Simeon wrote: ↑Fri Jul 22, 2011 7:01 pm ++ I do not know whether this is of use to the spirit-keeping tradition that most people here advocate and use, but I frequently interact with urban spirits who dwell in the city. The use of public infrastructure is very easy: alley containers, thrash bags, bellies of bridges, heaps on construction sites...

It takes little ingenuity to find an inconspicuous place of offering. I hope some of this can be of help to any of you.

Can I ask about the urban spirits? What kinds of spirits do you find in cities? How are they different than, say, beings you would find in nature (or even cosmic beings)?

mochi.icecream wrote: ↑Tue Dec 21, 2021 4:17 am

Simeon wrote: ↑Fri Jul 22, 2011 7:01 pm ++ I do not know whether this is of use to the spirit-keeping tradition that most people here advocate and use, but I frequently interact with urban spirits who dwell in the city. The use of public infrastructure is very easy: alley containers, thrash bags, bellies of bridges, heaps on construction sites...

It takes little ingenuity to find an inconspicuous place of offering. I hope some of this can be of help to any of you.

Can I ask about the urban spirits? What kinds of spirits do you find in cities? How are they different than, say, beings you would find in nature (or even cosmic beings)?

I suppose some - or many? - nature spirits find polluted, stone, metal, plastic, electricity-filled urban locations that have blocked the natural flow of energy in nature (like ley lines etc), unpleasant places to be in.

It may sound obvious but beings in the cosmos - like Star Angels perhaps? - have different energy about them. It feels like cosmic energy.

But...'urban' spirits...I think that may possibly just refer to spirits encountered in an urban setting. I don't think that's an actual category of spirit. According to CH materials I've read, there are lots of spirits around us all the time, mostly just passing through and not taking much notice of us. In one sense, I think you could find any kind of spirit in a city. However there are also the well known tropes about that - human spirits hanging around their old haunts, connected to buildings they used to live in - and so on.

Truly urbanised environments, such as we live in nowadays, have only been with us for quite a short time. Maybe we can say less then 200 years at most. This compares with an estimated 300,000 years homo sapiens has existed as a species. So there has been little time for gods and goddesses and spirits of the modern urban town/city to have emerged as a clear, distinct category. We mainly seem to have the old spirit types from long ago, known to pre-urban human cultures...or so it seems to me.

But that is an entirely different discussion, suitable for a separate thread...

Lewk wrote: ↑Thu Dec 23, 2021 4:48 am

mochi.icecream wrote: ↑Tue Dec 21, 2021 4:17 am

Simeon wrote: ↑Fri Jul 22, 2011 7:01 pm ++ I do not know whether this is of use to the spirit-keeping tradition that most people here advocate and use, but I frequently interact with urban spirits who dwell in the city. The use of public infrastructure is very easy: alley containers, thrash bags, bellies of bridges, heaps on construction sites...

It takes little ingenuity to find an inconspicuous place of offering. I hope some of this can be of help to any of you.

Can I ask about the urban spirits? What kinds of spirits do you find in cities? How are they different than, say, beings you would find in nature (or even cosmic beings)?

I suppose some - or many? - nature spirits find polluted, stone, metal, plastic, electricity-filled urban locations that have blocked the natural flow of energy in nature (like ley lines etc), unpleasant places to be in.

It may sound obvious but beings in the cosmos - like Star Angels perhaps? - have different energy about them. It feels like cosmic energy.

But...'urban' spirits...I think that may possibly just refer to spirits encountered in an urban setting. I don't think that's an actual category of spirit. According to CH materials I've read, there are lots of spirits around us all the time, mostly just passing through and not taking much notice of us. In one sense, I think you could find any kind of spirit in a city. However there are also the well known tropes about that - human spirits hanging around their old haunts, connected to buildings they used to live in - and so on.

Truly urbanised environments, such as we live in nowadays, have only been with us for quite a short time. Maybe we can say less then 200 years at most. This compares with an estimated 300,000 years homo sapiens has existed as a species. So there has been little time for gods and goddesses and spirits of the modern urban town/city to have emerged as a clear, distinct category. We mainly seem to have the old spirit types from long ago, known to pre-urban human cultures...or so it seems to me.

But that is an entirely different discussion, suitable for a separate thread...

I you decide to make a fresh thread, please tag me I'd love to hear descriptions about the different kinds of spirits you've found in urban places.

