Do you let your dog make important decisions? We do sometimes. For example, we were trying to decide which beach on the Washington coast to visit with our family. Our dog appeared quite attentive to our discussion of the pros and cons of several, so we asked him which one he wanted to visit. We read three of them aloud and he wagged his tail at number two. We did this three times; each time he picked the second beach. We asked him, “Are you sure?” He woofed. So, that is where we went. All places were new to him and to us, so it was a form of divination—and you know what? It was perfect for all of us.
Dog Magic, Totems & Omens
Dogs have been used for divination, magic, and paranormal exploration since they first started scaring phantoms away from Neanderthal campfires. For thousands of years, Dog Spirit and other divine canines have been invoked magically to heal, protect, and banish and to help develop psychic powers. It is therefore not surprising that shamans, witches, sorcerers, priests, priestesses, and magic makers throughout history used dog spirits, familiars, and totems to accomplish their magic. Even the great adept Agrippa and the dark sorcerer Faust had black dog familiars to help them conjure and see spirits.
My husband grew up in a large old house on the East Coast and he always talked about how the family dog Fido barked at things that weren’t there, especially at one spot on their staircase. How many of you have had this experience? We know many who have. It seems our faithful dogs guard us from things that go bump in the night as well as burglars.
Dogs and dog images have often guarded temples, homes, and sacred places from demonic beings. Even today you will find dog statues at the entrance to mansions, though most have forgotten why they are there. In other countries, such as China where Foo Dogs guard in the same way, people still remember.
Dogs themselves can also protect us. The Parsee believe that dog breath will banish evil spirits or energies, probably because it is not so pleasant. The Parsee also use dogs as a medium for communicating with the dead.
Dogs can act as mediums. A number of shamanic cultures describe ageless traditions of human souls possessing dogs for the purpose of communication, divination, or sorcery.
Dogs were considered as particularly magical sacrifices in the past as well, poor things. During the hot dog days in ancient Rome, as pestilence threatened the populace, priests sacrificed dogs to the gods. A black dog in Greece and Rome was often offered to Hecate to ward off illness or for spells of protection or revenge. The Iroquois Native Americans long ago sacrificed a white dog at the New Year’s ceremony so the dog sacrifice could bring all the prayers of the tribe to the attention of the Great Spirit.
In Mesoamerica, the Mayan, who venerated dogs, sacrificed a spotted dog to stop or avert a calamity such as earthquake or famine. Such ritually offered beings could intercede with the gods or offer a burst of powerful occult energy, though the practice seems barbaric today.
Today, symbolic dog charms replace the practice of actual sacrificial offerings. In Japan, a wooden dog “Emma” (a small wooden prayer plaque) is left at shrines to grant wishes, and omamori (“charms”) of sumo dogs are sold at shrines and temples to keep a home or business safe. Foo lion-dogs and Inari foxes are placed in front of shrines, this is similar to dog statues found at the entrances of temples in ancient Babylon, Greece, and Rome. At many of these shrines, the dog was often called the “magical protector” of the Goddess and those who worshipped her. We have a dog omamori we got at a Japanese Shinto shrine hanging from the mirror of our car with the dog looking out the window, magically keeping dumb drivers away. It is funny to see our dog leaning his head out the window in a similar fashion.
In several cultures, small dog charms are buried under entryways or carried on one’s person. In Taoist magic, straw dog charms catch, filter, and hold curses so they can be burned and eliminated.
Dogs also possess magical power as sacred ancestors or totem spirits in various cultures. To those who practice Norse magic (Seidr) the wolf is a powerful totem and spiritual force. Asatru followers even today use this power in their work. Amongst the Vikings and similar cultures, magical possession by this power conferred great strength, bravery, and fierceness along with resistance to pain and injury. This is likely how some of the werewolf legends arose. Shamans encountered wolf or dog spirits regularly from early on when exploring the spirit world. Another example is the ancient Irish dog bards (“Cainte”) whose songs of satire could curse people. Even in today’s modern armies, so-called “dog soldiers” are some of the fiercest and most loyal fighters.
