#nativeamericanpractitioner

Before the Work:

I know, I know. You're here to learn about spirit work, so why is there even a section prior to it? Well, it's because spirit work begins with the energy forces (spirits of energies), the spirits of herbs and our own spirits, before it begins with deities, fae and ghosts.

Before performing any kind of spirit work as you may know it, it's important to begin with these basics:

Thorough, layered protections that cover each of your bodies (physical, spiritual, etc), any of your items (especially once you may use in spirit work, such as divination tools), and your place of residence as a whole (the space you reside in most, that has most of your energy accessible inside of it, that you will likely perform a large portion of your spirit work as well). If you're worried, please also look into protections for other members of your household / residence, such as furry friends / "pet" family members, just keep in mind that while some protections automatically cover anyone else in the residence (including any spirits btw, be mindful), some protections can actually do harm to animals.

Ethics, morals, and values. This is going to encompass things like being respectful to other spirits, how to imagine them in your brain to ensure you aren't treating them as a commodity, recognizing their autonomy and self-determination, etc. This is meant to be general as each spirit type (learn more below) and individual spirit is different. This is also great to help you determine what path of spirit work you want to take - psychopomp work, bonding with nature spirits and growing plants / herbs, casual hanging out with spirit friends, etc etc etc

Cleansings and banishings. These are talked about a lot, but let me tell you, wards and sigils are not always the way to go. In fact, wards and sigils - even if done correctly - can lead to accidental spirit bindings / trapping spirits in your residence rather than keeping them out. These are not effective protections to lean on without any additional protections / support, and not bullet-proof whatsoever. If your protections are strong enough, they are the safety net. However, when inviting spirits into your space, you are sometimes giving them permission to bypass your permissions - so try looking into protections that can, without harm, force a spirit out of your space once they are unwanted there. This is known as a "banishing" as well, but really it's just a protective method. Cleansings are important when encountering any kind of spirit, and great for non-spiritual health too!

Vetting

Vetting is the process of verifying who a spirit is, whether you're sure you know who they are or not. It's a sign of respect to many spirits, such as deities, but also really important to your safety and well-being. Whether a spirit is harmful, a trickster, or just someone you misunderstand, learning who they are, why they're there, and how to properly communicate / interact with them based on those things is incredibly important to forming any kind of bond with a spirit and / or keeping yourself safe throughout your work.

Vetting is not just asking questions. In fact, it is meant to be a very thorough process. Spirits are just like us - they can lie, tell the truth, or be misunderstood. It's important you understand how to vett properly when learning spirit work.

The steps to vetting include:

Research / Familiarity

Divination

Research: This step is all about learning. What are you learning about? Depends on the spirit you're trying to contact, but obviously, that spirit haha. However, you gotta learn more than just the spirit you're working with, to be able to identify spirits that may show up that may not be them, spirits they introduce you to, other spirits you encounter in your daily life or practice that you may need to handle, etc. So, more specifically, what are you learning about?

-> Spirit classifications: different spirits (or "spirit types"), their traits, etc. Of course, every spirit is an individual, but their "type" still affects or shapes them, just like how being human affects or shapes us. This will help you to understand what's safe for them and what's not, if they're friendly to you or not, what they can help with and what they can't, what they like and don't like, etc. From there...

-> Spirit communication basics is the next step of research for if you wish to speak with them. Certain spirits have specific customs, preferences or conveniences. Which are safe to say xyz to, which are not? Etc. Learning about their spirit "type" can help because it will also help you with this kind of communication, as different spirits have different "ground rules" in terms of communication (what they find respectful / disrespectful, what is safe / not safe to say in their presence, etc).

You want to become familiar with these materials. Take notes, be thorough. You do not need to memorize what you've learned as long as you're in a protective space, but you shouldn't have any notes exposed at the time of vetting (more on this below).

How to research:

Do heavy and thorough research (personal stories, ancient beliefs, historical artifacts, studies, religious information, scholarly academia, non-scholarly "UPG" experiences, etc)

Verify the credibility and context of all sources and cross-compare / cross-reference

Some things to keep in mind when researching:

Memorize lore, stories, facts, associations, practices, etc, that relate to the god / spirit you’re planning on reaching out to. (Please keep in mind that during the vetting, you should not think the answers to the questions you're going to ask in your head, as for many spirits you're basically giving them the answer that way. Additionally, do not have your notes exposed or accessible in any way while you're vetting - it's based to avoid taking notes at all, or deleting them later. Saving the resources in a tab folder on your computer is a great idea to refer to when assessing the answers the spirit gave you)

Save the tabs of the resources you find in a dedicated folder on your computer. (If you're writing traditionally, make sure you take extra precautions to keep your notebook safe so that spirits can peek into it and find the answers during vetting.)

Divination

Most people tend to bust out a deck of tarot cards for this - I do not recommend this! As a tarot reader of about 9 years now, this is a one-way ticket to Frustration Town. Not only is it incredibly easy to misunderstand what the spirit is actually trying to say if you aren't advanced enough in tarot (or if the spirit themselves aren't as familiar with tarot as they are with other divination methods), but the spirit can get frustrated too! Do you know how painful it is saying the same thing 5 times but instead it's invisible charades? Lol

Instead, I recommend utilizing a pendulum. This is much clearer and more convenient for both parties. There's some things to keep in mind when utilizing a pendulum:

-> Yes / no is the easiest method, but you can also do a true / false or a more elaborate spread. (I do not recommend doing oujia-board style for a variety of safety and efficiency reasons.)

-> As mentioned, don't have your notes out and don't think the answers to questions in your head. Simply ask the questions, ask the spirit to leave your space (banish them if they don't; in which case, you likely shouldn't work with them anyways haha), and then deliberate over the answers.

-> Call on the spirit without loopholes. Do not call in "peaceful spirits." Know who you're contacting, even if you don't know their name, otherwise you're opening yourself up to a whole swarm of risks. There are other ways to meet random spirits without needlessly endangering yourself. When calling on the spirit, be respectful, kind, and I recommend verbal if possible.

-> When asking questions, don't ask the basic "are you so-so" or "is hades the god of the underworld" questions. If this information is commonly known and widely accessible to you, then it is also commonly known in the spirit world (especially since they're a spirit / deity you're even reaching out to) and accessible to them as well. You'll want to look into conventional things, uncommon information, stuff that isn't typical or well-known - if they are who they say they are, they will be able to answer correctly, even if the information is incredibly specific or niche.

-> Consider waiting until you're in a good space of mind to establish a relationship. This way, you're less likely to make mistakes that lead to a spirit taking advantage of you. If this is an unrealistic standard for you, make sure you've accommodated yourself in your practices and that you're still respectful to the spirit (some spirits appreciate being told if you're unwell, some this is dangerous to do when communicating with them).

-> Many people are worried about involuntary movements when it comes to using a pendulum. This worries are incredibly valid. That's why you should look into (yes, these exist) specific positions you can sit in and position your arms / etc in that limit the risk of involuntary movements when divining with a pendulum.

There's also some general things to keep in mind when divining throughout the vetting process in general:

-> Trust your intuition. If you have any spirit-sensing abilities, you're allowed to trust yourself there too, as long as you've ensured your healthy and well.

-> Be aware of how you feel emotionally / energetically / internally, how your nervous system feels, any changes in temperature, how your thoughts may be (as some spirits can influence thinking), any physical bodily sensations you may begin experiencing, etc.

Fear-Mongering

There is an incredibly ill-thought-out idea circling these days that spiritual protections are "fear-mongering" or speaking on harmful spirits is "fear-mongering" derivative of Christians being against witchcraft. I'm just gonna say it: this is fucking stupid and an incredibly uneducated, discriminatory take.

The idea of harmful spirits existed long before Christianity was even developed, despite efforts to destroy our cultures, and still exist outside the lens of Christianity today. (Stop taking my culture and spiritual practices, shaming me for it, and then calling me a Christian for practicing it. What kind of backwards logic is that from a witch / practitioner / pagan?)

If you're protected, then you have nothing to worry about. You do not have to feel afraid in order to do your due diligence. We don't ever hop in a car expecting a car crash, but we still put our seatbelts on just in case. We still take driver's tests just in case. We still look both ways before making a turn just in case. It's really not that big of a deal.

Fear-mongering would be "all spirits are out to get you specifically because you don't do what other witches do." But saying things like, "hey, keeping yourself safe is a good idea because bad things can happen" is not fear-mongering. Saying things like "just as spirits can be our friends, they can be our enemies or purposefully / unintentionally harm us too; just like people can" is not fear-mongering. Saying things like "making sure you feel safe and comfortable is important and should not be taken as disrespectful by any spirit / deity" is not fear-mongering. Saying things like "there are consequences to your actions, even spiritually" is not fear-mongering. The idea that really basic practices based in centuries of tradition and developed in modern times are "fear-mongering christian beliefs" is a slippery slope to spiritual psychosis and getting yourself hurt / your spells or spirit work not working or going well / etc. It's also a great fucking slope to continuously erasing practices that Christianity and other oppressors have already been attempting to take, twist and erase for centuries.

