#othermagic originals

[othermagic]

Inner Mirror: A Meditation to Get In Touch with your Other Side

After reading and re-reading some older sources on self-discovery, memory recall, and establishing an inner dialogue between parts of the self, I realized that pretty much all the meditations I came across were too specialized and didn’t vibe with me or just plain made me uncomfortable. They didn’t seem very versatile, they’re very much geared towards people who are singlets, identify as part human/part nonhuman, and experience otherkinity as stemming from a past life.

So I brainstormed awhile to come up with a method that could be used by virtually anyone with some minor tweaking of intent but keeping the overall method the same, which is where we get the name of this meditation: the Inner Mirror. This mirror can be a permanent structure in headspace/soulspace/wonderland, your inner/astral temple, or other permanent nonphysical location, or it can just be summoned up mentally for the purpose of these meditations. Its appearance can change each time, stay the same, or change depending on purpose, what’s important is that you know it’s a tool to connect with your subconscious, your soul, your true inner self, and/or your Higher Self/Oversoul. Headmates and soulbonds can use this mirror as well for personal discovery in the same methods singlets and system hosts can.

Please note that some people may still be uncomfortable with this meditation, and I apologize for this. I don’t currently know of any alternatives to work around any fears that may revolve mirrors and reflections moving on their own because they are central to this method. While you are heavily encouraged to envision your ideal/true self in the mirror initially, I can’t help with any other potential problems besides that. Sorry.

The Meditations and Methods

All methods of using the Inner Mirror start the same way. What you do with it depends on what you want to do, and none of them involve mentally “splitting” yourself like many of the meditations I came across. When you see your reflection, remember that even though it changes and moves independently, it’s still you. This is just a way to actively communicate with the deepest parts of yourself.

Get relaxed and comfortable, put on some music if you like, light some candles and incense if it helps. This is a personal exploration meditation, so you’ll need to set aside some time to really reflect on yourself (pun absolutely intended). If you have any other typical meditation prep you do, now’s the time to do it.

Travel to your inner world, or simply visualize a space that feels comfortable and safe to you, like your own bedroom, your backyard growing up, a favorite outdoor spot, or a place from pop culture or your own imagination. What matters is that you feel at home here, and you know nothing can hurt you or invade on this space. Spend some time exploring the area to get a feel for it and warm up your inner/astral senses.

In the middle of this space, see your Inner Mirror in whatever way you want it to appear to you, or let it appear on its own. It should be a full-length mirror, one you can see your whole form in. Spend some time examining the frame and taking note of anything that seems prominent or important, as it may be symbolic to you and your working. You don’t need to envision your physical body in the Inner Mirror, simply your ideal one, because the image you see will change to reflect the part of yourself you’re working with.

This is where you can decide what you want to do with the Inner Mirror if you haven’t already. You can look for information on currently undiscovered kintypes, communicate with your Other side to see how you can better express that side of yourself or how to curb unwanted shifts or behaviors (or even how to harness your Other nature and skills in magic and ritual), search for memories and explore your home, and any other things you may want to do.

Discovering Kintypes

Follow the steps of the basic method to reach your Inner Mirror. Sit or stand in front of it, whichever feels more right for you, and allow yourself to let go of any preconceived notions about the exact details of what your kintype may be while gazing at yourself. Know that what is reflected is you, and always will be you, but it takes on the ability to move and talk on its own by embodying your subconscious, soul, Higher Self/Oversoul, or any number of things you believe to be the cause of your otherkinity.

Allow your reflection to morph and change without willing it to do so. You may see flashes and glimpses of features that present themselves as phantom limbs, or your facial shape and hair color may change, or your whole body may shift to look very different from how you see yourself. Make sure to note the colors, shapes, sizes, and placements of various parts, and do some research to see if these features match up with any known creatures, characters, animals, or beings, and see if anything didn’t match up.

You may need to do this meditation several times to narrow down specifics, and make sure to do other introspective work to determine your kintypes alongside this meditation. You very well might run into things in this process that surprise you and turn out completely differently than you initially thought.

Communicating with the Self

Follow the steps of the basic method to reach your Inner Mirror. If you experience shifts, and are currently experiencing one, it doesn’t matter if you wish to learn more about a specific side of yourself. Sit or stand in front of the Inner Mirror and know that what is reflected is you, and always will be you, but it takes on the ability to move and talk on its own by embodying your subconscious, soul, Higher Self/Oversoul, or any number of things you believe to be the cause of your otherkinity.