Many deities, especially goddesses including Belit-ili, Gula, and Hecate, have appeared in the form of dogs in visions and dreams to give blessing and messages to their devotees. Dog spirits can also manifest as natural forces, like in the Philippines where the dog god Kimat represents lightning that can “bite” things. Calling upon these gods can prevent lightning damage.
Ever heard of “hair of the dog that bit you?” Though now it means to drink a bit to lessen a hangover, it references an old tradition of sympathetic dog magic. Having dog or wolf hair, especially from a dog that bit you, was an ancient protective measure against rabies.
It saddens me to describe certain practices and one of these is the tradition of using parts of wolves or dogs as charms. Many consider various parts of a canine to be imbued with magical power, and many spells around the world call for such things. Hunters and warriors from the earliest times wore wolf teeth and fur for fierceness, power, and protection and to take on a “predator” vibe. Vikings were well known for this practice. Wolf skin was not only said to cure rabies, but a wolf tail repelled evil spirits and sleeping with a wolf head under the bed cured bad dreams, though it seems more likely it would cause them!
Dog teeth were said to protect from a variety of problems, including curses, and dog skin was a favorite medium in ancient times for inscribing runes or spells. In one medieval grimoire, it is said that if you wrote the name of a sick person on a dog then drove it off, it also sent the illness away. One wonders what would happen if the dog returned!
Black dogs are often cited as power animals in Western sorcery. Supposedly, blood from such a dog smeared in someone’s house breaks all curses in that place, while some of that same blood on your eyelids gave you the second sight. Dog hair was used for protection and was burned in incense to invoke spirits. Such hair is still carried as a charm against evil in several countries.
The charm, power, and aid our canine familiars give us is far more magical than any part of their body, on this we can agree. But all the different ways dogs were used in ancient sorcery also demonstrates how magical they are.
Dogs have also been used for omens and fortunetelling. While we were in Cambodia, we had a fortuneteller use his dog to pick us a paper inscribed with a fortune. The experience was amazing and really fun, the dog looked at us and then seemed to carefully pick a paper packet that had our day’s fortune. Luckily, it was a good one.
Dogs traditionally provide omens through their movements and barking. In ancient Rome, India, and other countries, the barking of dogs helped foretell the future for “augers” or fortunetellers. This is called ololygmancy.
Many oracles we use today are connected with dogs, information we found surprising while researching. The I Ching oracle references dogs in several hexagrams, often as a symbol of positive action and loyalty. There are several runes that reference dogs also.
Dogs feature prominently in the symbolism of three major tarot cards. The first card with the symbolism is the Fool, whose dog barks and pulls at his heels, even as the Fool is about to walk off a cliff. This symbolizes the guarding and guiding aspect of dogs, a symbol of our guardian spirit guiding and protecting us. Dogs (or wolves) are also featured on the Moon trump. Here we see the “gate of the moon” leading to the realm of dream, of psychic work, and to the afterlife. This is an ancient image of the goddess Moon and her guardian dogs. Another tarot card where dogs appear is the Ten of Pentacles. Here the meaning is loyalty, fidelity, the protection of home, and the manifestation of great spiritual accomplishments. This can foretell future wealth and a calm, well-protected home where the presence of a dog indicates prosperity and devotion to family.
It is important to note that canines often had significance when appearing in dreams. Even through the Christian era, this has continued. The Dominican order adopted white and black dogs and these colors as their sacred colors after a dream. Modern dream books describe the appearance of dogs as symbols representing trustworthy, loyal friends or coworkers surrounding and helping you; as happy domestic situations; or as a guiding power to set you in the right direction.
In tea or coffee ground readings, if a dog image appears at the bottom, it means you have a base of loyalty and you can build on this. If in the middle, it means that you can accomplish much due to the loyalty of others. If at the rim, it means you are about to succeed with the help of those loyal to you.
Like you, dear reader, we consider our dog our magical familiar. When we are meditating, doing spellwork, reading the cards, or doing visualization work, our psychic dog is always nearby. We often laugh about the fact that if magic is afoot then so is the dog. Dogs are natural psychics and magical assistants and should be brought into the circle when doing such work. They bring focus, energy, and dedication in addition to psychic protection. In the spiritual world, canines are considered sacred beings that are useful in magic and psychic work. Many who know this are learning and using dog magic in their own spiritual work in many different cultures. Hopefully, that will include you, dear reader.
