Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on spirit communication, specifically with ancestors or deceased loved ones, so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
What exactly is the veil? The veil refers to the liminal space or “in-between” energetic barrier that separates the physical world from other spiritual realms, such as the realm of the ancestors, the realm of the gods and goddesses, the realm of the fae, and so on.
During certain times of the year (and even certain times of day, such as dawn or dusk), the veil is often described as being “thinner” than other times of year, resulting in heightened energetic happenings as spirits come and go more freely than at other points during the year. While this may not impact practitioners who are more accustomed to interacting with spirit realms, for those who are less in tune with other realms or newer to interacting with energy, it can be incredibly intense to experience.
Life is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, meaning that spirit never dies, just as physics teaches us that energy is never destroyed only transformed. The family unit is composed of both the living and the departed, the essence of the departed is ever-present and as such can be activated anytime. Whilst the ancestors are no longer present in the physical they still can communicate and act as spiritual guardians to their descendants by offering support and guidance along their life to help overcome challenges and tap into one’s potential.
While countless ancestors have come before us and are a part of our heritage and family lineage, that does not mean that they are all inherently good people, have our best interests in mind, or are energy that we want to carry forward with us. Ancestors who perpetuated patterns of abuse, trauma, and harm, not only do we want to be intentional to avoid carrying the negative aspects forward with us, but we also want to ultimately unwind and break the generational cycles that have been created. That doesn’t mean that those who were not good people should be discarded, as they are still a part of us. But instead, we can send them love, cleansing, and healing energies while maintaining boundaries to protect ourselves and future generations.
This is why, as practitioners, we are intentional about calling forward our protective ancestors or protective loved ones in our workings, communications, and rituals. This communication can take place in various ways including through meditations, dreams, visions, synchronicities, nature, signs, sounds, and so on. The most important thing to understand about connecting to and communicating with your ancestors is the power of your intention. Once you make the decision to connect with your protective ancestors or loved ones, you will find that the pathway of communication opened.
Below I have put together a simple ritual for connecting with your protective ancestors or loved ones. As with most rituals I perform, I start with protective and grounding exercises and then carry out the ritual using a form of representation of the spirit(s) being connected with, a beacon or fuel source to guide and honor the spirit(s), and the magickal power of my intentions to carry out the actual working.
What you’ll need:
While there are many methods for carrying out the below ritual, I am only going to highlight how I perform this ritual myself. You are welcome to replicate it in its entirety or modify it using your own preferred methods of protection, representation for your ancestors and loved ones, preferred candle method, and so on.
Protection
Start with sitting on the ground. If you have a designated altar space for the deceased and/or your ancestors, sit in front of that setup with your representative item, candle, and offering. Close your eyes and envision a bright light surrounding you completely. Let this light permeate every inch of you until you feel warm, safe, and grounded.
Welcoming
Facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. As I access the ancestral realm, I welcome my protective ancestors (or loved ones), and I thank you for helping guide them to me. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. As I access the ancestral realm, I welcome my protective ancestors (or loved ones), and I thank you for helping guide them to me. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. As I access the ancestral realm, I welcome my protective ancestors (or loved ones), and I thank you for helping guide them to me. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. As I access the ancestral realm, I welcome my protective ancestors (or loved ones), and I thank you for helping guide them to me. Hail and welcome!”
Representation
Place the item (I’ll be using my grandmother’s class ring that is engraved with her initials) that represents your ancestor(s) or loved one(s) beside the black candle and offering.
Beacon
Light the black candle intended to guide your ancestors to you and place the cup or bowl of water beside this beacon.
Offering
Place out the offering (I’ll be using red wine and pie since that was my grandmother’s favorite thing to make) for your ancestor(s) or loved one(s) around/beside the black candle to feed them and honor them.
Connecting
Sitting and closing your eyes, envision a doorway opening and your protective ancestor(s) or loved one(s) coming through the gate toward you. Ask that any messages they may have for you be clearly received and state any other intentions you may have, such as honoring them, getting to know them better, etc.
Once you feel that they are with you, allow any messages they have to flow toward you. If you are not yet skilled at receiving messages through clairaudience, claircognizance, or the like, focus on how the present energy feels. Sit quietly with these feelings, allowing your body to take it all in and then gently release it. If you feel drawn to use a form of divination to communicate with your ancestor(s) or loved one(s), you may do that as well.
Closing
When you are ready to end the ritual and communication with your ancestor(s) or loved one(s) for now, thank those who came forward and allowed you to connect with them, and then visualize them all leaving through the same gate they came through. Once gone, envision the doorway closing and fading away.
Stand up and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. I say goodbye to my protective ancestors (or loved ones), and I thank you for helping guide them back to the ancestral realm.”
Turning left and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. I say goodbye to my protective ancestors (or loved ones), and I thank you for helping guide them back to the ancestral realm.”
Turning left and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. I say goodbye to my protective ancestors (or loved ones), and I thank you for helping guide them back to the ancestral realm.”
Turning left and facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. I say goodbye to my protective ancestors (or loved ones), and I thank you for helping guide them back to the ancestral realm.”
For a more in-depth resource for accessing ancestral realms and clearing patterns of abuse from your lineage, check out the Accessing Ancestral Realms foundational course. May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
I’ve been there…and while modern religion has a ton of flaws and the way it came into existence is riddled with tragedy and deception, we still carry SO MUCH baggage from the indoctrination even though we can clearly see the issues (and have walked away or are in the process of doing so). So, let’s unpack some of it…
Religion taught me:
Let’s break down the flaws, unwind what we’ve been taught that’s false, and replace it with a more open-minded perspective. In many examples, I may reference Christianity specifically, since that is my personal background, but this information isn’t intended to be limited only to people deconstructing from that particular modern religion.
Crystals are naturally occurring mineral formations from the earth. To say crystals are inherently evil would be to say all crystalline formations are evil and that would include salt and all kinds of fundamental elements that are necessary to sustain life and the planet. We rely on minerals to survive and literally use them all throughout the day, often without even realizing it. For example, almost every clock, phone, computer, etc. that you use has quartz in it. Most modern kitchens have quartz countertops. Most hair dryers and flat irons have tourmaline. And the list could go on and on.
Magick is simply the ability to utilize your will or intentions to direct energy for a particular outcome. To say magick is inherently evil requires saying working toward any type of goal or with any type of energy is evil. And energy is necessary for how we fuel our bodies with food, get around via transportation, and so on. We work with energy and our intentions every time we drink a cup of coffee to help us wake up, make a cup of tea to ease a sore throat, or take a walk outdoors to clear our minds.
From a biblical perspective, Jesus taught his disciples about preaching, teaching, and healing, all of which require an intention to help others by transferring our own energy to another by directing our will. So, why would it be evil to work with energy or “magick” to heal ourselves and others when that’s what Jesus did and taught his followers to do? He may not have used the word “magick” in any of his parables, but when we’re talking about using our own intentions, faith, and energy to heal—is that not conceptually the same thing in different terminology?
Witches are simply “wise women” or “wise people” who work with or are devoted to Wisdom (or the pursuit of it). To say witches are evil, requires us to say anyone who pursues greater depths of wisdom or knowledge is evil, including philosophers (philo=lover, sophia=wisdom, philosopher=lover of wisdom), scientists, pastors, shamans, healers, doctors, researchers, and so on.
From a biblical perspective, Wisdom is a figure recognized throughout the Old Testament in Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and Isaiah, and is discreetly revealed in aspects of the New Testament in Matthew and Revelation. So why would it be “evil” to pursue this great Wisdom figure (who is a woman by the way—goddess alert, anyone?) when Solomon himself was recognized as the greatest king for asking for Wisdom above all else?
Tarot is simply a teaching/learning method for understanding hidden wisdom in a pictorial form. The same wisdom mysteries that are hidden in the esoteric aspects of the biblical book of Matthew (and Isaiah) can be found in the major arcana of tarot and used to give insight into an individual’s spiritual journey, areas that need transformation through wisdom, and so on. To say tarot cards are evil is to say all forms of pictures, playing cards, or forms of communication with the divine (which is prayer in its simplest form) is wrong.
From a biblical perspective, tarot isn’t directly mentioned anywhere in the canon, but the same types of imagery of priests, priestesses, judges, chariots, and so on that occur in the ancient temple traditions of the time (and throughout most older religions, spiritual paths and cultures), are reflected in the imagery of the cards and can be utilized in the same two-part parable teaching method that was native to rabbis and their students.
Incense is simply a fragrant material that is burned either for its aroma, to honor the divine, to set intentions for prayer or meditation, or for other spiritual purposes. There are endless ways to use incense and a wide variety of available scents. To say incense is evil is to say that anything utilizing herbs, smoke, candles, etc. is evil, and we literally use and eat herbs on a daily basis, create smoke when we light a candle or cook food, and so on.
