Liber ab Familia (Book of Familiars—Condensed^1225
Body—In terms of kin familiar, we can make body connections by playing with our
critters. Dogs love to play tug and ferrets love to play attack the toes. In the case of
kith familiars, visit them. If they are an exotic, go to the zoo. If they are wild, go to
the woods. If your kith familiar is Dog, go to the pound. Know that whenever your
kin familiar is of a line, that line tends to become kith familiar as well. That is to say,
if your kin familiar is a dog, then Dog is probably one of your kith familiars.
But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that connections of the body are always
a pleasant thing. If you have chosen Dog (or if Dog has chosen you) as kith, then
donate your time to your local pound. If you have been adopted by Ferret, then
donate your time to a ferret rescue service. This might mean shoveling manure, but
in so doing you will receive the rewards of communion. While there might be blis-
ters on your hand, there will also be love in your heart.Spirit—In this world where we connect money to material things, we can see how re-
leasing money is in the order of spirit. Support your kith and kin familiar. This can
also be a viable way of bringing an exotic from the status of kith familiar into the
realm of kin familiar without actually bringing an exotic into your home. Most zoos
have adoption programs where you can pay either the total or even a portion of a
critter’s upkeep. Use the connections you made with your mind, your discovery of
the critter’s state, to fuel the spirit of protest and public outreach.I have said that neither reading about, meeting, nor dreaming about a critter makes
it your familiar. This is because the order in which we use the word familiar denotes a
connection of mind, body, and soul. While two out of three is not a bad thing, or even
one out of three, such connections do not denote the personal level at which the word
familiar is used. It is kind of like being in love. Surely we have all used that term long
before we knew what it meant, but when we really find ourselves in love, we know what
it is with our mind, body, and soul. Unfortunately, that connection does not communi-
cate well in words. When you meet one of your familiars, be it kith or kin, you will know
it with your mind, body, and soul. Chances are that connection won’t be easily commu-
nicated to other people, but what the hell? At least you will understand that crazy cat
woman at the end of the block. That, and for whatever value it has, I will love you all
the more for it. After all, us animal lovers have to stick together.
Note: This condensed version of Liber ab Familiars has been shortened for space
considerations. I hope to present the removed material separately such that this book
can fulfill its intent as study material for the second degree.Chapter Dedication
This chapter is dedicated to my loving mother,
who was worried about how horrible I would feel after
a failed rescue effort, but who never discouraged me from
making the attempt. And to Thumper and Fred, my close friends,
who passed during the creation of this book.t WB Chap 12.p65 225 7/11/2003, 5:55 PM