I use the word “society” in the title of this post very loosely, but I couldn’t think of quite the right word for what to call the way trees socially organize because it’s hardly organization at all. Nevertheless, I have observed in many different locations (Southern California, upstate New York, Philadelphia) that there are typically different social types of tree spirits, and when there are many trees their spirits socially relate to each other and to others around them in certain ways depending on the environment and social status of the tree.
Just as other classes of spirits such as court-affiliated fae and land spirits have a tendency to “claim” territories in different ways as being under their watchful eye or political control, trees usually stake such a claim to at least the territory around their roots if not a several foot radius around them (or under their branch coverage). When you have a whole forest or even just a grouping of trees, then that collective “owns” the territory together.
The reason why “society” is perhaps too strong a word and so is “politics” or “hierarchies” when it comes to the social patterns of trees, it’s because although trees are extremely wise and complex spirit beings, they are not socially complex compared to human or spirit societies. Most of a tree’s life consists of interacting with the environment around it including nearby trees, plants, and humans as well as whatever other spirits cross its path such as other nature spirits, fae, and more. Some trees may get lightly involved in politics if dragged into it due to other spirits having wars or conflicts in said trees’ territory. But usually, trees just mind their own business and are more concerned with day-to-day life.
That being said, so far in working with tree spirits from various locations, I’ve noticed several common “types” in terms of social relations and social status. These are all terms/categories I’ve come up with for describing what I observe, but tree spirits I’ve met do not refer to themselves this way at all. There are also exceptions and trees that might fall in between two categories such as between rural/urban, alpha/beta, beta/baby.
Rural Trees – In forests, woods, jungles, or other places with lots and lots of trees but very little urban development, I notice that trees have a lot more energy control over the land and space around them. This also means they have a lot less vested interest in necessarily talking to humans or spirit workers interacting with them, and when you do, there’s a sort of power dynamic you feel that you are on their land. I have never seen a group of rural trees without alpha trees naturally having popped up amongst the others.
Urban Trees – Unlike rural areas, in urban spaces trees are often more isolated, frequently exposed to human contact (or even cut/damaged/pruned/gardened), and sometimes were artificially planted by humans. Although all tree spirits seem to have an inherent power over the immeditate area surrounding them, this is greatly diminished for many urban trees (depending on the individual tree and their circumstances). I find that many urban trees planted in concrete on sidewalks who are isolated from trees around them and exposed to a lot of nasty city chemicals and gases tend to be in a constant state of tenseness and discomfort. The power dynamic that I observe in rural environments in completely reversed in human ones, most urban trees are acutely aware of the power humans have over them and have a much greater stake in how they relate to humans. While some will still completely ignore or snub humans and spirit workers, many urban trees are much more social towards them and relate to human beings very differently than rural trees.
Alpha Trees – Basically all trees have some influence/claim/control over the area under and immediately adjacent to them, but sometimes I have encountered trees so powerful that they rule over a big swath of land around them – and usually over other trees as well if they exist in that area. So far, I’ve only ever encountered what I’d call alpha trees who are much older and physically bigger than most trees. I can usually tell they are an “alpha” from the large energy presence of their spirit, their size and appearance, and in how they speak to me and how other trees in the area speak about them.In an area whether rural or urban, when there are many trees around, the alpha is usually seen as the “head tree” and deferred to for big decisions by other trees or sought after for guidance. There is no formal title or distinction for the alpha trees and they are not elected or appointed because there is no actual political system. It just naturally occurs that the elder, stronger trees tend to take up this informal leadership role.
Beta Trees – Most normal tree spirits are what I’d call “betas,” as they have some claim and influence over the territory around them, but if there is an alpha tree they are secondary to that tree’s overall power over the local area. As trees can be proud and independent spirits, betas won’t always like to admit it but they sometimes have to defer to the will of the alpha tree.
