This Quintessence of Dust

Are you perpetually busy? Never have any spoons? This might be the post for you. Note that not everything here may be considered low energy or low effort to everyone, and that's okay :)

Carry a crystal around based on what you need. I have a black tourmaline bracelet that absorbs negative vibes throughout the day. I stick it on a selenite slab when I get home to cleanse overnight, then rinse and repeat in the morning.

Put a bay leaf in your wallet to attract money. If you have time, draw a sigil or a $/£/€ on it.

Dedicate anything you drink to your deities if you have any. I dedicate water and black tea to everyone and my favourite raspberry tea to Hathor. Coffee is for Caim.

Enchant your pill case so you remember to take them on time. Enchant your pills to work efficiently. ("Anxiety begone. Ye be banished" on all of my anxiety pills ✌️)

Draw a sigil on your body wash bottle to remove bad vibes or carve a sigil in a bar of soap.

Enchant your moisturizer to repel the evil eye. I fucking love this one.

Incorporate colour magic into the socks you wear (Goths who wear hot pink socks, I'm looking at you).

Enchant your charger so it doesn't break and so you don't lose it. Enchant your phone too while you're at it.

Sorry, I love enchantments--

Uhhhhh

Match those big ol jar candles to different intentions. Burn a cedar candle to cleanse/banish. Burn a cinnamon candle to draw in prosperity. Burn a citrus candle to uplift mood. This one is fantastic for broom closet witches.

Got a humidifier? Fill it up with moon water. You're welcome ;D

Politely ask the spirits of your plants to ward your space. Feed two birds with one scone this way.

Witchy social media. Scrolling on Tumblr and learning something new about witchcraft counts as witchcraft imo. Saving tarot spreads from Instagram for later counts too. Making Pinterest boards for literally anything also counts.

Keep a digital grimoire if doing it on paper costs too many spoons. I have used Google docs & drive in the past but I currently use Notion (You can copy and paste this way!)

If you still want a physical grimoire, print your stuff out and stick it in a binder or glue it in your journal. Boom. Physical grimoire

Listen to witchcraft related videos in the background while you do other tasks or chores in your home

Preparing a meal? Toss in spices that correspond with good health and drawing in positivity, or any other intention you have

Everything must come to an end.

This is an area of spellcraft that doesn’t get a lot of publicity because for most people it just becomes a natural part of the process.  However, if you want to mix up how you do it, try something new, or otherwise let go of the way you were originally taught, this might be a good resource for performing rituals!

What are Sealed Spells?

In the context of magic you usually hear about sealing and binding like binding a person or something from being able to do something.  Here we're talking more like a binding contract.  This is a binding or seal locks in an action or intent.  It is binding in the way an agreement is binding.  You have given it firm parameters that it must follow and you have endeavored to finalize the action.  You have provided certainty, locked in your answer, sealed the deal.  

The benefits of this are inherent in the finality.  You have a set thing that now is much harder to alter and is much harder to waver in its purpose.  This is no longer some multi-purpose object.  It has varitably been christened for this and this alone.  The work to undo it will be just as rigorous as the work to do it in the first place.  A light cleansing of your materials afterwards might not be enough.  You're gonna need the spiritual bleach.

To some extent you might just feel that something needs to be finalized.  If you feel it in your gut like you need something to formally end the working, these are what you might be looking for.

More Common Than You Think

This might be more familiar to you than you would initially think.  Signing your name on something at the end is a common one, but even in a ritual sphere there are many examples.  This is going to be your “so mote it be”, your “Amen”, and your other declarations of finality.  Even purely secular situations often have rituals of finality.  I think you’ll find that when these things are left out, there is sometimes a feeling of the energy hanging in the air.  In a lot of ways it does not feel right.  Whether this is the social convention of signaling to everything and everyone present that the ritual has come to a conclusion, or just to announce you’re finished, there is some power to it.

Types of Seals

There are several different ways to express finality in your workings.  Here are just a few examples.

Shutting the Door and Sealing the Envelope

If your work involves some kind of lid or package, you can physically seal it.  Whether this is corking a jar, sealing with wax, tying a string around something etc.  If this is a possibility it is a good way to finalize a spell.

