Spirits of Arcanus

Recently, we conducted a seance at Arcanus and it has inspired me to write a bit about the experience and spirits in general. Over the years I have performed many "callings" of those departed and those that never were corporeal and have always come away with a deeper understanding of the worlds around us and how everything is connected in one way or another.

Arcanus, our tarot parlor, is also my temple and I commune with entities and the dead on a regular basis and therefore we thought it would be perfect for a seance operation. With many spirits already present in the building it would be somewhat easier to get a manifestation. We were right on that count. The spirits did appear and gave us a bit of a show. Quite a good time it was.

But exactly what did we call in? I, acting as the medium, made contact with a being that appears to have been corporeal, or alive, at one time. She had the look of someone of impoverished surroundings and disease. Along with her came another being. One of non-corporeal origin. This being was of a different sort in that it was not of a kind nature. Almost malicious. It gave me a bit of a problem, but with the use of a spirit trap we were able to contain it for a short while.

So these things that were called were of seemingly different natures, but still spirits. We think of the dead as happily floating ghosts that haunt old hotels and the like, but are they more? And what influence can they have upon us? In many traditions throughout the world many give offerings to the ancestors in order to glean some blessings, good luck, healing, and much much more. So it would seem they can touch us with their power. This is all well and good if they are helping us in some way, but what if they are not of the kindhearted and benevolent Casper kin? Then you could be in for quite a night.

Both I and my associate Dennis have encountered entities and spirits that were of the latter disposition and they were none too happy about desisting there mischief and need to be forcibly ejected and the place cleaned. This is always a consideration when dealing the "things from the other side". There is always some level of danger which must be taken into consideration. However, if one is careful and observes the rules, then it can be quite an enlightening experience.

So what is the difference between spirits and entities? Well, it is a mixed bag really. Spirits can be the remnants of a corporeal being, such as your dearly departed, or they can be beings that are of a higher vibration that have never lived as you and I do. There is an HP Lovecraft story that speaks of a lad that manufactured a device which could allow us to see these beings that were all around us but were of such a vibrational nature that we couldn't perceive them. These, in my own mind, are similar to the beings we call up in ritual. Instead of using some device, we use meditation and ritual to raise our vibrational rate in order to commune with them.

Of course in the Lovecraft story it didn't turn out so well. Much like the story of Icarus who flew too high and was dashed by the sun to the earth below. The lesson fly too high too fast and you are in for one perilous ride back down. This is a consideration when dealing with anything in the occult. Spirits can help, but they can also harm if one doesn't have their wits about them.

Luckily Arcanus has been utilized as a temple and consecrated to such so there are many safeguards in place, however there are those that wish to dabble and end up with a bunch of nasties slogging around in the dark places of their home. My advice to those who wish to touch the other side is this. Read, study, learn, and practice. Observe precautions. Leave out nothing in preparation. Respect the power and delve into the nightside. Come in, the water is quite warm.

Skrying - Mirrors and More

Skrying is one of the oldest forms of foretelling. The image of the Gypsy gazing deeply into a crystal ball is what usually comes to mind, but skrying is so much more. Through the ages sorcerers and psychics have utilized everything from ink to black mirrors to fire to gain entry to the mysteries. I, myself, utilize a black mirror specially prepared at the Arcanus Tarot Parlor. Peering into the lands of spirits and worlds that exist paralel to our own, I have brought back to this plane information to fortell the future, find lost objects, or receive instruction on practices to ply my will upon the world. I have conducted rituals utilizing this tool to commune with entities at Arcanus and the possibilies are endless.

With the ready availability of tarot cards, this tradition has practically faded into the past. There are some books on the subject, but they are severely lacking. Only instructing on the use of an empty surface, but they leave out the other uses. Such as opening gateways to spirits and other planes by skrying sigils, or magick squares. One can even use the same techniques to combine skrying and psychometry to gain information from ordinary objects. I use this in my practice quite often. I've even skried clients during sittings to gain a better image of the energies surrounding them.

Though steeped in the mysteries of the past, the practice is actually quite simple. It is merely getting into a relaxed state and when looking at your object, square, etc, you let your sight move out of focus and allow visions to come. Sometimes these are third eye impressions, and sometimes they are visual. It depends on the skill of the individual.

If you wish to try skrying for yourself, it is quite easy. First get something to use for skrying. I would recommend a black surface to start and then once you are capable with this move onto other objects. In a pinch you can use the turned off monitor of a computer. Or, if you are a bit more crafty, you can make a mirror from an old picture frame with the glass intact. There are more advanced ways to make one using condensors made from oils, herbs, and other mystical substances, which I make and sell at Arcanus, but that is beyond the scope of this particular article.

Once you have obtained your mirror, in a darkened room place it on a table where you can easily look into it. Place two candles on each side and slightly behind and begin your gazing. Let yourself relax and look into the blackness. Before long you will notice a mist appearing. This will eventually clear and your visions will come.
Practice this for a few weeks until it is second nature to you and then expand your abilities by skrying a magick square. I think you may be amazed at the information that you can obtain by this simple bit of sorcery.

That is it for now. Until next time.