From a religious perspective, incense is found throughout many sacred texts, the Christian bible included, as a way to honor the divine in the temple, for a ceremony or ritual, or as part of a prayer or meditation. Frankincense (notice the second part of the word: incense) was even gifted to Jesus at his birth, so it’s no surprise that burning incense is a lovely way to honor divinity, regardless of what spiritual path you are following.
Spells are simply language taking a directed form by having intentions put into them. Spells can bring life and healing energy, or they can bring death and destruction based on the intentions of the person speaking. A spell cannot be inherently evil until the intentions put into it are to cause harm to someone or something without cause. We cast “spells” every time we say affirmations, verbally remind ourselves that we are brave or capable of doing something, wish that something would happen, pray, and so on.
From a religious perspective, the creation story in the Christian bible demonstrates a divine being speaking things into existence. This same bible also reminds its readers that life and death are in the power of the tongue, meaning people have creative power through their speech. Scientifically speaking, multiple studies have been done that show the difference between plants that are spoken to positively versus negatively and how the words and energy directed at the respective plant shape its ability to thrive.
Polytheism is more complex than many realize because polytheists often recognize that there is one “Source” of life and energy, but that it comes to life through many different personified beings who together make up the grand puzzle piece of divinity. Most (and I say most because I tread lightly with speaking in absolutes since there are always those who diverge from the majority) view there being a Source (also referred to as God, Universe, EL, etc.), and then there being many, many, many gods and goddesses who are the extensions of that original Source of energy and life, not all that different from how someone in Christianity might understand angelic beings, but for polytheists they recognize many different divine beings of god- or goddess-like status who rule over or are different energies in personified forms, including lesser beings that are not gods or goddesses but have more finite roles in the universe, such as angels, fae, elementals, etc.
If polytheism isn’t for you, that’s perfectly fine. Many may choose to only recognize there being a singular God figure or no god figure at all. However you choose to view and connect with your spiritual path is entirely your own.
Energy work is any form of healing, meditation, reiki, or prayer that utilizes the energetic field surrounding the body and the energy centers within the body. We are naturally energetic beings and understanding what our body needs on an energetic level can help us in the physical, emotional, and spiritual spheres of our lives. To say energy work is evil would be to say that any form of healing using energy, whether it be through plants, herbs, medicine, sound, frequencies, light therapy, color therapy, etc. is evil.
From a religious perspective, the use of prayer, spoken words, playing instruments, eating or abstaining from certain foods, and so on are all linked to methods of healing and drawing closer to the divine. Energy work methods are vast and vary across belief systems and cultures, so find what you’re drawn to, what is effective for you, and what resonates.
If there are other topics you are struggling with or would like more insight on, let me know in the comments below. Blessed be on your healing wisdom journey!
The human body is composed of various energy centers, also known as chakras, which are associated with different colors and aspects of our being. Understanding these energy sources can provide valuable insights into our overall well-being and help us achieve balance in our lives.
Crystals have long been used for their healing properties and can be a powerful tool in balancing and harmonizing the energy sources in our bodies. Each energy source, also known as a chakra, corresponds to different aspects of our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Root Energy Source
The first energy source is the root energy source, which is linked to the color red. It represents our sense of stability, security, and connection to the physical world. This energy center governs our basic survival needs and grounds us in the present moment. This energy source is located at the base of the spine, and crystals such as carnelian can be placed over this area to promote grounding and stability. Red carnelian is believed to enhance courage and motivation. An easy way to remember this is by utilizing the rainbow order of colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) since these match up with the order of the energy sources in the body (sometimes clear or white is used alternatively to violet). Crystals that correspond with these colors are an easy way to link to energetic properties of the crystal with the body—so since red represents the root energy source in the body, it’s easy to remember that crystals like red carnelian or red jasper can help bring healing and balance.
Sacral Energy Source
The sacral energy source is associated with the color orange and relates to our creativity, passion, and emotional well-being. It influences our ability to experience pleasure, form healthy relationships, and embrace change. Located just below the navel, crystals like orange calcite, citrine, orange carnelian, or sunstone can be used to stimulate creativity and passion in the sacral energy source. These crystals are thought to help balance emotions and increase vitality.
Solar Plexus Energy Source
Moving up the body, we have the solar plexus energy source represented by the color yellow. This center is connected to our personal power, self-esteem, and confidence. It influences how we assert ourselves in the world and take control of our lives. The solar plexus energy source, found in the upper abdomen area, can benefit from crystals like citrine, yellow jade, yellow tiger’s eye, or golden quartz. These stones are said to boost self-confidence and personal power.
Heart Energy Source
The heart energy source corresponds to the color green. It represents love, compassion, forgiveness, and emotional balance. This center governs our ability to give and receive love unconditionally while fostering harmonious relationships with others. For the heart energy source located in the center of the chest, chrysoprase, green aventurine, and green calcite are popular choices. It is known as the stone of love and compassion, promoting emotional healing and harmony.
Throat Energy Source
Next is the throat energy source associated with light blue or turquoise. It relates to communication, self-expression, truthfulness, and authenticity. This center enables us to express ourselves clearly while listening attentively to others. The throat energy source corresponds to communication and self-expression. Crystals such as blue sodalite, blue lace agate, or lapis lazuli can be placed over this area to support clear communication and enhance self-confidence.
Third Eye Energy Source
Moving further up is the third eye energy source represented by indigo or deep blue. This center connects us to intuition, wisdom, inner guidance, and spiritual insight. It allows us to tap into higher consciousness and perceive beyond what meets the eye. This energy source is located between the eyebrows, lepidolite or amethyst crystals are often used. These stones are believed to enhance intuition and spiritual insight.
Crown Energy Source
Finally, we have the crown energy source at the top of the head symbolized by violet or white light. This center represents a spiritual connection with universal consciousness or higher power. It transcends individuality as it connects us with divine wisdom and cosmic awareness. Located at the top of our heads, clear quartz or amethyst can also be used to strengthen this energy source in the body. These crystals are associated with higher consciousness and spiritual connection.
Understanding these seven energy sources and their corresponding colors can help us identify areas of imbalance or blockages in our lives. By harmonizing and balancing these energy centers, we can enhance our overall well-being, emotional stability, and spiritual growth.
New to using crystals? Here are a few simple ways you can incorporate crystals into your daily life to bring about energetic balance, healing, and an overall sense of well-being. Crystals have long been used for their healing properties, and they can be a powerful tool for energy healing.
One popular method is to place crystals directly on the body. This allows the crystal’s energy to directly interact with your own energy field. For example, if you want to balance the root energy source in the body, you might feel drawn to place carnelian or red jasper directly on this part of the body while meditating or listening to healing sound frequencies. You can also wear crystal jewelry that promotes energy balance in the body.
For many people, they may intuitively choose a crystal either being drawn to it energetically or based on its appearance. Black crystals, such as obsidian or tourmaline, are often used to protect your energy and shield a person from negative energy. Clear crystals, such as quartz and selenite, can help neutralize, cleanse, and charge energy, including other crystals. Other colorful crystals may be chosen based on which energy sources in the body need balancing, strengthening, etc.
We have multiple crystal products available for sale! All of our crystals are ethically sourced and each order is sound-cleansed before it is shipped out to ensure that you receive your metaphysical tools in a neutral energetic state ready to be used in your practice. Shop here.
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources for grounding, especially during extreme weather that may prevent a person from walking barefoot outdoors (such as during times when there are storms, snow, etc.), so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
Grounding keeps your energy rooted and connected to the appropriate surrounding sphere. Grounding physically means we are maintaining a connection with our body and the earth around us. Grounding emotionally means we are maintaining a connection with our feelings and the realm of emotions around us. Grounding spiritually means we are staying connected with our spiritual self and the realm of energy.
Grounding keeps us anchored in a way that can minimize the risks of having our heads too far in the clouds, so to speak. While it is important to remain open-minded throughout this process, it is also necessary that we move forward in a manner that is also logical and rational, which requires a degree of grounding. Just because we have an idea or thought pop into our head doesn’t make it true or reliable information. Grounding helps us process incoming information and navigate how to appropriately sort the information so that we can best observe and analyze it. If at any point during your routine or studies, you feel disconnected from your physical body or the surrounding world, disengaged from your emotional self or the realm of feelings, or out of touch with your spiritual self and the energies around you, it’s a good idea to ground.
Often, people ground their energy by walking barefoot in nature, but what happens when it isn’t safe to be barefoot outdoors? In places with snow, ice, and low temperatures, being barefoot outdoors isn’t really option. Same with places that experience extremely hot temperatures, detrimental storms or natural disasters, and more. So, what alternatives are there?