Written and Spoken Seals

Whether this is through signing something like you might finalize a formal contract or expressing that it is finalized verbally.  A few examples of this are listed above that you may have heard before, but there is really nothing stopping you from making your own.

Kiss Seals

Sealing with a kiss.  Kissing something to finalize has historical precedent and takes no extra tools to complete besides your lips.  Whether this is physically using your lips or the other means, this is one option for a quick seal.  Just don’t kiss poison.

Burning, Burying, and Bestrewing

Few things are more final than destruction.  Once you’ve set the flame, you’ve pretty much confined what you’ve set on fire to that purpose forever.  Burying something in the ground would be another example of this.  Whether you feel the finality is from returning it to the earth, or because you are sealing it in a tomb of soul, this will certainly signal that it is done.  Some feel like things are not complete until they’ve scattered the ashes, in which case throwing something to the wind could be your version of finality.

Whether this is through signing something like you might finalize a formal contract or expressing that it is finalized verbally.  A few examples of this are listed above that you may have heard before, but there is really nothing stopping you from making your own.

Sigil Seals

For starters, if you don’t know who Crowley was (no, not the Supernatural dude), he was a 1900s occultist who coined a portion of what modern witchcraft uses today, such as the word “magick” which he, although did not ‘invent’, popularised. (you’ll learn why I denounce that term and try to educate people who use it in a second). He was, in a nutshell, everything modern society hates. Racist, antisemitic, sexist, you name it and Crowley was it. 

Crowley wrote several books about the occult, some of them having slightly useful information and still are referenced today, but his occult books are not what I intend to talk about. Little known to most, Crowley wrote an essay entitled “The Jewish Problem”, that title is enough of a disgrace, but what is actually IN the writing is atrocious, which I will be going over in a second. In other writing, he refers to Jewish people as “parasites”, “a barbarous race”, talks about how Jewish people are their bad stereotypes, among other things. This article does a wonderful job of compiling some of his worst quotes and explaining how racist he really is, as well as explaining some of the undertones of the quotes.

“Christians and other troglodytes — but most especially the parasites of man, the Jews (The New Comment on Liber AL, III:11)“ 

“the Jews were an entirely barbarous race, incapable of any spiritual pursuit. (preface to 777, printed in The Equinox, Vol. 1, No. 8)”

“A similar case is presented by the Jew, who really does only too often possess the bad qualities for which he is disliked (Confessions, chapter 54)“

“But in America, the Christian elements have been removed so that wealthy Jews may reach the summit of masonry. (Confessions, chapter 72)“

“It has been said that every nation has the government which it deserves. I would add, the type of Jew which it deserves. (Confessions, chapter 61)“

“the Jews are a critically important factor in the social and economic problems of the day (Confessions, chapter 75)“

Anyway, he also used to throw slurs at his Jewish friend Victor Neuburg and admitted to being interested in fascism multiple times.

As for quotes from The Jewish Problem: 

“Israel has corrupted the world, whether by conquest, by conversion, or by conspiracy. The Jew has eaten his way into everything.” 

“The Jew, living so long on sufferance, by subterfuge, servility, and self-effacement, has taught his tricks to the whole world.“

And many, many, many more. 

Some of his comments on other groups of people: 

About Chinese people: “One cannot fraternize with the Chinese of the lower classes; one must treat them with absolute contempt and callousness“ / “The Chinese does not respect the white man as the Indian does — for his possession of high moral qualities.“ 

About Mexican people: “Neither the coyotes nor the turkey-buzzards will touch a dead Mexican. His flesh has been too thoroughly impregnated with chillies and other pungent condiments.”

About black people: “Where Islam and Christianity meet in open competition, as in some parts of Africa, it is found that only the lowest type of Negro, such as is accustomed to arrange matters with conscience by hanging a rag on a piece of stick, accepts Christianity”

About Indian people: “I am not fond of Benaglis at the best and he as the worst specimen of his race I have ever seen. He was fat and oily, with small piglike treacherous eyes.”

Crowley also heavily used the term “black magic” in reference to the “dark art” types of witchcraft, this term is now considered racist by a good portion of the community. Not to mention he was also a regular user of the N slur! I’m talking hard-R.

He was also heavily misogynistic and sexist, as if the dude wasn’t enough of a crapshoot. Here is a list of all the gross, sexist things he’s said! 

