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Today's tapestry of Pagan and Wiccan practices was woven from some common threads of past beliefs like life was a journey to gain knowledge and wisdom; and, the Earth and all the animals, nature spirits, trees, plants, rocks and the land were sacred and worthy of respect. Magic was enchantment, spellcasting, bewitchment and using the will to alter reality. Everything was interconnected and magic practitioners used consecrated magical tools to focus and send forth energies from within themselves, from the deities or from natural power places to influence and to shape desired outcomes and to pattern events. A familiar was an animal, pet or a spiritual entity that appeared in the form of animal, who assisted the practitioner in the practice of Magic. Common magical helpers in folklore were cats, toads, hares and lizards. Magical practitioners often form close relationships with the spirit of one or more animals who instruct, protect and guide them. As the unique bond between the magician and the power animal continued to grow the magician often took on the spiritual attributes associated with that power animal to the point where the power animal almost became an alter ego. Magicians that shapeshift will often assume the shape of their primary power animal. Each power animal has distinctive traits which it embodies, for instance, the butterfly was identified with transformation, the bear with introspection and the mountain lion with leadership. Power animals could appear as a magician performs routine daily activities or in a dream when they sleep. Each time that they entered a magician's life with a sacred communication, it was a blessing from Spirit.
Spirit Guides or Guardian Spirits were numinous beings that had a magical relationship with or interest in a magician, wanting to help them with their magic to fulfill their higher purpose and to guide them with answers to their spoken and unspoken questions. Magicians received advice, teaching, protection and assistance on their journeys from spirit guides by visions, dreams, altered states, telepathic communications and empathetic observations of nature. Traditionally clans and groups identified themselves with the spiritual essence of an animal, plant or tree whose presence as a mentor, helper, protector and guide rooted them more firmly in the Earth and bonded them to the Land. The spirit of their particular animal totem symbolized many things to the clan or group. It was honored by them in many ways such as ceremonial offerings and carvings of its likeness. The animal totem was sacred to them; therefore, it was taboo to injure or harm that animal in any way. Animal Totems that recurred frequently in Magical Storytelling were Bear, Boar, Cow, Horse, Hound, Mare, Raven, Salmon, Otter, Owl, Pig, Seagull, Stag and Swan. Many of the ancient magical tales involved stories of how humans, goddesses and gods shapeshifted into the likeness of animals and birds, including that of Seagulls and Swans. Both the Cow and the Hound were Sacred to the goddess. The Cow was a source of nurturing prosperity and was symbolic of compassionate hospitality, generosity of spirit, receptive giving, rightful ownership and fair entitlement.
The Hound signified devoted
companionship and kind thoughtfulness, especially in regard to the deepest
longings and needful wishes of the human spirit. Often linked with the
restorative and regenerative aspects of the Otherworld, as a consistently
faithful and supportive companion, Hound conveyed healing through loving
attentiveness, trustworthy intimacy and reassuring vigilant consistency.
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