Book of Magic

Chapter 5: Familiars & Spirit Guides

Familiars have been described as type of demon in animal form. Appearing either as ordinary animals or unusual beasts. They can assume any form, but are frequently depicted in historical texts as cats, dogs, toads, reptiles, or insects. Alternately, they can be "monsters" that are weird, fantastical mash-ups of various creatures.

Traditional lore says that a familiar is often "gifted" to a witch by another witch or by the devil himself.

Other lore say a familiar will often come into a witch's life when least expected or when they are most need. Familiars have a deep spiritual connection to their witch, when they come into your life it's like being reunited with energy from a past life.

The role of the familiar is to serve - and even protect - their witch and assist in spellcasting and other magic workings. They offer spiritual connection to the spiritual world.

Familiars vs Spirit Guides
There is a difference between familiars and spirit guides. Familiars are often non-human, animals or creature like entities that are lower spirits than spirit guides. Wear as, spirit guides are often human or human-like entities who help guide you through your ups and downs.

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Although we like to think of our pets as familiars because they love us and are always interested in what we're doing, most times a familiar will appear in a spiritual form to aid you in your craft. There are accounts of familiar that appear to us on our plane, often as animals that enter our lives at odd timings, everywhere you look you'll see the animal or it will come up in conversation.

Signs of a Familiar
(1) They found you

Physical Animal Familiars
Animal familiars on our plane are different then your usual pets. Familiars often have a deep psychological and physic bond with a witch from day one, the connection happens almost instantaneously and with vivid intensity. You will feel a deeper connection to this animal and will sense it has a greater purpose in your life other then just being a pet. There's a mind-to-mind, spirit-to-spirit connection between you. At times it may feel like they can read your mind, predict where you are/when you'll return and almost seem to have their own magic abilities.

A witch can have many pets but will only get one physical familiar, they sometimes live to be as old as their witch and the energy around them feels very different compared to most other animals in your life.
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Spirit Animal Familiars
Animal familiars in spirit form can help a witch with their craft in the astral realm. They can help protect you spiritually and assist in rituals or spells. Spirit familiars can manifest as any animal, a cat, dog, owl, rat, wolf, lion, etc. Like physical animals they don't speak with words but with body langue, they are not spirit guides but companions of another realm that have a deep attachment to us. When one appears to you it's like being in a place of knowing without words, pictures or sound; instead, you're surrounded by energy, light and feelings.

It is possible to have both a physical and spiritual familiar, though it is uncommon.
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Performing astral magic is the best way to connect with your spirit familiar. Through meditation when in the astral plain, set your roots and ask for your familiar to come forward. It may take a few visits to establish or start noticing your familiar in real life.

Performing a ritual is another way to connect with your spiritual familiar, using white or brown candles, selenite or clear Quartz and a letter of invitation. It may take a few rituals to connect to your familiar, make sure to cast a salt circle for your familiar to appear in.

"Animal frequency is an animals distinct energy vibration within their spiritual being, witch is contained within their physical body."

-Book of Familiars

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Spirit guides, in Western spiritualism, are an entity that remains as a disincarnate spirit to act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated human. Think of spirit guides as tenured professors. They are the souls on the other side who are there to help.

They take a variety of forms, including guardian angels, animal or nature spirits, elves and fairies, saints or ascended masters, and ancestors or descendants.

Some common signs from spirit guides are;

Bees
A sign of busy times to come

Lady bugs
A sign of luck or success to come

Butterflies
A sign of transformation or that a loved one is looking over you.

Dragonflies
A sign to relax in the moment

Crows
A sign that someone may be using magic to inquire about you or have a massage for you.

Vultures
A sign to move on from a present situation

Snakes
A sign of a curse or dark energy,

Feathers (of any kind)
A sign that you're being watched and guided, that you're where you need to be.

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You can use different tools such as crystals, herbs and more to try and connect to your spirit guides.

Herbs
Barberry root, chrysanthemum, dandelion leaf

Crystals
Angelite, selenite, apophylite, celestite, kyanite, boulder opal, Danburite, shattuckite

For more information on spirit guides, ghost and more check out book two; Book of Spirits.