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Black Cats Witches Familiar

January 13, 2012 by · Comments Off on Black Cats Witches Familiar 

Black Cats Witches FamiliarBlack Cats Witches Familiar, A late sixteenth-century illustration of a witch feeding her familiars from England.
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits (sometimes referred to simply as “familiars”) were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to the records of the time, they would appear in numerous guises, often as an animal, but also at times as a human or humanoid figure, and were described as “clearly defined, three-dimensional forms, vivid with colour and animated with movement and sound” by those alleging to have come into contact with them, unlike later descriptions of ghosts with their “smoky, undefined form[s]”.

When they served witches, they were often thought to be malevolent, while when working for cunning-folk they were often thought of as benevolent (although there was some ambiguity in both cases). The former were often categorised as demons, while the latter were more commonly thought of and described as fairies. The main purpose of familiars is to serve the witch or young witch, providing protection for him/her as they come into their new powers.

Since the twentieth century a number of magical practitioners, including adherents of the Neopagan religion of Wicca, have begun to utilise the concept of familiars, due to their association with older forms of magic.

Black Cat Superstition Origin

January 13, 2012 by · Comments Off on Black Cat Superstition Origin 

Black Cat Superstition Origin, Black Cats Superstition: Blame it on their color of darkness or those reflective evil eyes, black cats have been historically blamed for evils of the world. Be it plague or blasphemy, there has been a plethora of allegations on this poor creature, which ironically has been the favorite of many holy men. While cats had their heyday when they were revered, the black cats superstition is widely prevalent today.

Black Cat Superstition Origin: Egypt, The worst phase for the black cats came after Egyptian dominance.

This could be probably due the later rulers that shunned everything that was Egyptian. As breaking the cultural shield is the first route to setting up a new dominance, later empires might have tried to break the belief system and thus induce new hatred which later, through generations, transformed into superstitions.
The origins of this old superstition can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where the Goddess Bast was represented as a black cat. People began to fear black cats because they associated them with the Goddess getting angry with them and causing problems.
Black Cat Myth: Variations Across Geography
Depending on the place one stays, there are various superstitions pertaining to the cats. While in USA or several European countries, a black cat crossing your path is considered unlucky, in places such as Britain and Japan, it is considered lucky.
Other superstitions attached with the cats are:

Scotland: A strange black cat on a porch is considered to bring prosperity.
Italy: Any one who hears a cat sneezing is considered to be blessed with good luck.
America: While dreaming of white cats is considered lucky, seeing one in the night is bad luck.
Netherlands: Cats were considered to be evil and aren’t allowed in a room where private conversations are taking place. It was believed that they could spread the gossip around.
Egypt: It is believed that the life giving rays of the sun rest in the cat’s eyes at night for safe keeping.
Ireland: It is believed that killing a cat brings bad luck for seventeen years.
In the post Christian era, black cats have been associated with witches and continue to be seen as harbingers of doom. Black cats have also been associated with supernatural powers. Many TV series and films have used them to signify occult powers. It is believed that witches could transform in to cats nine times.

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