Necromancy: The Reality of Spirit Communication

 

Channeling the dead, summoning demons, and divination of spirits is an art that has been practiced throughout ancient history. King Solomon, Saint Cyprian, and Marie Laveau are some of the most famous conjurers regarding spirit summoning. This tradition of asking spirits and other entities for advice, divination, and to run errands is stronger than ever, especially with many people taking a renewed interest in the occult and communicating with passed loved ones.

The art of spirit communication and summoning is called necromancy. “Necro” meaning “dead”, and “mancy” meaning “magic” in Latin. From ancient Egyptian stories to the Bible, necromancy has made appearances as a way to divine, or have servants to carry out bidding. While magic through an approved religious priesthood was acceptable, those that spoke with the dead were generally feared and ostracized throughout almost all history of major cultures. Witches, those who usually practiced taboo magic outside of the sanctioned religious practices, were viewed as dangerous for having power over not just nature, but the dead. Witches have been blamed for influencing politics, weather, crops, and more because of this fear.

Necromancy falls under the category of nigromancy, “nigro” meaning black in Latin — in other words it is “black magic”. This is quite important, because until recently, contacting the dead and any entity was seen as part of the dark side of magic. This belief has flipped a 180 and is now seen as white magic – as long as it is SANCTIONED BY THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

The watering down of original beliefs in order to force it into a paradigm that is its “opposite” is a popular notion that has consequences. It is now acceptable to talk to loved ones, or claim to, but not to speak with entities that aren’t sanctioned deities or ‘nice’ spirits. This is hypocrisy, because many of these beings have ‘two-faces’. These gifts, and attempts, originally belonged to those that were fearless enough to go against the norm to get what they needed or wanted. It wasn’t a fad, and it was very serious. There was always an understood payment, which varied in practice and cultural ideals.

Now everything is instant gratification and entitlement. The practice has changed from being respectful (even fearful) of entities to treating them like they owe us something for simply being human. This spills into people’s practices, as they no longer give offerings or an exchange of energy with those they claim to work with, expecting the entity to be their slave. I would put New Age mediums in this category, too. Love and Light is not an offering –and it won’t protect you from something that most people don’t even understand.

Because the art of respect and courtesy, along with not learning the fundamentals, is being lost, there have been a rise in problems regarding the dead and other entities. I have seen attachments and possessions rapidly become more common in the last five years. People are confused as to why their methods backfire or don’t turn out as expected – after all they are all powerful humans that control their destiny! These delusions will bring about calamity, and sometimes a kind of death where the vessel may become empty and is utilized by whatever feels free to step in. I have seen several of these empty vessels within our local community. The interesting thing is that empty vessels will tell a truth to lure in clients and then lie throughout the rest of the session – something that is warned about in historical anecdotes when working with spirits.

Necromancy should only be reserved to those that not only dare (and have strong will), but know how spirits and entities work, and what they really are. Most of the dead called on are not even there. Most of these ‘mediums’ have an attachment whispering in their ear, telling them what the client wants to hear. There are some of the older rules and teachings that can be bent, but many are on point, such as identifying what spirits you are working with, being able to discern and command the truth, and giving offerings.

I work with many types of entities, and occasionally the dead. I have found that their personalities are diverse as the living. When working with the dead it is important to remember that if they are truly spirits – then they did not pass on and they will be the same type of person in death. That means that the father who was cruel to his family isn’t suddenly going to feel ‘sorry’ for his actions and want to tell his family he loves them and he’s going to a better place. It does mean that he will still justify his actions, and carry them out if he is displeased on the other side, too. People do not usually change during life, and even less in death. Anyone that claims different is trying to sell you a product –exchanging your hope for their greed and pride. It should also be noted that most people can’t contact those that have already been reborn or completely crossed over, because those types of souls are no longer within the realm of the Dead that intersects with the physical world.

One of the things that a lot of different older systems do warn about is that spirits do not like to be disturbed and they will lie. It is a given that they will lie. There are operations, devices, and tools that can be used to discern the truth. There are ways to bind an entity to truth – but that only works on lower level entities. This is also where you have to listen close to wording; if it is ambiguous then the entity is not willing to comply to what you wish to accomplish. Also, because of the evolution of words, meaning may have changed over time. This is why it is good to know the time period in which a spirit resided in life. I have other articles that goes more into the art of wording and vocabulary, one of which you can find here.

