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The Witch's Familiar, Past and Present - Page 2

© M. Williams.

Toads, too, were often identified as familiars, possibly traceable to the early Roman belief that they could predict, and even affect, the weather. Various parts of the toad's body were thought to have magickal attributes. Their spittle, for instance, was said to confer the power of invisibility, and their horns, known as toad stones, were useful for detecting poison.

The dogs of the period got their share of bad press as well. Faithful follower, able shepherd, and ferocious defender, it was perhaps the dog's unyielding loyalty to its master that earned it its place as a familiar. Legend has it that one of the most famous magic users of history, Cornelius Agrippa, had as his familiar a large black dog that accompanied him wherever he went. When Agrippa was accused of dabbling in the dark arts, the dog was quickly branded as a familiar. It is said that the magician, momentarily regretting his occult activities, ordered the dog to be gone from him. The animal immediately departed and was never seen again.

The image of familiars as evil demons in animal form reflects only the historical picture-one painted with the ignorance of past ages. Today's witches view their familiars in an altogether different light. For the modern witch, a familiar can be any animal with which the individual feels an affinity. While these animals are not considered evil spirits, they're far from being just a household pet and are treated as partners in the practice of magick.

Because animals are believed to be more sensitive to vibrations from the unseen world, they are useful to the witch as a kind of psychic sensor, indicating the presence of negative energy by their behavior. Familiars also bring added energy to magickal workings because of their close affinity with the spirit world and their attunement with their witch.

The finding of an animal familiar is a very personal thing, and often the witch will send out a psychic call to attract a suitable one. An immediate and overwhelming feeling of kinship between the witch and the animal usually signifies the discovery of the new familiar.

In some cases familiars are not confined to physical bodies. Although they play the same role as animal familiars, spirit familiars are more versatile in that they can move about more freely. The presence of these sprit familiars is often experienced as a voice, vision, or strong feeling of peace. If necessary, they can be associated with inanimate objects, such as a stone or piece of jewelry, to make contacting the spirit an easy task.

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