Essay for Professor Lilith

Instructions

There are many types of spirits. Ancestral spirits are just spirits of your ancestors. These could be spirits of people you knew in real life, or a distant ancestor. They either hang around to either work with you, or they just like you. Unlike other types of spirits, ancestral spirits are very safe. Earthbound spirits are similar to ancestral spirits, except they are just spirits of people who once lived on earth. It is common for an earthbound spirit to get "stuck" in some places. This is most commonly because they had such a traumatic death. Most hauntings are caused because of earthbound spirits. Recordings are one type of common spirit that appears on tv shows. Usually it's a ball of energy that is stuck in a loop. A lot of ghost hunters have seen recordings replay their own deaths. Even if you were to encounter a recording, they can't hurt anyone. Spirits Of The Dead are the same as ancestral spirits, they just aren't related to you. They aren't stuck on earth, they just choose to stay with the people they love. You can summon them by necromancy, but it's not to bring their body back to life, it's more of you summon them into a semi-realistic form to communicate with them. Spirit guides are normally personal to you. They are usually around your energy field and are able to guide you or give you advice. They can range from deceased ancestors to random souls you've never met, or even angels. Although mineral spirits aren’t common or well-known, they’re types of spirits that are all around us. Most mineral spirits enjoy interacting with people as long as they’re treated respectfully. Some of these spirits just won’t want to work together. This is rare, but it does happen. There are 72 Goetic Demons which were first discussed in the Lesser Key Of Solomon, written in the 17th century. These spirits aren’t very demonic and can be really helpful if you want to work with a spirit. Goetic demons typically like working with witches or spiritual practitioners. It’s common for them to help out with spells. They may want something in return, so I recommend negotiating carefully. The Fair Folk, or Fae, are a very diverse group of beings. They have neither good nor malicious intent, but you may come across one who has either. There are many different types of Fair Folk from many different cultures, most of them being connected to nature. When working with the Fair Folk, there are some general rules. Never say thank you to the Fair Folk, or give them something directly. Instead, leave offerings for them to take. Household Fae, for example, may take offerings like baked goods or something homemade. Many Faeries live in the woods, where you can find Faery rings. Usually shown as a ring of mushrooms or dead grass, these are the gathering places of Fair Folk. The Fair Folk do not want humans in their sacred spaces, and stepping in a Faery ring is very bad luck. If you happen to step in one by accident, back away slowly and apologize. The Fae can be very helpful in magickal workings, just remember to be respectful, or face consequences. Another type of magickal being is plant spirits. You can sense a plant spirit by looking for eyes or faces on trees, or simply sensing a presence. Plant spirits can be very useful to your practice, so if you want to work with one, here is what you should do. First, find your plant. If there is a specific plant you feel drawn to, or just any in your backyard. Please do keep in mind that not every plant will want to work with you, so just be polite. Once you’ve found a plant, get to know it. Spend a lot of time with it. You may want to leave offerings for it. A good fertilizer, honey, or even a small statue. Whatever you feel comfortable with, just make sure it’s environmentally friendly. The main thing to keep in mind is to always state your intentions clearly and ask before doing anything with the plant. Angels can be found in many religions, mostly as the servants of god, or holy beings. They can take many forms, commonly seen as humanoid with wings. Though they can also be quite frightening. Some choose to work with Angels or Saints in their practice. This can be a closed practice based on your religion. Most people choose not to worship the Angels, because they are not Gods or Deities. But they can help you, or create miracles. Negative entities are collections of negative energy. They are any magickal being who has evil intentions. One type of negative entity is demons. Demons are often seen as the opposite of angels. In theistic religions, they serve a devil instead of a god. In some religions, demons can possess people. In witchcraft, you want to protect yourself from demons and negative entities. Continued below (Plus credits!)