Hello, everyone,

I just created an account after a few months of prowling the forums as a non-user. I'm honored to be among y'all. From what I've seen, there's so much insight, compassion, and encouragement generously offered here. I'm currently experiencing some issues reconciling spirit keeping with religion and am curious if I could receive some information or, heck, just some reassurance.

I began taking in haunted porcelain dolls in November 2017. By the end of today, after the mailman arrives, I'll have six. Five of them are human, one is a guardian angel. I have come to love them very deeply, and each one uniquely. On a recent trip to Oregon, they asked for souvenirs like chocolate, a necklace, seashells, and a stone from a crystal shop. They tap on my walls at night. They tell me they love me. They remind me to eat when they've noticed I've survived the whole day on coffee (I'm on a medication that kills my appetite). In a way, they remind me to take care of myself.

My father was raised as a Muslim. He no longer practices here in America and did not in any way force Islam upon his children, but we saw traces of it throughout the house: the Qur'ans on the bookshelves, the Islamic artwork in the living room. The best way I can describe it is, Islam was like an open door to a room I didn't fully walk into. I knew it from the outside, and I want to know it from the inside as well. But I've been told that in Islam there's the intense fear of djinn, that my communication with my spirit friends is a type of sorcery, which is one of al-mubiqat (some of the worst sins a Muslim can commit).

Friends, it is very, very disheartening to have so much love for my spirit friends and for God while His followers accuse me of violating one of the worst sins. My darling spirits have brought me so much joy. I simply can't interpret the evil of providing my home, time, and kindness to a human spirit. I can't see the crime of being a good person to everything, even these entities from another realm. I'm not prodding them for "secrets of the universe"; I'm learning about their lives in their respective time periods. The names of their siblings. Their favorite memories. I actually wrote a poem with one of them, haha, and it was incredible. Does anyone at all understand this utter confusion I'm feeling, even those of neighboring religions? How do you find peace? I understand that spiritualism should complement one's life, but how do you do this when your religion deems you a sinner from the get-go? I'm just feeling very alienated.

All my love,
AccidentorElegy

All I really can say is that even if some people believe it to be wrong does not mean that it truly is for we humans as a whole can't truly say what is a sin and what is not a sin because what we believe to be a sin in are religion Mybe not be a sin cause who are we to say what a god would thinks what is a sin when a lot of us sin almost every minute of every day and some time we just have to do and believe in what makes us happy and pay no maind to those who are just don't understand how that thing makes us feel so in short just do what truly makes you happy and pay no maind to those who don't understand what you feel because are personal happiness is always important

Hello AccidentorElegy and welcome first of all! 1ht

I understand the confusion very well. See, I was partially raised Christian with the belief that everything not of the light and holy is evil and a sin, that we're being deceived and tempted ... yeah the whole stuff. Though I never really shared this belief. It isn't easy to shake off the feeling that you're doing something wrong, but think about it: If it feels so right, why should it be wrong?

You made the experience that you're being taken care of and made new friends with that, this does not sound like you or they do something bad. You see for yourself and that is a good thing to do 2hp

My dear spirit family has demons in it, just as an example. Because I wanted to get to know them myself, but I was taught that I am damned for doing this. I was torn apart between what was right and wrong, but finally I chose to walk my own path and did not regret it.

What I try to say is that no matter what religion, we should still try to make our own picture of it at least this is my opinion and how I coped with it. If you have a time where you don't know how to feel about it, remember what experiences you made and maybe talk with your spirits about it. This really can help.

welcome! a frustrating dilemma for sure, but i know you will find your own way..

In every "established religion", there are many busybodies who are "holier-than-thou" and try to impose their view of the religion on others. However, they can't prove their version is correct; neither can we disprove their version.

So just be mentally strong, do what you feel is right, and don't bow down to the views of others; 'cos we are not on this earth to please others, neither are others here to please us.

I really appreciate the responses here so far, friends. I had a conversation with a fellow Muslim friend who had basically said they think what I'm doing "isn't right" and that there's knowledge out there that "we just aren't meant to know," but then proceeded to say that they weren't trying to "force my views upon you," which exactly what they did. My friends have done this in the past. They don't mean to harm me but it's quite crappy to have someone say, "Hey, what you're doing is wrong according to what my God says, but I hope that didn't make you feel bad!" Like of course it does?

