Somatic meditations can play an important role in spirit communication, helping us to connect with the spirit through the medium of our bodies and in the way the spirits interact with the body. I discuss that this experience can be like and why it can help you improve your communication with spirits
Reading the darker side of Tarot
I’ve been starting to read oracle cards and Tarot at metaphysical fairs and one of the fascinating trends I’ve observed has come in the form of people who get readings from me and ask me not to pull any punches with the reading. One recent customer shared with me that they didn’t want me to filter my reading for them in any way. I never filter my readings anyway and explained that to my customer but it got me to ask them a question in turn.
“Why do you think people filter their readings?”
“They probably don’t want to deliver bad news or share something that will make someone uncomfortable.”
I nodded and took that in and gave them their reading. I can’t really speak to the experiences that anyone else has around giving or receiving readings but in my own experience of giving readings I’ve always opted for trusting my intuition and telling the person what I’m actually getting about the situation. I trust that if anyone else have given me a reading they have done the same.
The exchange got me thinking about reading the darker side of Tarot and Oracle cards. In some cases you find that reading through reversals, but I actually think you can look at a given card in of itself and regardless of what the position is you can read it and look at all the angles.
For instance, if I look at the Hanged Man, the positive perspective I can take is that the Hanged Man represents presence, being still in the moment, and cultivating awareness. The shadow side of the Hanged Man could represent blockages and obstacles both internal and external. Both the shadow and the gold are present within any given kind of reading and yet it’s up to the reader and readee to determine what applies for a given situation. The way we read a situation matters because it tells what we can learn from that situation and the same applies to a Tarot/oracle reading. The most important skill you can cultivate in divination is learning to look beyond the surface meanings of a card, so you can read into the card and how it relates to the overall experience.
Want a reading from me? Schedule one at this link, and let me show you what happens when you combine two different decks for your reading.
How to learn a divination deck
I share my process for how to learn a divination deck and an exercise you can do each day to learn a card and what it means as it applies to your life.
5 common misperceptions about communicating with spirits
One of the questions I see frequently asked by other practitioners is how to test and verify if a spirit is on the up and up as it were with the information it provides. Another question I see asked is whether anyone has ever seen a spirit manifest in physical form. These types of questions are valid ones to ask but what they often indicate to me is that the person is caught up in surface level details and is missing out on the subtleties of spirit communication. This brings me to the topic of this article…
5 Common Misperceptions about Communicating with Spirits
The first misperception that many practitioners have around communicating with spirits is an expectation that spirits will communicate using the verbal language you are used to hearing. Naturally we want spirits to communicate with us in the language that we are used to using every day and some spirits may choose to do that, but more often than not I have found that spirits communicate in much more subtle ways, and through what I would consider to be a transmission of information, which acts as a download. Spoken and written language, in comparison are very limiting.
The second misperception is the expectation that spirits will appear in a physical form that you can see. This is one of those tropes of modern occultism where there’s a perceived value in a spirit manifesting physically even though said manifestation doesn’t accomplish much if anything meaningful. I’ve never had a spirit manifest in a physical form yet I’ve had efficacious workings with the spirits. The need for a physical manifestation is a vanity and ego play in occultism which keeps the practitioner from accomplishing real work with the spirit.
The third misperception is the expectation that spirits have the same types of desires and needs that we have. This is reflective of a tendency to humanize spirits. We do this because we want to ascribe motivations and desires to the spirits that we can understand, but these motivations and desires are out of alignment with the nature of a spirit. A spirit may have desires and needs, but those desires and needs are based in the experience that spirit has, which is significantly different from our everyday experience.
The fourth misperception is a tendency to focus on specific aspects of what a spirit can do or provide without considering the bigger picture. This misperception is rooted around the tendency to focus on specific aspects of a spirit, such as its elemental correspondence or domain of influence, because you want the spirit to do something specific for you. It cherry picks the spirit for what is convenient for you and ignores other aspects that either might be helpful or detrimental…or may cause you to ignore other possible spirits to work with.
