[Guide] Animals and Magic

[Carmacao]

Contents:
1-Introduction
2-Simple Stuff- Lesson 1
3- Sabbats (you are here) Lesson 2
4- Lesson 3 (coming soon)

Now that we've covered animals and basic spells, let's take a look at the connections of animals and the Sabbats and Esbats. First up;
Samhain
Samhain is a time of last-minute preparations for winter, honoring the dead and the last harvest. Animals commonly associated with this time (and Halloween) are usually "creepy" things such as bats and spiders. However, any creatures that symbolize death, rebirth and harvest have great significance. Squirrels are a good example, hoarding the seeds of dead oaks to survive through the harsh winter.
Any beloved pet/animal that has died while in your care deserves to be honored.
During your normal Samhain rituals/celebrations, hang a picture or item associated with your lost pet. If you still have one, leave their food bowl or water dish out in a favorite place to nourish their spirit.
Additionally during Samhain, you can incorporate the image or object into any spells you may cast around this time.
If anyone wants to, they can post here and briefly describe a deceased pet they've had and how they could use associated objects during Samhain.  

[Starlock]

Best death-rebirth critter I've had experience with by far: Magicicada. The cicadas that come out once every seventeen years. Truly magical creatures.  

[CosmicCrystal]

My family's dog died last August, and our new dogs don't like the same bones that he did so we still have his tough nylon bones lying around. I could use one of those during Samhain. also, he was very protective of his family, more so than a lot of dogs i have encountered. I could use his object to aid in a protection spell smile  

[Carmacao]

Good Ideas!
Next Up:
Yule
Besides the whole gift-giving, Holly-King and decorating thing (which we all know and love), Yule is a time of sacrifice and reflection on the past year.
Hold your pet and meditate on your experiences with him/her. You can also reflect on other experiences you've had. Pets are usually a good set of ears that won't criticize anything you say.  

[Carmacao]

Attention!
We now have our first homework assignment. (!)
Before you get dismayed, it's not really homework, it's more of a survey just so I can get to know you and to take any suggestions you have. Here it is:

Name(optional):

Age (optional):

Why you chose this class:

Any pets or animal experience you've had:

Any suggestions of things you want to learn or change:

Just copy and paste on a PM and send it to me. Take your time. I understand people have lives. Just try to do it soon.  

[Starlock]

1) Starlock's good enough
2) approximately 24.3
3) It looked like it might be interesting and since my Path is very Nature-centered, animals are one of the focal points. This particular one I have worked with little at this point, however. I'm better with plants and minerals.
4) I didn't grow up with the more charismatic pets, but worked with fish and small mammals. Over the past year I was able to live in a place where there were kitties. And... I miss them terribly. I suspect they miss me too. I think I gave them more attention than their owners did. sweatdrop

5) When I get to focusing on critters more (as this class will hopefully prompt) I'll approach it the same way I approach other areas: with a multidisciplinary slant. I would start in the easiest spot: the science. Know the science behind the critter: life cycle, ecology, taxonomy, etc. Then, I'd look at a combination of folklore and history. How has this critter been used economically for human beings? What role does this creature tend to play in the tales it is in? Stuff like that. Next and lastly I'd take a look at what the more New Agey sources have to say. These *should* match up with what I find in the first two approaches, but often I've found this is strangely not the case, making me wonder where in the blazes they're pulling their correspondences from. Usually, it appears, out of their own personal experience. That's all well and good, but I wish they'd *say* that. Personal experience is the final component I'd use in studying the critter... but someone else's personal experience may or may not be relevant to or resonate with me.

As another footnote, I'd be sure to include 'less charismatic' critters, especially diving into the bacteria and insects (yes, not technically animals, but I could see studying them alongside animal magic). Especially bacteria.  

[ShadowBeast13]

Name(optional): i like to go by Cody

Age (optional): 13

Why you chose this class: i need to improve my magic and i love animals!

Any pets or animal experience you've had: fish and birds

Any suggestions of things you want to learn or change: idk  

[Oh Em Jesus]

Name(optional): Chris

Age (optional): 14

Why you chose this class: I love animals a lot. There isn't a single animal I have seen I don't find amazing.

Any pets or animal experience you've had: I have two dogs, I have had fish, crabs, and one chicken.

Any suggestions of things you want to learn or change: I would really like to learn how to incorporate animals into rituals. (Non-sacrificial of course)  

[sareuhbelle]

I won't lie. I completely forgot that I signed up for this class sweatdrop


Name(optional): Sara

Age (optional): 14

Why you chose this class: I love animals and would like to learn about how I can incorperate them into my spirituality.

Any pets or animal experience you've had: 2 dogs, 2 cats, 4 hermit crabs

Any suggestions of things you want to learn or change: I'd like to learn about familiars and finding out totems.
 

[Carmacao]

Sorry for the absence everyone.
I was VERY busy!
Will be posting next lesson tomorrow!  

[Carmacao]

Sorry about the hiatus.
Now then . . .
Lesson 3;

art by Pam McCabe.

Hello again, and Blessed Be!
After scrambling around doing all sorts of things, I finally got time to relax and came to write this lesson.
Today we will explore the inevitably abundant connections between animals and ourselves. While many contemporary humans dismiss any evidence of animal intelligence as instinct, I have to wonder if there's something more. Perhaps animals have reservoirs of magic that they tap into once in a while?
This would tend to make sense, considering they are the closest children of the Lord and Lady.
Still not convinced?
Here are some examples of "extraordinary" animals:

ng monarch
Tsunami Animals
dolphin lovers  

[Carmacao]

So. What do you think?
How do you think insects and birds know each year where to migrate precisely, even though it may be a thousand-mile journey? How else do creatures know there is going to be a natural disaster hours before it happens?
I can't help but thinking this has to do with their magical connections with nature, the Lady and Cernunnos.