On my end, there was some kind of fire pixie hanging around a warehouse I worked in. Everybody could sense some kind of energy and said the warehouse was haunted (I think it might have been high pitched electrical noises coming from machinery, personally), but one day when I was working at my station, I kept seeing orange sparks from my peripheral vision. My intuition told me it was a fire pixie, which I thought was pretty neat.

I've also seen some kind of Eldritch Horror on the side of the highway that seemed to be the manifestation of roadkill animals that were too traumatized to pass through the veil. They kind of conglomerated into something with mismatched animal parts in one big, crawling lump.

I also came across some kind of spectral haunting. I don't know what kind of spirit, but it was certainly baneful. I was staying at a motel while I was working out of town with my ex-husband. The motel building were organized into different sets of units with a large, shared courtyard in the middle. I felt something sinister in the breezeway of the courtyard, and then that night I had a nightmare of a large, shadowy figure coming towards me on the verge of attacking. When I woke up I instantly knew it was whatever I sensed hiding in the courtyard. IIRC, I determined it was the spirit of a deceased human who lived an unethical life, to say the least, and after they died a rather gruesome death, had been wandering around the city attacking people psychically.

Lets see, one more story.... When I was a small child (I would have been in the second grade, so very young), I was playing alone in the field at my school during recess and a dragonfly flew overhead. I chased it, watching it closely, and saw it had 4 holes in its abdomen under its wing that were shooting fire out. I think it might have been a fairy lol I recall I told some adult about it, and they were deeply confused I wish I still had the ability to see spirits and entities with my physical eyes the way I was able to as a child. I always had fun adventures!

In any case, I'll stop with the stories here before I derail the thread lol

Urban spirits could possibly be found in areas of tragedy. I think of bombs in the UK, hurricane areas like Louisiana, ect. So many lost lives. Those are human spirits. I could also see angels being in those areas, demons, ect.

Like what Lewk said, spirits have been around for a very long time. Possibly since before humans.

My djinn has always communicated with me with ease. He liked a particular kind of cologne, Versace Eros. I offered it to him on occasion, and he really liked it.

Fast forward several years later, and I bought authentic Oud insence for help with a spell that my djinn was assisting me with.

Come to find out, the oud I bought smells almost exactly like Versace Eros.

If you can't find a particular kind of incense(real oud is very hard to find and not offered in spiritual shops), check with the spirit you are working with and see if they'll accept a modern equivalent.

i burn incense, candles, burn oils for mine i have ch offerings i need to use. but i do it because i want to. and i seem to get very good results just for small things.

Magnolia wrote: ↑Sat May 22, 2010 12:15 am No, you do not. Offerings can be made out of respect & kindness if you want to show your spirit a kind gesture, but they are not necessary. If you do choose to leave them an offering or treat it is customary to leave it out for 12-24 hours. It is not something that has to be done all the time and only should be done when it is sincerely coming from your heart.

Absolutely, I agree with your post and would like to add a few thoughts, particularly from the perspective of someone who practices witchcraft more discreetly.

Offerings, as you rightly mentioned, are expressions of respect and kindness towards spirits, and they stem from a place of sincerity and genuine intent rather than obligation. It's important to remember that offerings don't always have to be physical items left out for extended periods. For someone like me, who has to practice as a "closeted Witch," making offerings can be a bit more nuanced due to the need for discretion.

In situations where openly displaying offerings might lead to unwanted questions, consider alternatives that are more subtle. For instance, offerings can be small, everyday gestures or acts that hold personal significance. It could be as simple as dedicating a moment of silent gratitude, playing a piece of music with a spirit in mind, or even a whispered word of thanks. Small, inconspicuous tokens like a stone or a feather, which wouldn't seem out of place to an observer, can also serve as offerings.

Another approach could be offering your time or actions as a tribute. Engaging in activities that honor the essence of the spirit or reflect their values can be a powerful offering. This could be anything from environmental conservation efforts, if that aligns with the spirit's nature, to artistic creations made in their honor.

Remember, the essence of an offering is about the intention and the connection it represents, rather than the physical manifestation of the offering itself. As long as your offerings come from the heart, they hold value, regardless of their form or visibility.

So, for those of us who need to practice more covertly, the key is to find creative and personal ways to express our respect and connection to the spirits, ways that resonate with us and align with our unique circumstances.

In summary, whether you're a closeted Witch or can practice openly, what matters most is the sincerity and thoughtfulness behind your offerings. It's about finding meaningful ways to express gratitude and respect, tailored to your personal situation and the nature of your relationship with the spirits.