Therian and Otherkin Explanation

[taka]

Ahh, thats a shame.    But you do have a point. Oh wells. What does he know of you? If he keeps things from you, do you keep things from him?

His husky keeps things away from him hes not ready for ,I have a spirit animal that sometimes stops me in the astral plain.It wont let me exsplore anything ,pretty much stops me in my tracks...

[Shadis]

I suppose both of your statments make sense. Still, its awesome you guys have spiritual guides

[Scar WhiteDream]

Well.. Mine is more than a spiritual guide to be honest... He's from what I built my fursona even though I didn't even knew him when I did it o.o He's littaraly a part of me... He lives with me everyday. Now, I sence him everyday since I'm highly sensitive to mythical energy like him. Therefore, it's just seeing him that I have difficulties with ><

[Ventus Fall]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I'm very unsure about if I'm therian/otherkin or only just a furry.
I've read the links and undertsnad the basics, but I would like someone to tell me if I am indeed just a furry or a therian/otherkin

I sometimes felt like I was non-human when I was little (not pretending or playing games, just so you know. I really felt that way). For a long time I associated myself with dragons (and dinosaurs ). I always wanted to be one, a dragon I mean. I collected many dragon related stuff (statues, figures, etc.). I like being a dragon, or I want to be one at least.
So once again my question:
Am I a therian/otherkin or just a furry? Help is very much appreciated.

[Sne]

I really felt that way

In my opinion it says everything if you still feel like that sometimes.

It's debatable, but I don't consider dragon therians a part of otherkin--exactly because of the dinosaur thing you mentioned. We don't even know every dinosaur species, as the only source of knowledge are the ones that managed to get their bones mineralized, and in fact it doesn't really happen that often in nature.

[Ventus Fall]

I really felt that way

In my opinion it says everything if you still feel like that sometimes.

It's debatable, but I don't consider dragon therians a part of otherkin--exactly because of the dinosaur thing you mentioned. We don't even know every dinosaur species, as the only source of knowledge are the ones that managed to get their bones mineralized, and in fact it doesn't really happen that often in nature.

 
I still feel that way, yes.
(Sorry for not being too clear on that)
So does that mean I am indeed a therian?

[Sne]

Therian or otherkin, yes Phantoms are not something every therian experiences etc. and just that feeling, maybe that discontent with physical species is what matters.

Wiki is not the best source for information about all this, as most related articles mix serious scientific statements with something that sometimes is in direct conflict with them (please be careful, there's a lot of new age magic thingies around, you don't want to waste time and effort on that--they're inconsistent). However, you might want to read that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_prone_personality#Characteristic_features
- check if you have 6 or more symptoms. Be critical about them! Remember that "may" doesn't mean "does", it's just something that is an option, also remember that the symptoms are necessary, but they aren't sufficient to say you have FPP. If you do, you may be otherkin. Of course if something doesn't seem clear you can always ask

There's also Creative Experiences Questionnaire (CEQ, 25 questions) and even more complicated Inventory of Childhood Memories and Imagining (ICMI, 52 questions). The latter can be found in: S. Wilson and T. Barber, Vivid Fantasy and Hallucinatory Abilities in the Life Histories of Excellent Hypnotic Subjects (“Somnambules”): Preliminary Report with Female Subjects, in Imagery: Vol. 2: Concepts, Results and Application, E. Klinger (ed.), Plenum Press, New York, pp. 133-149, 1981, so getting Wilson's and Barber's "Imagery" (vol. 1 and 2) would be a nice idea if you're really interested in the topic. Well, I don't think you are, but I'm posting it here anyway for future reference 

[Ventus Fall]

Thank you for being so  clear to me on this subject, you've helped me out immensly ^^

And I do find those interesting ^^ *I love to read*

I have at least 6 sympotoms:

• having imaginary friends as child
• fantasizing often as child
• having an actual fantasy identity
• experiencing imagined sensations as real
• having vivid sensory perceptions
• reliving past experiences
  
  I sometimes (not at all often, just had it 2-3 times in my life so far) dream something and it actually happens within a week. So that would make 7 points...

I guess I'm otherkin, hmm.

Once again, many thanks and you've really helped me out here

[Draco Vertolgr]

just by reading you comment I just learned I have all those exept the last, Im going to go research this more this is interesting

[anoni]

I dunno if I'm defined as a therian. The following has happened

I have, and still do, completely escape reality and live in my own world for a bit (However this world is not furry related, the world is extremely well defined, there's actually 2)
I have had imaginary friends; although don't anymore
I do a couple of physical quirks related to being a furry
I sometimes imagine myself, from third person, as my fursona.
I do not see my fursona as an alter-ego but rather me in fox version

Other than that, I can't say I physically thought I had furry characteristics like claws or something. So, Might just be a plain old furry who knows xD

[Draco Vertolgr]

I know Im still me just I think of myslef as my fursona like eversince I have accepted Im a furry I have been seeing myself as an anthro wolf sometimes, I thought I was going crazy lol today I asked my friend when I got ranch sprayed all over me "do I have some on my tail" and he looked at me like wtf? lol it sliped lol but yea when I think of myself Im starting to see my fursona. This is getting awesomely weird

[Draco Vertolgr]

ok this is cool now tht I know Im not the only one.

[Luke White-Heart]

I'm right there with you, Tunny!

[Cifero Windtail]

OMG... I'm a freaking therian...

I'm pretty sure I'm part cat...

[Shadis]

Alright, here's a question for all you Master Therians out there.    I have always fancied myself a Wolf Therian and have had multiple signs of being one. I've had a phantom muzzle, paws (on feet only), and a tail. I cannot control when my shifts happen but I can *mostly* control myself when they happen. They have been getting stronger lately and now, when ever I shift, I no longer spiritually see myself as a wolf, but a werewolf. Every time I shift and/or have supernatural encounters, am a werewolf. I have also felt phantom claws, which was awesome! But my question is, since werewolves arn't really real, sadly, does that still make me a therian, or an Otherkin. I don't think I am physically a werewolf, but spiritaully I am. That would fit with otherkin, but I've never heard of "spiritual werewolves" as an otherkin classicfication. but not have I heard of a werewolf therian either. Any ideas?