Spells, Meditations & Charms
What Type of Mythic Dog Spirit Are You? Meditation
Every dog has his day and every person has an inner canine. How can human beings spend forty thousand years coexisting with canines and not acquire a spiritual dog persona? This meditation is to discover your “dog energy” and, of course, the visions you have will be quite personal. The goal is to relate to your dog “inner canine to inner canine,” discovering within yourself your own inner dog and what that tells you about your own self. This may also help you connect with your animal totem, which is your canine guardian and helper spirit.
First, research the types of canines that evolved from the first canine. The key species of canine to choose from are: ancient hound, coyote, dingo, fox, jackal, raccoon dog, and wolf.
You will need:
• The first rock you see at twilight
• A stick
• Some fresh thyme
• A crystal
• A small mirror
Go to a natural place with your dog. It could be a park, a hiking trail, or a wooded place of any kind, maybe even your backyard. It should be someplace where other animals (even just squirrels) exist. Do this at twilight, there should be enough light to see but it should be fading. When you see the first rock near your dog’s paw pick it up.
Take a stick and walk around in a circle marking the ground with the stick. To summon the elements, say to each direction while offering a bit of thyme:
In the east:
I howl the blowing winds of the eastern gate.
In the south:
I howl the solar fire of the southern gate.
In the west:
I howl the clear water of the western gate.
In the north:
I howl the strength of earth of the northern gate.
Sit down quietly in the circle with your dog. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and open up your senses to nature and all the natural sounds, smells, and sensations around you. Take some thyme, inhale it deeply, rub a little on your third eye, on your rock, and on your crystal. Now say:
I see with the crystal vision
The power of the earth, water, air, and fire
Birthed by the will of humanity
As the animal that I desire.
I conjure here and now
By the power of breezes, rivers, mountains, and rays,
Now what I become through nights and days
The spirit of the mystic dog reveals.
I see the truth
Of who I am.
Close your eyes and in your mind regress, regress, regress your thoughts. With each breath you become more and more animal, less and less human. You are becoming a primal canine, following your nature. When you feel you are truly being a canine, put the small mirror in front of your eyes and slowly open them. You see before you, yourself, but you are morphed into a canine.
Are you a wolf? A dingo? A fox? Note the color of your fur, notice your expanded senses. Growl hello to your human self, now say:
O Spirit (kind of canine) thou art me.
I am thee.
Open my mind
I am now free.
Thank you for this wisdom.
So mote it be.
When done, close your eyes, rub a bit of thyme on your third eye, and sprinkle it about yourself. With every breath, return to being human. The fur is gone, your eyes become human, and so on.
When done, sprinkle the rest of the thyme on the earth and put the rock back exactly where you found it. The crystal is your own special accessible gateway to your totem animal. You can use this crystal to connect with that spirit anytime. Thank the spirit of that canine power, ask it to teach and empower you, and then go.
Doing Divination for Your Dog Charm
Did you know you could get your dog to tell your fortune? Dogs possess psychic abilities; they can see ghosts, spirits, and even faeries. They are also natural fortunetellers. My grandmother taught me how to tell fortunes with playing cards, I even wrote a book about it titled Fortune Telling with Playing Cards. When younger, I practiced telling fortunes to my dog, but I realized it was a little one sided that only my dog got her fortune told. But I wondered, what if my dog could tell me my fortune? Over time I developed a means to have my dog tell my fortune, and now you can use this same divination system to have your dog tell your fortune.
You will need:
• A deck of playing cards
• A purple candle
• Matches
• Three sheets of purple paper (one for each question)
• A purple pen
• Some dried lavender
Shuffle the deck until all the cards are very well mixed. As you shuffle, think of the questions you want answered. Light the candle and write one question per sheet of purple paper. Shuffle the deck three times and give it to your dog to smell.
Lay out all of the cards, facedown in a half circle around your sitting dog. Read the first question aloud to your dog. Call to your dog to choose (or whatever command works for you). Note what card your dog steps on and turn it over; this is your fortune.
