Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “sow-win”) was first observed by Celtic Pagans. Samhain marked the Celtic New Year, the end of summer, and the end of the harvest season. It also signaled the beginning of winter, which is associated with death and the dark half of the wheel of the year. On Samhain, the Celts believed the veil between the material and the spiritual realms was especially thin.
But what exactly is the veil? Why is it thin and why does it matter? “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 Samhain, when this veil is thin, there are extremely 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 an incredibly intense season.
This is a time though, that whether someone has been a spiritual practitioner for ages or is barely connected to spirituality at all, people across the board feel the draw to connect with those who came before them. This is our favorite way to celebrate and honor the Samhain season by connecting with our protective ancestors, the ones who walked before us and are loving and benevolent.
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 in our workings, communications, and rituals. This ancestral 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, you will find that the pathway of communication opened.
Below I have put together a simple ritual for connecting with your protective ancestors during Samhain. 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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) 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 ancestors 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) 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), you may do that as well.
Closing
When you are ready to end the ritual and communication with your ancestors 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, 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, 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, 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, and I thank you for helping guide them back to the ancestral realm.”
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.
It was opening day for the movie, A Quiet Place: Day One, and I was thrilled. I simply adore this particular franchise, and though my reason for loving the first two installments were for the use of American Sign Language and the amazing Emily Blunt, I was still excited for what this prequel would hold.
The movie theater we were going to was inside a nearby mall. It had a particular theater outfitted with the fancy recliners that make movie-going EXTRA enjoyable…or so I thought.
My husband, Wes, and I both went to the restrooms pre-movie with an agreement to find each other at our seats. I made my way into the theater just after he’d gotten himself seated and the look on his face when I sat down next to him was utter confusion.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him.
“The seat keeps moving by itself…”
I looked at the luxury leather recliner unsure of what we meant and then I felt it. This wouldn’t be an ordinary moving-going experience.
I watched as his chair slowly started to recline itself with his hands off the buttons to control it. His eyes grew large as he stared into mine. The lights began to dim. It was almost showtime. Maybe it would be fine…
I turned to look at him and the chair again as it slowly started to return to its upright state. Wes got up and quickly moved to an empty seat to the right of me as the movie began.
If you aren’t familiar with the A Quiet Place franchise. The title tells you the gist of what you need to know… it’s a movie with a lot of silence. If you’re also unfamiliar with the recliners in newer movie theaters or ones that have been more recently upgraded, they are not silent.
The hush that fell over the theater was absolutely perfect and necessary for this type of movie—until the recliner to my left began to move on its own once again.
A stranger sitting on the other side of the self-reclining chair looked over at me, whispering, “Are you controlling the chair?”
I laughed and shook my head, “No, that’s why my husband moved seats a moment ago.”
His eyebrows shot up and he turned to his friend, still whispering, “We got a ghost over here. Guess he wants to watch the movie.”
I giggled to myself because there sure was a ghost and it was a he. Sitting next to me in the moving chair was a young man, 20s at most, but likely closer to 18. He looked mischievous, only solidifying my suspicions when he began to chat with me.
“I was hoping you’d come back here…”
And he was right, this was a movie theater I had been to multiple times before with Wes.
“…I know you can see and hear me,” he continued.
He proceeded to share with me that he had passed in this mall, and of course, as any death witch would, I asked why he lingered. What kept him hanging around instead of moving on to the next sphere of his existence post-material realm?
I pressed him on whether he had loved ones he needed closure with, someone he wanted to share a message with, or something else still tying him to this location.
With young deaths, it’s inevitable for there to be confusion and fear surrounding the event itself especially if it is sudden and unexpected, such as a freak accident, overdose, attack, etc.
The young man wouldn’t share how things occurred, but rather how much “easier” and “more fun” his life was now that he was dead. As most empathic individuals always do, I knew he was lying. Though there were hints of truth to his statements and a great deal of burden had been alleviated from trying to survive in the physical realm, his life was not easier and it certainly wasn’t more fun.
I have no doubt he got his fair share of chuckles in from startling other mall-goers or movie-watchers with his shenanigans, no one could see him. No one could hear him. And it was incredibly lonely.
Believe it or not, though, the loneliness he thought he felt in the waking world was only that much more intensified in the isolated in-between of lurking in a realm that was no longer meant for him.
“You have to move forward and leave this place, you know…”
“I don’t want to.”
“I understand. It can be scary to step into the unknown. It’s necessary, though.”
His tone changed with me, he spoke more harshly, and the movement of the chair became more dramatic.
The stranger on the other side of the chair looked over at me with an expression of sheer terror. I laughed as quietly as I could manage to hopefully put his mind at ease before returning to my stern tone with the stubborn teenage ghost.
