Lessons - All

Magickal Diary
In this lesson, we will introduce the magickal diary...how it works, what's it used for, how do we write it, and how do we read it.
Well, think of it as a learning tool. This way, you can learn about yourself, and about your Magick. In a way, you are teaching yourself...you're the author, and the reader, and only you can read it and write it. The Magickal diary can be written in your book of shadows (The book you keep your spells in (spell book)), or a special book - a diary. In the diary, we write our experiances with magick so that we can look back on what we did, and learn from it. When we write in it, on the first page of the paper, we write the following:
- The spell/ritual/excercise 's title,
- The whole process,
- and leave a spece for the rating of the spell so you can rate it based on its results when the spell is cast and has taken effect. If it hasen't taken any effect (not worked), you just write "not working" in it, or if you want to cast it again sometime, write "try again" instead of the rating.
On the other page of the paper, wite the correspondences that were present at the time and place the spell was cast. for example:
- Moon stage,
- Date,
- Time,
- Day,
- Place,
- Anyone present,
- Mood,
- Tools you used, ect...

Under the whole thing, write your thoughts on the spell, and if it worked or not and your thoughts on the results of the spell. When you've written everything, and want to look back on it, you can see which correspondences suit you best, wat kind of spells suit you best, which elements you work best with, and so on.
It's a VERY big bonus if you write your magickal diary to look back into things later. It's never to
late to start one...very experianced witches still use the diaries after 30 years of practice, to look back on what spells they did and to even create a spell to brake a spell they did a long time ago, to rid of its effect. So you can see that the diary brings a lot of good things to your workings and you can learn so very much from it. I suggest you start making one ;)
Blessed be!
Next lesson: Setting up an altar Hope the lesson was good

The Altar


The first thing you need to decide is if you can have a permanent altar or if you will have to put it away each time. The kinds of things you use for your altar are very much up to your own personal taste and preferences. It's important that your altar be a reflection of your own spirituality.
The first item of a permanent altar is the table. Some people prefer round tables as they are easier to get around in the midst of a ritual circle. Others like a square table that fits easily into a corner when not in circle

Some people use a large wooden chest. They can store everything inside and then use the top of the chest as an altar when in use. Many think wood is the best medium for an altar since it's from the earth. But I think metal or stone work just as well.


Whatever you decide on it's a good practice to cleanse and consecrate it before use. Wiping it down with saltwater or smudging it with sage are quick ways to do this. Also exposure to the sun or moon will work equally well.
After selecting and cleansing a table or area for your altar, you should think about an altar cloth. These are usually decorated with symbols or images that add to your sense of magic or spirituality. Some people use different cloths depending on the season or sabbat which is approaching. It's traditional to set up your altar facing either North or East (depending on your tradition

On the LEFT side of the altar - Goddess Candle (White or Silver)
Goddess Statue
Chalice of Wine
Bowl of Water
Asperger (used to sprinkle water)
Cauldron
Pentacle
Bell
Crystals or Stones
Libations Dish (for Cakes and Wine

On the RIGHT
God Candle (Gold or Yellow)
God Statue
Wand
Censor with Incense
Bowl of Salt
Athame (Magickal Knife)
Boline (knife used to cut things)
Lighter or Matches

Oils, Herbs and other Candles can be placed anywhere convenient. You may also want to include your Book of Shadows and Ritual Pen for inscribing spells.



Another popular altar set up is based on the Elements and their associated tools and directions.
North (Earth)
Pentacle, Bowl of Salt, Stones, Plants, Flowers, Green Candle, Offering Cakes.

* Yellow Candle



East (Air)
Incense, Feather, Bell, Wand, Yellow Candle
* Blue Candle

South (Fire)
Red Candle, Athame, Boline, Anointing Oil, Candle Snuffer

* Red Candle

West (Water)
Bowl of Water, Seashell, Chalice with Wine, Blue Candle, Cauldron
* Green Candle




Center (spirit) -
Goddess and God Candles or Statues
Book of Shadows

A few things about the altar, you do not need one unless you want one. Since magic is all the mind, you can do whole rituals without an altar or any tools. Tools and the altars are nothing more than physical-visual aids to help you transfer you to a higher consciouness.

Cheap altars - a night stand, a milk crate, a desk, a trunk (shoe trunk or foot locker), a shoe box, and old rabbit cage, the top of a dog kennel no longer in use, you can even use the top of your dresser if you prefer. Some will even choose to make their own from scratch. It all depends on the person.

Smudging

As we all know, every herb has a magickal property. These magickal properties can be used in spells and rituals, so that they provide power to our spells. The power that they provide, depends on which magickal property the herb posseses.
How do we extract these properties? Well, there are many possible ways. One is called smudging and is the most commonly used way when performing a ritual or casting a spell.

Extracting the powers of the herbs by smudging them, means to burn them! The smoke that is comming from the burning herbs holds their properties/powers.
Witches oftenly use a feather to spread the smoke through the area that the spell is taking place, by swinging the feather and blowing smoke throughout the area.

The smoke is the key, to spreading the magickal properties of the burning herbs in your area where the spell or the ritual is taking place. The feathers used to spread the smoke, can also be different colors and can be used instead of candles. Of course, the color of the feather needs to be in the correspondence, with the type of the spell and with the magickal properties of the herbs!

You can find out the magickal properties of the herbs on this link:
http://spellsandritualsbook.synthasite.com/herbs.php

Now you know what smudging is and how to perform it!
Hope it helps you in your spellcasting and rituals!
Blessed be!

