Familiars

[Halcyon]

Other than that, surround yourself with objects intended to help you. Start being very observant - do they appear most clearly when you're upset? at certain times of day? When you're wearing something or doing something in particular?

All the time Prima, i used to have 'night terrors' where i'd wake up and see people and things in my room just staring at me - when i was little i screamed and when my mum or dad came in and turned on the light they vanished (of course). Nowadays it still shocks me, like a few weeks ago i woke up to find a woman with red hair staring at me about 2 inches from my face, but a blinked a few times and she went, like they all do now - i put them down to hallucinations/not being fully awake - not the best attitiude i guess.

During the day i still see things, but they are shadows of people walking down stairs or across the room, not out of the corner of my eye exactly but not in direct focus, i look at them and poof.

I'll be honest with you, they give me the creeps. From my brief time as a solitary Wiccan i developed a door/room seal which i still use now to try and keep them out of my bedroom.

If i could just find out what they want (if anything), i'd be alot happier.

 

[painted wolf]

I had a cat that everyone thought was my familiar...not that I'm wiccan or would have one
He loved to ride on my sholder and had a knack for knowing who didn't like cats and insisted on sitting on them. :biglaugh:

While I have a totem and spirit guides I find them very different from the general idea of a familiar. But hey I'm a whole different breed of Pagan. :jiggy:

wa:do

 

[kreeden]

Yes , there are differences between the way Totems and Familiars are interacted with PW . Afterall , they are from a different cultural background . But I think that if we could , we would trace the practice of using Familiars back to ancient European Shamanism . Just a theory mind you .


Halcyon , Things have moved along since the last time I was online . If I could backup to the picture for awhile ?

The reason I chose that pic was because nothing is invisible in it , or even hidden really . Once you see it , you can not ... not see it . Yes , there is a black sihouette of a man playing a sax . And a white sihouette of a woman's face , her left eye is the black speck in front of the sax . Is that the skull you saw ? Interesting .

Believe it or not , but I'm a skeptic myself . But like you , I have had enough experiences to ... wonder . Being a skeptic may be holding me back in ways , but one has to be true to theirselves first .

I have had experience like you describe with the red haired woman . The last one , a few months ago was one ugly guy . And he didn't leave , even after rubbing my eyes . Not untill I started talking to him , did he leave . I assume that you have talked to your visitors ?

I'm not sure how to go on here . My visitors don't bother me much . Ugly startled me at first , but once I got use to his looks ... And if I continue , I will start preaching Shamanism to you . Don't want to do that for two reasons . 1 : it is WAY off topic And 2: I'm not even sure that I am a Shaman .

I would adise talking to them . Don't feel silly . At worst , think of it as talking to yourself .

 

[Prima]

I second what Kreeden said. Spirits are remarkably persistent, especially when they've found someone who might be able to help them or talk to them.

Talk to them if you can, even if it doesn't seem successful. Then pop down to your town hall and find out about your house. Did something weird happen there that would make it a good place for spirits to hang out? Did a shaman/witch/whatever live there before you, maybe? see what you can find out by poking around online, too. That might not help, but it would make me feel better.

 

[Halcyon]

I know the history of my house, we're the only family to ever live in it.

The house was built on the driveway of an older house, so nothing there really.

Only one person has ever died in this house, my father, and this all started when i was little, years before he died.

I reckon i'm just a bit insane you know. :bonk:

 

[kreeden]

Halcyon , I have a friend who is very spiritual . She keeps telling me that spirits are trying to contact me , that they want something from me ... My reply has always been that if they want something from me , then they bloody well had better make themselves loud enough and clear enough to get my attention . Some have . Others are little more then a pain in the butt , and I tell them so .

What I'm trying to say is what as far as I'm concerned , they are very much like people . In any relationship , two people have to meet each other half way . If one just hangs around without giving any input at all , then that relationship is going nowhere . It is like having a creepy neighbour . Sooner or later , someone is going to have to talk to that neighbour and the two of you are going to have to come to some understanding . Perhaps the neighbour isn't as creepy as thought ? Perhaps one or the other will have to move , build a wall , or have a court order made to keep the other away ? { that court order could take the form of any number of spiritual rituals , including a Shamanic retrieval , but that is a last resort I think }.

Just remember one thing . Just because they are spiritual doesn't make them any more special then you are , no more important . And I honestly don't think they are any more powerful , just different . Not unlike people in that regard .