Tell your reflection that you wish to establish an inner dialogue with a specific kintype. Allow the image to morph and change in its own time to this form, and remember that it is still you you’re talking to (like when you go over things in your head and it feels as though more than one person is talking at once but it’s all still you.)

After your reflection has finished changing, talk to it. Ask yourself things you want to know about yourself, such as why you’re having trouble with shifts or instinctual behaviors, how you can change that, what this part of yourself wants or needs, how you can be the best possible version of you, how you can truly embody this in daily life and ritual, what skills you may be able to recreate and utilize... the list goes on. You may find yourself being told things without asking, as well.

Be sure to log your interactions somewhere, and keep track of the things you try and how it affects you and your overall wellbeing and self-awareness. Repeat and ask for clarification if needed.

Exploring Memories and Worlds

Follow the steps of the basic method to reach your Inner Mirror. Once again, if you experience shifts, it doesn’t matter which one you are in now because the Inner Mirror will allow you to explore other times and worlds through yourself as you were then. This method can even be tweaked for cladotherians and people who do not believe they ever physically lived as an animal, character, or other being yet still have the soul or psyche of that thing, in a way similar to “riding” an animal or person during astral travel to experience what they do.  Sit or stand in front of the Inner Mirror and know that what is reflected is you, and always will be you, but it takes on the ability to move and talk on its own by embodying your subconscious, soul, Higher Self/Oversoul, or any number of things you believe to be the cause of your otherkinity.

Tell your reflection what you wish to do, what life you wish to explore, what world you wish to see, what things you want to feel. Allow it to change form, becoming the shape you wish to take while exploring, and when it’s finished, approach the mirror and step through, merging with your reflection but fully taking on the qualities of who or what they became.

Allow your reflection-self to guide you, taking you to what you need to see most first. Even if you had a specific request, it may not be time to see it yet, or you may not have experienced it at all. Especially with this variation, be sure to let your reflection-self guide you without any preconceived notions of what you will experience.

If you can confirm anything you see in the outside world, do so. Research places and things and people and events, and return if you need to, just to ensure consistency. Keep notes so you can check back on them.

Ending the Meditation

Before you go about your business in the physical world, it’s a good idea to disconnect from the Inner Mirror and allow your reflection-self to just become a reflection again. If you were journeying, exit the mirror first. Allow your reflection-self to morph and change back to your ideal form if needed, allowing it to match you, then gradually becoming just your reflection again as opposed to a window to your inner self. It moves when you do, it blinks when you blink, everything is back in its proper place. Be sure to thank yourself, not only for showing you parts of yourself you weren’t aware of, but for being open enough when so many things in this world tell you not to be. You deserve the positive reinforcement, even if it turns out you saw something that turned out to be false. Your perception can trick you and you can make mistakes, but you are still deserving of a chance.

Stand up if you were sitting down, and walk away from the mirror. You can examine the frame and the landscape of this spot again, to see if anything’s changed since you began your work, and make note of it. Know that this place is still secure and protected and safe, and you can visit it again whenever you need. See it fading from view as you begin to return to this world and to your body.

Be gentle and take your time becoming conscious again. Wiggle your fingers and toes, gently at first, and feel yourself back in your physical form more and more. Settle into your body and open your eyes last, slowly, and blink a few times if you need. Extinguish any candles and get something to eat or drink, you should probably also stretch a little.

Final Thoughts

This meditation was made to be versatile and open-ended, due to the fact that it’s more of a tool and a personal pathworking than a traditional guided meditation. Because of that, you can use it for more reasons than listed here and its potential uses can stretch well beyond self-exploration and into astral travel, archetypal work, invocation, and anything else you might want to do with it. This is your Inner Mirror, it is your tool and your platform to experiment with, and as usual I highly encourage this! Feel free to share any additional tips, tricks, ideas, and experiences with us, as well.

Cloud

#otherkin #fictionkin #therian #alterhuman #past lives #meditation #othermagic originals

[soulbondinghelp]

WARNING: A KNOWN CULT LEADER IS BACK IN THE COMMUNITY!!!!!!!!!

I will be putting brackets in front of urls here in this post, so if you want to block please take away the brackets and you will get the url. The known cult leader so(ra)-boxed is back and is at large under the blog aramoeb(a) . Please block this person immediately. Do not harass him. Do not try to talk to him. He is dangerous and should not be interacted with. Attacking him will not do any good and will not get him to stop. The best thing you can do is spread the word about him.

This is a matter of public community safety. This is not a callout, this is a warning.