Just because Christians took an idea from a traditional practice (multiple, really) without learning the intricacies about it and use it to hurt others, does not invalidate that actual practice they stole from. If it did, all of witchcraft, paganism and other cultural customs would be "fear-mongering." Y'all are just allowing the colonization of our practices and then shaming us for not following your ideals. Besides -- Christians do not speak on the subject more often than traditional practitioners in general, so maybe you guys need to do some more genuine listening and learning / finding actual traditional practitioners if you think Christian ideologies run our practices lol (yeah... people like y'all who preach this sound a bit indoctrinated ngl, and most of us would prefer if you didn't bring that into our teachings and try colonizing us instead of doing some really basic research and self-healing, thanks)

If you're going to talk about fear-mongering, then be knowledgeable about fear-mongering. It doesn't have to be as complicated of a mess as it is, truthfully.

Spirit Work Paths

There's a variety of ways you can lean on relationships with spirits, depending on the relationship and those specifically involved. Here's just a handful of ideas!

Psychopomp work

Spell work

Energy work (especially energy forces / spirits of the energies)

Divination practices

Additional protections

Baneful workings

Healing, health boosts and overall well-being

Attraction, confidence, abundance, etc

Learning about the spiritual world (or even the living world!)

Learning ancestral / cultural practices

Learning lessons and teachings from spirits

Bonding with nature and your environment or spiritual community

Deity work / worship

Animal bonding / work, and / or plant bonding / work

Inner peace, intuition enhancement, etc

Spiritual gift(s) unlocking, locking, development / enhancement, training, etc

Ancestral veneration

and more!

Thank You

Thank you for taking the time to read my post / learn from my personal knowledge, experiences, and beliefs!

Defining Key Terms

These terms are not exclusively used to describe spirits / deities / etc, but please look at them through the lens of them describing a spirit / deity / etc rather than a living person for the purposes of this post. This post is establishing a patron / matron relationship between a mortal and a spirit / deity / etc.

Patron:

a person chosen, named, or honored as a special guardian, protector, or supporter (merriam-webster)

one that uses wealth or influence to help an individual, an institution, or a cause (merriam-webster)

a person who supports with money, gifts, efforts, or endorsement an artist, writer, museum, cause, charity, institution, special event, or the like (Dictionary)

[In Roman history] the protector of a dependent or client, often the former master of a freedman still retaining certain rights over him (Dictionary)

[In writing] a person whose support or protection is solicited or acknowledged by the dedication of a book or other work (Dictionary)

[Patron Saint] a saint regarded as the special guardian of a person, group, trade, country, etc (Dictionary)

[Patron Saint] a saint who is believed to give a place, activity or group of people special help and protection (Collins Dictionary)

The word patron is rooted in the word pater (Latin) meaning father. It is also related to the word patronus (Latin) which means defender or protector, among other things. (Online Etymology Dictionary)

It is sometimes related to submission or serving another, but is also related to being a "boss" of somebody or being submitted to, in modern contexts. (Bueno Spanish + the links listed above) Usually, in spiritual contexts, it does not relate to submission or being the boss of somebody. Some people take it one step further and making it the name of a "sexual godspouse partner," but that is a discussion for another time...

Patron can sometimes be used to describe feminine or female spirits / deities who have this role or position in your life, regardless of masculine connotations / derivation.

Please note that a patron saint in Abrahamic contexts is different than a patron spirit in pagan contexts, but I included the definitions anyways to showcase some correlations that may help you comprehend the definition of a patron.

Matron:

a woman who supervises women or children (merriam-webster)

a married woman, especially one who is mature and staid or dignified and has an established social position (Dictionary)

[Institutional] a woman serving as a guard, warden, or attendant for women or girls, as in a prison; a woman who has charge of the domestic affairs of a hospital, prison, or other institution (Dictionary)

a dignified, serious-minded married woman (Vocabulary)

Matron is basically the female or feminine version of the term patron. It is rooted in the word māter (Latin) meaning mother, and later from the word mātrona (Latin) meaning married woman or wife. (Online Etymology Dictionary) It is used similarly as patron, sometimes establishing a position of power or authority over another, but also a direct correlation to a woman's relationship with the other part or her marital status / status within her family or domestic household.

Patroness:

a woman who protects, supports, or sponsors someone or something (Dictionary and Collins Dictionary)

a female patron (Collins Dictionary)

a woman who is a patron of something (Collins Dictionary)

a woman who sponsors or aids artists, charities, etc; protector or benefactor (Collins Dictionary)

a woman who is a patron or the wife of a patron (Vocabulary)

Patroness is also the female or feminine version of the term patron, and is more traditionally used than matron (whereas matron is more popular in modern times).

The ending of the word patroness, being -ess, translations to female, indicating the role is now applied to a female / feminine individual. It is a a suffix forming distinctively feminine nouns. (Collins Dictionary)

Translations: guide, parent-like guide, parent spirit, parent-like protector, spirit supporter, spirit parent-like guardian, spirit sponsor, parent-like sponsor, parent-like defender, parent-like spirit, etc

The translations above are the most common intended uses of the name patron, patroness and matron labels in spiritual and / or religious contexts. In many ways, patron / patroness / matron spirits are seen as a spirits or deities (or sometimes saints, but that's usually for a larger group) that act as personal protectors, guides, or intercessors for an individual (or group or place). A spiritual figure who is living could also be considered a patron or matron, but they are obviously not a spirit.

Sometimes, the relationship is transactional, where patronship is awarded in return for the mortal / living person's devotion (which may look diverse). It can also be a form of guardianship where the patron provides spiritual or other support to the mortal / living person simply based on relationship. No matter which way you lean (or if you lean another way), patron / matron spirits are typically formed because the practitioner feels close resonance to the spirit / deity and the deity has become a "major" spirit / deity or guide in the practitioner's life.

Two Common Variations

These are two of the most common variations for pagans / similar people based on personal bonds with the deities / spirits.

Family

A spirit / deity who is your literal spirit parent

This is less common but still applicable! Usually though, spirit parents are referred to as spirit mother or spirit father or quite literally spirit parent, but each of those terms are also used to described patrons / matrons who are either family or found family

Found Family

A spirit / deity who follows is a guardian, mentor, protector, or guide (usually in a big masculine / feminine way that aligns with a "chosen parent" kind of bond)

This can be developed through devotion and worship, practice and working with them, or other means.

For purposes of this post, I will go on to mainly focus on the "found family" version of a patron / matron spirit or deity.

Self-Determination

If you have found a deity that you resonate with and would like them to be your patron or matron, please make sure you are:

Respecting the Deity / Spirit's Right to Consent

Communicating Thoroughly

Only Using the Term If Approved and Appropriate

A lot of people are walking around calling any given deity or spirit that they like their "patron" or their "matron." This is often highly inappropriate. If you want someone to be your matron or patron, you should get their consent. You don't just call Joe who works at the grocery store your "father you never had," nor do you refer to your mom-friend unironically as "dearest Mother." Sometimes, these relationships flow naturally, but you should make sure you're on the same page with the deity / spirit, because that can easily be misconstrued through personal lens without actual confirmation from the deity / spirit. Bonds with a patron or matron spirit / deity can be incredibly intimate, so misunderstanding that relationship can be both embarrassing and harmful / offensive for either party.

Deities / spirits should get the chance to consent to being called matron or patron because it's weird to call them - or anyone - anything personal if you haven't asked them.

The deity / spirit can decline as it's not a decision you should be making on your own. They can also say yes, but either way, it needs to be a mutual relationship, otherwise you're likely just lying or being disrespectful to the deity / spirit (even if that isn't your intent) because you aren't respecting their autonomy or their role in your life. You should be considerate of their freedom of choice, their values, and show your appreciation, otherwise the spirit or deity may feel offended or distance themselves from you.

Communicating thoroughly is really important to understand your deity / spirit's response once you do ask them. Some of us have spirit-sensing abilities which makes things easier (just make sure your mental health is doing okay). Enhancing / reconnecting with your intuition is a major part of efficient spirit / deity communication, so that even if things are not completely clear, you understand the messages and signs as applicable - being critical but also going with your gut is often really important.

