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Witches drove deep into the woods and met the deer. Thank you so much for all the supports everyone. Please enjoy!

my masterpost ref for astrology

sun: about the basic self, who you are when you’re not surrounded by other people. your general traits

moon: the unconscious side of your personality. it explains why you do what you do. represents your instinctual self

rising: the face you put on in public, the sign that is the general first impression on others. it is expressed in your image and features, your style and your mannerisms

medium coeli: (mc/midheaven) gives insight to what you need to do to realise your place in life. can be used to help understand your personal and spiritual goals

imum coeli: (ic) base of your personality, influences your attitude towards your home and family life (your ic is the opposite sign to your mc)

venus: how you act in love and relationships. feminine energies

mars: sexual attraction, passion and anger. masculine energies

mercury: planning and reasoning skills, connected to communication, interacting and awareness

saturn: restrictions, limitations and delays. influences achievements, helps you mature

jupiter: luck, its an optimistic planet that gives inspiration and improves your life

neptune: reaches spirituality within you, there is mysticism and compassion, about divine love

uranus: change, associated with technology and discovery. about enlightenment and creativity

pluto: secrets, personal power and powerlessness. about transformations and self empowerment

chiron: health and disease and how they affect your spiritual path

ceres: how you best provide love and comfort, shows how you best feel nurtured

pallas: creativity, arts and justice, father/daughter relationships, personal power

juno: qualities of your soul mate, deals with marriage, fashion and beauty

vesta: focus, metal clarity and self respect

first house: self image

second house: self worth, money

third house: communication

fourth house: family + home

fifth house: self expression, creativity and romance

sixth house: work and health

seventh house: partnership and marriage

eighth house: transformations and sexuality

ninth house: belief and higher learning

tenth house: career, responsibility, reputation

eleventh house: aspirations and personal goals

twelfth house: soul growth, privacy and secrets

basic earth qualities: practical, reliable, realistic

basic air qualities: unpredictable, intelligent, independent

basic fire qualities: passionate, intense, impulsive

basic water qualities: sensitive, empathetic, emotional

earth dominant: practical, productive, patient, reliable

earth lacking: disorganised, messy, impulsive, irresponsible

air dominant: sociable, independent, curious

air lacking: unsociable, dependent, distant

fire dominant: energetic, impulsive, confident, adventurous

fire lacking: unmotivated, pessimistic

water dominant: empathetic, sensitive, nurturing, creative

water lacking: insecure, reserved, unemotional

Of Imps and Familiars

The topic of Familiars in modern witchcraft is a bit  misinformed as to what exactly these beings are. Some say they are simply a pet belonging to a witch; however, it is far from the case. In the hopes of clearing things a bit up for my followers, I am writing this to explain what Familiars are and the differences between the different types. This post will provide a brief summary of the topic

There are a few different types of Familiars to consider. There are:

The Familiar Spirit

Imps

Familiar spirits

Bloodline Familiars

Let’s discuss what they are and how they differ from another.

The Familiar Spirit

Tam Lin by Jane Yolen and Charles Mikolaycak

This is somewhat comparable to the Holy Guardian Angel found in various practices of high and ceremonial magic, such as the Order of the Golden Dawn. It is the human familiar spirit, the fairy lover, the demon lover, the spirit companion, the familiar self, the witch’s doppleganger. It is the you that is separate, yet it is its own entity. These are the beings that witches met when flying to the sabbat, their spirit lover. Typically, it is opposite to the witch, “In 1633, Margaret Johnson, the Lancashire witch, stated that besides theire particular familiars or spirits, there was one greate or grand devill, or spirit, more eminent than the rest. Shee allsoe saith, yt if a witch have but one marke, shee hath but one spirit; if two, then two spirits; if three, yet but two spirits. Shee alsoe saith, that men witches usually have women spirits, and women witches men spirits,” (source). It might be that these spirits are complete opposites to their witch counterpart; however, it may also be they take a form most desired by the witch. It is why some have Familiar spirits of the same gender, or spirits that change gender along with their witch.

Examples of The Familiar Spirit

Tam Lin (from the Ballad of Tam Lin)

The Queen of Heaven (from Thomas the Rhymer)

Cupid (from the tale The Most Pleasant and Delectable Tale of the Marriage of Cupid and Psyche)

Imps

The Witches’ animal familiar, maleficent animals, divination animals, domestic familiars. These are, usually, physical creatures or vessels that act as the witch’s familiar. These are the creatures people typically think of when thinking of familiars. They are the witch’s pet, servator, companion, spy, and aid in the magical arts.

Now from this, there are 2 main sort of imps. A living creature of flesh such as a rabbit, cat, or dog. There are also imps that are merely spirits tied to a vessel. These vessels can be anything from stuffed animals to bottles or urns. The Familiar’s spirit possesses the vessel, which then it seeks to serve the witch. It can be an actual spirit or even created by a witch (or even by another spirit). Now the interesting part of this is that the living creatures can even act as vessels for familiar spirits.

