Beyond The Wand

Regarding the spirit animal controversy…

The original, unbastardized meaning of the term “familiar spirit” seems to be pretty close to what pagans use the term “spirit animal” to mean nowadays.

I will henceforth recommend the term to abusers of the word “totem” in place of “spirit animal” (which I was suggesting before) unless anyone can put forth any reasonable objections.  Does anyone have any?

Edit: To make things clearer, I am NOT suggesting that anyone use the word “totem.”  It has a specific meaning and comes from a specific Ojibwe term.  I am considering suggesting that people use “familiar spirit” IN PLACE OF “totem” or “spirit animal.”

Notes

  1. cultofthedead reblogged this from beyond-the-wand and added:
    beyond-the-wand said: I have one. Totem, familiar, spirit and animal are all different things. Nothing about the word...
  2. thiscrookedcrown reblogged this from ayrawn and added:
    I have no overt objections. I have only one thing to say: What do we then call animals that are also spirits? Example:...
  3. ayrawn reblogged this from beyond-the-wand
  4. waffles-chan answered: Nahualli or nagual.
  5. garlicclove said: I have also seen Native Americans object to others using the term totem because most of the people using it have not gone through the difficult rituals (fasting, time alone in the wilderness etc.) that are traditionally required.
  6. garlicclove answered: Totem is associated with native american traditions. And he totem tends to represent the spirit of a whole speicies rather than one animal.
  7. spiritscraft answered: familiar spirits are not usually animals. Its a witch word, not a pagan phrse
  8. beyond-the-wand posted this