For millennia people have sought to connect with and share the abilities and
senses of our animal brothers and sisters through shamanic journeying and
creating links with familiars and animal totems. This is a 'give and take'
relationship wherein one makes the connection to an animal in order to
partake of the animal's strengths and powers while pledging to protect and
honor the animal thereafter. A familiar can be either a physical, living
animal such as a cat or a wolf or a legendary animal such as a phoenix or
dragon. What we are connecting with is the energy essence of the animal to
create a circuit whereby we can draw upon the energies/talents of the
creature and so that we can feed energy and our own senses back to the animal
as well. Here's how to do it:
Prepare yourself by spending the day in quiet contemplation of the animal you
have chosen, gazing at pictures of it, eating lightly but specifically of
something that the animal itself likes to eat if it is a physical animal,
communing with it physically by petting it and talking to it if it is a pet
in the home, listening to recordings of it (such as wolf howls or whale
singing) if it is not an animal in your home, in other words, making an
associative and emotional connection with it throughout the day.
During this time decide on the physical link between your self and your
familiar. What will be the signal for the connection between the two of you
later? Will it be a word or a name; a position that you hold your fingers in
that triggers the connection; a piece of jewelry that you don or a stone that
you hold? It can be any kind of signal you want to use that signals your
subconscious which tells it that it is time to open the connection - you just
want to decide on the signal or link prior to this working so that you key it
during the ritual.
When it is time for your ritual, unplug the phone, take care of any physical
plane needs you may have (go to the bathroom, put on warmer clothes), then
cast your circle in your usual way. On your altar, place a picture of the
animal (or if it is a pet in the home, allow it to be in the room with you),
light 3 purple candles and ignite some incense of a God or Goddess who has a
connection with the animal you are connecting with. For example, if you are
connecting with a cat, you could burn some incense of Bast; if you are
connecting with a stag or wolf, some incense of Cernunnos, if you are
connecting with a sea creature, some incense of Neptune, if you are
connecting with a winged creature some incense of Rhiannon. If you are
linking with a legendary creature burn some incense of the element associated
with it, for example, Fire incense when connecting with a dragon.
Make yourself comfortable in a chair or lie down on a pallet on the floor and
begin focusing on your heart-rate and breathing - slowing and synchronizing
them. Begin to build the image of the animal in your mind's eye with as much
detail as possible, thinking about the habits of the animal, its strengths,
talents, powers and the way that it interacts and moves in the world. Now,
in your mind's eye, fill in its habitat or favorite place outdoors and see it
moving through its world with all of its senses fully engaged and feeling
invigorated and excited by its environment. Become aware of your solar
plexus (abdomen/diaphragm) and, as you breathe, begin filling your solar
plexus with hot energy. Once your solar plexus is full of this energy,
imagine a cord extending from your solar plexus reaching out and connecting
with the heart of your familiar. Begin gently pumping this hot energy from
your solar plexus through the cord to your familiar, filling the animal with
healthy, loving, powerful energy. Become comfortable with this sensation,
then begin sending your awareness, your consciousness through the cord to the
animal as well. Feel its heart beating, feel the wind through its fur or
feathers, the cool water on its skin if it is in the sea or a river/creek,
see through its eyes, smell through its nose and begin to comprehend the
world through its unique way of interpreting these sensations. Open your
mouth and sing out the triumph of this experience of two becoming one in the
voice of your animal.
Now is the time to key the signal that you will always use in the future when
you are going to connect this way with your familiar. If it is a name or a
word, repeat it in your mind over and over now. If it is a way that you hold
your hand or fingers that you touch in a certain way, do this now and hold
the position. If it is the wearing or holding of a specific piece of jewelry
or stone, hold that piece now and charge it with this connection. Thereafter,
at least once a month, make this connection with your familiar/totem and
receive energy from it and feed energy to it.
As a way of honoring your animal familiar, always treat it with respect and
affection if it is a pet in your home. If it is a wild animal, think about
donating time or money to an organization which cares for or works on the
behalf of the species with which you have your connection.
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