Anyway,

I never much liked the usage of magic with a K to start with, but I’ve been learning more and more about AC as time has passed, I’ve started denouncing it entirely and educating people about it’s connections to him as best as I can, most people have no idea how awful he is. It’s scary to think that someone so despicable is still heavily referenced and worshiped in the Occult community, so I wanted to finally make this post. I am asked a lot about it and why I hate the term “magick” so much, now you all know. I hope you will consider using the terms witchcraft, or even just magic rather than adding the K at the end, because we all know what the K stands for now, and who it represents. This is not even the beginning of how awful he was, there is so much more that can be dug up. I encourage you to do it, research him and understand how absolutely terrible he was. Please. 

In conclusion: 

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

Lo and behold, a few minutes of independent research later, I found out that he tended to go through women like tissue paper, but at one point was married to one Rose Edith Kelly. She was who from which he received much of his guidance for The Book of the Law—she would go into a trance via ritual and would dictate knowledge for him. This was a role he often had women in his life fulfill—he would typically draw them into his circle, ply them with substances and with his noteworthy charisma, and before long, they would start spouting secret knowledge on his behalf, often enduring some very questionable conditions. Anyway, Rose and him had two children, and it is said she developed a drinking problem, but it is also fact he committed her to an asylum for “alcohol dementia” in her thirties a couple years after their divorce. Further research uncovered another noteworthy name: Mary Desti, who it seems Crowley met the same year he had Rose committed. She was the “seer” who revealed much of his seminal Book IV. Her son, the playwright Preston Sturges, was none-too-happy to recount that in her induced trances, if she stepped out of line in any way, including if she would start a sentence with “I”, Crowley would slice open her arm with a penknife. Some may start to wonder less why Rose started to drink. Mary would later leave Crowley as well, and Crowley would head over to another mistress, and the train of the world’s fascination with him would keep rolling.

In the past familiars were seen as animals that had demonic ties and served witches in their malevolent deeds. Animals like cats, crows, snakes, and toads are often used in this context even today.

However, as times have changed so has the meaning of the word Familiar.

Ever since I was young I always felt that the world around me was full of energy, of spirit. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized that what I was feeling exists, and there's a name for it. I’m talking about the spirits of place called Genius Loci.

A plate for each of the following spirits:

The Master and Mistress of the Home The Lares and Penates The Mare ( The Collective dead, could be specified as Lares - protective ancestor guardians - or the Parentes - the spirits of Immediate Family) The Genius Loci

To each plate, given a pinch of salt, a pinch of rice, some sugar, a piece of fruit and a small amount of water or olive oil. Place these in the kitchen, clap three times or knock on the counter three times and say:

Glory to the Master and Mistress of the House Glory to the Protective Lares, the Sweet Penates Hail to the Mares Peace be to the Genius Loci I pay homage to thee, do not forsake my offerings. I bless you as you have blessed me. Salve, Salve, Salve. Gloria Ischyros Mater et Pater, Lares et Penates, Mares et Genius Loci.

I’ll try to make this post as short as possible, but let’s be real, there is a lot to unpack. Sources will be linked at the end. Have a good read!

The image of a universal tree, filled with life and supporting our world, is a common theme in a vast number of mythologies and folk beliefs. It was rarely seen as a “deity” in an of itself, but rather a mystical, sacred sort of being. It is a symbol of wisdom, the spirit world, healing, the circle of life, and even sometimes, immortality. It can be found namely in Native American, Siberian and Indo-Europpean spiritualities. It is also mentionned in the Qu’ran and in various Hebraic, Hindu and Buddhist writings. In Europe, this tree is usually seen as an oak (more specifically in Baltic, Slavic and Finnish mythologies). On the other hand, Hellenic lore depicts it as an olive tree, though the ancient Greeks viewed the oak as holy as well due to its tight association with the god Zeus. 

In the norse lore, this tree is an ash called Yggdrasill, “Óðinn’s steed”. This surprising etymology may refer to the Allfather’s unique connection to the tree: according to his myth, he hung himself from the branches of Yggdrasill in order to attain the purest form of self-reflection and to gain ultimate knowledge. One of his lesser known stories depicts him, riding down the tree to reach Helheim and bargain with the Queen of the dead for his son’s life. According to nordic mythology, the nine worlds were scattered along this primordial tree, with Midgard in the Middle, Mimir’s well and the Norns at its root, and Asgard in its heights.

