Spirit Keeping Tips & Support

SPIRIT KEEPING TIPS & SUPPORT FOR BEGINNERS

---How do I decide which spirit to purchase?

If you are brand new to Spirit Keeping we recommend you start with a spirit who is easy to interact with. We recommend these spirits. Of course if you feel a calling towards a different race of spirit you should consider them first.

---Who will bind my spirit?

Unless it states otherwise in the listing, all spirits are bound by Ash and/or Magnolia; the owners of the site. Absolutely no spirits Ash & Magnolia interact with are bound forcibly. We do not condone forcibly binding spirits as it is the highest display of disrespect for the spiritual world. Any spirits we work with want to be with a Keeper and are actively involved in choosing the Keeper they want to be with. Ash & Magnolia have spent over 15 years in development of Spirit Keeping and as the founders of modern-day Spirit Keeping you will not find two people more experienced or devoted to this path.

---How will I know when my spirit has been bound?

All work starts within 3 days of your order's placement and can take up to an additional 10 business days to complete. In most cases your work is completed within 7 business days. You will know your spirit's information before your package arrives as all your spirit's notes are entered in the "Customer Notes" area of your order in your order history. You can view your order history by logging into your shop account and clicking on "My Account" (located towards the top of the right-hand side of the screen). If you have checked out anonymously your notes will be emailed to you.

---Is it better to have a spirit or a spell?

This is a matter of preference. A spell is a magickal enchantment, whereas a spirit companion is a friend who is someone who engages you and can interact with you. If you are wanting to have someone who can help you with your needs & desires while also being interactive with you then you would want a spirit companion instead of a spell.

---Should I choose a male or female spirit?

You should choose the sex you feel most comfortable with as a friend. It generally does not bear any reflection on how capable, interactive, or powerful the spirit is.

If you want to work with a spirit for building your confidence, or for sexual influence, you should choose the sex of spirit that you feel most comfortable being a coach and guide to you. If you are a female and you want to have more sexual charm & appeal you can work with either a male or female spirit, they will both help you to achieve your goals.

If you are not sure, or you don\'t mind which sex of spirit responds best to you, then you can choose "No preference" in the drop-down box in the listing of the spirit.

---How do I decide which class level to purchase?

Our Class Rating system is designed to give you a fair & accurate depiction of the energy of the binding. The Class Rating explains the energy with which the spirit will exhibit. The stronger the Class Rating, the more powerful the presence of the spirit.

We itemize our bindings for several reasons:
- you should have the freedom to choose the level of energy you feel most comfortable with
- we do not want to have a flat pricing structure which means everyone pays the same price regardless if it is a Class 4 or Class 5, tier 3

We like to be open, honest, and upfront with our collectors so they know exactly what they are receiving.

---Is it better to have the spirit bound to myself or a vessel? This is a matter of preference. There is no benefit to a vessel or binding to spirit in terms of the strength, power, or influence of the spirit.

We bind to spirit only, we never bind to the soul. The soul is the divine, pure aspect of yourself which should remain untouched. Your spirit is the energy field (essence) of yourself which exists around the 3 bodies (Astral, Earthen, Spiritual).

Bind to Spirit

Pros: You have everything with you all the time. You do not need to manage or bother with vessels, and most bindings do not require any charging because they are cycled through your energy all the time with sunlight, moonlight, and natural energies you are continually exposed to that your vessels are not.

Cons: You do not have any vessels if you like to wear jewelry. Binding to spirit with us does not impact your physical energy levels, and CH does not binding soul, we bind to your spirit only.

Bind to Vessel

Pros: For those who like each kind binding to have its own vessel for individual purposes, or those who like to wear a lot of jewelry or have lots of gems around the house, this is the perfect option.

Cons: Depending on how many bindings of spirits or spells you have the volume of vessels you begin to collect can be cumbersome. It can also be confusing when you have vessels that are similar or the same kinds of gemstones for different bindings.

