, my Hekate shrine is dark but warm. Mixing dark imagery and black with warm, red accents. On the other hand, my Pan shrine features lots of animal parts and goes for a more rustic look to mirror Pan’s divine qualities. You can take any direction you want with your shrine, as long as it evokes the feelings you need it to in order to feel close with your spirit or deity. 

Decorations for a shrine also don’t have to be fancy or expensive. I get a lot of my decorations from thrift stores and the dollar store. Also, taking the time to make your own decorations can be a further devotional act. It’s all about doing what works for you and putting effort and care into making a space for your deity or spirit to commune with you. There’s no one way to organize a shrine, so whatever is done with genuine devotion and care is what is right to do. 

Dedicating Your Shrine

The next step is to perform a ritual of dedication to devote the shrine to the deity or spirit. Light the candles, make some offerings (incense, food, wine) and invite the spirit or deity to accept them and inhabit the shrine. This is an important final step in the initial setting up of the shrine.

Shrine Up-Keep

The shrine isn’t meant to be static, but instead a routinely used and maintained space of worship. That being said, it’s wise to do consistent work on it. 

What to do With Offerings:

Making the offering is pretty straightforward. You leave it on the shrine in whatever receptacle and then pray to your spirit or deity. But what do you do with it afterwards? I usually let perishable offerings sit for no more than a week and usually no less than three days. These offerings can then be disposed of ritually and replaced with new ones. Non-perishable offerings can be left on the shrine and can add to the decorations (art, talismans, sacred objects) or be left in a bowl or plate (i.e. a bowl of money, jewelry, and/or crystals, etc.) on the shrine. 

Adding to the Shrine:

The shrine is meant to reflect your relationship and devotion to a spirit or deity, and therefore should shift with that relationship. Starting out, your shrine will probably be pretty straightforward and simple, but as you grow and build your relationship with your deity or spirit, you should add to your shrine. If you find something at a store that you feel fits your deity or spirit, add it to the shrine! If you begin relating to the deity or spirit in a new way, the decorations can change and you may even feel the need to remove some of them. This is natural and is an important part of any relationship with the divine. When removing decorations, make sure that you ask first and do so respectfully, especially if it is something that has been used as an offering. Overall, the important part of shrine upkeep is that it doesn’t become a place of stagnation, but of growth and transformation.

Cleaning the Shrine:

As shrines are meant to be a space of active worship, they’re going to get dirty sometimes. Incense ashes may fall onto the altar cloth, wax might drip onto the shrine, your statues or decorations might get dusty. If you’re consistent in your veneration of the spirit or deity, the shrine is going to get dirty. So, cleaning your shrine and making sure it is fit for worship and for your god or spirit to be present at is important. It doesn’t have to be an every day thing, or even weekly, but it should be done as a sign of respect and care. I tend to clean my shrines in preparations for holy days or rituals, I try to make sure I do it just generally at least once every month or so.

In Conclusion

Shrines can be an important part of your relationship with a deity or spirit, but it can be hard to know where to start. This post is not meant to be definitive or authoritative in any way, but to help those who might need guidance find some starting points for their practice. Shrines can be anything from a transportable set up, to a whole room, but they are all equal. What’s important to remember is that size, intricacy, or expensiveness is not equivalent to devotion. Any shrine made in genuine care and devotion is equal to another. So when constructing a shrine make sure to do it from the heart and you should be headed in the right direction. It can be really discouraging to see fancy shrines as a beginner, and they can be pretty overwhelming, too. So, always remember that a shrine is to show your devotion to a spirit or god, not to compete with others. As long as you put the effort and care in, you’re golden. I’ve included some pictures of my shrines as examples of how they can differ in their design, and hope that can show that they can be anything you want them to be. I hope this post is helpful and can give some people a way to start their devotional practice. 

