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Witches' Familiars: A Look at Familiar Spirits and Magical Pets

Witchcraft: Familiars in the Dark Ages

Today, neopagans and modern witches refer to their household pets as being their "familiars", but the concept of a witch's familiar originally meant something a little darker. The witches of the Dark Ages and beyond had familiar spirits that were not as cuddly as Fido...not as sweet and docile as Mr. Fluffers. The witches' familiars of the Dark Ages were anything but kind and fluffy...oftentimes these familiars were very demanding and, in some cases, quite sinister when their wills were not satisfied.

The familiars of the Dark Ages were said by the Church to be "demons" or evil spirits that took the form of animals and even humans in order to exact their evil will upon a local witch. But the witches of the Dark Ages saw their familiar spirits as being helpful in all manners of survival...we will explore the concept of the witches' familiars of the Dark Ages and compare them to the witches' familiars of modern times.

The Witch's Hare

Possibly one of the lesser known of the witches' familiars is the hare. A hare is a larger type of rabbit and is mostly prominent in Europe (more so than in North America). There are many folklore stories that tell of women shapeshifting into the form of hares in order to steal things from their neighbors or merely to escape from danger. They were also said to shift into the form of a hare to move about at night undetected and meet up with other local witches for a witches' "sabbat". In addition to witches being able to shift into the form of a hare, they were also thought to have hares as pets...or even more mysteriously as "familiars".

It was thought that certain spirits would agree to help a witch if the witch would help them in some way. Usually by feeding the spirit with blood or some other bodily fluid like breast milk. These spirits would go out into the world to do the witch's bidding in the form of a hare. Tibb was a familiar spirit talked about during the Pendle Witch trials who had the ability to take the form of a hare to escape unwanted situations (read on to learn more about Tibb the familiar).

Hares were most likely associated with witches because of the fact that they were sacred to many ancient goddesses in the past (i.e. the goddesses Eostre, Artemis, Hecate, Holda). When the Church wanted to convert the "pagans", they had to make some of their customs and deities look evil...hence turning sacred animals into "witches familiars" or evil spirits.

Often witches were thought to morph into the form of a hare in the British Isles during the Dark Ages and onward. | Source

The Black Cat

The most famous of the witch's familiars is the black cat or what modern people might call the "Halloween Cat". Cats are steeped in mystery. They have been loved by many ancient peoples and are still loved in modern times today. The first domesticated cat was in Ancient Egypt, and no doubt because cats were regarded as sacred to the Egyptians' cat goddess of fertility and motherhood known as Bast. In Nordic culture and religion, the goddess known as Freya was said to have been guarded and guided by two large cats. In China, the black cat brings good luck. Perhaps the association between cats and old-world religions is the reason why cats have been tied to "witches" during the Dark Ages and onward.

In the confession of Elizabeth Demdike during the Pendle Witch Trials, the accused witch said that her familiar's name was Tibb. Tibb was a spirit who could take the shape of almost any animal he pleased, and in one piece of her confession he had taken the shape of a black cat. This familiar spirit wanted to aid Elizabeth in the cursing of three local individuals, but when she opposed the idea he knocked her into a ditch.When the pilgrims came to America, they brought with them the idea that black cats were evil because they were associated with witches. And so this superstition rooted itself in American culture and can still be seen in Halloween decorations and debauchery today.

Some modern witches search out black cats to have as pets, and therefore refer to these black cats as their "familiars". Are these black cats truly familiar spirits or simply pets that they consider to be magical? The Witches' Hounds

Hounds have long been regarded as associated with the afterlife in various old texts and folklore, so it is no wonder that famous witches from the Dark Ages were said to have familiars that took the form of black dogs. One such infamous witch, Alizon Device, who was put to trial for witchcraft in the Pendle Witchcraft Trials, confessed to having a familiar who was in the form of a black hound. This black hound would suckle at her breast and thereafter would do her bidding. She confessed that her familiar, the black dog, had lamed a man after she requested it of him.

Helen Clark, another accused witch, in the year of 1645 confessed to having met the devil. The devil had taken the form of a black dog.

Certain old-world gods and goddesses were said to have been protected by hounds, including the Greek Goddess of Witches—Hecate. There were also ancient gods who were depicted as dogs themselves—Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the Egyptians and Cerberus, the underworld three-headed dog guardian to the Greeks. Dogs have long been tied to the crossroads between life and death. The Wolf and Other Familiars

In addition to the likely suspects, there were many other animals that were thought to be familiars to witches during the Dark Ages.

The Wolf is an animal that was often associated with witches in the northern European countries. During the werewolf-witch trials, many men and women were accused of witchcraft and being able to shift into the likeness of a wolf. Some said that it wasn't the actual witches who were the wolves but actual familiar spirits who inhabited the bodies of wolves to do the witches' bidding. Wolves were sacred to old gods, as well.