Grounding with earth during extreme weather
This is most people’s default understanding of grounding and often looks like walking barefoot in nature or sitting on the floor. Since spending time outdoors isn’t an option in extreme weather, alternatively, you can sit on the floor inside your home, use a grounding or earthing mat, or even ground your bed by connecting a copper wire to your bed frame and running it out the nearest window and into the ground with a metal stake.
Grounding with water during extreme weather
This can be done by bathing or showering and feeling the water all around you similar to how feeling the earth under your bare feet can ground you but while connecting with the element of water. If a bath or shower is unavailable, you can even run your hands and arms under a sink faucet.
Grounding with fire during extreme weather
This can be done through heat or warmth, or creative or artistic exercises. Spending time in a sauna or with a heated or warm fuzzy blanket can help ground you. Painting, drawing, coloring, journaling, or writing can be creative outlets that can ground you as well.
Grounding with air during extreme weather
This can be done through breathing exercises, listening to grounding frequencies, or meditating to balance the root and sacral chakras. Spending time focusing on your breath, expressing gratitude for the air you inhale and exhale, and allowing the sounds you hear to keep you grounded can make a tremendous difference.
Grounding with spirit during extreme weather
This can be done through visualization and meditation, such as envisioning your spirit sprouting roots like a tree and growing deeply into the earth beneath you regardless of whether or not you’re outside.
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on rituals, including cord cuttings and this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
Cord cuttings, often referred to as a “Cutting the Cord” ritual, are intended to sever the energetic cord between you and another person. People who are inexperienced with energy work may opt to have a more experienced practitioner perform the work for them, but many people choose to perform this ritual on their own as the steps you walk through can be very therapeutic and releasing feelings. This is especially true if the person you are cutting off was someone who brought a lot of trauma, harm, abuse, or toxicity to your life.
Keep in mind that when you are performing any type of ritual or spellwork, your intentions are the most important thing, so take time to meditate on and determine what your goal for the working is. It might be to move on from an ex, heal from a toxic friendship, or move past the abuse of a family member. At the end of the day, what your end goal is has to be clearly defined by you.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that cord cuttings are intended to be permanent, so if the person you are “cutting the cord” from is someone you think you might return to being in a relationship with later on in life, this may not be the ideal ritual for that situation.
Additionally, I like to always encourage people to practice safely when dabbling in energy work because our intentions hold a great deal of power, and sometimes things we set in motion through our will can have consequences that are outside the scope of what we thought might occur or happen as a result of our working. This makes it especially important to focus our intentions on separating the other person’s energy from ourselves, and not doing things on other people’s behalf without their explicit permission.
If there are multiple people that you desire to cut the cord from, I’ve found it most effective to perform the ritual for each individual scenario, rather than lumping them all together into one singular working.
The most powerful tool at your disposal is always your mind and your intentions. To physically perform the ritual with tangible ingredients, which can help you stay focused and aligned with the outcome of the ritual, here are some useful tools:
Grounding before rituals is important as it ensures that you are connected to your body, the material realm, and very much present for the working. You can ground your energy in several ways including, spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagining roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, and more. Remember that grounding is a personal practice, so feel free to explore different techniques and find what works best for you.
To cleanse the energy of your space before a ritual, you can smoke cleanse with sacred dried herbs, sound cleanse with bells or singing bowls, or utilize energy-clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends. Each method has its unique way of clearing energy and creating a positive environment for your divination session, so use whatever method is easily doable and works best for you. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing the space you’ll be working in of any negative or stagnant energy so that you have a neutral starting point.
After cleansing the space to bring it to a neutral state energetically speaking, you’ll then want to protect yourself and the space from any additional unwanted energies from entering during the ritual. This is a critical step as it helps minimize the risk of any disturbances. Protection can be implemented by setting an energetic boundary, such as casting a circle, if this aligns with your spiritual path and beliefs, wearing protective crystals, such as black obsidian, black tourmaline, or hematite, or casting a protection spell.
You can protect your space and create a protective circle with the support of the elements using the steps below.
Facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting. Hail and welcome!”
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on creating wards, so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
After effectively grounding yourself and cleansing and protecting the space you’ll be working in, here is a step-by-step method for performing a simple cord cutting. Remember, after the cord cutting is created, you will want to close out the ritual in reverse order by re-protecting yourself and your space, re-cleansing yourself and your space from any lingering negative or stagnant energy, and re-grounding yourself to diffuse built-up energy from the working itself. AND THEN taking plenty of time to rest and recharge your energy.
Take the candle that is going to represent you and gently carve your name into the side of it infusing your intentions that this is connected to your energy. Take the candle that is going to represent the person you are cutting the cord from and gently carve their name into the side of it infusing your intentions that it is connected to the energy you want severed from yourself.
Stand your candles on the fireproof tray a couple of inches apart. I find it helpful to slightly heat up the bottoms of the candle so the wax starts to slightly melt so that they’ll adhere to the dish without following over. Tie them together with the string (see photo example.)
Surround the entire set up of the working and/or the individual candles themselves with salt to symbolize the grounded intentions of this working and that you intend to protect yourself and the other person from harm, but while still severing the energetic cord that links the two of you.
Light both of the candles and state the following:
“As the cord is cut and the candles burned, I cut all ties with that for which I yearned.
I release what no longer serves me. As I will it, so mote it be”
Sit and meditate as the candles burn and the cord is cut, and visualize your energetic attachment to the person being severed. Feel yourself becoming detached, empowered, and able to move on without them in your life. Pay close attention to the moment when the cord catches fire and dissolves between the two candles. Allow the candles to burn all the way down or until you feel drawn to snuff the candles out, but make sure this is after the cord is burned through.
Safely dispose of all of the ritual components.
After the cord cutting is performed, take a moment to close out the protective circle that was created with the support of the elements. These steps will be done in reverse order from how they were first performed.
Stand up and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting and allowing my energy to return to me cleansed and recharged. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting and allowing my energy to return to me cleansed and recharged. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting and allowing my energy to return to me cleansed and recharged. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting and allowing my energy to return to me cleansed and recharged. Thank you and farewell.”
To cleanse your energy (and space if you feel it’s necessary) after the cord cutting, you can utilize the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as smoke cleansing with sacred dried herbs, using sound cleansing with bells or singing bowls, or utilizing energy clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends.
Alternatively, you also might opt for something that’s more personal to cleanse yourself, such as a ritual cleansing shower or bath. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs again, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around yourself or your space, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing your energy so that you feel clean, refreshed, and energized.
Grounding after cord cutting is incredibly important as it ensures that any excess energy is redirected back to the ground/earth. You can ground your energy utilizing the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, etc.
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on creating wards, so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
Wards can best be thought of as a magickal barrier intended to either keep something in OR keep something out. Many practitioners solely focus on warding something out of their home, space, or life—but there are many powerful uses for warding things into a home, space, or life.
Personally, I like to think of wards as a type of “force field” created through directed energy and intentions that are fueled by an energetic force and anchored to something to give them stability.
For example, if I wanted to create a ward to keep unwanted energies or entities OUT of my house, I would create a ward that acted as a barrier surrounding my home, potentially fueled by the magickal plants growing in my garden (such as rosemary, basil, or lavender—all great protective energies) and anchored to the land the house sits on to stabilize and maintain the placement of the ward.
Who typically creates wards?
Wards are often a go-to practice of many different spiritual practitioners who need heightened levels of protection for themselves and their families. Wards are especially necessary for anyone dabbling in magickal arts, working with energy on a frequent basis, performing rituals or healing practices on a regular basis, or those who find themselves frequently attracting or interacting with outside energies.
Wards require a significant amount of directed energy and intentions, so newer practitioners may find themselves feeling tired, drained, or fatigued after crafting a ward, but generally speaking, creating wards shouldn’t have a tremendous toll on you if you’re properly grounding and taking care of your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
For me, I also take into consideration the size and nature of the ward in order to properly prepare beforehand, rest and recharge, etc.
Wards are not evil. They are a spiritual form of protection that can be found within nearly all spiritual and religious practices under different names. For example, a ward in Christianity is created when people pray to their higher power for protection for their church or building and anoint the walls with oil. Can it be dangerous? If not performed correctly, there can be a false sense of security that could have negative consequences, and with baneful wards, there can certainly be dangerous outcomes for those who violate the boundary that has been cast. But is it inherently dangerous or evil? No, not at all.
While it can be scary to perform a new type of spiritual practice, it is much scarier to be unprotected from energies and entities, including other practitioners, who have ill intentions. To overcome fears surrounding wards, start with simple wards for your house or personal space, and then branch out as your confidence grows.
If you’re ready to welcome all that comes with diving into wards, the following practice is one you can explore in alignment with your intentions and goals.
When people begin the process of warding, they are tapping into a large supply of energy within themselves and can quickly become susceptible to being drained, exhausted, fatigued, etc., so it’s incredibly important to take warding VERY slow. It’s best not to craft multiple wards in a short period of time without taking the proper time to rest, recharge, and prepare.
