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Familiars
- Thread starter Halcyon
- Start date
robtex
Veteran Member
I know I am not wicca or pagan but I have a theory on pagan familars. The wicca and pagans down here in Austin, when I ask, state that when one is casting a spell, one is not really conduction magic in the sense that they are manipulating energy, but rather one is using cermonial functions to inspire and "move", metaphorically speaking, their emotional or spirtual state.
A familiar, if I am understanding it currectly is a creature used to grant or give power to a witch in conjuration or evocation of spells.
Wicca, as a belief system is high on the nuturing scale with a strong push on assertings ones instinct to nuture or be maternal (paternal). An animal one has a strong connection with reinforces or enhances this emotion and thus by the existance of a "personal pet" or familiar the application of a "mothering" religion gains foritude with the inclusion of a pet or familiar when "casting" spells designed to moves ones emotional or spirtual being.
A familiar, if I am understanding it currectly is a creature used to grant or give power to a witch in conjuration or evocation of spells.
Wicca, as a belief system is high on the nuturing scale with a strong push on assertings ones instinct to nuture or be maternal (paternal). An animal one has a strong connection with reinforces or enhances this emotion and thus by the existance of a "personal pet" or familiar the application of a "mothering" religion gains foritude with the inclusion of a pet or familiar when "casting" spells designed to moves ones emotional or spirtual being.
I'm not wiccan either; but I do believe in 'Familiars' - those spirits that guide us.
You may not be ware of them, call them, 'Guardian Angels' - whatever; I belive that we each have the ability to ask for help from the spirits- and I believe that the original 'Black cat familiars' fall into that category.
You may not be ware of them, call them, 'Guardian Angels' - whatever; I belive that we each have the ability to ask for help from the spirits- and I believe that the original 'Black cat familiars' fall into that category.
kreeden
Virus of the Mind
I tend to agree with Michel on this , although I'm not Wiccan neither . A Familiar is more then just a " pet ", and I tend to view them along the lines that a Shaman would his / her animal guides or helpers . Or as some others may " Guardian Angles ".
Strange that the black cat is so strongly associated with witch craft though . I think that any true Witch knows that familiars come in many different forms .
A Familiar is more then just a " pet ", and I tend to view them along the lines that a Shaman would his / her animal guides or helpers . Or as some others may " Guardian Angles ". Strange that the black cat is so strongly associated with witch craft though .
I think that any true Witch knows that familiars come in many different forms .
Circle_One
Well-Known Member
I, myself, have two familiars: My cat Isis (who, is not black, lol) and my Python Thor.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
I have at least three familiars that are spirits. One is a Timber Wolf, another is a dragon, and the other has a human female appearance. I know there are at least two others, though I have never seen them, just a small bit of interactions.
Master Vigil
Well-Known Member
I agree that familiars are like guides or totems. I myself have 7 wolf spirit guides. I would consider them my familiars as well. But, I am not wiccan either, so... perhaps you shouldn't listen to me.
As a Wiccan and practicing witch, I find that familiars are not only spiritual guides but they also change as a person changes. Especially when a person is going through a psychologically enhancing period where their personality changes often.
As for me, I have a fox, two angels, and a baby dragon.
Cheers,
Keenan
As for me, I have a fox, two angels, and a baby dragon.
Cheers,
Keenan
Master Vigil
Well-Known Member
Spirit guides are subject to change as well. I new a girl who had a tree spirit guide as a baby, and the spirit kinda grew as she did. Now shes around 7, and tree spirit is much more mature than it was when she was born. The only constant in this universe is change, spirit guides do as well.
kreeden
Virus of the Mind
Embrace the Chaos eh !Master Vigil said:
So true MV . Ishkbal , there are guides , and then there are guides .
The strongest having been called Achetypes by Carl Jung . As such , I believe that so called " Power Animals " are very much like " Familiars ". They are very much a part of the person . As for me , my strongest helpers at the time are Ogre , Hydra , Bear { in all of his N.A. forms } , Raven , and Birch . There are others , but I haven't figured out how they interact yet .
Halcyon
Lord of the Badgers
I find this all very interesting, but i'd like to know - how did you acquire these, i'll call them 'spirit guides'?
Did you call them to you, or did you wake up one day and they were there?
MV mentioned he has 7 wolf totems, are they wolves because that's what they are, or because that's how you visualise them? This goes for anyone, are your spirit guides manifested as wolves, ogres, dragons etc because that's what you want them to be?
Did you call them to you, or did you wake up one day and they were there?
MV mentioned he has 7 wolf totems, are they wolves because that's what they are, or because that's how you visualise them? This goes for anyone, are your spirit guides manifested as wolves, ogres, dragons etc because that's what you want them to be?
kreeden
Virus of the Mind
Interesting questions Halcyon . I'm not sure if there are any set answers to them them . I will be interested in how others answer them .