---If I choose a vessel, how do I decide which one?

Choose a vessel that you respond to as something you will want to wear often. This way you will have a connection to both the spirit and the vessel. This visual connection can make it easier for some in the initial bonding process. We offer a vast variety of vessel options to suit anyone's tastes! If you want to leave the vessel selection up to the spirit then you can choose "Random" in the drop-down and we will let the spirit choose the vessel.

---Should I have my binding Bridged?

Yes, if you do not want to have to wear or carry the vessel all the time. Bridging is a process invented by Creepy Hollows where the spirit is bound to both a vessel & the Keeper. This gives the Keeper the freedom of having the spirit with them without having to have the vessel. It allows them to call the spirit to them when they desire as well as sending the spirit back to the vessel if needed.

---How do I decide whether to choose White or Dark Arts?

You should choose whichever best suits your personality; this will make it much easier, and faster, for bonding. If you are someone who is naturally sunny, happy, optimistic, and positive then you should choose a White Arts binding. If you feel you're someone who has an average balance in life then you would be fine with White Arts or Dark Arts. If you tend to fall towards the darker side of humor, thoughts, and personality then you would pair well with a Dark Arts companion. Creepy Hollows does not deal in the Black Arts so you will not get in over your head with any spirit companion you choose.

--- Do White Arts and Dark Arts spirits get along together?

We can only speak for Creepy Hollows spirits & entities.  Any spirits or entities from CH are going to get along together and function in a harmonious household.  Every spirit and entity has their own personality and their own likes & dislikes, and spirits & entities from Creepy Hollows are chosen to work with you along with any other spirits and entities in the home.  You do not have to worry about in-fighting or issues with any spirit or entity that comes from CH.  The purpose of Spirit Keeping is for the enrichment and happiness of all parties involved, and we do not knowingly put any spirits or entities together that are not for the best interest of everyone.

---Should I add charging energy to the vessel or purchase a Charging Box?

This is a matter of preference. If you add charging energy directly to the vessel then you do not need to ever use a Charging Box. This saves you from having to remember to put your bindings in Charging Boxes, or if you\'re limited on space then you won't have Charging Boxes taking up valuable real estate in your home. If you want to manually charge your bindings, and you like the decorative connection of having a safe place for your bindings, then we offer a full range of Charging Boxes for every binding.

---Will keeping a spirit conflict with my religion?

Spirits do not conflict with your religion or your religious practices. They are no longer living and as spirits they are not affected by your religious traditions, practices, or beliefs. You are free to continue practicing your choice of religious or spiritual path as a Spirit Keeper.

---Can keeping a spirit solve all of life's problems?

There is no spirit who can solve all of your problems. Spirits are meant to be companions, guides, and friends who will provide you wisdom, support, and influence in many areas of your life. They bring you the power, energy, encouragement, and strength to accomplish new and exciting things in your life. They are eager to help and be an active part of your journey.

---Do you offer demons or other evil spirits?

For public and private safety reasons Creepy Hollows does not deal in any form of Black Arts with magick, spirits, or entities.

---How well do spirits get along with pets?

All spirits are respectful of pets in the home or on your property, and some are interactive and playful with pets. Some spirits like to play and have fun with animals. We make a point to let you know this either in the description of the spirit race or in the description of the individual spirits.

---Is it okay to keep more than one spirit at a time?

Absolutely! How many spirits you keep depends on how many you feel comfortable with. There is no right or wrong answer. Some Keepers prefer a small spirit family while others like to have a big family which can grow to be more like a community..