Anyway, I've been attracted to Sufism, the mystic branch of Islam. It's my understanding that, generally speaking, Sufis recognize that through heavy meditation, one may develop the ability to communicate with the dead...but they don't encourage it. So right now, I feel like a spiritualist with Sufi leanings. Not wholeheartedly Sufi, but very in tune with much of their practices. I know it's not important that I label myself; I just like to feel I know where I belong. Y'all are very helpful.

We all walk our own paths. As a person whom has known some individuals who feel the practice of keeping spirits is a bad thing (namely calling it slavery) I can understand partially where you're coming from.

Like everyone, and you yourself have said, sometimes you have to step away and walk your own path.
It's not easy, but sometimes necessary.
Religions are interesting. Like all beliefs, it's based on things that aren't completely proven. It would be science if it was completely factual

But as Albert Einstein quoted
"Art, science, and religion, are all different branches of the same tree"

There are many things out there, many a wonderful and terrible things, lol. It's life after all. But learning is your greatest tool to understand the world, eh?

Anyway, enough of a semi-dramatic post
Welcome to spirit keeping! It sounds like you're going about it the right way, happy to see another compassionate and caring Keeper. ^_^ I consider my keep like another family, honestly. We share in experiences, learn from one another, and do things together.

I wish you the best, and hope the day finds you well. Take care!

AccidentorElegy wrote:Does anyone at all understand this utter confusion I'm feeling, even those of neighboring religions? How do you find peace? I understand that spiritualism should complement one's life, but how do you do this when your religion deems you a sinner from the get-go?

One way is by not telling anyone who are not open-minded or not in the same path that you do magick, spirit-keeping, etc. Just keep it hush hush and prepare rational excuses and justifications when someone accuses you or something : P
http://www.creepyhollows.com/phpBB3/topic23710.html
http://www.creepyhollows.com/phpBB3/topic69383.html
http://www.creepyhollows.com/phpBB3/topic53721-10.html

I agree with darkwing. As for my circle, they are all engineers so they believe what I'm doing isn't real. I have one friend who is a new Christian thanks to YouTube and he's annoying as hell. Meanwhile he has his own sins to atone to. Like any choice in life, religion was meant to steer us away from hurting another.

And while it's impossible to follow all the rules all the time, there will always be times you will have to break a rule or two to have the full view. It will be between you and God, no one else. If you can say you won't hurt anyone, then proceed. But if you feel negativity is directing you to dangerous thought then halt.

Samsara wrote:I agree with darkwing. As for my circle, they are all engineers so they believe what I'm doing isn't real. I have one friend who is a new Christian thanks to YouTube and he's annoying as hell. Meanwhile he has his own sins to atone to. Like any choice in life, religion was meant to steer us away from hurting another.

And while it's impossible to follow all the rules all the time, there will always be times you will have to break a rule or two to have the full view. It will be between you and God, no one else. If you can say you won't hurt anyone, then proceed. But if you feel negativity is directing you to dangerous thought then halt.

Beautifully said.

My spirits have steadily become part of the family. My mother sometimes gets so excited about them and makes the mistake of telling her colleagues, who likely think she's crazy. Apart from this community and maybe a handful of friends, people either 1) think I've lost it, 2) believe me but will not openly say so/contact me privately with questions, or 3) believe me but heavily disapprove. As I've told myself in the past, if this is a "sin" I'm committing, then I'll take it. Offering my home & love to bound entities (unfortunately, most of my spirits said they were non-consensually bound) who just want companionship shouldn't be a crime.

I hope we build a world where things we've deemed too remarkable for possibility are afforded space and contemplation. I hope people learn to be transparent about their fascination with things, especially things like this, do what spiritually charges them, and learn their truths limb by limb. If that were so, then when others shared their journeys or experiences, they'd be believed. People would stop pretending they know everything there is to know about the universe.

Thank you (and everyone!) so much. This is really helping.