Carl Jung spent his life trying to answer how much our subconscious has to do with such things . As Archetypes , these guides are very much a part of us . They are a part of our personalities , our subconscious . However , there appears to be more to it then that . Symbolic ? Yes , but more ...
There appears to be many ways to acquire " aids ". Personally , I have never gone out looking for one . Once I started to . Prepared for a " Vision Quest " but as I was preparing , the " Guide " came to me ... in a very physical form . Physical enough to leave tracks in my backyard . This guide is an Archetype of mine . It has always been a part of me . I just had to realize that , which I did but wanted to make sure .
Think of it as friendship . How did you acquire a friend ? And what if that friend had been a very close friend from birth ? Very likely you would have taken on personaly from that friend and he / she from you . Of course , there was likely something there in the first place that attracted the two of you , but over time it becomes hard to say what that was . Perhaps it was hard to say right from the begining ?
Now these guides are Archetypes . What are sometimes called " Power Animals ". Most are not quite as personal though . These guides are very special . Like I said , they are a part of you . Like a very close friend .
Now , are they what they appear to be because that is what they are , or because that is how we wish to see them ? That is a hard one . Many cultures believe that each have three forms . Animal , human , and plant . And each guide can appear as any one of those forms , as they choose . Personally , I am not sure if they are tied to those three forms . Each has different aspects and I tend to think that each form is just that , a different aspect of the same thing . For excample , I listed two guides , the Ogre and Bear . Although they are different in ways , they are very much alike in ways too . Grizzly Bear and Ogre are very alike . But of course , that is my view and others may see other aspects of them . Again , very much like people . I mean , why do you like some people and others don't ? They are the same person , so why doesn't everyone like them if you do ? Becuse you see aspects of them that others don't . Anyway , even though Bear and Ogre are very much alike , there is enough of a difference in my view to seperate them as two different beings . { they also tend to come into play at different times ... keep Jung's Archetypes in mind here } .
I hope that helps a bit Halcyon . In Shamanism , the imagination and what most call reality overlaps and becomes somewhat blurred at times . Kinda like a dream that carries on after awaking . But it is more then a dream . Dreams don't leave tracks in your lawn .
I will be interested in how others answer them . Carl Jung spent his life trying to answer how much our subconscious has to do with such things . As Archetypes , these guides are very much a part of us . They are a part of our personalities , our subconscious . However , there appears to be more to it then that . Symbolic ? Yes , but more ...
There appears to be many ways to acquire " aids ". Personally , I have never gone out looking for one . Once I started to . Prepared for a " Vision Quest " but as I was preparing , the " Guide " came to me ... in a very physical form .
Physical enough to leave tracks in my backyard . This guide is an Archetype of mine . It has always been a part of me . I just had to realize that , which I did but wanted to make sure . Think of it as friendship . How did you acquire a friend ? And what if that friend had been a very close friend from birth ? Very likely you would have taken on personaly from that friend and he / she from you . Of course , there was likely something there in the first place that attracted the two of you , but over time it becomes hard to say what that was . Perhaps it was hard to say right from the begining ?
Now these guides are Archetypes . What are sometimes called " Power Animals ". Most are not quite as personal though . These guides are very special . Like I said , they are a part of you . Like a very close friend .
Now , are they what they appear to be because that is what they are , or because that is how we wish to see them ?
That is a hard one . Many cultures believe that each have three forms . Animal , human , and plant . And each guide can appear as any one of those forms , as they choose . Personally , I am not sure if they are tied to those three forms . Each has different aspects and I tend to think that each form is just that , a different aspect of the same thing . For excample , I listed two guides , the Ogre and Bear . Although they are different in ways , they are very much alike in ways too . Grizzly Bear and Ogre are very alike . But of course , that is my view and others may see other aspects of them . Again , very much like people . I mean , why do you like some people and others don't ? They are the same person , so why doesn't everyone like them if you do ? Becuse you see aspects of them that others don't . Anyway , even though Bear and Ogre are very much alike , there is enough of a difference in my view to seperate them as two different beings . { they also tend to come into play at different times ... keep Jung's Archetypes in mind here } . I hope that helps a bit Halcyon . In Shamanism , the imagination and what most call reality overlaps and becomes somewhat blurred at times . Kinda like a dream that carries on after awaking . But it is more then a dream . Dreams don't leave tracks in your lawn .
Prima
Well-Known Member
As I change, my animals have more or less smacked me in the head. I associate myself with lizards - I don't have one, therefore I don't have a lizard familiar in the traditional sense of a familiar, but rather in a broad sense. I find myself acting like and finding lizards, and dealing with people who love lizards...like I said, they're kind of smacking me in the head to deal with them.