Do to the sensitive nature of what the cult has done, I will be linking to another post if you really want to see an in detail thing about it, but some of the bad things they have done include:

-Encouraged one of their members to abuse an animal

-Manipulated and lied to a lot of people about both kin things and soulbonding

-Made outlandish spiritual claims that put him and inner circle members in higher “spiritual positions” over others.

-Gaslights people into thinking they are “psychotic” when they do not agree with him

-Supports nazis

Links and sources:

A DW blog run by former low ranking cultists talking about their experiences

Our original post on the cult

A post by the people who run Othermagic warning people about the leader

#alterhuman #soulbonding #cults #animal abuse #otherkin #fictionkin #spirit work #therian

[fromthemouthofkings]

WIP SAMPLER BASKET

A meme for people with too many WIPS!

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Send me an ask with the title that most intrigues you and interests you and I’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it!

@suzukiblu was doing this and said they were passing on the tag to anyone else who wanted it, and it looked like fun so I’m running with it! Because I have too many WIPs, all the time. Some of these are original fic and some are fanfic, but they’re all things I’m currently working on! (I’m excluding things that are in progress but already posted on ao3)

not to me, not if it’s you

Post-Carnival Job Eliot h/c

urban magic

Space Pirates

Othermages

Mattiat’

The Mysterious Disappearance of Michael J. Callinghart

Something Queer in Elsinore

Please send me asks! I love rambling about my work and I need motivation to keep writing ^_^ I'm not sure who would enjoy doing this, so if you’re interested, or have too many WIPs and want motivation to work on them, consider yourself tagged! (But also, @artemis-personified)

#quinn speaks #ask games #:3

[othermagic]

your self-exploration process is nobody else’s business

I had originally meant to cover multiple topics in one post, but it got too long, so I guess I’ll be posting it in parts. In this post I’ll be addressing the issues I see with enforcing strict boundaries on people’s self-exploration in nonhuman communities, because I’ve seen a lot of it in recent years.

In short, I think it’s bad practice. A lot of it, I acknowledge, is probably in response to the fairly recent rise of “kinning with”-culture and the inherent lack of self-analysis practiced by the people involved before applying the label of “kin” to themselves. And I think, on the whole, it’s an understandable response to a frustrating phenomenon.

But in spite of that, what has always been true remains true today: your journey of self-discovery should always be about you at its core. Not the community, not the people who speak for it, and certainly not the expectations set up by it. Only you can determine who and what you are, and everyone should be allowed to explore their nonhumanity in the ways that feel and work best for them. While the community at large may have renewed its attachment to a formulaic and consistent approach to determining your identity, it doesn’t always work that way, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Personally, my favorite way of exploring potential kintypes is to induce cameo shifts and use them as a tool to determine how organic it feels and how persistent it becomes. This method has been more reliable for me than all the meditation and source-scouring I’ve ever attempted, so that’s what I do, and it’s what I’ve done for most of the 10+ years that I’ve been part of nonhuman circles. More than once I’ve been confronted on it by people telling me that “treating it like it’s a thing before you’ve confirmed it makes you look Fake™”, and as someone who’s been around awhile, I get it.

For one thing, the importance of persistent skepticism even in the face of personal proof has been drilled into us for years as the obligate anchor that keeps us from hurtling headfirst into self-indulgent fantasy. But in my experience, it’s far more easy to get caught up in and derailed by constant self-inflicted doubt than it is to occasionally take things at face value and ride them out to see where they take you. And if it turns out that it takes me absolutely nowhere except a dead end? At least I know that much. Never underestimate the power of the process of elimination.

Another thing that raises eyebrows when I discuss this method is the time it takes to be effective. Sometimes, of course, the process can take months or even years. However, sometimes it takes less than a week to realize that while I may resonate strongly enough with something to have initially mistaken it as a potential part of me, attempting to live with the reality of the assumption that it actually is a part of me is too uncomfortable to hold that consideration any longer. Nearly anyone you speak to regarding these matters will tell you that if a realization is reached within a time period of less than several months, it shouldn’t be taken seriously. 

Both of these things, self-enforced skepticism and an obligate time frame, feel incredibly arbitrary to me and always have. I feel that they’re based on the incorrect idea that all otherkind and fictionkind function primarily the same when it comes to our identities, in spite of the fact that we are all wildly different as individuals, with often wildly differing paths and practices. I wholeheartedly understand the desire to make sure that people take their exploration seriously and don’t end up lost in a false sense of self based on wishful thinking or simple mistakes, but insisting that everyone should conform to one method of self-analysis seems counterproductive to that. Identity is an extremely personal, individual thing, and there is no one-size-fits-all method for truly understanding yourself.