In one instance, my budgie Keeth seemed to possess a sort of "animal precognition" that was connected to magical objects.
In the past, Keeth has been driven wild by thunderstorms. Squawking and ringing his bells, he'd freak out and knock over his food.
Therefore, when a huge thunderstorm was forecast for our region, I was prepared for him to slam things around in his cage, etc.
The conditions seemed the same.
Several towns nearby had recently had vicious storms and the entire group of clouds had traveled to our area to loom menacingly overhead. There was even an electric tang in the air characteristic of thunderstorms.
However, my little bird friend was unphazed. He was calmly sitting on his perch, grooming himself, as if nothing was going on.
Sure enough, the clouds passed overhead a few minutes later. There wasn't even so much as a drizzle.

I was wondering how he could have possibly known the storm was going to pass over, when it hit me.
I let him fly around my bedroom every once in a little while. On the back of my door, I have a little bundle of herbs from my aunt's house in New Hampshire. I blessed them and had been using them as sort of my connection to the Goddess.
Keeth had gnawed at those herbs.
Call me crazy, but I think he strengthened his spiritual connection with a lady by ingesting part of an object dedicated to her.
This is just one of the many examples of the similar connections between humans and their deities and animals and nature.  

[Oh Em Jesus]

I really hate to be the science geek, but I definately think science also has a role in the wiccan faith. The main thing we can learn from science regarding our faith is that, as humans we often regard ourselves as being a seperate or superior being to the earth and animals. However, we are made of the same materials as any animals, and even the earth. Like all things we have a cycle of growing, dieing, and returning to the earth in one way or another. So we are, in my opinion, not superior to other animals, we just got lucky.

Anyways, onto what I was ACTUALLY going to say. Birds migrate because of a tiny trace of magneticmaterial in their brains. When the time is right, the alignment of the earth and sun (winter) causes them to feel a not-so-physical "tug".

I agree that animals could have magic, I just wanted to clear that up sweatdrop  

[Starlock]

Oh Em Jesus

I really hate to be the science geek, but I definately think science also has a role in the wiccan faith. The main thing we can learn from science regarding our faith is that, as humans we often regard ourselves as being a seperate or superior being to the earth and animals. However, we are made of the same materials as any animals, and even the earth. Like all things we have a cycle of growing, dieing, and returning to the earth in one way or another. So we are, in my opinion, not superior to other animals, we just got lucky.

Quoted because I liked it. The imaginary great divide between humans and nonhuman animals is just that... little more than imaginary. More and more modern research is confirming this, but public visions are slow to change. Evolutionary theory alone confirms this. Our abilities didn't develop out of a vacuum. Unless of course you happen to believe in mythological creation stories literally. wink

I'm hesitant to call nonhuman animal abilities 'magic' in part because I feel it trivializes their amazing aptitudes. Nonhuman critters simply can sense things we can't. Somewhere out there is a species with better vision, smell, hearing, taste, and touch, nevermind the array of senses nonhuman critters have that we lack. Can you echolocate? Use your lateral line to detect changes in water pressure to evade a predator? I feel these abilities are 'magical' in the sense of being awesome or awe inspiring, but I wouldn't dare dub them supernatural in any way or automatically read them as evidence of a spiritual connection. Personally I find everything to be intrinsically Sacred, magic, and spiritual, so it's almost a non-question. Of course nonhuman animals have this. Everything in the universe does.  

[Carmacao]

Starlock

Oh Em Jesus

I really hate to be the science geek, but I definately think science also has a role in the wiccan faith. The main thing we can learn from science regarding our faith is that, as humans we often regard ourselves as being a seperate or superior being to the earth and animals. However, we are made of the same materials as any animals, and even the earth. Like all things we have a cycle of growing, dieing, and returning to the earth in one way or another. So we are, in my opinion, not superior to other animals, we just got lucky.

Quoted because I liked it. The imaginary great divide between humans and nonhuman animals is just that... little more than imaginary. More and more modern research is confirming this, but public visions are slow to change. Evolutionary theory alone confirms this. Our abilities didn't develop out of a vacuum. Unless of course you happen to believe in mythological creation stories literally. wink

I'm hesitant to call nonhuman animal abilities 'magic' in part because I feel it trivializes their amazing aptitudes. Nonhuman critters simply can sense things we can't. Somewhere out there is a species with better vision, smell, hearing, taste, and touch, nevermind the array of senses nonhuman critters have that we lack. Can you echolocate? Use your lateral line to detect changes in water pressure to evade a predator? I feel these abilities are 'magical' in the sense of being awesome or awe inspiring, but I wouldn't dare dub them supernatural in any way or automatically read them as evidence of a spiritual connection. Personally I find everything to be intrinsically Sacred, magic, and spiritual, so it's almost a non-question. Of course nonhuman animals have this. Everything in the universe does.

Good points. I'm not trying to downplay animal's abilities or anything. It was just a theory of how some animals do extraordinary things. I'm sorry if I offended you or went against your beliefs, or whatever. But you guys actually made me think twice about what I said. (May have to do w/the fact that I'm not very smart . . .)