A common mistake I see beginners making is trying to communicate just with tarot. As a tarot reader of almost a decade, I absolutely love the art, but I can also say that it does require a level of understanding, talent or skill that most beginners haven't developed enough. It results in both the practitioner and the spirit / deity being frustrated because the practitioner can't figure out what they mean or misunderstands the meaning of the cards. Tarot often requires cross-referencing to understanding meanings, sometimes energy work, in this case spirit work, aspects of human psychology, and much more - you can't just look at a single guidebook and figure it out based on pictures / words alone. You need to be receptive, because even if the deity / spirit is influencing the message, you are still the reader (not an onlooker or third party).

If you're one of the people who finds that tarot is confusing and not convenient in terms of deity / spirit communication, I recommend using a pendulum instead. This is much easier to understand, it is used as yes / no or true / false (you can make it a bit more elaborate but there's rarely need), and it is easy to make-shift. You can use a button or a pencil tied to a string as a pendulum, or even a piece of jewelry like a necklace. The main thing to consider with pendulum work (sometimes referred to as pendulum dowsing) is involuntary movements - however, there are actually specific positions you can sit in when performing pendulum divination that limit the risk of involuntary movements interfering with the reading.

Of course, there are other methods of divination and communication too - the main thing is to find a method that works for you that is clear and concise. It's difficult to establish bonds like this when you aren't 100% certain of the deity / spirit's response.

Lastly, it's really important to not throw around things like "this deity is my patron" or "she's my patron spirit" until you have confirmed. It often comes across to the spirit / deity as very arrogant or entitled, and it could prevent you from establishing the bond in a way that increases its flourishment (and it can even make it harder for you to find a different patron / matron if the deity / spirit says no).

If they say no, do not pester them or keep asking. You could try asking again later on in your work with them, but you need to respect them and how they feel about you / their relationship with you as their practitioner or friend or what-have-you if you want to continue worshipping / working with them and those they're associated with.

How-To (Basic)

Different methods may be required or preferred depending on the deity / spirit and the practitioner involved.

Discussion

Sometimes, establishment is unofficial or non-business mutual understandings. You could converse with your deity and come to the conclusion together that the word patron or matron / patroness best represents who the deity / spirit is or how they are to you based on how you both view your relationship or metaphorical bond. This is usually the most casual way to go about this, but valid!

Contract

Creating a contract or forging an official agreement that you both acknowledge and "sign" is a great way to form this relationship, especially if it's on a transactional basis. This is often best if you're more concerned about specifics, duties, requirements to maintain the relationship, etc. Of course, you can discuss all of those things regardless, but this is the less casual route.

Deity/Spirit-Specific Methods

As mentioned, different deities may have different methods they prefer - or even require - depending on who they are, who the practitioner is, their relationship to the practitioner, etc.

However, there are also more formal routes to take that these deities / spirits may prefer, some of which are specific to the deities / spirits.

For example, some goddesses are only okay with being called "matron" by someone in their cult or by a recognized priestess / oracle / etc.

Some deities prefer a specific ritual to be done, including prayer, perhaps offerings, and / or other things too.

This could all also depend on the cultural community that the deity belongs too, so it's really important to look into specifics like this if you're interested. Remember: traditional does not mean "out-dated," it just means customary or valued by the people. Traditional work is very modern and there are traditional practitioners of cultures that new ageists tend to forget about (including but not limited to Greek, Roman, Norse, etc). Find a traditional practitioner, who has the oral teachings and the knowledge that many new age practitioners are missing, and see if they have any insights. Some scholarly works, though they are a bit more distant from the real people as well as the old and the very much alive practices, may have information to spark such research and connections with others. My advice is to learn from the people you're learning about, and do your best to respect the deity / spirit's wishes. Worst case scenario, you can just outright ask them if there's a method they prefer, which I recommend doing anyways (just make sure you don't feel like you have to do anything - you can also decline to establish the relationship if you don't feel comfortable with a preferred method either, and / or bring up your discomfort with the spirit / deity and consider their response).

Whether you're following traditions or not though, one of the most important things is that you're respectful. Respectful the cultural / religious / spiritual community, respectful of the spirit / deity, and respectful of yourself and your personal alignment.

This is all why it can be important or beneficial to conduct research alongside speaking with the spirit / deity, to ensure you're respecting them as well as the customs association with them (if that's a route they require and / or that you're comfortable taking). It is also a great sign of respect to show that you did your research and have a list of boundaries / things you are or are not okay with when inquiring about establishing this relationship. It shows initiative as the practitioner as well, and that you're ready to be active in that bond / relationship.

General Things You Can Suggest Doing to Establish A Patron / Matron

These are some general tips that you can suggest to the deity / spirit of your interest, if you want to do something more than just discuss! (This is going to be focused on deities but many could work with any given spirit! If you'd like a post on specific spirit types related to this topic, please let me know by commenting or sending an Ask!)

Firstly, consider finding something within their domain.

If you're asking Aphrodite, look for love letters or love poetry, red wine, beauty products, etc.

If you're asking Poseidon, look for gifts he's given you from the sea (such as a sand dollar), an empty bottle, a package of edible seaweed, etc.

If you're asking Pluto, look for coins and collectibles, herbs that grow underground (as opposed to above ground), things that are purple or gold, etc.

If you're asking Minerva, look for thread, something you wove or crafted, something made of patterns / angles / math, etc.

Once you find these things, you can incorporate them into your ask. You could present them as offerings, incorporate them in a safe and related spell / working, utilize them in a ritual, hold them up as representation of your relationship and a testament to why the items / the deity or spirit means so much to you in prayer, etc.

Utilizing Random Items:

Beauty products, fashion you created, color associations, and cleansing works, can all be used to get dressed up either formally or just nicely / comfortably before approaching your deity. This can be done for the initial inquiry, or the actual process decided on to establish them as your patron / matron.

Food and drink can be utilized as "a shared meal." Pour two glasses, or share a glass. Bake the bread, offer the bread. And so on.

Good company is more than merry as an offering or just quality time for many deities / spirits. Maybe created a music playlist just for the occasion, or share some laughter and good moments before beginning / throughout the process / even afterwards!

Jewelry can be offered to the deity / spirit in honour of the decision made, as a sign of gratitude or to represent the relationship, if the deity / spirit consents prior to this (please do NOT accidentally bind them and get their consent before doing it! please make sure you explain your intentions clearly and respect their "no" if given)

Prayer of Gratitude:

A pen or paper (or even the notes app in your phone) are great options if you'd like to prepare a speech or prayer.

It is best to form a prayer (or speech) from the heart, but you can include some classical elements. Whatever you are most comfortable with, just make sure you are not accidentally offering yourself to this deity / spirit or otherwise endangering yourself.

Be mindful of loopholes make sure you're mindful of all wording in case it could be misconstrued.

If you're working on a contract, please draft it up similarly to how you would a swear on Styx in terms of safety. Make sure you also learn about tips and tricks to oath-swearing and don't bind yourself to something you realistically can't (or shouldn't, or might not be able to) follow through with. Also keep in mind the deity / spirit's wishes and abilities as well as described by themselves in the contract.

Remember that any contract is optional for both parties to "sign," and try to add a clause for making amends in case of unforeseen issues.

Lastly, you can also break your ritual up into sections. For example:

Cleanse yourself and get ready

Make sure all protections are in place

Call them in, greet them, and light some incense

Pray or speak with them

Make an offering or perform a "middle step" of the ritual

Do another speech or prayer

Establish the relationship

Do a closing step of the ritual

Celebrate together

Lighting the Flame:

Lighting the flame is powerful in many traditions.

You can light a flame beforehand for visualization, energy work, and / or purification. It can help with communication, purity and cleansing.

You can light a flame during the ritual to signify the new change, the spark, the passion of the decision, etc. You can keep this flame ongoing until it goes out, or maintain it for as long as they are your patron / matron.

You can even set some water by it for cleansing and focus, among other things.

You can light incense or a candle as an offering or as part of the ritual. You can light it to burn something if that's part of your ritual, or even to divine the smoke / ash / burn marks of wood / melted pieces of a candle.

You can take inspiration from the traditional Greek hearth, or communal fires of many Indigenous peoples, or whatever culture you align yourself with (respectfully).

Personal Experience

Personally, my chosen definition (consented to by him as well) of "patron" would closely align with "father-like spirit" or "father-like guide" etc, specifically in reference to my chosen and established patron spirit (i.e. a spirit, not a living person). He is much like a supporter, guardian or sponsor for me, and a good friend. I wouldn't say he's at the level of a "godfather" for me if he were human, but our relationship is great and individual and I greatly appreciate it.

(Please note that when referring to my patron spirit, I am not referring to my actual spirit father / spirit parent, but rather the spirit who has stepped into that place of guidance and spiritual support for me after we established that relationship. He is a grand protector of mine, a soft guide, and an honorable individual.)