“Staying isn’t an option. You’ve stayed for a bit already, have no messages, nothing you want closure… it’s time to move on then.”
He refused. Angry and frustrated, he sat slumped in the chair, arms crossed, exactly how you’d imagine a pouting teen that just got grounded. The chair began to move more quickly. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Disturbing all of the other movie-goers with a mini ghost tantrum.
I slowly raised my hands, palms facing one another, and allowed my energy to intensify in the window in between. I gently pushed the energy toward the young man creating a box-like barrier that encased him in the chair where he sat.
“When you’re ready to cross over, you can simply go. Otherwise, you’ll be confined here until the time comes.”
The motion of the chair reclining and returning to an upright position ceased. The movie theater was at peace once again, and we finished out the remainder of the film.
As the credits began, Wes and I got up from our seats, and I briefly looked back at the energetic barrier I created, which now sat empty. The young man had crossed over, and we headed out.
Outside the theater, my husband began asking me what my thoughts were on the chair. Before I could respond he said, “There was most certainly a dead person sitting where I was sitting which is why I moved chairs. Definitely male. I assume up to no good. And we need to be sure this one doesn’t follow us home.”
I laughed because my husband’s confirmations that what I’ve seen and heard was very much real always mean the world to me. I shared the whole exchange of events and how this young man had made his way onto the next stage of his journey, thankfully, and that was all of that.
TW: medical treatment, death.
Recently, I’ve been going through medical treatment to manage a rare disease I’ve dealt with for the majority of my life. Though I should expect it by now, I’m always surprised by when and where I’ll encounter the deceased.
While sitting in a leather recliner trying to “relax” while getting my infusions, a dramatic wisp of energy particles buzzed by me. I looked up from my book, and saw the spirit of an older woman walking towards one of the other patients who was also hooked up to an IV.
Who was she, I wondered.
I smiled briefly at the apparition, acknowledging that I could see her, but without looking too terribly obvious to everyone else that I can see dead people. A major part of what lead me to my path as a death practitioner (or witch). She took her place standing over the left shoulder of a woman wearing a cross necklace and a purple t-shirt with a bible verse adjacent to me getting therapy.
Telepathically, I asked who the spirit was, “I’m Sandra.”
The beeping of medical devices summoned a nurse to come by and check the patient’s vitals before resuming her treatment, and I quietly eavesdropped on the conversation that ensued.
“How’s your sister been doing since we last saw you?”
“She passed actually…”
“Oh my goodness. I had no idea—“
“—It’s okay,” The woman interrupted the nurse, “She isn’t suffering anymore. She was 20 years older than me and I cared for her until she had no more fight left in her.”
I glanced up again, and saw the female spirit place her hand on the woman’s left shoulder. I realized that the roles had reversed and dear Sandra had taken it upon herself to comfort and care for her younger sister from the other side while she, too, received medical treatment.
Tears filled my eyes—if only everyone realized just how near the other side is, as well as those who dwell in it.
Unfortunately, my own fear of religious opposition got in the way of me speaking up and sharing what I saw and heard with the woman. A shortcoming and flaw of mine that I am actively working to overcome. Even if the woman had been skeptical of my ability to see and hear, telling her that her sister, Sandra, was with her would’ve only brought comfort and solace to her. Quite possibly could’ve even made her a believer of psychic phenomena since I knew her sister’s name.
So to you, dear reader, I want to remind you that you’re more in tune than you realize, and fear is just that: fear. Something that lives solely within the mind, capable of being overcome. And often, our fear of what other people may think is directly related to the core of who we are, and only leaves room for missed opportunities and regret if we don’t learn to say, “Fuck fear…” and do the scary thing anyways.
I’m not great at it yet. But I’ll get there. And so will you. And next time something like this happens, I’ll do better. #FuckFear
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 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.
As time goes on, I hate staying in places that aren’t my own home more and more. Though I always travel with my spiritual tools for cleansing, banishing, protection, and the like—there’s something incredibly different about sleeping in a place that isn’t your well-established and warded house. A recent “free” stay at a resort in Massachusetts was yet another prime example of the icky energy that permeates buildings and locations with an eerie past.
From handsy energy in the shower to haunting vibes from the mirrors, to say I was disturbed in our hotel room was as kind as I could be. The truth was, I wanted to peel my skin off staying here. I hated the feeling of being watched and I even more so was enraged by being touched without my consent.
Unnerved being here, I covered the mirrors, practiced my standard cleansing and protection rituals for the space, and welcomed my spirit guides of benevolence to be present with us while we stayed there—and yet, I still was ready to pack our bags and leave.
