Lead has long been used in magic. In ancient Greek times tablets of this metal were ritually charged and inscribed with ‘words of power’. These tablets were generally used in negative spells because the lead ensured the spell’s long continuance.
In India during the 11th century, charms and figures designed to cause conception or to increase the fertility of gardens and orchards were engraved on lead tablets.
Magical Uses:
Lead is a heavy metal which causes death when it’s absorbed by the body. The ancient Romans discovered this by using lead dishes and cooking utensils.
A curious divination, recorded in the 1800’s in Italy by Charles Godfrey Leland, uses lead. Take three rose seeds (remove them from the “hip” that forms after a rose has lost its petals), three nettle leaves, two rue leaves and three cumin seeds. Put these on a metal plate along with a small quantity of lead.
At midnight, while clearing your mind of needless mental clutter, burn two yellow candles and light a fire. Place the metal plate over the fire. Then fill a large basin with water. Once the lead has melted, pour it, along with the herb ashes, into the water.
When the lead nodule has cooled, remove it from the water and gaze at its shape. The ritual and the lead itself should allow access to your psychic mind. If nothing comes to you, place the nodule beneath your pillow and let your dreams guide you.
Lead is worn or used in protective spells and also plays its part in defensive magic. It can be placed near the entrance of the house to prevent negativity from gaining access.
[Source: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem, & Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham]
It’s easy to convince yourself that everything is a spirit. I’ve seen a lot of beginners and even more experienced people do so. There’s also the placebo effect. Your friend says they saw a spirit and now you start seeing that thing around you. It could be because you’re giving it energy, but it could very well be a type of placebo effect. So be careful. Not everything is a spirit…
… and not everything isn’t.
Now, here I will be giving out information I have gathered around, however, take it with a pinch of salt and add what you wish to it.
Finally, remember that grounding yourself is also very important. I’ll expand upon that in another post.
Recognise a Spirit:
There are ways to recognise a spirit through all five senses, and for some, even the sixth one.
There are spirits with higher frequencies, “good” spirits, if you will. And some with lower frequencies, “bad” spirits, as some will call them. I am of the mindset that there are no good or bad spirits, just like there are no good or bad people.
Please note: I am not talking about demons, here.
Spirits with higher or lower frequencies will feel or be sensed differently.
Again, here’s a strong disclaimer. Not everything is a spirit/ghost. Especially if you suffer with a mental illness, please be cautious.
Sight:
Shadows: Shadows are an easy way for spirits to manifest themselves. They’re not fully manifested, but you can see them. There’s a difference between shadows and shadow people, you’ll immediately feel the change in energy.
Partial Manifestation: Although rarer, spirits can fully manifest parts of themselves, such as eyes, face, hands. They’re often a whitish hue or even full colour. These don’t last long due to the tremendous energy it takes.
Full Manifestation: A full body manifestation is very rare and doesn’t last long, because for a spirit to fully manifest itself, it takes a lot of energy. Some people can help a spirit stay manifested longer, but I’ve seen it take an awful toll on those people’s health. I don’t suggest you try it.
Peripheral Vision: Seeing people or shadows out of the corner of your eyes.This is the most common way to see a spirit.
Air Distortions: Distortions in the air where there’s no reason to have any. Can be a sign of a spirit either trying to manifest itself or simply there.
Orbs: Orbs are small balls of light that are usually captured when taking a picture with a flash. Though a lot of them is just the flash catching dust or pollen, there are also “ghost orbs”, or spirit energy. There are even orbs that you can zoom in on and see faces/shapes.Orbs have also been spotted just floating around.
Light Distortion: Sometimes, when a spirit is of a lower frequency, the light in the room seems to be drained, lights can spontaneously go off, candle flames dwindle without a cause and so on. But when a spirit is of a higher frequency, lights seem to shine brighter and candle flames can burn high.
Hearing:
Hearing is the most delicate one since I have, in the past, suffered from insomnia induced psychosis for several months, and know what it is like to hear voices. Please don’t assume that the voices you hear are spirits. And even if they are, don’t let them tell you to do bad things. They have no power over you unless you give them power, whether they be real or not.
