I think I was a familiar

Not recently. A long time ago, and I became my own entity at some point. But for various reasons, that's what I feel I am at my core. My phantom limbs and worldview don't seem to fit any mythical kin or any animals I know of on Earth. I have natural abilities for energy manipulation, etc. I have a tendency to hunt anything smaller than me on the energy plain and have scared off things I shouldn't be able to.

So, anyone have any thoughts that might blow holes in this theory? <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s -->

vampyre_smiles Wrote:Not recently. A long time ago, and I became my own entity at some point. But for various reasons, that's what I feel I am at my core. My phantom limbs and worldview don't seem to fit any mythical kin or any animals I know of on Earth. I have natural abilities for energy manipulation, etc. I have a tendency to hunt anything smaller than me on the energy plain and have scared off things I shouldn't be able to.

So, anyone have any thoughts that might blow holes in this theory? <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s -->

I'm a bit confused. How does identifying as a familiar have anything to do with energy manipulation or hunting things in the "energy plain"? As far as I know, familiars are spirits (animals, ancestors, etc.) that aid magical practitioners in their tasks. I could be wrong in that. But please explain how you came to this conclusion.

Some familiars are physical. Pets that a wiccan/pagan has that was led to them.
Some familiars aid the witch in their workings and have a presence or a energy quirk about them.
Its not unheard of..

Caution there fair fanged. Most are not pets, it's actually pretty rare for a familiar to be in a physical form. Despite the 101 books spreading it around, and despite that pets can lend a hand to magical workings, a pet who happens to be owned by a Wiccan/Pagan is not a familiar.

I realize that. My cat does nothing for my workings.
I know atleast one pair of witches that had a physical familiar.
She simply lingered when the ritual took place, more like guarding.

But yeah, I've only heard of one.
I don't really deal with spirit familiars in that kind of term.

I wasn't for helping directly. I was a guard against any nasties that tried to interfere.

vampyre_smiles Wrote:My phantom limbs and worldview don't seem to fit any mythical kin or any animals I know of on Earth.

Just because nothing on earth fits doesn't mean you're automatically a familiar or something. Just means you're probably not something found on earth or in human myths-kin.

vampyre_smiles Wrote:I have natural abilities for energy manipulation, etc.

So do a lot of people, otherkin or otherwise.

vampyre_smiles Wrote:I have a tendency to hunt anything smaller than me on the energy plain and have scared off things I shouldn't be able to.

Who's to say you shouldn't have been able to?

Honestly, from what you've said it sounds more like you're some kind of guardian type thinger than a familiar. Familiars, as it's been said, aid a practitioner in their workings with energy and the like. From what you've described so far, I can't think of anything specific that those "traits" point to other than an individual who's adept at energy work and has phantom limb sensations. I'd just keep on keeping on. Sometimes I really do think that if searching just gets frustrating the best thing you can do is just drop everything, stop pursuing it, and see what happens.

Seraphyna Wrote:

vampyre_smiles Wrote:My phantom limbs and worldview don't seem to fit any mythical kin or any animals I know of on Earth.

Just because nothing on earth fits doesn't mean you're automatically a familiar or something. Just means you're probably not something found on earth or in human myths-kin.

This I agree with and yes there are other explanations.

Quote:

vampyre_smiles Wrote:I have natural abilities for energy manipulation, etc.

So do a lot of people, otherkin or otherwise.

Ok. Add "above and beyond what most could do with my amount of training".

Quote:

vampyre_smiles Wrote:I have a tendency to hunt anything smaller than me on the energy plain and have scared off things I shouldn't be able to.

Who's to say you shouldn't have been able to?

In this case, it's not a matter of able. There's a lot of things both you and I are able to do, but don't for one reason or other. This is something I just do. It's not even conscious any more.

Quote:Honestly, from what you've said it sounds more like you're some kind of guardian type thinger than a familiar. Familiars, as it's been said, aid a practitioner in their workings with energy and the like.

I think I'll keep looking because, although "familiar" does feel right, there's the matter of what duties a familiar has, and what other traits makes them a familiar. I always considered familiars as spirits that help the magician in some way, not just directly, and have a certain link to that person. Then again, I could have been a creature falling under my definition, but not under yours.

For me, the word familiar feels more like your saying pet. A very useful pet, but a creature that you somehow control or apply your will to it.
I use the term ally, because the spirits I work with are not under my command, more they help when asked and always in the spirit of loyalty or
affection. Plus, a familiar feels more like a physical sense, whether an actual pet or somehow linked with an object.

I don't know, just an interpretation.

vampyre_smiles Wrote:I always considered familiars as spirits that help the magician in some way, not just directly, and have a certain link to that person. Then again, I could have been a creature falling under my definition, but not under yours.

i refer to myself as a familiar since i used to be a magician's companion. i was under his control to some degree, but not bound like a servant, it was more of a close relationship. also, i agree that familiars don't need to be physical in nature (obviously) - my definition just says "a magician's companion and helper".

then again, vampyre_smiles, i still don't understand why you think you're a familiar. phantom limbs, a talent for energy work, world view etc. don't say a lot. a tendency to hunt anything smaller than yourself actually goes against your claims, since it doesn't help your master if you eat or scare the beings they work with.

i'm not trying to "blow holes", just saying that your reasons, so far, aren't very solid.

hope that helps.