Awaking your Deity

There comes a time in your craft, where you need more motivation and need to turn a new leaf in the book.

If you cast alone, the power and efficiency of the spell is up to you alone.
That is why there are elder spirits that can be invoked and awaken inside you.
YOU were already chosen by one of the many gods of the world. All you need to do is, to find a connection between you and your god, and you will know who it is. Maybe there is a god you already admire so much. The divine deities have chosen you since your birth. They are waiting for you to call out to them and that is why you might of felt a special connection or even a family bond to them ever since youÂ’ve heard of them.

If you havenÂ’t, then do your research. Read a little something on them by browsing wikipedia.
They have a vast collection of gods of pretty much any religion.
If you donÂ’t belong to a religion, you can still choose your god. If you have your own belief, that doesnÂ’t mean you belong to any of the religions. None has the exact same belief in the spirit world and the world of gods as you do.
Anyway...When youÂ’ve chosen your god, do some more research on them. If possible, find correspondences (Correspondence = relation) with that god or goddess. Usually, they all have a few herbs in their correspondence, incense smells, oils, colors, and many other things.

Prepare for meditation. Set the mood and make sure no one is going to disturb you. Light some incense; relax your body in as comfortable position as it can be.

Here comes the exercise:

*Close your eyes.

You are protected by the divine. Your god/goddess watches over you. Nothing can harm you in any way. You are safe and at peace. The arms of your god/goddess are wrapped around your shoulders protecting you, loving you. This feels right!
It feels as if all of their love is pouring into you and you are blessed with their light.
That very god/goddess is giving you so much attention, so much happiness. Your body feels light and relaxed.
This is home!*

Ok. Now that the divine hands have touched you, and you felt their love for you, itÂ’s time you tell them you need them to be close at all times. In your mind, call out to them. Echo their name in your mind.
Tell them everything. They are your best friend, your sanctuary. Tell them EVERTHING you feel is important to say to them. Make it a prayer to them. ThereÂ’s no need for chants, no need for rhymes, and no need for materials.
Communication alone with your god or goddess is better then any spell. Keep that in mind.
If you put your feelings in a rhyme, or a poem, it will definitely not describe your wishes, needs, problems, feelings and neither will it mean to them as much as the effort of actually communicating with them through your mind. They are spirits with greater power. They have personalities. They are not just energies. They are your friends!

Once youÂ’ve finished talking to them, and finished communication with them, thank them for being there for you and for making you feel better.
The more you do this, the better the results.

Practice this every night! In time, you will be able to hear them speak back to you. They are truly GODS!

There is more to all this! Next part is comming next week.

May you find your way to your gods and goddesses!

Awaking the gods /part2

Right...so last week we learn how to establish a connection with your god or/and goddess.
This week, we will learn the benefits of this, the requirements to keep the benefits, and of course the more in depth look into the relationship with your deity. If you havenÂ’t read the previous lesson, this will make no sense to you so please read the previous lesson here!

So...After youÂ’ve learned the correspondences to your gods, you will want to give offerings to them.

What are offerings?
Well, offerings are gifts to the gods to show your respect, but mostly your love for them.

What should the gifts contain?
They can contain pretty much anything. As long itÂ’s in the correspondence with your gods.
They can contain physical or non-physical offerings.

If you offer physical offerings, you can offer flowers and give fresh ones when the old ones wilt, you can burn incense, you can burn herbs, you can make an object, a statue of them...long story short, pretty much anything you think is appropriate...itÂ’s the tought that matters!

If you offer non-physical, you can offer them some of your energy by channeling them some positive vibes (energy), you can make a chant for them, a ritual, and so on.

Why give offerings anyway?
Well, not only will you be closer to them, but in exchange for your offerings, they will offer their “services” to you.
For one, they offer protection, but you still need to put your own shields up sometimes.
They will help you with your magick, meaning they will assist you in the area they “specialize” in. For example, let’s say your deity is Aphrodite the Greek goddess of Love.
She will drastically improve the success rate of your love spells. They descend from heavens to help you in your craft and do what they do best!

They assist in everyday life as well.
The gods will give you a bit of their own “powers”.
Your skills in the areas your gods “specialize” in are going to improve drastically!
You are, in a way the beholder of their godly “powers”.

And last but not least, everything in correspondence with your deities is gonna come to you more frequently, smoother, and in a more positive way.

IÂ’m not sure I explained the last park very well. Please, let me know if you have any questions.
Read everything at least twice to truly understand it please!
Blessed be!

