Hello! I'm a total newbie in here and in this topic of spirit keeping.
Aaaaand I don't rlly know where to start but I wanted to ask some questions (in order so it would be easier for You to reply to them and maybe start discussions in some areas).
Also English is my second language but I hope You'll get what I'm saying here.
I guess I'll start with that I stumbled upon this topic while watching Of Herbs And Altars on YouTube and that was... A while ago. Also the only 'research' I've done so far besides reading some posts on this forum and some more YT videos (would be nice if anyone would have any book recommendations or certain blogs/channels) I also bought a book 'Consorting with Spirits' by Jason Miller (to be honest I've only read a page or 2, bcuz reading in my own language is already hard for me and the book is only in English, also the author said that this is actually not a book for beginners and he rocemmends the reader to have some knowledge about cleansing/banishing).
I already feel like I'm taking too much of Your time so let's talk abt other issue (I guess?) which is, well, this whole spirit keeping sounds very enchanting, magical etc but at the same time I kinda find it hard to believe in that (which is ironic considering I'm writing this post and even got into witchcraft mostly to learn protection cuz I'm the last person to get into something head first) - especially when other ppl talk about contacting them. I mean seeing your spirit in your dreams, talking to them through pandelum/Ouija/tarot - okay sounds believable - BUT SEEING THEM IN PERSON? - as if them materialising in front of you. I mean maybe I'm wrong (if I rlly am then I'm sure I'll post an update to that) but sorry the last one kinda sounds made up to me...

So my 1st question, may be stupid, but idc, can I even get into that? Besides the fact that I'm still on the fence whether I truly believe in this
a) the first issue is that I'm mentally ill. I've heard this many times that when you're mentally unwell/unstable you should not go into any witchcrafty-, spiritualy-things cuz sometimes there are just bad spirits who just want to use you or make you even more miserable to make themselves happy. Idk how much details should I share here - I don't remember exactly when but around 13-15 yrs old I was in deep depression and I was able to fully cure it only at 20-21 y/o. And now even tho I technically don't have it, when fall and winter come around I feel a bit down and low on energy, and still when something rlly bad happens sometimes I do think abt self-deleting .-. it's very rare but it does happen. My mental stability also isn't the best, but I'm still working on it with therapist so yea.

b) Another issue is that my spiritual instincts are very low to non-existing. Literally I've never even seen a ghost and frankly I don't think I want to, that's something that scares me a lot. Even when I was in my raging antitheist era when I used to talk w my friends abt ghosts/paranormal stuff I'd always get that crushing feeling of anxiety (I think) that something bad could happen to us, or that at least I'm being observed. Other than that, not much but somehow sometimes I get dreams which forsee the future. I feel that maybe bcuz of that spirit keeping might not be for me, like, I am not welcomed in this world.

2nd: a) of course if I am capable of contacting/having a spirit, then who should I choose and how do I obtain/contact them? I know most ppl buy crystal jewelry w spirit in it but honestly it seems kinda fishy to me. In my opinion it kinda doesn't make sense for both spirit and the keeper. I don't know this particular spirit but I'm supposed to take care of it and vice versa. I mean maybe sellers do allow to have some sort of contact before buying but personally I'd much rather find a spirit and do the whole process myself (even tho I got no idea how). And (for now) I'm not too sure about morality of this selling-buying deal going on. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that someone who has the knowledge and resources shouldn't get paid for binding a spirit with an object BUT selling gods and goddesses and even some dark matters? I know that if noone was buying them then they wouldn't be out there is it really okay?

b) Anyways I also wanted to ask which spirits are good for beginners - since I'm scared of everything that is unseen - of course I think I'd like to start with something for protection and after that move into something which is more important for me - which is art. I want to release a book or two, but because of perfectionism and not being able to focus I still don't have much to show for it, something similar goes with my main job which is tattooing - I literally have so many ideas for flashes (my own designs) but damn, if it's not that I can't focus then I can't decide what to actually draw. And god forsake if I start drawing and make any tiny mistake in anatomy - then my drive and motivation go from 100 to 0 -:
(But also tell me, is it even okay to have a spirit to help me with that? Or should I give up on the idea and try to resolve my problems thru therapy or something)

c) the environment & lifestyle - I don't know where I've read or heard this but technically if you want to have an elf spirit, or unicorn or any living that live in forest - they'll like it if you live nearby forest or meadow or park. I wanted to ask in general how much time in a day do you devote to them and what do you do in this time? For now Im living in a small flat w my grandparents and I commute to my work for 1-1,5h in one way. Sometimes I'm gone for 8h and sometimes for 13-14h when I got rlly busy day and idk how it should rly look. Should I leave them at my home or maybe take them to work with me?
d) I know that a spirit can manifest in different ways, like smell, so I'd like to explore this one thing - I used to be a horse girl (I still am but I gave up on riding bcuz money and the fear that I might break my arm and not be able to work) and sometimes a smell/scent of a horse/stable hits my nose. And you know it's not always in some open areas in small village, sometimes it is in malls or in my room (I live in a town and the nearest stable is 5km away) and only recently I started asking myself that maybe there's a possibility that something wants to appear/communicate w me.

