Fire has always been an intricate part of my life! My parents were hippies who spent a lot of time camping in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and my father had a love of big bonfires that meant most weekends were often accompanied by flames and smoke, regardless if we were home or away. The love and respect they had for fire instilled in me a feeling of home and family whenever I sit in front of open flames. I learned as a child that fire connected people, made people talk and listen in ways that made conversation deeper and more profound. In my adult life, I have continued to see fire as a conduit of communication, recognizing that it holds the powers of depth and vulnerability, allowing us to partially hide our faces in the shadow of its light that we may speak our truth easier.
My Druid teacher Ivan McBeth insisted on having a fire burning for the entirety of the day if he was teaching. He believed that fire helped people to more fully absorb information, as it brought a sense of sacred timelessness to the circle that connected us to our ancestors (both biological and chosen). Seeing the fire as a conduit of communication he believed people were more real when sitting together around open flames.
I spend a lot of time around fire pits and have many on my property; with small ceremonial fire pits hidden away in the woods (I always carry water with me and keep my fire small if I am going to have a fire in the woods) a large pit in the center of my yard and a winter fire circle just off the driveway. While I often share my fire with living guests (friends, family, and students), I spend equally as much time tending the fire while alone with my thoughts or in conversation with my Beloved Dead. (Beloved Dead-The spirits of our ancestors, loved ones, and guides.)
My life is never truly quiet and I am never truly alone! As a Psychic Medium my life is filled with the voices of spirits; guides who support me, loved ones who have come for a visit, and those who seek my professional service connecting with their living loved ones. In my work I set aside time for the experience and ritualistically connect in the same fashion for each seance (Seance- to sit in reverence and communicate with the dead); beginning by creating sacred space and welcoming the Beloved Dead with love and clarity, and ending the session by thanking the dead and wishing them farewell. In my day-to-day life, the voices often slip through my consciousness like so much background noise, in the same way, that conversations had at the coffee counter or check-out line do not stay embedded in our minds. This means that I too must take time to sit with the sacredness of the situation if I want to connect with my own guides and loved ones in a substantial way. Fire is one of the ways I do so!
One of the things I learned during the 'November Incident' (my major opening to spirit) was that we all are surrounded by spirit all the time, none of us are ever truly alone and our thoughts and actions are not truly secret! At first, this was really disturbing to me, as I realized that every nasty thought that passed through my mind about myself or others was being observed, every insecurity, every shitty little bitch-thought was not truly hidden away in the recess of my mind. It made me clean up my thinking a lot and brought a whole other awareness to the power of thought in the universe. Over time I got used to this and realized that everyone has shitty thoughts, and most of us don't really believe those things, instead they are just the ranting of our overworked minds. Regardless, I found this thought made me more aware, and this awareness helped me change the flow of thoughts in my mind. Knowing that someone was always around, aware of my being also helped me feel more supported and soon I began actively asking those spirits to guide me and help me figure out things that were beyond my understanding.
Want to hear more about the 'NOVEMBER INCIDENT'? Check out my book 'JUMP GIRL, the initiation and art of a spirit speaker'- https://www.amazon.com/Jump-Girl-Initiation-Spirit-Speaker/dp/162317192X/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=jump+girl&qid=1627908008&sr=8-6
I soon began seeking out quiet time for my thoughts, places I could connect deeply with my spirits for guidance and understanding, FIRE was one of the places I found this connection. Sitting in front of an open fire; whether a candle, my wood stove, or an open bonfire, is one of the easiest ways I can slip into the betwixt and between and focus on the words of spirit (I also very much like the tub for this). The hypnotic movement of the flame allowing my mind to slip into a light-medium trance state. With my mind in the betwixt and between I can easily stay focused on the words of spirit, allowing me to communicate with my spirits on a deep and intricate level. (By setting aside the time I am telling both my spirits and myself that I am here for sacred working, which allows for clearer communication and deeper messages.)
While not all of us possess the strength of ability to be a professional psychic medium we can all experience the spirits of our Beloved Dead. Just as like art, we are all capable of doing so but the ability level is variable. Connection with our ancestral spirits can be developed through patience and dedication. Honoring is a good place to start; setting up a family altar with photos and memorabilia is a good place to begin as it allows us to focus on those we love who have crossed into the spirit. But true communication comes with practice and dedication, and fireside is a good place to focus on your intentions and open yourself to contact, as we often let down our guard and become more vulnerable around the undulations of an open flame.
FIRESIDE CONNECTION WITH YOUR ANCESTORS-
YOU WILL NEED- an exposed flame (campfire, candle, etc.), offerings for your ancestors (their favorite food, drink, smoke), incense or sacred herbs for cleansing your aura/energetic body, your book of shadows, drums and rattles if you wish, a pendulum if you wish for confirmation.
FREE 'Book of Shadows' workshop @ Salicrow's School of Magic-
Begin by setting up an altar near your fire with memorabilia and photos of your ancestors. If seeking contact with guide place items on your altar that make you think of them.
Light your incense or herbs and use the smoke to cleanse your aura by moving the smoke around your body.
Light your fire as you introduce yourself and state your intention "I am Salicrow, and I am here to connect with my Beloved Dead".
Spend a few moments in sacred sound using your voices, a drum, or rattle to bring yourself into a deeply relaxed state as you gaze at the fire.
Gaze into the fire as you expand your vision to include the peripheral, allowing your consciousness to go wide.
Ask one of your ancestors or guides to sit close to you that you may feel them, as you focus your consciousness on your ability to sense with your physical body. Closing your eyes helps as it shuts out our vision and makes us focus differently. Make note of how you feel, noticing any place you feel cold, tingly, heat, or pressure.
Speak your questions or thoughts out loud, as if speaking to someone sitting around the fire with you (because they are). Forming your questions around yes/no answers is recommended for beginners. Listen and feel for the answer. If you like you can use your pendulum for clarity. Make note of any sensations you feel and the thoughts that cross your mind.
After spending a few moments in questions go back to your sacred sound, gaze into the flame and ask your spirits to show you what you need to see. Spend at least 10 minutes drumming, singing or humming, while gazing into the flames.
Make note of your experience in your Book of Shadows, thank your ancestors and wish them farewell.
Please note-this exercise should be repeated often, as growth comes with repetition. The more you work at it the easier it becomes. If you are seeking a deeper connection to spirit with more clarity I offer individual and group Spirit Communication sessions in person on my land 'Solstice Meadow' and online via ZOOM.
Spirit Communication w/Salicrow-https://www.salicrow.com/spirit-sessions
spreading love-
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