Offerings are another thing that the dead love. It shows respect, and gives them an anchor to this world. When a person channels without an offering, one of two things happen – the spirit will take energy from the vessel (leading to days of being tired or getting sick), or they will anchor themselves to the vessel to either feed through psychic connections, or possess the body itself. This is also why it’s important to have spotters during sessions; you may need other people to help push out the spirit and cut the left over cords. There is NEVER NOT an exchange of energy. It will be taken forcefully if an agreement isn’t arranged before hand. This goes for all entities, even one’s claiming to be ‘aliens’.

Regarding offerings, especially if what shows up isn’t the ‘true’ entity called on, you may noticed an increase of energy and suddenly want to get people to follow the entity. This is a different kind of exchange – essentially you are enticing people to feed a parasitical entity through you. This is how a lot of newer ‘cult’ leaders thrive; they are using their ecstatic spiritual experience to bring in new followers to a certain entity (sometimes one they let permanently possess their physical body). The congregation, or worshipers, in turn feed the entity with their own devotion.

This is why it is important to learn ‘stops’ and devices for truth telling and identifying a ‘spirit’ – many times they are actually entities that are vying for more power and have nothing to do with the intended being. This invitation anchors and feeds them.

Though energy and magic is neutral, it is important to remember that it all has consequences. Many which most people do not want to pay. So, here is a list of things to remember about necromancy:

1. Any technique in order to communicate with the dead is necromancy, including channeling and summoning the dead, and is historically tied to black magic.

2. The dead are the same as they are in life. This means their base personality and intentions are the same. It is also harder to change in death than in life.

3. Making contact isn’t exclusive to any one religion or belief – and doesn’t make it more ‘evil’ or ‘good’ in one or the other. It is still necromancy.

4. The dead, like all entities, need offerings or some kind of an exchange of energy – otherwise they will forcefully take what they want (sometimes more than needed). This can lead to severe fatigue and illnesses.

5. Channeling is a form of possession (you are letting something enter your body to communicate), and therefore you must take the same precautions as you would for any invocation.

6. The dead are notorious for lying – just like the living. Learn skills and/or use tools that help you discern the truth, and even bind them from lying. Just because you hear what you want, or what the client wants, does not mean it is is the truth – beware an overly friendly spirit.

7. Know thyself! This allows for you to catch any odd behaviors or emotions you are exhibiting. This may mean you have an attachment or possession from communicating with an entity or spirit. I would suggest a cleansing and cord cutting after each session. You can find instructions for cord cutting and cleansing from these links.
   

8. Love and Light, Jesus Christ, etc., is not going to hold sway on a lot of souls left behind. These are purely human constructions and thought forms. It is best to find older, ancient deities that can remove possessions (I find Anubis to be one of the best). You may also want to bring servitors and guardians which can help prevent accidents, and can help disengage with the dead. I would suggest asking a psychopomp like Samael, Azrael, Michael, Anubis, Osiris, Hekate, Hermes, Ereshkigal, etc. for suggestions to receive a Guardian or guide if you are working heavily with the dead. These usually require contracts themselves, but are a great way to have protection when working with any entity. Sometimes those that are viewed as ‘dark’ are better protectors and mediators. After all, Dark is just an energy and has no moral value.

9. Not everything that claims to be a spirit of the dead is what it claims. Many beings claim to be something they are not in order to feed, or achieve status. This is why it is important to know how to discern truth, learn signatures of certain types of beings, and learn what types of behaviors are exhibited by the dead versus other entities. I’ve seen low level entities be mistaken for the dead, demons, and even deities.

10. Safety First! It’s okay to abort evocations and invocations. Learn how to do this and practice before doing an actual ritual; this includes channeling. This is also why I suggest spotters if you have other practitioners that can help.

I would not suggest that those who are beginning magic and ritual interact with any beings that are related to death, chaos, and demons. The reason is that these beings themselves are dangerous and tricksters. You have to know yourself and be confident in your skills and abilities in order for these interactions to work – but it doesn’t make it any less dangerous. This is why precautionary action is needed, and after care. The ability to cut cords, detect behavioral changes, bless yourself and location, to win in a struggle of Will (which is more than determination – it is also knowing your strengths and weaknesses), and banish anything you call up, is essential. Some people are fast learners and have the power, for others it may take years or never. Gauging this ability means setting aside the falsities of ‘nothing can harm you if you don’t let it’ and that being human automatically puts you over dominion of all things (it doesn’t). You wouldn’t challenge a hungry female bear in heat with nothing but your bare hands, and you shouldn’t be challenging anything that can make your life a literal hell either.