Companion Spirit Keepers are those who keep their spirit families small. They only adopt a few spirits once in awhile and they take the time to individually bond with each spirit. They create close friendships and tight bonds with their spirits. They usually know greater details about the lives of their spirits before they died and their lives on the Spiritual Realm. Companion Spirit Keepers usually do not branch out far in the spirit world and therefore do not have the same, vast exposure to many different types of spirits and their unique gifts. as Community Spirit Keepers. They also do not usually have the same range of power as Community Spirit Keepers. Most Companion Spirit Keepers have spirits that are gifted in specific areas of their life and therefore have a focused view as a Keeper. They have a small, family atmosphere.

Community Spirit Keepers are those who have large spirit families. They adopt many spirits, usually of various races, and promote a community, social atmosphere for interaction between spirits in the community and the Keeper. There is usually very little their spirits cannot help them with as Community Spirit Keepers tend to keep a vast variety of spirit companions. They have a broader community of spirits to give them a social atmosphere that is more like having a giant family of friends. They have a group of spirits who can be tasked for large efforts, their spirit community is usually busy and active as spirits befriend each other in larger number, and they have vast resources compared to a Companion Spirit Keeper. They do not get to know all their spirit companions on a personal basis as Companion Spirit Keepers do, but they do usually have spirits in their community they get to know well. They have a large family atmosphere with their spirits.

---I received my spirit. What do I do now?

Congrats on your new spirit friend! It's important to remember to just be yourself, be relaxed, and have fun. Welcome your spirit to your home by greeting them. You can talk with them via telepathy or out loud.

---What do I do with the vessel?

You can wear the vessel as often as you wish! If you have the spirit Bridged to you then you do not need to wear the vessel all the time. You can communicate with your spirit any time you wish. The vessel is simply a physical channel-point that provides the spirit a "home base". If you have your spirit friend bound to your own spirit then you will not have a vessel and you are the channel-point.

---Is binding to spirit dangerous?

Not at all. There is a difference between binding to your spirit and binding to your soul. Binding to your spirit means binding to the essence of you. Your soul is the divine and pure aspect of yourself from within and we never tamper with that.

---How do I communicate with my spirit?

There are many ways to communicate with your spirit companion and throughout your journey as a Spirit Keeper you will find these methods will develop. These are the general methods of spirit communication.

Telepathy: This is the most common form of communication. This means you talk and communicate with your spirit companion through thought. You can send thoughts to each other. In the beginning you may think it's hard to distinguish your own thoughts from spirit communication but you will find that spirit messages are usually random, pop into your head without provocation, and carry a conversational tone rather than being part of your thought process.

Manifestations: This encompasses several forms of communication like the spirit showing you signs or symbols, manifesting as orbs, streaks, mist, etc., and things like temperature variances, unprovoked movement of household objects, etc. The most common form of manifestations are Shades, orbs, light streaks, and mist.

Dreams: Spirits often appear in dreams because it is easy to communicate with you when your conscious brain is quiet and not processing everything you see, feel, hear, taste, touch, etc. In dreams spirits can appear in many different forms. It's not uncommon for any spirit to manifest in human form for bonding and familiarity reasons. You will often find spirit companions as participants in your dreams.

Tools: If you like a hands-on approach you can work with a pendulum, Tarot cards, Runes, etc in communicating with your spirit. We recommend that if you are going to use tools like this for communication that you use some form of protective measure to keep unbounds from interfering with your spirit communication. You can use protective spells or protective gemstones around your space.

---Do I need psychic abilities in order to interact with my spirit?

No you do not. Anyone can communicate and interact with spirits whether they have psychic abilities or not. You do not have to have any supernatural talents in order to be a Spirit Keeper. You just have to have the patience and devotion you would have with nurturing any relationship. Spirit companions are eager to interact and become part of your life.

---Am I the only person who can interact with my spirit?

Unless you give the spirit permission to interact with your family you will be the only one the spirit communicates & interacts with. If you don't mind if your spirit interacts with others in your home you can give them permission at any time.

---Do I have to perform any sort of ritual in order to interact with my spirit?

