Defining 'Expirienced' spirit keeper.

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Zero
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We've likely all seen listings for spirits who are 'for experienced keepers only'. This raises the question; what defines exactly of what experienced really is? Who sets the bar, where does the bar even sit, what bar am I even talking about? Does this bar serve alcohol? Yes? Strawberry Daiquiri, please. No? D*mn....

Anyways.

Being experienced means many different things in combination with each other.

What diversity has to do with it:

Being diverse means you work with a multitude of beings ranging from race to race, art to art, species to species. You are not limited to just one art, just one race of being, just one species of being. Instead, you work with different arts, different races of beings and different species.

People who work with only White Arts spirits will be in for a bit of an adjustment period when they should bring a Dark Arts being into their companionship. This is because the person is only used to White Arts energy. The person may have been a spirit keeper for as long as 10 years, but if they only ever had WA beings in their care throughout this time, they lack experience with DA beings and will have to adjust accordingly.

That is where diversity comes into play. Even though you could be a spirit keeper for as long as 10 or more years, if you stick only to one art, you're actually limited in broad range experience on the spectrum, especially if you only keep WA.

What control has to do with it.

You bring home your first DA spirit. Likely there will be an adjustment period. Say the DA being in nature has tendencies to like fighting. Perhaps the spirit was some kind of warrior in life or something like that. You're at school, and someone is trying to pick a fight with you. You don't want to fight, don't want to get in trouble with school, parents, the works. But this new DA spirit wants you to fight and tries to influence you. The being can manipulate your emotions and make you decide to go ahead and throw that sucker punch. Welp, now you're suspended from school for a week. Good job.

When working with DA spirits, you have to be able to control your emotions. When adjusting in the beginning, it may be difficult to, but in time it will get easier. Once adjusted to the energy of the DA being and learning how to properly handle their influence, yay, no more school suspensions!

Not only do you have to control yourself, but also the spirit. This does NOT mean you keep them chained up or caged. This means that you are able to communicate to them that you are the one in charge and what you say goes. If a spirit breaks a rule, you must enforce a punishment of some kind (NOT torturous methods, however) or subdue them.
Example, a Djinn breaks a rule, put their vessel near water. A Werewolf breaks a rule, put their vessel in sunlight. A Spriggan breaks a rule, subdue them with peanut butter. A Wraith breaks a rule, subdue them with cinnamon.

What responsibility has to do with it:

One of the most important things in experience. If something wrong happens, you have to be responsible enough to step up to the plate and accept the consequences. I'm not saying that in spirit keeping bad things will happen, but there is always a possibility with Dark Arts.

Trickster spirits are your most likely candidates for causing trouble. If you don't set limits on what they're allowed to do, they'll do anything they want. If you do set rules and they break them, refer back to 'What control has to do with it."

Let's say you haven't set limits on your new trickster spirit. You're in need of a bit of cash. Someone close to you happens to leave a good wad of cash laying out one day. The trickster spirit takes the money and you find it in your possession and know very well it is the person's close to you. You now have to accept the responsibility of returning that money and, if need be, apologizing for the accident. If you don't return the money and keep it for yourself, you accept the karma.

What respect has to do with it:

Oh... how many times have I seen newbs saying that they want -insert DA spirit here- just so they can be bada$$? Ooooh dear...

Anyone who gets a spirit just to look cool is getting the spirit for entirely wrong reasons and obviously does not respect the being. If you get a DA spirit and act with arrogance around them, they will not listen to you and will cause trouble for you. After all, why should they respect some one who doesn't respect them?

Should you ever find yourself looking at a listing and wondering to yourself if you're ready or not for an experience recommended being, ultimately, it is only yourself who can truly answer this question. You can always ask practitioners and others for advice, but the decision in the end lies with you. You'll figure out whether or not you've got what it takes when the being comes to you and is with you for a while should you take the plunge.

Most often I see people wondering whether or not they're ready for vampire, werewolf or djinn spirits after only keeping WA spirits, or no spirits at all.

When starting with DA spirits, it's usually recommended that you custom order one, and perhaps ask the being be on the lighter end of the DA spectrum. However, if you feel you are ready for a darker being, that is your decision to make.

Before not too long ago, I had hardly any experience with vampires. I have one unbound sang vamp who I really haven't worked with at all... I've gotten his name, but that's as far as our interactions have gone. So, what was my first official bound vampire? A Demon Sanguine Vampire entity (yes, entity as in alive on the astral realm, beating heart and breathing lungs alive) who on a scale of just how dark he is, 0 being White Arts and 10 being Black Arts, I'd rate him an 8.5.

So... I took quit a large leap from no vampire spirits of any kind (save for my unbound who I haven't worked with at all) and no experience with their kind to mega dark entity demon sang vampire and I had only been spirit keeping for a little over a year.

Everything has been wonderful with him around. Although I did not have experience with vampires, I did have experience with DA beings. Because I had experience with DA beings, I had learned how they can manipulate your emotions and how I can control that. Of course... seeing as this guy is by far the darkest in my companionship, I was still up for an adjustment with him. I was much more irritable while bonding with him. But, nothing ever got truly out of hand because I was able to control myself. I did step on a few toes during the process, but I accepted the responsibility of it. He and I respect each other. He knows I'm not about to use him for anything that he is capable of, I know he won't either.

Am I saying that this means everyone else who is thinking of getting a vamp should take the huge leap of doom that I did? NO! Just because I did this, does NOT mean everyone else should. As Loki once so eloquently put it to me... "Do as I say, not as I do, d*mnit!!!"

