First Time Spirit Work

[ame_this]

 I am thinking about experimenting with some spirit work this sabbat (Friday). 
I have an amethyst pendulum, some palo santo, and some  various herbs on hand. 
I am planning on first trying to make contact with a spirit guide and then possibly contacting a deceased friend (if I have the energy)
What incense or other tools would you reccomend for drawing spirits? 
Is there any safeguards, besides banishing spells, you would recommend?
Will also take any other tips.

Comments

[irondoe]

If palo santo isn't local to you, I'd also look into what plants people in your area have used for spirit work. Or/and, depending on what kind of spirits you want to talk to, what did their communities use to do spirit work? They might respond well to familiar things. I know for me in the UK that means plants like mugwort.

[ame_this]

Ooo good idea. Thanks!

[charlie_fox]

Oooo, questions in my area of specialty are fun.

Familiar/guiding spirits - Trust your intuition above all things. If it doesn't feel right then it probably isn't. Also back up what happens with a tarot reading to check what you made contact with has your best interests in mind. Spirits can be quite trcksy and dangerous should they want to.

Make sure you have a solid circle to work in and, as you mentioned, solid banishing skills. Practice your banishing, you don't want to fumble it if you're feeling threatened. You can, when you do this kind of work create a triangle or second circle within your circle for the spirit to appear in - it hails to ceremonial magic but I'm not ceremonial and have kind of always ad libbed it - and this space acts as a container. What appears in it is locked in it so it can't reach you initially. It can be a comforting thing to have (especially when first starting out with the dead).

Words - be very very clear about what you're looking for. Are you after a failiar spirit for a working or looking for an ongoing companion spirit to teacha nd guide you. State that you want someone with your best interests at heart - might get ignored but it'll usually do the trick.

What appears - when I see or hear the term spirit guide I tend to cringe a bit as it comes, usually, with the whole 'it will be an animal spirit like the First Nations Peoples would have. Most of us aren't first nations. Learning what terms were common to your people is a great start, learning what magics were commone to your peoples is a great start. My familiar spirits are, for the most part, human in appearance.

I'm personally going to suggest leaving off talking with the dead until you have a spirit that will work alongside you and is willing to support and protect you as needed. I've never had any issues myself, but I know people who have so having back up is good. When you get to that have a really good look at what was traditionally offered by people from your culture, your magical background, your bloodlines and the local native people to appease the dead and soothe them. I always offer incense for the dead as the smoke can make them feel more corporal for a while.

[ame_this]

You have given me much to consider. Thank you for the thorough commentary! :)

[mdehners]

1st, never do ANY Work with Spirits without Protection either Personal or Space. Just DON'T This is Person Experience talking. Frankincense and Myrrh is a good all about Blessing/Protection Incense that won't interfere with Wealful(Positive) Spirits.
With contacting(attempting to; after all, they may already be no longer around or busy) a personal item of theirs is best, then a photo of them alone. Never use photos with living folks in as well. NOT GOOD since chances are those folks have no Protection beyond Innate(some folks just naturally have shields major Nasties just bounce off). Keep a bowl of Consecrated Saltwater within reach just in case. Salt in any form usually disrupts Spirits, esp Woeful Ones but Consecrated ups the "Volts";>.
I haven't lived outside of Wards in yrs. Mine are simply to keep Beings Woeful to those in my household, not any generic "Evil/Negative" Beings. Over the yrs I've ended up "Friending" Beings that others would call "Negative" and have been HURT by those that were call "Good/Positive". As long as They mean no Harm to my Partner and or pets, all are Welcome here at Royal Oaks...
Cheers,
Pat

[ame_this]

Salt and frankincense and myrrh I have! And I also live under a ward. I just recast it at Samhain, so it should be good to go. Thanks for the tips!