The Noble Pagan Forums - Familiars

There are various beliefs when it concerns the number of familiars you have. Some believe we're layered like cakes and have a familiar for each layer. Others say we exchange them through out our lives-- as we change, they change, and some just say we have one.

Felines happen to be my familiar. As well as spiders--don't ask. I'm not sure..but they are.

Spiders are totally awesome to have about.
I better keep that quiet before Spooder chimes in on that though.
At any rate when you refer to familiars are you referring to the strictly physical or are you also including the spiritual/astral?
A lot of people sometimes focus on the physical ( or have na heard about any other type) when it comes to familiars.
As for physical I believe that you could have more than one. I would imagine it would depend on the type of bond you have with the animal ( loosely used term here meant to include all types of familiar species without giving a detailed list).
As for astral/spiritual familiars those could be physical ones that have passed on and still hang out with you or particular energies that you have attracted or have become attracted to you. I believe a person could definately have more than one familiar in that aspect.
If you look to the Native American take on animals and working with them you could see that the belief of having more than one working "animal" companion ( physical or other) is actually quite common.

So yeah it makes sense that familiars can come and go or that one may acquire more than one ( and even up to several) over a lifetime.

I hope that made sense....it's been a long day. !

C.S.

<----Spooder wants to know why she heard her name mentioned

My wee familiar is beside me being all cudly right now! She's a little cat who was born under my bed. She's a little tabby cat with a black patch over one eye, so I named her Barbossa- she's my little pirate kitty.

I'm looking forward to experiementing and finding out more concerning my familiar(s). Its exciting when you've been doing this for years but there is always something new and exciting blossoming inside.

Spiders are my 'wisdom' totem (as I like to call it). I use to have this completely irrational fear of Spiders-- and it got worse when my entire house seemed to be surrounded by them-- literally. They had suspended webs between tree's and on my porch, in the windows..everything. Everywhere. It was freaking me out a bit. Then I would see out of the corner of my eye little spiders crawling down the wall and when I looked nothing was there, or across my keyboard-- same thing.

After further investigation I realized that they appeared for me as a guide. They show up when I need to really pay attention to something.

Now I refuse to kill them unless they are in my house and can't safely get them out.

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I too seem to be close to spiders. Though it hasn't come to the point where I see them in my trees, though they have taken quite a liking to my flower bed. I usually do my rituals indoors, mostly because I have a poor health problem which keeps me from going outside to much, though when I happen to do a ritual outside I can basically feel them crawling over my feet.... [shivers] I don't even have to be doing a ritual. The other day I was laying down in the sun and a tiny jumping spider crawled it's way up on my leg.
Though it's nice to think of them as a 'Familiar' I still can't get over my fear of them... [shiver]

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I have to say I've never felt any kind of strong connection to any particular animal etc.

What you describe in the first post Macha, I feel are more representative of how I feel about spirit guides, which I only associate with human beings, or human like beings.

I am kind of attached to my daughters betta fish....does that count?

My Familiar's are Crows, Cats and the Cross Fox. Crows have intrigued me for so long, I can even remember following them as a child. I've always had a strong connection with Cats my whole life. Another reason why I feel the need to keep them in my life. The Cross Fox recently entered my life a few months ago. I haven't figured it out yet though but I'm sure to find out why.

Never underestimate even the smallest creatures. They can do great things. Scotland's independance was won because of a spider. King Robert the Bruce (as ruined and bastardized in Mel Gibson's atrocity known as Braveheart) was so demoralized and beaten down after the excecution of William Wallace that he had almost given up hope. He was in hiding in a cave, half starved, his armies on the brink of utter defeat... when he saw a spider climbing up the wall of the cave. He watched the spider climb up and start to spin a web. The spider would fall off of the slippery rock, climb back up, and continue spinning. No matter how many times the spider fell, it never gave up until it had finished building it's web. The Bruce thought to himself "If something so small as a spider can show that kind of determination, what excuse do I, as a king of Scotland, have to give up on my people?" He rallied himself, and then he rallied his forces, and they drove the English out- on the inspiration of a little spider. (Celtic Spider and Spooder- what do you ladies think of that?)

I love my spider totem. I really do. Sure, they still make me a little nervous but I respect it and find it quite unique. I really like this bit on the history of spiders!

ohh I beat Spooder to the keyboard!

Okay on Spiders ( which she will in depth go on about if she finds this post)...
Here is a story on them ( my shortened version).
So there is this soldier in the war ( world war 2 I thinks) and he is running from the Germans. He is on a hillside that has caves. He KNOWS that those will be the first places to be searched however he has very little choice. He chooses a cave and gives a prayer up ( "Dear God, please if it be your will save my hide" type of thing). Next thing he knows, he sees a tiny web weaver making its design over the entrance of the cave. Did I mention he chose ( the soldier) poorly so it was a shallow cave with nary a nook to hide in?
He was so scared ( poor soul) and all he could do was watch this lil arachnid weave it's way over the cave opening.....
The soldiers ( German) did indeed search all the nooks n crannies, caves and what nots. When they came to this one though they gave it barely a glance over, for there at the entrance was a full spider web. Had someone been inside would they not have broken such delicate intricacies upon entrance?
And that is how a prayer to God was answered by the help of Spider.