The fifth and final misperception is around the understanding of power and potential versus form and manifestation. Spirits don’t have the same material awareness or form that we have, but they have access to more power and through it potential. What they provide is possibility and influence which can be directed to help manifest a result, but we bring something essential to the equation as well. We bring the ability to manifest potential into reality through our material and manifest form. If you want to turn a possibility into reality you necessarily sacrifice power for manifestation.
If you want better communication with spirits, where you get consistent results that transform your life then you’ll want to sign up for the Spirit Communication class, where I’ll share my tried and true techniques for connecting with spirits.
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Can you get results with spirits?
One of the questions that I see asked a lot about spirit work is whether or not you can get results with spirits that are tangible and real. Today I share my own thoughts on doing spirit work and what the results can be. I also discuss what your role and the spirit’s role is in this work.
As I mentioned in the video I’m teaching a class on spirit communication and how to get better results with spirits. If you want better results, sign up for the class!
I want better results
Why do people want to communicate with spirits?
Communicating with spirits is an activity that fascinates people, regardless of what they believe about spirits. I share some thoughts on why people want to communicate with spirits and why spirits want to communicate with people and discuss the importance of building reciprocal relationships.
Power over and power within
I explore the dynamics of power over and power within in magical practice as a way of considering the overall approach we take to our magical work and what will produce the best results for the work we do.
The latest podcast interviews I've been on
I have been getting interviewed a lot lately, both solo, and with my magical mate Joanna Brook and I thought I would share them.
I was interviewed twice by Chaos Vibrations. In the first interview we discuss living a magical life and in the second interview we talk about my newest book Scrying the Divine.
Joanna and I were interviewed by Vic Hyland about creativity, divine inspiration, poetry and cutup magick.
Joanna and I were also interviewed by the Knights of the Nephilim about mediumship, spirit work and magick.
What is your purpose for practicing magic?
In my latest Patreon I explore the practical question: What is your purpose for practicing magic? I share my thoughts on on what that purpose can look like and why we need to look beyond the immediate gratification of getting results if we truly want to live a meaningful life.
How to review your protection magic
In this week’s Patreon video I get candid about protection magic and discuss how to review the protection magic you have put into place, as well as how to recognize when your container is leaky.
Pop Culture Magick 20 years later...
I wrote and published Pop Culture Magick 20 years. Today I share some thoughts on my book as well as pop culture magic in general and where I see it going as well as recognizing where its changed.
What resistance signals in magical work
I explore what the experience of resistance signals within magical work and how you can use resistance to get in alignment with what you really need and want.
The rules of Spirit Summoning
Photo by Farzad Sedaghat: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mysterious-shadow-behind-dark-backdrop-3809379/
Lately I’ve been reading books on how to work with Daimonic spirits, as research for my next book in the walking with spirit series. One of the subjects I find fascinating about the books is the rules that the authors provide for summoning spirits. From what I can tell most of these rules are arbitrary rules, personalized to the theories and ideas that writers come up with as a way of explaining how to safely call forth the spirits. While there is some consistency in regards to utilizing angels to help in the process of summoning the spirit, the process itself seems to vary from purely psychological and symbolic workings to elaborate ceremonial and ritual magic.
The question that arises in my mind is how much any of these rules are essential and how much of them are arbitrary, based on cultural and religious assumptions and modalities that create a narrow and limited perspective of what it means to work with a spirit. When we step outside the Western informed framework of spirit work what is discovered is a multiplicity of perspectives on working with spirits, all of which provide valuable insights and perspectives about how to work with spirits without necessarily employing everything that is brought into play with the Western model of spirit work.
One of the assumptions that we ought to question carefully is what we believe about spirits versus what we know about them versus what we are told about them. Take a piece of paper and write down what you believe, what you know, and what you have been told. Where did each of these perspectives come from in your life? What informs your beliefs, the facts, and your experiences?