The numbers on playing cards relate to the strength of the wish and how close you are before the wish comes to pass. Aces are wild and face cards represent people. It is the same for each of the suits.
Suit of diamonds: Is a yes, especially for anything relating with money.
Suit of clubs: Is a maybe, unless it is a personal goal then it is a conditional yes. It is a goal that will take work.
Suit of hearts: Is a yes, especially if it has to do with love.
Suit of spades: Is a no, unless it has something to do with a problem you must solve, then the answer is yes, with effort.
Here is the explanation for how your wish will happen:
Ace: When you least expect your wish to happen, it does.
Two: The start of something new.
Three: An idea that you have will be noticed.
Four: Somewhere close to home your wish will happen.
Five: Creativity is the only solution.
Six: Make sure that whatever you asked goes slowly.
Seven: This wish involves another person.
Eight: A mysterious way changes your wish.
Nine: Your secret wish will soon be revealed.
Ten: The completion of your wish.
King: A man will have the answer to your wish.
Queen: A woman will have the answer to your wish.
Jack: A young person will have the answer to your wish.
Joker: Your wish takes an unexpected turn.
Keep going if you have more questions (remember your limit per session is three). When done, give your dog seer a treat.
Magical Canine Power Spell
Your dog is a magical animal, but you already know that don’t you? The powerful energy that dogs give you and their devotion to any task you ask of them is something to admire. When I was writing this book, I had a dream where the Greek goddess Artemis appeared. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, whose animals are hunting hounds that lead and guide her through the woods. Artemis appeared and told me, in dreams night after night, that I needed to write this spell down for her because she is a true keeper of canine power and to receive this power she must be invoked. Being a goddess worshipper, I am going to, of course, honor her by doing what she told me to do. So from the goddess Artemis here is her invocation for giving you magical canine power.
You will need:
• A picture of the goddess Artemis
• A yellow or golden apple
• Some pine branches
• Some white cord
Do this spell outside in the woods when the moon is a waxing crescent. Take the picture of Artemis and lay the apple and pine branches on it. Now circle around the picture and say loudly:
I am Artemis! Wild huntress of the silver moon!
I am every canine wild one.
I am satyr, the dog soul.
I am nymph, the Dog Spirit.
Now make of me a powerful
Canine magical soul spirit.
Now stop circling the picture of Artemis. Pick up the apple, take a bite of it, and now throw the apple into the woods saying:
Io Evoe, Artemis!*
Io Evoe, Agrotera!*
Io Evoe, Pheraia!*
Pick up the image of Artemis and wrap it around one sturdy, wand-like pine branch. Tie it to the branch with the white cord. Now you have a magical wand you can use anytime you wish to unleash your canine goddess power.
* Translation (Latin): Io Evoe, Artemis = Yea! Hail Artemis!; Agrotera = Hail the Huntress!; Pheraia = Hail Lady of Beasts (one of several of her names)!
Spell to Help Your Dog Find Their Spirit
Dogs, like people, take time evolving their personalities and revealing their inner nature. If your dog needs a bit of a boost to its focus, help centering, or a bit of help finding its inner spiritual power (and don’t we all?) then this spell will help your dog access its “guardian spirit” and become a calmer, more emotionally, physically, and spiritually centered dog.
You will need:
• A special crystal you use for magic
• Some lemon balm (or rosemary), dried
• A small dish or shell to burn the herb
• A branch from your favorite tree
Runes to know:
Algiz
“Wolf Eye”
Sit in a comfortable place with your beloved dog where nothing will disturb you both. Begin by meditating on your guardian spirit, your inner light always guiding you. Silently ask it to help you in this work.
When ready, with your dog at the center, use the crystal to trace the Algiz rune in the air to north, east, south, and west, then once over your dog. As you do so, say “Algiz,” and visualize them glowing with white, purifying light.
Light the herb, saying:
By Odin, Frey, Freya, and the wolf spirit
Seidr,* bring the light.
By Geki and Freki and the divine wolf spirit
Seidr, bring the light.
By the runes, the Norns,* the nine worlds
Seidr, bring the light.
Wave the smoke about your dog, blessing your dog. Take the branch of the tree and brush your and your dog’s aura, saying:
Come through the trees
Wearing your many masks.