Casting a circle with tools & a coven

Start by determining how big your space needs to be. A ceremonial circle is a place in which positive energy and power are kept in, and negative energy kept out. The size of your circle will depend on how many people need to be inside it, and what the circleÂ’s purpose is. If youÂ’re hosting a small coven meeting for a few people, a nine-foot-diameter circle is sufficient. On the other hand, if itÂ’s Beltane and youÂ’ve got four dozen Pagans preparing to do a Spiral Dance, youÂ’ll need a space significantly larger. A solitary practitioner can work easily in a three- to five-foot circle.
Figure out where your Circle should be cast. In some traditions, a Circle is physically marked on the ground, while in others it is merely visualized by each member of the group. If you have an indoor ritual space, you can mark the Circle on the carpet. Do whichever your tradition calls for. Once the Circle is designated, it is usually navigated by the High Priest or High Priestess, holding an athame, a candle, or a censer.
Which direction will your circle face? The circle is almost always oriented to the four cardinal points, with a candle or other marker placed at the north, east, south and west and the altar in the center with all the necessary tools for the ritual. Before entering the circle, participants are purified as well.
How do you actually cast the circle? Methods of casting the circle vary from one tradition to another. In some forms of Wicca, the God and Goddess are called upon to share the ritual. In others, the Hight Priest (HP) or High Priestess (HPs) will begin at the north and call upon the deities of the tradition from each direction. Usually this invocation includes a mention of the aspects associated with that direction – emotion, intellect, strength, etc. A sample ritual for casting a circle might take place like this:
Mark the circle upon the floor or the ground. Place a candle in each of the four quarters – green to the North to represent Earth, yellow in the East to represent Air, red or orange symbolizing Fire in the South, and blue to the West in association with Water. All necessary magical tools should already be in place upon the altar in the center. Let’s assume that the group, called Three Circles Coven, is led by a High Priestess.
The HPs enters the circle from the east and announces, “Let it be known that the circle is about to be cast. All who enter the Circle may do so in perfect love and perfect trust.” Other members of the group may wait outside the circle until the casting is complete. The HPs moves clockwise around the circle, carrying a lit candle (if it’s more practical, use a lighter instead). At each of the four cardinal points, she calls upon the Deities of her tradition (some may refer to these as Watchtowers, or Guardians).
As she lights the candle in the East from the one she carries, the HPs says:

Guardians of the East, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
The HPs moves to the South, and lights the red or orange candle, saying:

Guardians of the South, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of energy and will, guided by Fire,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Next, she circles around to the West, where she lights the blue candle and says:

Guardians of the West, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of passion and emotion, guided by Water,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Finally, the HPs goes to the last candle in the North. When lighting it, she says:

Guardians of the North, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of endurance and strength, guided by Earth,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
At this point, the HPs will announce that the circle is cast, and other members of the group can ritually enter the circle. Each person approaches the HPs, who will ask:

How do you enter the circle?

Each individual will respond:

In perfect love and perfect trust or In the light and love of the Goddess or whatever response is appropriate to your tradition.
Once all members are present within the circle, the circle is closed. At no time during ritual should anyone exit the circle without performing a ceremonial “cutting.” To do this, hold your athame in your hand and make a cutting motion across the line of the circle, first to your right and then to your left. You are essentially creating a “door” in the circle, which you may now walk through. When you return to the circle, enter it in the same place you exited, and “close” the doorway by reconnecting the line of the circle with the athame.
When the ceremony or rite has ended, the circle is usually cleared in the same manner in which it was cast, only in this case the HPs will dismiss the deities or Guardians and thank them for watching over the coven. In some traditions, the temple is cleared simply by having all members raise their athames in salute, thanking the God or Goddess, and kissing the blades of the athame.
If the above method of casting a circle seems boring or dull to you, that’s okay. It’s a basic framework for ritual, and you can make yours as elaborate as you like. If you’re a very poetic person who likes lots of ceremony, feel free to use creative license – call upon “the weavers of the wind, the breezes that blow from the East, blessing us with wisdom and knowledge, so mote it be,” etc, etc. If your tradition associates various deities with the directions, call upon those Gods or Goddesses in the ways that they expect you to do so.
Just make sure that you donÂ’t spend so much time casting the Circle that you donÂ’t have any time left for the rest of your ceremony!

Tips:
Have all your tools ready ahead of time -- this will save you from scrambling around during the middle of the ritual looking for things!
If you forget what you mean to say when casting the circle, improvise. Talking to your deities should come from the heart.
If you make a mistake, don't sweat it. The universe has a pretty good sense of humor, and we mortals are fallible.

What You Need:

* Athame
* Candles
* Censer
* Other tools of your tradition

Casting By yourself with no tools (modify above tool usage to bottom if you wish to use tools)

The method below requires no movement (though you can move if you want too), and can even be done in the midst of a crowd of people without them realizing just what it is you're doing. This is very useful if you begin to feel overwhelmed; you can cast the circle to shield yourself from excessive energy. Once you are comfortable with this technique, you'll be able to cast your circle at a moment's notice.

Begin by taking a moment to ground and center yourself. Focus on your internal center. This is the area roughly behind and slightly below your naval, or belly button. You need to find your own center, so take just a moment to do so. This may take some practice, so be patient with yourself. While centering, breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth.

Once you've found your internal center, visualize a small ball of energy, about the size of a golf ball, forming at your center. Visualize a small stream of energy coming up from the Earth to feed this ball. The color of this ball can vary depending on your preferences, and on the purpose of the circle. For general use, and for practice, use a white ball, which holds all of the colors. Here are some basic color meanings; you may find different meanings elsewhere:

White

purity, peace

Black

banishing, protection, shielding

Red

passion, energy, sexuality

Orange

justice, success

Yellow

justice, friendship

Green

healing, wealth, fertility, abundance

Blue

wisdom, inspiration

Purple

psychic ability, spirituality, connection with the divine

Remember, these are just basic correspondences, you should use what works for you.

Once you have the small ball clearly visualized, begin to expand it. You'll want to do this slowly at first, too fast and you'll lose it. As you breathe out through your mouth, allow the ball to expand; as you breathe in through your nose, allow it to rest at that size. Continue to do
this until the ball is begins to move outside of your body.

At this point, you may encounter some resistance (or you may not!) That's okay. Take a few breaths without expanding the ball, and then begin the expansion again. If at any point you feel resistance, take this same pause, breathing and allowing the energy to settle for a moment.

Continue to expand the ball until it is the size you need it to be. If you are casting the circle for a large ritual, then you will, of course, want a large ball. If you are casting for a mediation exercise, you may only want your ball to reach out enough to encompass your entire body.

