Familiars, Totems, Spirit Guides
So, Which is Which?? The practice of using animals is of Native American, shamanic, and tribal origins. Shamans believe that animals are messengers of the Great Spirit. They are on Earth to teach you something. The Great Spirit shares information with you through visions and dreams using animals to represent what you should do. More and more witches are adapting this concept to their witchcraft practices. This is so because humans have always lived fascinated with animals and their abilities and cunning. FAMILIARS I am sure you are familiar with the typical figure of the witch and her black cat. Witches have been using animals to help them with their magickal works for a very long time. It is said that the familiar is the animal that the witch has. The familiar lives with the witch and assists him/her in magickal works. Traditionally cats are associate with witches. Other animals, like dogs, rabbits, horses, and snakes, can be familiars too. However, your pet is not necessarily your familiar. A familiar represents all the good qualities of that animal, and it is atune to the witch. It provides the witch with a link to the animal kingdom and the essence of their power. TOTEM ANIMALS Witches cannot always work with physical familiars due to many reasons. Perhaps the most common one will be space limitation. Let's face it, who can keep a tiger in his/her house? Therefore, many witches work with their totem animals in the astral. A Totem is your power animal. This is a creature you can become, on an astral level, see through it'' eyes, hear with it's ears, etc. Summoned, it can be a guardian and protector. It lives within you, as do the Old Ones. It is the wild creature you still are, deep down. Witches choose those animals that closely represent their higher selves. In other words, power animals are chosen by their affinity to the witch. SPIRIT GUIDES A Spirit Guide is one who teaches you certain lessons, they come at a time when you seem to be screwing up over something over and over, and they give you gentle (or sometimes not so gentle) hints at the right way to handle things. They are used for a specific purposes. For example, a witch may choose the animal that lends to a specific kind of magick. Maybe the spell needs some "medicine" from the Snake. Some animals are associated with the quarters. Sometimes these energies are activated with the quarter calls. Totem animals are great advicers. So if you are confused about something, call the Wolf! Salmon are considered a Celtic source of wisdom, it's a wonder more Celtic Shamans havn't found Salmon as a totem….. * Grins * Most new witches and pagans ask how many totem animals can one have. Our personality has many facets, so you're likely to have more than one power animal. However, I suggest that you begin to work with one power animal at the time. Visit the animal in the astral world and "talk" to it for a while. Once you get acquantainted with that one, move to the next one. Bare in mind that totem animals may come and go out of your life as you grow. So do not feel bad if you see the Bear spirit disappear from your life, and instead the Fox spirit appears. There are those power animals that might stay with you for the rest of your life, but others may come and go as need be. Welcome those that come to you for the new experiences they will bring into your life. Bless and thanks those that go.
There are several ways that witches and pagans use to find their totem animals. 1. A particular animal feels good to you. 2. Your own affinity with an animal. 3. Medicine cards 4. Read books on Native American culture and shamanism, and other books on animals and their symbolism in different cultures. 5. Perform your own ritual 6. Dreams 7. Meditative state 8. Vision quest 9. Simple Exercises to Find Your Totem Animal Exercise 1 Research for the local animals in your area. Keep in mind that power animals are not limited to mammals. They can be reptiles, insects, birds, and fish. Make a list and study them carefully. Notice what they eat, their behavior, and their habitat. If you want, visit them in their natural habitat and watch them interact with the enviroment. Pay special attention to the legends and sayings about them. Remember, "clever as a fox, strong as an ox." You will find some pretty interesting things! Think of their strengths and weaknesses. Recognize these qualities working within you. In this way you will narrow down your choices. Exercise 2 Take a sheet of paper and make a list of your good qualities. Be honest here! If you want, you can also ask your friends and family to write down all those good qualities they see in you. Sometimes we do not see many of our own good qualities, so this might help you see how others perceive you. Once you have a list of all your good qualities, start researching for those animals that have those qualities that represent your higher self. Exercise 3 Perhaps this exercise will sound silly, but I found that it helped me more than I thought when I was looking for another totem animal. This is a very simple exercise. All you have to do is look around your room. Yes, you heard me right! Look around your room and notice those posters, figurines, and maybe stuffed animals you got over your bed. Have you noticed you have a tendency to favor certain kind of animal(s)?: · "Why do you like that animal so much?" · "What characteristics does that animal have that you can identify yourself with?"
	A List Of Totem Animals