From pet memorials to ethically-sourced specimen, animals are the backbone of Oracle. (You know how we love puns.) But honestly, honoring nature is at the core of what we do. So this week we decided to talk about our personal animal companions and some ways that they help us feel connected to the wider world even when we are cooped up at home.
So what do we mean by the term “familiar?” A non-human companion who aids us in our endeavors. You know, your bff that loves you even when they have no idea what you’re talking about or why the heck you do what you do.
Alessandra: I don't think everyone has just one familiar. To me, they are spirits you connect with, befriend or are fated to be part of each others’ lives, who guide you. Out of all my family (all my pets), I feel like certain ones come to me to guide me or remind me of their spirit-guides when I need them most. (Guides in my family: mantis, tarantulas, cats, and ALL the plants). By spending so much time with these beautiful creatures, eventually a subconscious communication begins; which I know a lot of people would find funny when it comes to my insects and tarantulas. But I truly believe they have their own little voices and personalities!
Quinn: I have always felt very connected to animals and their energy. When I first started to explore my spirituality I had a variety of animals come forward as guides. I feel really lucky to be able to work with the energy of some of these allies especially the coyote. The same dragonfly always visits me in meditation. Even though I don’t work with them in a physical sense, honoring them and experiencing their energy through meditation has been a powerful part of my practice.
Laura: Living near a creek, I am lucky to have a fairly wide variety of wild animals in my life on a regular basis despite living in a suburban area. Beautiful blue dragonflies, duck families, heron, coyote, fox, deer, hawks, owls, and ALL the rabbits. Various birds have a way of making a call or song at just the moment I need to hear their message. Over the years, my personal animal companions have mostly been dogs. Each one has been a unique love and shown me through different stages of my life.
Alessandra: I'm sure everyone would assume that my familiar is Niko - and he will yell about it through the computer! I got Tiger and Niko a few months apart, but Niko is my needy, nervous little boy that just needs to get involved in everything and WILL help (even when you don't need him to!) And if that doesn't sound like me, then who knows - maybe Tiger is more appropriate with the silent stares and forlorn glances that make her look like an angry kitty. But she is a big softy inside (... or might be my split personalities, hah!)
Quinn: Last fall I felt my energy shifting and I was taking a class focusing on preparing energetically for the winter months and the shadow work that comes with it. In the class we honored and studied the Goddess Persephone. Everything about her myth felt so empowering to me. I felt inspired by her fearlessness, inspired to be the Queen of my own darkness, but also stay in the light. I loved her embodiment of the cycle of life, death and rebirth. It was everything my Scorpio-Rising spirit needed… And then I fell in love with a snake. I didn't even know I was going to get my familiar when I went to the reptile show that day. I was a little shocked myself initially because I have always been a little afraid of snakes. I knew the moment I saw her that she was supposed to be with me and it felt like the perfect way to honor the Goddess that had done so much for me. Interacting with her is like a meditation. Watching Persephone shed is a beautiful reminder of the process that we are all constantly going through as we grow and evolve. It isn’t easy or comfortable. She is my beautiful reminder to trust my gut, keep it simple and have clear boundaries.
Laura: I have always had a dog in my life. Always. Until mid 2016. For various reasons I waited to adopt again. The time wasn’t right until this past Autumn. I was helping a family member who was struggling and the stress was wearing on our entire family. I knew we needed the help of a dog and we needed it fast. Sadie was just the second dog I visited when I started the adoption search. But the minute she crawled into my arms I knew she was the one. She goes to each member in the household who needs her the most at any given moment. She just knows. It was so special to be able to bring her to work with me at Oracle, where she was our official greeter. She has also “worked” (read: napped in my lap) as I have read Tarot at various outdoor or pet-friendly festivals. When clients came to my studio for private Tarot sessions, Sadie would sit in their lap, watch as they selected their cards, then curl up and snooze while I carried on with the reading. For such a social pup, she’s weathering quarantine well. She crawls into my lap during afternoon meditation sessions and contorts into odd poses. She divides her time amongst the family members fairly evenly. And her favorite hobby is sunbathing on the back porch. She’s our alien elf… Chihuahua and Chinese Crested mix. People, not sure if she’s a dog or cat (or maybe large rodent?) have asked us “what kind of animal IS that?!” “She’s a Texas Wingless-Snow Bat,” is our reply.
Animals have a way of helping us tap into our innate natural wisdom. And when they have touched our hearts, we carry them with us forever. Just quietly sitting with an animal, simply being in each other’s presence, has a way of grounding us. So, if you currently have an animal companion in your life… take some time out to just be with them. Embrace the lessons our animal pals embody: remember to look outside, watch the birds, be fascinated by the movements of flying insects… smell the plants in your garden, breathe deeply when you open a bag of really yummy snacks, take cozy naps… chill on a nice cool floor and soak in some sun, retreat into a cozy dark cave and allow your skin to shed…