Hello, My name is Alva Tauri! I am an herbalist, spirit worker, tarot and oracle reader, and lunar and herbal witch dedicated to closing the education gap when it comes to herbalism and witch practices!
Today I thought I would get online and compile my own personal journal entries and rituals about spirit work here for anyone interested in getting into spirit work, soest how you can begin to understand the basics behind working with spirits.
Below you will find everything you need to begin your journey...
with that being said, let's begin~
ęŠ "How do I start speaking with spirits?"
The answer to this is simple: meditation and intention.
Meditation is the perfect way to open up to the spirits and say to them, "I am interested in talking to you." It also is a fantastic way to get in touch with yourself and your own energy, which can be extremely helpful when it comes to spirit work,as it can help you gauge when something has changed or shifted in energy around you.
How do you feel your own energy? This can be done in many different ways. For example, you can listen to your own heartbeat, you can listen to the calming sounds around you (water, nature, birds, etc.), or you can do visualization practices (you can find some examples in my post here).
Once you've connected with your energy, try visualizing a door opening and imagine your hand reaching out through the doorway. This is to signify to the spirit around you that you are willing to speak with them.
NOTE: You may not get a response. This does not mean you are failing or doing anything wrong. Keep trying. Sometimes spirits are simply unwilling to speak at the moment, just like we often times need a break away from people. Do not take it personally and remember to remain respectful of them in these moments.
Struggling with meditation? This is a common problem for anyone who is new to the practice, especially those of us who live with mental or physical illness. Remember this: A) meditation takes practice and practice shows dedication to the craft. having to try multiple times before grasping a concept does not mean you have failed, it means you care. B) the literal definition of meditation is "to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness." No where in that definition does it say you have to be sitting, with your legs cross, and your hands on your knees. You can mediate in a chair, on the couch...hell you can even meditate laying down in your bed.
Before you give up on meditation remember why you are doing it and ask yourself "have I tried every method or position that I can?" you can meditate. anyone can. I believe in you and so do the spirits!
ęŠ "How do I know if spirits are attempting to communicate with me?"
Some signs are common and will make it relatively easy to tell, while others may be a bit harder to decern. Here are some of the more common signs you may hear people discuss when it comes to spirit work:
hearing voices or echoes (possibly thinking you heard someone say your name when no one is around)
hearing random knocks and bangs that seemingly came from nothing
random works or phrases popping up in your head (especially common when doing some sort of divination work with spirits)
having strange dreams or strange visions while meditating
phantom touches
experiencing the feeling of being watched
These answer may seem a bit vague and, if you think so, that is because they are, unfortunately, vague. This is where the real challenge of spirit work comes in. Your ability to decern whether or not something was a spirit or simply your house settling or you having a rough day that causes rough dreams is paramount in being a good spirit worker and is a skill that comes with time.
Having trouble learning how to decern between the two worlds? Keep practicing meditation, keep doing visualization practices, get to know your own spiritual energy, and be honest with yourself. Once you understand yourself and your environment it will be easy to decipher, but you have to give yourself time, patience, and honesty. This will help you in your journey.
ęŠ "Should I use any tools? If so, what should I use?"
While ensuring your energy is in a good place and making attempts to reach out to the spirits via meditation is important, you do not have to use energies exclusively. A great way to help you better connect to spirits in spirit work is the use of tools.
Naturally, the tools I list below are not the only ones to exist. There are hundreds of great spirit work tools out there. However, I am only going to discuss the ones I have used and have experience with today. If you don't see anything below that catches your eye, feel free to do your own research to learn more about spirit works tools!
Let's talk about the tools I use:
Tarot Cards: 78 cards with different meanings you can use to ask the spirits questions and connect with them
Pendulum: a crystal tied to a sting or chain you use by swinging over a board with a variety of different text options, so that when you speak to the spirits they can swing the pendulum in the direction of the word they'd like to say.
Cartomancy: a regular deck of playing cards used to talk to the spirits
In addition to these methods that I use, you may also want to look into:
Ouija Boards
Crystal Balls
Mirror/Water Scrying
Remember, what tools work for me or your friend or someone you know online may not work for you. Find what speaks to you and test it out and, if you don't like it, it's okay to move on a try something else. You need to feel connected to your form of divination for the spirits to feel connected to you.
Remember, it's also okay to get creative, too. I have heard some people say they do divination practices with food or different elements of nature, or runes, or even music (which I usually have on while i'm working). Reach out to what calls to you, whatever that may be.
ęŠ "How do I talk to the spirits once they've connected with me?"
That's easy. Just talk to them.
You can do this in a multitude of different ways. You can write letters and burn them, you can sing, you can pray, or you can just talk outloud.
Remember, different places may call for different etiquette. For example, if you are at a graveyard visiting a love one and are attempting to connect with them, you may not want to communicate in any way that is going to be loud or is going to cause harm to the grave or the grave site (take a look at my post about graveyard etiquette here for more information on that). Simply be aware of your surroundings and use common sense. Remember, if you have to question whether or not something is appropriate to do then it probably isn't.
