So I’ve had an idea when reading about invocations of angelic/demonic forces and could use some help in developing a way to do this. Could one invoke the spirit of the collective of a certain animal species to gain traits of that specific animal? For example could one invoke say, the collective spirit of all lions as a singular entity to embody the traits they both exhibit in nature and the traits we give them in various cultures ie might, pride, nobility, grace etc. And if this is possible without losing oneself to the primal aspects of the animal, how would one go about this? Is there a general formula for invoking that can be adapted to various entities that I can use? I understand that for many of the more favorable animals there exist deities or other spirits associated with them but I would be more interested in cultivating relationships with the animals themselves. Any tips on whether this can work, has been done before, or even if its not a good idea to perform these kind of things with less evolved creatures would be appreciated.
This is basically what shamans do when they “shapeshift” by dancing in animal skins.
There is a book about the process by the author Lupa, called Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone that discusses the process and may be helpful.
You can invoke totem animals and power animals definitely. As for a collective, in my recent workings, I am connecting with more than one of the same totem at once so I guess it’s similar?
The traits you can gain them but unless you do it over a period of time, they fade away. With Jaguar I became brutally honest and gave no fucks, with bear I’m more relaxed and with wolf my intuition is off the chart. Tiger boosts vitality and lion makes me feel like a king.
I never reached that point tbh so I honestly don’t know but animal guides will help you control yourself. Animals aren’t really chaotic to be jonest they just thrive on instinct.
Thank you, ill check out that book. I figured it was similar to shamanistic/native animal magick but i was approaching it from a more western ceremonial viewpoint. However i think that using these traditional methods would be more immersive and for lack of a better word, fun so i think ill do just that.
Interesting, before coming to magick i frequently identified with animal species and tried to incorporate their aspects through different stages of my life so i may have been doing a rudimentary form of this unknowingly. Ill look more into totems and that form of traditional spirituality so i can purposefully perform it in the future.
Yep. to gain any real benefit from it however it’s important that you’re able to detach from your “self” enough to actually acquire and keep those traits. As for what you’re actually invoking think of it in terms of the platonic idea of forms or the mythological Raven and Coyote who represent all members of their species.
Shamans use drums, masks and skins to reach an altered state and become the animal, magicians use candles, robes, circles and chants to call down similar forces, but It’s all the same process of psychodrama in the end. Ceremonial methods are not that far removed from the more shamanic methods as one might think.
I think combining the two could be an interesting experiment. Good luck!
I shape-shift in the physical by using either ankle rattles and a drum or rattle held in hand and stomping feet, i’ve never chosen an animal, but different animals tend to come depending on the method used. I will transform into the animal by seeing my “shadow” turn into that animal and feeling traits of that animal or i would see animal paws over my hands/feet. you don’t literally see only animal paws and not your own hands, it’s sort of ghost paws over your own, yes sometimes you do get the sensation of taking the animals form. you will sweat your ass off and be exhausted, it’s not uncommon to faint from exhaustion. which leads me too…
shape-shifting during a Journey, you’re not physically shape-shifting but your awareness is taking a different skin. im speaking of whats commonly known as Gnosis, a experience where you “leave” your body and your being swept away, you have some control but more often than not your being lead by a spirit/animal etc. often times it feels like you were gone for a very long time but realize when you come back it was only a few seconds to a minute.
i already explained how to physically shape-shift, just focus on the movement of your body and the physical sound, it’ll either happen or it wont. Journeying through Gnosis takes developing the ability to let yourself go very deep into trance by using a Drum or Rattle. then take either of these posture.
focus on the physical act of taking the posture, let it be a portal that opens into another place, often times i get the feeling of “clicking” into place as if the posture itself was a missing piece of a puzzle. these postures do have spirits within them, be appreciative of the experience had. and befriend and feed them.