Page 1 of 1

Talking to the dead tips/advice?

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 9:39 pm
by occulture
Well I am not really new at all to magick but one area I have never really felt comfortable with is working with the dead. I have had messages passed to me for others and they never leave me feeling very good at all. It seems they tend to follow me around for a few hours no matter what I do to get rid of them and even when I do get rid of them I am not really impressed by the information they give. But thats not my question...
My grandfather just passed away and for the last 10 years he has had alzheimers disease and has been basically vegatative in a home for most of that time. I never really felt like I got to know him and now that he has passed I would really like to have a good talk with him. I have used the triangle and circle bit to summon some things in the past but never a person always some other sort of being... All my contact with the dead has been accidental or just strong intrusive impressions during card readings for other people. Anyone have any tips or advice for making contact with him? All I can really formulate right now is to try to get a picture or something of his and to write out exactly what I want to talk to him about. As far as technique I am not really sure how to go about it since he is family and not some sort of extradimensional angel or God I kind of feel like triangle of the art is not really neccessary (I don't know if I am ready to see him either lol). Any input is welcome.

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:58 am
by jcrowfoot
Occulture: I have friends who talk to the dead on a regular basis, and I've been seeing ghosts since I was four. That being said, I admit I haven't had as much success "summoning" the dead as I would like.

First of all, I have this inconvenient belief that summoning relatives is rude. So the triangle is *out*. Do you use that triangle to summon angels? I actually don't know... I have a limited background in hermetic magic, which is where I understand that the use of the triangle comes from. It's to protect you from what you've summoned, from what I understand.


Here's what i did when I wanted to talk to my father after he passed (we had a falling out just before he died):

I got some things that belonged to my dad. I got a pillow, some candles, some incense, and some music that reminded me of my dad. I was helped along, since I knew my dad pretty well... so you may wish to talk to relatives who knew your grandfather first, to get their impression. and get a picture, so you can recognize him. You might want to get one that's young, or in the prime of life, since I've found that the dead do not always look as old as they died, Tim Burton not withstanding. :wink:
Find a nice comfortable place to sit, and cast your circle, with the western direction portal open. Ancestors come from the west, after all. Or you could use a shamanic trip to go into the land of the ancestors to find him, I suppose, too.
After you cast your circle, start making a nice, comfy place that may be familiar to him, inside your head, or in your astral neighborhood. You should also put a gate or something on it, so you can find it again later, as this sort of place is really handy on the astral. Then, try to take the images of the items you have with you in the circle into that realm with you. Or make astral copies.

Then, make a call out into the ancestor's realm, in the western portal, that you'd like to talk to your grandfather. Name his name, and be sure to try nicknames that he may have had. if you don't know any, don't worry about it. Just cover all the bases you can.

And wait. If he doesn't show, he may be busy or somewhere he can't contact you. After you can't wait anymore, then put a call out that you will try again at a certain time at this same place, and leave an astral candle burning on the table that you put stuff on.

Know in your heart that the candle will get near the bottom of the holder when you return, and you can replace the candle then. Then, you clean everything up on the living side of things, and open your circle. The next step is to keep trying until you either meet him or meet a messenger who can tell you what happened, or why he can't meet you. Sometimes you have to go out and find them. But, either way, you will find out something.

I like to leave these things in very general terms because you seem like an experienced person who would know how to craft your own ritual.
If you'd like more details or correspondences, or "handy tips for talking with the dead", I'm your avatar... metaphorically speaking. :D

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:18 am
by occulture
That sounds very good for me thank you very much. The triangle thing is something hermetic and I to thought it would be really cold and rude to use that on a relative or really just about any dead person. What you have laid down seems like the wisest way for me to go about it. Thanks again.

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:31 am
by jcrowfoot
No Problem. Good luck!

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:16 pm
by The Dragon
I need to try this with my cousin Debbie who pasted 12 years ago. My I see a seer they always see someone from the other side around me and when I start to name my deceased ancestors, her name is the one they always say is trying to reach me!!

I wonder why...she and I did not have a relationship on earth; I wonder why she has choosen to stick with me. I know she has been acting as a guardian angel of sorts.

The last reading I had was by an Ifa priest. He said she probably wants to reincarnate through me. Whatever it is, I need to learn how to get into contact with her.

Thanks for the tips!!

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:35 am
by jcrowfoot
My two cents: relationships with people are strange. Frequently, when people die they get a different perspective on things and see parallels between you and them that they didn't see when distracted with the stuff of life. It also may be some kind of debt she owed you from a previous life... there are all kinds of possibilities.

Good luck! IF you have any questions, feel free to PM me for info about the spell if you need it.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:07 pm
by amunptah777
Well, like the Chinese, you're essentially practicing Ancestor worship.;


A ritual offering (incense)

a pic of him

Hopefully something he created,wrote,painted,recorded...anything he made.

and a method of divination (if you are northern caucasian , I'd recommend using Runes, southern (Spanish, Italian..etc...) Tarot

And then...just ask.

Thet