Tinnitus: So this one is rather nebulous, but a few of my psychic friends/acquaintances claim that often, when they hear a sharp ringing in their ears, it’s a spirit attempting to communicate, but either they aren’t ready to hear what they have to say, or the spirit isn’t capable to getting their message across the veil.
Zaps, Bangs and odd little sounds: Sometimes, a spirit can try and get your attention through odd little noises only you hear, and seemingly come from nowhere.
Footsteps: Footsteps in a room when nobody’s home, or on the walls or ceiling. Your house is making more noise than usual without any causing.
Tapping: Little knocks at your door or on your wall through which you can even communicate. Sometimes doors slam without wind.<
Buzzing: Your ears may buzz loudly when spirits are around.
Whispers: Hearing whispers when there is no reason to.
Voices: Hearing voices around you when there is no one. This is a delicate subject matter. Don’t trust the voices without being 1000% sure. Don’t trust the voices if you are currently in a bad mental place (unless it’s trying to cheer you up and help you, in that case, even if it’s a hallucination, at least it’s pretty positive) and don’t trust the voices if they’re telling you to do something bad. Or something that could lead to something bad. However, it is a way for spirits to communicate.
Taste:
Odd Tastes: This is an odd one and I only know two people other than me that have that reaction to spirits, but it’s basically when certain spirits give you tastes in your mouth, such as blood, dirt, sugar, spices and more.
Smell:
Good Smells: A spirit can manifest itself with good smells. Smells that remind you of a deceased loved one or something comforting.
Bad Smells: Just as similarly, some spirits come around with bad smells like rotting flesh or blood.
Other: Sometimes, a smell that has no reason to be there just appears. Like the smell of roast beef in the middle of the night, wafting from your kitchen.
Touch:
A gush of Warm/cool air: You randomly feel a breeze when there shouldn’t be one.
A stroke: You feel as though someone is touching you, stroking you, often in a loving way, or sometimes, in a more uncomfortable way. It gives you goosebumps or shivers.
A Blow: A full on blow to your body. This is rare and more often happens in dream/while you sleep, while real life physical consequences.
Marks: Odd marks on your body. For example, I had a hand shaped mark on my inner thigh, in a way my hands couldn’t have done it, it was outlined with a white line, but was not a scratch. Don’t assume every bump/scratch is a spirit.
Hands: You feel someone touching you. Not really like a stroke, just a hand on your shoulder, or around your throat, or on your cheek. Sometimes a hand holding yourself.
Change in Air pressure: The air around you feels lighter, or heavier, depending on the vibrations.
Pressure on Chest: a very common one I’ve heard is the feeling someone or something sitting on your chest, most of the time, in a very oppressive way.
Electric Shocks: Some people, like myself, feel electric shocks down our spines when close to spirits.
Skin: Your skin crawls, or goosebumps suddenly erupt for no reason, you feel dirty.
ESP:
Extra sensory perception, possibly the most common way to feel a spirit.
Anxiety: Unexplained anxiety, stress, fear, panic attacks, depression and such.
Joy: Euphoria, happiness, confidence, comfort, compassion, good emotions that come out of nowhere.
Empathy: Suddenly feeling emotions that aren’t yours when you, yourself aren’t an empath.
Paranoia: Sudden feelings of being watched, being in danger/vulnerable, feeling you’re not alone.
Intuition: Sudden increase in intuition, like someone is telling you something.
Dread: Your stomach drops,a feeling of dread, tight throat, unexplained sadness.
Dizziness: Dizziness, nausea, motion sickness, you just feel queasy and wrong.
Become more Sensitive:
I don’t know if someone who isn’t naturally sensitive to spirits can become it, though they probably can, I wouldn’t know the methods. So here, I’m going to list ways of increasing already existing sensitivity.
Always Start by Grounding: Grounding is incredibly important. Everyone has their method. Mine is to walk barefoot in the earth or to just stand up and feel my feet. You can meditate, use crystals and so on. I’ll list more grounding methods later.
Meditate: Meditation is an effective way of becoming more receptive to subtle things around you. Everyone has their techniques, but I like doing Anapana before expanding into consciousness projection.
Just get yourself into a spiritual state: May it be through music, walking in the woods, cooking, anything that gets you spiritual, it’ll increase your sensitivity.
