A New Moon and A Constant Companion

I had to work today. Another price I pay for being a modern witch. But I am now sitting in my sanctuary, and contemplating my day. Enjoy this, the first new moon of the year.

Today I am using Rosemary and Mint oils in my aromatherapy. The smell is divine. Rosemary in magick goes back forever. Also called the Dew of the Sea it is said that it was draped around the Goddess Aphrodite when she arose from the sea. Also, it is said that the Virgin Mary spread her blue cloak over a rosemary bush, turning the flowers from white to blue. (Generally Rosemary has green leaves with flowers of white, pink, purple or blue.) You can use rosemary in love spells or at weddings. It has also been used in remembrance at funerals and memorial services.

Mint is another healing herb. Using it as I am in aromatherapy, it can help with nausea and is a smell associated with hospitality. Mint can also help with stomach aches. Spray a little mint oil around to keep away wasps, hornets, ants and roaches.

I keep a fountain near my work space. Simple rock waterfall. The sound is very soothing. Gibby, my familiar is directly under my feet. His fluff keeps my toes warm.

And that is what I would like to discuss today.

Animal familiars.

The concept of animal familiars goes back throughout the history of witchcraft. It was said that demons possessed small animals and were doing the bidding of their masters.

That is not what I mean.

Others have believed that fairies inhabit the bodies of small animals and help their human companions in life.

Perhaps.

I am talking about animals with whom you share a special connection. An animal you share an emotional and psychic bond. There are pets. And there are those special pets. You know the ones. Animals whose souls exist on your same plane of being.

Maybe they came to you unexpectedly. Maybe you went looking for them. You just know.

We have two in our house. One is mine. One is my daughters.

And just an FYI… We actually have a lot more than 2 pets. We currently have 3 dogs, two cats, 2 guinea pigs, a turtle and a fish.

But today we are only talking about familiars.

Like Gibby.

Right now he is looking at me because I put my foot on him.

There is just something about him. He is mine and I am his. No one else will do for him. I once went away for a few weeks for training and he moped around the whole time.

I swear he can understand me. I have never been able to teach a dog that many tricks. In such a short time. I have had dogs before, but Gibby is special.

My mom bought him for me on a whim. I was working at a pet store at the time. The other girls who worked there had these little stupid pocket dogs that they gushed over. Also, the owner of the store was a creepy old hag who thought teenagers were so cool. I just wanted to do my job and go home. I didn’t care about the teens. But the owner kept telling me I didn’t fit in. (Big surprise. I showed up on time and did what I was supposed to and didn’t waste time.) My mom was worried I would get fired and thought if I had a stupid little pocket dog, I might be able to have something in common with my teenaged coworkers. (FYI… didn’t work. That woman was a horrible person. Karma will get her.)

Gibs is not stupid. Nor is he worth gushing over. My grandpa named him Gibson after the baseball player Kirk Gibson. We call him Gibby. Or Gibs. He knows when he is being spoken to.

My oldest daughter has a familiar of her own, a cat named Muffins.

There is something about that cat. She is where ever my daughter is. She has the whole house to roam in and mostly is in my daughter’s bedroom. Sometimes I think that cat can read minds.

We had gone to the shelter to look for a cat. Our cat. It was missing. And Muffins picked us. I don’t even know how she did it. Carolynn told me that this cat picked us and we needed to take her home. She was serious about it. And so we got Muffins.

What are your thoughts? Do you have an animal familiar?

Is it as cute as ours?