Wiccans, I have a question about Familiars.?

Question

Okay, one of my friends has been a Wiccan for close to four years now, and just today she told me that she finally managed to summon her familiar.

I had researched a bit of Wiccan stuff, just so I'd understand better when she spoke of stuff like this, but she said something about her familiar that I don't think is true. She said that her familiar was a fifteen year old boy, with reddish brown hair.

But in all the research that I've done, it said that a Familiar is a spirit that inhabits other creatures for certain lengths of time.

Is she wrong? Or have I misunderstood?

Answer 1

Usually a familiar is an animal like a cat or bird or snake. Not a human spirit. I also have studied Wiccan and I have never heard if a human familiar.

Answer 2

I, too, have never heard of a human familiar. I do know that some spirits can inhabit humans - but the ones I've found are not good. Maybe the boy and she just work well together - I have seen this. "Familiar" may be the way she understands and names the relationship. If you are concerned, ask her more about what he does for her magickally.

Answer 3

Familiars are by definition, helpful spirits who can take the form of a beloved pet, a totem animal, or even a helpful non-physical entity. I've never heard of a familiar being a red haired 15 year old boy and as a practicing Wiccan/ witch, I do know a few people with familiars. Suggested reading for your friend: "The Witch's Familiar" by Raven Grimassi. Also, if possible, please advise your friend to stop "summoning". Familiars aren't summoned. There is either a natural binding/ attraction or they are met when both sides understand and accept the nature of the relationship.

Answer 4

Well, it's certainly a new one on me!

A Familiar is normally an animal that we form a special affinity with and implies an actual, specific living animal. it could be argued that a family pet is a 'familiar'.

In terms of witchcraft, the familiar is the witches partner assisting her in various magical working including divination and spell casting. Although any creature could be a familiar, certain animals are considered more likely or to be most suitable or powerful, including cats, dogs, ferret, crows, hedgehogs, toads and snakes.

Whatever your friend thinks she has managed to 'summon' up it is NOT a familiar.

Answer 5

A religion without God is like gathering fruit without a tree. Only God can give life and life eternal.

Man has always tried to come up with something to explain God away for man is afraid of what believing in God will do to him and with good reason for God will change man and man cannot accept being changed so he invents things like Wiccans, spirits, ghosts, and what ever will make man better then God.

Answer 6

Traditionally, familiars aren't something Wiccans have, that's why the books about familiars aren't written by people calling themselves Wiccan.

Your friend sounds like she's a Wiccan from the make-it-up-as-i-go-along tradition, perhaps from the I-don't-care-about-the effects-of- my-actions-on-others coven.

Answer 7

A human familiar, if possible, would more likely be in the form of an imp, pixie, elf, or brownie. This may not be a familiar, it could also be a spirit guide. Traditionally though, the familiar is found through deep meditation, revealed to you as a repetitive thought of an animal, which just slips into your mind. I however have yet to find mine. finding it can take awhile, sometimes the spirit may be hiding itself. Despite this however, I hope your wrong, (I mean that in a nice way, honest) a human familiar would be most intriguing.

Blessed be