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The Llewellyn Encyclopedia

Term: Familiar

DEFINITIONS

Familiar: According to ancient lore, a spirit from the Otherworld was believed to dwell within the physical body of an animal or creature. The traditional vessels for such spirits were the cat, mouse, ferret, hare, bat, snake, hound, or bird—particularly a raven or an owl. The lore surrounding the Familiar spirit indicates that a Witch received one following initiation into the Witches' sect.
source: The Witch's Familiar, Raven Grimassi (Llewellyn Publications)


ARTICLES

The Initiatory Tarot of the Golden Dawn Review
Summary: The Initiatory Tarot of the Golden Dawn is an evocative and provocative deck exploring a new vision of tarot that is fresh and exciting while remaining consistent with the Golden Dawn tradition. This deck would be suitable for someone with ...
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The Zodiac Tarot Review
Summary: A unique deck that can aid in understanding astrology basics and the correspondences between the Tarot cards and astrology as made by the Golden Dawn. Also great for psychologically oriented readings. Name of deck: Zodiac Tarot Publisher: ...
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The Path of the Shaman Then and Now
I recently heard a wonderfully simple definition of the word shaman. It was: "A shaman is one who helps people in their dealings with the other worlds." These other worlds are the realms above, beyond, and deep within the experiences of our lives. ...
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Review of the Dark Grimoire Tarot
Summary: As dark and mysterious as the mythic world created by H. P. Lovecraft, The Dark Grimoire Tarot is strongly recommended for those mature enough and brave enough to examine their darker sides, and by coming to know and control those aspects ...
Relevance:  7 % 7%


Review of The Nigel Jackson Tarot
Summary: A unique crossover between older classical designs and the Rider-Waite-Smith pattern, giving it a feeling of antiquity but the familiarity of modern standards. The book itself, with it information on the history of the Tarot and the impact ...
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Crystal Power
Crystals have a history of capturing people's imaginations. The crystal structures are aesthetically pleasing as well as precise, implying an order to the universe thatis reassuring to the pattern-seeking human mind. But crystals are more ...
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The Astral World
The word "astral" comes from the Greek word meaning "related to a star" and it originally described the heavens of the Greeks and the abode of their gods. The concept of the astral world expanded in time to refer to what the ancients called ...
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Review of The Pictorial Key Tarot
Summary: More than just another RWS copy, The Pictorial Key Tarot takes the original RWS concepts and brings them into the 21st century. It uses the same basic symbolism as the RWS, but enhances it in places to make Waite’s original ideas clearer ...
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Review of the Tarot of Mermaids
Summary: The Tarot of Mermaids is an enchanting Rider-Waite-Smith-style deck that can easily be used out of the box for anyone familiar with that system. It is also much more than that, inviting journeys into the murky depths of the waters of our ...
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What Is Involved in Ritual Magic
By now you may be impatiently asking yourself what ritual magic is, and how to perform it. I want to point out before beginning that it is impossible to fully describe such an extensive subject in this small essay. That is why so many excellent ...
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From Freemasonry, by Mark Stavish In 1717, four lodges located in London came together and created the first Grand Lodge, the oldest Masonic Grand Lodge. It is important to re- member that this is the date given for the formation of the Grand Lodge of England, not the beginning of Freemasonry. For the Grand Lodge to have been created, lodges... read this article
Psychic Empowerment Is Not Just for People That Want to Be “Psychic!”
Close Encounter of the First Kind: Red Rocks, December, 2000
They Are Among Us
Psychic Consultations During an Economic Downturn: Relinquishing Your Morning Latte for the Cost of Turning the Tarot Cards
Exercise: Finding Your Power Animal

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