Grounding before any form of warding is incredibly important as it ensures that you are connected to your body, the material realm, and very much present for everything that is to follow. A lot of times, when we have experienced great deals of resistance in the spiritual space or had frightening encounters with parasitic entities, we may want to quickly jump to creating a ward for greater protection, but crafting in a frazzled state can result in undesirable outcomes, so be intentional with grounding and take things slow. You can ground your energy in several ways including, spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagining roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, and more. Remember that grounding is a personal practice, so feel free to explore different techniques and find what works best for you.
To cleanse the energy of your space before performing any type of warding, you can smoke cleanse with sacred dried herbs, sound cleanse with bells or singing bowls, or utilize energy-clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends. Each method has its unique way of clearing negative energy and creating a positive environment for your shadow work, so use whatever method is easily doable and works best for you. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing the space you’ll be working in of any negative or stagnant energy so that you have a neutral starting point.
After cleansing the space to bring it to a neutral state energetically speaking, you’ll then want to protect yourself and the space from any additional unwanted energies from entering during the ward creation process. This is a critical step as it helps minimize the risk of any disturbances or accidentally warding something into your space that shouldn’t be there. Protection can be implemented by setting an energetic boundary, such as casting a circle, if this aligns with your spiritual path and beliefs, wearing protective crystals, such as black obsidian, black tourmaline, or hematite, or casting a protection spell.
You can protect your space and create a protective circle with the support of the elements using the steps below.
Facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me with this ward and allowing me to create a powerful barrier of protection. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me with this ward and allowing me to create a powerful barrier of protection. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me with this ward and allowing me to create a powerful barrier of protection. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me with this ward and allowing me to create a powerful barrier of protection. Hail and welcome!”
After effectively grounding yourself and cleansing and protecting the space you’ll be working in, here are a few different methods that I have personally used to craft a ward. Remember, after the ward is created, you will want to close out the ritual in reverse order by re-protecting yourself and your space, re-cleansing yourself and your space from any lingering negative or stagnant energy, and re-grounding yourself to diffuse built-up energy from the working itself. AND THEN taking plenty of time for resting and recharging your energy.
Start by identifying exactly what you are wanting to ward, and the energies you’re intending to ward IN and/or the energies you’re intending to ward OUT. It is important to be very intentional and specific in order to create an effective ward.
How do you actually create the ward itself? There are multiple ways to go about it…
After the ward is created, take a moment to close out the protective circle that was created with the support of the elements. These steps will be done in reverse order from how they were first performed.
Stand up and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me with this ward and allowing me to create a powerful barrier of protection. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me with this ward and allowing me to create a powerful barrier of protection. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me with this ward and allowing me to create a powerful barrier of protection. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me with this ward and allowing me to create a powerful barrier of protection. Thank you and farewell.”
To cleanse your energy (and space if you feel it’s necessary) after creating a ward, you can utilize the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as smoke cleansing with sacred dried herbs, using sound cleansing with bells or singing bowls, or utilizing energy clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends.
Alternatively, you also might opt for something that’s more personal to cleanse yourself, such as a ritual cleansing shower or bath. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs again, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around yourself or your space, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing your energy so that you feel clean, refreshed, and energized.
Grounding after creating a ward is incredibly important as it ensures that any excess energy is redirected back to the ground/earth. You can ground your energy utilizing the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, etc.
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on shadow work, so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
Shadow work is a term often used in spiritual and psychological contexts to describe the process of exploring and integrating the hidden or unconscious aspects of oneself. These aspects, known as the “shadow,” typically consist of repressed emotions, desires, fears, and other elements that we may find difficult to acknowledge or accept.
By taking time to deep-dive into our shadow and bring these aspects into the light of awareness, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and work towards healing and personal growth. Shadow work is often seen as an important step toward achieving wholeness and self-acceptance in spiritual practices.
Shadow work can serve a lot of different purposes and be carried out in countless ways based on an individual’s intentions, goals, and beliefs. Here are a few different applications of shadow work that someone might explore.
Identifying Core Beliefs — This involves recognizing and exploring the deep-seated beliefs that shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Exploring Inner Child Wounds — Delving into past experiences that may have created emotional wounds and working to heal and integrate them.
Facing Fears and Phobias — Confronting and understanding the root causes of fears, phobias, and anxieties to overcome them.
Examining Shadow Traits — Acknowledging and integrating aspects of ourselves that we may have repressed or denied, such as anger, jealousy, or insecurity.
Healing or Processing Trauma — Working through past traumas and their effects on our psyche, emotions, and relationships.
Exploring Ancestral Patterns — Examining inherited family dynamics, behaviors, and beliefs to break generational cycles.
Addressing Limiting Beliefs — Challenging and transforming beliefs that hold us back from reaching our full potential.
Cultivating Self-Compassion — Developing a compassionate attitude towards oneself, including acceptance of imperfections and mistakes.
Forgiveness Work — Releasing resentment and bitterness towards oneself and others to promote healing and inner peace.
Integrating Shadow Archetypes — Recognizing and working with archetypal energies within ourselves, such as the shadow, anima/animus, or the wounded healer.
Who typically does shadow work?
Shadow work is a process often undertaken by individuals interested in self-discovery and personal growth from a spiritual perspective. Those who typically engage in shadow work are individuals who are seeking to explore and integrate their unconscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors into their conscious awareness. By confronting and working through their “shadows,” or the aspects of themselves that they may have repressed or denied, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of themselves and move towards healing and wholeness.
People who could benefit from shadow work include those who are experiencing inner turmoil, unresolved emotional issues, or repeated patterns of behavior that they want to change. This work can be especially valuable for those on a spiritual path who are seeking to deepen their connection with their true selves and with the divine. Ultimately, shadow work offers an opportunity for individuals to embrace all aspects of themselves, both light and dark, leading to greater self-awareness, self-acceptance, and spiritual growth.
When starting shadow work from a spiritual perspective, individuals may go through a range of emotions as they delve into the depths of their subconscious mind. This experience may vary vastly from person to person, so be gentle with yourself as various feelings arise, and know that everything you’re processing is valid—even if no one else can relate.
Much of what you’ll experience will be unique to you as shadow work has to do with your personal past, what you’ve been through physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and where you’re currently at on your own healing journey. No two people’s shadow work journeys will be identical—but there may be some similarities in the general stages you may go through.
For me, I always think of shadow work in three large overarching stages: death, rebirth, and life.
Death — The death stage is very much the part where we feel the heaviness and ALL the feelings that come with re-experiencing things we’ve gone through, meeting the hidden or repressed aspects of ourselves, and learning to release portions that are no longer serving our highest god.
Rebirth — The rebirth stage is where we begin to accept the parts of ourselves that we previously isolated, hid, suppressed, or generally despised. In the process, we reintegrate natural pieces of who we are and learn to rebirth energy into our lives that is more closely aligned with what we envision for our lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Life — The life stage is all that is before us as we are able to live more fully as our authentic selves without being restricted or held back by denying aspects of who we are or what we’ve been through due to fear. It’s worth noting that the death, rebirth, and life cycle isn’t a one-time thing we go through, but something that we may navigate over and over as new things come up because change is the only constant in life.
So, what will this feel like practically speaking? It’ll start with curiosity, which will evolve into natural reactions of resistance and uncomfortable emotions, but ultimately result in acceptance, integration, and transformation if we can continue through the darkest and hardest parts.
Curiosity — Initially, there might be a sense of curiosity or intrigue about exploring the hidden aspects of oneself. This curiosity can drive you to start the shadow work journey.
Resistance — As you start uncovering repressed emotions, memories, and beliefs, there may be resistance or hesitation to face these darker aspects of yourself. This resistance can manifest as fear, denial, or avoidance.
Uncomfortable Emotions — Delving into the shadow self can bring up intense and uncomfortable emotions such as anger, sadness, shame, or guilt. These emotions may be overwhelming at first but are essential for healing and growth. Please note, though, if you are in an unhealthy place mentally, deep-diving into shadow work can potentially do more harm than good as it can create a downward spiral, that you will need some strength and resiliency to push through.
Acceptance — With time and self-reflection, you may gradually move towards acceptance of your shadow aspects. Acceptance involves acknowledging these parts of oneself without judgment or self-criticism.
Integration — The process of shadow work involves integrating these shadow aspects into your conscious awareness. This integration allows you to embrace your wholeness and authenticity, leading to inner peace and self-empowerment.
Transformation — As you continue with your shadow work practice, you may experience a profound transformation in your mindset, behavior, and relationships. By confronting and working through your shadows, you can experience spiritual growth and personal development.
