Mistakes within the community

[Dean]

Hello, folks. 
I have seen many mistakes which are happen to be spread around. I want to try to help you here and make things clear to prevent any misinformed newcomers.

 
1) »The wolf is my kin«
I see many members who say something like that recently. Actually, you are the kin. What you mean is “kintype“. The correct sentence would be:“My kintype is a wolf.“

 
2) »My wolf likes fish and has pure black fur and green eyes. His name is Swiftpaw. He is brave and aggressive.«
You are the wolf, the wolf is you. There is no “my wolf“ (except for those who have a good reason for calling themselves that way) and there is no opportunity to speak to “your kintype“. You can't speak to yourself seperated with different minds and different traits. Those meditations could show your power animal, totems, spirit guide or something similar. And in addition to that, meditations and dreams are very unreliable, easily to manipulate by yourself (without wanting it) and pretty random. Finding out what you really are needs a lot of introspection, researches, knowledge, patience and time.
Also, pure black wolves don't even exist. Such green eyes are not possible for wolves. You can take a look on Google. There you can find great overviews on fur and eyecolor.
A wolf would never try to destroy the humanity, by the way. If they have made a bad experience, they would prevent humans as best as they can. There is no "I hate humans! I want to transform into a wolf and kill them all!", that's stupid and unrealistic.
And guys... isn't “Swiftpaw“ a typical name for every new therian? Be creative! There are so many beautiful names out there.

 
3) »As an otherkin you need to have a past life.«
 No, please don't do that. 
The right definition of otherkinity is: Identifying as a non-human creature in a non-physical way.
Yes, you can have had a past-life but it isn't necessary and it isn't the right definition. Some don.t even believe in past lifes. They could have psychological reasons then.

 
4) »I am able to shift physically!«
 One answer: You are not.

Thank you very much for reading. If you still should have questions, feel free to message me or even to comment. 
Have a wonderful day, all.

[Ventus Fall]

Oh my gosh, thank you for posting this!

I'm to a degree Otherkin/Therian myself and while everyone has their own 'degree', I also find it so odd when people say they can shift physically. Maybe it feels like a physical change, but it's not. The mind is a powerful thing, and I feel a lot quite underestimate how strong their minds are.

I do understand when people say 'my wolf' and such, though. Like I said, for everyone it's different. Some people feel they are the wolf but also see them as a spirit animal, as a way to contact their inner selves. It's them but also 'not them'.
That's just one example, though.

But yes, I agree with what you've said, thanks again

[Dean]

Oh my gosh, thank you for posting this!

I'm to a degree Otherkin/Therian myself and while everyone has their own 'degree', I also find it so odd when people say they can shift physically. Maybe it feels like a physical change, but it's not. The mind is a powerful thing, and I feel a lot quite underestimate how strong their minds are.

I do understand when people say 'my wolf' and such, though. Like I said, for everyone it's different. Some people feel they are the wolf but also see them as a spirit animal, as a way to contact their inner selves. It's them but also 'not them'.
That's just one example, though.

But yes, I agree with what you've said, thanks again

I absolutely understand your point. That's also why I've mentioned "except for those who have a good reason for calling themselves this way" in the bracket.

[guest22811]

I am not therian/otherkin,,, nor do I know how it works...
but


*insert THANK_YOU.gif*
https://giphy.com/gifs/the-office-thank-you-michael-scott-1Z02vuppxP1Pa/


I don't really mind Therian/Otherkin but people who push it to an extent like that makes it (I hate to say this but) cringy.

[Dean]

I am not therian/otherkin,,, nor do I know how it works...
but


*insert THANK_YOU.gif*
https://giphy.com/gifs/the-office-thank-you-michael-scott-1Z02vuppxP1Pa/


I don't really mind Therian/Otherkin but people who push it to an extent like that makes it (I hate to say this but) cringy.

Anytime~
I'm glad that this post is also understood by those who aren't therian/otherkin as well. And yes, you are absolutely right. It's a sad thing.

[Fuzzpaws]

When I was trying to figure out what was going on within me I was researching Native American lore, etc, and found MANY references to two-spirits, Those who share mind and body with another. This is where I believe a lot of the Therian ideology has it's base, maybe not in Native American, but in the belief that the body can be shared with another spirit. 


This is how I see myself, Naake ni (Apache for Two Spirits, the title is a real thing)... I consider him "My wolf" though he is not a physical embodiment but the wolf within. When he is active I see and interpret things differently, I feel different on a deeper level, and my personality shift to a more aggressive, more dominant (IE: Alpha type) place. Even my mate (my wife) can tell when Naake ni is closer to the surface.


 He 'influences' me, not so much with words, but with visual imagery and emotion/feeling, and has led me to go places and experience things that I cannot explain or would have done on my own. 


I am not saying you are wrong for you, but I disagree with your hard and fast statements that tell me that what I feel is not real.

[Dean]

When I was trying to figure out what was going on within me I was researching Native American lore, etc, and found MANY references to two-spirits, Those who share mind and body with another. This is where I believe a lot of the Therian ideology has it's base, maybe not in Native American, but in the belief that the body can be shared with another spirit. 


This is how I see myself, Naake ni (Apache for Two Spirits, the title is a real thing)... I consider him "My wolf" though he is not a physical embodiment but the wolf within. When he is active I see and interpret things differently, I feel different on a deeper level, and my personality shift to a more aggressive, more dominant (IE: Alpha type) place. Even my mate (my wife) can tell when Naake ni is closer to the surface.


 He 'influences' me, not so much with words, but with visual imagery and emotion/feeling, and has led me to go places and experience things that I cannot explain or would have done on my own. 


I am not saying you are wrong for you, but I disagree with your hard and fast statements that tell me that what I feel is not real.

With all due respect, I would never tell someone that his feelings wouldn't be real. You absolutely are free to feel whatever your heart lets you feel. But I try to educate because there are a lot of misinformed beings who try to jump right on the train and just want to be a part of something. Or they truly believe they were a therian because of all that misinformation.

What you explained could also be your totem. It happens very often that people mistake their totem as a theriotype. The bond between the totem and the affected person can be that strong that you can tell about "being melted". You feel phantom shifts, even mental shifts. You still can speak to this animal and they give you bits of advice. They guide you.
This is also possible with your power animal. A power animal gives you their strength and abilities. It's not uncommon that you experience shifts from them.

I don't want to tell you that you aren't true or something. As said, I just want to help and educate.

[Fuzzpaws]

I need to do more research.. Thought therian and Totem were basically the same thing, thank you for pointing out they are not, so much.


Will be busy for a while... 

[Dean]

Anytime! I'm glad I could help. Whenever you should need something, feel free to message me.

[Thagrahn]

Anytime! I'm glad I could help. Whenever you should need something, feel free to message me.

I just see the mistake being the they don't realize which role is the act, and that the Otherkin side is not an act but their true self.


I'm actually a little worried about how much shifting I do, because it's a shift of who is predominate lately. I can wake up feeling like the Lynx, then the Tiger, then the shifting can end, and at the end of the day feel like a House Cat, an Finally feel the Jaguar just before I fall asleep.

[Dean]

I understand.
Have you ever considered being a cladotherian? A cladotherian identifies as a whole clade of animals - in your case felines. Does it sound like you?

[Thagrahn]

Cladotherian is a possibility, but until I can find some more info on that I just identify as having Feline as my kintype.