 

[Prima]

I reckon i'm just a bit insane you know

Ricockulus. There's always an answer, you just have to look hard for it

Kreeden's right as far as treating them like people. Personally, I think the first thing you should do is to stop being afraid of them at all. Spirits aren't usually violent or even rude, but like real people, they'll push you around sometimes The second thing you should do is hunt down MV and bribe him into helping you...he has a lot more experience with spirits than I do.

 

[kreeden]

Back on topic ...

In her book " Animal Magic " , D.J. Conway says that there are four types of Familiars .

1 : A physical creature . This is what most assume to be a Familiar . A living physical animal or pet .

2 : An astral creature . This is an astral spirit , in the form of an animal , which attaches it's self to a person . The person usually has a " need " for that animal's power in their life , or have a strong connection to that animal . Dead pets may return in this way . Unusual creatures , such as dragons and the like may be this type of Familiar . { this is what Shamanic Helpers often are }

3 : Element spirits . This type of Familiar is often called upon to inhabit an object , such as a talisman , piece of jewerlry , or such .

4 : Discarnated humans , or the spirit of someone who has dead .

 

[Halcyon]

How about created familiars?

Have you guys heard of servitors? You probably have, but they are sortof created spirits designed for a specific purpose, no free will. But do you think a person could create a free-thinking servitor to be their familiar?

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

I believe Totems and Familiars are the ways that Guardian Angels and soul mates choose to connect to certain people. The American Indians saw their "Guardian Angels" as animal totems, because that was the best way for them to be defined to those people. I believe soul mates can come in any body to aide us in our lives. Some are siblings, some are friends, some are spouses, some are dogs, cats, or birds that come into our lives to aide in a common goal shared by all in that 'soul group'.

I started collecting Unicorns when I was seven years old. Almost 20 years ago, so I have a lot of Unicorns now. I have always been drawn to them. In my early teens, I started getting in a lot of trouble. I had decided all the stuff I had learned in church was a bunch of milarky and was bound and determined to show them all they were wrong by living the life I chose, and learning some really hard lessons along the way.

Around the age of 15, I started having a recurring dreams of meeting with a huge black unicorn near a lake that was surrounded by a forest. The contents of our communications were always different. Sometimes it would calm my anger, sometimes it would lift my depression, sometimes it would give me clear understanding of a confusing situation. I was visited by this unicorn during my time in drug rehab when I was 16, and for a little while after I got out.

But then one night, I got a last visit. It told me that it would no longer need to visit me in this form and only in my sleep. It told me that it was always with me, and I would learn to recognize it when I was awake. As the unicorn turned to walk into the forest, it shapeshifted into the form of what I recognized as Jesus. As he stepped into the woods, a bright light surrounded him and lit up the surrounding area of the forest. The forest itself was very dark, but illuminated by the light of this 'spirit', I could see beautiful things, flowers, birds, butterflies.

That was the re-awakening of my spirituality. Do you all know the poem FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND? It seems that I had hoofprints in the sand.

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

All the time Prima, i used to have 'night terrors' where i'd wake up and see people and things in my room just staring at me - when i was little i screamed and when my mum or dad came in and turned on the light they vanished (of course). Nowadays it still shocks me, like a few weeks ago i woke up to find a woman with red hair staring at me about 2 inches from my face, but a blinked a few times and she went, like they all do now - i put them down to hallucinations/not being fully awake - not the best attitiude i guess.

During the day i still see things, but they are shadows of people walking down stairs or across the room, not out of the corner of my eye exactly but not in direct focus, i look at them and poof.

I'll be honest with you, they give me the creeps. From my brief time as a solitary Wiccan i developed a door/room seal which i still use now to try and keep them out of my bedroom.

If i could just find out what they want (if anything), i'd be alot happier.

It seems that you have a special gift of sight. Though you might see it as a curse. I believe that what is called Heaven and Hell exists around us, like air. And the spirits that reside there are all around us, like air. Some, like you, can catch glimpses of them. And they are apparently aware of that. In reality, they are still a part of life, and seek ways to connect to us for whatever reason, good and bad. If they find someone who can actually see them, of course they are going to be drawn to that opportunity.

I do not think you should treat this as mere hallucinations. And definitely do not attempt to deal with this on your own. Find someone who can help you with the emtional and mechanical aspects of this. Learn all that you can from others who have this gift. I think Master Vigil could help you alot. You should contact him by PM and see what he can do to help understand your gift and prepare yourself for it.

