THE DEAD
According to some rootworkers, depending on their specific religion, human beings are comprised of the body, the soul, and the spirit. When a person dies, the body
goes to the grave, the soul rest at peace and the spirit remains on
Earth until it is reunited with the body
on the day of Judgment.
The spirits of the dead, especially the Ancestors, watch over us where they can guide us in our daily lives, intercede with the Godhead on our behalf and protect us in times of need. Spirits can be either friendly or unfriendly depending upon several factors including, but not limited to, the following:
Friendly ghost are the helpful spirits of the dead who are believed to communicate important information to humans through visions, dreams, and by placing strong signs in our path. Unfriendly-ghosts, such as hags, haints, and plateyes, represent the more negative aspects of ghosts who are often destructive and predatory.
In addition to dreams, visions, and signs, contact with the dead can also be established through ritual or a medium (a person gifted with the ability to communicate with the dead). The main links between the living in the dead include
Many Root-Workers start out working with spirits of the dead in the form of the Ancestors, the spirits of the dead connected to them by blood. The process of working with the Ancestors begins with the construction of an Ancestral Altar. Before I go any further, I’d like to point out that many root-workers are Christian and adhere to God’s commandment in Exodus 20:3 to “have not other gods before me.” Therefore, root-workers do NOT worship the Ancestors inasmuch as they venerate them. The Ancestral altar is the place where this veneration ritually occurs.
The personal possessions, if any, of a person's deceased relatives can often be found on an Ancestral Altar among other things such as candles, and flowers. In some instances, the cremated remains or dirt from the individual's grave may also be found on the altar as well.
In the Hoodoo Tradition, it is not uncommon for a practitioner to gather dirt from a grave to be used in the practice of magick. Rootworkers have developed many methods for gathering the dirt and there are certain criteria to determine from which grave to gather this dirt. These methods will vary from worker to worker. There is an abundance of lore relating to the criteria used to determine from which grave to gather your dirt. These criteria include, but are not limited to the following:
In order to determine the grave from which to gather graveyard dirt one must know what it is to be used for. In the case of love spells, for example you would either choose the grave of someone that loved you in life or someone who had the reputation for being lucky in love when they were alive. The dirt would be gathered from over the person’s heart. However, if you were doing a spell for prosperity, you may choose the grave of a rich person and take the dirt from over their hands. If you were banishing someone, you might want to choose the grave of someone who died quickly and un expectantly, taking the dirt from their feet. If you were working magick to conceive a child, you would likely choose the grave of a woman who bore many children and gather the dirt from over her womb.
I personally use a pendulum to assist me. To do this I position the pendulum over the headstone and ask "Is the dirt from this grave appropriate for my purpose?" If I get a positive answer, I then ask "Is (the spirit of the grave) willing to sell me some of its dirt?" Again, if I get a positive answer I ask "Is the spirit willing to accept my offering of (offering) in return for some of its dirt?" If I get a positive answer, I then make the offering and collect the dirt. If I get a negative answer I will either 1) move on to another grave or 2) return to the same grave at another time.
Graveyard dirt is not simply taken from a grave, but rather, it is purchased from the spirit which is always petitioned in a respectful manner. Once you feel that the spirit is willing to sell you the graveyard dirt, then payment must be rendered.
Payment can consist of pennies, or silver dimes (usually an odd number) or even alcohol in the form of whiskey. In some instances the spirit will communicate specific desires to you. Coins can be pressed down in the dirt near the headstone, or left in the hole where the dirt was taken covering it up afterward. Liquids can be poured over the grave in the manner of a libation.
The golden rule of collecting graveyard dirt is to never take more than you need. Once you return home it can be laid out to dry if it is moist and ran through a sieve to remove any insects, rocks, leaves, etc...
The spirits of the dead, especially the Ancestors, watch over us where they can guide us in our daily lives, intercede with the Godhead on our behalf and protect us in times of need. Spirits can be either friendly or unfriendly depending upon several factors including, but not limited to, the following:
- Their relationship to the living.