The only things that can and should be universal to all methods of self-exploration are honesty and patience with yourself, openness to ideas outside of your expectations, and a willingness to adapt to whatever conclusion you eventually reach, regardless of whether it turns out the way you wanted it to or not. If you cannot be honest with yourself about yourself, and be patient with yourself in your growth, you aren’t going to get very far in any exercise intended to help you with any serious form of self-discovery.

All that being said, is the method I use appropriate for everyone? Absolutely not. But has it proved to be a viable alternative for self-exploration in spite of being unorthodox? You bet. The important part about getting to the roots of your nonhumanity, and all the various facets thereof, is not the method(s) you use to get there. It isn’t the amount of time it takes you. It is whether or not the path you take is what you personally need to facilitate your growth, both spiritually and as an individual.

- Legion

#otherkin #fictionkin #othermagic originals #Legion's posts

[othermagic]

Othermagic Prompts Challenge

In an ongoing effort to encourage community participation and provoke thought in regards to nonhumanity and other related topics we cover here, we’ve decided to make a prompts challenge in a similar style to other 30-day challenges floating around the community.

What makes this one so special? For one, you don’t need to do all of them. Ever. No pressure on 30 consecutive days of answering or doing things if you start it, you can pick it up and use absolutely any of the prompts for inspiration in any way you like! Do them all at once, do them whenever inspiration is low, do them all multiple times over.

Secondly, this is broken up into question prompts and activity prompts. The question prompts follow the same general lines as a lot of other community challenges go, but rather than asking about your identity and how you figured it out, they’re specifically tailored to the idea behind this blog: learning more about yourself as “other” and applying it to magic and daily life. The activity prompts, on the other hand, are ideas to try out, things to do and make and research and generally allow you to become a more active participant in your own self-discovery. Of course, there may be some overlap between the two types of prompts, but otherwise they’ve been categorized as best as possible. It’s also worth noting that any mentions of kintypes can be replaced with hearttypes, soulbonds, etc. if you so choose.

If you take up any of these prompts or ideas and post them on Tumblr or another website, please notify us or use the tag #othermagicpromptschallenge so we can see what you’ve done! We’d love to know and see what you guys do with this.

Question Prompts:

What part of your identity has had the most influence on your craft or things you’d like to work with?

Do you work with any deities or entities from another life? If so, who (so long as you’re comfortable mentioning it)? If not, is there anyone or anything you’d like to reach out to again?

Have you remembered anything that can be used for magic in this world? If not, do you know of anything from related sources (books and folklore related to kintypes, your source/canon or things similar to it) that you’d like to try out in this world or on the astral?

Have any other books, movies, pop culture sources, or mythological sources influenced the way you practice?

Do you know if you spoke another language? If so, have you attempted to recreate or relearn it in this life? If not, have you attempted to make a conlang (constructed language) or conscript (constructed script) that fits the feeling of your species/culture?

Have you made any crafts or recipes related to your kintype or constructed from memories? If so, what are they? Share pictures or details if you’d like!

Have you picked up any hobbies, skills or talents because of your kintype (e.g. sports, musical instruments, etc.)? What are they? If not, what would you like to pick up?

Do you remember anything about other inhabitants of your world/plane/planet/dimension/timeline/etc.? What sorts of relationships did you have with them, personally/individually or as a group/species? Would you ever want to work with them in any capacity again if you don’t already?

Was there a specific form of artistic expression (visual art techniques such as specific methods of sculpting or painting, musical instruments, song, dance, types of poetry, architecture, etc.) that doesn’t seem to have an equivalent here to your knowledge? If so, have you been able to replicate it to any degree?

If you remember there being magic in your world/plane/planet/dimension/timeline/etc., could you use it? If so, do you remember how it worked or how it felt, and have you attempted to recreate it?

Have parts of your practice changed after you found out about your otherness? Have any parts stayed the same?

Is there some part of your practice or your understanding of self that you’re having difficulty with? If so, what is it, and how can you make changes to it so you can continue to grow and explore? Are there things you haven’t given much thought to that you should consider? (For example, if you find yourself thinking mostly about people you used to know or the way you interact with your deities/other spirits and beings but not much about how your kintype affects you on a day-to-day basis or what sort of society, if any, you used to live in. Or vice versa.)

Has anything you questioned that turned out not to be a thing stayed with you in some ways? Has it influenced your craft or lifestyle or hobbies? If so, what and how?