 

[kreeden]

I think that " created " Familiars would fall under Conway's " Elemental Spirits " Halcyon . As for creating a free thinking " sevitor ", if I understand what you are saying , yes I believe that one could . However there would be the matter of a contest of wills , and the moral question of slavery .

ES , I love that poem . I too have felt carried at times . Many times . And I like to think that the Creator walks beside me , or me beside Him .

I too once had a thing for unicorns . I wonder what happened ? Anyway , I find that your's was black interesting . The black unicorn being somewhat of a ... black sheep if you will . It is almost as if it was reflecting what you were going through at the time . As it should have . Thank you for sharing that story .

 

[Halcyon]

I think that " created " Familiars would fall under Conway's " Elemental Spirits " Halcyon . As for creating a free thinking " sevitor ", if I understand what you are saying , yes I believe that one could . However there would be the matter of a contest of wills , and the moral question of slavery .

Just something that popped into my head, i didn't mean make a slave or anything, more instead of waiting for a familiar 'spirit' to contact you, i was wondering if you could kinda build your own - so to speak.

 

[kreeden]

You can " call " a familiar , but not sure if you can make one ? Although alchemy refers to such creatures as homunculi , I kinda have my doubts . And again there appears to be a contest of wills , as the homunculu is said to rebel after awhile .

 

[Prima]

Just something that popped into my head, i didn't mean make a slave or anything, more instead of waiting for a familiar 'spirit' to contact you, i was wondering if you could kinda build your own - so to speak.

Consider this: a familiar generally aids you, either adding their power to your own or supporting you in some way. So, if you create your own, it's just your own power. So it would be a more clear representation of you helping yourself. I mean, it would still be your power. I think.

 

[kreeden]

I had just posted Conway's list of Familiars , without giving it too much thought . However , I can't imagine any Spirit without a will of some kind . So I think I would agree with Prima .

Anyone else have any thoughts on these " sevitors " ? The only thing I could find is this ... http://unrune.chaosmagic.com/servitor.htm , which seems to make Prima's account correct . They appear to be an extension of the crafter's will , seperate but connected .

 

[Master Vigil]

This is quite interesting, quite interesting indeed. Creating your own familiars... hmmm...

I agree with Prima, if it were created, it would be your own energy or an extension of it. If you were able to, you could manipulate the energy around you to create one, but I have yet to meet someone able to do that. I don't even know what the effect would be. That really makes my head swell.

But as for using your own energy to help yourself, that isn't too abnormal. I once needed help working with a huge disaster, and we were all working on it (other spirits) and I needed help. But since all of the other spirits were working on it as well, they couldn't help me. So I had to manipulate my energy and create a force that could. It was still my energy, but it was an enhancement so to speak.

I am not sure if that is the same as you are talking about, but it sounded like it to me.

 

[Prima]

Although...if you created it, made it fully functional in and of itself and had an umbilical cord (magically speaking...) from it to yourself for it to feed on, and you had a constant power source, you could probably transfer the cord from yourself to the power source. Hard, maybe dangerous, but definitely possible...it would probably have to stay relatively close to the power source, and you'd have to 'sticky' it well so that it didn't become a parasite on something else, and you'd have to watch it carefully...but there's no reason that I can think of that it couldn't be done. I mean, I can't do it, but that doesn't mean someone else couldn't. It's really just an enhancement of several different things, putting them all together...I mean, you'd have to start small, but even I can 'sticky' things, and I suck at magic...I could probably even make a minor servitor, but I couldn't do anything huge and particularly helpful, mostly because I can't see what I'm doing...

But in this case, there's very little point in doing it except for experimentation's sake, because it's just kind of putting the energy from your source into a different form. Although it might make it easier to use.

This bears more thinking about...

 

[Prima]

I just realized how bizarre that would have seemed to me a year ago. Sheesh.

 

[kreeden]

MV , I assume that what you are talking about there is that you " spilt " your energy in some matter , so that you could focus on both problems at the same time ?

Prima , again I am assuming quite a bit here . But it seems to me that once " created " it would have a power of it's own . It is the will that I wonder about . I mean , it would be as it was created to be . Nothing is ever created from nothing .

I don't think this is something that should be played with untill one looks into it , very thoroughly . It is hard to say what effect something like that could have upon your energy .