Beginner’s Guide: Hellhounds

What are hellhounds? Where do they come from? Are they evil? Let’s get the answers to all that and more.

Hellhounds are loyal companions that get one of the worst raps in spirit keepings. Because their physical appearance is frightening, they give off an air of malevolence. This is at the same time judgmental and wrong.

What Are Hellhounds?

Hellhounds are supernatural guardians that tend to take up guard in positions assigned to them by their masters. They most often present as large black dogs. Some have two, three, or more heads (although it is exceedingly rare). Their eyes present in multiple colors: most often red, sometimes yellow, and rarely green. Some breeds have mouths that open vertically instead of horizontally.

There are numerous breeds that I will get to eventually in the Spirit Keeper Encyclopedia.

Where Do Hellhounds Come From?

If I knew the exact answer, I’d be too busy to write this blog post. I have my suspicions, but that is all they should be regarded as: suspicions. Demons and Angels and Djinn all have a home realm. Hellhounds do not. It is my suspicion that Hellhounds come from the same realm as Demons, although I do not believe that is the case for every single one of them.

For example, in Catalonian mythology, there is an entity known as Dip. Dip is a type of Vampiric Hellhound which does not display the traits of the traditional Hellhound. There are also the Cŵn Annwn, who come from Welsh myth. They are not seen as malevolent in any way and are even seen to come from a paradisical realm. Some even believe the Chupacabra is a type of Hellhound, and it is completely different than any other type.

The truth is, Hellhounds come from many different places. It is best not to try to nail down their genesis to one area or another. Likely, they are spirits of loyalty who take on certain features due to their fearlessness.

Are Hellhounds Evil?

The short answer is no.

The longer answer is: they are only as evil as their owner/keeper. Hellhounds intrinsically have no free will. They will also not act of their own accord unless free of their owner. And when they do act of their own accord, they revert back to an animal nature, which is absent of good or evil morality.

Because of their otherworldly, sometimes demonic looks, people see them as harbingers of death. This is simply a tall tale that has survived over the years. Fear of “satanic manifestations” has done more harm to the Hellhound than anyone could have ever predicted. For many thousands of years, they have functioned as faithful companions to Witches and practitioners of Magick.

As far as I know, no one has ever been attacked by a Hellhound without either provoking them or their keepers using them in Revenge Magick.

Why Do Hellhounds Look Evil, Then?

That is subjective. People believe looks display inner consciousness. Most of the time, looks do not.

Take Jeffery Daumer, for instance. He was a mild-mannered looking man who secretly desired to have a zombified companion and he killed multiple people. He was nice looking on the outside, but evil on the inside. Why can’t the opposite be true?

Some Hellhounds do not even look evil. The most common breed just look like big, black dogs. And, the most docile version, the Cŵn Annwn, look like canine skeletons. Looks are deceiving. Do not forget that.

What Do Hellhounds Do?

Like I said before, Hellhounds protect and guard their keepers. They are supernaturally led to this action. Think of it the same way biological creatures are driven to breed. With Hellhounds, it is in their very nature to provide protection.

So, what do they protect against?

Hellhounds will protect you from any supernatural or paranormal attack. They have been used in the past to chase poltergeists out of homes, they have attacked psychic vampires feeding from people, and they have even driven off demons. These entities make up a protective force that will keep you safe, especially in packs.

Are Hellhounds Safe?

Yes. Completely. These are protective entities, not antagonistic ones. While some breeds are more violent than others, they will not attack of their own accord. You must order them to do so.

Hellhounds will serve zero danger to you if you decide to bring them into your collection. Even if you mistreat them (which I hope you do not), they will not harm you. They are loyal to a fault. Many, many Hellhounds I have worked with were abused by their previous keepers. And, again, they have never harmed anyone or anything without provocation.

Love + Blessings

Laci

If you would like to try working with Hellhounds, you should look at my stores. I have everything you need to begin.

If you are practicing alone, I urge you to look into the Mysticmagicks Facebook Group. It is full of practicing witches and spirit keepers looking to help others.

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