So you might be saying, "What is Otherkin and Therian?" I am here to tell you what it is, and to give fellow otherkin and therians a place to congregate and chat on Mibba. This is also a place to educate non-otherkin and non-therians on what being such means.
A basic introduction to being Otherkin or Therian:
Otherkin in one way or another believe that they are spiritually (through past lives, or by some other means) a mythological/fantasy/biblical type creature. This would include angels, demons, dragons, faeries, elves, ect...Therians believe they are spiritually an animal on this planet, such as a wolf, cat, dog, cow, bee, ect...Any of these things. No Otherkin or Therian believes that they are physically one of these things, but it is a more spiritual belief. Some, not all, believe it is a psychological thing that caused us to be this way. Most really relate with the creature they believe they are; this extends beyond the normal relating to an animal, and some tend to have the nature of the animal. Some Otherkin and Therians also experience supernumerary phantom limbs. (go to: Supernumerary Phantom Limbs: An explanation.)
The difference between Otherkin/Therians and Furries:
Being a Furry means you like art of anthropomorphic animals. Most consider themselves belonging to a fandom, and someone who is Furry can also be Otherkin/Therian too. Not all are. Sometimes Furries like to dress up as an anthropomorphic animal, but that is a bit rare as it is extremely expensive to get a fursuit. (about 6K) As the top said, Otherkin and Therians believe they are spiritually an animal/being and refer to themselves as such.
Otherkin do experience dysphoria :
It's true. Sometimes it's called 'dysmorphia," I believe. But it is essentially dysphoria. Even non-trans*, non-otherkin/therians can experience dysphoria. It is general dysphoria. It can be about your bodies, ect...
The definition for 'Dysphoria' is: An emotional state characterized by anxiety, depression, or unease.
Otherkin do experience this. It's not the same as what trans* folks experience, however. Otherkin feel this, at times, about wanting to go 'home' (where they resided as their otherkin or therian self) and sometimes it's about their body not fitting what they know themselves to be.
Supernumerary Phantom Limbs: An Explanation:
'Supernumerary phantom limb refers to a condition where the affected individual believes and receives sensory information from limbs of the body that do not actually exist, and never have existed, on the contrary to phantom limbs, which appear after an individual has had a limb removed from the body and still receives input from it.
Some research into this area using brain-mapping technology reported that at one time, a subject was able to see and feel a phantom left arm. She was put into a brain-mapping piece of equipment to test this theory. She was told to touch her right cheek with the phantom limb. During the process, she told the observers when she started to move her arm, there was increased activity in the motor cortex of her brain, in the area to suggest the left arm. When she touched the phantom limb to her cheek and announced she did so, the observers were surprised to find that the area of the somatosensory cortex had a fluxation of increased energy in the area that corresponded to the right cheek.[1]
Supernumerary Phantom Limbs
Despite this being a Wikipedia definition; it is an accurate one and sufficient enough for this. This is something that some, but not all Otherkin and Therians, experience. It can consist of supernumerary phantom wings, tails, claws, ears, ect...Anything of the sort.
helpful links:
How to be an Otherkin 'ally' (I dislike the term ally, but this consists of ten things you should remember to do. - also works for therians.)
Ten Otherkin Truths (ten things about being Otherkin that are true. - also works for Therians.)
A Day in the Life of an Otherkin (Contains a great explanation of what it's like to be Otherkin day to day, and how we're not so different from those who aren't. - also works for Therians.)
Defining Otherkin: The Exchange Metaphor (A great definition on Otherkin and how it feels to be such. - also works for Therians.)
Hopefully this helps all of you understand what it is like - and means - to be Otherkin or Therian. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! Also, if you're Otherkin and Therian, feel free to discuss things and talk.
A short introduction of myself:
I am Aaron, a seventeen year old boy with a five thousand year old soul. I'm a chimera, but I hold the job of being an angel. I remember both my homes, an angel I knew back then and who I am supposed to protect and what it means to be the type of angel I am.
Feel free to ask if you want to know more.
P.S: There's a few Otherkin who believe in the multiverse theory. This helps, at least in my case, to believe in such things as angels, demons, dragons and such. Just because those things don't exist here, doesn't mean they can't elsewhere. There's many galaxies out there, many planets and ect...We have absolutely no idea what else is out there. It is very unlikely that we are the only life existing.
explanation of the multiverse theory:
The multiverse (or meta-universe, metaverse) is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes (including the historical universe we consistently experience) that together comprise everything that exists and can exist: the entirety of space, time, matter, and energy as well as the physical laws and constants that describe them. The term was coined in 1895 by the American philosopher and psychologist William James.[1] The various universes within the multiverse are sometimes called parallel universes.
Multiverse
Feel free to discuss anything. Anyone who is rude, or hurtful, will be reported. It is okay if you disagree, or don't understand. But saying something that could potentially hurt someone is not tolerable.
