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nimdreamsA new part of my identity as a dog that I haven't mentioned here yet, is that of a familiar. In the past I have questioned and confirmed multiple identities that are around a guardian spirit, eidolon (summon with a bond to a summoner) and magical being, but none of them felt quite right enough to stick. Since then a friend has opened my eyes to the magic of dogs and dogs as familiars to witches. I have taken a bit of time to ponder this on my own, but now I feel like sharing.
Dogs as familiars have powerful protective magic I have learned. I have personally also looked into the power of dogs as healers. These two attributes, protection and healing, are big parts of my magical identity. I have also felt like I was a powerful being, but bound to a human. This is seen in the dog/owner relationship, but even more strongly in the familiar/witch relationship. There is a really deep and strong connection there.
I like to fantasize about my witch and about being a familiar. Familiars are sometimes also called imps and were believed to be shapeshifters. I only identify as a dog familiar, but I find it fun to imagine myself as a more supernatural familiar. None of that is truly noemata so far, it is just something I like to think about.
I still feel a connection to eidolon too, especially a komainu eidolon. I have labeled it a paratype for now as it has so much in common with being a dog familiar.
As I stepped into exploration of my dogness and being a familiar, I took a step back from labeling myself as a particular breed. I want to focus more on being dog and less on specific breed, but I cannot really let it go yet. I keep looking for which breed best represents me, as I don't really get phantom shifts and my envisage shifts can be of whichever breed I am trying on. It's taking me a little longer to really settle on a breed, but I feel very happy, comfortable and confident as a dog for the first time. I know breeds aren't that important, but I would just like to have a self image and way to present myself in the community.
Dogs as familiars have powerful protective magic I have learned. I have personally also looked into the power of dogs as healers. These two attributes, protection and healing, are big parts of my magical identity. I have also felt like I was a powerful being, but bound to a human. This is seen in the dog/owner relationship, but even more strongly in the familiar/witch relationship. There is a really deep and strong connection there.
I like to fantasize about my witch and about being a familiar. Familiars are sometimes also called imps and were believed to be shapeshifters. I only identify as a dog familiar, but I find it fun to imagine myself as a more supernatural familiar. None of that is truly noemata so far, it is just something I like to think about.
I still feel a connection to eidolon too, especially a komainu eidolon. I have labeled it a paratype for now as it has so much in common with being a dog familiar.
As I stepped into exploration of my dogness and being a familiar, I took a step back from labeling myself as a particular breed. I want to focus more on being dog and less on specific breed, but I cannot really let it go yet. I keep looking for which breed best represents me, as I don't really get phantom shifts and my envisage shifts can be of whichever breed I am trying on. It's taking me a little longer to really settle on a breed, but I feel very happy, comfortable and confident as a dog for the first time. I know breeds aren't that important, but I would just like to have a self image and way to present myself in the community.