Absolutely not. Can it be difficult and uncomfortable? Yes, VERY. Can the way you understand and connect with yourself cause you to change or move away from past relationships or elements of your life that aren’t healthy or aligned with who you are? Certainly. But is it inherently dangerous or evil? No, not at all.
While it can be scary to confront the hidden aspects of ourselves and the aftermath of seeing ourselves and the world in such a different way, it’s also a therapeutic and empowering thing, too. Though change and processing trauma, dark parts of ourselves, and the like can be frightening, it’s equally worth it.
If you’re ready to welcome all that comes with diving into shadow work, the following practice is one you can explore in alignment with your intentions and goals.
When people begin the process of shadow work, they can quickly become susceptible to wallowing in the darkness and heaviness that they’re analyzing within themselves, so it’s incredibly important to take shadow work VERY slow. And every time you do shadow work, be intentional about following up the session with self-love and self-care to offset the weightiness that was unpacked.
Since the darker parts of ourselves may also carry a lot of stagnant or negative energy from being suppressed, wounded, or generally looked down upon, I also highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of grounding, cleansing, protection, and banishing before proceeding as well.
Grounding before any form of shadow work is incredibly important as it ensures that you are connected to your body, the material realm, and very much present for everything that is to follow. A lot of times, when we have experienced great deals of trauma, self-hatred, pain, etc., we develop coping and defense mechanisms, such as dissociation, so grounding before shadow work can help ensure we don’t easily slip into this when processing things we’ve been through. You can ground your energy in several ways including, spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagining roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, and more. Remember that grounding is a personal practice, so feel free to explore different techniques and find what works best for you.
To cleanse the energy of your space before performing any type of shadow work, you can smoke cleanse with sacred dried herbs, sound cleanse with bells or singing bowls, or utilize energy-clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends. Each method has its unique way of clearing negative energy and creating a positive environment for your shadow work, so use whatever method is easily doable and works best for you. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing the space you’ll be working in of any negative or stagnant energy so that you have a neutral starting point.
After cleansing the space to bring it to a neutral state energetically speaking, you’ll then want to protect yourself and the space from any additional unwanted energies from entering. This is a critical step as it helps minimize the risk of any disturbances while you’re exploring the inner aspects of yourself. Protection can be implemented by setting an energetic boundary, such as casting a circle, if this aligns with your spiritual path and beliefs, wearing protective crystals, such as black obsidian, black tourmaline, or hematite, or casting a protection spell, or utilizing a protective ward.
You can protect your space and create a protective circle with the support of the elements using the steps below.
Facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me through this shadow work session and allowing me to focus on healing and accepting the authentic me. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me through this shadow work session and allowing me to focus on healing and accepting the authentic me. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me through this shadow work session and allowing me to focus on healing and accepting the authentic me. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me through this shadow work session and allowing me to focus on healing and accepting the authentic me. Hail and welcome!”
After effectively grounding yourself and cleansing and protecting the space you’ll be working in, here are a few different methods that I have personally used to dive into shadow work. Remember, after the shadow work session is performed, you will want to close out the ritual in reverse order by re-protecting yourself and your space, re-cleansing yourself and your space from any lingering negative or stagnant energy, and re-grounding yourself to diffuse built-up energy from the working itself. AND THEN taking plenty of time for self-love and self-care.
Start by identifying whatever topic, area, or “shadow” you are going to focus on for this session. Often, the more specific or finite that you can be, the more effective the session will be.
For example, say you had a recent experience where you recognized that you had difficulty expressing your emotions in a friendship or relationship. An effective shadow work session on this topic might focus on a time in your past when you felt unsafe to express your emotions and how that shaped how you feel in relationships today. Re-meeting this part of yourself can be tough because there is a reason you separated it from you up until now, but the way you felt was actually valid, even if it was misunderstood or not accepted by others.
How do you actually do the shadow work itself? There are multiple ways to go about it…
After the shadow work, take a moment to close out the protective circle that was created with the support of the elements. These steps will be done in reverse order from how they were first performed.
Stand up and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me through this shadow work session and allowing me to focus on healing and accepting the authentic me. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me through this shadow work session and allowing me to focus on healing and accepting the authentic me. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me through this shadow work session and allowing me to focus on healing and accepting the authentic me. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me through this shadow work session and allowing me to focus on healing and accepting the authentic me. Thank you and farewell.”
To cleanse your energy (and space if you feel it’s necessary) after shadow work, you can utilize the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as smoke cleansing with sacred dried herbs, using sound cleansing with bells or singing bowls, or utilizing energy clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends.
Alternatively, you also might opt for something that’s more personal to cleanse yourself, such as a ritual cleansing shower or bath. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs again, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around yourself or your space, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing your energy so that you feel clean, refreshed, and energized.
Grounding after shadow work is incredibly important as it ensures that any excess energy is redirected back to the ground/earth. You can ground your energy utilizing the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, etc.
There are countless topics to dive into, so feel free to journal on whatever you naturally feel drawn to, but here are a few places to start.
Physical Self
Emotional Self
Spiritual Self
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on spiritual awakening, so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
Spiritual awakening can be described as a profound shift in consciousness and awareness that leads to a deep understanding of oneself and the world around us. It often involves a heightened sense of connection to something greater than ourselves, whether it be a higher power, the universe, or simply a collective energy.
During a spiritual awakening, individuals may experience a range of emotions, insights, and revelations that challenge their existing beliefs and perspectives. This process can be both transformative and challenging, as it often involves confronting unresolved emotions, letting go of limiting beliefs, and seeking greater meaning and purpose in life.
It’s important to note, though, that what many people describe as a spiritual awakening is actually only the beginning of the process—and a person who is truly spiritually awakened has already moved through behaviors of acting superior or more intelligent than others, have found balance in both light and darkness, have managed to keep their ego in check, and so on.
Sudden Awakening — This type of spiritual awakening occurs abruptly and can be triggered by a profound experience or realization. It often leads to a significant shift in perspective and a newfound sense of clarity.
Gradual Awakening — Unlike sudden awakenings, gradual awakenings unfold over time and involve a series of smaller revelations or insights. This type of awakening allows for a more gentle and steady transformation.
Existential Awakening — This type of awakening involves questioning the deeper meaning and purpose of one’s existence. It often leads to a search for greater spiritual connection and understanding.
Emotional Awakening — Emotional awakenings involve becoming more attuned to one’s emotions, feelings, and innermost desires. This type of awakening can lead to increased self-awareness and emotional healing.
Intuitive Awakening — Intuitive awakenings involve tapping into one’s intuition and inner wisdom. This type of awakening can lead to greater trust in one’s instincts and a deeper connection to the universe.
Awakening through Crisis — Sometimes, spiritual awakenings are triggered by challenging life events or crises that force individuals to reevaluate their beliefs and priorities. These awakenings often lead to profound personal growth and transformation.
Who typically experiences spiritual awakening?
People from all walks of life can experience spiritual awakenings, but there are certain types of individuals who may be more predisposed to such profound experiences. Those who are introspective and reflective by nature often find themselves on a spiritual journey, seeking deeper meaning and connection in their lives. Additionally, individuals who have experienced significant life changes or challenges, such as loss, trauma, or a near-death experience, may be more open to a spiritual awakening as they search for healing and understanding.
People who are curious about different belief systems and philosophies, and who are open-minded to exploring new ideas and perspectives, are also more likely to experience spiritual awakenings. Those who have a strong sense of empathy and compassion towards others may find themselves drawn to spirituality as a way to connect with something greater than themselves and cultivate a sense of purpose and interconnectedness.
After experiencing a spiritual awakening, individuals often report feeling a profound sense of inner peace, clarity, and purpose. They may feel more connected to the world around them, as well as to a higher power or universal energy. Emotions such as love, joy, and gratitude tend to become more prevalent in their daily lives.
On a mental level, those who have undergone a spiritual awakening often find that their perspective on life shifts dramatically. They may experience heightened levels of intuition, creativity, and insight into their own thoughts and emotions. This newfound clarity can lead to a greater sense of self-awareness and personal growth.
Spiritually awakened individuals also tend to experience a deep sense of interconnectedness with all living beings. They may feel more compassionate towards others and develop a strong desire to contribute positively to the world. This can result in a greater sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in their relationships and activities.
Overall, the aftermath of a spiritual awakening is often described as a transformative and enlightening experience that brings about a profound sense of peace, purpose, and connection to something greater than oneself.
Absolutely not. Can it be difficult and uncomfortable? Yes, of course. Can the new wisdom and knowledge you have access to be used to cause destruction and harm to others? Certainly. But is it inherently dangerous or evil? No, not at all.
Spiritual awakening can be seen as a deep inner shift in consciousness, leading to a profound sense of connection to oneself, others, and the universe. It often involves a heightened awareness of one’s true self and purpose in life. This awakening is a personal and transformative experience that goes beyond religious or spiritual practices.
