Can someone explain familiars

[Diana Ishtar]

I'm not exactly new to wicca but I've never really understood what a familiar is. I've read that they assist in magick and that they take the form of animals. I've also heard that they are spirits. So what are they exactly, spirits that often take the form of animals?  

[Rustig]

Diana Ishtar

I'm not exactly new to wicca but I've never really understood what a familiar is. I've read that they assist in magick and that they take the form of animals. I've also heard that they are spirits. So what are they exactly, spirits that often take the form of animals?

Like many things in magick, there's not much of a consensus on what makes a familiar.

One school of thought it that the familiar is a "mundane" pet that's deemed to be a bit spiritually aware, in that it always shows up during magickal workings, or somehow "assists" the magickian in some way.

Another is that the familiar is a spirit that appears to you, in a way similar to the Native American concept of a Totem Animal - through dreams, while taking narcotics, showing up in strange synchronicities - that sort of thing. They're considered to be astral constructs, nature spirits in animal form, your guardian angel (Holy or otherwise), a manifestation of your soul and the like.

In short, since there's no concrete definition about the criteria for a familiar other than "an animal or animal-like being that assists you in magick", your familiar is pretty much however you choose to define it.  

[El Diosa de la Tigre]

My familiar is a white colored cat named Victoria. She helps me with some spells, but she mostly keeps my energy calm and chases bad spirits from the house. A familiar can be anything from a cat to a lizard to a house plant, whatever you happen to connect to on a psychic level.You can find spells specialized to working with your familiar. I have alot of cat magick books, for instance! Oh, and usualy, they choose you. In my oppinion, all animals are magickaly more aware than we are.  

[Cunning Witch Angus]

In my tradition the Familiar is bestowed upon you by the Master of the Nameless Craft. It is an entity that is a channel to the Otherworld so you can help direct the energies for your workings. I have not yet attained mine, but some day I will.  

[Kayann Sheridan]

Well, I know in D&D terms, it's an animal companion that can eventually use your spells....but I dunno.  

[Qaisar Domino]

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ᏕᎻᎬ ᎪᎵᎵᎬᎪᏒᎬᎠ ᎾᏌᎢ ᎾF NᎾᎢᎻINᏀ, ᎪNᎠ ᏕᎵᎾᏦᎬ IN Ꭺ ᏞᎾᏌᎠ ᏨᏞᎬᎪᎡ ᏤᎾIᏟᎬ:

I have been curious about familiars too. I read the wiki for this one and it was very useful^^

Here it is: Familiars

ᎪNᎠ ᎠIᏕᎪᎵᎵᎬᎪᎡᎬᎠ IN Ꭺ BᏞᏌᎬ ᏟᏞᎾᏌᎠ ᎾF ᏕᎷᎾᏦᎬ.

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