Are Fido or Shadow familiars? Well, it depends. Does your cat, dog or bird seem to recognize when you are casting a circle, calling the Quarters or doing magick? If so this animal may be a familiar. If not s/he is a pet even if you have a strong emotional attachment to him/her. Familiars may be physical or may be entities found on the astral or spiritual planes. Those found on the astral plane can be accessed and worked with through meditation, astral travel and dreams. A familiar is an animal or animal entity that works with us in spiritual practice or while doing magick.
According to the records from the witch trials, some of those on trial confessed to having familiars in physical form. According to the Catholic church these familiars were vessels for demons to inhabit. Cats, toads, birds and other animals were said to be familiars. Note that such records of confessions extracted by torture reflect what the officials wanted to hear and record. Marks on the skin of the accused were said to be what familiars left from feeding on bodily fluids of the accused. These marks were considered to be evidence of witchcraft. Many of the animals found in the company of the accused were killed. Today we find all of this terror sponsored by the church to be cruel, unjust and heart breaking.
Those of us who are Wiccan or Pagan see ourselves as part of the natural world, and we see other animals as related to us. Therefore it is not a stretch that we might choose to invite a familiar into our lives. Many animals have better senses than we do, especially a sense of smell and hearing. Some do have a better sense of sight. That they can warn of danger is highly valued when it comes to protection. These animals also have the power to heal. The natural world provides special powers.
So, do you want or need a familiar? Not everyone does. But, if you do want one, where is a good place to start? If you happen to have a pet, try strengthening your psychic connection with him/her. Remember that animals are not verbal, so you need to communicate with them in a way other than words. First get your pet comfortable by petting him/her. Send thought forms to him/her in the forms of pictures and feelings. Be gentle with and respect your pet. This is just one way to start.
Does the animal who unexpectedly showed up on your porch have a psychic link with you? Would this animal be your familiar? First rule out mundane explanations. Maybe s/he was looking for food or shelter or could be a drop off. Yes, I once found a tiny kitten that was most likely dropped off on my front porch. With mundane explanations ruled out the animal may have a psychic link with you.
Another way to find a familiar or power animal is to go on a meditative quest. This is a method that many Wiccans, Pagans and shamans use to find these animal entities. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed to meditate. Journey with the intent of finding a familiar or power animal. Know that the familiar chooses you and you do not choose it. People are often disappointed if they do not find a large animal like a bear, eagle or jaguar. Other animals like the hummingbird, frog or mouse are just as powerful only in different ways. After you meet your familiar, look up the species of animal and learn as much as you can about it. This research will help you to work with your familiar.
When working with a familiar respect is key. Not only should the familiar respect you, you need to respect him/her. Respect is important for both physical and non-physical familiars. The advantage of working with a familiar found on the astral plane is that you can send the familiar anywhere to take your beneficial magick with it. Additionally you can have a species of familiar that you would not be able to keep in physical form such as a mountain lion.
Familiars can be classified as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and spiders. They can also be classified according to the elements to which they belong which largely include their habitat and characteristics. For example most birds would be classified as belonging to air. Many mammals belong to earth. Reptiles are classified under earth or fire. Amphibians go with earth or water. Fish obviously get classified with water. Insects or spiders can be classified under any of the four elements depending on their species. Familiars may also be mythological creatures such as dragons and phoenixes.
Enjoy learning more about familiars and/or power animals and find your own!
On the day of this post the moon is a waning crescent. Feel free to find something in your life that you need to eliminate and remove it.
I will continue to post on Wednesdays.
Auburn Greene
Suggested Investigation:
Andrews, Ted. Animal Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small, Llewellyn, 2002.
Christ, Kaaren. “Finding Your Familiar,” Llewellyn, July 28, 2008, llewellyn.com/journal/article/1605.
Conway, D. J. Animal Magick: The Art of Recognizing and Working With Familiars, Llewellyn, 1995.
Grimassi, Raven. The Witch’s Familiar: Spiritual Partnerships for Successful Magic, Llewellyn, 2003.
Roderick, Timothy. The Once Unknown Familiar: Shamanic Paths to Unleash Your Animal Powers, Llewellyn, 2015.
Wigington, Patti. “What is a Pagan Animal Familiar?” Learn Religions, April 5, 2023, learnreligions.com/what-is-an-animal-familiar-2562343.
My Inner Wiccan 