And here’s another perspective to consider? What did your ancestors believe about spirits? You may be able to ask your parents or grandparents directly, but go back further. What did your ancestors a century, or two centuries or further back think or believe about spirits?
Explore related entries in the Library
Related: Spirit Communication
How Correspondences Work
In this video I talk about correspondence tables and what the real purpose of correspondences is and how this can help you with your magical work.
Shadow mask work
Image courtesy of Taylor Ellwood 2023
I recently created a couple of masks to do some shadow work. The first shadow mask I created was for the shadow of co-dependency, which is something I have struggled with most of my life. The second shadow mask I created was for the shadow of the nice guy and all the passive aggressive behaviors the nice guy embodies. While the two masks are related, they are also distinctly different in some ways.
I created each shadow mask to embody the specific behavior I wanted to call forth. I painted the 'face' of each mask. On the inside of the face I created a collage where I glued the internal messages I tell myself. By externalizing the shadow into a mask I provide myself the opportunity to explore how that shadow shows up in my life and consciously make myself aware of it, so I can work with it in a way that doesn't allow it to sabotage my life.
Book Reviews Jan to July 2023
Book Review: Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday (Affiliate link)
In this book, the author explores the virtue of discipline and shares historical examples of when discipline has been exercised and when it has not. I found this book to be really relevant to my journey. I can be impulsive in my decision making and choices and reading this book helped me recognize where I need to rein in my emotions and impulses and approach a given situation from a more systematic awareness and perspective. I highly recommend this book to anyone as it provides some ideas on how to be more disciplined in your life.
Book Review: The Path of the Warrior-Mystic by Angel Millar (Afilliate link)
The author explores what sacred masculinity looks like in an age of chaos, advocated for men to simultaneously be in touch with their warrior and mystic aspects. It’s more of a philosophy book than anything else, but the author brings up some interesting points ty too consider about what it means to be a man and how to transform one’s relationship with masculinity.
Book Review: Choose Yourself by James Altucher (Affiliate link)
This is an amazing experience…not just a book, a way of thinking about and approach the world where you truly choose yourself and empower yourself in the process. Reading this book has helped me take some big risks and make some decisions that I might have made differently or with more hesitation . I am choosing myself and I’m much happier as a result.
Book Review: Honoring Death by S. Connolly (Affiliate link)
This is guide to necromantic magic with a Daemonic twist. The author shares how to work with Daemonic spirits to do better necromancy. This is a good intro book to necromancy with some basic spell work that can be employed as well as essential theory behind working with the ghosts of people who have passed on, or helping to move on fully.
Book Review: Saturn by Liz Greene (Affiliate Link)
This was a very interesting book to read about the astrological aspects of Saturn. The author did an excellent job of presenting a different take on Saturn which is not rooted in treating Saturn as a malefic force, but rather explores the function and purpose of Saturn and shows readers how they can work with Saturnine energies instead of resisting them. It helped me get a better perspective on how to work with Saturn in my life.
Book Review: The Appearance of Power by Tanner Guzy (Affiliate link)
The Appearance of Power is an intriguing book which explores style and fashion for men from the perspective of power and how men dress to display power. Reading it made me consider some of my fashion choices and why I dress certain ways as well as how I can make different choices with my appearance, both in terms of clothes and in terms of other aesthetics.
Book Review: Living an Examined Life by James Hollis (Affiliate link)
Living an examined life presents 21 lessons that you can apply to your life to change it in meaningful ways. This is an excellent book to read regardless of what stage you are at in your life, but I found it to be very helpful as I navigate my mid forties. It helped me start living a much more intentional and focused life as I considered how best to apply the lessons contained within.
Book Review: Phallos by Eugene Monick (affiliate link)
Phallos explores the sacred mythology around the genitalia of men. The author draws on a variety of myths and archetypes to explore and venerate the masculine genitalia and provides a different perspective on how we can have a better relationship with ourselves and the sacred masculine.