These are the questions that surrounds the before and now I'd like to know more about the after getting and binding with a spirit

3rd privacy & other people: so at some point I'd like to actually start dating people but it does concern because I've heard about a keeper who had a spirit that liked to do 'pranks' on people and it wasn't the keeper alone but also others who lived in their house - I'm sure they resolved the problem peacefully but honestly if I get any spirit then I reaaally don't want them to do anything to other people who are unaware or not okay with it. Another thing is - do you even talk with others about them? Like with family or friends.

4th and last: not that I'm planning to die tomorrow or in near future (but we cannot predict that unfortunately) but what happens to my spirits after I die? Should I find someone who'll take care of them or do they just disappear until they find another vessel and keeper?

That's all
Thanks for reading and I'll appreciate aaaaall the answers
Have a nice day or Goodnight

Hi and welcome

Don't worry, you'll get to understand the answers to your questions soon enough. It's okay not to get them all answered instantly for you. It's okay to take time to understand them yourself.

I strongly recommend reading extensively in the Spirit Keeping FAQs section of the CH Encyclopedia. Many or all of your questions will be answered there.

https://www.creepyhollows.com/faq/?action=show&cat=13

You'll discover spirit keeping with spirits conjured and bound by experts, such as Creepy Hollows, is safe, ethical , easy and rewarding. Nothing to be scared of.

Heeey @IamJustaGrill, I also got into spirit keeping because Of Herbs and Altars, would you look at that.

First of CH has books on spirit keeping that I also purchased first thing first before getting into spirit keeping and they are very informative and will make sense out of the many questions you might have regarding this path, here's their links:
https://shop.creepyhollows.com/spirit-k ... nline.html
https://shop.creepyhollows.com/spirit-k ... nload.html
https://shop.creepyhollows.com/history- ... -only.html
They also come in paperback versions you just have to look them up on the site if you're interested in that.

To answer your question, yes it is possible to see spirits in person, it's more rare and it requires a very developed and opened third eye but it's not unheard of. So far I've only seen glimpses of my companions with my physical eyes such as light streaks or shadows, but other people on the forum have documented seeing their companions in full so it's not unheard of.

1st:
a) Another thing we have in common haha, I am also mentally ill and diagnosed with a chronic mental illness nonetheless. As long as you keep yourself in check and differentiate between what is your companions and what is your own mind being stinky there's no harm in spirit keeping while you're dealing with such a thing. The spirits that get conjured by reputable sellers such as CH (even the dark arts ones) will never get out of their way to trick or harm you, they are there because they chose you knowing all your flaws and knowing you better than you even know yourself. In my opinion what happened to Of Herbs and Altars is a very unfortunate, isolated event. Such things are rather rare if you go to a good conjurer and keep your mental health in check. And from my experience when you are experiencing mental health troubles or downs it's even more likely to not be able to interact with your spirits than have an overwhelming spirit interaction. Because you become blocked spiritually and that can happen in such circumstances, in changes of medication and others. One of the books I gave you a link for got into more detail about it from what I remember and so far they were never wrong for me in their assessments. Also do keep in mind if you're ever experiencing mental health troubles while also spirit keeping and you can't differentiate between what is spirit interaction and what's bad mental health symptoms, it is ALWAYS recommended to take a break from anything spiritual, that is your responsibility. And try to get to the bottom of the mental health symptoms and focus on getting better mentally as the MAIN priority. The spirits will always understand if you need to take a break, they are very knowledgeable and not bound by mortal emotions, they won't be upset if you can't talk to them or make offerings, believe me.

b) As I said seeing spirits with physical eyes isn't something common and if you're scared of certain manifestations you can just talk to your companions to not manifest as such, or make it a house rule even better. If they break it then you just have to be assertive and firm in reinforcing it. There are threads on the forum that discuss house rules and their reinforcement so I won't get into it right now, but my point is that is not something you have to be afraid of. Because spirits that respect you, will respect your boundaries, they are friends, family members or even more. But in most cases, you treat spirits like you would treat a close person in your life and they do that back.


