Working With Spirits of Place

A shamefully reductive summary.

A few have asked, so here’s an almost criminally reductive breakdown of how to get started working with spirits of place. Perhaps that’s a bit of a misnomer since it’s less about working-with in the practical sense and more about recognizing, respecting, and being considerate of those beings upon whose land we dwell. Possibilities may open up for co-creative praxis after these standards are achieved and relationships are cultivated, but they will be unique to the dynamic, place, and beings involved. They won’t be spells you find online - they will be spirit transmissions and intuitive instructions from the spirits themselves, perhaps with the assistance of an intercessor.

There are two main areas of concern here. The first pertains to the management and condition of ourselves - The state of our consciousness and bodies. The second pertains to the actions to be taken regarding the place itself in order to not only avoid offending those who dwell there, but also to demonstrate to them what kind of person we are and hopefully, eventually, gain their trust and affection.

Regarding Self

The first thing you’re going to need is the ability to calm not only the thinking mind, but also the emotions, at least to a degree where a shift in consciousness can be felt, observed, and participated in. Finding the placid state within of equal pressures, where projection is reigned in and thoughts arise but dissipate quickly rather than lingering or triggering a procession of automatic follow-up thoughts and feelings is ideal. A daily regimen of physical exercise and repetitive prayer are both exceedingly effective means to these ends - two things everyone should probably be doing anyway.

There is an excited charge that comes with the potential of something possibly happening. This can be especially potent leading up to a ritual. Anticipation is an energetic current which can create a lot of output from ourselves, streaming out into the environment around us. This potent charge can be very useful when enchanting an item or magical working, but too much yang energy can also act as a barrier to receiving the type of experiences we’re looking for, in this case. Think of a paper boat trying to float against the current of a river. Our thoughts can be quite dense compared to the thoughts of a spirit.

The next thing is patience, and not the kind where the thing you want is watched intently with urgency and suspense. This will likely only appear to the Others as one more emotionally volatile human, the equivalent of driving through someone else’s quiet neighborhood with the subs up to eleven. This is not the kind of work where you call a spirit and wait to feel them arrive, then tell them what you want and go about your day. It may be transactional in a sense, but it is not the same sort of transactional we often find in grimoires.

It’s good to care but caring in a gentle, almost passive fashion in which the goal of contact is almost forgotten lends much more chance of success than a forceful focus. Forceful focus in this scenario likely seems to spirits like a loud-talking obnoxious conversationalist who can’t rest long enough to let other people get a word in. There is no need to keep the aim of contact in mind and it may even hinder the chances.

A gentle intention is okay, but be sure it’s gentle. Displaying to the others that we have the ability to be calm of mind and present with each rustling leaf, with the songs of the birds, and the contours of the land, suspended in a rapture for creation without any further desire or expectation, an ecstatic yet placid state of awe, unmistakably sets us apart from those who would festoon the great outdoors with their psychospiritual baggage like a torn trash bag in a breeze.

With relatively still mind and emotions it is far easier to achieve a flow-state, be that through chanting or physical movement. Within a flow state the concreteness of thoughts become less dense and movement becomes louder. It is in this state that the door is cracked, left ajar for any visitors who might come in and say hello. This is where our imaginal capacity opens up to allow for guests.

The specificity of what I mean here can best be described as a Venn diagram. Imagine your consciousness is a circle, as is the consciousness of the spirit. When the concreteness of our own mind softens it allows for the possibility of a commingling of the two. This is the state in which our own imaginal capacity and that of another being may form a matrix in which both are participating to create a shared experience in vision or within the mind. (This concept will be fully fleshed out in an upcoming episode of Soapbox, specifically in relation to UFO/UAP, hypnotic regression, and shamanic healing.)

If this method of contact is currently beyond your means the best thing I can suggest is to remain dedicated to your practices and know that it is achievable by anyone who doesn’t give up. In the meantime, there are always signs and synchronicities to lead the way within these relationships, along with the helping hands and guidance of trusted patron spirits.

Regarding Place

Now that we have managed to avoid being outright impossible to communicate with, it is time to think about the how. Typically I would not expect a contact experience the first time visiting a place. It does happen, but more often than not a bit of getting acquainted will be in order first.

Since we are working with the beings of place it becomes paramount to seek out whatever customs and practices exist on record regarding these types of relationships on a local level. The challenge of this step may be more difficult in some places than others, but knowing the context and how the locals have engaged with that specific place and it’s spirits in the past can greatly inform and direct our logic for how to proceed. In no way do I recommend mimicry of traditions we are not a part of, however the logic or way of thinking is something we can incorporate into our own creativity without appropriating the specificities of life-ways.

Through this research we might find ourselves informed of a great many things such as the traditional offerings given, stories that serve to texture our understanding like a coat of ontological primer, taboos and cautionary tales to avoid stepping in something we’d rather not, as well as the nuanced history of place both when it comes to the land itself as well as those who have lived thereon.

Learning how much blood has spilled, what kind of atrocities have taken place, what local heroes or rapscallions were once well known, what industries rose and fell, what rivers or streams were redirected or diverted, who was oppressed, when was it conquered, if it was deforested, what mountains have been mined, what plagues have been unleashed; all of these bits of information help build up the personality of place within our own minds. When we enter a wood knowing as much as we can about it, there is already a reflection of the wood inside of us as we enter, and the beings residing there can see it - they know if you’ve done your homework.

