Hello, all. I am in the process of performing some preliminary research for an article I'd like to write about the Familiar (or Power Animal, or "Totem"*) in general, and my own Familiar (Snake) in particular! So...I was wondering if, by describing my initial visionary encounter with Snake, anyone here might know of any ethnographic studies that I could use to support or substantiate my own personal experiences with parallel examples! It would also be fascinating to surmise how wide-spread (or not) my own experience may very well be.
It occurred earlier this year while I settled down to sleep; I was having trouble so I began to perform some relaxation and meditative techniques as I began entering deeper and deeper levels of consciousness. Suddenly, I was seemingly thrown into a hypnogogic trance or visionary encounter/experience wherin I suddenly became aware of large chevron motifs that became more and more detailed as they appeared to undulate before my eyes--one chevron motif was slightly darker than the other. As I stared at this pattern before me, I became distinctly aware that I was moving in the same undulating patters, until I came to the realization (all the while, "falling" deeper and deper) that I was riding a gigantic snake--it was my Familiar!
Anyway, we were headed towards a cavernous subterranean tunnel just a head, but--and this is where I would appreciate some "validation"--the entrance of the came seemed to have a crystaline structure covering the entrance--it seemed to have a soft, eerie, glow! Suddenly we were through the tunnel and shuttling downward with great speed--though I don't remember actually passing through this fasceted crystal-like structure!
Once inside, it was here hat I began to look around at my surroundings, only to see--above me--near to the entrance of the cave was a partially exposed skeletal figure hanging from about the upper half of the rib cage with one arm dangling; the figure also coiled by the roots of a tree along the surface.
It was at this point that I was jolted back into waking consciousness. (Damned late-night traffic making a raucous outside my window!) Regardless, my own experience generally fits well with Dr. David Pearce's and Dr. David Lewis-Williams' three-sage neurological typology.
Take Care,
Wade
* Witches initially employed the term "Familiar" to denote a "Power Animal", not unlike the Aztecan nagual--it represented not a singular animal, but the species as a whole; for example, bot A bear, but Bear! It was only until general works of Anthropology became commonplace amoingst Pagans that the term "Totem" came to displace that of "Familiar". However, a "Totem" is, in actuality, a Clan Animal, rather than an individual "Power Animal".
It occurred earlier this year while I settled down to sleep; I was having trouble so I began to perform some relaxation and meditative techniques as I began entering deeper and deeper levels of consciousness. Suddenly, I was seemingly thrown into a hypnogogic trance or visionary encounter/experience wherin I suddenly became aware of large chevron motifs that became more and more detailed as they appeared to undulate before my eyes--one chevron motif was slightly darker than the other. As I stared at this pattern before me, I became distinctly aware that I was moving in the same undulating patters, until I came to the realization (all the while, "falling" deeper and deper) that I was riding a gigantic snake--it was my Familiar!
Anyway, we were headed towards a cavernous subterranean tunnel just a head, but--and this is where I would appreciate some "validation"--the entrance of the came seemed to have a crystaline structure covering the entrance--it seemed to have a soft, eerie, glow! Suddenly we were through the tunnel and shuttling downward with great speed--though I don't remember actually passing through this fasceted crystal-like structure!
Once inside, it was here hat I began to look around at my surroundings, only to see--above me--near to the entrance of the cave was a partially exposed skeletal figure hanging from about the upper half of the rib cage with one arm dangling; the figure also coiled by the roots of a tree along the surface.
It was at this point that I was jolted back into waking consciousness. (Damned late-night traffic making a raucous outside my window!) Regardless, my own experience generally fits well with Dr. David Pearce's and Dr. David Lewis-Williams' three-sage neurological typology.
Take Care,
Wade
* Witches initially employed the term "Familiar" to denote a "Power Animal", not unlike the Aztecan nagual--it represented not a singular animal, but the species as a whole; for example, bot A bear, but Bear! It was only until general works of Anthropology became commonplace amoingst Pagans that the term "Totem" came to displace that of "Familiar". However, a "Totem" is, in actuality, a Clan Animal, rather than an individual "Power Animal".
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