- How they died (either good or bad).
- Their disposition/temperament
Friendly ghost are the helpful spirits of the dead who are believed to communicate important information to humans through visions, dreams, and by placing strong signs in our path. Unfriendly-ghosts, such as hags, haints, and plateyes, represent the more negative aspects of ghosts who are often destructive and predatory.
In addition to dreams, visions, and signs, contact with the dead can also be established through ritual or a medium (a person gifted with the ability to communicate with the dead). The main links between the living in the dead include
- their former homes
- the place where they died
- their grave
- their cherished possessions
- their remains
Many Root-Workers start out working with spirits of the dead in the form of the Ancestors, the spirits of the dead connected to them by blood. The process of working with the Ancestors begins with the construction of an Ancestral Altar. Before I go any further, I’d like to point out that many root-workers are Christian and adhere to God’s commandment in Exodus 20:3 to “have not other gods before me.” Therefore, root-workers do NOT worship the Ancestors inasmuch as they venerate them. The Ancestral altar is the place where this veneration ritually occurs.
The personal possessions, if any, of a person's deceased relatives can often be found on an Ancestral Altar among other things such as candles, and flowers. In some instances, the cremated remains or dirt from the individual's grave may also be found on the altar as well.
In the Hoodoo Tradition, it is not uncommon for a practitioner to gather dirt from a grave to be used in the practice of magick. Rootworkers have developed many methods for gathering the dirt and there are certain criteria to determine from which grave to gather this dirt. These methods will vary from worker to worker. There is an abundance of lore relating to the criteria used to determine from which grave to gather your dirt. These criteria include, but are not limited to the following:
- Whether the individual’s grave is a loved one or a stranger
- The reputation the deceased had in life.
- How the deceased died.
- The located of the grave.
- From which part of the grave to dig the dirt.
In order to determine the grave from which to gather graveyard dirt one must know what it is to be used for. In the case of love spells, for example you would either choose the grave of someone that loved you in life or someone who had the reputation for being lucky in love when they were alive. The dirt would be gathered from over the person’s heart. However, if you were doing a spell for prosperity, you may choose the grave of a rich person and take the dirt from over their hands. If you were banishing someone, you might want to choose the grave of someone who died quickly and un expectantly, taking the dirt from their feet. If you were working magick to conceive a child, you would likely choose the grave of a woman who bore many children and gather the dirt from over her womb.
I personally use a pendulum to assist me. To do this I position the pendulum over the headstone and ask "Is the dirt from this grave appropriate for my purpose?" If I get a positive answer, I then ask "Is (the spirit of the grave) willing to sell me some of its dirt?" Again, if I get a positive answer I ask "Is the spirit willing to accept my offering of (offering) in return for some of its dirt?" If I get a positive answer, I then make the offering and collect the dirt. If I get a negative answer I will either 1) move on to another grave or 2) return to the same grave at another time.
Graveyard dirt is not simply taken from a grave, but rather, it is purchased from the spirit which is always petitioned in a respectful manner. Once you feel that the spirit is willing to sell you the graveyard dirt, then payment must be rendered.
Payment can consist of pennies, or silver dimes (usually an odd number) or even alcohol in the form of whiskey. In some instances the spirit will communicate specific desires to you. Coins can be pressed down in the dirt near the headstone, or left in the hole where the dirt was taken covering it up afterward. Liquids can be poured over the grave in the manner of a libation.
The golden rule of collecting graveyard dirt is to never take more than you need. Once you return home it can be laid out to dry if it is moist and ran through a sieve to remove any insects, rocks, leaves, etc...
Communication With the Spirits of the Dead
As long as there has been religion, there has been a belief in the existence of life after death. However, exactly what the afterlife entails has differed among various religions. Early man envisioned an afterlife similar to the present one. In order to provide for them, the dead would be buried with those items which it was believed they would need in the next life.
Later, the belief developed that the dead could watch over the living and influence their lives. This line of thinking possibly lead to the practice of Ancestor Worship. There are many reasons that one would wish to contact the dead. For some it gives them a sense of closure after the death of a loved one to know that their spirit lives on after death and that the departed is at peace. For some unscrupulous individuals the practice of contacting the dead has become a very profitable business.