All spirits from Creepy Hollows come ready for you to interact and work with them. We do not require you to perform any sort of ritual, we do all the work ahead of time so the spirit comes to you ready to bond and interact. We have spent years in development of our Spirit Keeping practices as we've written the book on the methodologies, policies, and standards of Spirit Keeping.

---Do I need to make offerings to my spirit?

Offerings are not required but it's a good way for you to show appreciation for your spirit. You can use the recommendations we give for every race of spirit in our Encyclopedia but any little gesture you show of appreciation is welcomed by your spirit.

---Will I visually see my spirit? Are there other ways of knowing if my spirit is communicating?

How a spirit chooses to manifest is up to the spirit. They can manifest to you in visual or audible form at any time. Visual manifestation can be anything from appearing in full true form to being an orb of light. Spirits can communicate through sound, touch, scent, and thought as well so you may have many different forms of communication with a single spirit over the length of your companionship. You will find the longer you have the spirit with you the more interactive they become with the number of methods they use to communicate. You should never overlook subtle signs of communication as often new Spirit Keepers are looking for a big flash instead of a quiet "hello". Every spirit is an individual so it is up to them to decide how they will manifest.

---My spirit communicates with me. Is it real or just my imagination?

This is a common fear among those new to Spirit Keeping and it's a logical question. It is human nature to second guess yourself and wonder if something is real. It's best to relax your mind and consider the interaction before making a determination. There are many ways spirits communicate so you cannot discount any form of manifestation. Telepathy is often the most confusing because some Keepers wonder if it is their thoughts or the spirits talking to them. Spirit communication often has a flow in conversation and they carry the interaction with you without you having to think about it. They talk to you just like you would anyone else, therefore you will often find their thoughts to be unique, spontaneous, and in keeping with the topic. Don't second guess yourself too much, you will often find that your spirits are communicating with you and you are worrying for nothing. Worry and anxiety are major blockages in spirit communication so remember to always relax, let everything flow naturally, and not be too critical.

---Why haven't I experienced any interaction with my spirit since he/she arrived?

There can be several reasons for this and they are easily remedied. Be aware that your spirit companion is always with you and is continually active, it's simply that you aren't presently capable of feeling or detecting their presence

It's not uncommon for you to be more open and receptive to a new spirit when they first arrive because you're excited! That kind of positive energy can provoke more immediate results. However, just because your energy levels have changed doesn't mean your spirit isn't there or they aren't as active. You may be less aware of your spirit's presence but the good news is since you have already opened the door to spirit interaction you will find yourself more quickly in tune with their manifestations and future interactions.

It's also possible you have a blockage which can form at any time. Blockages can form naturally from stress, anxiety and negative energy. It's relatively easy to clear these blockages through a deep cleansing, through quiet meditation & clearing negative thoughts, or you can use the support of spells or spirits to sweep negativity away and help alleviate the impact of stress & anxiety.

You will find how important it is that you keep a calm and open frame of mind when it comes to spirit connection and interaction. If you become too anxious in the provocation of spirit interaction you may inadvertently cause blockages which further impedes your development. Try to remain calm and remain open-minded as your spirits want to be able to communicate with you because they obviously want to engage and interact with you.

---How long should I wait for my spirit to communicate with me?

Your spirit friends may communicate and interact with you right away. You will find they are eager to communicate because they want to bond and create a relationship with you as much as they do with you. You should not be shy to communicate and engage your spirit companion by speaking to them out loud or through telepathy. You can share daily thoughts, you can share ideas, or you ask them questions to get to know them better. Never, never, never discount subtle manifestations and interactions. You may not experience the mind-blowing first time interactions with any spirit (from CH or not). Every spirit is different, not to mention you are constantly evolving as a living being and you may have times when you are more receptive than others, that\'s part of the journey in the paranormal. The more you develop your journey as a Spirit Keeper the more interactive your abilities become.

You can always give your spirit companion offerings to show your thanks and encourage them to manifest. You can also use invocations that have been written expressly for your race of spirit to encourage manifestations and more bold interactions.