Any type of weird or unlikely creature could have been accused of being a witch's familiar. Some of the lesser known familiars included frogs, toads, lizards, blackbirds, snakes, butterflies, beetles and more.

A witch's familiar was not always in the form of an animal...the familiar spirit could also take the form of a human being if it so wished. A couple of the Pendle Witches accused of having familiars confessed that their familiars were actually in the form of a human man or a little boy. Perhaps these familiar spirits took on the shape of something that the witch could feel most comfortable with...or perhaps they took on the shape of something that the witch might have been fearful .. we will never truly know. Witches' Familiars Today: Spirit Guides and Magical Pets

In the neopagan movement today, there are many who believe in animal spirits as guides and guardians. There are those who call themselves modern-day witches who claim to have "familiars", but often these familiars are not spirits as they were in the past. Often these modern-day witches' familiars are merely cute, fluffy household pets such as a cat, dog, bird, or other domesticated creature. Modern witches call these household pets their familiars but they might be better suited to be called magical or spiritual pets.

For a modern witch to lay claim to a familiar, the animal must be of spiritual form and have made a pact with the witch. The animal is actually not an animal, per se, but a spirit who takes the form of an animal...and most likely this spirit will not reside in the witch's home.

Familiars are also different from totem animals and animal spirit guides, though often they are all thrown into the same pot. Totem animals are an animal that has chosen to guard a specific tribe, family, or lineage and usually do not do any magical bidding for the person involved. An animal spirit guide may come to you in a dream or in real life to teach you a valuable lesson. The familiar, the witch's familiar, will stay with the witch for a certain time in order to help him/her out magically...to do his/her bidding...and then they may leave.

As you can see, the "familiars" of today are much different from the familiars of the past.

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thehoodoogoddess-blog · 5 years

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6 Simple Ways to get Closer to a Deity

Here are a few ways that i use to comunicate with my deity and ask them for help:

Meditation (honestly just take some time and focus on your deity)🙏

A monthly devotion (this could be as simple or as complex as you like I.e. an incantation/ prayer)☄

Studying (Find out as much as you can and keep a note in your BOS)📚

Altars (a place to focus on *I’ve even seen travel size ones that can fit in your pocket*) 🔮

An enchanted item (ask the deity to bless it in some form of ritual and carry it around)✨

Lastly, just keep them in your mind 😊

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thehoodoogoddess-blog · 5 years

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1- Hecate

Greek Titan of Witches, Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Crossroads.

When I first began this project, I knew that I wanted to end with Hecate. She is simultaneously the final and the first, our alpha and omega of Witchcraft. She dominates popular witch lore, but you would never know it as she resides in the shadows, side plots, and brief mentions. Only when you seek her out does she reveal herself to you, lighting your path while casting shadows and ghosts. Many, if not all, modern Witches, Pagans, and Wiccans see Hecate as a Goddess of Witches, amongst other appropriate attributes, and continue her worship and reverence now several thousand years ongoing.

As is the case with most of Greek Mythology, Hecate has multiple origin myths and genealogies. This is most likely the result of her originating outside of the Greeks, and being adapted and merged with the existing pantheon. Most traditions have Hecate as the daughter of the Titans Perses, titan of destruction, and Asteria, titan of falling stars and nocturnal prophecy. Hecate was their only child, and was able to retain her powers post Zeus’ coup as she helped him fight the Giants. As child of Asteria, her grandmother was the Titan of the Moon, Phoebe, and her cousin was Olympian lunar all-star Artemis.

There are various stories in which Hecate plays a part. Her most notable and appropriate for this time of year, however, is her integral role in assisting Demeter’s search for her beloved daughter, Persephone. Upon Persephone’s decent into Hades, Hecate, through the light of her torches, helped Demeter discover her daughter in the underworld. As such, Hecate has become a chthonic Goddess, and Persephone’s yearly attendant and psychopomp to the underworld. Her position as gatekeeper and guide to Hades solidifies many of her numerous attributes.

Hecate is associated with ghosts, necromancy, and magic. She is identified with crossroads, torches, and dark hounds. She was a common household deity for the Athenian—her shrines placed in doorways and city gates to both protect from restless spirits and bestow blessings and safe passage. Her worship and cult was as extensive as her various attributes, with temples and shrines scattered across the Mediterranean. As a key figure in the Persephone saga, Hecate was integral in the ancient Eleusinian Mysteries, impacting secret societies and occult rituals to this day.