Necromancy and witchcraft in general should be left to those that are willing to assess and take risks. Realizing that everything you do has consequences and it will eventually catch up to you – though maybe not how you imagined it.

In closing, necromancy is not a game. It’s not something to dabble in for fun, and it shouldn’t be used for mundane tasks like asking forgiveness or closure. It is, like all magic, a real force with real consequences. It should only be used after considering all the possible consequences, and then accepting whatever those consequences may be; regardless if they were calculated or not.

Remember, the dead are the same as they are in life, and that there are entities out there that are willing to do anything to capture you under their influence. This should help you with your decision regarding using ritual or possession to communicate with the dead. Is it worth it? Are you strong enough? Are you respectful? These are just some of the questions you should ask yourself before performing necromantic rituals. Stay smart, stay safe.

-Arachnia

Photo Credit: Seeking Credit

Dancing with the Devil: Contracts and Pacts 2 (Laws, Rules, and Protocol Part 4)

 

Last week I wrote briefly on different contract types that a practitioner may commonly come across. This week I’ll focus on a few rules and precautions to help you with the types of contracts and pacts you wish to make, along with some common consequences.

Here are some basic precautions and rules to consider before entering, or changing contracts, that I have discovered while working with entities and other practitioners:

1. Oaths: Any oath made is expected to be kept. Both parties must agree to change or dissipate an oath. In rare cases there are ways to get around an oath, but it requires intervention and mediation, usually from another entity or deity. If one party breaks their oath, they become what is known as an Oathbreaker. This is a very serious offense. If you have broken your oaths, you will be expected to pay restitution of some sort. If someone knows the rules, and purposefully breaks an oath without going through proper channels, they do not always get a chance for restitution.
2. Bonding and Binding: These can be quite tricky, but depending on what you are doing, it is better to enter a mutual agreement and understand the terms. However, forced bondings and bindings are tricky, because only one party makes all the agreements. These usually require a deity to be involved. The deity essentially acts an enforcer – they are there to make the forced contract stick. Contracts against Free Will are dangerous, because everything needs an equal exchange to keep balance.
3. Reciprocity: What you give out, you get back regarding contracts. If you don’t give equal payment, it can be requested or taken by the other party. Usually it won’t come to this, especially if the practitioner realizes what is happening and then rectifies the situation. Sometimes the person who is not receiving equal payment may ask for more than equal ‘payment’, similar to interest.
4. Boundaries and Agreements: These are another important part of a contract. For example, with some of my guardians we have a specific agreement not to physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or sexually abuse each other. When you are dealing with entities, especially those known to be aggressive, or liars, you should set boundaries. This doesn’t mean that the entity won’t push limits, or even abuse boundaries in ‘legal’ ways. However, you should consider all angles of protection when dealing with any being, which includes setting firm rules of engagement.
5. Punishment and Restitution: This may be included in any type of formal contract with a being or practitioner. Sometimes the one making the contract sets the punishments, and sometimes the being you make a contract with sets the punishment/restitution. Each contract is individual and personal, so no two contracts may be alike when working with different beings, or even the same being.
6. Reward/Price/Energy Exchange: Something must be given in exchange when working with other beings, after all you are asking for their help. Think of it as you are the boss hiring an independent contractor to work for you. You need to make a payment for services rendered. This goes for all beings. Again, this may be energy, a gift, or a service. There is always an equal exchange, if not greater price requested by the entity being contacted.
7. Beings will always get the better deal: It is wise to remember that these beings have a longer stream of consciousness than we do, and many will have more experience than you regarding contracts. They have an intelligence that humans don’t understand, which allows them to get the better deal in the end. There are always safeguards in their contracts, and most beings that would be called in to deal with punishment, or breaking a contract, will more than likely be on the entity’s side, not yours.
8. Biases: I have seen many practitioners claim that they have the right to punish entities, take forced information or payment, or say they have forced contracts on entities. This is a trick where the entity uses your ego and pride against you. I frequently find that these people eventually become ill, fall into a series of misfortunes, and even become insane. The ones that have lost their minds, especially when being eaten by Choronzon, can be dangerous if they have not been rendered harmless while living within their delusional world. Even practiced magicians can fall into this trap, so always be on guard and question your own motives. If the deal seems too good to be true, though you wish the deal to go a certain way, then don’t make a contract or bond. Come back later when you are more grounded, if you still choose to make the contract.