I knew myself well enough to make this decision. I discussed it with friends and thought very long and very hard before I made the official decision "Okay, I'm bringing him home." I spent a good 5 months debating it. It wasn't a speedy decision, or one made lightly. Getting a DA spirit should never be a decision taken lightly, especially one on the darker end of the spectrum.

All in all, there are many things that factor in to what defines an experienced spirit keeper. Some may be experienced in one field, but not in another. Some may be well rounded and work in many different fields. What matters most is you work with what is most comfortable for you. And if you get in over your head, well... CH has an emergency HD status for a reason. :silly:

Another useful thread http://www.creepyhollows.com/phpBB3/vie ... 64&t=17637

Now, what do others feel defines what an 'experienced keeper' is?


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Sequinox
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This is an excellent question Zero. I look at listings often where it says "experienced keeper only" and thought, well, that isn't me. I think knowing yourself, being mindful in your actions and taking responsibility for your actions are all parts of being experienced. If you bring in a DA spirit or entity and blame them for your actions, I don't personally see that as the act of an experienced keeper. If I am not a fighter, bring in a fighter, and engage in a fight but think that it was only because I brought in a vampire slayer or something, I think I may want to learn more self control and also ask myself why I wanted to have a fighter with me in the first place. Perhaps I needed that quality brought out of me and didn't realize it. Perhaps I was too passive. To me, that is experience. Being ready to take a new step in an uncomfortable direction and owning it.

Bringing anyone into your home to be a badass is most certainly not experience speaking. Also, I think it means you need to work on liking yourself better. We are all badasses underneath it all.


Actually, as it turns out, it is easy being green.
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Devilzkiss
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I only thought i could keep white arts when i started , I wasn't sure what would happen if i ventured into the darker side ,

I had a reading and found out i suit darker arts more , my energy is better suited and that i would have very little if any adjustment period . It took me months before i even considered going to the darker side.

I have now quite a powerful darker Sanguine Vamp who i respect , an incubus and a past life love Vampire . I have felt no real changes to my mood attitude or anything else really , but that is because i found out from Nycto that it would be ok through my energy .

I would not say i am an experienced keeper though , one day i guess :)

But i love my Vamps <3 so glad i took that leap !


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I agree with Zero here, I think the best way to go about it to just go with with you feel comfortable with. Sometimes something may come along that you think you may not be ready for, but it works out in the end. You're not going to be able to experience that if you're trying to measure your experience with something tangible like number of entities or years spent, ect.


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"Experienced" = knowing the DA spirit/entity MAY and probably will test you to the limits with tricks,emotional influence back and forth (as in p!ssy one minute,and cool the next) and say nasty stuff to see where you draw the line,nightmares,etc.

I have had a few do this to me and one that I never thought would. He was REALLY pushy. ::bleh::

I'm still never completely lax when/if it happens (I have quite a few darkly dark ones) but I know how to put my foot down respectfully now. ;) You're always told to let it roll off your back and don't react but when it starts happening I'm always like "HOW DARE YOU!!" :mrgreen:

Like a good iron kettle you gotta keep rubbing in the grease to make it seasoned. :lol:


Sincerely,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Weirdo Syri,aka "The Crazy Cat Lady" :mrgreen: Friend of all things dark

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A great question indeed with some excellent responses. Perhaps another interesting take on this matter is how does the conjurer themselves define this? Is it the same for all of them? I believe some things can be assumed (yes I used "that" word even though we know....) however its the finer details that could ultimately be the issues. Looking forward to see where this goes and great insights to everyone thus far.


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"Experienced" = knowing the DA spirit/entity MAY and probably will test you to the limits with tricks,emotional influence back and forth (as in p!ssy one minute,and cool the next) and say nasty stuff to see where you draw the line,nightmares,etc.

I JUST experienced this last night with my Shaitan. He seemed pretty friendly from the get-go, which is why last night surprised me. Via the pendulum, he asked me why I ask dumb questions. I felt like he had just punched me, kinda hurt my feelings a tad! I kept cool and apologized if I had asked anything "dumb" but then asked what I SHOULD ask. He replied that I should ask "lucky questions." (I guess seeking wishes and such?) I made it clear I did not keep him or the others for what they could do for me, but to be my companions. He then told me he was bad. I was like, okay..... (lol) After that he told me I need to be stern, and ask for things from him. I asked HOW is the best way to ask for things (humoring him) and he spelled out...LIBERATE SPIRITS. I asked how and he spelled out DIE. I promptly told him that was NOT okay to say! I scolded him and told him I would not keep him around if he was to go on like that. A definite line in the sand was drawn in the sand by me!

What came next was funny. I asked him if he had anything else to say, and he told me "J***....you are perfect...fake...test" I confirmed that he was just testing me. He then bounced back to his previously friendly self. I still told him (again) that I didn't like what he did and to never do it again, though (in case he missed it in my first scolding, lol)

They certainly have a way to surprise you, don't they!? I think I passed with flying colors, thankfully! I now know exactly what you mean now about being tested by DA. What a stinker.


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You are...: experienced
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An experienced spirit keeper is one who has experienced spirit-keeping...
once you've developed an understanding of spirit interaction, and you can be more experienced or less experienced.. but most of us are moving forward.


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bump 83


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This is good advice for any spirit keeper, or anyone who is considering getting a spirit.
When I first started, I only felt comfortable keeping white arts spirits. Huff brought home some DA spirits, and bought some for me. I had some serious adjustment periods, but we are well matched, and I haven't looked back.
I now have a balanced mix of WA and DA, and they range from the whitest of white to very dark. Each has its own attributes and each has its own requirements.


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