Book Review: Fire in the Belly by Sam Keen (Affiliate Link)
This is a dynamic book that explores why its necessary for men to go through initiatory experiences and explores what it means to be a man in today’s world. The author deconstructs the toxic myths around masculinity and shares why it is essential for men to do the work they need to do together in order to heal themselves and their relationships with women. This book proved to be very helpful in my own work.
Book Review: Soulshaping by Jeff Brown (Affiliate link)
A fascinating memoir and instructional guide on how to listen to your soul and be shaped by your purpose and meaning. Reading this book helped me get comfortable with my confusion, fears, and questions and make better sense of the path I was on. We don’t always know where we’re going but if we learn to trust our inner guidance we can find the path.
Book Review: The Path of Least Resistance by Robert Fritz (affiliate link)
This is an insightful book that unpacks the difference between creativity and problem solving and enables you to become a creator of your life as well as whatever else you want to create. The author shows you how the structures of life set up the behavior patterns and how making deep changes with is essential for creating the life you want.
Inner Alchemy of Life: Physiological Magic pt 2
In part 2 of Physiological Magic I share how I gradually evolved my system of physiological magic and discuss the thought process and methodology involved in the evolution of that system, as well as how this enabled better communication with the neurotransmitters and hormones.
Releasing Old Identities: How changes in appearance inform reality
picture copyright Taylor Ellwood 2023
For the first time in over 30 years, I cut my hair short. I've had long hair since I was a pre-teen but I recently decided that I wanted to make a change. I felt like it was time to cut my hair and in the process shed old identities in favor of new ones. For me, getting a hair was a magical act of identity transformation. I had long hair for so long and in a very real sense it was an established part of my identity as a person and even as a magician.
Yet identity is fluid and malleable. What seems fixed can be changed. A lot of times what makes your identity seem fixed has more to do with your perspective and attachment to that identity than to the actual physical reality of it. I kept my hair long because I was attached to how I looked, and how I felt about having long hair.
The act of getting my hair cut may not seem overly magical, but for me it was the choice to let of attachment to appearance, to looking a specific way. It was the choice to let go of not just the physical appearance of long hair, but also all the attachments I had to that appearance and just as importantly it was an act of letting go of the weight of that hair, physically, but also metaphysically.
An astrological magic working with Saturn and the Moon
Picture copyright Taylor Ellwood 2023
One of the ongoing magical experiments I am exploring involves integrating astrological currents into my magical work so I can optimally draw on those experiences to help me with my magical processes and work. Recently there was a new moon and Saturn was going retrograde. It seemed like the perfect time to do a magical working to capture the essence of the experience and apply it to my life.
For the working itself, I created a painting, where I painted the Astrological symbol for Saturn, the moon, and then painted the sign for Leo. I picked Leo because Leo is where my Saturn sign shows up in my natal chart and because Saturn in Leo represents the need to work on self love, specifically applying it to your life.
You can apply a similar approach to your own life, by taking the time to learn about the astrological currents that are currently happening and may apply to you. Working with an astrologer can be helpful for getting this information, but applying it magically is ultimately up to you.
Walking with Nature Spirits is now Available!
In Walking with Nature Spirits I share how to develop a collaborative relationship with nature spirits and nature in order to create a rooted and embodied life.
Nature spirits are unlike any other kind of spirit you can work with. They don’t care about making pacts or bargains. Their focus is on taking care of nature and if you want to work with them you have to shift your approach to spirit work in a way that will seem radical and yet can help you develop a deeper relationship with the world around you. In this book you will also learn the following:
How to meet and recognize the spirit and character of the land and communicate with it.
How to identify power spots and ley lines and form a bond with them.
How to work with the land you live on and make it into a place of power.
How to use all of your senses, psychic and physical to work with nature spirits.
and much more!
If you’re ready to develop a deeper relationship with nature and nature spirits, this book will teach you a new approach to working with nature that will help you develop bond with the land.