Baby Trees – These are smaller, younger tree spirits who are rather powerless compared to other trees and are still learning the ways of the world. Some rural baby trees I’ve met barely understand what human beings are because they haven’t seen many yet. They may have been biologically parented by a nearby tree, but this does not necessarily mean the biological tree parent will “raise” a baby tree. Usually, the physically closest older trees to a baby tree will do minimal care-taking as needed from time to time. It’s a very loose, very casual “parental” role as tree spirits can grow up completely independently as well.
These are all shops I can attest for their greatness. I’m friends with the mods and I think most of the mods are friends with each other. They work hard to vet their spirits and make sure they go to good homes. They don’t take bullshit and are pure good people. They are always open to questions and haven’t gotten any bad reviews that I know of!
Shops are not added for lying, adopting out abused spirits, spirits who have not been vetted enough, spirits who are not safe to work with, children spirits, or spirits of closed cultures. There are many other reasons why a shop may not be added, and things go by a case-by-case basis. However the reasons stated above are non-negotiable.
If you see a shop who would need to be added let me know!
General: Magickal Menagerie is known to have a rather poor history with cultural appropriation, but when they really cross a line they will remove listings. They still use terms like chakra and third eye, however, ans seem to have no intention of changing this. They are also known to have spotty customer service, and it is not uncommon for people to experience a huge wait time for either their service or just getting in contact with them.
My experience: Ti was my first official companion, when I discovered the spirit work community, and he is still the spirit I have the closest bond with. My order was personally shipped out quickly, and I had no problem getting in contact with them when I accidentally put a typo in my address.
Overall: I had a wonderful experience with MM, but due to differences in our personal morals I doubt I’m going to be going through them again.
General: I spent a lot of time really looking up to this shop, personally. I can’t deny that Lu and Pandora are skilled spirit workers and conjurers, and I’m not afraid to admit a good portion of my shop is based off of theirs, because of how much I looked up to them when I was setting up. Unfortunately, Lu has posted on their blog about how they think cultural appropriation is “silly”. They’re also buddies with someone with multiple accusations of sexual abuse against them, solely because “he says he didn’t do it” as if anyone would admit to that. On a personal level, I mentioned being upset with these facts in a private group chat consisting of close friends, and was promptly accused of gossip and kicked from Lu’s Discord server and social media site.
My experience: I have three companions who came to me from CIPB, and all three are fantastic. Their service is prompt, they communicate well with clients, and the spirits they work with are positively amazing. I have absolutely no complaints about the quality of their service. Even when I didn’t connect with a spirit I was matched with through them right away, we formed a close relationship later on down the road, and she and I get along fantastically.
Overall: Despite my sheer level of respect for Lu and Pandora’s skills, I just can’t recommend them, due to how vastly different our morals are. If you’re okay with the kinds of people they are, you’ll receive great service, but I can’t personally condone monetarily supporting someone with those morals.
General: Overall these guys have a good reputation, and are well respected in the community. However, I have personal issues with Conjurer Venus, because she gave out information given to her by a customer who was a minor for an order out to someone who shared it publicly without the minor’s permission.
My experience: Conjurer Venus took her time with my order, which is far from a bad thing. I was lucky enough to win her giveaway when she was running her own shop, and was paired with two unicorns who have been a lovely addition to my family.
Overall: My experience was good, but I wouldn’t feel safe recommending them, because they’ve proven that they have no issue sharing the personal information given to them in confidence by paying clients.
General: This shop is brand new, and run by two people with boatloads of respect both from the community and myself. Mod Firefly is formerly of Spirit Adoption Center and Mod Ladybug is formerly of Umbra Et Lux Spirits. I am personal friends with both, and I can personally assure you that they are fantastic people inside and out. Their shop may be new, but they definitely are not.
My experience: While I didn’t go through a traditional adoption, one of my companions did in fact come from Mod Firefly, and she is absolutely a wonderful dear. She was a rescue, rather than a spirit who was conjured specifically for adoption by Mod Firefly, but her skill in placing her in the perfect home is second to none.
