So this has been a long time coming. Questions are really in no particular order, but are common questions I get about spirit companionship! I will probably be referring back to this post a lot! Just as a heads up, when I say spirit in this post it is referring to both spirits and entities. I am also splitting this up into two sections because of length.
How do I communicate with my companions?
This is a harder question to answer, because everyone communicates and gets messages from their companions differently. But starting off, just talk to them! Tell them about your day, explain to them what you are doing and why you are doing it. What seems boring and mundane to you might be weird and fascinating to them. But just start by talking to them. You may not get a response, but keep it up! Stay open to the signs, pay attention to the little, subtle changes, and your ability to communicate with them will grow. You can also hone your telepathic abilities with them to get clearer communication. Divination is a good tool to utilize after you have some practice but not at first. Rely on your own abilities first before moving to divination, as you can misinterpret signs through tarot, runes, etc.
Do I need to have psychic abilities?
This is a question I get fairly often. Everyone is born with the ability to have psychic abilities, but very few of us are born with strong psychic abilities. So you DO have psychic abilities, you just haven’t honed that muscle, or know how to use them yet! But a better answer to this question, is that you do not need to have your abilities honed or practiced to become a spirit companion. You can work on them over time, and they will naturally improve by being a spirit companion, to an extent.
Do I need to know how to astral project?
No! In fact astral projection can be very dangerous, so until you know how to protect yourself are well practiced in your craft, I would wait. Meditate with them instead.
Help! I cant see/hear anything! How do I know they are there?
Thats normal, you are ok! If you are just starting out, chances are, you aren’t going to be able to see, hear or feel anything right off the bat. But as long as you got your spirit from a reputable conjurer, and you are communicating with your spirit, chances are they are there. If you have worries that the spirit has left the vessel, talk to the conjurer! They will always check for you.
What is a vessel?
A vessel can be anything, but it is what used to create an energetic binding for the spirit to our physical plane, making it easier for them to communicate and manifest on our plane. Its almost like a telephone, in a way, or a bridge built just for them as a way to make it easier to communicate with us.
What is this about binding, are they trapped?
Not at all! When witches talk about binding it is often in a negative light, but in spirit companionship it is much different. A binding, like explained a bit above, is just an energetic connection to the vessel they are bound to, or to the companion/keeper. Sometime a contract is signed in this binding, not allowing the spirit to harm (among other things), but it just can make it a bit easier for them to communicate with us. Basically they have to use less energy to do so.
What are house rules? Why are they important?
This is exactly what it sounds like.. a set of defined rules that every spiritual family member must abide by. House rules are not something every spirit companion utilizes, but I do. I think they are important because it establishes some ground rules, and keeps my household free of big clashes or any super major issues. Of course things still come up, but if someone breaks a major rule, then thats a HUGE problem, and they get banished. It keeps things running smoothly and brings a bit more peace to the house, considering the variety of arts that I work with. You can see my house rules here.
What are offerings? Do I need to give them offerings?
Companions use offerings differently. Some give them all the time, others do not/cant afford to, but most people choose to give offerings to some extent. Offerings can be anything that is enjoyed by your spirit. It can be things like food, plants, leaves, bones, alcohol, crystals, water, coins, juice, milk, raw meat, nuts, flowers, leaves, candles, magical workings, time, watching TV together, conversation, energy offerings, sexual offerings/sexual energies or home-made crafts. Those are just a few examples, but what your spirit likes will depend on what type of offerings you will be giving them. Offerings don’t have to be hard or expensive. You can give them as a way to show thanks or respect to your spirit family, or as a treat for helping you complete a task, or just because. Spirits often use these offerings to take energy from them.
Is it dangerous?
It can be dangerous, yes. Any time you reach into the non physical planes it can be dangerous. But if you go about it right, use reputable conjurers, keep working on building relationships with your spirits, don’t act like an asshole, don’t blame your spirits that everything that goes wrong, and are generally approaching companionship in the right manner, and with the right attitude, you should be fine.
Is protection important?
Yes. Protection is important with everything you do magically (and in the mundane as well, to an extent). Even if you have protective spirits, you should still set up your own protections as well, even if it is just for backup.
Thats it for now! This might be updated with new questions later! And by no means is this the be-all end-all of spirit companionship FAQs. A lot of this is based off my experiences and opinions, as well as other spirit companions and friends. So do your own research, and come to your own conclusions.