![]() |
#1 |
Bog Fairy Fox
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 4,499
Reputation: 507
|
![]()
I saw some very interesting posts about therianthrophy in the "what is Otherkin"-thread, so I figured we could do with a topic about it.
![]() Some therians may simply believe that they have an animal side or aspect to their personality and/or nature. Explanations given for this vary widely, but one of the more common is that it can be caused by an unusual kind of neurophysiology. Most do not regard this as dysfunctional to the system unless it is disruptive to the individual's life and happiness. The spiritual understanding or component of therianthropy often overlaps with well-known aspects of shamanism and totemism. The tales about shapeshifting, in particular, are familiar and inspirational. Those who prefer this spiritual understanding may believe that they partly or fully are in possession of the soul of some type of animal. One very interesting component in therianthropy is the debate about shifting and a therian's own experiences with these shifts. ![]()
__________________
She had studied the universe all her life, but had overlooked its clearest message: for small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love. - Carl Sagan |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Strathclyde,Scotland
Posts: 3,344
Reputation: 1359
|
![]()
There are obviously severe/acute cases of Therianthropy which are not in dispute.You only have to see the spike in admissions to casualty wards during full moons,seemingly *inexplicable*,other than the gates to VOID are fully opened at this time.
In navigating the Setian current I have awoken as many things and travelled as these.One of my best meetings was as a blade of grass,among a vast plain of other seemingly similar one's. Does kitsune qualify too?
__________________
"Only one Force, Love, links and gives life to infinite worlds."-Giordano Bruno Che-khii-ii-inah (Katia - A Shekinah Mantra) Paradox is your greatest friend in VOID!(echo,echo,echo,echo)TeamPull of mirrors) When things No Longer seem contrar',discoveringis of t'other ar'!John Barbour(14thc) With a strong will,patience & hard work,anything can be acheived - Liudmila(Babulja)R.I.P.(10/2/11)Temple of The Star. That which has never been lost cannot be hidden |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Faery Path Elder
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: West Coast USA
Posts: 2,120
Reputation: 315
|
![]()
Lupabitch is well known in the Therian community...
http://therioshamanism.com/about/ She has published on Therianism in general , Therian magick , and Therian shamanism... ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Resident Polywere
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NY
Posts: 825
Reputation: 87
|
![]()
www.werelist.com is a good forum that is therian focused, but home to various types of otherkin. Personally, I put therians in the otherkin umbrella category because the only difference between therians and other types of otherkin are the sort of non-human whatever they identify with. Both therians and other sorts of otherkin experience various types of shifts, have the same basic beliefs, etc. *shrug*
The main reason why some therians don't want to be or like to be grouped in with otherkin in general is that they feel their beliefs are somehow more legitimate because what they identify as can be proven to exist or have existed here on earth because they identify with extinct or extant species of earthly animal. Whether or not beings like kitsune, dragons, etc. fit into the therian category is something that is rather debated. Some people argue that only earthly animals count, while others just say it has to be some sort of animal. In the case of kitsune, I'd say no only because kitsune are fox spirits, not foxes...so not animals exactly. Dragons, well that depends on your personal therian definition. I tend to agree with the earthly animals interpretation and since I don't believe dragons ever physically existed here on earth, I go with dragon-kin as opposed to dragon therian, but whatever floats your boat.
__________________
"You do not have a soul, you are a soul. You have a body."-C.S. Lewis "Seasons don't fear the reaper. Nor do the wind, the sun, or the rain."-Blue Oyster Cult "All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."-Poe |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Of The Void
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: London, UK
Posts: 2,834
Reputation: 1466
|
![]()
Does being an alien count as therian?
__________________
Everything is love, everything is holy. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
∞
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,364
Reputation: 301
|
![]()
I think feeling associated to creatures alien to us falls more under Otherkin.
(and I say alien to us because to them, we're the aliens ![]() In my years hanging around the Therian places and the Otherkin places, I think the distinction really does come down to how they relate to the belief more than anything - though I think that's been mentioned. The approach to each subject and subsequent beliefs and practices in a very different way. I'd agree they basically all fall under the same umbrella, but the distinctions in each sub-category exist. Certainly, the two communities tend to attract very different types of people - with my experience of the therian community being more objective and mind-based overall, dominated by analytical language, while the Otherkin community is more dominated by spiritual, subjective concepts and emotive language for the experience. Certainly I knew of people who identified as were-dragon but not dragonkin, and vice-versa. The therianthropes tend to describe the animal self as a facet of the self - or facets of the self (though not always), while the Otherkin tended to describe their connection as the whole of the self (again, not always, but more commonly). Therianthropy, at least some years ago, was more related to a duality than was found within Otherkin. Of course, it all changes and shifts, and definitions change with it, as the community grows, changes focus etc.
__________________
tumbly tumblr thing. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 |
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 4,621
Reputation: 166
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 |
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: W NY
Posts: 80
Reputation: 7
|
![]()
My oldest friend that I have is a dragon. She refers to herself as Dragon, not as a dragonkin or were-dragon, but simply as dragon. She may be in human form, but she is still dragon. I think that sort of mentality definitely fits more in the otherkin umbrella than in the therian one, but of course ymmv.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 |
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: STALKER!!!
Posts: 240
Reputation: 0
|
![]()
So...you guys...think you can change shape...heh... probably...never changed...into...heh... a...bat...blessings?...
__________________
I believe my work here is done. Dosvedanya! Sincerely , the Russian bot, aka, the Troll ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|