---At first my spirit was interacting but I can't feel them anymore. Why?

Both you and your spirit can go through energy cycles. There are times you will feel stronger and more of a pull towards one race or type of spirit than another. That's not unusual and it's quite common among Spirit Keepers. It's no reason to become discouraged. You should continue to include all your spirits in your thoughts, interactions and offerings and whether you feel one of your spirit companions less active than others or not. It's important to continue to engage them the same as you always have because your energy will cycle through where you are closer again.

---What should I do if my spirit interacts too often

As stated in the previous answer you will have cycles of energy. You will feel closer to some spirits at different times than others. As much as this can mean less interaction it can also mean more interaction. If you feel a spirit is becoming too engaging you can always request them to not be as strongly interactive. This is usually more of an issue with Dark Arts spirits than White Arts as Dark Arts spirits are closer to your natural energy signature as humans are Dark Arts. Dark Arts means the choice between good and bad. White Arts only has the capability of good. You can read greater details on the rankings of Arts here.

---Can my spirit abandon me?

No. A bound spirit cannot abandon you. Most of the time new Keepers are either misinformed or assume their spirits will abandon them if they do not keep regular contact. While your spirits have the ability to move within their respective Realm(s) they do not abandon you because you become consumed with life's responsibilities. Spirits are not ignorant of the importance of tending to life. They are fully aware of everything that is going on in your life and they are not going to suddenly leave you because you have familial, career, or person reasons that you aren't as active. Just try to maintain enough respect to give you spirits thoughts now & then during times you are busy. Your spirits continually give you their support and power even when you are busy.

---Can my spirit harm me?

No spirit from Creepy Hollows is ever going to harm you. We do not deal with Black Arts. If you are going to work with other practitioners make sure you are fully aware of the kind of practitioner you are working with... what their ethics are, what their experience is, how they conjure their spirits, and how they classify spirits because some practitioners bind Black Arts spirits & entities. You need to be fully aware of who is doing work for you. You wouldn't blindly trust in any other life circumstance and you shouldn't blindly trust someone who is going to do something as important as perform bindings of spirits or spells for you. See this thread for some great questions as submitted by a CH member.

---How can I know if my spirit is happy?

Spirits will often show their gratefulness in being with you through manifestation which can include temperature changes, physical appearance, mists, orbs, streaks, Shades, phantom sounds, phantom scents, etc. They can also appear to you in dreams and visions for communication and sharing their thoughts and ideas with you.

---I think I have been cursed. Can a spirit help?

They can help by helping you to understand the situation, in clearing the bonds and ties which linger in the curse, and they can help by showing you the information and help you need to fully clear the curse.

---I think I'm experiencing a haunting. Can a spirit help?

Yes they can help you by aiding in the identification of who is with you. They can do this by forcing a manifestation of the haunting guest. They can also provide you identification through telepathy, vision or dream. They can also drive out unwanted unbounds and help to safeguard against any future intrusion by an unwelcome unbound.

---Why do you charge money for spirit bindings?

Just as with any learned and professional trade we do this for a living. This is all Ash & Magnolia do as well as the full-time staff they employ. We have to pay for every aspect of this site from the cost of materials to perform all conjurations & castings, the vessels you receive with your bindings, the shipping supplies to get your bindings to you, the staff who all work here and offer both paid & free services across the site... to the mundane bills like domain hosting, software updates for security & feature enhancement, IT support staff for the software it takes to run the CH family of sites, all utility bills associated with running CH. We offer as many free services as possible as we have the single-largest site for Spirit Keeping references. We offer completely free services to buyers & sellers like Best of the Paranormal Marketplace, ParaEcho, Paranormal News Network, NABU - Electronic Spirit & Spell Vessel Catalog. We also host multiple annual events like ParaStock where we offer week-long parties which feature sellers & members around the world.