Other reasons some may wish to contact the dead is to obtain undeniable proof for their selves that there is life after death. For some this may bring relief, for others it may bring a sense of dread. For if there is life after death, then surely they would have to atone for misdeeds in this life.
While some people seek to contact the dead to strengthen and build ties, others seek to contact the dead to severe them. Many people who feel that their homes are haunted by ghosts often seek to peacefully send the ghost into the afterlife by communicating with the ghost and convincing it to move on. In addition, rituals and practices were developed to honor the dead and request their assistance, or to protect oneself, home, and family from any evil influences associated with the dead.
Spirit communication falls into three main categories, they are:
Divination
Though most people think of divination as fortune-telling, various divination tools can and have been used to communicate with the dead. Some of these tools include, but are not limited to the following.
Mediumship
A medium is defined as "an individual held to be a channel of communication between the earthly world and a world of spirits". A medium typically offers up themselves to disincarnate spirits so that the spirits can communicate with the living using the body and voice of the medium. Although the basic process is the same, there are many different ways in which this occurs. They include, but are not limted to, the following:
Necromancy
Necromancy is a form of magick which deals with the ritual raising of the dead in either spirit or physical form. While the use of Ouija Boards, Spirit-Pots, and the performing of a Seance can be considered a form of necromancy, this section will deal with more magico-religious methods of necromancy. Some of these methods include:
As you can see, there are a plethora of theories concerning and methods involving contact with spirits as well as how to communicate with them. I hope that this brief article has given you something to think about as you seek to communicate with the dead yourself. Tomorrow I will share my experiences contacting spirits and communicate with them in my personal practices.
Later, the belief developed that the dead could watch over the living and influence their lives. This line of thinking possibly lead to the practice of Ancestor Worship. There are many reasons that one would wish to contact the dead. For some it gives them a sense of closure after the death of a loved one to know that their spirit lives on after death and that the departed is at peace. For some unscrupulous individuals the practice of contacting the dead has become a very profitable business.
Other reasons some may wish to contact the dead is to obtain undeniable proof for their selves that there is life after death. For some this may bring relief, for others it may bring a sense of dread. For if there is life after death, then surely they would have to atone for misdeeds in this life.
While some people seek to contact the dead to strengthen and build ties, others seek to contact the dead to severe them. Many people who feel that their homes are haunted by ghosts often seek to peacefully send the ghost into the afterlife by communicating with the ghost and convincing it to move on. In addition, rituals and practices were developed to honor the dead and request their assistance, or to protect oneself, home, and family from any evil influences associated with the dead.
Spirit communication falls into three main categories, they are:
- Divination
- Mediumship
- Necromancy
Divination
Though most people think of divination as fortune-telling, various divination tools can and have been used to communicate with the dead. Some of these tools include, but are not limited to the following.
- Spirit House- A spirit house can take the form of a pot, a wooden-box, a jar, or even a doll. The house serves as a dwelling place for a familiar spirit and a means through which the magician can communicate with disincarnate entities. The house usually contains an assortment of items such as graveyard dirt, photograph of the spirit when it was a living person, their death announcement or personal possessions. In other cases the pot may contain a magickal seal associated with the spirit, as well as other items such as herbs, gemstones, and offerings that the spirit is known to favor as well as dirt from a graveyard and/or other locations such as your home, a bank, court-house, etc... These items serve to attract a spirit which is in alignment with your desire and allow it to operate on the physical plane.
- Ouija Boards- Also known as Talking-Boards, Ouija Boards are flat boards marked with all the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9 and the words "Yes", "No", and "Goodbye". In fact, the word ouija comes from combining the French word for yes (oui) and the German word for yes (ja). To operate the board, it is placed on a flat surface and one or more people place their hands on the accompanying planchette (a small flat wooden or plastic device used as a pointer when operating the board.) Spirits are addressed and it is believed that they spell out words and phrases by moving the planchette through the individuals. Others posit that the channeled information comes from the combined subconscious of those present.
