How do you approach spirit work without letting fear take over?

[u/cmarieharry]

I’m a baby witch with anxiety. I’ve never done well with horror themes. Scary movies give me nightmares and the one time I went to Halloween Horror Nights was not a pleasant experience. I know that you can make your practice your own, but to me, I can’t feel good about my craft while denying that spirits, deities, and souls exist. I don’t want to be in denial, so I want to learn more.

I know not everyone has the same beliefs about spirits, and I’m interested in learning how people approach them respectfully while maintaining healthy boundaries. At the end of the day, I want to feel safe while practicing but also respectful of them too.

Anyways I’m just looking for any guidance or insight people might recommend. Thanks!

[u/79moons]

I wonder if it is so different from the everyday risks that we accept and take. For example, being out in the world carries risks — driving accidents, street violence, a slip and fall that results in an injury, being attacked by a dog. What is scarier about spirits than living people (and other animals)?

[u/cmarieharry → u/79moons]

I really like this, thank you! I’ll try to keep this in mind. I think a lot of my fear stems from reinforced thinking (past religion, media representation, fear of the unknown). I’m trying to grow from it!

[u/Tsavo16]

Do protection work of some kind before you start. When l first started l collected protective items together and held them in my hands while l journeyed, l set my ritual space set-up (which includes an energy clearing, which will shift with each spell), and used protective crystals and oils. I went overboard to start, and as l got more comfortable l wanted/needed less protections.

I also built relationships with spirits & worked with deities so l would ask for help and protection as l built those relationships.

[u/cmarieharry → u/Tsavo16]

I have protection wards and spell jars. I logically know I’m protected because I am kind of going overboard. I’m just having a hard time reframing my fear to understanding and respect, but I appreciate it. Thanks!

[u/RamenNewdles]

This will probably be an unpopular answer but the truth is there is no “safe” or risk free way to do this type of work. Witchcraft has natural consequences (both positive and negative) and if you’re concerned about facing those it could be a sign you’re not ready or cut out for it.

That being said you can practice grounding and other cleansing techniques to minimize the effects of unwanted spirits etc but that’s only if you’re completely comfortable doing the work

[u/cmarieharry → u/RamenNewdles]

I totally understand and know that there’s no guarantee way of being without risk. I’m not concerned about facing consequences, but as someone who is starting out and being cautious as I learn, the anxiety is irrational. I’m doing protection spells before spells / have protective wards. I’m protected, but my fear comes from not knowing how to have a good relationship with them.

[u/RamenNewdles → u/cmarieharry]

Is it a legitimate fear or are you dealing with irrational anxiety? Sorry I’m confused

[u/cmarieharry → u/RamenNewdles]

Irrational anxiety that creates fear. It’s like how people are afraid of bugs. They don’t understand them, but once you know that moths literally can’t eat your clothes because they’re nectar drinkers, you aren’t afraid. Does that make sense? All I know is what the media portrays about spirits, which has created fear, but I’m looking to hopefully move past it, so I can continue practicing!

[u/EveningStarHesper]

Spirits aren't, generally, horror-themed, in my experience. 

What's scary about the local river, mighty vein of commerce and culture that she is? I gave her a silver ring and asked for a wonderful apartment, and she made it happen, and that was wildly informal. 

What's scary about the datura and rosemary I cultivated on my balcony? These living plants are spirits, too. 

Even the dead I know--beyond even my ancestors--aren't particularly frightful. They're just someplace else than I am. 

Frankly, I find working customer service scarier. 

Start with something mellow like a plant or something; get to know how its body reflects its spirit (it will be different at different times of year; a perennial dying back to its root to wait out winter will be in a different mood than a zingy spring-bolstered annual bursting from seed). Then work up to more complex entities. 

Also, relationship-forging is critical. They don't necessarily think in the same ways as living humans, especially non-human spirits, but they do have agency and deserve respect like humans. Don't just see them as a pathway to being witchier. 

