Episode #7 of Just a Girl Under a 🌲 Tree, Reading a 📖 and Asking it to Love💗 Her
Today, I’m reading from A Guide of Spirits: A Psychopomp’s Manual for Transitioning the Dead to the Afterlife by Chris Allaun. This book offers guidance on how to assist those who are dying in transitioning to the land of their ancestors in a way that is both balancing and healing. It’s an insightful read for anyone interested in exploring this type of spiritual and healing work.
I chose a passage from the chapter explaining the term “psychopomp”—a word I hadn’t come across before discovering this book. While I haven’t finished reading the entire book yet, I’m excited to dive deeper into how it teaches us to help those who are energetically and spiritually preparing for their final journey to the afterlife. Allaun approaches this delicate subject with great care, focusing on the needs of the dying rather than the bereaved, offering practical advice for anyone interested in this profound area of work.
For this reading, I sat under a 🌳 tree that my daughters and I often pass by on our walks. It stands apart from other trees, with a resilient curve at its base, symbolizing its strength to weather storms while still exuding a welcoming presence. This tree felt like the perfect spot for today’s reading.
I also shared a Rune from the Elder Futhark set that I hand-carved, named Eihwaz, which represents the Yew tree—symbolic of both death and regeneration. This Rune connects beautifully with one of the key themes of the book: that endings lead to new beginnings. Eihwaz is associated with magical work, particularly of a protective nature and with transformation. It has been called a symbol of the gateway to the underworld, and like a psychopomp, it signifies journeys beyond the physical realm in search of deeper understanding.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. How do you feel about the idea of guiding those who are transitioning? Have you encountered the term “psychopomp” before, or is this concept new to you too? Feel free to share your insights, and if you’ve read this book or any others like it, let me know what resonated with you the most. Let’s open up a conversation around this fascinating subject.
🪶🕯️Get your own copy of A Guide of Spirits: A Psychopomp’s Manual for Transitioning the Dead to the Afterlife by Chris Allaun ✨