- Pendulums-
A pendulum is a divinatory tool used to answer subjective questions. It
takes the form of a weighted object, called a bob, suspended from a
chain, cord, or string. To operate a pendulum it is suspended over a
flat surface and a yes/no type question is asked. The direction of the
pendulum's swing is then interpreted as yes, no, or I don't know
as determined by calibrating the pendulum beforehand. Similar to the
Ouija-Board, the pendulum can be used to address a spirit who answers
your question though the swinging of the pendulum.
- Dowsing Rods- Dowsing Rods usually take the form of a Y-shaped branch of wood, usually willow, or two L-shaped metal rods. While dowsing-rods have been used to find people, places and things (most commonly they are used to find running water for the purpose of building a well) more and more spiritualist are using them to find and communicate with spirits. Typically, the user takes the rods to a place where the most spirit activity is thought to take place. The operator holds the rods up so that they are parallel to one another as they address the spirit. When the rods cross, contact is believed to be made. Once contact has been made, the operator straightens out the rods and then questions the spirit. The spirit is believed to make the rods cross whenever the answer is yes.
Mediumship
A medium is defined as "an individual held to be a channel of communication between the earthly world and a world of spirits". A medium typically offers up themselves to disincarnate spirits so that the spirits can communicate with the living using the body and voice of the medium. Although the basic process is the same, there are many different ways in which this occurs. They include, but are not limted to, the following:
- Seance- A séance is an attempt to communicate with the dead. The word séance comes from the French word for 'seat', 'session', from Old French seoir, 'to sit.' In English, the word came to be used specifically for a meeting of people to receive spiritualistic messages. The séance, or sitting, is led by a medium who will usually go into a trance that allows the dead to communicate through him or her.
- Automatic Writing- Automatic, or Spirit Writing, has been defined as a method of obtaining information from disembodied spirits in which the spirit takes control over the medium causing them to translate unconscious information on paper without being aware of the contents. Automatic Writing is thought to be only used by mediums, however, anyone can learn to use it with practice. The writer is often unaware of what is being written and often even scrawls out text in handwriting that is markedly different than his own. Others believe that perhaps the spirits may also communicate by forming messages in the mind of the medium, which reproduce on the page.
- Hypnosis- Hypnosis is a mental state in which a person becomes highly responsive to outside directions and/or suggestions. A person may be inducted into a hypnotic state by another individual or they may induct themselves (called self-hypnosis). Under hypnosis a person is often able to perform feats that they are not able to do in their normal conscious states. Persons under hypnosis have been able to recover lost memories, endure pain, remember past lives, as well as to see and communicate with spirits.
- Ritual Possession- Spirits are thought to take possession of a person during certain rites. In Wiccan Rituals, the High Priestess often Draws Down the Moon, that is, invoke the Goddess into their bodies so that she can communicate with the coven. During Vodoun ceremonies, the Loa are said to ride, or possess, participants. While possessed by a Loa, the person is able to do things that they are unable to do in their conscious state such as walk on fire without being burned, or pierce their bodies with large needles without drawing blood, etc... In some Christian churches, worshipers often work themselves into an ecstatic state during which they see visions and speak-in-tongues.
- Through Dreams- Dreaming, like hypnosis, is another state of mind in which the living and the dead can communicate. Simply dreaming of the dead does not necessarily make a person a medium, and there is a difference between dreaming of the dead and communicating with the dead through ones dreams. Southern lore states that dreaming of a death is a sign or an impending birth, and people have been known to dream of loved ones long after they have died. The dead will often visit the living through dreams to deliver a final message and this typically occurs soon after the person dies. These dream visitations can happen either once or a handful of times before they stop altogether. However, a person with a talent for contacting spirits through dreams will experience these types of visitations more often.