ęŠ THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
Ward Yourself and/or Use Protection Magic Beforehand: it would be nice to believe that all spirits are friendly and have good intentions. however, that is not always the case. be safe and take care of yourself. you may even consider bringing a knife.
Practice Patience and Respect: as I said, not even spirit is friendly and not every spirit is open to speaking. be patient and wait for them and if you do not get the response you want, don't be disrespectful unless you feel that a spirit is threatening you.
You Aren't Weak For Using Tools: don't let anyone tell you that the use of tools means you are weak in your craft. this is not something I have personally experienced, but I have heard some witches, spirit workers, and pagans say that they have experienced this from others in the community. if you do experience this, ignore it. tools are meant to help strengthen your connection. they are not a sign of weakness.
You Do Not Have to Communicate Alone: if you are nervous or feeling uncomfortable, feel free to bring a friend or family member in to help you out and comfort you! and, if you don't have someone IRL to help you, remember there is a wonderful community here on tumblr that would love to help you in your journey!
That's all for spirit work basics! I hope that you found this helpful in your spiritual journey and I hope that you are able to apply this information to your practice.
if you have any questions regarding anything discussed here or if you'd like to make a request to be added to the list, please send an ask to my ask box! I appreciate all comments and questions!
For more information on my practice, witchcraft, herbalism, spirit work, and divination please check out the guide on my page (linked here)! Everything I have ever posted can be found there!
I wish you all a blessed day filled with peace, endless wealth, and eternal health! Until the next time we meet!
If you havenât already, check out my lessons on visualisation for the basic knowledge youâll need to begin practicing shielding.
So what is shielding?
Shielding is a manipulation of energy, used to create a barrier between yourself and unwanted, usually negative or malicious energies. Itâs a basic aspect of spellwork that everyone, beginner or experienced, should use to keep themselves safe.
What can I use shielding for?
Some beginner-level uses for shielding are drawing a circle, or casting a spell. A more experienced individual might use shielding in astral travel or spirit work, where there are a lot more malicious energies involved. Personally, I use shielding as often as possible, for instance when I do tarot readings, spells, spirit work, shadow work, and especially cursing. It gives that extra guarantee that you won't flood your personal space with unwanted energies.
Other uses include shielding against real-life dangers, to a certain degree. I often shield when I am walking through town at night for extra protection. But please remember to take other measures too! Call someone, pretend to be on the phone, plan your route, and even carry pepper spray if it's legal where you are.
An easy shielding method:
The easiest way to explain this is to think of your energy as a physical manifestation. Think how power attacks are shown in anime or cartoons - a streak of colour or light, or an element. Make it personable to you: fire signs (Leo/Aries/Sagittarius) might visualise fire, or a red energy or light etc.
Firstly, some people prefer to cleanse before shielding. I don't think its all that necessary but the choice is yours.
Begin by easing yourself into meditation. Get comfortable, and use whichever technique works for you. I have various methods for this in my visualisation lessons if you are struggling.
Attempt to visualise the energies surrounding you in your mind. It might be a swirling colour of light, almost like a cloud of dust. It could be flames, it could be water. Maybe try to see it held within your hand.
Now, attempt to shape this energy around your entire body. You might want to start with a bubble or a cube surrounding you. Feel this shape surrounding and protecting you. Visualise negative and unwanted energies being held back by it.
You can also layer shields, so if you are working with a particularly malicious energy you might want to have multiple shapes surrounding you, all within each other. You can also work with deities or spirits to ask them to shield you too.
Shielding Incantation
When I am shielding, I recite a spell as well as using visualisation techniques.
The shield of protection, I carry it strong,
No ill wishes or trouble shall come along,
You cannot harm me, or weaken my soul,
My light is my weapon, and peace is my goal.
Try it out for yourself and let me know in the comments how it went! Thank you as always for reading. Please message for requests.
Say a small prayer or do a short meditation before you get out of bed in the morning.
Write down dreams or visions you had.
Stir your first cup of coffee or tea counterclockwise to banish negativity and bad luck or clockwise to bring positive energy.
Draw daily tarot or oracle cards (you can also use a pendulum) for guidance.
Cleansing yourself and home using sound or smoke.
Ancestor or spirit offerings
Pick out your clothes, shoes, jewelry... ect with intention.
Write a sigil or petition paper and burn it.
Take a ritual shower. You can spice it up with candles, herbs, and crystals, or you can simply step under the water and imagine all the negativity and bad energy washing off you. You can also recite a chant.
Every time you look into the mirror, say an affirmation
Take a walk outside and ground yourself to Mother Earth.
Dance!! Dancing is an excellent way to rise the energy, and it helps with opening the sacral and solar plexus chakra and getting in touch with the inner child.
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