Pets & Magick
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For us humans, pets have long been our companions, offering unconditional love, loyalty, and a sense of comfort. As someone who walks a magical path, you may even consider your pet to be your familiar: a protector and guide, a companion, spiritual ally, and font of energy. (Yes, yes, the term "familiar" is going to mean different things in different practices, but today we're talking about animals not entities so don't jump down my throat, 'kay?)
Whether you're looking to enhance their lives with protective spells or incorporate their natural gifts into your magickal practice, the bond you share with your pet can deepen both your connection to them and your craft.
Magick for Pets
The health, happiness, and safety of our pets is important to us. Why else would we take them in and allow them to mooch off of us for food, vet appointments, cozy beds, to claw up our couches and have accidents on the rug? Because we love them and they love us! Here are a few enchantment ideas to help improve your pet's overall life and wellbeing.
Protective Charms for Collars
Craft or purchase a small charm to attach to your pet's collar to ward off negativity and promote health. If they don't have a collar, you can attach it to their crate or cage. Bells are also an excellent option for this as they actively provide sound cleansing and uplifting energy. While you could make a small pouch with herbs, please be cautious and do your research as many herbs can be toxic to animals and in the event that the pouch breaks open falls off, you wouldn't want it to harm your pet.
Here are a few options I would recommend (paid links):
Blessed Water
Create charged water by setting it under the full moon and blessing it with intentions of health and vitality. Add a splash to their drinking water, gently anoint their fur/scales/feathers/skin, or to rinse them after a bath. If you have a fish, you could even pour the water into their tank (so long as it is the specified variety that they need).
Home Protection Spells
Pets are deeply sensitive to energies in the home. It is also where they spend most, if not all, of their time. Be sure to cleanse your space regularly (instructions here). You can also place crystals such as black tourmaline or selenite near their bed, crate, tank, window ledge, o r cage to absorb negativity and provide a calming influence in their favorite comfort spot.
Candle Ritual for Healing
If your pet is unwell, carve their name into a white candle as well as symbols of healing and recovery. Charge it with your intentions to help them recover and then light the candle. Sit with them during the ritual, channeling your love and healing energy into them as well as the flame.
Magick with Pets
Pets are natural magickal beings, and their unique traits can enhance your craft.
Shed Fur and Feathers
Collect fur, feathers, whiskers, skin or whatever your animal sheds naturally to use as a spell ingredient. These items carry your pet’s essence and can be added to spells or provide a link for ancestor work (if your pet has passed). Here are a few suggestions:
Whiskers (any animal) for balance, communication, or anything to do with the senses
Cat fur for psychic awareness, clarity, creativity
Dog fur for protection, guidance, loyalty, friendship
Rabbit fur for fertility, abundance, luck
Snake skin for change/transformation, banishing, healing
Bird feathers for clarity, peace, anti-anxiety, creativity/inspiration
Hermit crab shells for home, protection, communication
These are just a handful of suggestions. You may even consider correspondences that are specific to your pet's breed or color. As always, your personal experience can also dictate the significance of an item and therefore its magical correspondence for you. For example, I adopted my cat after I found him as a kitten meowing in the bushes outside of my patio and instantly fell in love. So not only would I consider his fur to correspond to all the usual cat symbolism and specifically black cat symbolism, but I would also use it in any spells to meet new people, make a good first impression, strengthen a bond, when seeking something lost, to be heard, etc.
Observing Their Behavior
Animals are intuitive and often sense energies we cannot. Consider stories of pets living in haunted houses or pet behavior just before an earthquake. Pay attention to where your pet lingers, how they act during rituals, or how they respond to certain humans. Their instincts can guide you and help you to strengthen your own.
"Spirit Animal" Connection
(I say "spirit animal" for lack of a better term. I am not knowledgeable enough on Native American beliefs surrounding spirit animals to speak on them.) Your pet might embody traits that align with certain energies, archetypes, or traits. For example, owls embody wisdom (although they're pretty rare pets) and dogs are widely known for their loyalty. Meditate on what they represent and consider how their energy can inspire or amplify those energies in your home and life.
Shared Rituals
Involve your pet in rituals by creating a calming, sacred space for them to sit with you. They can act as energetic guardians, ground your work, or amplify your focus. Try bringing their bed into the room and include it inside of your sacred space. Just consider the energy level of your pet and what you need for your working. An energetic puppy can help raise energy for you, and a chill cat will help to calm and focus you.
Meditation Focus
If your pet is a relatively calm animal, they can make a great meditation focus. Sit down as you would to meditate on your own with your pet in your lap or next to you. Simply stroke and pet them in a rhythmic motion and allow that to be your meditative focus.
This practice can also develop a stronger bond between the two of you and soothe anxiety for the both of you.
Protector of the Home
As I mentioned before, your pet likely spends most of their time in your home, so they may as well assist in protecting it. Yes, even if they are contained to a tank or are a teacup poodle that nobody would ever find threatening. This is their space too and they have an interest in protecting it.
Sit with your pet and cuddle or pet them and say to them, "This is our shared home. I charge you with the task of guarding our safety and space here. Guard over this house and warn me of any potential dangers. This is the duty I trust you with."
Ethical Considerations
Always prioritize your pet’s comfort and well-being. Avoid overwhelming them with scents, smoke, loud noises, or intense energies during rituals. Their involvement should always be voluntary and never forced.
In both the mundane and the mystical, our pets are cherished allies. By honoring their presence in your life and your craft, you create a magickal connection that transcends the physical and opens new doors to spiritual growth.
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