2nd:
a) Hmm, well most of us see it as a fated encounter. There's the concept of "callings" which we all have to a certain degree. We browse the encyclopedia or the shop and we encounter a race description, custom conjuring listing, or a preconjure and something instantly clicks when reading their description or seeing their picture even. Sometimes it can be a completely unexpected companion, not like someone you have things in common with or that you like something about. It can come suddenly and you feel the urge to have them in your life. Sometimes you do have things in common or like something about them but still have a calling. As I said it's an unexpected feeling still. I know it might sound unbelievable since you seem to be skeptical about things but it's a thing that happens and you won't know until you experience it.

And that's the wonder about this, you don't know much about the spirit aside from their description, but you get to know them like you would get to know a friend, and learn about their past and personality, things they like etc. I feel there's been a misunderstanding somewhere because no spirit requires "being taken care of" it's a two-way companionship based on mutual respect. "I'd much rather find a spirit and do the whole process myself " I honestly don't recommend that even if you have no idea how and even if you knew. Spirit conjuring is a tedious task and a very complex process. The reputable conjurers that are around have been doing this for tens of years and can infinitely better match you and your energy with someone that fits than you would be able to do yourself. The morality is simple, the conjurer finds the best match for you and the most eager companion to join your journey and you pay for their services. There's no such thing as spirit slavery in this process or other things. As for gods and goddesses, CH's bindings for them basically serve like a portal, other sellers just call it as such straight up. A channel to contact said god or goddess easier, hope that helps.

b) Well Ch just happens to have a section on their site for such beings https://shop.creepyhollows.com/Spirits- ... /#pageId=1. But to sum it up any sort of White Arts spirit is good for beginners. Angels are usually recommended, there are many angel races so check the section of the CH store or the encyclopedia, although on the site they have more races than the ones categorized in the encyclopedia. For protection there are many options, I'd say check to forum for recommended spirits, some are non-social such as Volkhs and Fylgias. But if you want social protection spirits there are many options available as well. And for inspiration and help with art Aubres Faeries or Ellu Angels are a good option and there are others from other races. Look up keywords on the CH store, you can find many things that way.

You can do both why not! Get help from spirits that can aid with that and continue therapy and working through it that way!

c) No it's not a necessity. If the spirit requires that the conjurer should have it mentioned in their description or you can ask them about it directly. Some spirits may enjoy that sort of environment or activity but it's not a necessity and you could find other things to do together. CH has the option for bridging which is a special para technology developed by them, which means that you don't need to have a vessel with your physical body for the spirit to be able to interact or be with you. So it's totally up to you and your companions if you want to wear the vessel at work or not and if they wanna tag along with you or not. As for the time devoted to them even just chatting for 30 minutes a day with them or every few days when you are busy is enough. Like you can do it before falling asleep and so on whenever you feel like it. Then when you are free you can do magic together, give them offerings, and spend more time with them, as I previously said, there's no quota to be met, it's like having a new friend.

d) For that possibility you have this reading and binding service done by CH if you ever want to find out: https://shop.creepyhollows.com/unbound-reading.html. Personally, I had a great experience, I met my Gryphon this way and she's been a main pillar of support in my life ever since.


3rd:
Well again you can just talk boundaries and place house rules for that not to happen, but with White Arts spirits I don't think you will ever encounter any behavior close to that. While it is possible again it can be resolved easily or even prevented if you talk with your companions as soon as you meet them. And I do have a friend that I talk to about my spirits, eventually, she became a spirit keeper as well after hearing all about it. So it all depends on the person you want to open up with about them, personally my friend was already a witch just like me so it wasn't that big of a step, on the other hand, I would never dream about opening up with my mother about this. She is heavily religious and although religious people can be spirit keepers, her personality combined with her beliefs would make it a disaster cocktail if I were ever to talk about this with her. So again you can do that but depends on who you have around.


4th:
If I'm not mistaken I think the spirit bindings made by CH are made so they release when you die, someone correct me if I'm wrong. But you can basically speak with your companions about what they want to happen. The CH bridging stone allows you to change the way they are bridged from what I remember so if you ever have a companion that would like to keep the binding and be passed to someone else (e.g. children or even friends) then you can get that and change it. https://shop.creepyhollows.com/bridging-stone.html

Hope my answers helped, looking forward to hearing back from you!

