Welcome to Gaia! ::

So what is a familiar?
The biggest misconception is that your familiar must be a cat, or even more stereotypically, a black cat. Not so. Any animal of any species can present itself as your familiar. In fact, the form your familiar chooses to take may be a message in itself, and may be completely unexpected. Familiars can fill many different roles in your life, including that of teacher, friend, healer or assistant. A familiar may arrive in the form of a family pet, but they should not be treated that simply. They are independent spirits that must be respected and honoured. You will develop a strong psychic bond with your new companion, and he/she/it will likely show a clear interest in your ritual work. I can't really go into too much detail on how a familiar might become part of your life, or how it may assist you with your spiritual growth. Each person's relationship with their familiar is special, unique and individual.

Of course, your familiar might not even be a physical being. Having an astral familiar is also a possibility. Astral familiars usually take the form of regular animals, but they also may take the form of more exotic beasts (such as a dragon, perhaps). Working with astral familiars usually takes place during dreams or meditation. But working on the astral plane is a topic for another time.

Where do you find one?
Sometimes you need to search out your familiar, but other times they will find you. You can't summon a familiar, only invite one. Meditation or scrying are two methods that may help you locate your animal companion. They may arrive in your life when you call, or just when you are in need of them. And the flip side to that, is that they can also disappear from your life if you no longer need their help or guidance. I would say that most familiars stay with a person for a good many years, typically the life span of their animal hosts. But don't be surprised if they move on unexpectedly.

During the Burning Times, animal familiars played a sizable role in the prosecution of 'witches'. It was believed at the time that all witches had an animal companion, that was really a demon in physical form. Seeing an animal in relationship with an accused individual would often be considered evidence to their witchery. Even something as meaningless as a mouse or fly in their jail cell. Even today, many non-Pagans who don't understand our beliefs consider any Pagan's animal companion to be an evil spirit in disguise.

My framiliar. Hmm. Well it just so happens to be a pheonix.
I first learnt of it when I was seven years of age. When I started to learn how to use anciant magic. In my dreams it warned me of an error I would make. And what do you know? A year later I messed up. It says what happend in my intro, but ill say it here too. Im not gonna say waht I was doing. But my arm now hurts randomly, and has a strange feeling to it most the time. And when im sevearly hurt physically with a wound that should take weeks to h eal like a broken ankle. Well they heal over night most the time. tWo years ago i broke my ankle. That night i saw the pheonix in my dreams again. IT sang its lamnent. The next morning my ankle was healed. And the strange thing is the Exrays showed a bad break in my bones.

I feel him in my soul. He generally is with me at all times perched on my left arm, trying to fix it and all. I can feel him sitting there from time to time. I have come to call him Bob. Lol no just joking. But i do love my pheonix.

Yes I do know that. But that reason I'm not sure of.

Im not unsure of the framiliar. But its reasons for being here is what im unsure of.

Well my mom has a question for you kitty. She wants to know how you know what is your framiliar and if it really is your framiliar.

Alright. She just read it and said that she still doesnt understand how you figure out what it is or know that it is your framiliar. I told her what you said its a spiritral connection but she still said she didnt understand.

Yeah she did but she still doesnt understand it I tryed ot explain it to her she still doesnt understand how you know what your framiliar is and all...or how to tell what your framiliar is