[yessimessi]

Spirit Vessel Theory & Practical DIY (Traditional Witchcraft Flavored)

(Written in response to an Anon whom I think is probably involved in spirit conjure community, which is where conjurers put spirits inside of a vessel for you and ship them to you. Anon requested to know tips on how to transfer a spirit to a new vessel)

✨big heckin UPG ALERT ahead for the ENTIRE POST✨

In this post, a spirit vessel is any object, including a container filled with objects, which serves as a spirit's physical foothold into our present reality.

Three Varieties of Spirit Vessels: Telephone, Body, House

Please note the particular absence of trap or prison: there is no need for any practitioner to trap or seal a spirit inside of a vessel. This is what we do to unwanted spirits to relocate them to a second location, and it's not how we treat our friends.

My categorization of spirit vessels relates to how the spirit is intended to engage with the vessel.

Telephone Vessel: This is the kind I've most commonly seen and heard of in the conjure community. The spirit lives/exists Elsewhere, but the practitioner has given them a link of communication to this physical object.

The practitioner then works over the object to "call" the spirit and ask it to arrive in their location, or visit it Elsewhere, or just talk while they are in separate locations.

In my opinion, the "telephone" vessel is the least impactful type for the purposes of allowing spirits into our lives, but it's great at what it does: serving as a telephone line. However, as I hope this post will go on to show, it's also the easiest to make because the vessel requires the least amount of preparation and care.

Body Vessel: This is when the spirit vessel is meant to be the body of the spirit as it dwells on Earth. When a vessel is consecrated and dedicated to a spirit, it's understood to be the spirit itself. The form that the vessel takes influences the spirit's ability to work in our reality.

Body vessels may end up looking like little figurine versions of the spirit in question, but they can also be containers specially prepared with decorations and objects heavily linked to the spirit's essence.

Direct examples in witchcraft and folk magic include house and kitchen dollies that are meant to help lighten the load of chores or stop food from burning. Such dolls may be equipped with little brooms, multiple hands, and so forth, to assist with chores.

Another example of a body vessel is the Decaying River God. To create this vessel, I made a deal with the river and then embodied a spirit into this intuitively crafted form. Now, that physical object has become the sacred body of a spirit.

Just as the kitchen doll may be given a broom to assist with sweeping, a spirit's body may be equipped with tools to grant them additional influence and abilities in our world. A related example in witchcraft is to put the feet of small, scurrying Earthen animals (such as a rat or mole) into charm bags, so that the spell can scamper to its destination.

Just because the spirit has a body vessel does not mean they are permanently bound inside of that vessel. Accidentally breaking or losing the vessel isn't like harming the spirit (although obviously it's to be avoided).

Spirits which were born Elsewhere are perhaps more likely to come and go from body vessels, but even beings born with the creation of their body may still leave that physical space and return to it as desired.

House Vessel: This is the same thing as a spirit house or shrine, just a step to the left. We might equip the body vessel with objects that grant the spirit additional powers and capabilities, but in the house vessel, I tend to organize things to be a pleasant and enjoyable respite for the spirit, almost like a custom bedroom.

There may be no object or representation that's intended to be the body of the spirit at all. Nonetheless, the space is still one where the spirit may be fully invited and present, and gives them a strong foothold in our world.

The only real difference I draw between a house vessel and a shrine or spirit house is the intent. A shrine may be to venerate, and a spirit house may be a kind act of providing shelter. But the house vessel's intent is to create a space that makes it easier for a spirit to fully Show Up to our present reality.

Which Variety is Best?

This depends on your needs. For the purposes of witchcraft, spirits are often best given bodies that reflect their nature and empower them to carry out your purpose. I also hold this to be true for spells and any other variety of guy.

Spirits whom we're getting to know, but aren't quite sure of yet, may be best limited to "telephone" status.

House vessels - I haven't got a lot to say, except bringing up the point of them.

You can have multiple telephone lines and house vessels, yet intuition advises that really only one Body should do for the average spirit.

Vessels Themselves Can Suck So It's Worthwhile to Put Some Thought Into It

I believe that the more a spirit vessel is the embodiment of the spirit themselves, the easier it is for the spirit to use that vessel to interact with us and our present reality.