By using common sense, learning more about the personalities of the entities you choose to work with, and researching the Akashic/Eternal Records, you can make better choices regarding contracts. Remember, if it’s too good to be true — it is!

-Arachnia

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Dancing with the Devil: Contracts and Pacts (Laws, Rules, and Protocol Part 3)

 

Contracts can be very intimidating to think about when it comes to magic. This fear seems to be heightened from movies depicting witches, and non-witches alike, entering a contract with an entity and not being able to fulfill the pact. This ultimately leads the character to lose their soul at the climax of the story. Faustian deals seem foolish, and yet many people do it to this day.

Why would anyone be interested in entering a binding contract, you may ask yourself. There are many reasons contracts exist, and not all of them are scary. Contracts can range from Karmic Contracts (what we agree to do, or not do, in order to grow spiritually) to Guardian Contracts (an agreement for an entity to work exclusively with you in return for payment). These contracts can be arranged in this lifetime, previous lifetimes, and may even be arrangements from future lifetimes.

In this article I will briefly touch on a few contract types.

 

Contract Types

These are few common contracts and pacts that as a practitioner you will most likely consider, or have to deal with regarding yourself and others.

Karmic Contracts: This is the most common type of ‘Free Will’ contract. These are usually arranged before our lifetime, and are lessons and goals that we strive for on a spiritual scale. These can be changed, especially if the contract no longer serves its original purpose, or has become destructive. These contracts may also include other people. One or the other party, or sometimes both parties, may have to pay restitution, or repeat lessons together until both parties learn it.

Soul Mate Contracts: These contracts deal with people in our Soul Tribe. These are not necessarily romantic, but can include people we will meet, or even become physical family with. Just because someone was a lover, or family member, in one lifetime doesn’t mean that they will be those things to us in this lifetime.

Spirit Guides/Totems/Guardian Angels: From experience, these seem to be beings assigned before birth. They are more impersonal than guardians and other type of entity contracts. They are there to be teachers and guides, so they may seem distant at times. They have many personalities, which means your interactions with each one will be varied. Sometimes ancestors, or family guardians, are included in these type of contracts.

Guardian Contracts: These are contracts with entities that agree to fulfill a specific role regarding your magical practices. They do require payment; sometimes it is as simple as giving personal energy to a being, or as complicated as exchanging something of eternal value, like your eternal loyalty to serve them when the contract is completed. Most of these are impersonal, as it is a business partnership, but it is not uncommon for the Keeper (the human) to have a relationship of some kind with the Guardian (entity). Sex, love, and admiration are acceptable exchanges of energy for some entities.

Wish Contracts: These are akin to Faustian deals. You ask for something, and give something of value in exchange for a wish. These exchanges can be energy, blood, sexual fluids, or even giving up your soul. The exchange will be something that will bind you to that entity. These are actually quite dangerous, as many people don’t realize how high the price is, and try to back out of these contracts when they find out what is required on their end of the bargain. This will not happen, and the entity will retain the payment regardless if you finish your part of the contract, or not.

Bonding Contracts: These are contracts that essentially bind you to another person or entity for a certain amount of time. Those with spirit spouses may have these type of contracts regarding spiritual marriage. The time is determined by both parties. There are times when a bond is forced. Forced bonds can be broken a practitioner, but you must fully know the contract. However, most bond contracts are mutual.

Servitor Contracts: This is a touchy and controversial subject. From my experience, and how other entities explained it to me, these are where a human creates, or forces an entity, to serve them. However, since there is no formal contract this may cause some problems, especially if the practitioner doesn’t know about the ‘Laws’. Yes, there are ways to make entities, or call them to you, then bind them, but they get an equal exchange in return. So, if you buy one, or even make them to sell, both parties may be automatically entered into a contract with that being. Some of the exceptions can include golems, genesis, egregores, and fetches, but they still require care and energy for their service.

There are other contracts regarding covens, magical partnerships, etc., but those mentioned above are the most common regarding entity and soul work in individual practices. Learning how to work with entities, astral traveling, and proper ritual will help you when working with contracts and pacts.

In my next article I will post a few “laws” and suggestions regarding contract work. This will be helpful for practitioners considering contracts and pacts with other beings, both physical and astral.