When the ball, now a large sphere, has reached your desired size, stop expanding. Continue to breath steadily, in through your and out through your mouth. Visualize the flow of energy from the Earth begin to subside, and then stopping entirely. Visualize the sphere being sealed, so that no energy escapes. Take a moment to visualize the sphere become more solid, and state, either out loud, or in your mind, the intention that the sphere stay in place until you are ready to release.

Now you can begin your intended work.

When you are done, you will want to release the sphere. The process to do so is essentially the reverse of the casting process. Begin by focusing for a moment on your breathing; in through your nose and out through your mouth. Re-establish the connection between the sphere and the Earth. Visualize the energy of the sphere beginning to flow back into the Earth. As you breathe in, visualize the sphere contracting, getting smaller with each breath. Allow the sphere to rest with each exhalation. Continue this until the sphere is back to its starting size, and then visualize the sphere dissipating entirely. Ground and center yourself, and then go on your way.

A. Ritual Preparation

1. Define purpose
2. Write ritual
3. Gather necessary tools
4. Prepare area
5. Prepare body

B. Open Circle

1. Find true North
2. Set up Magickal 'doorway'
3. Call the Watchtowers / Elemental Quarters

C. Invocation to the deities

1. Align self with deity
2. Invoke deities

D. Statement of Purpose

E. Actual Rite

1. Working
a. Complete preliminary manual or visual task
b. Raise power / energy
c. Focus power / energy
d. Ground power / energy

2. Honoring
a. Complete preliminary manual or visual task
b. Dedicate cakes and wine
c. Partake in cakes and wine

F. Meditation

G. Thanking the deities

H. Closing the Circle

1. Mentally and verbally close the circle
2. Physically close the circle
3. Clean up
a. Disposal
b. Washing of plates and glasses
c. Putting away tools and other implements

GROUND AND CENTRE:

* start by standing up as straight as possible, head slightly tilted back, taking in a few deep breaths - through your nose (if you can)- trying to push your belly out as you inhale.
* hold it for a few seconds... then slowly release... keep your lips slightly apart as you exhale.
* With every exhale, feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into a deep state of relaxation.... deeper and deeper into a pleasant state of calm..
* Keep breathing in this way for a few more breaths (between 2&5 breaths. reamining comfortable)
* Now when you feel relaxed and ready move onto the next step..
* Take another deep breathe, drawing in deep and strong energy from the earth, up thorugh your sole of your left foot as you inhale.. through your entire body..
* As you exhale drawing out that energy through your right foot.. leaving you feeling calm, empowered and ready for magick..

TREE OF LIFE GROUNDING:

* Imagine you are an ancient tree, feeling yourself planted on holy ground
* Sink you roots deep into darkness of the Earth, feeling the coolness of the earth, the rocks beneathe you as you go deeper into the Earth
* As your roots sink deeper into the soil you reach the fiery mantle of molton core and you feel the throbbing crystalline iron heart of our mother earth.
* With each beat the sensation is drawn up through your roots and with the throbbing you feel the warmth from the molton, filling you with magick and warming your heart.
* Now stretch yor branches up into the sky, way up into heavens reaching towards the light of the sun.
* As you reach the sun un curl your leaves to receive the Solar Father.
* Now go beyond into the stars, letting your conciousness flow through the twigs embrassing the universe, absorbing different lights and blazing energies.
* Once you have gained all of that draw it down into your body, letting it enfuse every cell, letting it illuminating your mind and flooding your heart with light.
* as your whole body is filled with the wonders and energies of the universe and magick, you are now in the centre of the universe.
* Take a deep breath and exhale, Enjoy :)

WORDS THAT CAN BE USED WITH VISUAL THOUGHTS - MY ROOTS GO DOWN:

my roots go down,
down into the ground
my roots go down

I am a redwood by the forest
My roots go down,
Down into the ground
My roots go down

I am a willow by the water
My roots go down,
Down into the ground
My roots go down

I am an Oak tree by a hill
My roots go down,
Down into the ground
My roots go down.

Cosmic Energy

This is the most difficult energy to define, the most difficult to actually see and yet, paradoxically, probably the most easy to draw upon and use as a psychic. ItÂ’s pure and infinite and of the highest vibration. It comes from the cosmos and pours down in abundance. You can use it at anytime, not just to increase psychic awareness, but as a cleansing and re-energizing experience. You may initially find the concept of its existence hard to accept but just one opening up session in which you feel the energy for yourself is quite sufficient to assure you beyond any doubt of its presence.

So where does it come from? Many people say this source of pure white light and energy comes from God. Others use their own word for God: Allah or Buddha, for instance. However, you do not need to affiliate this to any religious experience. If you want to put a name on it you can call it a non religious title, such as Great Spirit, Universal One or make up a name that seems appropriate to you. The name makes no difference to the energy that streams into the room: it pours down from above as powerfully as ever. ItÂ’s the thought process that creates the power and you have to learn to connect with the right word for yourself. If nothing feels right, do not worry in time that name will be revealed to you. What is important is that you acknowledge, appreciate and respect its divine power and give thanks for its presence.

When starting psychic development, many people think that calling on pure energy must be extremely difficult. They feel that it should take a great deal of time to connect with it and, although it might happen to others, maybe they wonÂ’t experience it. So, before you start to build up any more blocks in your thought process, try this first simple exercise to experience the cosmic energy for yourself.