Necromancy
Necromancy is a form of magick which deals with the ritual raising of the dead in either spirit or physical form. While the use of Ouija Boards, Spirit-Pots, and the performing of a Seance can be considered a form of necromancy, this section will deal with more magico-religious methods of necromancy. Some of these methods include:
- High Magick- Also known as Ceremonial Magick, High-Magick represents a complicated set of ideas involving ritual fasting and abstinence as well as preparing ones tools and workspace in strict accordance with proper purification rituals performed at specific times. Typically, the magician will stand within a protective circle and invoke the spirit into a nearby triangle marked on the ground by uttering long incantations calling upon various names of God. Typically the spirit is summoned to answer questions or to lead the magician to buried treasure. The spirit is often tested to determine whether or not it is speaking the truth and threaten with horrors worse than death when it does not.
- Low Magick- Whereas High Magick is believed to require a great deal of precision with regard to timing, procedure, and even pronunciation of names; Low-Magick is much more practical in nature and often concerns itself with every-day type goals such as love or money. However, that is not to say that low-magick doesn't offer a few methods of calling forth spirits and communicating with them. A person practicing low-magick may make use of a a tool such as a Ouija Board or Pendulum. Their rituals will tend to be more simple than that of a Ceremonial Magician and may involve something as simple as burning a mixture of Star Anise, Althea leaves, and Acacia leaves to facilitate contact with the dead through their dreams. However, they are just as likely to travel to a graveyard and speak directly with the spirit and negotiate a pact such as an offering of three silver dimes in exchange for the spirits dirt and assistance in a practical matter.
As you can see, there are a plethora of theories concerning and methods involving contact with spirits as well as how to communicate with them. I hope that this brief article has given you something to think about as you seek to communicate with the dead yourself. Tomorrow I will share my experiences contacting spirits and communicate with them in my personal practices.
The Thoroughly Modern Medium
When I was a small child, I recall having episodes of precognition in which I knew who was calling before answering the phone, or knowing that grandpa was being cheated by the butcher. I have a vivid memory of waking up in bed one night and being covered in snakes. I could look off to my left and see my mother sitting on the floor watching tv and eating popcorn but being unable to call out to her. I also recall walking home from school and seeing winged-men flying through the air. I can only imagine what the passing car thought of this small boy standing on the side of the road staring up at the sky.
As I got older and learned not to talk about these things, they stopped happening with any consistency. Despite this, I retained my interest in magick and the supernatural. As a teenager I would lie in bed late and night and listen to the semi-trucks downshifting on Hwy 20 in the distance. I would wonder who they were and where they were going and suddenly I would find myself flying along side them! That was my first experience with astral projection.
When I was 18 I had developed an interest in reading Tarot Cards and tried to create my own deck by using a deck of playing cards and 21 cards from a second deck with the names of the Major Arcana written on them. After I graduated high school, my Aunt E. bought me my first deck (the Rider-Waite) from a Waldenbooks at Myrtle Beach. I spent the whole summer learning the meanings of the cards and doing readings for myself. I vividly recall predicting that Bill Clinton would be our next president (the King of Cups).
In the beginning I took a literalistic approach to reading the cards, because I wanted to do it just right. So whenever I threw the cards I would think, ok the book says this is what the card means and so this is what the card means and nothing else....even though this strict interpretation doesn't seem to fit. Only when I learned to relax and take a more intuitive approach to reading the cards did my own readings improve and my sporadic visions returned.
For example, a girl came to my home one evening for a reading and as soon as I began turning over the card I saw the face of a man in my mind's eye and knew that she was interested in him. Without even thinking or second-guessing myself I called the man's name and she was shocked. Now I must admit that the only reason I knew the man's name was because I was working for the public at the time and this man was one of my customer's otherwise I would have just had to describe who I saw in my mind's eye for the girl.
About a year after I had begun studying and reading the Tarot, I began to feel the presence of spirits when I read for others. I notice that I began to associate their presence with the appearance of certain cards or certain combinations of cards (The World and Judgment together, for example). Once I acknowledged these spirits I was able to begin discerning them and communicate with them. Sometimes the spirit was an ancestor, at other times it was the person's spirit guide/guardian angel. These spirits would then begin to communicate with me by showing me images in my mind and, very rarely, I would hear short words and sentences. At other times I would just know, without knowing. The only way I could describe it is as being similar to when you are working on a problem and then you suddenly get an inspiration and the answer is clear!
