SPIRIT SPEAK, IF YOU PLEASE — A COMMUNAL SORTING HAT ACTIVITY
** TRANSLATED VIA AUTOMATIC WRITING/DRAWING FACILITATION **
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: PICK A SLIP FROM EACH BOWL
** 1 BOWL FOR EACH CATEGORY; 5 TOTAL **
NAME OF SPIRIT WHO IS COMMUNICATING (spirit as control)
COLOR SCHEME FOR LIGHTS (WRITE DOWN THREE) (could be considered data or control, depending on where decision "comes from" -- aka intentional thought vs. ineffable -- writer as medium)
PHRASE OF ANY KIND THAT COMES TO MIND (control -- unknown source)
MUSICIAN OR GENRE (could be considered data or control, depending on where decision "comes from" -- aka intentional thought vs. ineffable -- writer as medium)
NUMBER (could be considered data or control, depending on where decision "comes from" -- aka intentional thought vs. ineffable -- writer as medium) -- READ BELOW FOR DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON APPLYING NUMERICAL VALUE TO RITUAL PROCESS:
IF USING YOUTUBE — GO TO ARTIST PROFILE OR GENRE RADIO THEN SKIP AHEAD IN QUEUE [INSERT NUMBER] OF TIMES THEN PRESS PLAY. // IF USING SPOTIFY/APPLE MUSIC — CLICK ON AN ALBUM WHICH BEARS A RESEMBLANCE TO SELECTED PHRASE, THEN PLAY SONG ON ALBUM WHICH LANDS ON SELECTED NUMBER, IF APPLICABLE. IF NOT, GO WITH YOUR GUT!
STEP 2: AFTER SELECTIONS ARE MADE, LISTEN ALONG TO THE SONG WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED AND MEDITATE/ MEDIATE! WHILE LISTENING, YOU MAY FREE-DRAW / FREE-WRITE IF SO DESIRED.
STEP 3: AFTER THE RITUAL IS COMPLETED, DISCUSS WITH GROUP. IF THE SPIRIT WHO CAME FORWARD IS SOMEONE THE SITTER DOES NOT KNOW PERSONALLY, ASK WHOEVER WROTE THEIR NAME DOWN TO EXPLAIN WHO THE SPIRIT IS AND WHAT THEY WERE LIKE IN LIFE / SELECTIONS THAT STOOD OUT / SYMBOLS IN AUTOMATIC WRITING AND/OR DRAWING TRANSLATIONS THAT MAY BE RELEVANT.
POSSIBLE EXPERIMENTAL ERROR: When I was documenting the ritual, I realized that the numbers jar was missing. I looked everywhere after cleaning my whole house, but it was nowhere to be found. But then, on the table facing up, I came across a straggler, one single number: 7.
WAS THIS JUST A STRANGE COINCIDENCE? OR WAS IT A PURPOSEFUL MANIPULATION PULLED OFF BY THE PARTICIPANTS? OR WAS IT THE CONTROL?
CLUES/OBSERVATIONS:
There are 7 slips for each category except the colors category (which had 8).
There were over 10 people who participated in the creation of these slips. Where did their slips go?
The colors category asks for three colors to be written down on a single slip of paper... 7 +3 = 10... 3 missing slips for every category except for the colors... 9 missing slips total... 9 colors which never repeat... Is this at all relevant?
The colors category is the odd one out... What would happen if I selected these color combos for my lamp? Would a message reveal itself?
Would I figure out what is so special about 7? About 8? About 9? About 3?
Does any of this matter? Would any of this materialize before my eyes?
Is this all just an instance of confirmation bias?
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: How does your spirit board produce “coherence” (if, in fact, it does produce coherence)? Who is participating? What does coherence mean?
in regards to definition #1: clear, step-by-step structure to ritual... but logic does not necessarily apply to spiritual activities... this does not mean it is illogical either though; the only exception to ritual's consistent formula is found in steps 4 + 5 - based on electronic medium / application used, the step is altered (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music)
in regards to definition #2: ritual differs based on the participants aka mediums involved - regardless the data set is formulated by a unified whole, due to communal aspects of selection. furthermore, "the quality of forming a unified whole" may differ as well based on how connected participants are to one another and/or to the activity itself. also, the level of investment / belief in accuracy (or safety) of ritual may impact "quality" of results.
MORE ON PARTICIPANT SAFETY OF AND LEVEL OF INVESTMENT:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT / FINAL CONCLUSIONS:
Is this ritual dangerous? is this fear illogical or logical? is rumination a form of warning / bad omen? Whatever the reasoning, I became extremely weary of continuing on with the ritual after this happened. Maybe for good reason... I have always been uncomfortable with ouija boards or any form of pointed spiritual guidance. When I ask for advice from my ancestors through tarot, I never name anybody in particular. Best to keep it vague, to let them rest for everyone's sake. Plus, Halloween is supposedly a time for the dead to be able to enter into the world of the living more easily. What if they got stuck here during their travels, unable to return to the spirit world?