Familiars....

[Jeremy Westenn]

* Blink In! *

Do any of you in here have Familiars? Howe do you use your pets in your magical workings? Do they participate of there own, or do you set them down in front of your altar when its time?

Also, do you all consider your pets that you use in your magic to be a Witch, Wiccan, or Familiar?

I want to get a cat sometime in the future. One I would use in my magic from day one. I have a dog now but I don't think I could really get her to come into my room and do magic with me, or whatever ritual I was planning. First off I would have to start becoming more Wiccanly active. I don't do much ritual, or spells, or anything. Thats definitely gonna be changing soon. I also hate to say it, but I think my doggy is a bit to old now to be doing magic with me.

I look forward to all your replys! I love this subject!

Blessed Be....
)O(

* Blink Out! *

- Jeremy Westenn

[AuroraSilvermist]

I don't believe a person can really choose a familiar, or take an animal and make it a familiar--they choose you. Or, more specifically, you choose each other and it's a mutual thing. I don't believe that getting a pet and parking it in front of your altar during rituals makes it a familiar.

My take on familiars (and this is just MY opinion!) is that they are animal friends to which you feel a deep psychic connection--a bond that goes deeper than just feeling love and affection toward your pet to actually feeling as though your energies are in tune. I've had a lot of pets that I've loved deeply, and they've returned that love 10 times over, but only one of them has ever felt bound to me in the way I would consider a familiar to be bound, and that was my dog when I was a teenager. (I wasn't practicing Paganism then, so I never considered her a familiar...she was just my BUDDY! :D) My cat knows when I'm distressed or sick, and he also joins me in my circles when I'm working magic or performing a ritual. However, I don't feel soul-bound with him, and I don't think of him as a familiar. He's my little fur-friend. :)

Many Pagans/Wiccans seem to want to label their cherished pets "familiars." That is nice, and I don't begrudge them one bit, but I believe finding a true familiar is somewhat rare, and that rarity makes the bond all the more precious.

[Faeawyn]

Ummm..I have this spell :)

To meet your spirit familiar...

I belive that everyone has a spirit familiar, but that they have not always met it. Sometimes this is because it just is not the right time. You can have many spirit familiars in your lifetime as your directions and needs change.
Here's one way to try and meet yours....

Relax thoroughly, and meditate.
WHen you are calm, go into a trance state. Ask to be taken to your sacred place. When you get there, you will find you have your witches robes on and that there is a small altar to the north of the space.
Approach the altar and call the elements in turn as oyu would do in a normal circle.
Ask the Lady and Lord to show you your spirit familiar. It could take any form (mine is a small dragon type creature).
When you meet it, ask it it's name and if you can help it in any way. (mine loves fire and likes lit candles)

After you have met, thank it for it's time and close the circle and leave.

Once you have had the 1st meeting, you will be able to call upon your spirit familiar to help aid you in spells, rituals, trance whatever you wish