If you believe you may be Otherkin or Therian and do not wish to announce it here, feel free to contact me on anon or off anon on my Tumblr. Here it is if you wish to.
A basic introduction to being Otherkin or Therian:
Otherkin in one way or another believe that they are spiritually (through past lives, or by some other means) a mythological/fantasy/biblical type creature. This would include angels, demons, dragons, faeries, elves, ect...Therians believe they are spiritually an animal on this planet, such as a wolf, cat, dog, cow, bee, ect...Any of these things. No Otherkin or Therian believes that they are physically one of these things, but it is a more spiritual belief. Some, not all, believe it is a psychological thing that caused us to be this way. Most really relate with the creature they believe they are; this extends beyond the normal relating to an animal, and some tend to have the nature of the animal. Some Otherkin and Therians also experience supernumerary phantom limbs. (go to: Supernumerary Phantom Limbs: An explanation.)
The difference between Otherkin/Therians and Furries:
Being a Furry means you like art of anthropomorphic animals. Most consider themselves belonging to a fandom, and someone who is Furry can also be Otherkin/Therian too. Not all are. Sometimes Furries like to dress up as an anthropomorphic animal, but that is a bit rare as it is extremely expensive to get a fursuit. (about 6K) As the top said, Otherkin and Therians believe they are spiritually an animal/being and refer to themselves as such.
Otherkin do experience dysphoria :
It's true. Sometimes it's called 'dysmorphia," I believe. But it is essentially dysphoria. Even non-trans*, non-otherkin/therians can experience dysphoria. It is general dysphoria. It can be about your bodies, ect...
The definition for 'Dysphoria' is: An emotional state characterized by anxiety, depression, or unease.
Otherkin do experience this. It's not the same as what trans* folks experience, however. Otherkin feel this, at times, about wanting to go 'home' (where they resided as their otherkin or therian self) and sometimes it's about their body not fitting what they know themselves to be.
Supernumerary Phantom Limbs: An Explanation:
'Supernumerary phantom limb refers to a condition where the affected individual believes and receives sensory information from limbs of the body that do not actually exist, and never have existed, on the contrary to phantom limbs, which appear after an individual has had a limb removed from the body and still receives input from it.
Some research into this area using brain-mapping technology reported that at one time, a subject was able to see and feel a phantom left arm. She was put into a brain-mapping piece of equipment to test this theory. She was told to touch her right cheek with the phantom limb. During the process, she told the observers when she started to move her arm, there was increased activity in the motor cortex of her brain, in the area to suggest the left arm. When she touched the phantom limb to her cheek and announced she did so, the observers were surprised to find that the area of the somatosensory cortex had a fluxation of increased energy in the area that corresponded to the right cheek.[1]
Supernumerary Phantom Limbs
Despite this being a Wikipedia definition; it is an accurate one and sufficient enough for this. This is something that some, but not all Otherkin and Therians, experience. It can consist of supernumerary phantom wings, tails, claws, ears, ect...Anything of the sort.
helpful links:
How to be an Otherkin 'ally' (I dislike the term ally, but this consists of ten things you should remember to do. - also works for therians.)
Ten Otherkin Truths (ten things about being Otherkin that are true. - also works for Therians.)
A Day in the Life of an Otherkin (Contains a great explanation of what it's like to be Otherkin day to day, and how we're not so different from those who aren't. - also works for Therians.)
Defining Otherkin: The Exchange Metaphor (A great definition on Otherkin and how it feels to be such. - also works for Therians.)
Hopefully this helps all of you understand what it is like - and means - to be Otherkin or Therian. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! Also, if you're Otherkin and Therian, feel free to discuss things and talk.
A short introduction of myself:
I am Aaron, a seventeen year old boy with a five thousand year old soul. I'm a chimera, but I hold the job of being an angel. I remember both my homes, an angel I knew back then and who I am supposed to protect and what it means to be the type of angel I am.
Feel free to ask if you want to know more.
P.S: There's a few Otherkin who believe in the multiverse theory. This helps, at least in my case, to believe in such things as angels, demons, dragons and such. Just because those things don't exist here, doesn't mean they can't elsewhere. There's many galaxies out there, many planets and ect...We have absolutely no idea what else is out there. It is very unlikely that we are the only life existing.
explanation of the multiverse theory:
The multiverse (or meta-universe, metaverse) is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes (including the historical universe we consistently experience) that together comprise everything that exists and can exist: the entirety of space, time, matter, and energy as well as the physical laws and constants that describe them. The term was coined in 1895 by the American philosopher and psychologist William James.[1] The various universes within the multiverse are sometimes called parallel universes.
Multiverse
Feel free to discuss anything. Anyone who is rude, or hurtful, will be reported. It is okay if you disagree, or don't understand. But saying something that could potentially hurt someone is not tolerable.
If you believe you may be Otherkin or Therian and do not wish to announce it here, feel free to contact me on anon or off anon on my Tumblr. Here it is if you wish to.
June 3rd, 2012 at 02:32am