In most stories, the primordial tree is divided into two important spaces: its branches and heights, where holy creatures dwell, and its roots, which represent either the underworld or the lesser supernatural beings (often reptiles or some sort of primordial “monster”). Between them can we find the world of men. Due to the association of this sacred tree with spirituality, trees have become places of worship in many cultures. From this stemmed a very rich tree lore in which figs, pines, oaks, olives, cypresses, yews and sequoias, among others, were seen as sacred because of their immensity and resilience. Faeries and/or forest spirits (varies depending on the culture) were said to live within such trees. For this reason, Irish farmers tended not to cut down trees that stood in the middle of their fields so as to not attract bad luck. Within Slav tradition, the oak was seen as the holiest of trees and violence was thus forbidden when in presence of one.  

Finally, there is another cultural reason behind tree worship: knowledge of their healing properties in traditions worldwide. This or that tree was used to cure this or that condition, which gave woodland an increasingly central role in community health. Respects are thus paid because of admiration or gratefulness, and from there, a complex cult to trees was developped in numerous regions. In the end, we need trees, and our ancestrors knew this. We need them for food, oxygen, shade, shelter, soil, which is why pagans and neo-pagans such as myself want to give back to them.

Honoring the world tree: clear steps

I would say the first step to worshipping/honoring Yggdrasill is to get familiar with the woods in your own area. Someone who lives in a very urbanized area may find this difficult. However, it isn’t necessary to start by exploring actual woods. One can research the type of forest found in their state/province/country. Which trees are common in your parts? What lore surrounds them? What do they look like, and what do they smell like? Tree lore is strongly rooted (pardon the pun) into this idea of a world tree. 

Quick example of tree folklore (british): 

Ash trees are said to have healing properties, especially when it comes to children’s health.

Blackthorn is regarded as magical and as a prefered home for faeries, a belief stemming from Britain’s celtic past. 

Rowan is seen as a powerful protection against evil: its branches were hung above doors to this effect.  

Caring for trees is a logical follow-up to the last step. Every tree in this world can be regarded as one of Yggdrasill’s branches: respect each of them like you would the holy tree itself. Now, how exactly does one tend trees? Well, it doesn’t have to be super complicated. One of the basic ways to respect woodland is to know what threatens it in your area, usually: innapropriate urban development, local pollution, growing local population and unexpectedly, tourism. Tourists have a tendency to either pollute or disregard local rules pertaining to woodland. Hence, when visiting another area, pay special attention to what you can and can’t do in the regional forest. Such rules are often implemented to protect endangered wildlife, and even sometimes, to help the reintroduction of a particular species (animal or plant).

Now, to worship: I would say offerings, meditation and hands-on tree care are the tree keys elements of honoring Yggdrasill. I will now elaborate on the first two briefly.

Tree devotionals

MUSIC!!! Seriously. Sing them a song, even if it’s barely audible. Play them an instrument, if you know how to. Singing to plants to help them grow is a common practice. Plus: it’s rewarding for you, as it, in my personal experience, calms the mind and the body. Music is a deeply personal offering to make, extremely singular and thoughtful.

Harvesting a few of their seeds/nuts and planting them elsewhere, so as to help them prosper! Make sure this practice is accepted in your area before doing so. 

Carrying with you a branch or bark from a tree which has emotional significance to you. Maybe one you’ve had a spiritual experience with, or simply your favorite pine in your local park! Don’t tear the branch off: trees are constantly shedding dead branches and bark, so check the ground instead! You may leave a hair, a rock or a flower that’s native to the area, as well as a word of thanks. It’s very important to leave something in exchange for a tree’s gift, as a gesture of respect.

A hug. I’m serious. That’s it.

If the interest is there, see to working with fae, woodland spirits or deities! I myself have a particular interest in the Green Man, whom I have worshipped almost as long as I have worshipped the norse pantheon. 

Offerings: a pinch of your compost, a rock, water (especially on hot days), a flower that’s native to the area, your own thoughts and wishes!