Imps are the creatures you see depicted being fed blood from witches. Witches allow familiars to suckle blood from their witch marks to forge the pact between the two. The imp receiving care and food, and the witch receiving aid and power from the imp. The pact between the two is what makes an imp the witches’ familiar (vs just a regular pet or spirit).

Familiar spirits

A witch can have many familiar spirits, which take many forms. Though, they tend to be animal in form. There are some known to be human or even “supernatural” in form. There are descriptions of familiar spirits that are fairies, spirits of the dead, saints, devils, demons, and even angels. Some witches state they had certain plants as their familiars.

They take similar roles to spirit guides and spirit helpers; however, they, like imps, also require a pact as well. A witch can have many familiar spirits all that serve their needs depending on the reason for the pact. However, the pact isn’t always made through physical means vs the pact made with imps.

Bloodline Familiars

Bloodline familiars are those that are passed down from hereditary practices, from parent to child. Covens have also been known to have these, and can give access to these familiars through initiatory means. They are familiars that serve specific bloodlines or groups, and only grant their power and aid to those within it.

One can also argue that a Bloodline familiar is not truly a spirit, but rather an icon. A symbol of that family or coven, in which appears in dreams as a sign or omen. I attempted to do more research into this, but it was only mentioned in one of my texts, “There is that which is used as the coven “totem” animal, mentioned earlier in connection with the symbolism of the witch bracelet. This symbolic animal form is decided upon at the formation of a coven by mutual agreement among the members and after much introspection and divination. The chosen totemic animal form or forms, for there may be several, is then ritually “assumed” by coven members during the chain dance at the Sabbat itself, and also should they at any time wish to indulge in the practice of “sending for the fetch,” commonly Omens and auguries of coming events may also be drawn by the seasoned practitioner from the appearance on the scene of one such specimen of a coven totem, a grey bird maybe or a large black cat. Part of this witchlore may have filtered out in the past and now be responsible for the common public beliefs about lucky or unlucky black cats crossing one’s path, and so on,” (Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson).

As a note, I believe it is more fitting to call these another name other than “Totem” familiars. It would be better to call them Bloodline Familiars. The source was written in the 70s. Though I do love that book, it does not address cultural appropriation. 

The Pact (how does one get a familiar?)

The pact is something that is spoken of within many witch confessions and trials. The witch obtains the familiar, forges a pact, and begins the relationship. Familiars were told to appear in a few different ways.

given from a spirit (the devil)

passed down from another witch

appearing by chance

created by the witch’s own “evil” desire (this references that familiars can be created by the witch themselves)

appearing after a great rite or initiation

There are those that believe every witch will have at least one familiar, whether it be a physical creature or not. Though, familiars don’t appear in every witch lore. It is mostly common in western European witch lore.

What does the pact entail? Typically, it involved the feeding of blood to the familiar to strengthen the bond and forge the union. I’ve seen reference to a few other methods such as spiritual sacrifice, offering of milk or food from the same dish, or even scraping off bits of your kitchen table to feed the familiar. Others reference to rituals being performed to summon the fetch and create the bond. Though one thing is very important, the witch and familiar must be bound to one another body and spirit.

This allows the witch to travel to the Sabbat with their familiar, perform magical acts with them, or even hag ride them into the night.

Hope this helped clear a bit up! My resources are below. As a note: I do reference reading Margaret Alice Murray, not for her incorrect theories, but for her amazing resources. When reading her books focus on quoted references. You can also do further research by searching into her sources (though some are difficult to find).

reading list

Demonology: demons & devils / Spiritual Warfare By Dr. Phillip Botha

Witches’ Familiars in England by M. A. Murray

Malevolent Nurture: Witch-Hunting and Maternal Power in Early Modern England by Deborah Willis

The Esoteric Codex: Supernatural Legends By Cedrick Pettigrove

The History of Witchcraft and Demonology by Montague Summers

Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic by Emma Wilby

The Visions of Isobel Gowdie: Magic, Witchcraft and Dark Shamanism in Seventeenth-Century Scotland by Emma Wilby

Traditional Crafte translated by Robin Artisan

Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson

The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer

The Witch-Cult in Western Europe by Margaret Alice Murray

Irish Witchcraft and Demonology by St. John D. Seymour

just wanna find the softest grass i can find and lay down in it and look at the sky for a very very very long time

Chalcophyllite - Piesky, Spania Dolina, Banska Bystrica Reigon, Slovakia

libra, taurus + pisces

libra, taurus and pisces are the signs that appreciate art and beauty the most. pisces makes the art, taurus admires the art and libra spreads it. since these signs love beauty and treasure it so much, it shines through their artistically painted interior. they live on earth like art: dancing like delicate paint brush strokes, talking like graceful hands forming a sculpture and thinking like music by a grand orchestra.