​I have been reading some books lately where the authors make definitive statements about how others should shape their practice. Personally, I have a bit of a problem with that. To me, an author’s job is to present their knowledge and experience to their readers as unbiasedly as possible. In most metaphysical books I have read, the author specifically states that the ideas expressed within are their own and that the reader should take only what they need. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. These other authors, though, write like their way is the right way.
The opinions expressed by two specific books I have recently read seem to further two superstitions I have come across in my many years of practice. They both revolve around the purchasing of tool of the trade. One is that you should never buy your own tarot decks, and the other is that you should never buy your own crystals. A superstition is defined as a widely held belief in a causal link between a behaviour/action and a particular consequence that has a supernatural base. An example would be knocking on wood or carrying an object for luck. In this case, that purchasing either item for oneself would diminish its energy or ability to function for the purchaser, if they keep it. I have not only read this, but have heard it at several markets and fairs I have attended. I will state at this point that if that is what you believe then that is perfectly fine. My question would be, why do you believe that? If your belief is based on your own personal experience, then great. If it is because someone told you that, or it was something you read, then I would encourage you to look at their motives for saying such a thing.
Often, these types of statements are passed on from person to person without question. If you heard it from someone you know or respect, it is easy to just take their word for it. There is, at this time, to known origin for either of these beliefs. My research has posited that there are several reasons they may have come into circulation.
One reason is a form of gatekeeping. It makes the item, or learning to work with the item more mysterious. If the knowledge has to be passed down, the item bestowed, or the person needs to be initiated into the process then it is less likely to become more mainstream, and the people who already do it seem to be more credible and more powerful. In this case, I would say that learning to do something on your own, with or without a teacher, is perfectly acceptable. You may have an innate talent, your own type of connection, or you may learn to work with talents/skills you never knew you had. There are many books on how to develop your intuitive abilities, a skill we all possess to one degree or another.
Another reason for their wide spread is that older customs may have been misinterpreted or created by certain groups because working with such tools may have been taboo. Even today there are people who discount or try to discredit many different intuitive or “supernatural*” skills/abilities because they have not been proven to exist (or be effective) by modern science in a lab somewhere. While this is a slow process, there has been some headway here, though I do not think all research in this area has been published for public consumption.
A third possibility is the generalization of already widespread “superstitions”. For instance, it has been said that opal was once considered a talisman of bad luck because it was associated with witches, sorcerers, and the evil eye. On the other hand, it would be considered lucky to be worn by someone born in October, as that is considered one of that month’s corresponding birthstones. It was also believed in some places that a crystal would attach itself (energetically) to whomever received it, and the intentions of the giver influenced the energies of the crystal. It is possible that the superstitions surrounding this stone became generalized for all crystals in general. What is true for one, could be true for all, so to speak.
The fourth reason, and final of this post, is politically motivated. Especially concerning crystals. I do believe that everything we use should be ethically harvested. There is no reason to destroy earth just to possess something. That said, a couple of authors I have read lately have firmly stated that one should ONLY use crystals that have been found, that you should ONLY ever own one crystal, or that if you cannot find/stumble across what you feel you need you should put that need/want out to the universe so that someone else may provide you with it. I find these statements to be very heavy handed and rather judgmental. Different crystals provide different energies/abilities. As a healer, I have used many different crystals for various purposes. While a single person may feel that one particular crystal is all they need for their own purpose, I do not feel it is right to make some feel guilty about what they feel they need. I also believe that if it is meant to be, then the universe will put it in your path, whether you have to purchase it or not. If it feels right to you/you connect with it, then it should not matter how you procure it, as long as you don’t steal it. That would just be bad juju.
Regardless of the reasons for passing on such “rules” for purchase, I would encourage my readers to question everything. What rings true for one person, may seem completely wrong for another. Also, even though books (on any topic) are written like the information is solid facts, what we know about the world/universe around us is always changing. After all, we once believed the sun revolved around the earth, and that atoms were the smallest units of matter. We must be open to new ideas and information, and be willing to change our point of view when new evidence is presented. Sometimes, it is a matter of faith until proven fact. No judgement.
How do you feel about these “superstitions”? Do you purchase your own decks or crystals? I know that the very fist tarot deck I ever had was a gift, but I have bought many decks myself since then, and they all work just the same for me. How about you? What are your thoughts or experiences? I would love to know.
 