-Arachnia

 

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Spirits Guides, Part 2: Communication

Previously, I wrote about the type of guides a person may choose to work with. In this article, I will explain ways of communication in more detail, and how to care for your altar dedicated to your guides.

I find the Golden Rule, “Do unto others, as you would have done unto you,” to be a very effective way to gage how to treat other beings. There are some instances where their way of communication, or showing affection, will be much different than you are expecting. Boundaries are important, but learning the idiosyncrasies of the being you work with is even more effective. This is why two of the most important traits other beings find impressive is to set boundaries and be respectful. Depending on the situation, even if you do not worship beings, it is respectful to bow and defer to them. It is good to remember that there is always someone higher in rank to us, and are even those that are higher in rank than the Gods. Respect goes a long way, and though we have a semblance of Free Will, it is good to show that we understand the pecking order and how things work. Another good way to think of it is greasing the wheels of a bureaucracy.

Altars

Altars are one of the easiest ways to communicate and establish a connection with guides and deity. There are several different kind of altars you may use to honor and establish a relationship with the deity or the guide you are working with.

I am going to include some examples of what I do maintain these relationships, and feed the beings I work with.

1. Gods and Goddesses: I usually set up altars the more Wiccan way, with the Goddess and feminine objects on my left (which is their right, if they are facing the other side), and the God and masculine objects on the right (their left). Objects on the feminine side include the chalice (water) and salt (earth), while the masculine includes the incense (air) and athame/knife (fire). I also leave libations for special events, when working them, or as a gift of gratitude.

2. Ancestors/The Dead: Though there are more traditional ways to set up altars, I personally find that setting up a small space is effective. This altar may contain a picture, personal effects, or something they liked, such as favorite flowers or candy. Some people like to burn candles in honor of the dead, too. You may also include a cloth or other items that include their favorite color.

3. Spirit Guides/Personal Guides: These come in many forms, and they each have their own personalities. Though many do not require altars, occasionally they may ask for a gift or offering. The beings I work with usually have asked for gifts, including stones, statues and even incense. The biggest benefit of keeping an altar for Spirit Guides, is the opportunity to communicate with them, releasing stress, and when giving offerings, you allow them to manifest themselves closer to this reality.

4. Guardians: These beings are under contract, and you’ll know what they wish to have on their altar. Some things that have been asked of me is stones, statues, libations and cake, jewelry, and even simple things like drawings or poetry. Each guardian is an individual and having Free Will they will ask for different items and favors. Since this is a contract,they will expect payment more so than any other being.

5. Celestials (Angels, Djinn, Demi-gods, etc.): If altars are kept for these beings, you may have a statue or picture for their representation, along with some correspondences on their altars. Burning incense is an acceptable offering. If you are communicating with these beings as mediators, daily offerings and candle vigils are appropriate in order to get to know them.

I do not practice Voodoo, Catholism, or certain traditions, so these are my own personal preferrences. There are many ways to do altars, though some deities and entities are specific about correspondences and altars. Most will work with you if there is genuine intention behind the offerings. Since altars are personal, every altar is individual.

Spirit Communication

The most common spirit communication that I have seen and experienced, is what people call the Holy Spirit or “still, small voice”. Though some would argue it is just your subconscious connecting with the conscious, whenever asking a question to a specific entity, it works the same way. You will either hear or see a word, or image, regarding the question you asked. Sometimes it comes as just “knowing” the answer, but sometimes it is resurfacing the answer from the deep recess of the mind.

A perfect example of this, is I had a friend that was having a grand mal seizure while vomiting. By the time I found her in the back of the car, her airways were clogged up and she was turning blue. I tried not panic, instead I took a deep breath and called on the Archangel Samael, one of the angelic guides I work with closely. I asked for the knowledge to know how to save her, and keep her from dying. Suddenly images popped into my head on articles I read about people having seizures, and what to do in case they are also vomiting. I immediately propped her head up and steadied her head to the side, so that the vomit would clear from her airways. I also remembered not to put anything in her mouth, even belts can block the airways. By keeping her head up and to the side, I saved her life. This is one example of asking for help with guides, and having the calmness for information retrieval that was not readily accessible in everyday daily activities.

In cases, such as the above, a large offering or gift is usually expected in gratitude.
Other forms of communication, other than emotions and knowing, are empathy (feeling what another person or being feels), feeling energy (it can range from “negative” to “positive” energy, to dark, light, fae, Celestial, etc.), auditory, visual, tasting, feeling/touching, olfactory. The last senses can either be physical manifestations, or your brain registers them as not being physical, but it is still strong (similar to a knowing, or feeling inside the body).