My patron spirit establishment came about via genuine and loyal friendship and mutual interest, not religious or spiritual devotion. We established that relationship based on our metaphorical bond rather than exchange or transaction. I do not devote myself to spirits religiously or spiritually (or really in any way that I'd describe as devotion in such a manner), and I do not worship any deity or spirit. Instead, I work with them, and form those bonds. Usually, I would opt into an official exchange or transaction, but I feel comfortable referring to him as my patron spirit as he doesn't demand anything from me and respects my boundaries as a living and spiritual individual. Considering my protections and knowledge, I felt safe enough to not trap myself in a deal when I'm simply just on good terms with this spirit.

We were both interested and discussing this (more on that below), so it was a very natural and casual development, even if intimate and profound.

Who is your patron spirit, Mimi?

This might not come as much of a shocker (or it might haha), but my patron spirit is Love (energy force; spirit of the energy). I am a Priestess of Love, so we work closely together in that area of my work and teachings as well!

I often refer to Love as Yahweh, for many reasons. One reason is in honour of the Canaanite deity, pre-Abrahamic development of the name. Another reason is in honor of my Abrahamic teachings, teachers, family, and elders (including Christian and Jewish individuals). To clarify, I do believe that Yahweh and Love are two separate beings, but the name resonates with me and it is a name Love has also been called before, so I feel most comfortable using that name. (You will often just see me refer to him as Love though because explaining this every time gets exhausting lol.) Out of respect for any Jewish people who see this post, I have crossed out the name.

Love is also referred to by other names. Meraki is the Greek translation, but he's also been known as Primordial Eros. I would like to clarify again that I am not syncretizing these spirits / deities, just acknowledging shared names and roles.

If you'd like to learn more about Love (my patron spirit) or other energy forces, please do check out our community's Discord server, Energy and Us.

Energy and Us is a project I am leading as Lantern Holder of the community, and it is our first time sharing our teachings publicly in recent years (which is why you may not find much information about us online). We are very traditional, and we have members of our small community that align with all different cultures, religions and spiritual beliefs, because our teachings can apply to anyone who resonates with them, including a variety of religions and customs. There is no one way to be an energy force worker. This is one reason why many of our teachings involve various cultural, religious, spiritual, witchy, and scientific influences (respectfully and developed through many, many years). Though we are traditional, we are still a modern practice, and eager to slowly release information in a larger community space! (Please keep in mind that we ask that all teachings we share be kept within the server until it is safer for us to allow otherwise, as we have already been attacked for coming out into the open again by people appropriating our practices.) If you're interested in our server but don't want to join just yet, you can check out our Introduction website. Thank you for reading / learning, or your interest!

How long did it take you to establish a relationship with your patron spirit, Mimi?

I knew Love longer than I began calling him my patron. I've worked with him for many years now!

I don't remember off the top of my head currently (sorry, I am sick lol) which came first, between priestess discussion or patron discussion, but they happened around the same time.

Once I became proficient enough in working with his energy, he decided I was fit enough to become his Priestess and I was interested in that advancement, and I went on to earn the title officially in the summer of 2025 (this year!), sometime in June. I decided to wait until around July or August to announce publicly that I had completed my training and was officially recognized as a Priestess instead of just a "Priestess (in training)" as I tended to refer to myself as!

I inquired about him being my patron around March of this year (2025), since I have worked with him before and we were already good friends / closer than other spirits (including other energy forces). We discussed for a few months actually about this, I want to say around 2-4 months, before deciding that I would refer to him as my patron spirit and he would take on the responsibility of a patron spirit for me.

Part of why it took so long to discuss is because I am a bit unconventional in comparison to other spirit workers and Priests. I do not accept the blessings or markings of any spirit or deity (for the most part), which was something very important to me around the time of this discussion with him. This is incredibly uncommon as most people are honoured and would love to be blessed / marked by a deity or spirit - I am also incredibly honored by those who have been interested, I just choose to decline the gesture. Though I still have my spiritual credentials and they are acknowledged in the spirit world (so you can ask various spirits / deities about them and I encourage you to), I am not easily identifiable as a practitioner of various deities and spirits I work with - including Love - because I reject the markings and blessings. This is out of trauma for me. Rather than just blatantly saying no to Love's blessing / marking, I tried to work up to accepting it during the months of ongoing discussion about him potentially being my patron spirit, but I eventually asked him if he would still be my patron without giving me the mark / me accepting the mark considering my trauma and efforts, and he was very gentle and supportive in saying yes to that. It was actually quite an emotional conversation now that I'm recalling it haha, I did cry and he was very caring and understanding. I was truly working towards accepting the mark, but I just never did and don't think I will in the future.

For clarification, markings are representative of blessings and also representative of being claimed / loved / appreciated / protected by that deity / spirit, and they also boost the practitioner's gifs in relation to that spirit's / deity's energy or domains. However, it is not only friendly spirits who can give you markings. Love's blessing would have enhanced the Love energy in and around me - however, instead of just having that around me 24/7, I declined the marking and just call the energy during the times that I need it, which he allows to me freely. This works just as efficiently, the only difference is the energy is around me when I deem it rather than all of the time. I don't worship him, so though I am a strong educator in his values and I share his teachings, I do not need to embody his energy so often.

As a side note: This trauma, though, is also why I am a Seer in my community, but do not have any blessing or marking from Apollo (Roman) or Apollon (Greek) in response to that role / those gifts.

Overall, I've been making strides in my healing journey, despite it being an absolute rollercoaster, and am really grateful for the spirits and deities who are understanding of this boundary and respectful of my personal / individual journey. Though I haven't accepted their blessings or markings, just being considered for such and knowing they honour me just as I honour them are wonderful things all on their own. And, as Love is my patron spirit, his support as I navigate this spiritual trauma / trauma in general means a lot.

Did you do any specific ritual to establish this relationship?

This question delves into closed practices, so I will only answer it in-short.

I did not do any official ritual to establish this, though am considering it (for my case, it was optional).

I have, however, been a part of other rituals related to this deity's role in my life as patron, specifically in regard to other loved ones. All parties consented to those rituals and customs.

Energy Force Patronage

Referring to an Energy Force as your patron, patroness or matron is currently a closed practice. This means that it is not open to the general public, but it is something you can be initiated into doing. Sometimes this requires going to our community, sometimes it requires just going to the force themselves and our community can verify if anyone questions it (going to our community is preferred though, since we're the only ones with our teachings, customs, etc).

Each Energy Force is different, just like each deity, so we hope to open this practice up in the future, but currently it is too dangerous for our community to allow random people to share our teachings willy-nilly or call the forces we work with their patrons / matrons without verification. There are exceptions to this rule as like I said every force is different, but for the most part please inquire with us if you would like to claim an energy force as your patron / matron. We are not unfriendly to genuine learners - part of us opening our server is to share our teachings - we just want things to be done safely as in the past it was not done safely and we suffered immensely for it as a community.

Is working with energy forces a closed practice then?

To clarify, working with the energy forces is not closed, but some practices are closed and being an officially recognized practitioner of some energy forces is closed. We talk about this in our community space and can lead you if you're interested in learning what's okay, what's not, and how to get initiated. We're looking for genuine people though, not just the curious onlookers, to initiate. Our teachings are sacred and serious workings and we expect them to be held in high regard by anyone who wishes to initiate into closed practices. Thank you for respecting our boundaries, wishes, traditions, and teachings.

To learn more about energy forces, or contact the community with inquiries, please contact me directly or visit our public community space:

Thank you!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post and / or learn from me! You can check out my other Tumblr posts at this link, and you can learn more about me at this link.

If you have any questions / inquiries, feel free to send an Ask!

As a reminder, this post is not all-encompassing. There are nuances and practices where some of this just simply does not apply and that is okay. I just hope this serves as a brief guide for beginners and those interested, because some of it is in general universal!

If you like, please feel free to comment below who your patron / matron is, or who you'd like to ask!!

SPIRIT HIGHLIGHTS

Pluto

Harmful Spirits in Hellenism

Kala Kalasankarshini

Mayari

ANTIQUES COLLECTION

Antiques in Witchcraft (pt. 1)

SAFETY COLLECTION ft. THANATOS

Coming soon!

APHRODISIAC SERIES ft. My Patron!

