It’s ironic that my greatest childhood fear has become an important part of my work: releasing ghosts! Some may call what I do “ghostbusting” or psychopomp (in shamanic traditions). Whatever you choose to call it, I feel that I am a humble midwife in a very sacred process of helping a disincarnate spirit find its way home to the light, heaven, Great Spirit, or source.
It’s not a job I applied for. Ghosts started coming to me.
Apparently, they were attracted to my light, according to my curandero teacher. As time went on and I became more proficient at assisting these disincarnate spirits in moving on, I helped other people learn how to release these spirits as well. I realized that the ghosts were drawn to people who held light and knew how to help them (or needed to remember how).
As both an earth alchemist offering land and house clearing and an ancestral and energy healer, I’ve seen my share of disincarnate spirits. (I’m very kinesthetic so “felt” might be a better word.) Ancestral healing work involves communing with the spirits of the dead. Some spirits even show up in my healing room clinging to a family member. They are asking for help moving on. It is a common practice to clear ghosts when doing land and house clearing work.
I have learned a Death Ceremony and others ways that clears death energy, honor a person’s life, bring resolution or healing process if a spirit needs assistance to move on, and a channel and way for them to move on. I work with spirit guides, angels, ancestors, nature/plant spirits, and other light beings. Former incarnate souls have their traditions, so I try to be open and allow them to guide me in the way their beliefs still inform them.
Some disincarnate spirits are very troubled. They may be stuck. I use my flower essences and healing techniques to give these spirits an opening of surrender so they can move on. Some have been trapped without knowing they need to move on. I never use force. I am always called to help them and ask permission to provide this honoring ceremony. I provide a space, a place, and opportunity for spirits to move on. When they do pass, there is often great joy and light sparkling in the air. It is a way to free up the old energy of places, spaces, and lands as well.
I feel very blessed and humbled to be the one who may be singing the last song this soul may hear on earth. I help them feel heard, seen, honored, and forgiven (or whatever they need reflected back). I am a midwife for completing the death process.
Once, I was offering a clearing ceremony for a number of Native American spirits from land along the Columbia River in Oregon. I came in communication with a Chief spirit. In the communication I received, I realized he had been hung by early colonialists. I gave him flower essences made from many of the wildflowers of The Columbia River Gorge and could see a tear roll down his cheek in remembrance of his life on the river with the flowers. I was amazed at the peace he held in his heart regardless of how he died. He then moved to Great Spirit with a swoosh. I could feel my body tinkle with light and joy at his passage.
Disincarnate spirits can be troublemakers. This is where the ghostbuster movie comes in. I see these ghosts as the ones that are trying to get our attention so we help them, leave them alone, or take care of places that need balancing on the earth. Some spirits will even give their descendants physical aches and pains because they want help moving on. They are stuck and calling for help.
Recently, a student of mine walked onto land that had lots of ghosts milling around. She came home and felt awful. We worked together to release the disincarnate spirits from her energy field, and she returned to her usual state of balance. I gave her further teachings on how to honor the spirits of the land and release them because they were now identifying her as someone that could help them. Now, she has the tools and techniques to release these spirits herself. She is clearing the land and herself.
Do you want to learn to be a ghostbuster, too? I offer opportunities to learn how to honor and release ghosts and disincarnate spirits through mentorship or in Earth Alchemy Mystery School. If you feel called to this work, it is very helpful to have the tools, techniques, and foundational practices in place. We can move beyond our fears and take our place as empowered earth stewards.