DO NOT OFFER: coins, candles, milk, non-native fruits, veggies or nuts, meat, cheese, chocolate, honey, ribbons or plastic. Be VERY careful of what you stuff under a tree. Animals can be endangered by foreign objects and substances. There are many cases of trees becoming sickly due to excessive or inappropriate pagan offerings.

Meditation, or building a relationship

The first step is to actually see some forest. It’s inevitable on the path to tree worship. Walk in the woods, touch the trees, run your fingers along their bark, smell them in the wind, observe the life within them. If you have difficult access to forest, you can watch a nature documentary, meditate while envisionning forest or watch a forest walkthrough on YouTube!

Notice the trees. Does one of them stand out? Can you identify it? What do its leaves look like? Notice its flowers, leaves and bark. You can research it when at home, as well! What does it look like in the winter? What are its properties, either medicinal or spiritual? Is it endangered? If so, what can you do to help it?

Introduce yourself: either to the forest or to a tree in particular (if one of them stood out to you most!). 

Sit among these trees for a while and close your eyes. Listen. Meditate if you can. Talk to them, tell them whatever you have on your mind. Even better: tell them why you are grateful to them!

Visit the forest again. Building a relationship means commitment. It isn’t necessary to have a fixed schedule, but at least make sure to come back. You will start to recognize certain species and specific trees. After a time, you may even be able to call them by name!

Prayers to the forest & the world tree

“Bless the gentle day, the softness of clouds, the balmy breeze, the lightest of rains. Bless the gentle day, the softest furs, the lightest feathers, the most gentle of scales the most vulnerable of skins on the gentlest of the earth’s beings. Bless the trees who shelter the gentle ones, the timid mouse, the delicate butterfly and fragile flower. Bless the beauty that inspires humans to be gentle with Mother Nature and all her children.” - Amanda Claire

“Where trees breathe | New life is born | Where each branch reaches out to me | I know myself held in the arms | of purest generosity | Where the leaves fall | I am blessed with a giving back | that nourishes the roots of my soul | For the trees reflect who and how I can be | Standing tall, true, honest and undeniably me | Unafraid to love, to give, to share and to bend | So I bless the forests | As I learn from them” - Clare Dubois 

“From the gods, to the earth, to us. From us, to the earth, to the gods. A gift has been given. May it be well received.” Unkown

(To the horned God of the forest): “God of the green, Lord of the forest, I offer you my sacrifice. I ask you for your blessing. You are the man in the trees, the green man of the woods, who brings life to the dawning spring. You are the deer in rut, mighty Horned One, who roams the autumn woods, the hunter circling round the oak, the antlers of the wild stag, and the lifeblood that spills upon the ground each season. God of the green, Lord of the forest, I offer you my sacrifice. I ask you for your blessing.” - Silverwitch on tumblr

“Evening breeze, spirit song Come to me when day is done Mother Earth awakens me With the heartbeat of the sea.” - The Keeper’s Path

Let’s all work to honor our home and keep it healthy!

Sources:

Dandelions are lovely yellow flowers with the magical ability to help develop psychic abilities and attract spirits. To enhance psychic power drink a cup of Dandelion Root Tea every other day. Place a hot, steaming cup of Dandelion Tea by the bed or burn equal parts Dandelion Root and Myrrh Resin on activated charcoal to help attract spirits.

Dandelions can be made into a lovely spring wine that can be enjoyed by guests or given as offerings to spirits on your altar. For this recipe you will need 1/4 cup warm water, 1 package dried yeast, 1 gallon of fresh water,

2 quarts Dandelion Blossoms, 13 Cloves Buds, 1 cup freshly squeezed Orange Juice, 1 tsp ground Ginger, 5 cups sugar and 2 chopped Orange Peels.

It's best to collect the Dandelion Flowers for this recipe shortly after they first open, gather them from wild open fields where they are unlikely to have been exposed to pesticides. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set it aside. Clean the Dandelion Blossoms with running water and place them in a cooking pot with the gallon of water and Orange Juice. Turn up to medium heat, once the liquid starts to simmer add the Ginger, Cloves, sugar and Orange Peels. Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon and let the mixture simmer for 45 minutes.