Aphrodisiac Foods ・𓌉◯𓇋

TIPS, INTROS, BREAKDOWNS, LISTS, GUIDES, + MORE

Secret Altar Options ・𓃣

Moon Phases ・⏾

Low-Energy Ways to Work With Nature ・ଳ

CRYSTAL WORK: An Extensive Beginner's Guide & AMA ・⌔

CULTS: A Few Signs ・✞

Research Tips for Beginners (WITCHCRAFT) ・🖊

LOCKING YOUR MIRROR (A Very Brief Guide) ・🗝

Beginner's Sea/Water Witchcraft ・𓆡

SIGILS: a brief guide for beginners ・⛥

A BRIEF GUIDE TO VETTING: Who am I talking to? ・𓍯

TRICKSTERS (A Brief Intro for Beginners) ・𔓎

PROTECTION PRACTICES for beginners! ・✿

Crystal Highlight: Tiger's Eye ・⟡

Tarot FAQ ・🀦

Traits of the Mouse (Witchy Tip) ・🖱

Guide to Bones (Osteomancy Bone Recommendations) ・𓆏

Witchy Book Recommendations ・🕯

CITRUS essential oils ・𖧷

Alternatives to SH ・🗡

POCAHONTAS: Colors of Colonization (The Dangerous and Manipulative Romanticization of Indigenous Women, Children & Ongoing Genocide) ・𓆰

Roman Polytheism & Ancient Rome Resources (Updated 7/23/2025) ・🏛

Broke Witch Hacks ・$

Do & Don't: A Mini Guide to Respecting Spirits (Various) ・𓃵

Fun Facts About SUCCULENTS ・𓆈

Incense Recs for sensitive noses ・أأ

The DANGERS of Godspousals ・𓉱

What ACTUALLY is a "possession?" ・☻

Calypsonian Music + Dance (A BRIEF OVERVIEW) ・𝄞

The Sacred Home ・⌂

Dreamcatchers: Are they only for the Ojibwe? ・𖧶

Tips for Grounding ・𖣂

Ancient Butterflies ・𐦍

Altar, But No Worship? ・𓊳

Protection Tips for Beginners ・⛉

Oracles vs. Mediums ・🗣

Sky Woman (+ Other) Resources / Stories ・🌤

4 Hours of Peaceful + Relaxing Music ・♪

Working With Fire (A Brief Beginner's Guide) ・ৡ

Magic vs. Magick ・⸝*

Disposing of Food Offerings ・𓐐𓎩

Low-Cost Protections ・ᝰ

Mola the Fucktress ・(‿ˠ‿)

Intersex Butterflies ・ʚɞ

Love Spells: Manipulation + Free Will? ・𖨆⁠♡𖨆⁠

DEBUNKING: Are the Greek gods the same as the Roman gods? ・🏟

A Witch / Practitioner's Reminder to Love the Colour Black ・⪩. .⪨

Afro-Indigenous Inventions & Sciences ・⚛︎

Do Not Do This: Eating Death Deity Offerings ・‎𐂐

Tarot Card of the Week + 4 Body Associations ・🀢

The Moon ・❍

Energy Cleanse Mist? ・𖥔

"Is it safe to reach out to my ancestors?" ・𓀛

How do consultations work? ・⚓︎

Venus of Willendorf, aka Woman of Willendorf ・𓎺

Some Important Info About Casting Love Spells ・✶

My Thoughts on "The Influences of Christianity" Reddit Post ・𖡎

Xenia in Modern Religious (and Spiritual) Practice: An Introduction for Beginners ・🇬🇷

Spell Jars: DON'T CLOSE THE LIDS! (Including PART TWO) ・𓏊

Hellenist Protections | combatting new ageist forced conformity and misinformation ・♖

How to Tell If My Love Spell Is Working? ・⊹

Conducting Proper Research (Basic) ・🖊

Greek Baby Names ・𖠘

Ways to Work With the Greek Gods That You Don't Often Realize ・⚚

Crystals and Babies: A WARNING ・🅑

"The Gods Aren't Mad At You" ・(ง'̀-'́)ง

A little conversation ・☆

About: my Spirit ID services ・𔓎

Witchy Tips About Garlic ・‎‎𐂐◯𓇋

Respect Tarot Readers ・🀧

Linearbandkeramik ・𐃢

Spiritual Atheism ・⩜⃝

Some Great "Simple" Spells / Workings ・⋆

Kemetic Book / Resource Recommendations ・𓋹

Just A Few Witchy Halloween Traditions ・𓌹𔓎𓌺

Some of My Teachings On Making Tarot Spreads ・🀥

Events

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Get to know me!

A little bit about me! ・ꨄ︎

A little bit about me! (PART TWO) ・⁠♡

A little bit about me! (PART THREE) ・♥︎

A little bit about me! (PART FOUR) ・ღ

A little bit about me! (PART FIVE) ・ᥫ᭡

Answering some fun questions! ・‹𝟹

A little bit about me! (PART SIX) ・❥

Poetry

Two

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Five

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Please also don't hesitate to send me questions that I can answer in a post! I'd love to see where your curiosities lie and where I can help!

Thank you, and have a beautiful day / night!

Hey, beginners!

This post is quite extensive compared to some of my other ones that I've made like this, because it kind of branches into various topics, but all of it has to do with working with fire! However, that does not mean that this post is all-inclusive by any means.

As my usual disclaimer, this is simply my knowledge and my teachings that I've come across & developed through research, speaking with others, cultural teachings, etc. However, everyone has the right to believe what they like, I just hope this serves as beneficial to some of you somehow, whether it be providing information you resonate with or just teaching you something cool.

You can look at my other posts here, which different ones can breach into this topic (such as respecting spirits, protections recommendations, incense recommendations, the sacred home in various cultures and religions, and much more) - Thank you for checking it all out! <3

Lastly... BEFORE DOING ANYTHING: SET UP THOROUGH PROTECTIONS!

Comment any questions :D And onto the meat of this post...

First Steps

It's important to make sure you're safe, especially when working with Fire. Fire is an amazing element to work with, but when done improperly, can be dangerous or fruitless. Make sure you understand core properties of fire, safety, and how to work with various spirits, elements, and energies.

Fire Safety

It's important that you are eagerly practicing fire safety. This is because, yes, the spiritual is pretty fkn cool, but it's way less cool to burn your house down because you were trying to get your ex back.

Some things to consider when it comes to mundane fire safety:

Where is the flame you're working with? (Don't set it near plants, windows, papers, on shelves, by where you walk, etc)

Do you have the right tools to calm a fire at the ready by you? (Fire extinguisher, baking soda, and sand are three of the best, but large buckets of water and some fabrics might also help you)

Are the materials you're using fire-safe & heat-friendly? (Can that bowl be heated to that temperature for so long? Does that incense you bought have an excess amount of harmful chemicals? Etc)

Consider the smoke inhalation (some humans, pets and plants cannot safely intake specific smokes or certain amount of smokes. at least making sure you have a way out and proper ventilation is important)

Are you planning on leaving this burning? (If so, make sure the flame is attended at all times, or otherwise has no possibility of tipping over, spreading flames, etc - I don't recommend this, but on rare occasions given the circumstance it may be OK)

Do your due diligence and RESEARCH fire safety practices! Make sure you also have 911 on speed dial and that you're ready to call local services for help in case things do get out of control

Protections

Having up spiritual protections is VERY important, especially when working with another element, energy, spirit, or being in general. It's not just about who you're calling in, but who is also around. It's important to set boundaries and make sure you wear your seatbelt when getting ready for any venture.

Protections aren't always needed because you're being attacked, which is a common misconception I see. There's lots of reasons why setting up spiritual protections are important. Some of these reasons include: (1) having a safety net in case you make a mistake, (2) making sure your working / spell / practice is protected from any other spirits who take notice, (3) making sure no stagnant energies or spirits are blocking the success of your work, (4) making sure no physical people are getting in the way of your spiritual workings, (5) making sure you're not calling in the wrong spirits or beings for your working, (6) making sure your own energy that you're putting into the working is protected and used appropriately, and that your energy doesn't end up in the wrong hands too.

Things you want to keep in mind when setting up your protections:

What are you protecting? (Space, item, yourself, your working? I recommend all four. When it comes to your body, I recommend protecting all of your bodies - spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, etc)

What are you protecting against? (What spirits aren't allowed? What energies do you not want? What circumstances do you not want? What potential outcomes or properties do you wish your ingredients, such as herbs, to avoid?)

Are you mindful of loopholes? (Never say things like "I invite peace," but rather say things like, "Spirits who mean me any form of harm are not welcome or allowed here" - incomplete example)

I want to add here that it's important to be mindful of spirit communication basics when setting up your protections. Not only is it important for your own safety to learn spirit communication basics - yes, even before attempting to speak or otherwise communicate with Fire spiritually - but you want to make sure that you aren't accidentally silencing the Fire with your communications (especially as many may consider Fire to be across the span of positive, neutral, or negative).