I don't consider myself a medium, per se, I am uncomfortable with the idea of allowing a spirit to use my body and am not particularly interested in that type of work. When I do readings and the messages come through from spirits I will deliver the message and leave it up to the client what to do with the information. Occasionally, however, I have been requested to attempt to contact the dead for individuals and I always say that I will try but that I cannot guarantee that I will be successful.
In the beginning I tried working with a Ouija-Board, but for whatever reason I was never able to operate it to my satisfaction. I believe the reason for this is because I have heard all my life about how dangerous Ouija-Boards are and some small part of my subconsciousness will not allow me to operate one. Also, as I said earlier, I am uncomfortable with the idea of allowing some outside force to have use of my body. I have been successful communicating with spirits using the tarot, pendulums, or dowsing rods, but knowing that I have had successful communications with the dead without the use of tools I decided to develop that ability.
Through a process of trial and error, I discovered that the best way for me to communicate with the dead was simply to talk to them. Whenever I get a request to speak with the dead, I usually ask for their name, and/or a photograph. I attempt to put myself on the spirit's wavelength by mentally focusing on the person and repeating their name over and over in my mind as well as visualizing their face. I put out a mental call letting the spirit know that if they are around and wish to communicate, that I am available. There is nothing fancy about it. I don't burn special candles, I don't cast a circle, I don't pray at the altar, etc... I've done this while cooking supper, driving to work, or just laying in bed about to go to sleep. If the person is around and both willing AND able to communicate I usually begin to get mental impressions within 24 ours or so. Once I receive the information I try to write it down so that I can be as exact as possible and relay the information to the client.
For example, I was recently asked to attempt to contact the spirit of a girl who died un-expectantly in a car accident. All I knew was her first name and that she had been on life-support even though she was brain dead and that her family recently made the decision to end life support. I went through my process and about a day later I was driving to visit a friend and began seeing images in my head of colored pencils, blank paper, rainbows, stars, and horses. These images were accompanied by that feeling that I associate with spirit contact and so paid attention to what I was feeling and sensing.
I was able to get a feel for the girl's personality and disposition and when I relayed this information to the individual they confirmed that the girl loved to draw and loved horses and that I accurately described her personality. Later, the spirit of the girl gave me a message to relay to the client that although seemed rather generic, had a personal meaning to her. Though I am leaving out some information out of respect for the family I will share part of the message here.
"Whether you die at 9 or 90 you'll be surprised how fast life passes. Don't waste it living in the shadows and darkness but rather seek out the light and beauty of the world.
Enjoy every moment."That being said, this aspect of spirit-work is not one that I seek out or aspire to do regularly. While some people can be thankful for the message and move on, others desire to maintain contact with the deceased has the potential to interrupt their grieving process and the transitory process of the spirit in question. For this reason I am very selective about who and under what circumstances I perform this service.
As I got older and learned not to talk about these things, they stopped happening with any consistency. Despite this, I retained my interest in magick and the supernatural. As a teenager I would lie in bed late and night and listen to the semi-trucks downshifting on Hwy 20 in the distance. I would wonder who they were and where they were going and suddenly I would find myself flying along side them! That was my first experience with astral projection.
When I was 18 I had developed an interest in reading Tarot Cards and tried to create my own deck by using a deck of playing cards and 21 cards from a second deck with the names of the Major Arcana written on them. After I graduated high school, my Aunt E. bought me my first deck (the Rider-Waite) from a Waldenbooks at Myrtle Beach. I spent the whole summer learning the meanings of the cards and doing readings for myself. I vividly recall predicting that Bill Clinton would be our next president (the King of Cups).