Turn off the heat and use a coffee filter to strain out the plant material. Let it cool down for 5 minutes and mix in the yeast while the liquid is still warm. Let the mixture stand overnight and then pour it into glass bottles. Allow the bottles to set in a dark place without the caps on for the next 3 weeks. When 3 weeks have passed screw on the caps and store them in the refrigerator or other cool place.

Magnolias

TASTE

Ginger

Cardamom

Cherry Blossom

TASTE

Floral

Sour

Nasturtium

TASTE

Peppery

Zesty

Spicy

Pansies

TASTE

Floral

Sweet

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spirit work is how it sounds, working with spirits. these spirits can be spirits of plants, people, animals, mythical beings/creatures, familiars, and otherworldly spirits. it is communing with these spirits, building a relationship with them (forming trust) and asking for their aid (be that in protection, spell work, etc). 

TYPES OF SPIRITS ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

now i should preface this with the types and branching of spirits is vast and wide, and it is dependent on culture, tradition, and religion. i am going to be focusing on animism and the undead spirits, but i will briefly touch on other important/highlighted entities. 

:  ̗̀➛ plant/flora spirits; spirits that are of trees, plants, flowers, rocks, etc. things found in nature that aren’t mammals or animals. most common/popular examples being nymph spirits.

:  ̗̀➛ animal/fauna spirits; spirits of mammals, bugs, birds, and reptiles - spirits of the animal kingdom excluding humans. 

:  ̗̀➛ house/domestic spirits; house spirits have the potential and possibility to be human, but they can also be non-human. domestic spirits (in rome they’re called domestici lares) are guardians of a household and generally the protectors of the home and even the hearth (depending on mythos and region). a common/popular example being saints. 

:  ̗̀➛ tutelary spirits; tutelary/guardian spirits are exactly how they sound, they’re guardians. these spirits can be guardians of a specific place (like a temple or holy ground, see Shi lions), graveyards (this can be any spirit but the most famous is a gargoyle), or of a person (like guardian angels, but any spirit could be a guardian, such as gryphs)

:  ̗̀➛ human spirits/shades; a human soul can and is defined many ways and varies from person to person and tradition to tradition, but human spirits (aka shades, ghosts, etc) can and do reside in our realm alongside the spirit realm (via transport, normally by liminal spots or the aid of a psychopomp, but some can travel on their own). 

:  ̗̀➛ vampiric spirits; vampiric spirits are spirits who drain energy in order to survive or gain strength. back in the day they were known to cause sickness, health issues, and low immune systems, etc. most common/well known spirits are vampires/vampyres, succubi/incubi, some umbra/shadow people, and as i like to call them - dream wyrms. 

:  ̗̀➛ infernus spirits; infernus spirits are those relating to the underworld, this can at times overlap into the demonic, but not all of the demonic are infernus. infernus spirits are mostly those who aid as psychopomps, but they can be the servants and attendants of infernal or chthonic deities. 

:  ̗̀➛ mythical creature spirits; mythical creatures or legendary beasts are those who are not of this plane and reside in the spiritual world. some can be worked with while some cannot (such as faer folk, a note about faer folk is that it’s best to just leave them alone, or yokai). 

:  ̗̀➛ familiar spirits; familiars are spirits/entities who are shapeshifters and sometimes called demons who create a pact with a practitioner/witch/mage/etc. in order to aid them in magical practice and even protection. 

BASICS OF SPIRIT WORK

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it’s important to know and note the basics of spirit work in order to start spirit work. so here are the foundations of what is needed to know for proper and safe spirit work. 

section i. cleansing

let’s firstly begin with what cleansing is and why witches do it. cleansing is a way of forcing negative energy out of an area or person. cleansing is an act that is sort of like a reset button. think of it like showering! you shower because during the day you collected dust, dirt, sweat, etc. and you want to be clean so you take a shower! cleansing is similar, you collect negative energy from weeks of active or inactive craftmenship and even spirits or other entities can latch onto you and your home which then drains your energy. cleansing is needed to keep your space clean and easy to manage energies. it’s important to cleanse yourself, your space and even items. cleansing is important for all magic arguably, but especially spirit work. there are plenty of methods to cleanse, the most popular is smoke (do note it’s important to not smudge smudging is a closed practice to natives and indigenous in north america). but there are other methods such as sound, air/wind, energy work, and water. 