Working with Cosmic Energy

Sit comfortably in a chair but choose a padded upright one, not an armchair into which your body will sag. Keep your back as straight as feels comfortable, have your legs uncrossed and put your feet flat on the floor. Let your arms relax at your sides and have your hands unclasped, resting loosely on your thighs. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing for a moment. When you feel ready, breathe a little more deeply, really drawing the breath down into your stomach.

Wait until your body feels nicely relaxed, and then imagine the ceiling is lifting off the room in which youÂ’re sitting. Either have it roll to one side like an awning, lift off into the air, or disappear like magic. Now there is a rich blue sky above you and warm light is streaming into the room. Concentrate on that warm light and realize itÂ’s pouring in as a rich stream of pure white energy. ItÂ’s a never-ending waterfall of light, streaming endlessly from its source. As you see it even more clearly in your mind, it gets even brighter and lighter and more intense. ItÂ’s the most beautiful light you have ever seen in your life. It makes you feel wonderful. Let it pour in your room and have it cascade over and around you. If you feel like it, even have it pour in through the top of your head and feel its energy cleansing and refreshing your entire body. The more you visualize the energy, the stronger it gets and the more refreshed you feel. Its intensity and purity is energizing on a level youÂ’ve never experienced before.

Enjoy it for another moment longer, and then start to concentrate on your physical body again. Remember how you are sitting in your chair and feel your weight resting on the chair seat. Be aware of your breathing and feel itÂ’s comforting rhythm. Slowly put the ceiling back on your room again and know that you are safely enclosed, back in your earth world again. You might want to thank the spirit or force for the opportunity to feel its cosmic strength and love.

Before you open your eyes, concentrate on your feet which should still be resting flat on the floor. Notice how heavy they feel and imagine there are long roots coming out of the soles of your feet, anchoring you to the floor again. When you are really aware of the weight of your body again and feel properly grounded, then slowly open your eyes. Wait a few minutes before getting up out of your seat.

How did that feel? Did you have a sense of that white energy? It does not matter if it was not an overwhelmingly powerful experience for you. If you felt a tingle, a sensation of light and energy, that is fine. The more you visualize the cosmic energy, the more intense it becomes. Some of you will find it immediately powerful, probably those of you who have spent some time thinking about and acknowledging energies before. The acknowledgement of something more in our universe is always mind expanding and exciting.

By Earth Fire

Meeting and contacting your Spirit Guide

Before undertaking a meditation to meet your guide for the first time, there are some things you should know.

Spirit guides are the same as ordinary people when it comes to communicating with politeness –

“Please” and “Thank you” are still required!

They, like us, appreciate being spoken to with respect. They usually have a good sense of humour - and always only want what’s best for us.

As you get to know your guide, you will get to know their quirks and little ways, and become more comfortable with your communication. Mine are always joking and providing laughter !

Don’t become dependant on direct communication with your Spirit guides. Our own intuition and gifts are aided enough by our guides most of the time anyway.

Communication is on their terms as their first mission is to guide you 24 – 7 on a more subtle and subconscious level.

They will not be summoned to answer trivial questions that have no real illuminating purpose, for your life purpose or the greater good!

Don’t be concerned if you don’t meet your guide first, second or third time you do the meditation – when the time is appropriate for your guide to introduce themselves, they will.

And not before!



Meditation #1 -

Concentrate on your breathing, breathe deeply and slowly, in through your nose and out of your mouth. See good energy going in with each breath, and bad energy leaving as you breathe out.



Continue breathing in this way for about a minute, then relax into a steady breathing pattern.



Clear your mind as best you can and allow the scene to unfold in your minds eye.

Visualise a beautiful wide open place you have been to in your life that evokes happy memories and a feeling of calm, happiness and contentment.



See yourself as truly being there, surrounded by the sights, smells and sounds of your surroundings.



The sun is warm on your face, you turn it upwards and close your eyes, basking in the glow.



Focus on a point of the landscape far in the distance. This may be a tree, hedge, hill, boulder, whatever fits in with the scenery. Really see its detail.



Soon you see a shape emerge from behind this object far in the distance. You smile.



This shape is your guide. Remember, they come in love and peace to introduce themselves and mean you no harm, just to let you know them.



As they come closer, they may walk or glide depending on whether they have chosen human form at this point.

Your guide may even be in animal form at this stage.



On their approach, you will be able to see details of their appearance, eye colour, facial features, clothing, markings.

You can walk towards them too if you wish. You will be able to feel the love emanating from them as they come closer.



Greet your guide. Ask them to greet you in their chosen way. If you can hear their thoughts clearly in your head, you are fortunate.



It is a delicate process meeting your guide and establishing communication, so if you don't hear them at first, don’t worry. It isn’t your fault or theirs!


It is a warm happy feeling- like greeting an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time – for that is exactly who they are, an old friend of ours.



In this moment of recognition, you may find familiar “memories” come to you of the times you have spent in Spirit or previous lives with your guide.



Don’t worry if all that you see or hear is fuzzy the first time you try this.



Prepare for the unexpected, (in a good way though – remember your guide will never cause or bring harm to you, they are there to protect and guide you!)



N.B -my guide was so eager she almost jumped out on me by appearing from behind a hedge when I tried to communicate with her the first time! She is more careful now !



At this point they may embrace you or touch you, or even introduce themselves by name – don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a name first time as some guides will not impart a name - some highly evolved Spirit no longer find "name" of any relevance in their realm of elevation.



If you have a little inner sceptic, your guide may pose a question, a challenge or ask you to go and find proof of their former physical existence elsewhere.



Why?



