Familiars

[Drowning in Dreams]

I don't have a familiar yet...I don't think I do. My cat is kind of...fat and lazy. And he likes to play dumb even though I know he's not stressed . But, if he is my familiar, that'd actually make snse of some kind, since I raised him from a kitten.  

[Oshun]

Kaydell: A familiar doesn't have to have a physical manifestation. He/she can just be spiritual in form. It is like a presence is there that takes on a certain animal's attributes, at least in my experience.  

[Miss Lune Soleil]

dark_angel_32189

I don't know much about familiars, but I do know that you can see your animal totems in your dreams... I think that they're kinda the same thing... is a sense... I mean, they're both guides, right? Eh... like I said, I don't know much about familiars, so I could be totally wrong.

Familiars, or fetch-beasts or puckerels, are your wild, animal self. They are a part of you and never change in your life time. They are NOT, as most think, a physical animal or pet. Familiars are your own spirit in animal form.

Totems are external spirits, guides, seperate to you. They may come and go, or change, throughout your life as you need them.  

[Fieryhexe]

I was under the impression that an "ally" was a helpful animal spirit, whereas a "familiar" was often a physical animal that aided in spells, spying on the witches enemies, etc.
Of course I got this impression from most of the books that I read especially the latest one I have been working on titled "The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft" by Judika Illes. I haven't read any of her other books (if there are others of hers) so I don't know how reliable her words are, but so far they match up with most others I have read.

And I'm sure that a lot of religions have their own views on things like this, so a familiar could just be an animal spirit in one culture where as another could believe in utilizing the energy and help of the physical. When it comes to religion there isn't really a solid right or wrong way, everyone seems to interpret symbols and meanings differently.  

[Miss Lune Soleil]

If I remember rightly, the idea of a physical familiar came about from the writting of Christian ministeries who gave accounts of Witches when they were being hunted. Bear in mind though, this also came with the idea of said familiar being a demon who suckled from the Witches' teat x_x so yeah.

Original Witches and Cunning folk themselves, however, taught that familiars were etheral spirits, their wild animal/fae self who aids them in magic since they know the ways of the Otherworld and our physical worldly selves do not. They may appear in physical form to them sometimes (just like ghosts do), but were not pets in that sense, since they were not permenantly physical.
The only time I could think were a familiar might be a pet, is where a familiar may temporarely possess a physical animal or pet. I suppose this could be useful for times when a Witch wants to know something and is using the animal as a spy of sorts. razz

Modern Wicca and witchcraft seems to have adopted the Christianised idea of the familiar... I suppose I'm just a stickler for the old ways, and follow the original Witch ideas about familiars razz  

[Fiona Rokkar]

Is it possible to have a familar that wouldn't be in the form of a family pet? Most people I know have a familar who is a dog or cat. If I identigy strongly with an animal, would that animal be my familar?

 

[Oshun]

It is possible. I tend to believe that a familiar doesn't have to have a physical manifestation. Most people when they think of familiars tend to think of the family dog or cat. It doesn't have to be. My cat, while he is a dear friend and companion, is not my familiar.  

[LadySorcha]

Oshun

It is possible. I tend to believe that a familiar doesn't have to have a physical manifestation. Most people when they think of familiars tend to think of the family dog or cat. It doesn't have to be. My cat, while he is a dear friend and companion, is not my familiar.

I agree; familiars aren't necessarily a physical flesh and blood creature, but I disagree with the notion they never are. Perhaps I am one of the lucky few, but my cat is my familiar. Our connection is very real, though we are separate entities.  

[kasai_angel]

a familiar? i never thought about it. as or the swearing, no idea.. i have two cats, one's not too bright but loves me to death, follows me everywhere and comes when i call him and calls me mommy. the other will just be a little spoiled and come up to me and stare and say "pet me." demandingly. i just ignore her when she's like that XD. i dunno, i always figured i have a more spiritual guide or guides since the voice in my head( oh noooes! the voices!! whee )) that i've always figured is my concious is very wise actually. and in my dreams i talk to a white woman who sometimes is actually a grey cat... she yells at me when i'm "'Sherking' my studies and/or duties."  

[[Helmorana]]

I'm rather sceptical to voices in people's heads since I recently discovered my mother has all the symptoms of Psychosis. Her shrinks thought so too, but she thought they were stupid idiots and kept changing shrinks till she found one who doesn't give a damn.

When you talk to god and you're awake, you're religios. When you talk to god while awake, and he talks back, you're psychotic.

No voices for me, thanks.  

[kasai_angel]

the voices are more just my inner thoughts. everyone hears there own thoughts and developes them in their heads. without doing that how can we think? whee i don't want to hurt anyone.. maybe it's a good crazy. lol xp  

[Miss Lune Soleil]

LadySorcha

Oshun

It is possible. I tend to believe that a familiar doesn't have to have a physical manifestation. Most people when they think of familiars tend to think of the family dog or cat. It doesn't have to be. My cat, while he is a dear friend and companion, is not my familiar.

I agree; familiars aren't necessarily a physical flesh and blood creature, but I disagree with the notion they never are. Perhaps I am one of the lucky few, but my cat is my familiar. Our connection is very real, though we are separate entities.

The proper definition of a familiar is a part of yourself, your own spirit, though. The idea of pet familiars comes from pop-culture, stereotypes, and media... the same places where fireballs, green hooked noses, and sparkling magic wands come from. So naturally, you can understand the skepticism here.
I know a lot of Witches who have animal companions and share special connections with their pets or other animals, sometimes those animals are spirits who aid them in magic... this is all fine, but I don't think they have unveiled their familiar/fetch. The Lore of the familiar is one from within, not without. ^^  

[Wiccan_Boy _1990]

Phoenixfire Lune Soleil

LadySorcha

Oshun

It is possible. I tend to believe that a familiar doesn't have to have a physical manifestation. Most people when they think of familiars tend to think of the family dog or cat. It doesn't have to be. My cat, while he is a dear friend and companion, is not my familiar.

I agree; familiars aren't necessarily a physical flesh and blood creature, but I disagree with the notion they never are. Perhaps I am one of the lucky few, but my cat is my familiar. Our connection is very real, though we are separate entities.

The proper definition of a familiar is a part of yourself, your own spirit, though. The idea of pet familiars comes from pop-culture, stereotypes, and media... the same places where fireballs, green hooked noses, and sparkling magic wands come from. So naturally, you can understand the skepticism here.
I know a lot of Witches who have animal companions and share special connections with their pets or other animals, sometimes those animals are spirits who aid them in magic... this is all fine, but I don't think they have unveiled their familiar/fetch. The Lore of the familiar is one from within, not without. ^^

is it possible to have more than one farmiliar. because i have lik 5 cats and i think one of the two can be my farmiliar.  

[PioneerChase]

My dog understands basic English spoken by my family like "You wanna go for a walk?" and "You wanna go outside?" and you wanna treat?"
But I also understand her somehow i can't explain it but I just know what shes thinking and vice-versa when I'm depressed so is she when I'm happy so is she. Does this make her my familiar?  

[SinginginSilence]

I don't think my dog is my familiar. Yeah, I understand her clear as a bell but most of the time it's when I catch her being bad. " Uh, woof?" is the most common. It's either that or " You wierdo". It's bad when my dog calls me wierd. Oh well, I still love my moony butt.