Out of all her characteristics, her association with the crossroads is perhaps the most pertinent to my series. Most often, we think of crossroads as the intersection of two roads, yielding four directions. This was not always the case, however, as it was more common to have a proverbial ‘fork in the road’, yielding three directions. This is the kind of crossroads in which Hecate resides. Her statues depict her in triplicity, forearms outstretched, holding torches, keys, serpents, daggers, etc. One face in each direction, Hecate is the arbiter of passages, and in this way is the consort of the God Hermes.

Hecate is one of the original Triple Goddesses of Witchcraft, if not the primordial one. Her triplicity has defined much of Modern Pagan theology, with her stance representing the three phases of the moon, Waxing, Full, and Waning (Maiden, Mother, Crone respectively). Her mythological genealogy as the granddaughter of Phoebe and cousin to Artemis has yielded Hecate as a Goddess of the Moon in her own right, most often known as the unseen phase of the moon, the New Moon (however she is just as often associated with all moon phases). In Greek/Roman Mythology, Hecate joins many lunar goddesses in addition to Phoebe and Artemis, including Selene and Diana. The five were often conflated, confused, and worshiped both in tandem and in conflict. This ever shifting, impossible to pin down, lunar association echos her transient nature of existing in the shadows.

Hecate is both mysterious and severe. Her face is hidden behind her torches, or on the dark side of the moon, however her presence is a constant. She is life, death, and rebirth. She is both light and dark magic. She was beloved in her association with rites of passage like childbirth, and feared in her role as Queen of Shades, present at the final rite of passage, death. Her nature has permeated my entire series in such a profound and indescribable way, I can only show you:

#93: Lilith— often worshiped by modern Pagans in tandem with Hecate #92: Circe: Daughter of Hecate #89, #54, #39: Bewitched: A common expression “For Hecate’s Sake!” Occurs throughout the show. #79: Aradia: Daughter of Lucifer and Diana. Often seen as the daughter of an amalgamated Diana-Hecate. #70: Medea: Priestess of Hecate #67: Charmed: The Halliwell Sisters: Appears in the episode “The Wedding from Hell” #56: Ceridwen: Often worshiped in tandem with Hecate as Dark Mothers by modern Pagans. . #52, #27: Practical Magic: The necromancy ritual the Owen’s Sisters perform, albeit pronounced incorrectly. “Black as night, erase death from our sight. White as light, Mighty Hecate make it right.” #10: Willow Rosenberg: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Mentioned in several episodes and referred to as “Queen and Protectress of Witches.” #7: American Horror Story: Coven: Supreme Fiona Goode invokes Hecate “Come to me Hecate, Mother of Angels, Cosmic World Soul.” #5: The Weird Sisters: Macbeth: Hecate is their master

This list is pretty fitting for a Goddess whose name etymologically may mean “she that operates from afar.” She is seldom a central figure or even visible, however witches from the Owens to the Goodes, from Willow Rosenberg to Endora, invoke her name and ask for her spirit, guidance, and presence. Hecate, in many ways, is both the first witch, and the last. She is our alpha and omega. She is the embodiment of power and strength. As a Goddess of Witchcraft, she does not merely exist in the margins of society like the rest of us—She is the margin itself.

Hail Hecate.

“Hecate, Cerridwen. Dark Mother take us in. Hecate, Cerridwen. Let us be reborn.”

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Witchy tips for stress relief

Close your eyes. Breathe out your frustration. Feel your feet on the ground and center yourself with the earth. Keep eyes closed until your heart rate has settled.

Light a lavender candle. Let the scent fill your room/office.

Make yourself a cup of chamomile tea.

Take time to clean your room/office. A clean physical world translates into peace for your mental world.

Keep rose petals in your freezer. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, lay down and place the cold petals over your eyes. Rest for 15 minutes.

There is something to be said for the simplicity and effectiveness of writing a list and checking it off as you complete each task. When your mind is cluttered and overwhelmed with all your conflicting responsibilities, sit down, and write a list of everything you need to do. Tackle your first item, then move on to the next. When you’ve finished your list you will feel cleansed of your worries.

Go for a hike, or a swim in the ocean or lake. Reconnecting with mother nature reminds the soul of the truly important things. It will relax you and allow you to revisit your obligations with fresh eyes.

Take an epsom salt bath.

Allow yourself to be creative. Daily tasks can get daunting and run you down. Allow yourself to indulge in your creativity. Your work will benefit from your brain switching on its creative edge. Doodle. Sing. Dance. Knit. Write.

Meditate.

Find a sleep spell and encourage yourself to get 8 hours of sleep.

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thehoodoogoddess-blog · 6 years

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😼🌙ATTENTION 🔮✨

If youre an African American or Asian witch/witchcraft dabbler please reblog this.I meed some more melanin magick representation

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thehoodoogoddess-blog · 6 years

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If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late…