- so that you will not doubt yourself as just having made up a fictional guide in your head! One of my guides presented himself in a flurry of martial arts activity - He then told me I would find word of him on the Internet for he was a known martial artist in his past life.



He had to pronounce his name 4 or 5 times before I got it right! Even then when I did find "word of him" on the Web, I had spelt it wrong anyway (Chinese alphabet = not like ours!) so couldn't have been my imagination!


Ask a question or two - but be thoughtful in how you word them so there is only one possible answer.



Ambiguous questions will get vague answers!



You now realise as you look into the smiling loving eyes of your guide that you can solve problems that have been bothering you for some time and that no problem is so large you can't handle it knowing you have the loving support of your guide, for this spirit knows every thing there is to know about you and loves you regardless and will always be there standing beside you through good times and bad.



Take a little time to talk to your guide, if they wish to speak. Some meetings are silent.

Maybe you would like to take a few moments to thank your guide for all the blessings you've received in your life, and for the all the blessings you will continue to receive.



Often our guides communicate symbolically, maybe your angel will show you something or give something to you.

Its time now for you to say goodbye with a tender hug and a wave goodbye, as you watch your guide turn around and walk back to the point they emerged from in the distance.

You have no feelings of sadness to see your guide go, because you now know wherever you are and whatever you do, your guide is watching over you, and will hear your requests for help.

Look around you again, everything still looks the same, the birds are still singing, the sky's still blue but now it feels different, every thing seems so much lighter and brighter, as you get up to start making your way back .

You are filled with an added strength you've never known before, feeling so very happy you could almost skip and dance as you make your way back home, take one more look behind and keep this image in your mind’s eye for you can come back to this place at anytime.

You are back at home now, listen to the music, open your eyes, take a look around you be aware of your surroundings, maybe you would like to take a drink of your water and take your time before standing up and having a good stretch.




Meditation #2
Concentrate on your breathing, breathe deeply and slowly in through your nose and out of your mouth.

Continue breathing in this way for about a minute, then relax into a steady breathing pattern, clear your mind as best you can and allow the scene to unfold in your minds eye.

Now visualise yourself taking a walk in the country to a place of beauty and tranquility, its a warm summers day the sky is deep blue, the sun shines brightly and the birds are singing, its so peaceful here away from it all.

Walk around, take a look at your surroundings, be aware of the colours around you.

You can hear a stream babbling nearby, you can feel the gentle breeze rustling the leaves on the trees, listen as the birds are happily chirping to each other, there's flowers all around and you can see butterflies dancing around them.

You see a big wide old oak tree nearby, it has a big sturdy trunk, with a soft pad of grass beneath it.

Go and sit underneath the tree with your back against it..feel the bark against your back, feel yourself becoming as one with your beautiful surroundings, keep listening to the sounds of nature all around you.

This is your very own sacred space, a place where you can feel safe and secure and free from all the hustle and bustle of life.

Take a few more deep breaths - the air is so pure and clean you feel your skin tingling as your body is being cleansed with every breath you take.

Look up to the sky – such a deep blue - you see a star, but no ordinary star, for this star shines bright as the sun during the day.

It is shining with all the colours of the rainbow , shimmering and glowing ever brighter .

You notice that it is drifting down towards you, slowly and gracefully, with no sound other than nature around you. Soon it is hovering a few feet above, you are amazed and not frightened at all, you feel the warmth of the rainbow glow spreading all over you as you are showered with the gentle, positive energy.

Close your eyes and allow the colours to wash over you and soak in to your aura and then your body. Feel them cleansing and purifying every atom of your being.

Now the rainbow colour pulsates gently and shifts to a radiant golden glow, and you bask in this for a moment.

As you bask in the golden warmth, you become filled with absolute love and compassion from the star.

Now as you open your eyes, you see the star has changed again – for standing right before you is a guide.

In this moment of recognition, you may find familiar “memories” come to you of the times you have spent in Spirit or previous lives with your guide.

You now realise as you look into the smiling loving eyes of your guide that you can solve problems that have been bothering you for some time and that no problem is so large you can't handle it knowing you have the loving support of your guide, for this spirit knows every thing there is to know about you and loves you regardless and will always be there standing beside you through good times and bad.

Take a little time to talk to your guide.

Maybe you would like to take a few moments to thank your guide for all the blessings you've received in your life, and for the all the blessings you will continue to receive.

You could ask for your guide’s name, but don't worry if you don't quite understand immediately.

Often our guides communicate symbolically, maybe your angel will show you something or give something to you. Sometimes there is no name, as it no longer has relevance to this spirit being.

Its time now for you to say goodbye with a tender hug and a wave goodbye.

Your golden guide merges back into the rainbow light and so becomes the star as it floats effortlessly up to the deep blue sky again.

You have no feelings of sadness to see it go, because you now know wherever you are and whatever you do, your guide is watching over you.

Look around you again, everything still looks the same, the birds are still singing, the sky's still blue but now it feels different, every thing seems so much lighter and brighter, as you get up to start making your way back .

You are filled with an added strength you've never known before, feeling so very happy you could almost skip and dance as you make your way back home, take one more look behind and keep this image in your mind’s eye for you can come back to this place at anytime.

You are back at home now, listen to the music, open your eyes, take a look around you be aware of your surroundings, maybe you would like to take a drink of your water and take your time before standing up and having a good stretch.


This is from- http://www.magickal-musings.com/spirit_guides.htm , all credit goes to them, but this was just too good not to make into a lesson.