In the beginning I took a literalistic approach to reading the cards, because I wanted to do it just right. So whenever I threw the cards I would think, ok the book says this is what the card means and so this is what the card means and nothing else....even though this strict interpretation doesn't seem to fit. Only when I learned to relax and take a more intuitive approach to reading the cards did my own readings improve and my sporadic visions returned.
For example, a girl came to my home one evening for a reading and as soon as I began turning over the card I saw the face of a man in my mind's eye and knew that she was interested in him. Without even thinking or second-guessing myself I called the man's name and she was shocked. Now I must admit that the only reason I knew the man's name was because I was working for the public at the time and this man was one of my customer's otherwise I would have just had to describe who I saw in my mind's eye for the girl.
About a year after I had begun studying and reading the Tarot, I began to feel the presence of spirits when I read for others. I notice that I began to associate their presence with the appearance of certain cards or certain combinations of cards (The World and Judgment together, for example). Once I acknowledged these spirits I was able to begin discerning them and communicate with them. Sometimes the spirit was an ancestor, at other times it was the person's spirit guide/guardian angel. These spirits would then begin to communicate with me by showing me images in my mind and, very rarely, I would hear short words and sentences. At other times I would just know, without knowing. The only way I could describe it is as being similar to when you are working on a problem and then you suddenly get an inspiration and the answer is clear!
I don't consider myself a medium, per se, I am uncomfortable with the idea of allowing a spirit to use my body and am not particularly interested in that type of work. When I do readings and the messages come through from spirits I will deliver the message and leave it up to the client what to do with the information. Occasionally, however, I have been requested to attempt to contact the dead for individuals and I always say that I will try but that I cannot guarantee that I will be successful.
In the beginning I tried working with a Ouija-Board, but for whatever reason I was never able to operate it to my satisfaction. I believe the reason for this is because I have heard all my life about how dangerous Ouija-Boards are and some small part of my subconsciousness will not allow me to operate one. Also, as I said earlier, I am uncomfortable with the idea of allowing some outside force to have use of my body. I have been successful communicating with spirits using the tarot, pendulums, or dowsing rods, but knowing that I have had successful communications with the dead without the use of tools I decided to develop that ability.
Through a process of trial and error, I discovered that the best way for me to communicate with the dead was simply to talk to them. Whenever I get a request to speak with the dead, I usually ask for their name, and/or a photograph. I attempt to put myself on the spirit's wavelength by mentally focusing on the person and repeating their name over and over in my mind as well as visualizing their face. I put out a mental call letting the spirit know that if they are around and wish to communicate, that I am available. There is nothing fancy about it. I don't burn special candles, I don't cast a circle, I don't pray at the altar, etc... I've done this while cooking supper, driving to work, or just laying in bed about to go to sleep. If the person is around and both willing AND able to communicate I usually begin to get mental impressions within 24 ours or so. Once I receive the information I try to write it down so that I can be as exact as possible and relay the information to the client.
For example, I was recently asked to attempt to contact the spirit of a girl who died un-expectantly in a car accident. All I knew was her first name and that she had been on life-support even though she was brain dead and that her family recently made the decision to end life support. I went through my process and about a day later I was driving to visit a friend and began seeing images in my head of colored pencils, blank paper, rainbows, stars, and horses. These images were accompanied by that feeling that I associate with spirit contact and so paid attention to what I was feeling and sensing.
I was able to get a feel for the girl's personality and disposition and when I relayed this information to the individual they confirmed that the girl loved to draw and loved horses and that I accurately described her personality. Later, the spirit of the girl gave me a message to relay to the client that although seemed rather generic, had a personal meaning to her. Though I am leaving out some information out of respect for the family I will share part of the message here.
"Whether you die at 9 or 90 you'll be surprised how fast life passes. Don't waste it living in the shadows and darkness but rather seek out the light and beauty of the world.
Enjoy every moment."That being said, this aspect of spirit-work is not one that I seek out or aspire to do regularly. While some people can be thankful for the message and move on, others desire to maintain contact with the deceased has the potential to interrupt their grieving process and the transitory process of the spirit in question. For this reason I am very selective about who and under what circumstances I perform this service.