Respecting Fire

Before attempting spells, divination, or some other fire-based working, you need to understand fire. You need to learn to respect it, honour it, and work with it, not just using it. Otherwise, it's not going to be very helpful to you, and rightfully so. Make sure you're taking the time to get to know the fire - sit with it, speak to it, observe it, learn it. It speaks a language you weren't born with, but one you may soon come to know, and maybe even speak yourself. Without seeking to form a relationship with fire, or any fire-based nature spirits, you're simply trying to take advantage, and that never bids well for any working (and even if it did, why be that person?). It may take some time, but it's important to try to understand it in-depthly through experience and your own personal relationship, not just blog posts that say "a flicker left means yes" (because that is definitely NOT always the case, especially for every practitioner or witch). Of course, research is helpful and important, but make sure you're careful with your research as well - where are you getting your info? Where did they get their info? Have you spoken to anybody first-hand? Etc. Once you have formed an actual bond with Fire, then I believe it is safe and best to begin fire workings. Until you understand who you're working with, teamwork and collaboration are fruitless. Those who cannot listen, cannot grow. Those who cannot watch, cannot know. Those who cannot feel, cannot show.

To go a bit further, take into consideration any potential fire spirits that may be around. Have you taken the time to get to know them? Learn how they deserve to be respected? Learned about who they are or why they're there? Have you talked to them about this work you're trying to do with them? Though it's your working, it's not all about you - and I say this tersely because too many people forget and many different spirits, people, and beings in general get hurt. It's really important to be mindful and considerate of all who you're working with or utilizing in your workings, as we're all autonomous beings and we all deserve basic respect and care. Besides, your working won't be beneficial to you if all you're doing is stepping on things and taking advantage of people to get there. Magick and witchcraft have never been about staking dominance over others in a show of greedy power, they have been about harmonious ways of life.

Lastly, I want to mention that you should be looking into respectful ways of working with different energies. Often times when we try to get in touch with fire, it's because we're trying to work with energies like passion, love, or wrath (just as three examples). Energies have forces, who are spirits with domain in energy. It's important to their safety, the safety of you, the safety of any deities you work with, the safety of the fire... to know how to work with them properly. Are you respectfully calling in that energy? Are you intending to hurt others with it - and if so, why and how? Are you respecting everyone's autonomy? Are you asking or demanding that energy to help you? Are you trying to bind the energy or spirits (a big no-no)? Just some things to consider. Yes, everyone has their own personal morals - but that includes spirits and energy forces, so take the time to get to know who you're working with, energies and forces included.

Properties of Fire

A lot of people have various beliefs on the properties of Fire. However, I think it's kind of arrogant to assume with 100% certainty who someone is if you haven't even met them or gotten to know them deeply yourself. Sure, we may hear rumors or speculations or stories... but it's important to give that individual a chance to show you who they are on their own terms. The same should be done with Fire. This is why it's important to respect and bond with the fire. Everyone is going to have a different relationship with fire, and so no one can determine for you what that is going to look like or exactly how Fire is going to help you or aid in your life / workings / practices. There are things you can request of Fire, but you cannot take with acknowledging and giving in return.

Some things that some people ask Fire to help them with:

Playfulness or youthfulness

Wisdom and sagely guidance

Protection and divine wrath

Passion, love, sexuality, sensuality, and relationships

A sense of home, safety, and shelter

Maintenance and medicine

Growth and abundance

Destruction and paving way for anew

Justice, light and cleansing

Sparks of what once was, and potential

Confidence, determination, and courage

Mediation, peace, and consideration

And just a reminder that Fire will not necessarily do things for you. Fire may be willing or able to help, but your work is calling a working for a reason, your practice is called a practice for a reason, your witchcraft is called a craft for a reason.

At the end of the day...

What's going to breed you the best results is a combination of proactive and efficient research, learning from a knowledge practitioner, and giving it a shot yourself. I recommend doing all three to fully experience what it's like to begin working with Fire.

Beginner Ways to Work With Fire:

Once all of the above is said and done, it's time to actually begin getting more hands-on with the Fire. Here are some beginner-friendly ways you can do that!

Offerings (to deities, the Fire itself, fire spirits, etc - this is seen in cultures and religions around the world, such as Hellenic offerings to the gods like Hestia)

Keeping the fire burning (in my religions and cultures, it's important to have a flame continuously blazing within the household or your place of worship)

Respect Indigenous sovereignty and fire practices (this shows an active care for the element of Fire, those it protects, and those who work deeply with it, as Indigenous folks are often family with Fire and those they let it burn and keep it from burning)

Prayer (it is often encouraged to light a candle and use it as a visual representation of your manifestations or the deity / spirit you're praying to)

Crystal work (this is often a great way for beginners to start working with energies, especially if you're low on your own energy yourself, and many crystals like obsidian or botswana agate are great for honing in on Fire and personal energies that help you get in touch with it, such as Love or Shelter)

Move with the Fire (this can include dancing, singing, martial arts, etc)

Enhancing spiritual abilities / Divination (Seeing with Fire is a spiritual ability which allows you to divine with Fire and / or receive messages from spirits or deities who dance or otherwise speak to you from within the flames; there are also methods of divination which include interpreting the smoke of flames or the embers which feed the Fire / burning wood / etc)

Burning spells (You can look into different types of spells - or practices - that require to be burned or can be burned, and work with the ash from those spells as well, or ask those you're in relationship with, such as nature spirits or Fire, to help carry on the goals of your spells and workings)

Candle magick (You can look into utilizing candle, and therefore the flame, in your workings and practices - this can also include color magick and associations!)

Cleansing and protection (Fire can be used in protective and cleansing practices, especially when it comes to using smoke or burning herbs, or using herbs which have been burned or heated)

Kitchen magick (You can definitely get witchy with the fire used in kitchen magick, such as cooking and grilling!)

Solar magick (Working with the sun, a literal giant ball of fire, can definitely help you get in touch with the Fire element, but I will say that the energies of the two can feel somewhat different, just like how lake water is gonna be a bit different than fresh water or sea water. In the same sense, working with electricity, so like lightning storms for divination or even electronics for digital witchcraft, can help you loosely connect with Fire, but I wouldn't consider it a Fire practice exactly)

Visiting sacred symbolic fires (such as within temples or churches, or other community places)

There are, of course, more advanced ways of working with fire, such as deeper divination work, the burning of love spells and targeted glamours sigils, or even the ability to urge fire in different directions as a result of deep deity work and Fire work (don't worry, it's not like firebending lol), but these ideas above are some good options for beginners who want to find something to look into first to really get a hang of things before attempting more serious workings!

Caring For Fire

If you're willing to work with Fire, then I believe you should be willing to care for it too. Here are some ways you can do that:

Make sure it is heard, seen, respected, and understood (as described above)

Making offerings to the fire

Stating when you intend to put it out and why (such as if you're doing a spell, or have an ongoing flame in your home), you can also go one step further and state when you plan to re-light it

Seek out consensual and friendly relationships with fire-based spirits relevant to your practice and environment

Care for Fire-based animals, crystals and minerals, and items made with fire (like some pottery or glass) as if they are some of your most precious items - respect them, treat them well

Learn cultural and religious ways of working with Fire to preserve relationship, care, and sacred teachings

Clean up the forests of littering and environmentally-harmful items (this is important because Fire often takes care of the wilderness in various ways)

Involve Fire in more than just magick, like family gatherings and overall home coziness too (let it know that it's more than a tool to you, it is also a friend)

In my opinion: We can learn a lot from the Fire and its children. What we learn is going to be individual, so I tried not to place too much bias within the post, outside of the obvious. Fire can be dangerous, yes, but it is very needed and a huge blessing. It should be regarded with respect and valued as a member of our communities, because it is a member of our communities who has kept many people and religions going for centuries. Whether you see it as holy, demonic, or something else entirely, be ready to explore the beauty of the dark side and the pain of the light, in order to find true balance with your relationship with this beautiful, powerful, guiding, and playful element.

Where can you find Fire?

Disclaimer: The following list is nuanced, as it can change depending on culture or practice. I tried to be inclusive, but this is a brief guide. Depending on your practice, make sure you are mindful with your intentions and energy work, be aware of what properties you'd like to utilize and which you wouldn't.

Lighters, candles and incense

Ovens, stoves, and similar cooking supplies

Forest fires, storms

Campfires

Batteries and technology

Farming

Various bugs, insects, animals, and other creatures and critters

Various plants

Mythology, folklore and oral traditions

Documentaries

Visualizations and manifestations

Hearths, temples, and community fires

Volcanoes, mountains, and similar environmental and geographical areas

Sun, stars, and space in general

Items

There are various items that you can use which will aid you in your work with Fire. Now, there's the obvious stuff, like candles or lighters or crystals, but I wanted to talk about some more traditional and just less commonly shared about ways to practice with fire. Many of these ways are not secrets and you may know them from your own cultures and religions (don't worry, not sharing sacred things here), but they're still things you won't find in your average blog-post, so I found it important to share them here.