All of us have them. They are all around us if we could only perceive them. Often confused with angels, they are souls who walk amongst us who are here to help, offer guidance, comfort, and yes - even advice. Just what are these spirits and where do they come from? They are what are known as Spirit Guides and they come from the Realm of Spirit, or the Other Side.

A Spirit Guide, unlike an Angel, was once a human being, like you and I. They lived their life, performed their tasks, died, and crossed over to the Other Side. Some choose to come back, to reincarnate in a new life, in a new place. Others, however, make the choice to remain in Spirit so they can learn and spiritually advance while helping others still living to learn their life's lessons. This is a Spirit Guide.

Spirit Guides, as former human beings, are well aware of the problems we face in our everyday, mundane lives. They were once concerned with very similar matters. They tend to have their own special areas of expertise, often based on past personal experiences or careers they have had in a past life.

Your Spirit Guide, unlike your Guardian Angel, comes & goes in your life. A Guardian Angel is with you from birth until death. A Spirit Guide, on the other hand, comes into your life when an issue arises that falls under a guide's field of expertise. So, Spirit Guides often come and go, changing as the situations in your life change, and as you change and grow, you attract new guides to you.

Your Spirit Guide is always there to help you. This is their sole purpose, to offer the living their help and guidance. However, as spirits, they operate on a higher vibrational frequency than mortals do, so the majority of us cannot see them, cannot hear them, and cannot sense their presence.

So, how do we know when a Spirit Guide is trying to make contact with us?

Unless you are fairly intuitive, most of us are not consciously aware of when a Guide attempts to make contact with us. Think of the random thoughts that occur to your throughout you day. Hmm, no, that's too much. What about the random thoughts that occur to you in just 3 minutes?

Take this simple test. Try to focus & sustain your thought on one goal:

"I wish to make contact with my Spirit Guide."

Do this now. I'll wait right here.

tick .... tick ....... tick .... tock ......... tick ......... tick ..... tick

All right, 3 minutes have passed. How many of you were able to sustain the thought:

"I wish to make contact with my Spirit Guide"

for 3 minutes without having a single unrelated thought enter your head??? I'm willing to bet very few of you were able to do this, unless you already practice some form of meditation or guided visualization techniques.

You see, your brain is like a giant sieve. It processes input continuously while you are awake and even when you are asleep. Unless you perform this simple exercise inside a sensory deprivation chamber, other thoughts are going to occur to you. For example, I also tried this exercise. I do not meditate, however I practice visualization & focusing techniques when I perform spells & readings. Yet, when I did this simple exercise here are some thoughts that occurred to me in ONLY 3 minutes:

my wrist itches

what will I make for dinner?

the air conditioner seems extra loud

I hope my daughter doesn't interrupt me

someone's mowing their lawn

You probably had a very similar experience, perhaps not the same thoughts as I (now that would be something!), but I am sure some random thoughts interrupted your focus. This is normal because this is just how the brain works. When this occurs, merely bring your thoughts to focus back on your objective:

"I wish to make contact with my Spirit Guide."

In time, you will find that you are capable of sustaining this thought for longer periods of time before random thoughts begin to enter your head. When you actually do attempt to make contact with your Guide, the ability to focus becomes very important.



Do's and Don't's of Spirit Guide Contact -

1) DON'T expect any famous historical personages, dead rock stars, or religious icons to put in an appearance.

All of these cases have been known to happen, but in the first two instances this is usually our ego wishing for contact with such a person like Cleopatra, Michelangelo, John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe, etc ... And religious figures; such as, Christ, the Virgin Mary, Buddha, Krishna, and others, can be Guides, but usually this will not be the very first Guide to make their presence known to you.

2) DO a simple protection ritual (see below) before you begin. This is of vital importance in order to keep spirits of lower vibrational frequencies away from you during your session. Such spirits are often lost on the Earth plane unaware that they are dead, or they could even be demonic in nature. A simple protection ritual will safeguard you against any undesirable spirit encounters.

3) DON'T have any preconceived notions of who or what your Spirit Guide may be. This could lead to a great big disappointment. A client of mine took my Spirit Guide class convinced her guide would be some person of renown from ancient Greece, since that is where her interests lay. Instead, she got a talking beaver!!! Imagine her surprise! However, the beaver had many important things to say and still offers his guidance to her to this day. This is a case of a Totem Animal, which is an Animal Spirit who acts as a Guide.

4) DO always prepare for the unexpected. Turn the ringer off on the phone, put the volume of the answering machine on zero, lock the door, if others are in the house ask them to please not disturb you for any reason - unless the house is burning down, of course. Make sure you are seated in a comfortable position and that you have pen or pencil and paper handy to write down any impressions or messages you may receive.

5) DON'T share what you are doing with others who are not of like mind. Ridicule and disbelief will undermine your attempts by introducing negative energy into an otherwise very positive and uplifting experience.

6) DO keep a special book set aside to be used as a journal in which you note all of your spiritual encounters. This journal will prove to be an invaluable source of information to you over the coming weeks, months, even years.

7) DON'T expect your Guide to be able to foretell the future by asking him or her, "when will I win the lottery?" Guides do not foretell the future unless that was part of their personal expertise while alive. They also will not know what the winning lotto numbers for the upcoming lotto drawing will be. Believe me, I've tried this more than once!!

8) DO believe you will make contact. For some, contact occurs with the very first session, for others, it can take weeks, but persistence always pays off, so just stick to it and your Spirit Guide will make him or herself known to you.



A Basic Protection Spell Prior to Making Contact -



First, prepare by making sure you will not be disturbed. Turn the ringer off on the phone, put the answering machine on low volume, lock the door or put a "do not disturb" sign on the door in which you'll be attempting to contact your Spirit Guides, and go to the bathroom before you begin. You do not want to be disturbed by the urge to relieve yourself.

