You have to use common sense. I don't go looking for trouble and don't just
randomly call on names in texts. I call on those I've developed relationships
with in my entourage that walk and talk with me and show me themselves in my
dreams. These connections where passed to me through rituals with others who
where connected to these beings already. And I connect with some new ones from
time to time when they seek me. If I wish to work with one who hasn't found me
yet, I have a network of others in the magical world. One of them would
introduce me to the being I want to know, but at a price. This is what its like
in the linking chains. You are never alone. You have others seen and unseen on
your side. And as long as the chores connection are kept up from time to time,
these bonds continue and they help you with your day to day wishes and desires,
as well as those of the friends and family around you. Its really a beautiful
thing.

I've always been very highly attractive to spirits. At first it was accidental summoning, when I sang, read out loud in school when the teacher asked, during sex, when I let down my guard into a certain frame of mind...they would come. My head throbs often with presence, especially at night, as l lie there sleepless. Others have seen a glow around my head. I grew familiar with their presence and always mentally ask them to return when I realize that they are away for a bit until my summoning request has become a constant affair of friendship.

Recently, they went away for a few days when I needed to feel what it was like to be only myself after a certain ritual I did. I was sad and I was lonely, yet I asked them to return about a week later. I hear a buzzing in my right ear in answers to my questions of them or as confirmations of the truthfulness of statements others say in conversation. 

Now, when I am in ritual for a purpose I either ask out loud or in my head for those I work with to come. When I bring in a new witch or work certain familiar rituals they come with the pattern of the rituals at hand, bringing interesting results as others are touched by them. Sometimes when I am writing, I ask them to come and then I get all poetic or very quick and circularly prose-like in passing messages.

Its fun, but often there are side effects. Mostly they hang out at my head and can work through my hands, but when I bring them into my body, my eyes get red and bulgy, my body either vibrates or jerks wildly. I'm sure it can be disconcerting when I ask them to come with others around, but the witches and others I have worked with don't complain. Now, my husband has been with me so long these things are happening to him too because they want to share him with me.
I've found that the best summonings come when they come to befriend you or those you associate with first. The spirits check you out, accept you, and then you can call on them again and again to come.

Now, commanding spirits is an entire other level....its best to start at the beginning. And rituals formalize the bonds.
Especially with those that others have summoned into your presence.

Nature's partner,

who knows herself,

touching upon others,

to receive messages all around her.

In nature's acts she finds acceptance,

as wishes and desires become realities,

in her life and the lives of others around her.

Do you see, do you hear,

do you act, do you not fear?

Do you explore what's unknown to many?

Do They answer when you call?

Jump and dive, smile and writhe,

apart from time and in the moments between.

What do you see?

What do you hear?

Be of it, and watch the world respond in return.

I don't do anything in particular for cleaning in rituals (except maybe a deep breath beforehand), but I use certain incenses at the beginning of some rituals to harmonize and tune my and/or others' bodies for the work at hand. If something comes along that I don't want there, I just tell it to go away, let the forces I work with take care of it for me, or connect with it to find out what I am supposed to learn from their presence.

What I've learned about smudging through practice is that it actually calls spirits and harmonies to come, spirits that you want present and that it is these spirits that do the job of clearing anything unwanted in the area by the process of disbursement.

Diavanii Regina

I know that this may sound weird, but on the main I don't use spiritual protection procedures, with an exception, which I'll get to in a moment.

I personally have found while watching others work to protect themselves that in doing so, they are really setting a beacon out to the worlds that they feel that they are in need of protection. This draws more attention to them, as various spirits with any number of their own motivations crane their necks, much like what happens on highways with accidents. The lane that is not effected always goes slower. This complicates things and, in my opinion, gives the spirit world the image of you as afraid and weak, due to the fact that you are wishing protection; while the beacon you sent allows some of the more mischievous out there to find you more easily to capitalize on the fact. So in a way, by not drawing attention to yourself, this is a form of cloaking.

Also, many get caught up in their own cycle of fear which the protection spells and practices often foster. This can cause a spiral into more and more difficulties coming your way as you frantically cast more and more protection spells. That's not a happy place to be. Throw out fear, ride the wave through whatever struggles you come up against, and come out the other side renewed. In the process of friction with these times, we extend past our comfort zones and gain more and more knowledge about ourselves and the worlds around us.

If you want to do anything, my advice is to, long before you feel you need protection, listen and wait for the universe to provide spiritual allies to be brought to you to develop a relationship. Practice your awarenesses. This may take some time (could be years) or it may be instant. It may take many forms and is most often through the connections you make with others as their spiritual connections are drawn to your awareness of their presence (That's one thing many beings in the spirit world truly enjoy is having themselves noticed by us. They are the ultimate paparazzi freaks:). Of course there are others who wish to be left alone, but they won't come anyway and you wouldn't want to work with them.)

Okay, so now you have your connections. If you are truly bonded through oaths of service both ways and you respect their little idiosyncrasies, they will do the dirty work of protection for you under the surface, often without you even knowing about it until after. If there is anything that you must do physically in an instance, then they will let you know, either through dreams or some other means. Of course your existence won't be always an idyllic one. There are life lessons you need to learn that those whom protect you can only see that you will be stronger for. Many times I've noticed that these hard lessons will bring you boons in the end once the bigger picture is shown, although there is pain at the time. Throw out fear, ride the wave through whatever struggles you come up against, and come out the other side renewed. In the process of friction with these times, we extend past our comfort zones and gain more and more knowledge about ourselves and the worlds around us.

Remember, the best protection is to be brought into the circle connecting those who came before and those who will come after.

Diavanii Regina