Lanterns

I am going to talk more about this in an upcoming post about the spiritual properties of various uses of light, but I wanted to add a short bit about it here too! Lanterns are used as protective illuminations, especially for travelers. The designs of a lantern can be powerful, and the material of lanterns - such as frosted glass - provides light to the traveler while also casting a distorted glow on them which is confusing to some spirits. And, you guessed it - these lanterns use Fire to light up, often traditional lanterns like paper or some metals. You can find lanterns like this across places like Europe and Asia.

Oracle Decks

The trend with Oracle decks is to use them as "more inclusive" tarot decks. If you wanna do that, I totally respect and understand. However, I will say, that this grossly misinforms the masses about the true uses of both Oracle and tarot decks. Not only are tarot decks incredibly versatile and truly all-inclusive traditionally, but Oracle decks are intended for spirit communication usage traditionally. This is why some advanced or knowledgeable practitioners will say to use a tarot deck before an Oracle deck, and it actually sheds a little bit of light on why the name "Oracle deck" caught on too (if you aren't sure what an Oracle is, you can read about it here).

Using an Oracle deck, if you follow the practice of it being intended for spirit communication, can be incredibly helpful after learning how to work with Fire. Oracle decks can be a great way for you to divine using fire if you wish not to stare into the heat, get too close, or if you don't have (or don't want to work with) skills or gifts such as Seeing with Fire. It is best to do this with an open flame in front of you, or at least after you get to know Fire. I wouldn't inherently consider this a beginner Fire practice, but it can be great for beginners advancing their work or who have a natural affinity with the element.

Animal Dung

Animal dung in some communities is really great as an energy source, such as fuel when burned with fire. I would look into how safe or not this is, but it could very well be a great option for people around animals who want to help clean up their community and work more with the natural world. To my understanding, this is a clean energy source, and it burns slow which means you can use smaller amounts for longer periods of time. Additionally, some cultures regard dung as pure - not in cleanliness, but in properties and representation - so that's something you could look into as well (please be mindful of cultural appropriation vs cultural appreciation).

Other Ways to Work With Fire:

This is a list of other ways to work with Fire. They are not inherently beginner-friendly (though some might be), but I thought they were cool and important to include. Please make sure you're respecting all cultures and communities before participating.

Firewalking (often seen in the Pacific Islands, Greece, and the Middle East)

Smoke saunas and burning rocks (common in Finland and Baltic countries)

Fire cleansing (this is relevant in many religious or cultural communities, such as in Mongolia, Zoroastrianism, and others)

Fire festivals (some examples of this can be lantern festivals such as the Chinese New Year, and Japanese Hi-Matsuri like the Nachikatsuura Fire Festival or in Yamadera where the flame is meant to illuminate Buddhist texts)

Protective spirit-work dance rituals (such as the Sanghyang trance ritual, Bali)

Bush burning (though this can be an ecological practice for various Indigenous groups, it can also be a managed and carefully done communication method to speak with ancestors and other spirits, such as in various parts of Africa)

"Spirit Fire" (a way to use Fire directly as a gateway to speaking with the spiritual world and spirits which inhabit it, which can be seen in Siberia when getting in contact with a powerful fire deity - this can be considered a version of Seeing with Fire, which was described above)

Hāngi, i.e. Māori Cooking Pit (has important ceremonial uses and symbolism, often involves deity work)

Incense (used to call on spirits, cleanse spaces, and stake claim to / protect your home, in Native American, Indian, Kemetic, Greek Polythist, Roman Polytheist, and other cultures and religious practices)

Some Resources to Learn More:

Fire Ecology and Indigenous Knowledge with Frank Lake

‘Knowledge keeps the fires burning’: how ancient Indigenous wisdom can transform our battle against climate change

Will o' the Wisp: A Mischievous Fire

Hellenic Masterpost

Seeing Fire: Perspectives through Art and Science

Keepers of the Sacred Fire: The Potawatomi

How an Indigenous firekeeper links spirit and ceremony

Oshkigin | Spirit of Fire

Symbolism behind CPN tribal seal: more than a casual decoration

Three Fires Council

Prophetic wisdom: The first of 11 new exhibits, the Seven Fires sets tribe on path to its future

The Potawatomi (some info here is correct, some is not, please use this as a starting point to learning and make sure you are researching respectfully)

What Is The Sacred Fire?

What is a Sacred Fire? (#2)

Reading the Fire: Irish Traditions of Divination

The Spirit's Fire for Your Family

1552 Year old Flames burning in the Ateshkadeh (Fire Temple) in Yazd, Iran

Zoroastrian Fire Temple of Yazd

The Oracular Flame

Candle Burning Time Lapse

Bounty Candles Time Lapse

My Other Blog Posts

The above resources are some great places to learn more and hear other perspectives, but please do not treat this as the only research you should do on this topic. Thank you!

"Fire runs through my body with the pain of loving you. Pain runs through my body with the fires of my love for you. Pain like a boil about to burst with my love for you. Consumed by fire of my love for you. I remember what you said to me, I am thinking of your love for me. I am torn by your love for me. Pain and more pain. Where are you going with my love? I'm told you will go from here. I'm told you will leave me here. My body is numb with grief. Remember what I said My Love Goodbye My Love, goodbye." ― Kwakiutl Indian

Thank you!

Thank you for reading this post and taking the time to learn from me! Like I said above, no need to believe what I believe, but I found it important to make this post still, and I hope at least some part of it resonates with you in a positive way. Thank you to the individual(s) who requested this, and please do feel free to send an Ask with any questions!

If you're interested, I do offer various services, such as DIY Guides and Spells and Workings, so please do consider reaching out to me for those if you are interested! I am a Priestess of Love (energy force, who has domain in passion, divine wrath, sexuality, and more), so I can definitely help you with your journey depending on your request.

Rules / Things we DO NOT accept:

Racism, homophobia, ableism, sexism, and prejudice of any kind, as well as slurs (even if reclaimed)

Disrespect towards other members or trying to convert them

Appropriation of cultural teachings or religious teachings

Anyone under the age of 18 (this is strictly an adult server)

Trying to breach the protections or security of someone else's home, especially spiritually or energetically, without their explicit consent

Sending photos of spirits, bones or plants without their consent

Spirit & energy binders (aside from consented marriage binds), including servitors, egregores and closed spell jars as well

Photos of sigils without a warning prior to sending

Unethical love spells (obsession spells)

Casting curses, hexes and / or jinxes on other members of the server, or on any minors (youth aged 17 or younger)

Non-English languages (sorry it's hard to moderate a group chat if I can't understand what is being said but if we get people who speak other languages than this rule can be amended)

Unethical energy work (such as not asking the energies for consent before leaning on them for spellcraft)

Sexual imagery, details of sexual experiences (including witchy ones), flirting, or any sexual energy directed at other members of the groupchat - in regards to sex magic, we ask that you only treat this as educational and do not go overboard sharing the experience to the point where people are uncomfortable or that you're describing intimate details of the acts, yourself or partners in a sexual manner. THIS IS NOT A SEX MAGIC OR A PORNOGRAPHIC GROUPCHAT, we just understand the power of intimate crafts like this and don't wish to entirely exclude them when they often take place within the household, so please be mindful and self-aware if starting a discussion of this nature

Each of our rules are based in respect and safety, so we appreciate you following them at all times in the groupchat! Rules are subject to change (with notice) based on community needs and interest.

Thank you!

Magic and Magick are terms I personally don't like to use, but I use them often because a) my target audience uses them, and b) my target audience understands them. I type "workings" instead of "spells" and people get confused with that, and I've noticed that removing magic or magick from my vocabulary entirely when interacting with the witchy community breeds the same effect.

In this post, I'm going to talk about the differences in each, mostly highlighting why they're both harmful. The reason I'm doing this is because there's a lot of controversy about which word is okay to use, but not a lot of education circling within that controversy. Most people you meet will say "don't use magic with a k, it's racist!" but don't acknowledge how magic without a k has been used in the same way.

I would like to note that the roots of words do not define them in modern times - it's not like magic or magick are slurs. But it is important to know the history of them, and maybe steer away from using words that hurt people, as both terms still cause harm today.

Magic:

Magic through a spiritual or witchy lens does not have one concise definition to begin with. Different people who use this term will define it differently.

According to Wikipedia, "Magic" is a supernatural term meaning, "is the application of beliefs, rituals or actions employed in the belief that they can manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces. It is a category into which have been placed various beliefs and practices sometimes considered separate from both religion and science."

According to Medium, magic is, "the ability to change or shape our lives and the world around us through belief, ritual, and the invocation of forces bigger than ourselves; forces we may not fully understand, and which 'work in mysterious ways' . . . "

This Reddit post has many different people commenting, sharing their views on how they like to define or think of magic.

I don't typically like to quote Britannica because I've noticed some culturally inaccurate and offensive articles they've posted about my people, but I do believe this general article they put out about what magic is can be an informational read on this topic as well.