My dog...I'm not entirely sure about this, but my magic seems to be a lot better when he's around. Maybe it's just his calming doggy influence, or something else. I truly do not know. He's also ridiculously protective of me - especially at dusk or night, when I often do magic, pray, or am upset. Coincidence? I don't know.
I haven't been able to isolate a particular tree, although I adore them. None have smacked me in the head yet
If you want to talk plants, though, lilies have. Whenever I plant them, they take over, even where weeds won't grow, and they always bloom for me, and I just feel so happy and peaceful when I'm around them. I've never heard of something like this before, but it's true.
Honestly, I can't wait for more things to smack me in the head (I keep using that phrase, but it's so true...at least with me, the Goddess/Tao/whatever doesn't work like the Christian god - no mysteries, questions, or symbols, just what I need when I need it, if I trust!)
My dog...I'm not entirely sure about this, but my magic seems to be a lot better when he's around. Maybe it's just his calming doggy influence, or something else. I truly do not know. He's also ridiculously protective of me - especially at dusk or night, when I often do magic, pray, or am upset. Coincidence? I don't know.
I haven't been able to isolate a particular tree, although I adore them. None have smacked me in the head yet
If you want to talk plants, though, lilies have. Whenever I plant them, they take over, even where weeds won't grow, and they always bloom for me, and I just feel so happy and peaceful when I'm around them. I've never heard of something like this before, but it's true.
Honestly, I can't wait for more things to smack me in the head (I keep using that phrase, but it's so true...at least with me, the Goddess/Tao/whatever doesn't work like the Christian god - no mysteries, questions, or symbols, just what I need when I need it, if I trust!)
Master Vigil
Well-Known Member
Interesting question. I have to say that I perceive them that way, because that is what they are. I may be wrong, but that is what my experience has led me to conclude.
Halcyon
Lord of the Badgers
I have a lizard, he's a leopard gecko - imaginatively called Spot, he's very friendly. He likes watched the vacuum cleaner and listening to my music. Totally off topic, but i thought i'd mention himPrima said:
.Thanks for the replies guys, i only ask because i've noticed things around me for years, things watching me and walking with me, but they have never manifested infront of me, only appeared as glimmers and shadows. Any suggestions how i can see/contact them?
Prima
Well-Known Member
Aw, yay! I should have elaborated more - I feel closest to skinks and generally the small, sneaky lizards. Heehee.
Probably so!
I have such a hard time figuring out whether I'm imagining more than is there or not, but my dog really has been so much closer to me since I started doing magic. He's also been going white faster
The greatest obstacle is your own mind. You were probably brought up thinking these kinds of things were imagination, fantasy, etc, so I propose interacting with them and with people who believe in them as much as possible. This very conversation, for example, should help you at least a little, because it's supporting your idea that they are, indeed, real.
Other than that, surround yourself with objects intended to help you. Start being very observant - do they appear most clearly when you're upset? at certain times of day? When you're wearing something or doing something in particular?
kreeden
Virus of the Mind
I had read your question earlier Halcyon , and gave it some thought , hoping that someone else would reply before I tried to answer . And Prima said pretty much what I had been thinking . I think that it is more a matter of opening your mind to possibilities . Not only to the possibility that spirits exist , but also to the possibility that there is more there then we at first see . If we see something out of the corner of our eye , turn around and see a leaf ... then walk away , then a leaf is all we will see .
A visual aid ... What do you see below ?
.... ....................................
A man , a woman , or both ?
Oh , BTW I believe that sometimes when we see a leaf out of the corner of our eye , it is just a leaf ...
And Prima said pretty much what I had been thinking . I think that it is more a matter of opening your mind to possibilities . Not only to the possibility that spirits exist , but also to the possibility that there is more there then we at first see . If we see something out of the corner of our eye , turn around and see a leaf ... then walk away , then a leaf is all we will see . A visual aid ...
What do you see below ? .... ....................................
A man , a woman , or both ?
Oh , BTW I believe that sometimes when we see a leaf out of the corner of our eye , it is just a leaf ...
Halcyon
Lord of the Badgers
Erm... i see a cartoony guy playing a saxophone, i also see a strange looking skull-type thing wearing a hat.kreeden said:A visual aid ...
.... ....................................
A man , a woman , or both ?
You're right of course. Reality is to a degree what we make of it, and i try to keep an open mind (considering our limited senses) to what may be around me but unseen. However i was raised in an atheist household, and trained in science - its difficult for me to talk to the invisible creature i can feel looking at me (its sitting in the chair beside me at the moment) without feeling foolish, and as far as i understand if you have doubt and feel foolish you won't get anywhere.