 
*Supernatural, in this case, referring to abilities like energy healing, mediumship, any of the “clairs” (any of the psychic gifts like clairvoyance), and other such skills.
 

​Have you ever seen shadows that move out of the corner of you eye? Maybe you saw a human shaped silhouette move in a dark room? What did you see? Was it even there, or just your imagination at play?
There is a lot of speculation around what shadow people are. I have read everything from demons to egregores. Each theory has its merits, who knows which one, or ones, are correct. Maybe we will never know for sure. Their motives, if they have any, seem to vary. Some accounts of sightings tell of warnings of danger, some say they felt menacing, angry or negative, while others say they were just there, and then they were gone.
From a psychology point of view, shadow people are often attributed to hypnagogic hallucinations, which is when the brain sees things that are not there when you are in that groggy half-awake/half-asleep state. This can sometimes be accompanied by sleep paralysis. They say it can happen when the temporoparietal junction in the brain is stimulated and can be a symptom of extreme stress, fatigue, anxiety, abuse or overconsumption of antihistamines, or even some psychotic disorders. While I do love psychology, I believe these phenomena cannot be boiled down to mere mental hallucinations.
So what about the other theories? Could they be demons come to terrorize us in the night? Could they be a warning of danger? One book I read proposed that seeing them was indicative of a bigger problem. That they appeared, like bottom feeders, to feed of residual negative energy caused or brought by worse entities in the area. Still others claim they are another/shapeshifted form of djinn (trickster demon or spirit, made of smokeless fire, able to possess humans. They come from Arabic and Muslim lore). The other theory mentioned was that they are an egregore. This would be an entity created by the thoughts/feelings/intent of a person or group of people, usually for a purpose, though they can be made unintentionally. I am not inclined to believe all shadow people are this, though some could be; particularly if they were created unintentionally.
We cannot talk about shadow people without mentioning the Hat Man. If you have never heard of him, he is a shadowy figure described as wearing a trench coat and a hat that resembles a fedora. Usually these sighting are reported as having a malevolent energy, though a few sightings have also been reported as a brief appearance as a warning. One difference commonly associated with the Hat Man that is not with other shadow figures is either bright red or dark pools for eyes. The psychological causes for seeing him are the same as those for shadow people. While there have been many accounts told of the Hat man, all with similar descriptions, the “scientific” consensus is that it is a “widespread shared experience” and complete fiction.
One thing that I question about either experience is how it is perceived. Does the knowledge and experience of the person determine how they perceive the intent of the shadow figures? Does one’s own fear direct that experience to be more negative? Would a wider knowledge base of the paranormal bring a more curious or even positive reaction than a fearful one? They do say that, generally speaking, we fear what we do not understand.
There is much that happens in the human experience that science cannot readily explain, and sightings of any sort of spiritual or ghostly phenomena are mostly ignored or even mocked. What we should keep in mind is that throughout time anything that could not be explained at the time was thought to be magical or the work of the gods (whichever ones they believed in). Every day our “modern science” proves things we once denied were possible (quantum physics in particular). Just because we cannot explain something does not mean it isn’t so, and just because we can explain it doesn’t make it any less magical that it is so.
So what do you believe? Have you ever seen a shadow person or the Hat Man? Were you afraid, or do you think you would be if you had this experience? I would love to know.

​When practicing one’s craft, any number of tools can be utilized. There is, however, sometimes a moral dilemma when it comes to using once living things. This in my opinion, comes down to personal preference. As long as it is done ethically I see nothing wrong with incorporating once living things, or even living things in your practice. Whether you practice herbal or kitchen witchery, grow your own plants for medicine, have a familiar, or any number of other tools commonly ascribed to witchcraft you are incorporating living things into your craft. If you believe in animism; that every natural thing has a soul, this expands out to crystals, metals, the landscape, and even the weather (like rain, thunder, and lightning).
 
So what do we mean by “ethically done”. Well, it could mean that you use sustainable practices when you harvest or wildcraft herbs and other plant material. Maybe you only take that which has already fallen from the tree or plant. Perhaps you research where your crystals and other materials come from before purchasing to make sure they were ethically mined/harvested/sourced. Whatever your practice, it is generally accepted as customary to ask the plant or land spirit for its permission first, and leave an offering such as tobacco, some water, or a small gift when you are done, if you are collecting it yourself. 
 