Overall: Please support this shop guys, I cannot sing their praises enough, wow. Both mods are phenomenal people who deserve your respect and support, and I simply cannot recommend them enough.
General: While I personally remain on good terms with all of the mods here at SS, there are many in the community who have had personal issues with one or multiple of them. I personally maintain that while nobody’s perfect, and everyone is going to have their issues, they are not horrible people, and are skilled spirit workers.
My experience: My adoption cam through Mod Eclipse, and was particularly incredible. Pha has been a wonderful, active addition to my spirit family, and Mod Eclipse was wonderful about communicating with me the entire time. The match between Pha and I is fantastic, and Mod Eclipse did a wonderful job in pairing the two of us up.
Overall: Some minor drama, but none of the mods are horrible people, sometimes folks just aren’t meant to get along, and that’s okay. All of the mods are skilled at what they do, and deserve your support and respect, and they certainly have it from me. Highly recommend.
General: A great shop run by great people. The people behind this shop are fantastic, and are both great people and great spirit workers. The people who started the shop have mostly moved on to other things, but the folks they’ve left in charge are just as competent and capable as they were, and the shop is in good hands.
My experience: I adopted Olli from Intern Dandelion, and we’ve been quite the pair ever since. Olli is a great companion and friend, and Dandy is much the same. Dandy may still be learning, but she has quite impressive skills already, and I cannot recommend her enough.
Overall: a great sop run by great people, who I would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat.
General: A shop formed when Em, a good friend of mine broke off from a shop whose morals she didn’t agree with. Both Mod Snack and Intern Orange are great people, and have done great work.
My experience: I had two spirits come from this shop, but I’m only going to talk about the one who was a regular adoption. M had been up and listed for quite some time, and while I knew I was experiencing a calling, the spirit wanted a smaller family than I had, and my spirit family has never had any intention of remaining small. So I talked to Mod Snack and was told to apply anyway, the spirit was willing to be flexible about it in this particular circumstance. So I did and lo and behold we turned out to be a perfect match. Mod Snack did a wonderful job at communicating what M’s needs and wants were with me, and personally escorted her to my astral space. The adoption was personal and involved every step of the way.
Overall: A highly personal and very hardworking shop, I cannot recommend these two enough. Snack and Orange do wonderful work, and are wonderful people. Like several others here, I cannot recommend them enough.
Shops I haven’t worked with, but can vouch for the people behind:
Fantastic people! I absolutely recommend these guys, I’ve known them for quite a while now and I will absolutely say that they are stunning people with wonderful skills that will treat anyone right and do excellent work.
Misty is fantastic, and so is her intern. I know them both personally and I can vouch for both of their integrity and skills. Highly recommend working with them if you get the chance.
Again, I know these folks a bit less than others, but the mods are great people, and when I did, briefly have an issue with one of them, they were completely receptive to what I had to say and the issue was resolved right away. Incredible people who I would absolutely trust.
Hey guys! We’re happy to announce that we’re reopening intern applications. Feel to send us any questions about the application, process, and anything else.
If you’re interested, we encourage you to apply. Don’t worry about your experience because we’re considering anyone from any experience level; just do your absolute best on your application.
Alright so I’m opening CCs, mainly for florals but I will open them for other spirits as well! Make sure to submit the form to me and I’ll message you as soon as i have a spirit available. If for some reason I’m not able to find a spirit for you I will let you know. CCs are $8 USD.
What you’ll get with this CC
BEFORE HAND:
A mini blurb to see if the spirit is what you like
AFTER SPIRIT IS AGREED ON:
AFTER: A PDF with at least a page of information on the spirit.
PDF will contain bio, manifestations, care, and offerings for the spirit.
