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.