Communicating With the Spirit World

Many people in the Pagan and Wiccan communities work with spirits and otherworldly beings. Sometime, you may call upon them on purpose -- other times, they might just drop in unannounced! Be sure to read our articles about working with the realm of the spirit world! Learn to identify the different types of guides, how to tell if a spirit doesn't really have your best interests at heart, and how to get rid of spirits that you don't want hanging around.

How to Hold a Seance

Seance
A medium may hold a seance to help you get in touch with the spirit world. Image by Renee Keith/Vetta/Getty Images

Many Wiccans and Pagans communicate with the spirit world by way of holding seances. Before you have a seance of your own, there are a few things to keep in mind. A seance is an event that can either be fantastic or a real mess. Which one it is will depend on how much preparation goes into it. With a little bit of planning and thought ahead of time, you can pave the way for your séance to go smoothly. Certainly, it's a good idea to expect the unexpected -- after all, the dead are hardly predictable -- but by setting yourself a few guidelines in advance, you can make sure that everyone has the best experience possible.

Host a Dumb Supper

Dinner Table
Make your Dumb Supper as fancy or as simple as you like. Image by Westend61/Getty Images

In many Pagan and Wiccan traditions, Samhain is celebrated with a Dumb Supper, or a Feast with the Dead. This is a solemn and sober occasion and includes place settings for relatives and friends who have crossed over in the past year, as well as a chance to tell them what you never got to say.

Types of Spirit Guides

Green Dress Ghost
Image by Thomas Northcut/Stone/Getty Images

Think you might have a helpful spirit guide hanging around? Before you go getting too involved, you may want to read this information about what a spirit guide actually is - and the different types that are out there!

How to Find Your Spirit Guide

Forest Spirit
Many people find their spirit guide through meditation or dreaming. Image by Donald Iain Smith/Moment Open/Getty Images

Are you trying to find a way to meet your spirit guide or guides? Many people believe they have a spirit guide - here are a few tips to help you meet yours.

Spirit Guide Warning Signs

Ball and Candles
Image by Peter Cade/Photodisc/Getty Images

Every once in a while, someone will manage to contact what they think is a spirit guide - perhaps by way of an Ouija board or another method of divination -- and the next thing you know, things are getting weird. If any of the following scenarios seem familiar, then chances are that what you've connected to is not a spirit guide at all. Here are the warning signs to watch out for.

Pagans and Death

Night Cemetery
Offer a Samhain prayer to the gods of death and the underworld. Image by Johner Images/Getty Images

For many modern Pagans, there is a somewhat different philosophy on death and dying than what is seen in the non-Pagan community. While our non-Pagans see death as an ending, some Pagans view it as a beginning of the next phase of our existence. Rather than being disconnected from death and dying, we tend to acknowledge it as part of a sacred evolution.

Getting Rid of Unwanted Entities

Ghost Woman Blue
Is your spirit guide really there to guide, or is there some other purpose?. Image by Tancredi J. Bavosi/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images

Got an extra entity hanging around? Made contact with a snarky spirit during a seance? Here are some tips on how to get rid of them and send them on their way.

Cleansing a Sacred Space

Smudge Sticks
It's easy to make a smudge stick of your own, if you have plants nearby. Image © Patti Wigington; Licensed to About.com

Many of the Pagan and Wiccan books and websites - including this one - mention the idea of "cleansing" or "purifying" a space before ritual work or to get rid of unwanted spirits. But how, exactly, do you do that? Learn how, using these simple techniques.

Ouija Boards: Harmless or Not?

Ouija
A ouija board can be used safely, if you know what you're doing. Image by Jeffrey Coolidge/Photodisc/Getty Images

A reader asks "Are Ouija boards harmless children's toys, or tools of the devil?" Let's talk about Ouija boards, how they're used, and some of the things that can go wrong when used by people who don't know what they're doing.

Do Pagans Believe in Angels?

Angel
Many people believe in guardian angels. Image by Nina Shannon/E+/Getty Images

A reader was told she has a guardian angel watching over her - but often, angels are assumed to be a Christian construct rather than a Pagan one. Do Pagans believe in the existence of angels?

What is the Summerland?

Cemetery
Cultures around the world have honored the gods of death and dying. Image by Ron Evans/Photodisc/Getty Images

In some modern magical traditions, it is believed that the dead cross over into a place called the Summerland. This is a predominantly NeoWiccan concept and is not universal to all Wiccan or Pagan traditions. Learn how different Pagans see the afterlife, and how they view the Summerland.

Format
mla apa chicago
Your Citation
Wigington, Patti. "Communicating With the Spirit World." Learn Religions, Apr. 5, 2023, learnreligions.com/communicating-with-the-spirit-world-2561762. Wigington, Patti. (2023, April 5). Communicating With the Spirit World. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/communicating-with-the-spirit-world-2561762 Wigington, Patti. "Communicating With the Spirit World." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/communicating-with-the-spirit-world-2561762 (accessed March 19, 2024).