Practicing religion or spirituality, on the other hand, typically involves following established beliefs, rituals, and traditions within a specific framework or community. While these practices can also lead to personal growth and connection to the divine, spiritual awakening is more about an individual’s direct experience of spiritual truths and insights.
In essence, spiritual awakening is a journey of self-realization and enlightenment that transcends external structures and dogma, allowing individuals to tap into their inner wisdom and connect with the deeper aspects of existence. It can be a profound and life-changing process that opens up new perspectives and possibilities for growth and evolution.
While it can sound scary to go through such a major paradigm shift and the aftermath of seeing the world in such a different way, it’s also really beautiful and exciting too. Though change can be frightening, it’s equally worth it.
If you’re ready to welcome all that comes with a spiritual awakening, the following ritual is one you can perform to align your intentions with the transformative energy that comes through connecting with your higher self, the universe, and the wisdom that is in and all around you.
When people begin the process of spiritual awakening, they can quickly become susceptible to ideas of grandeur, thought processes that can evolve into psychosis-like behaviors, and welcoming energies into their space out of ignorance that is not aligned with their highest good. In order to mitigate and minimize these pitfalls, I highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of grounding, cleansing, protection, banishing, and parasitic entities before proceeding.
Grounding before any form of spiritual awakening ritual is incredibly important as it ensures that you are connected to your body, the material realm, and very much present for everything that is to follow. You can ground your energy in several ways including, spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagining roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, and more. Remember that grounding is a personal practice, so feel free to explore different techniques and find what works best for you.
To cleanse the energy of your space before performing any type of spiritual awakening ritual, you can smoke cleanse with sacred dried herbs, sound cleanse with bells or singing bowls, or utilize energy-clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends. Each method has its unique way of clearing negative energy and creating a positive environment for your spiritual awakening ritual, so use whatever method is easily doable and works best for you. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing the space you’ll be working in of any negative or stagnant energy so that you have a neutral starting point.
After cleansing the space to bring it to a neutral state energetically speaking, you’ll then want to protect yourself and the space from any additional unwanted energies from entering. This is a critical step as it helps minimize the risk of parasitic entities or malevolent beings from sneaking their way into your space while spiritual doorways or portals are “open” — do not ever skip protective steps when performing any type of spiritual awakening ritual, even if it’s a seemingly simple or straightforward practice. Protection can be implemented by setting an energetic boundary, such as casting a circle, if this aligns with your spiritual path and beliefs, wearing protective crystals, such as black obsidian, black tourmaline, or hematite, or casting a protection spell, or utilizing a protective ward.
You can protect your space and create a protective circle with the support of the elements using the steps below.
Facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me through this spiritual awakening ritual and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me through this spiritual awakening ritual and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me through this spiritual awakening ritual and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me through this spiritual awakening ritual and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Hail and welcome!”
After effectively grounding yourself and cleansing and protecting the space you’ll be working in, here are a few different methods that I have personally used to welcome a spiritual awakening, whether it be for the very first time or to take you to a deeper/higher level from your current state, as taught to me by my deities and spirit guides. Remember, after the spiritual awakening ritual is performed, you will want to close out the ritual in reverse order by re-protecting yourself and your space, re-cleansing yourself and your space from any lingering negative or stagnant energy, and re-grounding yourself to diffuse built-up energy from the working itself.
After the spiritual awakening ritual, you’ll want to re-protect your energetic field to repair any places where vulnerabilities may have arisen following welcoming the spiritual awakening transitionary energy into your life. Take a moment to visualize your energy being slowly mended and strengthened before closing out the protective circle that was created with the support of the elements. These steps will be done in reverse order from how they were first performed.
Stand up and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me through this spiritual awakening ritual and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me through this spiritual awakening ritual and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me through this spiritual awakening ritual and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me through this spiritual awakening ritual and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Thank you and farewell.”
Be intentional going forward to protect your energy. Find what works best for you, whether it be veiling (wearing a head covering), wearing protective crystals, wearing a protective talisman or amulet, shielding through glamour magick, or whatever your preferred method is.
To cleanse your energy (and space if you feel it’s necessary) after performing this spiritual awakening ritual, you can utilize the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as smoke cleansing with sacred dried herbs, using sound cleansing with bells or singing bowls, or utilizing energy clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends.
Alternatively, you also might opt for something that’s more personal to cleanse yourself, such as a ritual cleansing shower or bath. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs again, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around yourself or your space, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing your energy so that you feel clean, refreshed, and energized.
Grounding after a spiritual awakening ritual is incredibly important as it ensures that any excess energy is redirected back to the ground/earth. You can ground your energy utilizing the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, etc.
Remember, just as we tend to our physical bodies with care and attention, so too must we nurture our spiritual well-being. By cultivating a practice of grounding, cleansing, and protecting ourselves we can fortify our energetic boundaries and safeguard our essence from anything who seeks to drain it.
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on death work, so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
Death work is a vast topic in the spiritual space and covers everything pertaining to the death and rebirth cycle that we go through either as human beings or as spiritual beings. From a human perspective, this may look like literally dying and crossing over to the next portion of our lives after our current material existence. In a spiritual context though, we go through many deaths and rebirths at various stages throughout our journey when we release what’s no longer serving us, heal, embrace change, and so on. Death work may include any of the following: working with ancestors (those who walked our path before us and have already departed the material plane of existence), helping humans nearing death peacefully transition from this life to the next, helping those who are already deceased cross over if they’re unable to move forward on their own, healing generational patterns of abuse and trauma,
Death Energy — Though many people exclusively think of death energy as the “end” of one thing, it is better understood as the force of change or transition. It is the shedding of the old to make way for new beginnings. The Ouroboros symbol is one of the best representations of this energy, depicted as a serpent eating its own tail. This imagery showcases the concept of infinity, wholeness, and the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. As the serpent consumes itself, it symbolizes the endless nature of creation and destruction, where death is not an end but a part of a continuous cycle.
Death Workers — These are individuals who work with death energy on a recurring basis to bring about change in their lives and in the lives of others.
Death Doulas — These are individuals who help human beings prepare for and transition from the material realm to what awaits them on the other side. They may take on roles as hospice workers, home-based palliative care workers, and funeral or end-of-life planners. Their goal is typically to bring peace of mind to the individual nearing the end of their life and comfort to their families to ease the transition.
Death Walkers — These are individuals who help deceased people spiritually cross over. They may work in paranormal investigator roles, make house calls for “hauntings”, or host seances or mediumship sessions to communicate with the deceased. Their goal is typically to receive messages from the spirits of the deceased and help them find closure so they do not remain trapped in limbo but are able to move forward spiritually speaking.
Death Witches/Practitioners — These are individuals who work with death energy and use its force in their intentions and spiritual practices to heal themselves, transmute energy for the purposes of growth, and unwind generational patterns of abuse, trauma, and more. They may simultaneously take on roles as death walkers, death doulas, and death workers too.
People who understand that death is a transition of one thing ending in order for something new to begin and who do not fear death itself, but rather recognize its important role in the universe. For without death, we cannot have life; and without endings, we cannot have beginnings.
Clairvoyant Individuals — Those who are naturally gifted with or who have worked to develop their clairvoyant abilities, have the capability to see things spiritually that the majority of people are blind to. That can make working with the liminal and transitionary energy of death a natural draw for clairvoyance individuals.
Mediumship-gifted Individuals — Those who are able to see and communicate with spirits and beings on “the other side” in a mediumship capacity, may be naturally drawn to death work as they are already able to make contact with the dead.
Empathic Individuals — Those who are naturally empathic or sensitive to energy and spiritual activity, may be particularly drawn to various forms of death work as it allows them to help others in times of confusion and frustration, whether it be helping humans at the end of their life, or helping those who are already deceased cross over if their death occurred unexpectedly, tragically, or under extreme circumstances.
Healthcare-focused or Healer-type Individuals — Individuals who are drawn to working in healthcare or healer-type lines of work are often drawn to helping people in times of sickness and crisis, which often naturally overlaps with working with death energy, even if the person is not physically dying. Death energy is tapped into every time a person releases what is no longer serving them and welcomes in healing and rebirth energy.
Imagine shedding old, heavy layers of the self, like a snake shedding its skin, making way for new growth and healing energy to flow in.
As you walk this path, you may feel a sense of liberation as you let go of emotional baggage and limiting beliefs. It’s like standing in a dark forest, feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, only to emerge into a clearing bathed in moonlight, feeling lighter and more connected to your true self.
Remember, this is just the beginning of your journey toward healing and self-discovery. There are infinite layers to explore and mysteries to uncover as you continue your exploration of death work. Embrace the process with an open heart and a curious mind, for there is always more wisdom waiting to be revealed.