Personally, if I had to define magic, I would define it as the combination of energy work, intentions work, science, and traditional cultural / religious / spiritual / witchy knowledge, used in order to support an intended goal or boost you in reaching a specific solution.

Now that we understand what magic is, I want to explain why this word can be taken as offensive.

The main reason is the non-spiritual connotations which are used oppressively.

When the average person thinks of "magic," they think of fantastical and fictional media and stories, like Harry Potter or princesses with curses locked away in dragon-guarded towers. "Magic" might also spark initial thoughts of your average magician or magic tricks, like disappearing cards or coins out of your ear. Though these all can be cool things, when people hear "magic" in a spiritual lens, they immediately associate it with altering reality or "ridiculous beliefs."

Whether it be the idea that "magic isn't real" (like Harry Potter magic) which is used as a reason to belittle pagans, witches, and other communities for having "stupid, outdated" beliefs (perpetuating a lot of harm already done to these communities), or the idea that "you can do anything or make anything happen if you manifest it strong enough" which sparks many concerns of psychosis or delusions and lack of discernment, magic is an easy way to misinform people about traditional, cultural, and sacred practices that were not always described with such a term. In modern times, "magic" just simply doesn't translate across communities, and poses a general barrier. Though I agree that people should be more educated and respectful, the simple truth is that it's a confusing introduction to the worlds of witchcraft and spirituality.

In my personal experience and in experiences I've heard about or witnessed, this term has gone to the extremes. As a Native American, my culture was demonized for witchcraft and still is today - in some cases, my culture is associated with witchcraft, and in some cases, witchcraft is associated with my culture. "Magic" has always been a term thrown at me to belittle my culture and prove that my people are primitive, stupid, extinct, and / or less than. My people still experience a modern-day genocide and ethnocide, so I don't take likely to negative terminology and derogatory accusations. Magic has never been used in a positive manner towards me and my culture (again, in my own experiences, and in others' experiences as well even if not everybody's experiences). It's been used to tell others that my culture was founded in ignorance and a lack of science, which is untrue, as well as to say that my culture should have died out years ago when the "ideas of wizards and witches" died out. The list goes on when it comes to being told things like this about "magic" and my culture, unfortunately, and I've been disrespected as a Native woman and a practitioner on the basis of race.

On top of this, I don't even identify as a witch. I identify as a practitioner. However, because of words like witch (English) and magic (also English) being slapped on my culture and the witchcraft we often partake in as an ethnic community, there's wide misunderstandings on what witchcraft in general is, let alone what people of my culture may actually believe. Half of my spiritual or witchy traditions are cultural. Overall, it's just been a bad experience for many of us, where words like magic are used to forcibly conform us into a belief system that never fully matched.

Native Americans aren't the only community with experiences like this surrounding the term "magic." Other ethnic communities, pagans, feminine spiritualists, and witches and practitioners have been ridiculed, ostracized, or discriminated against by use of this word. Though I don't agree with "magick" either, there was a reason it was invented. There is validity in feeling discomfort with "magic" and I wish people (like who I reblogged the original post I linked above from) were more mindful and respectful of diverse experiences and sensitivities. Our identities should not be on the line over a simple word, but unfortunately, they sometimes are. I shouldn't need to defend my culture, belief system, or practice to anybody who isn't informed, but unfortunately I do because those misinformed people cause real harm anyways.

Magick:

Magick ("magic" with a k) shares the same definition as magic, with a one-letter difference as alternate spelling. The point in this originally was to separate magick (spiritual or witchy workings and beliefs, more specifically pagan and occult teachings) from magic (fantastical definition).

This seems like a good alternative, right? Well, unfortunately, the controversy from this word comes from its era of popularization. Though this word is meant to acknowledge one's spiritual or religious alignment, and highlight the realistic ability to work with the unknown or curious without need for "supernatural" beliefs or fantastical experiences, this word was popularized during the early stages of American new ageism and as such reflects values of appropriation and oppression. Not all new ageism is offensive, but a large majority of it is watered down misinformation appropriated from important cultural or religious / spiritual / witchy / traditional practices, customs, teachings, and traditions.

Many people attribute Aleister Crowley for the creation of this word (though he was mainly just the guy who popularized it), a man who also founded various new beliefs on chaos magick and founded the new belief system known as Thelema. Crowley was explicitly racist in speech and beliefs, minimizing and belittling the very people from whom his practice of chaos magick pulled from. He targeted multiple groups of people with insults and violent stereotypes. It's believed by some that some of his spiritual teachings also have racial undertones, such as his "Black Brother" concepts.

I will also note that many people are just uncomfortable with this guy in general, noting poor energy and negative experiences with his work.

So, what terms do we use then?

Honestly, I'm still asking myself this question. A lot of my witchcraft and spiritual knowledge is purely just cultural traditions. Some of it is familial, some of it is even scientific and / or atheistic.

I prefer to be articulate and specific with my words rather than vague, so I don't often use "magic" or "magick." Instead, I'll specify "divination" or "spirit work" or "energy work." But, if vague is the articulate route, I like to specify "practice." Some people will say ritual, custom, or tradition, depending on the context.

Like I said, "magic/k" has its use in modern day conversations about spirituality and witchcraft, but I do hope we explore other terms at some point that may be more respectful, appropriate, and encompassing.

I know that there are terms in other languages, and I am considering to use those terms at some point to use instead as well. I haven't yet because I haven't really resonated with those words yet (I am monolingual) or looked into them. I haven't looked into the specifics of those terms, nor if it would be respectful to use them. I am quite multicultured so there's a few words I've been around and could use, I just want to make sure I'm educated, informed, and making the right move before I do it. If you have another word in another language that can be used alternatively, please do leave a comment to share about it, or consider using that term instead!

Original Reblog:

I have chosen to write out the original post & reblog here, in case it is deleted or removed. I want there to be full context, transparency and accountability. (Note: Please do not go harass or hate on the user who made the original post. They did not know better, and though they did not make attempts to rectify the harm caused, I really don't think it's a big enough deal or at all fruitful to attack this person. Be respectful, please.) You'll notice the sarcasm and lack of genuine research that was put into their post, but I hope all of this info I've shared has provided a different perspective and opened some minds of those who may have previously agreed with this user. The dismissive, ignorant attack just really isn't necessary, and we need less of this negativity and passive-aggressive discrimination in the witchy and spiritual community.

Original Post:

hey on the topic of magic with a k, but for those who will die on the hill where it differentiates "real" magic from "stage" magic:

*whispers* hey, come here. i have a question.

when discussing your practice amongst others, have you EVER had someone assume you were a "stage magician" in real life? hmm? and if they did make that assumption, did you call yourself a "magician?"

just, think about that for a second.

okay, thanks!

My Reblog:

Yes. I have. Most people believe that I believe in some Harry Potter type stuff. It's part of why they think practitioners and witches are stupid. I had someone ask this 2 days ago even, and get mad when I said "that's not actually what magic is." It's REALLY common in some areas and actually used as a tactic against people of color - as a Native American, people used it to justify why my culture and the witchcraft within my culture was primitive, out of date, and therefore, I was less than them. However, I don't deny that magic with a k (magick) also came about via harmful means, I honestly try not to use magic OR magick because of this. They're English words anyways, not defining factors (other cultures, communities and languages use other descriptors or words), so I just avoid them in general if I can because they're BOTH bad. It just sucks that they're the only words to use for some people in witchy communities because they don't know any other terms, so sometimes I have to just to get my knowledge across, but that's also why I try to mentor people and post about stuff like this.

Please, don't be like this person.

If you're asking a question, consider the answer.

If you don't agree with someone's position, look into why they do.

If you wish to understand and build community, don't tear others apart by ridiculing their emotions and experiences.

Not everyone has the same experience and that's okay - but if you consider yourself an ethical practitioner or just any kind of decent, it's your job to be considerate, respectful, and empathetic.

If you're posting about witchy or spiritual controversies or just information in general, you should be responsible and actually research the topic you're talking about. If you don't know what you're talking about, you shouldn't be speaking on it. If you're treating your posts as personal experience and not informative instead, and so believe it's okay to talk on things you don't know about, then don't target or direct the post at somebody else. You're causing unnecessary drama and harm.

I have thick skin. I didn't cry about this and it doesn't hurt much anymore, but it is something that's important to me because I see how it affects others in my communities. I don't like when others try to put me into their boxes, and I've seen real damage done by crap like this to people that I love and have learned much from, so I found it important to say something.

Thank you for reading!

I hope this post informed you and I hope that it helped some of us feel seen. I couldn't include everything of course, but I at least wanted to write something out and really talk about this because I do believe it to be an issue and it's a huge controversy currently.