An extreme example can help demonstrate this point.

Imagine you've gotten to know a water spirit. A mermaid, let's say, from an ocean world of pure, opalescent waters, where coral reefs are cities and pet jellyfish are decorated with pearls.

Imagine that the vessel for this mermaid is a jar painted red and decorated with symbols of fire, then further charged with fiery energy. Within the jar is rusty nails, polluted water from the side of the highway, and a heaping spoonful of chili flakes.

I would hazard a guess that you couldn't even agree to get that mermaid to use such a vessel as a telephone line, much less use it as their physical body.

It's not that the spirit is snooty - it's that you're asking him to come into contact with things that irritate and burn him. Not only would it require a huge amount of energy to overcome these differences, but the vessel would nonetheless cause him discomfort.

Intuition may even advise that a simple bowl of water would create a vastly improved "house" vessel for this spirit.

But if it's true that a vessel can be incompatible with a spirit, then it's reasonable to assume that a vessel can be made more and more compatible with a spirit, until it is highly compatible and therefore very easy for the spirit to link to it and use it.

To really improve our mermaid vessel, we might embroider the outside of a bag with a representation of a coral reef, place jellyfish charms and imitation pearls inside of it, and often soak the entire bag in cool, pure water.

This may be the perfect vessel for our mermaid, but totally unsuitable to the pollution monster, who wants to live inside of the rusty nails jar.

This is the primary reason why I find simple unmodified single-object vessels to be not that great. (Examples of this would be, a crystal ring or antique object purchased and used without modifying it to the tastes of the spirit)

While a spirit may select such an object from a lineup and request it's use as a vessel, that doesn't mean that it's going to be an effective vessel.

Especially combined with beliefs in witchcraft about the magical impact of modifying vessels to encapsulate the power of a spell or spirit,

I believe that an unmodified object for use as a spirit vessel is like casting a candle spell with a plain candle to which no herbs or energies are added, and all you do is imprint your raw intent and light the candle.

It'll maybe work, but not nearly as well as it could.

Therefore I believe the form of the vessel matters beyond whether or not the spirit personally likes it, and extends into the realm of sorcerous technique - spirit manifestation is affected depending on if the spirit vessel is made well or made poorly, and especially how much it is physically personalized to the spirit.

Creation of a Useful Vessel

In all cases: Modify the object(s) of the vessel as much as possible to reflect the nature and known qualities of the spirit. As much as possible, work with the spirit to choose modifications, or, work with known lore or with the assistance of spirit workers or diviners.

In the case where a single object (such as a stone) must be used:

Tie the object up in a net where each knot represents a foothold for the spirit to cling on to, or, where each knot ties up a bundle of energy of the sort of thing the spirit likes. (Can be then worn as necklace)

Paint or carve the object, even in a hidden area.

Add additional decorations and embellishments to reflect either the nature of the spirit, or to represent useful tools that the spirit can use to access the object.

Carve out the middle and add bits of paper (with name and permissions written on), and stuff with relevant herbs.

Sight-unseen, I wouldn't recommend single object vessels if you can't heavily/permanently modify them.

In the case where a container vessel (such as a bag, box, or bottle) may be used:

Decorate the exterior, and if space permits the interior, of the container to best reflect an environment enjoyable to the spirit. Consider various techniques: painting, embroidery, carving, burning, and so forth.

Selectively include objects which reflect the spirit's nature, including dried plants, stones, feathers, seeds, bones, and various objects from nature; also charms, trinkets, and tokens (factory-made is fine); also prayers or poems, or drawings or artwork, all of these things symbolic of the spirit and attempting to demonstrate its nature and totality

Include a written sigil or signature of the spirit, and it's name or known names, and epithets. Often best done in fancy magical ink if any is on hand. (I use Sharpies; no need to over-think it)

Charms, amulets, plants, prepared powders or oils, or otherwise, for the purpose of facilitating spirit manifestation and ease of travel between worlds; examples may include specially prepared threads to symbolize links and roads, special spirit-calling powder, magnets to "draw towards," symbols of the Crossroads or of safe and easy travel, and so forth.