These modes of communication must be practiced every day in order to strengthen your skill. Though raw talent will have the occasional and rare experience, with practice this can become an everyday occurance. Within daily spiritual practices, you will find listening to guides and other entities to be quite beneficial. However, because it is easier to rely on them, you need to remember to keep practicing “self talk” so that your personal intuition is not overshadowed by their presence.

Communication Exercises

I think there has been a lot of hype about “opening up the Eye” going around in occult and New Age circles. I do agree that it is good to exercise and eat right. After all, this is the only body you have and the healthier the body, the more you can dedicate your time to activities that require stamina and energy. This I have definitely learned the hard way, and still struggle with daily. However, I don’t think people need to go on special diets, have gurus or consult a mediator on their behalf in order to gain spiritual guidance. I believe people have the inherent ability to communicate with their self and other beings, but like any skill, you need to practice and develop it.

Here are several ways you can go about developing your “sight”:

1. Void Meditation: The meditation I have found most useful is not a visual journey, but one where a person lets go of their thoughts. The goal of this meditation is to learn the ability to let go completely of thought. This is known as a “Void Meditation”. This particular one that I am going to share is one I was taught by my ArchHigh Priest, Kindrick Winsoul, of the Temple of Hermetic Mysteries. However, these meditations are found throughout occult and meditation writings.

Take a candle and anoint it with blessed olive oil (or your own oil mixture) starting
from middle to top, then middle to bottom. You may set, and say, your intention
for the candle as you rub on the oil. Don’t forget to trim the wick. I personally prefer light pink or white candles because I find the colors less distracting. However, remember that color brings in certain vibrations, including entities.

Next draw a circle of protection and a say a blessing or prayer, if you wish. Light the candle.

During this time you will stare, while relaxing your eyes, at only the flame. When thoughts enter your head, let them enter and then release them. You do this by not dwelling on the thought, but taking note of it and then letting it go. Continue to look at the flame. Do this for about 30 minutes a day. You may start out small for 10 minutes then add 5 minutes more each time you begin to master the art of letting go.

Notes: I sometimes repeat the phrase, “the Flame” over and over (or you can say a mantra) until I can refocus on only the flame. You will notice that sometimes there are better times of the day, or night, for you to meditate. Experiment with times until you find one conducive to being in a trance without falling asleep, or other distractions. It is normal to feel as if you are about to jump out of your body, or see other beings. When this happens, take a deep meditative breath, and bring yourself back to the moment by focusing on that breath, then return to staring at the flame.

2. Visual Meditation: This entails visiting the “Inner Worlds”. This may be done by taking breaths and then entering the Inner World, by listening to shamanistic drumming music, and guided meditation. The important thing is to get there and then communicate with other beings.

3. Auditory Meditation: Music can be quite crucial to catapulting a person into a trance. Constant percussion or noise, like binaural beats, have proven to be quite helpful for those trying to achieve a trance state. I personally like percussive music, compared to binaural beats, but it is a personal preference for every practitioner.

4. Wall Watching: This is pretty simple and entails nothing more than staring at a solid white wall. You may ask a friend to stand in front of the wall, and try to see the aura around them. Alternatively, you may see if there are any household entities willing to play with you. Make it perfectly clear that your intention is to see, or know them better, and then ask them to stand still in front of the wall. Look “behind” the wall, you will start noticing after practicing a bit that a shadow or aura will begin to appear. The better you are at the skill, either in your mind or even with your corporeal eyes, you will begin to see more defined features. For me entities look like an outline of white details, similar to a photo negative. Some people do see these beings as if they fully existed on this plane, and others will never see the shadows, but get the image in their mind. All are valid ways of developing sight.

5. The Face Game: This was taught to me by a fellow witch, RK. This is a fun game that can be played at home with household entities. They enjoy being acknowledged, so chances are you will find someone in the household to play the Face Game.

First, find a comfortable place to stand, or sit. Ask the entity to come close, about ten to twelve inches in front of your face. Look “behind” where the entity is suppose to be; staring at the wall behind the entity helps. Do this at least fifteen minutes a day. Once again, whatever modality of seeing you have will be strengthened. You will soon begin to know the entity themselves, what they look like, and you may even ‘hear’ them speaking with you.

