Aranahk

The above gif is from the television show "Supernatural," and was found (uncredited) on Tumblr. While I haven't seen the episode in question, the point made is nonetheless important here. I'm going to discuss two concepts this entry, Familiars and Soulbonding.

Most every Pagan has heard of Familiars, and most regard a physical animal important in their lives as their Familiar. While that may be true in some cases, it is a bit misleading. A Familiar is a spirit that assists a Witch, that may sometimes take on the form of an animal on this physical plane. However, the form on this plane is not necessarily indicative of the spirit's astral/true form. It is however accurate to say that the spirit is strongly tied to the Witch, as stated in the opening gif. (A note about the word "Master"; I can't speak for the show's writers, but in our context, "Master" here would hold not a controlling, ownership connotation, but one similar to that implicit in "Master's Degree." It means one has learned all one can about the subject at hand, in this case the Witch about their Familiar, and so knows it inside and out and any which (Witch? *grin*) way.)

We'll return to Familiars shortly, but first I want to introduce and discuss Soulbonding.

Soulbonding is the term applied to the phenomenon of hearing the voices of, perceiving the existence of, or otherwise forming a connection to so-called "fictional characters," and was coined by an online writing group. The definition has, however, expanded, and now one does not need to be a writer at all to experience Soulbonding. One simply has to feel a deep, profound, active connection to a "character" from any media. Theories and opinions vary in the Soulbonding community about whether these "characters"/'Bonds enjoy sentience on their own or are constructs of the 'Bonder's psyche, however it is my personal opinion that Multiverse Theory, Many-Worlds Interpretation, Polytheistic Psychology, and World as Myth/Pantheistic Solipsism are all true. For further information and perspectives on Soulbonding, please visit Soulbonding on Wordpress.

But what do Soulbonds have to do with Familiars?

( Read on... )

Does any of this prove that Soulbonds (or Familiars, for that matter) are real? Well, to hardened skeptics, no, certainly not (after all, “For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.” -Stuart Chase). But as Rhett Aultman says in his post concerning Atheist Paganism, objective reality is secondary to the effects and results produced; "I might not think that Hermes is 'real', but that doesn't mean that I can't aspire to be like Hermes, make art that represents Hermes, talk about Hermes, do things and claim Hermes did them, dress like Hermes, act like Hermes, get other people to call me Hermes, or be Hermes...for myself or others...for a time. Just because something isn't real doesn't mean that you can't experience it." And for most Pagan paths, and Sorgae especially, it is the experience that matters most.