IamJustaGrill wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2024 2:19 pm Hello! I'm a total newbie in here and in this topic of spirit keeping.
Aaaaand I don't rlly know where to start but I wanted to ask some questions (in order so it would be easier for You to reply to them and maybe start discussions in some areas).
Also English is my second language but I hope You'll get what I'm saying here.
I guess I'll start with that I stumbled upon this topic while watching Of Herbs And Altars on YouTube and that was... A while ago. Also the only 'research' I've done so far besides reading some posts on this forum and some more YT videos (would be nice if anyone would have any book recommendations or certain blogs/channels) I also bought a book 'Consorting with Spirits' by Jason Miller (to be honest I've only read a page or 2, bcuz reading in my own language is already hard for me and the book is only in English, also the author said that this is actually not a book for beginners and he rocemmends the reader to have some knowledge about cleansing/banishing).
I already feel like I'm taking too much of Your time so let's talk abt other issue (I guess?) which is, well, this whole spirit keeping sounds very enchanting, magical etc but at the same time I kinda find it hard to believe in that (which is ironic considering I'm writing this post and even got into witchcraft mostly to learn protection cuz I'm the last person to get into something head first) - especially when other ppl talk about contacting them. I mean seeing your spirit in your dreams, talking to them through pandelum/Ouija/tarot - okay sounds believable - BUT SEEING THEM IN PERSON? - as if them materialising in front of you. I mean maybe I'm wrong (if I rlly am then I'm sure I'll post an update to that) but sorry the last one kinda sounds made up to me...

So my 1st question, may be stupid, but idc, can I even get into that? Besides the fact that I'm still on the fence whether I truly believe in this
a) the first issue is that I'm mentally ill. I've heard this many times that when you're mentally unwell/unstable you should not go into any witchcrafty-, spiritualy-things cuz sometimes there are just bad spirits who just want to use you or make you even more miserable to make themselves happy. Idk how much details should I share here - I don't remember exactly when but around 13-15 yrs old I was in deep depression and I was able to fully cure it only at 20-21 y/o. And now even tho I technically don't have it, when fall and winter come around I feel a bit down and low on energy, and still when something rlly bad happens sometimes I do think abt self-deleting .-. it's very rare but it does happen. My mental stability also isn't the best, but I'm still working on it with therapist so yea.

b) Another issue is that my spiritual instincts are very low to non-existing. Literally I've never even seen a ghost and frankly I don't think I want to, that's something that scares me a lot. Even when I was in my raging antitheist era when I used to talk w my friends abt ghosts/paranormal stuff I'd always get that crushing feeling of anxiety (I think) that something bad could happen to us, or that at least I'm being observed. Other than that, not much but somehow sometimes I get dreams which forsee the future. I feel that maybe bcuz of that spirit keeping might not be for me, like, I am not welcomed in this world.

2nd: a) of course if I am capable of contacting/having a spirit, then who should I choose and how do I obtain/contact them? I know most ppl buy crystal jewelry w spirit in it but honestly it seems kinda fishy to me. In my opinion it kinda doesn't make sense for both spirit and the keeper. I don't know this particular spirit but I'm supposed to take care of it and vice versa. I mean maybe sellers do allow to have some sort of contact before buying but personally I'd much rather find a spirit and do the whole process myself (even tho I got no idea how). And (for now) I'm not too sure about morality of this selling-buying deal going on. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that someone who has the knowledge and resources shouldn't get paid for binding a spirit with an object BUT selling gods and goddesses and even some dark matters? I know that if noone was buying them then they wouldn't be out there is it really okay?

b) Anyways I also wanted to ask which spirits are good for beginners - since I'm scared of everything that is unseen - of course I think I'd like to start with something for protection and after that move into something which is more important for me - which is art. I want to release a book or two, but because of perfectionism and not being able to focus I still don't have much to show for it, something similar goes with my main job which is tattooing - I literally have so many ideas for flashes (my own designs) but damn, if it's not that I can't focus then I can't decide what to actually draw. And god forsake if I start drawing and make any tiny mistake in anatomy - then my drive and motivation go from 100 to 0 -:
(But also tell me, is it even okay to have a spirit to help me with that? Or should I give up on the idea and try to resolve my problems thru therapy or something)

c) the environment & lifestyle - I don't know where I've read or heard this but technically if you want to have an elf spirit, or unicorn or any living that live in forest - they'll like it if you live nearby forest or meadow or park. I wanted to ask in general how much time in a day do you devote to them and what do you do in this time? For now Im living in a small flat w my grandparents and I commute to my work for 1-1,5h in one way. Sometimes I'm gone for 8h and sometimes for 13-14h when I got rlly busy day and idk how it should rly look. Should I leave them at my home or maybe take them to work with me?
d) I know that a spirit can manifest in different ways, like smell, so I'd like to explore this one thing - I used to be a horse girl (I still am but I gave up on riding bcuz money and the fear that I might break my arm and not be able to work) and sometimes a smell/scent of a horse/stable hits my nose. And you know it's not always in some open areas in small village, sometimes it is in malls or in my room (I live in a town and the nearest stable is 5km away) and only recently I started asking myself that maybe there's a possibility that something wants to appear/communicate w me.