Absolutely not. Can it be difficult and uncomfortable? Yes, of course. Can it be used to cause destruction and harm to others? Certainly. But is it inherently dangerous or evil? No, not at all.
Death work and necromancy are two distinct practices that involve working with the dead, but they have different intentions and methods.
Death work typically involves rituals and practices aimed at honoring, communicating with, and assisting the deceased. On the other hand, necromancy (necromancy also should not be confused with the word necrophilia which is to engage sexually with the deceased and is completely unaffiliated with everything we are discussing on this page) is a form of magick that focuses on summoning and controlling the spirits of the dead for personal gain or power through manipulation.
While death work often involves showing respect and reverence for the dead, necromancy is commonly associated with darker intentions and may be viewed as unethical or dangerous by some practitioners. It’s important to approach both practices with caution and respect for the boundaries between the living and the dead.
Most definitely. Though the intentions for how death work is used is ultimately up to the spiritual practitioner, if your goals are to heal and grow personally and help others as well, then it can certainly be used for good. Alternatively, as with any spiritual practice, the knowledge and wisdom that comes with dabbling in death work can certainly be used to bring about greater destruction and harm to both the living and the dead.
While it can sound scary to dabble with something so deeply misunderstood, like death energy, we do not need to fear death work itself, as long as we are educated on what it is, know how to properly ground, cleanse, and protect ourselves before practicing, and are clear on our intentions.
As with any spiritual practice that aims to connect with the other side, spirits, or the deceased, it is important to understand that there are beings in existence that are malicious or malevolent in nature. If at any point you find yourself dealing with an entity that is parasitic, know that this is NOT the spirit of a deceased person, commonly referred to as ghosts, the dead, apparitions, etc. but rather an entity whose only intention is to feed off the lifeforce of whatever host it can latch onto. If you are unfamiliar with these types of entities, I would strongly caution you against dabbling in death work until you are well-educated on them, as you can put an unnecessary target on yourself. You can learn more about parasitic entities here.
If you’re already familiar with the fundamentals of grounding, cleansing, protection, banishing, and parasitic entities, you’ll have a good basis for everything that we’ll dive into relating to death work.
Grounding before any form of death work is incredibly important as it ensures that you are connected to your body, the material realm, and very much present for everything that is to follow. You can ground your energy in several ways including, spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagining roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, and more. Remember that grounding is a personal practice, so feel free to explore different techniques and find what works best for you.
To cleanse the energy of your space before performing any type of death work, you can smoke cleanse with sacred dried herbs, sound cleanse with bells or singing bowls, or utilize energy-clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends. Each method has its unique way of clearing negative energy and creating a positive environment for your death energy work, so use whatever method is easily doable and works best for you. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing the space you’ll be working in of any negative or stagnant energy so that you have a neutral starting point.
After cleansing the space to bring it to a neutral state energetically speaking, you’ll then want to protect yourself and the space from any additional unwanted energies from entering. This is a critical step as it helps minimize the risk of parasitic entities or malevolent beings from sneaking their way into your space while spiritual doorways or portals are “open” — do not ever skip protective steps when performing any type of death working, even if it’s a seemingly simple or straightforward practice. Protection can be implemented by setting an energetic boundary, such as casting a circle, if this aligns with your spiritual path and beliefs, wearing protective crystals, such as black obsidian, black tourmaline, or hematite, or casting a protection spell, or utilizing a protective ward.
You can protect your space and create a protective circle with the support of the elements using the steps below.
Facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me through this death working and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me through this death working and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me through this death working and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me through this death working and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Hail and welcome!”
After effectively grounding yourself and cleansing and protecting the space you’ll be working in, here are a few different methods that I have personally used to practice death work as taught to me by my deities and spirit guides. Remember, after the death working is performed, you will want to close out the ritual in reverse order by re-protecting yourself and your space, re-cleansing yourself and your space from any lingering negative or stagnant energy, and re-grounding yourself to diffuse built-up energy from the working itself.
After the death working, you’ll want to re-protect your energetic field to repair any places where vulnerabilities may have arisen following connecting with death energy and liminal space. Take a moment to visualize your energy being slowly mended and strengthened before closing out the protective circle that was created with the support of the elements. These steps will be done in reverse order from how they were first performed.
Stand up and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me through this death working and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me through this death working and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me through this death working and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me through this death working and preventing any energies that aren’t aligned with my highest good from entering this sacred space. Thank you and farewell.”
Be intentional going forward to protect your energy. Find what works best for you, whether it be veiling (wearing a head covering), wearing protective crystals, wearing a protective talisman or amulet, shielding through glamour magick, or whatever your preferred method is.
To cleanse your energy (and space if you feel it’s necessary) after performing this death working, you can utilize the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as smoke cleansing with sacred dried herbs, using sound cleansing with bells or singing bowls, or utilizing energy clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends.
Alternatively, you also might opt for something that’s more personal to cleanse yourself, such as a ritual cleansing shower or bath. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs again, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around yourself or your space, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing your energy so that you feel clean, refreshed, and energized.
Grounding after a death working is incredibly important as it ensures that any excess energy is redirected back to the ground/earth. You can ground your energy utilizing the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, etc.
Remember, just as we tend to our physical bodies with care and attention, so too must we nurture our spiritual well-being. By cultivating a practice of grounding, cleansing, and protecting ourselves we can fortify our energetic boundaries and safeguard our essence from anything who seeks to drain it.
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on protecting against and removing parasitic entities.
When individuals are dealing with a parasitic entity leeching off their energy, they may experience various symptoms and sensations that can be unsettling or draining. Some people refer to this as “demonic activity” but this word has a lot of mixed meanings depending on someone’s spiritual or cultural background, and so we have opted not to use this phrase so as not to confuse anyone who may use this word in a particular way. Some common signs of a parasitic entity may include:
Physical Symptoms — People may report feeling fatigued, drained of energy, or experiencing unexplained aches and pains. Some individuals may also notice sudden changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, or digestive issues.
Emotional Disturbances — Those with etheric attachments may experience sudden mood swings, anxiety, depression, or irrational fears. They may also feel a sense of heaviness or oppression that is difficult to shake off.
Behavioral Changes — People might exhibit changes in their behavior such as sudden anger outbursts, irrational actions, or feeling compelled to engage in addictive behaviors.
Psychic Sensations — Individuals may report sensing a presence around them, hearing voices, or experiencing unexplained visions. Some may also feel like they are being watched or followed by unseen forces.
Energetic Disruptions — People with etheric attachments may feel a disturbance in their energy field, such as sudden cold spots, tingling sensations, or feeling like they are being touched by something invisible. It’s important to note that these experiences can also be attributed to medical conditions or psychological factors, so it’s crucial to seek professional help for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Once mundane explanations have been ruled out, and the likelihood of a parasitic entity is highlighted as being the cause of the symptoms and experiences, it is important to remove/banish the parasitic entity and restore balance to your well-being.
Parasitic entities are often attracted to individuals who are vulnerable, spiritually active, empathic, or frequently exposed to heightened amounts of energy.
Vulnerable Individuals — Vulnerabilities can come in many forms, such as when we experience emotional turbulence, unresolved trauma, self-worth or self-esteem issues, mental health issues, or heavy substance use. All of these things can create vulnerabilities in our energy field that can make it easier for parasitic entities to prey on us. While we all go through seasons where we are struggling, vulnerable, and facing hardships physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, it’s important to work through these things to the best of our ability, and seek additional help and support when needed, to move through this and back to a place of balance and stability energetically speaking.
Spiritually Active Individuals — People who are naturally spiritually active, such as healers, energy workers, shamans, witches, magicians, mediums, psychics, spiritual practitioners, oracles, priests or priestesses, and so on, have a vibrant light within them that acts as a beacon of sorts attracting parasitic entities like a moth to a flame. I repeat this phrase often because it’s the easiest way to visualize the magnetism of these entities to an energy source that would be highly sustaining for them if they can manage to latch onto the individual. This does not mean the spiritually active person is doing anything wrong but is an indication that they need to be intentional with cleansing and protecting regularly. Spiritually active individuals could also include people who astral project or travel (even accidentally), dream frequently or have vivid visions, work with spiritual tools to connect with the spirit realm, and so on.
Empathic Individuals — An empathic individual is someone who can understand and share the feelings of others. They are highly attuned to the emotions of those around them and can offer support and comfort in times of need. Empathic individuals are often compassionate, and sensitive, and have a strong sense of empathy towards others. Those who are naturally very sensitive to other energies around them in this way can absorb a lot of the energies that they may encounter throughout the day whether they’re consciously aware of it or not. This makes it especially important for them to get into a routine of cleansing and protecting themselves to mitigate parasitic entities or negative energy from attaching itself to them.