No matter HOW small the organism ( flea, amoeba, even bacteria....now bacteria....they totally threw off a scientific plan...ask and I'll go into it sometime), they all have wisdom, knowledge, skills, medicine to impart. Many people are under the impression that "bigger is badder ( better)". Wrong. EVERY organism has something to offer in the realm of learning. No organism is better than another. Just different in its field of expertise ( or being....).


Avani - (off the top of my head here mind you )
Crow - Female medicine ( knowledge/power/wisdom) for creation. Represents curiosity. One story goes that Crow was so curious she pecked away at her own Shadow until it ate her. Then Crow was Dead Crow and was part of the Other ( Shadow) world and lived and learned it's mysteries and secrets in the Void ( that which all comes from and goes to).
Crow is the Sacred Keeper of Universal ( Karmic) Law. Not Man's law. Crow sees in between worlds.... past, present and future at once. Crow sees past illusionary bullzheet.....and sometimes laughs ( and cries) at human folly. Integrity, ethics and moral value ( above human thought standards) is what S/he represents. Walk your walk if you talk your talk. If you canna and you are a bullzheeter THAT is what it is meant to "eat crow".

Cats- Natures hunter. Great nightsight. Graceful, curious, intelligent, full of wonder. Cats are sensualists ( there is a reason they are picky even if in my opinion even as a cat lover, they don't have taste buds). Orderly. Independant. Keen and clever. They teach lessons in observations, independance, using opportunities, communication, stealth, at ease in shadowed situations, patience, curiosity and more.

Now I am na familiar with the Cross Fox. Fox though, it's general medicine ( message) deals with camouflage and cunning through craziness. Foxes are keen on observation and blending in. They also are a twilight sort of animal ( did you know that foxes share a lineage with cats AND dogs? confusing no?). Foxes have been known to hypnotize prey with wild and crazy antics ( look I don't see you I am too busy chasing my tail and I am so crazy about it that you don't even notice when I am within pouncing distance of you). Now you know what a person means when they say "yeah I am crazy like a fox". Watchout.....this is a silly yet beguiling creature.
Foxes like to observe a situation first before they become involved. It's like they way the odds first. And sometimes even if the odds are well...at odds....they may take the plunge anyways.....such a cagey animal.


Macha n Emerald-
Spider has much to teach. Patience and endurance for starters ( ever seen a spider make a web in the rain? That worth watching). And bravery as as well as sacrifice ( everyone knows about the black widow male dying as a treat after mating but have you ever really seen an love stricken male orb weaver try and take on what looks like to be a crippled 4 legged female? I think Juliet ate Romeo that day but dammit)....Then there is creation ( so precise in her architect). Communication is another. One of my favorite species is Fibriata Portia. She looks like a nasty rolled up leaf. She smarter than some people I have met though. By nature she is ( oddly) a cannibal ( prefers spiders). She can mimic "help I am a helpless mosquito in yer web" to " hey baby I am horny and ready to mate with you" of an entirely different species of spider. And she holds a grudge.
Look up Grandmother Spider in Native American lore to see what they have attributed to her as far as contributions to human kind go.
Creativity, the alphabet, keeping the world together, history, creation, language and so much more. There is strength, endurance and patience to be found too in our lil 8 legged friends.


Xynyth - Betas so count. I have yet to find info on them......however watch and learn. I have 4 betas ( I got a new one who is small and named Flail). Naturally they live in small pockets of water in rice patties so they over time have become very territorial ( I would too if all I had was half a studio apartment to live in!). They may not come off as very bright to someone who has not owned one......spend time with it though. Yes they are combative, territorial and aggressive. They can adapt though. Si Cho and Dzuh ( my first two) got to a point where they did na kill each other over territory ( and they would swim into the cup I held into their shared quarters when it was time to change them).
They on the outside represent agressiveness, boundaries, defending them ( to the death), making oneself bigger than oneself is to make a point ( watch two of them face off....or get a mirror and show one itself). They also represent a sort of social camouflage ( after Dzuh got punked out by Si Cho he changed his colors to match Si Cho).
People think fish are stupid ( hell I used to myself) however they definately have something you can learn from if you treat them well and watch ( as well as learn) from their behaviour.

Anyways I rambled on long enough. I am sure Spooder will be on shortly to go on ( and maybe on) about the arachnid species.

C.S.

<---Spooder heard her name mentioned again and wants to know why.....