The dance of the wolves
Opening the way
Between twilight and sunrise,
Between darkest night
And brightest day.
With the crystal, trace the Wolf Eye rune on the forehead of your dog—see it glowing in red. At this time, whisper to your dog a spontaneous prayer invoking its spirit to empower, protect, guide, and illuminate your dog. Sit and trance out with your dog, honoring its true spirit. When done, say:
ALUUUUUUU.*
* Translation (Norse): Seidr = magic; Norns = Three Fates; Aluuu = Trance vibration in Seidr.
Telling Your Dog’s Fortune
Dogs possess a certain special innate magic about them inviting divination. Dogs were a component of divination rituals for thousands of years. Scrying is the magical act of divination by seeing into the past, learning more about the present, or divining the future. This is often accomplished using a black mirror or a bowl of water. Using scrying as a form of divination is a fun way to tell your dog’s fortune. All you need is your dog’s water bowl.
Fill up your dog’s water bowl and let it drink from it. Have your dog sit on one side of the bowl and sit yourself directly across from your dog. Turn out the lights in your room and make sure it is very dark. You may light one candle in the background if you need more light. Now say:
Thunder, lightning,
Sun, moon, and fire,
Wind and rain,
Ocean’s desire,
Cleanse and clean.
Sweep away
Filth and error
All night and day.
Omnia uno est.*
Now hold your dog’s paw over the water bowl and say
By Hekate’s deep well,
By the pool of Garm and Lupa,
Let us see what we can see.
Help me, familiar,
Our fortune to see.
Hierosgamos.*
Now, stare into the water bowl. You should soon start to notice the water in the bowl going in and out of focus as you keep staring into it. Get closer and closer to the bowl, slowly lowering your face until you are just about an inch away from the water. Always keep an arm around your dog.
Now close your eyes and say out loud in a commending voice:
I wish to see (your dog’s name)’s fortune.
Now open your eyes and again stare into the bowl. An image or series of images should appear before your eyes. That is your dog’s fortune. Make sure you talk to your dog about it. When done, say:
The moon gate closed.
The well is clear.
Thanks to the shadows,
Let all disappear.
Uno est nihil.*
Throw the water outside onto the ground, wash the bowl, and give your dog fresh water.
* Translation (Latin): Omnia uno est = All is one; (Greek) Hierosgamos = The Divine Marriage; (Latin): Uno est nihil = One is none.
Your Dog & Your Spirit Together Meditation
To truly be in sync with your dog, you need to communicate and work together on an instinctual and primal level, spirit to spirit. We all know that dogs sense our thoughts and feelings, and you are capable of doing this for your dog as well. This meditation will bring you both closer in mind and spirit.
You will need:
• Calm, peaceful music that your dog likes, or you can do this outside with “natural” sounds
• A quiet, calm place to be with your dog
Sit across from your dog and just relax as close as possible. Breathe in for the count of ten, hold your breath and count to ten, and breathe out for the count of ten. If counting to ten is too long, then any other amount of time will suffice. Just make sure it is always for the same amount of time for the length of each breath.
As you breathe out each time silently, say:
You are mine.
I am yours.
When you are both calm, listen to the heartbeat of your dog; feel it in your body.
Now notice the breathing pattern of your dog. Try to breathe as closely to that pattern as possible. Feel your spirit expand and flow into your dog with every breath.
Feel your dog’s spirit flow into you, with all the alien dog thoughts and feelings. Embrace this, merge with it; become one living being, one breath, and one heart. Now say:
We are that,
We are all.
With all we rise,
With all we fall.
Life and death,
Night and day,
Pain and pleasure,
Ever-changing play.
In the center of all
Is great release.
We are the center of all,
We are peace.
Om Mani Padme Hum* (repeat three times)
Now meditate in this way. Listen with your heart. If you feel a need for an internal mantra to help the process, silently repeat over and over:
Tat tvan asi*
When you are finished, lean your forehead against your dog’s forehead, third eye to third eye, love your dog and accept love from your dog. Go out and play.
* Translation (Sanskrit): Om Mani Padme Hum = The Jewel in the Center of the Lotus; Tat tvan asi = You are that.