Individuals Around Heightened Energy — Those who are around heightened energy may be those who are spiritual practitioners themselves, such as healers, energy workers, shamans, witches, magicians, mediums, psychics, oracles, priests or priestesses, and so on—but it can also be people who are not directly working with the spiritual realm overtly but rather work in places where many types of people and energies frequently come and go, such as hospitals or medical facilities, schools, large events or functions, funeral homes or cemeteries, places of healing or worship, historical sites or sacred sites, and so on. Again, none of these things are indications a person is doing anything wrong but should encourage them to cleanse and protect themselves regularly to prevent having to deal with parasitic entities.
After having a parasitic entity removed, a person may experience a sense of spiritual relief, lightness, and increased clarity. They may feel a release of negative emotions or physical symptoms that were previously weighing them down or causing distress. This removal process can create a significant energy shift, allowing for a renewed sense of well-being and balance. It is common for individuals to almost immediately feel more grounded, centered, and at peace. It is important to remember though, that removing/banishing a parasitic entity isn’t a one-time thing but requires continuing self-care practices and maintaining healthy and balanced energy to prevent attachments in the future, as a person can be susceptible to parasitic entities at any stage of their life. This is why I repeat the importance of grounding, cleansing, and protecting regularly, and when necessary, banishing anything that has somehow slipped through the cracks.
They are beings that roam the unseen dimensions around us and are like spiritual leeches, feeding off the energy and life force of humans. Just as physical parasites attach themselves to a host to survive, these beings latch onto individuals to drain their vitality.
Imagine these entities as spiritual insects of sorts. They are found in astral realms and places with heightened levels of energetic activity. They are lurkers and wait for moments of weakness or vulnerability to attach themselves, which is usually the result of not grounding, cleansing, protecting, or banishing in the spiritual sense regularly. People who are naturally empathic or who work in places with heightened spiritual activity or dabble in magickal arts are more susceptible to encountering these types of entities. This is because their energy, light, or magick act as a beacon of sorts, attracting parasitic entities like a moth to a flame.
An energy vampire is a person who siphons energy from another person to sustain their practice and life. These individuals, whether consciously or not, latch onto the energy of other people and redirect their energy toward themselves. Though similar in feeling, parasitic entities are not human beings behaving as energy vampires but are beings that preside in non-material realms that latch onto humans.
Ghosts, apparitions, or deceased people (which are all nearly synonymous terms), are those who once presided in the material realm but have passed on (died) but their spirit lingers here still. Though many people associate all spiritual or paranormal happenings with “hauntings” or ghostly activity, very rarely are the spirits of deceased people actively causing any type of disturbance or harm to anyone in the material realm. Alternatively, parasitic entities are spiritual beings (who are not humans and never were) that can create significant disturbances in the material realm if they latch onto a person, place, object, etc. as their only purpose is to drain the energy from whatever they’re connected to to survive.
Though things in the spiritual realm should rarely be looked at as “good” or “bad” since things are significantly more complex than that, I would put it in terms of thinking about a physical parasite once again. In its own right, the parasite may not be actively causing harm to anything, but it becomes quite problematic very quickly when it latches onto a host. For example, a tapeworm attaches itself to the intestinal wall of a person and absorbs nutrients directly from the host’s digestive system. By absorbing nutrients from the host’s food, tapeworms can grow and reproduce, often causing symptoms such as weight loss, abdominal pain, and nutritional deficiencies in the infected person. In the same way, etheric or spiritual parasites feed off the host which creates unexplained fatigue, persistent negative thoughts or emotions, and constantly feeling like your energy is drained and unable to be recharged or replenished—which is not good.
While it can sound scary to have to deal with a parasitic entity, we do not need to fear them but rather educate ourselves on what they are and how to preventatively protect against them or remove them if one has already latched onto us.
Removing a parasitic entity requires a deep understanding of energy work and how the spiritual and astral realms operate. There are some things that inexperienced practitioners may try on their own, but if there is push-back or resistance due to the parasitic entity refusing to be removed, it would be wise to connect with an experienced spiritual practitioner, such as an astral witch (because they are well-versed in astral realms), death witch (because they are well-versed in working with liminal space and the beings that preside there), a shaman (because they are experienced in spiritual healing and energy work), a healer (because they are experienced in healing various types of energy blockages), or another similar type of practitioner.
The process typically begins with the spiritual practitioner connecting with the affected individual energetically to assess the nature of the entity and its impact. This does not have to be done in person if the spiritual practitioner is fluidly able to tap into people’s energy from a distance. This energetic connection is crucial for understanding how the entity is affecting the person’s energy and overall well-being. Some parasitic entities may be very simple and easy to remove if the hold on the person is fairly minor or if it is a weaker type of parasite, and others may be more heavily embedded into the person and have a stronger hold on their energy if it’s been attached and feeding off them for quite some time.
During the process, the spiritual practitioner will work to weaken the hold of the parasitic entity on the individual’s energy, remove it entirely and banish it from the individual, and then create a protective barrier around them to prevent reattachment. For those who are already well-versed in the spiritual realm and understand the fundamentals of grounding, cleansing, protecting, and banishing, here are some key things my deities and spirit guides have shared with me in regard to navigating the removal of parasitic entities.
Grounding before a spiritual working is incredibly important as it ensures that you are connected to your body, the material realm, and very much present for everything that is to follow. You can ground your energy in several ways including, spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagining roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, and more. Remember that grounding is a personal practice, so feel free to explore different techniques and find what works best for you.
To cleanse the energy of your space before performing any type of spiritual working, you can try smoke cleansing with sacred dried herbs, using sound cleansing with bells or singing bowls, or utilizing energy-clearing sprays like Florida water. Each method has its own unique way of clearing negative energy and creating a positive environment for your spiritual practice, so use whatever method is easily doable and works best for you. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing the space you’ll be working in of any negative or stagnant energy so that you have a neutral starting point.
After cleansing the space to bring it to a neutral state energetically speaking, you’ll then want to protect yourself and the space from any additional unwanted energies from entering. This can be done by setting an energetic boundary, such as casting a circle, if this aligns with your spiritual path and beliefs, wearing protective crystals, such as black obsidian, black tourmaline, or hematite, or casting a protection spell, or utilizing a protective ward.
You can protect your space and create a protective circle with the support of the elements using the steps below.
Facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me through this removal and banishment of any parasitic entities or negative energy that isn’t aligned with my highest good. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me through this removal and banishment of any parasitic entities or negative energy that isn’t aligned with my highest good. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me through this removal and banishment of any parasitic entities or negative energy that isn’t aligned with my highest good. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me through this removal and banishment of any parasitic entities or negative energy that isn’t aligned with my highest good. Hail and welcome!”
After effectively grounding yourself and cleansing and protecting the space you’ll be working in, here are a few different methods that I have personally used to remove parasitic entities as taught to me by my deities and spirit guides. Remember, after the removal/banishing ritual is performed, you will want to close out the ritual in reverse order by re-protecting yourself and your space, re-cleansing yourself and your space from any lingering negative or stagnant energy, and re-grounding yourself to diffuse built-up energy from the working itself.
After the removal/banishment, you’ll want to re-protect your energetic field to repair any places where vulnerabilities were previously present to prevent any parasitic entities from having access to you again. Take a moment to visualize your energy being slowly mended and strengthened before closing out the protective circle that was created with the support of the elements. These steps will be done in reverse order from how they were first performed.
Stand up and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me in the removal and banishment of any parasitic entities or negative energy isn’t aligned with my highest good. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me in the removal and banishment of any parasitic entities or negative energy isn’t aligned with my highest good. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me in the removal and banishment of any parasitic entities or negative energy isn’t aligned with my highest good. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me in the removal and banishment of any parasitic entities or negative energy isn’t aligned with my highest good. Thank you and farewell.” Be intentional going forward to protect your energy. Find what works best for you, whether it be veiling (wearing a head covering), wearing protective crystals, wearing a protective talisman or amulet, shielding through glamour magick, or whatever your preferred method is.
To cleanse your energy (and space if you feel it’s necessary) after performing this removal/banishment working, you can utilize the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as smoke cleansing with sacred dried herbs, using sound cleansing with bells or singing bowls, or utilizing energy clearing sprays like Florida water.
Alternatively, you also might opt for something that’s more personal to cleanse yourself, such as a ritual cleansing shower or bath. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs again, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around yourself or your space, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing your energy so that you feel clean, refreshed, and energized.
Grounding after a spiritual working is incredibly important as it ensures that any excess energy is redirected back to the ground/earth. You can ground your energy utilizing the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, etc.
Remember, just as we tend to our physical bodies with care and attention, so too must we nurture our spiritual well-being. By cultivating a practice of grounding, cleansing, and protecting ourselves we can fortify our energetic boundaries and safeguard our essence from anything who seeks to drain it.
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