A mini graphic or two made to fit with your spirit
Companion of course
A second PDF with mini info on the spirit species
CC FORM:
Your Name // Age:
Preferred pronouns:
How long have you been doing spirit work?/What’s your experience:
Do you have any spirit companions already?:
What are they like?:
Are they okay with bringing another spirit into your family?:
Can you astral travel?/Are you willing to learn?:
Do you know how to ward/Do you have wards set up?:
Do you think you are able to properly care for the spirit?:
What are your means of communication with spirits?:
Preferred Gender:
Preferred Species:
Non-preferable species:
What are you seeking from this companion?:
Likes:
Dislikes:
A bit about yourself: { More info the better for this! That way you can be matched perfectly with a spirit }
As The Spirit’s Coven continues to grow, the importance of discussing reviews becomes even greater. This post aims to clarify why reviews are important, as well as provide some helpful pointers on when the best time for submitting a review is, and what sort of information you could possibly include when writing one. We hope that this information benefits all those who use spirit shops, paid or free.
Why should you review?
A spirit shop provides a very unique kind of service. At The Spirit’s Coven, we aim to create lasting and fulfilling bonds between spirits and people. As such, we are committed to continuing growing and improving for the benefit of our customers, both entities, and humans alike.
An important aspect of our growth relies on the honest and constructive feedback we receive from you! Receiving a review allows us to know what things we are doing right, and it gives us the opportunity to change the things that aren’t working. If you are happy with our work and have met a new friend or family member through us, we want to hear about it. If you are concerned about an aspect of our service, we definitely want to hear about it.
Another important reason why you should consider writing a review for a spirit shop is for the safety of other adopters. Reviews are a great way to assess the reliability of a service. By submitting a review and describing your personal experience with a shop, you can help other potential companions make a better, more informed decision about whether or not they would want to work with that shop.
When should you provide your review?
Don’t write a review the second your companion gets home to you. After all, you’ve only just been introduced to them! You won’t be 100% certain that you’re a good match until you get to know each other well. At first glance, you might have difficulties discerning if the things that were mentioned in the spirit listing are accurate. Therefore, it’s important to take your time in order to ensure that your own experiences with your new spirit companion are consistent with the things advertised by the conjurer!
Keeping this in mind- in order to provide an accurate representation of your experience with a particular spirit shop, it’s best to wait a while before submitting a review! Take a few weeks to bond with your companion. (We recommend at least 3) Get to know them, develop a relationship with them, gain some experiences with your new friend. Only once you’ve developed a bond and spent some time growing closer (and learning more about them) will you be able to say, with certainty, if you would personally recommend the spirit shop or not.
What should you include in your review?
Now that you know about some of the reasons why writing reviews is an important part of bringing a new companion home, here are some ideas of the types of things you could include when writing your review:
What was the customer service like?
What was your experience like during the adoption process?
Do you feel like the spirit adoption form is comprehensive enough? Were there any unclear questions or any important information you feel we did not inquire about?
Do you feel like you and your companion are a good match?
Did the listing accurately describe the spirit you welcomed into your family?
If you had any concerns or questions during the adoption process, or after it, were the conjurers receptive and helpful? Were you able to resolve any issues that might have come up?
Would you choose to use our service again, or would you recommend it to a friend? Why or why not?
I cannot stress enough how important protections are, especially if you’re planning to astral travel.
Set up warding, put up barriers, shield yourself in at least some manner before doing anything spirit related. Once you involve yourself with spirits, you’ll be in danger of malicious entities being drawn towards you as spirit workers seem to be like magnets.
And especially if you’re astral traveling, the moment you get there, the first thing you should do is learn how to protect yourself in the astral. If you know any spirits, get them to teach you. If you don’t, try to find ways of protection immediately upon entering.
Stay smart, stay safe, and remember that protection is vital in any vein of spirit work.