6. Tools: This is where you use other tools to communicate with other beings. This may be tarot cards, ouija/spirit boards, pendulums, table rapping, mirror/water/stone scrying, automatic writing, etc. The possibilities are endless, this method just allows you to use something, other than yourself, to communicate.

7. Possession: It is possible for a practitioner to be partially or fully possessed. However, this is for advanced practioners, and I will not go into detail on how to do this. This is practiced most safely with a “spotter”, another practitioner that can help exorcise the entity, if it has taken root in the vessel.

8. Lucid Dreaming: Once you learn how to lucid dream, you should have the ability to realize that you are ‘dreaming’. Though you may not automatically be able to travel where you wish, if you set the intention before you fall asleep and repeat it while drifting off, you may have the privilege of meeting the entity you have called on. Entities may come in all guises, including looking like friends, human, or sometimes as fantastical creatures.

9. Sit and Listen: This one is very simple and can be done anywhere. Here you simply sit and listen. If you speak aloud, pause to wait for an answer. This trains your brain to expect a response. This may take awhile to develop this skill, but it is very useful skill to posses.

There are many imaginative ways to cross over, or tear down, the veil. However, some of these are not discussed because the techniques belong to certain covens and teachers. Once you are able to communicate with entities, they will be able to assist you more in your endeavors to gain skill in seership.

There are also certain dangers involved when working with entities, especially those you do not know or trust. These need to be mentioned as precautions should be taken. Some entities when they receive attention, seek your permanent company and will either follow you home and try to befriend you, or will try to get your attention in more agressive ways. It is also good to remember any time an entity is invited within in a space, they have a right to reside there and will sometimes take up permanent residence. Because you have invited them, it will be harder to banish them.

Other dangers, other than possession and taking up residence, is that some become demanding. There are many types of entities out there, and their personalities are vast as the rest of the human race. Negative personality traits may include obsession and stalking, to all forms of abuse.

Whenever working with other entities, remember that their stream of consciousness is longer than ours, meaning they have the ability to retain information and have more skill than someone with a broken stream of consciousness. This means when entering contracts, or making promises, or even receiving information, they have the upper hand.

By using the Golden Rule and safety precautions, communication with other being can be a positive experience.

-Arachnia Stoneskull

Photo Credit: “Cosmic Angel” by Shawn Dall

Spirit Guides: Teachers from the Other Side, Part 1

One of my favorite activities practicing shamanism is communicating with beings on the Other Side. It’s not just the variety of types, but the exposure to new cultures and ideas. Interaction with these beings fascinates me with their wide range of emotion and colorful ways of expressing themselves. Even the more somber beings have some sort of eccentric behavior or tick.
I speak with those I work with, and my guides, every day. I find this imperative for establishing a connection, learning personalities and gaining skill in seership. I also find communication with other beings is a great way to assess people, and myself. It is also nice to have someone to talk with that will not break your confidence. Some beings may be a bit mocking, or have an opinion on the subject, but they tend to stick around after foolish choices or unhappy incidents.
I wish for more people to be in touch with their guides as a way to help with personal revelation. I find, for myself, that they have been a great resource for knowledge and a great help in clearing obstacles to achieve my goals.
There are many different kinds of guides on the astral. I will list a few to give examples, but they do come in all forms and varying levels of knowledge.

Entity, Guide, and Guardian Types

1. Gods and Goddesses/Archetypes: These beings tend to be the most common for many Pagan witches to interact with, especially regarding rituals and goals. Depending on the belief system, these beings may be seen as sentient individuals, or energy that represents an aspect the practitioner wishes to work with in a ritualistic manner. Many beings of this nature are willing to help, but do require an offering, or sacrifice, of some kind. These beings are rarely personal guardians, though they do seem to take interest in certain individuals. For a practitioner that works heavily with one deity, they may choose to set up a permanent altar and gives offerings regularly.

2. Bodhisattva/Ascended Master: These beings are said to be enlightened, but chose not to ascend. Instead, these beings dedicate their life force to teaching and helping humans achieve their spiritual goals. Some people have altars and give offerings to these beings, similar to deities.

3. Ancestors: These beings may be blood ancestors, or entities that follow a family line or clan. Occasionally these beings may be friends of the family while they were living, and have taken a special interest in an individual or family. These beings are more personable and willing to help the practitioner, but they will retain the same traits as when they were alive; this needs to be kept in mind when working with ancestors. Ancestors can usually be cajoled to retrieve or perform more earthly tasks compared to other astral beings. Usually an altar, which includes a picture or representation of the deceased, is kept with an offering of what the person liked, or alternatively with offerings corresponding to the dead.

