#human spirits

Disclaimer: All my spirit work advice is from personal experience and what I have been taught by mentors. Everyone has different experiences and this is only what I suggest.

When it comes to spirit work, one of the most common questions I have seen is, “Who do I contact when starting out?” Personally, I divide spirits into four different categories: Human, Species, Nature, and Deities.

Deities

Yes, you read right. Deities are a type of spirit. However, they do have more energy and power, and therefore they tend to be a little easier to contact. Many times, I will recommend that when someone first starts out in spirit work, if you already have a deity you connect with, try working on communication with your deity/ies. This tends to be a “safer” route, as deities are less likely to manipulate or attack you with malice without being triggered in some way. Another reason is that deities have a larger amount of energy and power, so they can be easier to sense and hear. They have an easier time manipulating divination tools for communication. Finally, as you already will have a bond with the deity, the bonds you have will only strengthen and make it even easier for communication.

Nature

In my experience, most anything that is alive will have some sort of spirit. All animals and plants, perhaps even fungi. I have found most rivers and lakes and other bodies of water will have a sort of spirit as well. Certain natural landmarks like mountains. These spirits are a little more on the neutral side. You can communicate as you would with any other spirit, but a bond with the land they are on is needed. To do this, offerings and time spent is what I recommend. Always show respect. Recycle/throw away trash you find left around. Helping the land and the nature in question tends to appease nature spirits and have a bond form with them. Once the bond forms, they will be more willing to speak with you.

Human

Human spirits can be trickier, as many times they are “stuck” to wander the earth and are not ready to pass on. Humans also can be anywhere on the greyscale of “good” and “evil”. They can manipulate and show malice. They can simply be upset with their situation and lash out. They can call for help. There are so many different personalities just as you would find with a physical, live human. Always take this into account, and get to know them carefully.

Species

When I say species, this is where I mean the “mythological creatures.” Just like humans, all demons, vampires, werewolves, fae, and so forth have a greyscale of “good” and “evil”. I have seen “good” demons. I have seen “evil” angels. But those terms are moot in my opinion. They all have personalities, goals, passions, and so forth. Now, certain species will seem to be more malicious due to their moralities being different than with humans. This specifically pertains to demons and fae most commonly. It is always something to keep in mind, that they will have different rules in their societies, therefore some things may seem malicious to us but not to them. And some things can seem malicious to them that are okay with us. Point being, with every species you encounter, read up on mythology, keep an open mind, and definitely be careful. Species are the trickiest because of this, and I recommend being fairly confident in your abilities before reaching out to them, or work with an expert.

I struggled, especially in the very beginning, to contact any human spirit I wished to speak with. It was an intimidating meeting for me, but I did eventually learn the best way for me personally to feel secure and comfortable, while maintaining the same balance for the spirit in question. These are things I find to work well, but not everyone speaks to the dead in this way. Some may find this works wonders, while others may run into a road block. Remember that everyone's practice is different, and if this doesn't work for you, that's okay! Keep trying until you are happy with your method.

Below I have listed a basic 'starter's kit' for greeting the dead. These things can be changed, nixed, or otherwise disregarded if it works best for you. These are merely suggestions.

What You'll Need:

An offering plate/offering (food, art, poetry, water, trinkets, coins, etc. Non physical offerings are excellent as well: playing an instrument if you know they liked music in their life, sending energy, and even reading a book they enjoyed)

Protective wards/stones (I use a few of each. Black tourmaline is my go-to crystal)

A divination method or two (I tend to go with cartomancy, stichomancy, scrying, and pendulum)

Something scented (completely optional. I just find that attractive smells make spirits more likely to want to sit with me)

A quiet place where you won't be disturbed

Gather all the supplies you wish to, and settle in. Arrange your wards/stones if you have them. Light any candles, incense, or turn on a diffuser if you choose to do so. This first step I am about to explain was the hardest for me to master; calling the spirit.

It takes time, and sometimes, the don't show up. Spirits have no obligation to visit with us, but some do if they're interested or need help. Be patient while you wait, maybe have some kind of soft music playing. If you play this music every time you want them to come visit you, they may be more likely to recognize that you are calling to them. Announce at this point that their is an offering waiting for them if they choose to take it.

You can speak out loud and ask them to come to you, or repeat their name silently in your head (if you know it). If you are not looking for any particular spirit, you may be able to say something simple, such as, "If the spirit of a deceased human lingers, they are welcome to visit me". You can use any sensitive abilities you have to decipher if they have arrived, or go for a more direct answer by using any of the divination methods you like. Some people use a flashlight that a spirit can turn on or off in response to a question, so that's always an option. Candle flames and their movements are also very useful for spirit communication.

When you feel a spirit hasn't arrived, and you have waited a fairly long time, announce that the invitation has been closed for now, so they don't come by unannounced. Laying down these simple boundaries, especially at first, can lead to a smoother relationship in the long run. Even if there isn't a spirit around, it won't hurt anything to say this.

If you do feel they have arrived, you can introduce yourself and give them their offering. It can be a small greeting, but enough to let them know your intentions and who you are (vaguely). Ex:

"Hello, my name is Bronwyn. I am looking for a human spirit to talk to and divine the future with. This is for you, either way. Are you interested in a conversation with me?"

Give them the offering, and after a minute or so, see if they have a response as to whether or not they want to be a part of your conversation. If yes, continue to ask questions, wait, and divine. This is how you can communicate, for the first time, and every time after if you like it. Simply say thank you and goodbye when you are ready to end the session, and tell them that you were glad to have met them, and will contact them again if you needed to.

I suggest learning a name, or at least a nickname or initials, so you can contact them directly if you don't already have this information. Ask them about what they like, who they are, and their favourite things. Just get to know them as you converse.

This is my method, and something I really love to do. Feel free to try it yourself, and let me know if you have success with it, or if you don't so I may be able to offer ideas or advice.

“It is not that we do not know in our minds what is right or best; it is that our minds alone are too weak to control our will, and our spirits too undeveloped to control either.  Our spirits are made to be filled with God’s Spirit and thus have primacy over our body, mind, will, and emotions.”

~Brother Angelo Scolozzi