This is still no guarantee that they will want to be your friend, just like with anyone else, however it can go a long way towards (at the very least) not getting into trouble and seriously reducing the chances of interference or disapproval from the local spirits when performing the usual magics at home.

Merit is a huge part of my personal practice and my experience is that there is no better way to display your allegiances and demonstrate your affection than to offer merit to the all the beings in the place where you live.

For those who don’t know, merit is the metaphysical credit earned for a good deed or right action and it can be offered or given to other beings without losing any of our own because, as the Buddhist scriptures state, when merit is offered it then creates the same amount of merit again because of the generosity involved in giving it away. Therefore merit offered is also merit gained. The concept shows up throughout Judaism and Christianity but is more metaphysically well-defined and nuanced within Mahayana Buddhism where it takes a very prominent role.

My preferred method of merit making is to pray for and elevate the dead, then offer the merit created to the beings of place (as well as my ancestors and familiars.) This function is twofold in that on top of the merit created and offered the restless dead can also cause problems for the living and cleaning up the troubled human dead floating around in the ether can also improve the health of the nonhuman (and human) beings who reside there. In some cases cleaning up and elevating the local human dead can have positive effects on local commerce and the general health of a community in ways that are nothing short of miraculous.

Volunteering for local community organizations or giving to those in need with a greater awareness that you are giving to Place may also be greatly appreciated by the beings who care for the human residents, such as patron saints of cities and the like, and is another great way to generate merit which can then be given to the nonhuman beings. This has a way of linking the worlds, strengthening the connections and resonances between the human and nonhuman communities.

Not all beings want merit, but my experience is that most do. I always add “who would like to receive it” to the end of my merit offerings to ensure that my gift is not mistaken for something more forceful or intrusive but I have never once had a negative reaction from offering merit to another being (other than Mars, don’t try it.)

If somehow no information can be gathered regarding appropriate offerings, consider local grains, cream, fruits and vegetables, herbs, incense - Ideally things which arise from the very land you’re giving it back to, though this is not a requirement. This shows that we value and understand the bounty that comes from the land and that we appreciate and grasp the reciprocal nature of the relationship; Something many humans have forgotten. First fruits are always a good option, the first of anything harvested upon the land being offered back to it and it’s spirits. In some cultures the ideal gifts to the land were the precious items found thereon such as hagstones, fossils, or foraged food rather than something more fancy or more valuable in human eyes.

Full moons are a good time to leave regular offerings to the land, though any time one is feeling gratitude for the beings that compose their neighborhood is a good time to give.

As stated earlier, it’s not about conjuring, however it is good to gently call attention to your gifts as they are given by either verbalizing your intent or simply stretching out in your mind with a feeling of giving and calling attention to the gifts. With merit and sometimes with offerings, it can be the quality of the intention behind the action that determines the value of the gift more than the gift itself. That being said, the quality of the item is also a factor, and more so with some beings than others.

When it comes to the types of beings one may encounter it is my experience that best practice is to avoid prescribing taxonomy unless specifically told outright how a being self-identifies. It’s okay to use descriptors such as “Feels fae-like.” or “Goblin vibes.” without concretizing (limiting) the possibilities. The naming of a thing can have great power and an attempt might be seen as aggression if this issue is approached too directly, though this is certainly only in some cases. Besides, it’s usually not very fruitful and can pollute things with a false sense of certainty.

Okay, so you might be wondering when I’m going to get to the part where you ask for favors or get them to do your bidding. Don’t wait up. It’s not coming. the methods for such things will vary from place to place and being to being. This is advanced level territory, an area of the practitioner’s map one may wander into if they can find it themselves. If they can cultivate relationships with local spirits, then opportunities may arise. Spirits may instruct on how things should be done. They also may not ever open up their depths to these degrees and that is okay too. If getting your way is what you’re after there are far easier and more reliable ways of going about it.

I hope this is helpful to some of you. There is no greater sense of awe than the strange and spontaneous interaction that can happen with the wild beings who are our neighbors. The exhilaration of knowing that you are worthy of their presence, their blessings, or at least their indifference takes on a special profundity when there are little to no guardrails. There is a sense of mutual respect and trust grown out of appreciation rather than transaction. We have been taking from the land our entire lives and there is probably no quantity of gifts we can give to even that out completely, but to try in this largely spirit-ignorant world, to take it upon ourselves to reconnect with the currents our ancestors knew were of vital importance to our daily lives, well that is huge. If this is even something you care to explore, bless you.

1. Go without expectation - Get the jitters out and find the calm after the storm.

2. Get in a good headspace - Chant or take a meditative mindful walk around the area. Let thoughts become waves rather than particles.

3. Give gifts and clean up trash - Beautify and gift with an open heart.

4. Create and offer merit to “all the beings of this place who would like to receive it.”

5. Adhere to local taboos and use your intuition: If an area feels uninviting, go somewhere else.

6. Be aware that you are always surrounded by invisible beings and know that offering them respect and consideration is appreciated. Know it in your bones.

Until next time, may the spirits be kind, may your heart be unburdened, and may the mysteries ever inspire. Amen.