About familiars/spirit animals

[Floyd Pinkerton]

This is something I've been wondering about for a while with little help from Google and the like.

Is there a way to know what animal I'm best suited with? Or a way to know what animal is my familiar or my "spirit animal", for lack of a better word? Can you choose what type of animal would be your familiar, or do they choose you?

[corvidus]

Hi there

I would draw a distinct line between a familiar and a 'spirit' animal.

A familiar is an external entity, whereas a spirit animal is a representation of certain subconscious qualities. For example, I don't have any familiars, but a totem or spirit animal I have experience with is the frog.

If I wanted a familiar, I would need to contact some governing Deity or high ranking entity and come to an agreement, that he leases me a familiar spirit.

Hope that helps, even though it's a bit off topic. (There are of course other interpretations)

[SnowCat]

I have cats as both familiars and spirit animals. I think it's a very individual thing, and can be fluid, depending on the animal.

Snow

[jaybirdblue]

I can only speak from my own experience but for my flesh and blood familiar, he chose me. Granted I was looking for a pet at the time, but he was the only one out of the bunch that they showed me that actually interacted with me. He kind of just showed up and said, "Hi, I'm your friend now and I'm not letting you go," and we are pretty much attached to the hip now. But hes also my service dog, so we go nearly everywhere together. He is very much my rock as far as actively grounding me emotionally and spiritually. He's my caretaker and support. My friends say that hes my "son," but we are partners.
I think that's the difference between pet and familiar. With a familiar, you aren't their owner, they're your partner. They take an active role in your life and help you with the magical and spiritual parts of your life, whether thats energy work, spells, or something like that. I remember someone mentioning that their cat helped them with choosing and discerning tarot cards? Im not sure about that, but a familiar will usually have a way of telling you that they are connected to you in a soul bound kind of way. In their own subtle animal way at least.
Im not sure how you would go about a spiritual animal guide, as I dont have any experience with that, but with flesh and blood familiars, praying is a good way to attract them. At least I think so.

[SpiritTalker]

I've been reading some of Emma Wilby and Carlo Ginzburg excerpts interpreting the personal spirit familiar as being the witch's alter-ego, rather like the energy body projection of the witch, often proceeding from out of the witch's mouth; and/or being a fairy spirit housed within the witch's body. This often is observed by the witch themselves and by others as resembling a person or an animal. Shamans speak of an intimate relationship as if with a lover, involving this spirit.

This familiar spirit assists the new witch in getting acquainted with their new abilities, and in obtaining the necessities of daily living. It can be sent forth to gather information that is of interest to the witch. When sent to return-to-sender or cause some disruption to another, it is the spirit and not the witch that does the deed, thus no back lash falls on the witch. That's splitting hairs, if you ask me.