Cult of the Divine

8 minutes read time.

Many witches work with spirits and the spirit realm.

We call these spirits many things including faeries, jinn, gods, demons, goddesses, angels, extra terrestrials, plant, stone, ancestors, weather, and animal spirits, as well as our own spirit.

Cultivating relationships with spirits is at the core of the witchcraft I practice. A deep love can exist between a witch and the spirits of the other world.

And from these energetic exchanges, we unlock the deeper layers of our mystical work, healing, and power. It also gives us an appreciation for the complexity of the invisible world and the exquisite beauty of the mind of creation.

If you’re a witch seeking to connect with spirits, here are 3 steps for getting started.

1. 1. Spirit Work Way 1: Sharpen Perception
   1. Know Who You’re Connecting With
2. 2. Spirit Work Way 2: Trust Your Body’s Wisdom
   1. Signs You’re Connecting with Spirits
3. 3. Spirit Work Way 3: A Practice for Connecting to Spirit
4. Try This Practice
5. Deepening the Work
6. Learn who is on your spirit team.

1. Spirit Work Way 1: Sharpen Perception

Like in a dream where events are often spliced together and experiences are instantaneous, strange, and slippery, the spirit realm is constantly shapeshifting.

To avoid losing yourself in the disorientation of this changeable world requires fostering discernment, perception, and good judgement.

It can be helpful for a witch to hone the belief that the spirit realm is just as alive as the physical one. Witnessing spirits as full beings in their own right with their own customs, forms, and agendas, not only strengthens the interaction but improves our psychic perception of them as well. Our spirit work can then be more direct and clear.

Know Who You’re Connecting With

If we know what entity you are communing with and what spiritual work you might do together, it nourishes the bond and allows for shared power.

We also get a sense of what that spirit might need from us to bridge the gap between worlds.

For example, if we are working with a faery spirit, then certain offerings are custom like milk or cream. The essence contained in the offering can then be ‘eaten’ by the Fae, bringing their spirit bodies closer to ours.

Consider what kind of spiritual work you are doing and what spirits are also aligned with this work. Ask why you are connecting and if your spirits are aligned.

Not all spirits are for everyone and mixing spirits from multiple traditions can get crowded and muddy the work.

It is also necessary to know if you’re actually connecting to the spirit you are intending to and that the spirit is who they say they are.

Tricksters are everywhere and often it is our own spirits that get in the way of what is true. This is why self-work and personal healing are so important to refining our perception as witches.

Can we trust who we are connecting with?

Let’s get into this this in step 2.

2. Spirit Work Way 2: Trust Your Body’s Wisdom

For me, I believe knowing what spirits we are interacting with comes from knowing what truth feels like in our body. A connection with this sensation supports us in trusting the psychic information we are receiving when communing with spirit.

We start by strengthening our relationship to our own spirit and also knowing what sensations our animal body gives us to confirm that something is resonate with the truth of the cosmos.

Signs You’re Connecting with Spirits

1. Chills up your back or spine
2. Tingling on the skin
3. Tears, weeping
4. A sense of knowing
5. Visions of spirits
6. A sense of a presence who is not of you
7. hairs standing up
8. Goosebumps

This usually comes in the form of chills, tingling on the skin, a sense of knowing in the bones, hairs standing up, goose bumps, tears, and other physical signs that we are connecting beyond the veil.

These sensations give us the gift of trusting what we experiencing. If we stay vigilant around not projecting fantasy onto the spiritual realm and let the spirits show us who they are for themselves, we have a clearer chance at encounters with the magic.

True witchcraft makes it hard if not impossible for us to lie to ourselves. Our body will know right away what is correct or not. The truth just hits in a certain way that is undeniable…

And while we might not always interpret visions, signs, or sensations perfectly, we can still practice this ongoing relationship of trust with the animal soul/body to steer us in the right direction.

3. Spirit Work Way 3: A Practice for Connecting to Spirit

The way we relate to a spirit is similar to how we would relate to a friend, lover, or family member. Every interaction will be different and the type of connection formed and frequency of contact will depend on the type of relationship.

Say you’re a witch wanting to connect with plant entities. You could start practicing your spirit work by talking to that plant spirit. Even if the physical plant is nowhere near you, the spirit realm operates differently and can be accessed from anywhere.

Although, certain locations (such as sacred sites) or liminal times of day (such as sunrise and sunset) can make it easier to connect. Without any external tools you can loosen the boundaries around your body to bring spirits nearer to you or you nearer to them.

Tradition often dictates how certain spirits should be contacted and what type of preparation needs to happen on our part.

Again, keep in mind that not every spirit is for everyone. Be respectful and use discernment. Ask yourself why you are connecting with a certain type of spirit or why they might be connecting with you.

Sometimes spirit interactions are short-term or a one-off and other times the spirit is with you for years or becomes a central focus of your work.

Spirits can be demanding and it is not always wise to connect with spirits you are not yet skilled enough to work with or maybe not meant to work with at all. But when everything is aligned, forging a relationship with a non-human or disembodied entity can be soul-nourishing, powerful witchcraft.

Try This Practice

As plant spirits are my beloved teachers, I’ll offer a gentle practice to connect with the spirit of rose:

• Get comfortable lying down or sitting crossed legged
• I suggest you close your eyes
• Take a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling completely
• Let your entire body relax, shaking out tension and letting go of the events of the day
• Settle back into your body and take another deep breath
• Shifting into a meditate state now, move your awareness to your heart
• Imagine or sense the energy around your heart expanding and opening
• Sit here for about a minute breathing steadily and calmly
• And while maintaining your awareness at your heart, call in the spirit of Rose now either stating it out loud or in your head
• Keep breathing and wait as you sense a spirit moving closer to you that is not ‘of you’
• You might see visions or feel sensations in your body as you connect to the rose spirit
• And listen with your heart, staying here for a moment, sensing the spirit of rose blending with your spirit
• Observe if any images, messages, or sensations arise, keeping your mind soft as you commune with rose
• You will feel the energy naturally taper off when it is time to disconnect
• Thank the Rose spirit and feel it gently releasing from your spirit for now
• And open your eyes to return from the spirit interaction

At this point you can make notes or contemplate what came up with this practice. Did you feel connected, did you not experience anything at all?

No matter what, it is all information for you to sit with and consider for future contact with the spirit realm. Comment below if you have any questions.

Deepening the Work

Spirit work offers a rich realm possibilities for a witch. The kinds of spirits we are attracted to or are attracted to us hints at the type of path we are on.

This reveals where to direct our witchcraft studies, what skills to cultivate, and what mentors (spirit or human) we need to seek out for deeper learning.

Spirit relationships take time to build, sometimes years or a lifetime. If you’re just getting into spirit work, consider starting slowly while you hone your skills.

Do your research but also practice trusting your inner wisdom and the visions, sensations, and psychic information you receive.

These connections can be some of your greatest teachers and guide you on your spirit-led witchcraft path.

Learn who is on your spirit team.

.

.

.