I really liked thispost by @spiritvexer and, after getting her yes, decided to make my own version of it. Some of these are better for companions/already befriended spirits, but hopefully these can help strengthen your and your spirit friend’s bond and in some way spark interesting conversations. 💗
Disclaimers: 1. Remember to only bring up/ask things that are comfortable for the spirit. 2. This is a long post.
Questions
What is something that makes you exceptionally happy?
What is something you are proud of?
What’s your career?
What are some pet peeves you have?
Have you worked with Humans before? In what ways? Often?
What is your favourite [Weather, Colour, Food, Place, etc.]?
Are you more of an extrovert, introvert, or ambivert?
What music do you enjoy?
Have you visited [place] before? Alternatively: Do you enjoy to travel and/or do it a lot?
What topics do you like to talk/learn about?
Is there a problem/issue I could help you with?
What do you think about a lot lately?
What are your current goals?
How do you like to be treated/nurtured/cared for when you’re sad/angry/in a bad mood/sick?
Are there any species’ you don’t get along with?
WHat is a piece of advice/wisdom that you have/that really stuck with you?
What do you think about Humans?
How do you think about [a thing/activity/place/… you enjoy] and would you like to do it with me/go there some time?
Do you have any nicknames that I can call you?
Do you have any nicknames for me?
Is there something you would like to know more about humans/our society/our culture/etc ?
What’s your favourite way of relaxing and winding down?
Do you have any siblings? Pets? Children?
Is there anything about me that you have a piece of advice for?
Are you okay with close contact (e.g. hugging, cuddling, holding hands)?
How do you feel about [someone you both know]?
Do you have any allergies?
Why did you choose me? [for companions met through a shop]
What is something about me that you like a lot?
What is something about me that you don’t like?
How can I make you laugh?
What makes you feel most loved?
What is something you wish people would stop doing?
What, in your eyes, is the purpose/reason for/of life?
Conversation Prompts
Tell me about something you are passionate about.
Tell me about some of your ideologies/philosophies.
Tell me a bit about your culture/past/species/… .
Tell me a joke.
Tell me about a funny/cute/happy memory.
Tell me about your crush/partner/friend/family.
Rant to me about something.
Teach me a cool fact/thing (that you recently learned).
Tell me about some of your likes.
Show me something that is special for/in your society/species.
Hopefully some of these helped you get closer to a spirit friend. Feel free to add on more!
So I was in line for a free RA from the conjurers at SAC, and lets just say. They did not disappoint!
Intern Poppy contacted me with Hiro my cosmic snake, and I was sort of mind blown on how perfect he sounded to start. (Anyone who knows anything about me knows that serpents are my absolute favorite to work with and care for)
Poppy was absolutely a joy to talk to, and seemed almost as excited as I was to make a new friend!
Hiro is by far one of the most charming, intelligent and caring spirits I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. At first he was “yes ma’am, no ma’am” and now is more of a “HEYYYY. LOVE. ME.” type of companion and will constantly be my make-shift scarf.
The little flower on his head still baffles me to this day but he assures me it is his best (and only??) accessory.
As Intern Poppy seemed to fall victim to this aswell, I absolutely believed at first he was a floral snake until I caught sight of those brilliant purple hued galaxies on his scales. He is unique and my precious snek bby. He also seems to care for my pet snakes here at home, constantly slithering around their tanks and asking if they’ve been out to play or fed recently. He is just…wonderful.
SAC is by far, my #1 go to adoption center when looking for new companions. The conjurers are so patient and hard working and I applaud their thouroughness when vetting spirits and their dedication to their work!
If you’d like to explore the option of a spirit adoption center, please please PLEASE check out SAC and their troupe of awesome conjurers. They have spirits for all levels of spirit workers and a little something for everyone, as well as being a really great place to learn a bit about spirit work.
It’s so good to see Hiro branching out and becoming a bit more relaxed! I’m super glad you two (and your other snek friends) are getting along splendidly!! I wish you and Hiro the best of times together~
teakepp 