spiritvexer:

This
post was written by Thicket, Rosemary, Tom, and Alexandria.

Questions
for all spirits

How
are you?

By
what name may I call you, if you wish to give me one?

What
offerings do you enjoy? How often do you need them? (This does not
mean you must give offerings as often as a spirit requests. Do things
on your own terms)

What
is your true nature?

What
laws do you obey?

Do
you live near me?

Why
did you answer my call today? (alternatively: Why are you here?)

How
do you manifest to me? (Visions, sensations, light orbs, etc)

What
do you like to do for fun? What are your pastimes?

What
is your preferred method of communication? (Psychic, tarot, runes,
other systems)

Is
your spirit home comfortable?

Questions
for guardians

Is
there any danger to me at this time?

What
is your normal method of protecting me? (Magic, brute force, cunning)

Are
you able to do your job alone? (Be careful, some spirits may find
this question to be insulting)

How
may I assist you in keeping me safe?

Would
you like a thoughtform to aid you in your task?

How
are my wards and shields?

In
what area are my defenses lacking?

Is
there any pitfall or dangerous situation I am getting close to?

Who
do I need to be careful of at this time?

Do
you require any healing?

What
problems can we take care of together?

Alexandria
says: “What attacks are necessary at this time?”

Tom
says: “Do not listen to Alexandria, be careful when engaging the
enemy directly.”

Questions
for guides

What
form are you most comfortable in?

Tom
and Alexandria say: “This is mostly for human curiosity and does
not really matter.” Thicket disagrees; the form a creature can take
can communicate very valuable information to the practitioner.

What
do you think about the direction I am going in?

What
paths are available to me right now?

Tom
says: “Do not agonize over the future.” I think this is personal
advice and not really a question.

What
am I doing right now that could be dangeous?

What
advice do you have for me? (Tom and Alexandria feel this is an
excellent question)

What
do you feel the outcomes are for this situation? Tom and Alexandria
warn you to not be constrained by the limited futures a guide can
show you.

How
can I improve my life right now?

How
can I aid you in your goals of guiding and directing me to a more
secure life?

What
is your goal for my life?

How
long have you been with me? (Tom and Alexandria doubt the usefulness
of this question, especially Tom. They communicate that this has no
real bearing on a spirit’s ability to do it’s job – Thicket again
disagrees)

What
situations should I contact you about? (Serious, casual, everyday,
rare)

Questions
for helpers and servants

How
are you able to assist me?

How
am I able to assist you?

Are
you able to carry out the tasks I have given you?

What
is preventing you from carrying out these tasks, if anything?

What
is your favorite task to complete?

What
do you get out of helping me?

Do
you require energy or recharging at this time?

What
do you need in order to carry out your tasks?

Do
you need a period of rest? Is it regularly required?

Have
you discovered anything important that you need to share with me?

Questions
for companions and friends

How
are you feeling today?

Is
everything comfortable for you?

Do
you feel you are receiving enough attention from me lately?

Is
there anything you would like to talk about?

Tell
me about your day. (Tom especially likes this question; Alexandria is
fond of it).

What
can I get for you right now?

Are
you pleased with your spirit home? Does it require upkeep?

What
have you been up to lately?

Have
any of your preferences changed? (Alexandria likes this question a
lot)

What
can I bring you as a special gift some time soon?

Is
there any place you would like to travel to soon?

Am
I doing anything lately that is bothering you?

How
are you getting along with my spirit family?

Do
you still enjoy the offerings you are receiving?

Other
Notes

Some
spirits appreciate being chattered to all day long, just like a close
friend. Other spirits prefer to be contacted only when a serious
matter arises, or even not at all. When greeting a new spirit, ask
them how much they would like to communicate in general.

Do
not directly ask for names. Names are serious business in the spirit
world! Instead ask, “by what name may I call you,” indicating you
are not searching for a true name. Tom feels that even these given
names should be kept somewhat secret, and another nickname used to
communicate about this spirit to humans. Alexandria somewhat agrees.
Do not be offended or worried if a spirit refuses to give you any
sort of name at all.

Do
not confuse offerings with worship. Offerings are more like gifts –
literally, you are just “offering” something to a spirit. A cup
of coffee, a shot of liquor, some food, or even a nice glass of water
makes a good gift. Just as you would offer snacks and beverages to
any guest in your home, politely offer spirits something just to be a
gracious host.

Avoid
asking questions that give spirits leverage over you. “How do you
feel about me?” is a question asked primarily by insecure people.
Tom thinks this is harsh. Alexandria thinks this is correct. Some of
these questions you may feel are somewhat unavoidable in
companionship relationships. Let me encourage you to just be careful.

Tom wishes to leave a final note: “Always be careful. Spirits are not always what they seem.”

ritual-and-chaos:

• Don’t give out the name that means the most to you, whether that’s your birth name or your nickname.
• If an entity gives your their full name, don’t give that away to others. Use a nickname or a pseudonym to protect their privacy. 
• If you have any feeling that there’s an unwanted or threatening entity in a space or your home, tell it to go away and show now fear. Do any kind of cleansing exercise that you use. Do not back down. Repeat and increase intensity if it doesn’t stop.
• Don’t expect to hear voices, see entities, or get any kind of clear messages. It can take years of practice, and sometimes you just can’t. People on tumblr who share their experiences may be embellishing for clarity, and might receive messages in a less clear way than presented. 
• If you have a specific, individualized method of protecting your spiritual area (especially with visualization), don’t share how you’ve made the wards or the specifics of them. It’s just good practice not to show your weaknesses.
• The “color” of energy does not necessarily denote a specific universal meaning. I’m of the opinion that energy colors are filtered through your own established color system, so make sure you know what you believe – whether colors are linked to different elements, or alignments etc.
• If you choose to bind an entity to an object, be aware that losing the object might change your relationship with the spirit in some way. I personally advise against binding spirits to things, given that they could easily be damaged or lost, but that’s your choice.