4. Angels/Demons/Djinn/Celestials: These beings are lower in rank than Gods and Goddesses, and yet they are very powerful allies. They have many powers and ways of achieving goals. While they are similar to deities, these beings are more accessible since they have worked more often with practitioners on this plane of existence. This has allowed for these beings to gain, and obtain, a more extensive knowledge of actualizing goals and wishes. Altars, offerings, and corresponding rituals are appropriate. Most of these beings are summoned and respond more favorably to certain rituals than others. They do expect to be shown the proper respect, as you would a deity. This is fair, as many actually work for specific deities/archetypes and these are sometimes representations and messengers for deities. There are some that do take an interest in individuals and can become constant companions or guardians.

5. Fae: I have not worked very much with the fae, but they seems to be a more earthy lot that enjoy tricks. I have found milk and honey to be beneficial in some rituals, and sometimes just leaving food out over night. Some house elves and brownies do not like offerings, but are said to take sustenance by eating whatever is close to rotting in the fridge, or left out on dirty dishes. They consider it an insult to be ‘fed’, and instead prefer to forage. Every type of fae has different correspondences and personalities, so the difficulty is to determine what type of fae and then act accordingly. When working with fae a practitioner must avoid using iron.

6. The Dead: These are pretty common entities roaming everywhere. They are very prolific, but not always considered to be reliable. Like ancestors they retain the personality they died with, but they are not always willing to help, even with an offering. Many have a tendency to lose interest quickly, unless you can keep their attention. The dead, like the fae, also are tricksters and some love riddles or to play practical jokes when bored. Not all wish to be crossed over, and some are guardians to the places they died, or the family they are ‘haunting’. While the dead can cause mischief and trouble, they are generally harmless unless they have a driving desire or need to communicate, or accomplish a goal.

7. Personal Guides: These are beings that have been assigned, or agreed to work with, a specific practitioner. They come in the form of angels, demons, ascended masters, fae, ancestors, spirit animals, nearly any entity imaginable. These beings are willing to teach and guide a practitioner regarding their goals, spirituality, and magickal practices. There can be an exchange of energy, whether it is a gift, offering, or personal energy. However, though it is polite, it is not always expected in some cases.

8. Guardians: These beings are similar to guides, but unlike guides they enter a contract with the practitioner in return for something. This usually involves an exchange of personal energy on a daily basis, on top of the agreed contractual terms. They usual guard, offer advice and run errands. These are usually beings of free will, and can be thought of as contractors that aid the practioner. If the contract terms are broken by either party, there can be a dissolution of the contract. However, there are usually loopholes for both parties, so that punishment can be avoided and both can leave on somewhat amicable terms. This is not always the case, and it is usually the practitioner found at fault, as the contracts are usually terms that are more geared towards protecting the Guardian than the practitioner.

There as many different kinds of guides as there are thought forms, but these are just a few of the main types.

Working with Guides

When working with guides, as stated before, it is always good to find the proper correspondences. I would suggest that you perform a daily meditation, or ritual, every day to get to know the guides you choose to work with. Though it may sound silly to some, have actual conversations with them and pause as if you were waiting for a corporeal person to respond. This helps your mind establish that you are listening and expecting an answer.
There are many ways to communicate with guides — rituals, prayers, meditation, etc. However, receiving answers is different for everyone. Some people receive a feeling, some feel energy, some hear a voice in or out of their body, some people receive visualizations similar to movies, some are able to smell. There is also the intuition of knowing, and there are even people that can see and communicate effectively with other beings as if they were corporeal. However you are able to communicate, it is important to remember that your communication with these beings is personal and will be different than everyone else’s mode of communication. It is also to be remembered than when beginning, there may be nothing, or only rare occassions of open communications. Not everyone learns to fully see, but everyone can become skilled at their modality of communication.

There are many different ways to meet your guides, and sometimes other entities can unexpectedly take on the role when taking a liking to a particular human. Other topics that will be discussed in this series is how to come into communication with these beings, and effectively open and receive communication from them. I will also be adding a series of posts geared toward ritual and caring for the guides and deities you work with daily.

-Arachnia

Photo Credit: Digital Angel by N-One on Deviantart