That said, what about more controversial items such as bones, and animal skins? Some may say this is not ethical, while some work very closely with animal spirits/essences and use these items to create a closer connection to them. This ties in closely with a previous post I made about magical otherkin practices/beliefs. There are some shamanic practices that use animal parts as well. There are many people whom practice this type of craft. The author Lupa has, in her many books on the subject, talked about her experiences with animal skulls and the spirits she has met (and worked with) that were still attached to them. If you are interested in this topic I highly recommend picking up any of her books, many of which can be found on Amazon. While I would not recommend that anyone go out and kill an animal for their skull or skin to use in magical practices, if you hunt for food, or you find them from ethically sourced places locally or online*, these items can be used, once properly cleaned and cleansed. My first personal experience with animal furs kind of creeped me out, though I am unsure how ethically harvested it was (it was a gift), since I have not had that experience since then. It may have been some residual negative energy from when it was killed, I could not say for certain.
 
This phenomenon is also found with crystal skulls. There are many stories of spirits that were housed in, or housed themselves in crystal skulls that were purchased by people who were not necessarily aware of it at the time. A spiritual consciousness is not limited to crystal skulls either. Many objects can be used to house spirits or other types of consciousness.
 
This topic could also extend to blood magic. This can be a very touchy subject indeed, because blood carries the essence of life. Regardless of whose blood it is, it is generally considered a very potent magical tool/ingredient. There are many people who would never use even their own; fearing the consequences of doing so. Spilling blood was a once a ritual act used in cultures around the world including Aztec, Mayan, Ancient Egyptian, and Greco-Roman cultures. Though perhaps not as prevalent or dramatic as tv/movies have made it out to be. There are even some cultures today that still sacrifice animals like lambs or roosters. Not all blood sacrifice has to do with animals, or even spilling a lot of blood. Sometimes a single drop is all that is used. A small vial of drawn and preserved blood given as a symbolic gift would be considered an act of deep trust. I would consider this to be a very personal act of magic, and not likely widely practiced.
 
As you can see, there are many ways to incorporate living or once living things into ones practice. The question is if and where you draw the moral line. Where do you draw that line? Would you use animal skins/blood/body parts? Would you use your own? Is this an ethical quandary for you?
 
 
*There are places that provide ethically sourced furs and other animal parts online (in Canada) such as https://medievalfur.ca/ that works with local indigenous people, and https://loosemoosetradingpost.ca/ that also donate to the conservation of wildlife with each purchase.

​The Akashic Records are thought of as a cosmic compendium of universal knowledge. One might imagine a giant cosmic library with a book for every soul, every living thing (not just humans). Every book containing a record of all past, present, and future events that pertain to that soul/living thing. It would be difficult to truly comprehend just how much information/knowledge is stored there, but the possibilities seem endless. This universal memory bank is not a new concept, and is seen in cultural belief systems like Buddhism, Hinduism, and Theosophy. Parallels can also be found in Tibetan and Egyptian traditions as well 
This vast collection of knowledge is said to exist on the mental plane, and, with enough work, practice, and training, can be accessed by anyone. Like anything else, this will be more difficult for some than others. I know a few people who have accessed these records, and can help others do the same, though I have not done so personally. 
This is not just passive information though. Accessing this library gives one the opportunity not just to learn what was, is, or might be, but also to make change, heal, and gain insight into personal lessons and life purpose. This could be done for one’s current or past lives. Imagine being able to see the lessons your soul has learned, how things unfolded, and bring healing to places/times that need it. Or to see the possibilities of what may be (on one’s current path), and be able to “correct course” for the greater good. The potential for not only personal/soul healing and growth, but that of the collective as well is incredible, and possibly a bit overwhelming.
There are many guided meditations/journeys available on YouTube, in books, and workshops/courses that one could use to learn how to access the Akashic Records for themselves. There are also individuals who are already connected, that could do it on your behalf for a fee. The temptation to do so could be great for some people, daunting for others. While it is nothing to fear, I would suggest doing so after giving much thought to what it is you wish to learn on your visit. This journey takes some focus and dedication, and should not be taken lightly.
Have you heard of the Akashic Records, or maybe you have visited them yourself? Is this a journey that interests you? Do you know anyone that has taken it?