Herbal Infusion: Make a herbal tea that favours psychic powers. I’ll give recipes later.
Open your Third Eye: Everyone has their method, but the third eye is a very effective way of doing so.
Work with Crystals: I’ll give a list of crystals later.
Get Spirit’s Attention: Again, many methods that I will list later, but you can find your own.
Channel: Play a good game of Ouija, or do some automatic writing, maybe use your pendulum or any methods of channeling you use. It can get you going.
There are many other methods. Find your own!
Grounding:
Walk: Take a long walk in nature, barefooted preferably, and just feel the earth beneath your feet.
Trees: Hug trees, meditate under trees, just be around trees, imagine yourself rooting yourself in the earth. Can work with house plants, just dig your hands into the earth and feeling your energy going deep.
Dance: Dance around, stomp your feet, rock the world, just get in touch with your physical body.
Meditate: Meditate. Just concentrate in your breath, your body. Then, you can try and expand your consciousness, but instead of reach up, go down, into the earth.
Massage: Massage yourself or get someone to massage you. Nothing airy. A nice, deep massage. Rub your limbs and pat yourself down. You’re here, in your body.
Exercise: Do physical exercise. Yoga in particular (I don’t recommend Kundalini or westernised Yoga Pilates/etc, but actual Indian yoga. Something grounding like standing poses, especially Tadasana/Mountain Pose.) and Qi Gong
Animals: Spend time stroking your dog, cat, horse, earth animal (not birds, or aquatic animals)
Earth Spirit: Ask earth spirits, such as trolls, gnomes and others to help you be grounded.
Herbs:
Herbs for Psychic Awareness:
NOT ALL OF THESE ARE SAFE TO INGEST!!!!!
Taken from Scott Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. Feel free to do your own research.
Astral Protection: Mugwort, Poplar, Dittany of Crete
Mental Powers (Strengthen): Caraway, Celery, Eyebright, Grape, Horehound, Lily of the Valley, Mace, Mustard, Periwinkle, Rosemary, Rue, Spearmint
I am not listing them all since there are a lot. Feel free to do your own research.
Increase Psychic Awareness:
Azurite: It vibrates at the level of the third eye chakra, for clairvoyance, crown chakra, for heightened spiritual connections and throat chakra for psychic communication.
Angelite: Used to communicate with Angels and higher frequency. It helps open you up to new information and spiritual senses.
Amethyst: Opens higher chakras, helps strengthen psychic abilities, protects and good for meditation and dreams.
Bloodstone: This one is really known to strengthening psychic abilities of all kinds, especially clairvoyance. It also protects from lower frequencies.
Carnelian: This one helps heighten/develop intuition, clairvoyant and clairaudient gifts. Used to transfer living to the spirit realm and vice versa.
Fluorite: Offers psychic protection, from negative energies and psychic vampires. Helps strengthen intuition, psychic abilities, connection to spirits and spirit guides.
Herkimer Diamond: Especially known for having magical properties, the Herkimer Diamond helps with telepathy, connections to spirit guides, past life and enhancing psychic abilities.
Kyanite: Great stone to use in meditation, to aid lucid dreaming, astral projection, connecting to spirit guides and Intuition. (Do use with caution since it’s really strong)
Sapphire: Helps open communication lines with the spirit world, helps give clarity, open the third eye and enhance psychic visions. Also aids with out of body, telepathy, precognition and intuition.
Turquoise: Enhances clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities, strengthen psychic powers and balance chakras.
Quartz: Quartz is the most powerful stone for psychic abilities, and the most accessible. It enhances psychic vision, understanding messages from the spirit world, opening communication with it and balancing chakras.
Psychic Protection:
Labradorite: Good for protection against negative energies and very powerful psychic protection.
Tiger’s Eye: Also amazing to keep you safe from negativity, it helps mostly with more human bad energies. Still very good.
Black Tourmaline: Black tourmaline helps ground you and keeps you incredibly safe from negativity. Like a pillar. My personal choice.
Emerald: Emerald is incredibly powerful psychic tool and keeps you safe from negative energies.
Most of the crystals mentioned above are really good for protection too.