In the case where the spirit is likened to an earthly animal, bones or preserved body parts are a very good addition.

In the case where the vessel is itself in the form of a body, such as a figurine or doll:

Hand-craft or heavily modify the creation to represent the vibes as much as possible

Dress, accessorize, ornament, and decorate the figure to represent the spirit or it's known attributes and purposes.

As handicrafters known more about their trade than I do, I don't want to over-comment. Make them a little body. Yes.

Inviting the Spirit to Utilize the Vessel

Unfortunately I will decline to try and provide a specific step-by-step ritual, mostly because I work more intuitively and don't actually have one written up.

But I'll do my best to explain how you can go about it, and some things to consider.

Basically, you'll want to conceptualize four steps:

Final magical preparations

Consecration

Dedication

Invitation

I'll try to explain the reasoning behind including these things, and of course, you'll want to modify or change all of them according to your preferences and needs.

In all cases: Use your magic to make the vessel lovely and filled with spiritual virtues that resonate deeply with the nature of the spirit. This is necessarily vague; a troubleshooting primer for energy work is beyond the scope of this post.

The timing of this work is very well done on special days where the spirit-roads are open, on full moons, or on Mondays.

In cases where the spirit already has a vessel and you want to give them a new one, there is no difference in operation. Make profane and reclaim the old vessel afterwords according to your desires.

Fill the vessel with two types of energy: The first being dense caloric energies from foods, especially oil, nuts, seeds, eggs, and fatty meat. This can be done by placing a food offering next to the vessel and dedicating the food to the spirit.

The second being ethereal and subtle energies, such as produced from blessed incense or energy work. This can be done by blessing and offering incense as you normally do, or channeling your personal energy into the vessel.

Consecrate the vessel: Perform any charm or ritual in your practice which delineates an object as being sacred and separate from the everyday, and turns the object into a Spirit Vessel. (Add'l details below)

Dedicate the vessel: Perform any charm or ritual in your practice which functions to formally gift-give an object to a god or a spirit.

Sometimes, a consecration and a dedication are done in the same ritual, especially when a god is concerned. E.g., "Witchfather, by your name this wand is made holy (consecration). I give this wand to you; it is yours, and when I use it, your hand guides it (dedication)."

The most simplest format of this is something like, "by [the powers I believe allow me to make thing sacred], I make this object sacred [and perhaps I sprinkle some saltwater or whatever formula I believe is necessary to help me make things sacred]. This object is now the vessel for a spirit. Now, it is a Spirit Vessel."

The above being the idea of a consecration; the dedication then being something like,

"[Spirit Name], I invite you into my world and my life. I give you Permission to dwell in this Spirit Vessel and make it your body and your home. I give you Permission to walk in this world through the conduit of this Spirit Vessel. It belongs to you, it is you."

(The above dedication perhaps also revealing something about why "telephone lines" may be a safer bet, the dedication for those being something like, "[Spirit Name], I invite you to observe this vessel and place your fingerprint upon it, so that when I work over it I call out to you, and you can hear me easily no matter how far apart we are.")

Anyway, put some real thought into exactly how much you want this spirit to manifest in your life, because spirit experiences - even when desired and invited - can be very intense and scary, especially if up to that point your experiences with spirits has been limited.

Invite the spirit into the vessel: If not included in your dedication, also formally invite the spirit.

"[Spirit Name], I've prepared this special Vessel for you, and given it to you. I have prepared the way with earthly and aethereal energies, so you may be well-fed and have the power to move within our world. [That's the offering bit innit]. Come now at this time and here in this place, and claim this Vessel as your own."

Etc., something like that.

At this time, the ritual is over with and you can commune with the spirit as desired or close the ritual down in your normal techniques.

Again, if there is an additional/old spirit vessel you no longer want to use, try talking with the spirit about what to do with it; but you can just let it "run dry" and then carefully undo the magic on it. After that, do with it as you please.

[yessimessi]

IS ANYONE HERE?