section ii. banishing

banishing is also an important skill to have in your back pocket. banishing is is a more forceful means of cleansing. it’s to forcefully remove an entity and less “nice”. banishing can be done in rituals, spells, using fire (writing the name or being down and burning the paper), air (writing the name or being down and tossing it in the wind), earth (writing the name or being down and burying it), water (writing the name down and tossing it in the sea or river, drowning the paper, etc), etc! loads of ways to banish and more i didn’t mention! 

section iii. grounding

grounding is an extremely important part of spirit work. grounding keeps you in a stable mindset and energy wise keeps you balanced. ways of grounding can be dancing, shaking your hands and feet, stomping/jumping, meditating, taking a walk, listening to music, etc. 

section iv. circle casting/closing

circle casting is important, especially for beginners, it creates a wall and safe zone for yourself and the spirit. one of the easiest ways (physical circles) is to pour a circle of salt around you, candles or crystals at four points (in the position of a pentacle), etc. as far as mental/energy ones, some use their finger or a wand and do a complete circle around them, or, a circle and a pentacle (pentagram). while casting circles some people call upon and evoke deities, angels, the watchers/watch towers, spirit guides, elements, etc. for protection and ensuring safety. some believe you must cast a circle starting north and finish at west, some don’t. no matter where you start the circle you must start and end the circle at the same point, going the opposite direction than what you started with when casting, will close the circle. so if i casted my circle clockwise, i would close it counterclockwise and end at the same point i started with. 

section v. further protection

casting a circle isn’t the only method of protection that should be precautioned, there are also the means of protection such as layering warding (which is a lesson in itself). some examples of warding are; energetic wards, spell jars, spell bags, charms, crystals, sigils, and house guardians to name a few. you can also veil during spirit work, but it’s not necessary. 

section vi. boundaries

setting boundaries with spirits is super important, especially if they’re staying long term (but even if it’s short term have boundaries!) so say you don’t like it when spirits knock, establish the boundary politely of “i don’t like it when you knock at night or during the day, so please don’t do that.” remember, be polite, but be firm too. and if you want a spirit gone tell them sternly! 

section vii. what are vessels?

vessels are what ground spirits and help to stabilize them in our plane, a vessel can be anything too, such as jewelry, dolls, a pen, bones, literally anything. an anchor is similar to a vessel, but an anchor doesn’t “house” the spirit, more so provides it a free range and source of stability. conduits channel the spirits energy, it can be symbols, sigils or other iconography to channel and then utilize a spirits energy. these are all important tools and things to know when it comes to spirit work.

SPIRIT ETIQUETTE

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In General

:  ̗̀➛be assertive, but be polite

:  ̗̀➛ do not forcefully bind a spirit to an anchor, vessel, or conduit alike

:  ̗̀➛ always use consent when it comes to using vessels, anchors, or conduits

:  ̗̀➛ ask and negotiate, come to a compromise, have firm boundaries too

:  ̗̀➛don’t forget to feed and provide energy for any vampiric or even familiar spirits

:  ̗̀➛ make a schedule if you really need to/set reminders on when communication is and isn’t ok

:  ̗̀➛ don’t sell, show, or give away spirits 

House Spirits 

:  ̗̀➛ be polite 

: ̗̀➛ treat them like you would treat a living breathing human 

: ̗̀➛ when entering a house, i normally like to whisper a quiet greeting or even in my mind saying “hello”, “good day”, “good afternoon”, “good morning” etc. 

: ̗̀➛ depending on your belief, greet the house guardian 

: ̗̀➛ light a candle to them, do divination, learn about them! 

Graveyard

 : ̗̀➛ don’t take what’s not yours, it’s impolite 

: ̗̀➛ have manners, people from all centuries probably reside there 

: ̗̀➛ greet & give offerings to the guardian at the front gate (this can be a tree, a specific spirit, animal spirits, etc.) 

: ̗̀➛ treat them like they’re people 

: ̗̀➛ dont step on the grass (this is respectful to the dead and their families) 

Landmarks (i.e. lakes, forest, plains, oceans, etc.) 

: ̗̀➛ introduce yourself & say a greeting 

: ̗̀➛ spend quality time & respect boundaries

 : ̗̀➛ offer things that will benefit them / the area (i.e. water, compost, etc)