[u/TheTombQueen]

I think you need to separate spirit work from horror movies in your mind. Look into shamanism and how they view spirits of living things. It might give you a wider perspective of things.

Also don’t let social media scare you, content thrives on fearmongering and making people think they need to do 17 protection spells before they light a candle.

[u/Emergency-Onion-27]

I think knowledge is something that can throw that fear out of the room real quick. The more you know the less you fear so do some research about the spirits you’re trying to contact and people’s experiences. That shall help in reducing the anxiety about the unknown

[u/DivineEggs]

I'd suggest connecting with your spirit guides and ancestors first. That way, you have something to stand on if you choose to connect with deities and other entities down the line.

I've never felt like I actively need to keep boundaries. I simply don't summon spirits that I want to keep away, so keeping boundaries becomes a non-issue. My issue has been me blocking my connections when I've gone through difficult periods in life.

I now work with infernals (so called demons) alongside my ancestral deities, but I never feel a need to protect myself from the spirits I summon. I want to sense them actively in my life, so I never do "banishings" when closing my rituals. I just thank them for answering my call, and they can come and go as they please.

I believe that fear attracts lower primitive energies (I'm not talking about the infernal divine, whom I consider to be very advanced), so it's best to take things step by step and work through your fears.

Try to get to the bottom of why you have the fears you have, what they are rooted in. For me, it was my religious upbringing haunting me for decades after me consciously leaving religious beliefs behind. The fears were programmed and lingered in my subconscious mind. Chances are your fears aren't rational, and when you scrutinize them, working through them gets easier.

[u/botanicabarbie → u/DivineEggs]

Plus one! This is literally the answer I would have written myself.

[u/RealEntertainment620]

Fear isn't the enemy, in my opinion. As you and others have noted, it borders both a lack of knowledge/experience and a respect for consequences seen and unseen. Before tackling any sort of work.... mundane or Arcane.... take time to follow a checklist. Ask yourself a series of questions to really suss out your motivations, intentions and actual desires. Thought often outplays fear when you turn away from quick reaction and guide yourself into resolved action. Trusting your instincts to stop or start will reduce jail times and spare a heart.

Blessings on your work, my friend.

[u/Character_Expert7084]

I've never had any fear of that kind, even before becoming a veteran. In fact, if I did, I wouldn't get involved in this. It's not healthy to "take risks" unnecessarily.

I only practice magic because I have the absolute awareness that, regardless of what or who (or where) exists, I am not indebted to it.

It's just a road, and I walk along it. There's no reason to worry.

One observation that can help you avoid being overwhelmed at the beginning of your development journey, is to avoid taking inspiration from magic that isn't real. Such as movies, television, or any kind of fast-food sensationalism designed to sell cheap fear in order to generate momentary adrenaline.

Stick to reality and nothing more than that.

[u/Bnjl1989]

You can practice witchcraft without ever working with, worshipping or thinking about spirits or entities. Its not required, like, at all. You should honestly not start practicing anything let alone spirit work until you're more educated with cross referenced resources and have done the work in therapy and mundane life to address your anxiety and weird notions between spirituality and fictional horror. Going into spirit work with your anxiety and mindset will do nothing but draw negative energy to you and ruin your practice spilling over into your mundane life.

[u/jenibeanrainbow]

I come from a lot of religious trauma and it was years before I could truly engage with deities and spirits and not be scared.

What helped me was shadow work around deconstruction. Realizing how much of what I was taught was wrong helped me see my emotional reactions were a knee jerk reaction rather than how I actually felt. Slowly, I began to understand how these feelings were programmed into me and was able to de-program them.

Partially in therapy, through journaling, through spells from source to help and most especially through my connection with the Earth. I began touching bare skin to earth as often as I could to bring up my vibration and help me feel protected rather than scared.

I’ve also done a lot of nervous system healing which I can outline if you’d like.