These are the questions that surrounds the before and now I'd like to know more about the after getting and binding with a spirit

3rd privacy & other people: so at some point I'd like to actually start dating people but it does concern because I've heard about a keeper who had a spirit that liked to do 'pranks' on people and it wasn't the keeper alone but also others who lived in their house - I'm sure they resolved the problem peacefully but honestly if I get any spirit then I reaaally don't want them to do anything to other people who are unaware or not okay with it. Another thing is - do you even talk with others about them? Like with family or friends.

4th and last: not that I'm planning to die tomorrow or in near future (but we cannot predict that unfortunately) but what happens to my spirits after I die? Should I find someone who'll take care of them or do they just disappear until they find another vessel and keeper?

That's all
Thanks for reading and I'll appreciate aaaaall the answers
Have a nice day or Goodnight

Welcome to the CH forum! Let's start by addressing the invisible question you're eager to ask. It may be hard to believe, but it is possible to see spirits and entities in person on our physical plane. This ability depends on their energy levels. Generally, entities find it easier than spirits, but it still requires a significant amount of energy, and not all entities can achieve this. In my Keep, half of the beings are entities, yet only a few can materialize physically. Our best record is 15 minutes, reserved for very special occasions. Sometimes, my Vampire spirit can physically manifest as a beautiful black raven for around 2 minutes when I take a walk. Anyone, regardless of their level of third eye development, will be able to perceive them.

If you are working with a therapist, that's great! However, this path won't "fix" you. It may help to some extent, but ultimately the changes needed for improvement depend on you. It's not true that mentally unwell people cannot engage in the craft. Often people label us as mentally unwell because they don't believe what we say, similar to how you might be feeling right now about what I've just shared above. However, it may get worse for you as your subconscious mind becomes more active, and gets out of control.

There are many negative entities in the world, so it's important to seek out genuine and professional practitioners, such as Magnolia and Ash at the CH shop. I'm not promoting them, just stating a fact. I've always been afraid of anything paranormal, even before embarking on this journey. It's unusual because most people on the forum are really interested in such things. I never encountered anything paranormal until I stayed at a haunted location during my travels. At that time, I didn't believe in it. Even now, I still feel scared, so my Keep takes forms that don't startle me. Dealing with fear is a personal journey, it's not about being unwelcome.

The spirits aren't "contained" within the crystal jewelry, they simply use it as a means to connect with you more effectively. It's like having a phone number but in the form of an object. You can also choose to "bind to spirit" directly without needing crystal vessels or similar items to carry them around. It's disrespectful to suggest that people are "selling gods and goddesses," no one has the audacity to do that. They're actually selling their expertise and labor in creating channels for you to connect with your deities.

You may want to consider approaching Spirit Keeping. You were focusing solely on material gain and using companions to achieve wealth, it's not okay. With that being said, I don't think you should follow through with it. If the aforementioned wants and needs are what you seek, I recommend reconsidering. It will lead to great disappointment. While spirits can offer guidance and support, success ultimately depends on your own abilities and efforts in this physical world.

The information you've received isn't accurate. For example, I have many Elves, but no plants in my home or any proximity to a forest, and they're doing well. The scent of horse that you perceive may be a creation of your subconscious mind, which could potentially lead to further challenges if left unchecked. It's unlikely that a spirit or entity would use such a foul odor unless they were malicious or mischievous in nature.

The highest priority is maintaining privacy. It's common for some individuals to initially feel compelled to share their great experiences with clients and friends, but most people are not receptive, particularly in this context. This could result in losing clients and friends, as well as putting yourself in danger. Consider a scenario where you confide in a family member who then shares the information with an overly fanatic friend. This friend may begin to track your activities and perceive them negatively, potentially posing a threat. While your spirits may assist in persuading them against harmful actions, if it is your destiny to occur, they will be unable to prevent it.

If you prefer not to be subjected to pranks or certain manifestations from Dark Arts spirits, or even White Arts ones, establish clear 'house rules.' There is already a wealth of information available on the forum, I recommend conducting thorough research before proceeding further. Once you depart, the binding contract will no longer be valid, and there will be no need for anyone else to "care" for them. Neither now nor later. You're not dealing with crying little babies who require constant coddling, you know. Lol. They're so intelligent, it's like they're from another planet compared to us! Yeah, no joke.

All the questions you have made have already been addressed throughout the forum. However, I'm just offering a welcome response.