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pyewacket
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 For those who practice animal magic
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I would like to know about peoples opinions on the subject of using animal parts in the field of animal magic.
I practice magic often and I am happy to scavenge pieces of bone or other earthy trinkets from hillsides or woodland. I also use items such as fur and leather which I salvage from second hand shop coats for example. My attitude towards taxidermy varies. I can appreciate taxidermy... I own a couple of tails which I incorporate into my dance rituals as well as objects such as ram horns and antlers. Quite a while ago I read a book (although the title and author escapes me) in which the author said that they often use animals parts in their magic because they felt that they could give the parts a more dignified existence than being a trophy or something to mount on the wall. I wholly agree with this.
However, I have seen forms of taxidermy which make me feel absolutely terrible. I went to a historical building in the spring with my family. One of the rooms functioned as a showcase for one of the previous owners hunting trophies. I was horrified, especially at the condition in which the items were in. They were so old that the skins were literally crumbling from their mounts.
It’s a very divided field of discussion. I am not looking to spark arguments but I am curious about how people feel about this subject.
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 Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:10 pm
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Ione
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If I'm understanding you correctly, you mean using animal parts in magic working? I'm not a person for rituals myself, but I do have a few feathers I keep on my altar, as well as rocks and dried roses and stuff.
For me personally I would use animal parts if I came across an animal that had died naturally, or if I found something that the animal no longer needed, like antlers that had fallen off or feathers that had fallen off. It means more to me if I can get what I need in a way that doesn't inconvenience the animal. I don't take something if it doesn't feel "right" either, meaning if I touch it and the energy doesn't work with me, I won't take it.
As per trophy mounts, they make me kind of upset, to think that someone would stop a life so that they could hang the head on a wall. It seems frivolous to me (and this coming from someone with relatives who do/have hunted). And to keep it clear, I see hunting as natural, as animals do it, however....I think many people hunt in excess to what they need to survive, which I see as unnatual.
I guess my own personal rule is "Don't go into nature and do something that goes against the natural flow".
That's just my opinion though ^-^
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:34 pm
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pyewacket
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Ione
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Thank you very much Iyeko! ^-^
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:48 pm
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Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.-Sarah Williams
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Luinbariel
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I agree so far, pretty much. If the part was naturally discarded or something along those lines, then it would probably be of more use and most importantly would make you FEEL better.
I think that if you got a part you couldn't quite be sure of the methods with which it was "created" well... it might put a dampener on things and bring you down.
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:18 pm
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Seraphyna
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Lupa's book Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone covers this subject nicely 
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:47 pm
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pyewacket
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Actually, I think that may be the book I originally referred to! Thank you Seraphyna. Yes, I'd reccomend it too.
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:52 pm
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Midnight Dragon
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I have read over all of what was wrote..... I do two diffrent types of animal magick one is dragon and the other is animal. now your animal parts I have a nice little collection going but i think they were left on the ground for me to find them I found deer ant. I have sculls and bones all kinds of little things that i think i was expected to see always on my path..... I how ever have not used anything dead I do not hink that I could but that is someone personal pre. Everyone has there own collection as mine has grow over the years with this and oils and herbs and candles and much much more I love what i do and I love being outside i feel free when im there... but back to the matter at hand I love animals of all and i think as long as you dont hurt them your self then Im ok with it.
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:54 pm
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Nanara
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My focus, when I do take things, is on respect.
I think hunting for pleasure is barbaric and extremely speciesist. But hunting for food is "natural". I'm not a hunter, I only eat meat because I need to eat, not because I like to. So if someone said I had to hunt to eat meat, I could maybe only fish.. and that's a big maybe. This is because of my buddhist tendancies, that every life is precious and has a right to live. But, I'm aware of other people with other needs. For example, my brother is a carnivore, always has been, and if he was forced to hunt for meat, he probably would and it would be natural and good for him to do that, because that's a part of his nature and his biological imperative.
For magick, I personally wouldn't take anything that I wasn't given or that I didn't find myself, and I probably wouldn't take anything that involved me causing the death of an animal to get it, for my magickal practices. That's because it's not in my biological instinctive nature to hunt and kill. I collect stones, and feathers, and on occation pieces of bone left behind. For me it about respecting the life of those creatures. Why should they suffer for my spiritual needs?
But... I also respect that others have a different nature to me, and different needs. If my brother were to hunt a rabbit, cook the meat and eat it, then use the skins and fur, and what-have-you for a magickal ritual, that would be his business, that would be his spiritual process, and I'd respect that. But if he were to kill the rabbit, take it's feet to sell as lucky charms, that wouldn't be right in my eyes. There's no respect for that animal's life, no respect for the source of that life or for the cost to that life for the hunter's pleasure, and the wasted meat and fur and other resources in that rabbit's body.
I don't know if that all made sense.. lol
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:29 am
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frostdraco
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animal magic
hunting
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I agree, every life is precous, but im a hunter its in my draconian blood and i enjoy it. As for animal magic, us elementals call it beast magic. Its very helpful too. It can also be used to transmute biological substances(such as turn into an animal).
DruidboyZ off in this hoe. Peace!
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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:25 am
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Seraphyna
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Re: animal magic
hunting
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| frostdraco wrote: |
I agree, every life is precous, but im a hunter its in my draconian blood and i enjoy it. As for animal magic, us elementals call it beast magic. Its very helpful too. It can also be used to transmute biological substances(such as turn into an animal).
DruidboyZ off in this hoe. Peace! |
Wait, what? You don't have "draconian blood"...you have human blood. If you don't believe me, go get a DNA test. Our inner selves have no bearing on our currently human outer selves. Second, turning into an animal (here on earth) is physically impossible. This is due to the laws of physics, biology, chemistry, anatomy, etc. Basically every natural scientific law on this plane prohibits physical shapeshifting.
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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:49 pm
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*Everything I post comes with a built-in "I believe." It's annoying having to restate that fact over and over again. What I post is a reflection of personal belief. Nothing more.*
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frostdraco
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yes
so wat
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What i mean by draconian blood is that im from the race of draconians. We are a race that has been here for some time. And we are human but we retain our animal sides also our instincts. We are also stronger and are teeth are simalar to a drgons by that i mean almost as hard as diamonds. Our bones are also denser than yours. With magic any thing is possible.
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Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:16 pm
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Tilia
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I doubt your teeth are as hard as diamonds, unless you have some really expensive dentures! Magic makes a lot of things possible, but remember that there are still the rules of physics in action on this plane.
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Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:27 pm
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Luinbariel
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I have to agree with Tilia... I don't think the human body can produce substances needed to grow teeth that hard.
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Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:05 pm
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chaitea
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frostdraco, can you post an image of your teeth
and if possible a video of you biting threw, oh say something obviously no typical human jaw can crush?
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Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
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