The disgusting spiritual energy that exuded from the walls was that of an individual who I knew had caused harm to young children. It was an alarming and deeply disturbing feeling and my heart ached for those who had been unfortunate enough to cross paths with this monster.
Though, I had checked for notable hauntings or strange happenings at the resort before booking, what I hadn’t yet discovered was that before being acquired by the hotel chain that now owned the resort, the site used to be a home for troubled youth, boys specifically.
There it was. Plain as day on an old-ass website, seemingly created circa the 1990s. An eerie photo of an old man filled my phone screen. He was highlighted as having run the facility for “wayward boys” turning them into “farmers” and men. He took children with nowhere else to turn, and under the false guise of a helping hand, caused significantly more harm and trauma.
If that wasn’t bad enough on its own, the place was then transformed by this man into a resort for “swinging singles” that Playboy, yes, THE Playboy, described as a “frenetic” resort.
If you’re unfamiliar with the word frenetic, the two key definitions I found online for the term are fast and energetic in an uncontrolled or wild way and excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotion. Both of these are rather distressing definitions, in my opinion, when thinking of safe places to vacation as a young single, especially a woman.
Frustrated and disgusted, I expressed to my husband everything I could see, hear, and feel in this place. I went on to tell him about my findings online and how they corroborated what my intuition, clairvoyance, and claircognizance were telling me. Already late, we didn’t have a lot of other options. The town we were in was small and in a rural area with little-to-no alternate sleeping accommodations, and so we decided to stay and try our best to get as much rest as we could—which was none. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Not one ounce of precious sleep was had by me or my husband.
The next morning came and we quickly got ready to head out for our planned adventures for the day. The unit we were in had two bedrooms and bathrooms, which was yet another strange factor in the whole ordeal. The larger bedroom had mirrors facing the bed, a shower/bath directly in the open part of the bedroom rather than in its own enclosed bathroom—and it had an incredibly creepy mirror in it. As we were preparing to shower and get dressed, my husband commented on the strange mirror and how he refused to use that shower because there was something so off about it—and I fully agreed.
After finally leaving the place, we enjoyed our day, though incredibly exhausted, and ended up booking our stay for that night elsewhere (where we got fabulous sleep).
Upon returning home, we had an additional and frightening experience with the energy that lingered from our stay and to avoid triggering any of my blog readers unnecessarily, though some might argue everything I write is triggering, I’ll just say that it upset my husband to the point that though he was unable to see, hear, and feel what I was picking up on at the resort, it became very real to him in a different way, and now he too will forever think twice about where we choose to stay on vacations going forward.
One of the fundamentals of paganism and esoteric wisdom is banishing. Here is a brief overview of what this means within esotericism and how you can practice banishing.
Banishing removes energies that are not welcome in your space from staying there. Banishing is a broad term that can have many different purposes and be carried out via a plethora of methods.
If at any point during your routine, you encounter unwelcome energies or spirits in your space that aren’t aligned with your intentions or highest good, banishing is necessary. These may be energies or spirits that are draining your energy, have mischievous or malicious intentions, or are around for nefarious reasons, and as a result interfere with your own health, healing, and well-being.
You may already be practicing banishing or cleansing when you feel the need to sweep after someone leaves your home, open the windows when you enter a room that feels stuffy, or take a few moments by yourself to regroup after being in a large crowd.
When our energy is interfered with in any way, it can inhibit our creativity, inspiration, and ability to think clearly, bring down our mood, and cause feelings of fatigue, sickness, and exhaustion. Banishing these unwanted energies allows us to keep everything in order and balance within ourselves and our space so that we are able to continue thriving physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
The methods for banishing are as vast as every other topic in esotericism. Common methods of banishing are:
The key with each of these methods is the individual’s intentions and mindset. Even mundane activities, such as sweeping or dusting, can be methods of banishing. For example, sweeping or dusting may be done with the intention of banishing dirt, dust, or debris from your home. Your intentions could also be banishing stagnant energy that is no longer serving you and your household.
Bear in mind that the permanence or efficacy of banishings is partially dependent on what you are banishing. Some banishings will be permanent and irreversible. Some banishings will aid mundane efforts at removing difficult things that are a struggle to get rid of. Some banishings will need to be refreshed and recharged regularly in order to continue warding off ongoing things. Some banishings will help to reduce the frequency or intensity of occurrences, especially if it is something that is pervasive and unavoidable. Some banishings are simply not going to work, because what you want is not possible. For example, banishing can remove toxic people from your life, but cannot make it like it never happened – you still have to do the work to process the trauma and heal.
