Hey yall, Hearth Foxlynx here! Tune into Witch Hat Chats this Sunday at 1pm to see me! I'll be talking to Nikki and Saul about trance-possession and witch runes. Be sure to check out past episodes, too. Witch Hat Chats has had a lot of great guest hosts!
One of the questions asked is about what someone who may be interested in trance-possession can do. These tips are things that I've practiced over the years. These aren't in any particular order, nor is this the end-all, be-all of lists:
Get to know yourself. Know your mind, thoughts, body, energy, and soul. Knowing yourself is important when inviting other entities into your body!
Develop your psychic abilities.
Try automatic writing or typing.
Get well acquainted with grounding and shielding. These skills are 101. Practice until it becomes muscle memory.
Establish great before and after psychic care routines, such as regular exercise, yoga, stretching, grounding, energy cleansing techniques, epsom salt baths, making a recovery soup with lots of protein and grounding veggies, drinking lots of water, and resting. There are other things, too. Gotta find what works best for you.
Do shadow work, healing, therapy, counseling, etc. Doing this work may bring up triggers in yourself you may not be aware of. Doing shadow work or other types of healing is important to help you deal with certain traumas you may encounter.
Have a support group that you can talk to. This can heavy, risky work when doing possession work--it's not like Hollywood. However it's important to have a human community. Remember even therapists need therapists once in a while.
Have good stamina and endurance. This work takes a lot out of a person.
Have a great relationship with your Spirit Allies--Gods, Guardians, Guides, Ancestors, Energies, etc. They will protect you, but you have to work on building a good strong relationship with them.
Find a teacher. If you're part of a tradition already, talk to the leaders within your group for advice, guidance, and possibly mentoring. You don't have to belong to a tradition that practices trance-possession, but it definitely helps to have a teacher and a community.
Study.
When I realized that I was capable of trance-possession, I wanted a human support/study group, but I just couldn't find anyone. The only book that was recommended was Trance-portation by Diana Paxson. Don't get me wrong, I devoured the three oracle books that she wrote, but I wanted people to talk to without it feeling like I wasn't good or worthy enough, as a couple of groups made me feel when I went searching for information. One group basically said that I because I wasn't part of a tradition I wasn't allowed to learn, but my Gods and Ancestors said otherwise. So I kept searching.
I wanted to know about people's experiences, and if they were relatable to my own. I just wanted a community. I don't belong to a tradition that teaches trance-possession, and I can't afford a human teacher, either. I'm primarily taught by my Deities, Guides, and Ancestors, which I'm grateful for, but having a human community is necessary, too. I am grateful to my Entities and Ancestors, but I am human afterall.
Once I learned of the various terminology for this type of work, I was able to find other books, like Lifting the Veil by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone, which is easily one of my favorite books on the subject so far.
I eventually found others like me, by sharing my experiences on my blogs and Facebook groups. Some of these people are my chosen family now. We share our experiences and resources. We practice with and on one another, and bounce ideas. Vent. Heal. Support. Grow, and become better at what we do. I love my chosen family of Wyrdos and Witches (Wyrd Sanctuary and Evermoving We Rise).
If you're interested in trance-possession or psychic/mediumship, I'm going to share some resources with you. Here are some books that I've read and books that have been recommended to me. Not all listed are specifically about trance-possession, but they can help with psychic and mediumship growth:
Read:
The Way of the Oracle: Recovering the Practices of the Past to Find Answers for Today by Diana L. Paxson
Trance-Portation: Learning to Navigate the Inner World by Diana L. Paxson
The Essential Guide to Possession, Depossession, and Divine Relationships by Diana L Paxson
Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, and Manifestation by Mat Auryn
Spirit Speak: Knowing and Understanding Spirit Guides, Ancestors, Ghosts, Angels, and the Divine by Ivo Domingeuz Jr.
The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft: Shadows, Spirits, and the Healing Journey by Christopher Penczak
Lifting the Veil: A Witches' Guide to Trance-Prophecy, Drawing Down the Moon, and Ecstatic Ritual by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone.
Have Not Read:
Keys to Perception: A Practical Guide to Psychic Development by Ivo Domingeuz Jr
Magickal Mediumship: Partnering with the Ancestors for Healing and Spiritual Development by Danielle Dionne
Drawing Down the Spirits: The Traditions and Techniques of Spirit Possession by Kenaz Filan and Raven Kaldera
The Witch's Book of Spirits by Devil Hunter
Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies by Jason Miller
Spirit Allies: Meet Your Team from the Other Side by Christopher Penczak
Spirit Possession and Trance: New Interdisciplinary Perspectives by Bettina E. Schmidt
Oracles and Divination by Michael Loewe
The Psychic Energy Codex: Awakening Your Subtle Senses by Michelle Belanger
Underworld: Shamanism, Myth, Magick Vol. 1 by Chris Allaun
The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron
The Psychic Being by Sri Aurobindo
Laurie Cabot's Book of Visions: A Collection of Meditations by Laurie Cabot, Penny Cabot, and Christopher Penczak
Buckland's Book of Spirit Communication by Raymond Buckland
If you know of other books about psychic abilities, mediumship, and especially trance-possession, please comment leave a comment! If you have any questions, don't be shy. Comment below or in a thread. Also you can email me at witchfire02@gmail.com . I'm certainly no expert, but I do have experience and know of others who are more knowledgeable than I am.
Thank you for your support!
- Oracle Hearth Foxlynx (also posted on The Hearth Fox Blog)
Comments