Most black stones are good for grounding/protection/Absorption of negative energies, such as: Apache tears, Black tourmaline, obsidians and more.
Finally, a disclaimer. I don’t know everything. I may have made some mistakes. Please take care of yourself when working with the subtle and please don’t force yourself into doing something that frightens you or that you don’t feel ready to do. If you are mentally unstable, first look into healing yourself before going into spirit communication, since spirits can trick you, just like humans.
Please take care, but don’t be afraid either since fear is food for spirits with lower vibrations.
Once you begin actively trying to develop your psychic abilities, you may notice that you are more sensitive to the energy around you. You may find yourself receiving unwanted psychic messages at work, in class, or at the grocery store. This isn’t necessarily bad, but it can be very draining. For this reason, it’s a good idea to keep some psychic shields in place.
I want to stress that the reason shields are a good idea is NOT because evil spirits or other witches are out to get you. (In my experience, most spirits don’t care enough to make the effort to intentionally fuck with you.) You aren’t protecting yourself from harm — you’re protecting yourself from minor annoyances and unnecessary drains on your energy.
Think of it like a raincoat. Going out in the rain without a raincoat probably won’t cause any lasting harm, but you’ll be more comfortable if you have one. Another way to think of it is as closing your psychic inbox. A shield lets the world know that you aren’t receiving psychic messages right now.
There are lots of ways to create a psychic shield. Here are a few of the easiest methods:
Visualization. This is probably the most popular method of psychic shielding, because it doesn’t require any tools or elaborate ritual. To use this method, find a quiet place to sit or lay down. Close your eyes, and imagine yourself surrounded by something protective. It can be a sphere of white light, an iridescent soap bubble, a suit of armor, or anything else that resonates with you. The imagery isn’t important, as long as it makes you feel safe. Keep focusing on your visualization until you feel it become solid around you. It’s best to do this exercise every morning before you leave the house, but you can use visualization to strengthen your shield throughout the day if you feel you need some extra protection.
Herbs and oils. There are several herbs that are associated with protection. Keep a stick of cinnamon or a sprig of rosemary in your pocket for protection from both physical harm and psychic overload. You can also make or buy oil blends specifically for psychic protection. I wear a Fiery Wall of Protection oil to reinforce my psychic shield. When you apply the oil, you can say a prayer or incantation for psychic protection.
Iron. Carrying iron for protection is a very, very old practice. In medieval Ireland, iron was said to protect from fairies, but it can be used to protect from all spirits. This is especially helpful for natural mediums who often have spirits popping in at inconvenient times. I work at a very spiritually active place, and I carry hematite in my pocket because of its high iron content. You could also carry an iron nail or other small piece of iron for similar results.
Crystals. There are several crystals that can be used for psychic protection. My favorite combination is selenite and black tourmaline. Selenite is a cleansing stone, so wearing it on your person keeps psychic and energetic garbage from sticking to your energy field. Black tourmaline, in my experience, is more useful for blocking things out. When you wear them together, very few things will be able to get past. Other crystals that work well for psychic protection are hematite (as previously mentioned), shungite, jet, or any other black stone.
Religious iconography. In many traditions, religious jewelry and talismans are believed to have protective properties. Many, many Christians wear cross necklaces for protection, or carry rosaries or images of saints. Wiccans wear pentacle necklaces, because the pentacle is a strong protective symbol. Norse pagans might wear a Mjölnir pendant, Kemetic pagans might wear a wadjet, etc. If you identify with a religion that has its own protective symbols, wearing or carrying those symbols can provide strong physical and spiritual protection.
Ask for protection. Although I think it’s important to be able to create your own psychic shields, there’s nothing wrong with asking for help. If you have a good relationship with a spirit or several, you can ask them for psychic protection. You might ask your ancestors, spirit guides, familiars, deities, saints, angels, or any other spiritual beings that you frequently work with. Remember that it’s rude to ask spirits for favors right off the bat — work on establishing a relationship first, before you start asking for things.
Nothing bad is going to happen to you if you don’t use psychic protection. But you’ll probably be more comfortable and find it easier to conserve your energy if you have one or more of these systems in place. Experiment with the different methods of shielding yourself and see what works for you!