The materials you need to have with you for every session include:

*

a comfortable place to sit while meditating. Remember after your session you'll be writing in this same spot, too.
*

comfortable clothing
*

a blanket (in case you get cold while meditating - this is common)
*

pen or pencil
*

paper or notebook
*

any spiritual or religious Symbols that you wish (optional)
*

candle and/or incense to help create the "mood" (optional)



Once you have all your items set up the way you want them, if you are using a candle and/or incense, light it first. I really do recommend at least the use of a candle. I use the flame to focus on while I meditate and it helps to create a more spiritual atmosphere. Personally, I do not use incense while meditating just because the scent distracts me, but this is a personal preference. Some people cannot meditate without burning incense, so the choice is yours.

For your candle, you can really use any shape or size. The best colors to use are, in order of spiritual preference:

*

purple (for higher guidance & protection)
*

white (same)
*

yellow (mental pursuits)
*

blue (spiritual pursuits)

It does not matter if your candle is scented or not, unless, like me, you find scent distracting. If you do, then don't use a scented candle.

As you focus on the flame, imagine yourself in a quiet place. You may have a favorite place or somewhere you loved to go as a child that was quiet & secluded. Bring that place to mind and focus on it. It can be anything ranging from sitting under a tree to being in an Egyptian temple (my personal favorite) or anything in between. Just make sure that whatever your imagining includes only you & your surroundings. If you're imagining your old tree house you had as a kid, don't also imagine all your childhood friends there with you.

As you have your ideal quiet place in mind gently send out your intention:

"I wish to contact my Spirit Guide."

Focus again on the flame if you find your mind is wandering. Don't stop, just re-focus on the flame and continue. As you do, say this simple invocation for Protection:
"O holy Mother/Father God
I ask for your protective White Light to surround me & my home.
I ask for your protection at this time.
I open my heart, mind, and spirit to any knowledge
Sent to me by Spirits or Angels of the Light.
Only Beings of Light shall be allowed to enter my sacred space.
No Being of negative or mal intent is allowed to enter.
I open myself to my Spirit Guides & Angels
As I ask for their Guidance & Advice at this time."


Remain focused upon your candle flame, imagine your special place, and simply sit and wait for your Spirit Guide to arrive.

Please try not to have any preconceived notions of what your Spirit Guide should look like because this can severely limit your experience. One of my students was convinced that her Guide was a Biblical figure. She was shocked when the Entity who made himself known to her was a 1950s teenager in a black leather jacket who loved to ride motorcycles. You just never know who (or in the case of the Beaver, what) may come through. Some Guides do not even appear in human form. They may appear as a mist, a ball of light, I had one appear to me as a talking waterfall. Just remember the most important thing is to maintain an open mind and to be receptive and accepting of whoever comes through for you.

Once your Spirit Guide appears, introduce yourself. Even though they already know who you are, it never hurts to use good manners. Then ask them who they are. Wait for a name. One will be provided. Tell yourself you will remember the name so you can write it down once your session is over.

Next, ask your Guide if he/she has any advice to impart to you at this time. Many times, for this first visit the Guide simply makes their presence known and won't have a real message for you. If that is the case, do not despair. Next time your Guide will have something of importance to say to you.

Once your Guide has imparted their message to you, be sure to thank them, then will yourself back to your normal state of consciousness.

Now that your meditation with your Spirit Guide is over, once you are feeling comfortable, write down everything you remember about your Guide. Start with their name, if they told you, then go on to describe as detailed as you can how they dressed. The manner in which a Spirit Guide dresses will give you a lot of information about what type of culture they come from and also information on the time period of their last incarnation. Also be sure to write down anything your Guide told you, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you now. Later on it may become very important.

Once you have established contact with your Spirit Guide, be sure to play close attention to your dreams. You may wish to keep a recorder or journal next to your bed so you can note any details. Spirit Guides and Angels often communicate with us through our dreams because they have direct access to our subconscious through our dreams. Also, at that time our defenses are down. We do not attempt to filter out any strange voices or images in our dreams so our Spirit Guides and Angels have a much easier time contacting us than while we're awake. When we're awake our minds are preoccupied with the hustle and bustle of everyday life so our Guides and Angels have a difficult time breaking through all that interference, but when we're asleep we are wide open and receptive, so they can much more easily communicate with us through dreams than while we're awake.

I suggest you keep your entries in a journal for your dreams and meditative sessions so you may want to buy a blank book that you keep just for writing down your sessions with your Guide. As you continue to practice this meditative method it shall become easier for you and your messages from your Guide shall become more involved and detailed over time.

The main requirement in connecting with your spirit guides and angels is not psychic ability. The majority of people who write me about questions regarding their guides and angels almost always ask me if they have to be psychic in order to make the connection. The answer is NO. All you need is a sincere desire to make such a connection, keep an open mind, and above all - be patient. It is very rare for a person to get instant results, but it does happen. I won't say that it won't happen to you, but if it doesn't, please do not lose hope. Keep on trying. Your guides are there waiting to communicate, but if they are silent it could be that they have nothing to say at the time. Also, please remember spirit guides were once people, too. They retain many of the characteristics they had while alive. If they loved to talk while alive, then you may be opening yourself up to constant chatter. However, if they were shy in life, then you may have to work a bit harder at getting them to come forward and begin communicating with you on some level. Just be patient, hang in there, and know that you are always surrounded by loving and protective energies