Getting Started

 I wanted to make a quick post about getting a spirit doll. There are videos and articles on this and quite a few facebook groups specifically for haunted dolls but I wanted to put my own two-cents in. I'm going to arrange this a bit like a FAQ to save people from having to read the whole thing. 

How do I know if Spirit Dolls are right for me?

I would say that if you have an interest in being a Spirit Doll's Keeper and you have a genuine respect and curiosity about them, then its worth considering! These are real people. Just because they are inside dolls does not make them any less human (for the purposes of this post we are assuming that the doll you would be getting would not be malevolent). You are going to be living with them and will need to understand that they have needs that should be met and boundaries that need to be respected. Some spirits want to be left alone, some want to have jobs, and some want to be a part of a family dynamic. Consider your current living situation: if you are single living in an apartment, then a child spirit who wants other children to play with may not be the best fit. If you have young children then spirits who are looking for a quiet life with you may not be the best fit. If you live with roommates who do NOT want dolls around, then one that wants to go on adventures and needs a lot of interaction may not work out. 

Where do I find Spirit Dolls?

Spirit Dolls can be found in many areas. If you have dolls in your house or inherited some, or you know that your mom or other family member has a box of dolls, I suggest trying there first. I inherited a box of dolls from the 1800s. I checked each of them with various tools and my best spirit finding intuition and not one of them was haunted. I had another box of dolls from the 1960s and at least 2 of them had spirits attached. Antique stores are going to be another great source. I have seen dolls there from the 1800s that have spirits. Thrift stores are another great source. Not every dolls there is going to be haunted but its possible to find one. 

How do I know if my doll is haunted?

There are a couple of ways. If you come across a couple of dolls at once, make a visual sweep of them. You don't need to notice any real details. Do your eyes keep going back to one in particular? One that just seems really interesting and you can't quite put your finger on why? How do you feel when you look at it? Happy? Sad? Angry? If you feel anything negative, especially anger, that may be a doll with negative energies. This does NOT mean it is malevolent. The doll could just  be unhappy with the state its in. If you're new to dolls though, you may want to avoid any that give you negative feelings from the beginning. If this doll is not giving you any negative feelings, then pull out a pendulum? Do you not have one or did you forget it at home? Thrift shops and some other kinds of shops sometimes have necklaces for sale. Grab one if you can as an in-the-moment pendulum. Hold it over the doll and ask it, "Is there a spirit within this doll?" or you can even say something like, "If there is a spirit within this doll, can you move the pendulum [direction]?" You can also use a tool called Dowsing Rods and ask the spirit to cross the rods if they are present. 

What do I do with the Doll once I know its haunted?

When you have the doll at home and you have confirmed its haunted, try introducing yourself! A few people have told me that they like to give their doll a gift of a crystal, jewelry, or something they might like. They also suggest lighting a candle for them. When I get a new haunted doll I try to give it a gift, light a candle, and do a smoke cleansing with Black Sage, Cedar, Rosemary, Sweet Grass, or other smoke cleansing items. If you have asthma or cannot use smoke or fire, there are a number of cleansing sprays you can pick up at your nearest metaphysical shop. I do not always try to use communication tools with the doll on the first day. Most dolls need time to adjust to a new environment. Give them a day or two before you try to communicate. Put it in a nice protected space. 

How do I start communicating with my dolls?

Normally what I do is I get out my dowsing rods. In my experience, Spirits seem to have an easier time moving the rods and its much easier to understand than a pendulum, at least for me. Some people like pendulums more. Some like Spirit Boards. Some are lucky enough to have a spirit box. Light up cat balls are quickly becoming popular. K2/EMF readers can also be used for YES/NO questions. A good voice recorder is also a great tool for hearing responses that might not have otherwise been heard. 

I hope this helps someone get started. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email which should be available to the left side of your screen. Thanks for reading.