Activity Prompts:

Make a conlang or conscript for your species or culture. If you already have one, make a variation or make one based on another species, culture, or group you remember.

Make sigils using your conlang/conscript and test them out.

Make sigils to represent your kintypes as you experience them and use them as meditation aids for self-reflection and deeper understanding of yourself.

Create a spell, ritual, potion, bath bomb, etc. intended to help you connect to the energy and qualities a being, creature, character, etc. that is NOT a kintype in any way so you can incorporate their positive traits into your life. (Note that this will in no way make you that thing, just more like them.)

Make sigils of your home world/plane/planet/dimension/timeline/etc. and use them to carry the energy of “home” with you, or use them as focus tools while astral traveling or projecting.

Use any aesthetic posts or moodboards you might have saved up around your blog/desktop/phone storage and use them as active meditation tools.

Make a list of positive traits of your kintype that you’d like to embody more as well as negative traits you’d like to diminish and work on.

Put together a set of clothing or accessories that remind you of your kintype, and enchant them to serve as a glamour/shadow shift inducer when worn all together.

Find, modify, or make a recipe of a type of food or drink you used to have or a substitution if there’s no equivalent here (such as souls or animals that don’t exist here) or if you have specific dietary needs that don’t match that of your past self.

Make a list of magical correspondences for your kintype(s). Add things like crystals, herbs, colors, household objects, animals or mythical creatures (if you aren’t one or making correspondences for one), weather phenomena, etc. that you associate with yourself.

Find historical/folkloric accounts, stories, fictional works (including fanfiction for fictionkind if you’re comfortable with it) and compare and contrast your experiences and memories with the author/creator’s portrayal. PLEASE do not directly involve the author/creator in any way (such as direct tagging or saying these things in the comments if applicable) and don’t attack anyone over differences in experience or perception.

Find home decor ideas, items, and/or DIY that will help you feel more at home (this includes things like pillow dens, blanket caves or nests and similar). Make a Pinterest board, a post with links and/or images, a bookmarks folder, or even a physical collage/idea board of things you’re most likely to be able to do or buy in your current living situation.

Look into stories, movies, or other media about shapeshifting or not quite fitting into a human world that aren’t directly related to your kintype(s) and compare and contrast your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Make a playlist of songs that you associate with your kintype(s) and use it for a shapeshifting ritual or experience.

#othermagicpromptschallenge #otherkin #fictionkin #therianthropy #othermagic originals

[othermagic]

All right, guys, for the first post of 2017 I’m gonna just put the biggest, best, and easiest way to do “otherkin magic” without making ten million posts on the subject where people complain in reblogs, asks, etc. about how I didn’t include them:

Make your own spells/rituals/systems of magic/etc. using your kintypes for inspiration.

Seriously. Think about the symbolic associations of an animal or mythical creature, use motifs presented in your canon, use objects or ideas or concepts found in your home or habitat. Regardless of whether you’re a therian, mythological otherkin, fictionkin, polykin, whatever, the best and easiest way to integrate your kintypes and magic is to think about it yourself and just go out and do it.

Look at other spells and rituals that utilize pop culture elements or calling on spirits of animals (physical or mythical) and their attributes. Use those as a starting point and customize them if you don’t know where to begin or what to do. While having resources and guides and whatever else is absolutely wonderful, there is NO substitute for doing things yourself. You can theorize about magic all you like, but work is the most important aspect.

You can’t have people telling you what to do all the time with this stuff. It can easily lead you into a trap of never progressing, never learning, never growing. Self-exploration is a crucial aspect of both otherkin and magic, and something I don’t see a lot of emphasis on here. Don’t be afraid to experiment while keeping yourself grounded.

Cloud

#otherkin #otherkin magic #fictionkin #pop culture magic #therian #alterhuman #othermagic originals

[soulbondinghelp]

To the anon with the long string of asks asking for more evidence

Again, we can provide proof of all of the things mentioned anon, but you need to contact us privately because the screenshots we have that answer your questions give away who our original informant is and we cannot publicly post them if they are not blurred out. We are trying to protect their identity for a very good reason as anyone who exposes a cult is bound to be harassed and stalked.

This goes for anyone else. You can try asking on anon and we will post answers if we can, but if we can’t you are going to have to go off anon and PM us for our informant’s safety.

As far as the legitimacy of our posts is concerned, we have proven that Sora did indeed run the server that the cult was on as per our last screenshot. This is proof he was in fact, the leader.

Also, as for his behavior “changing” he clearly harassed othermagic before this was even brought out publicly again and you can see that in the date of the thing he sent them. This is not a sign of someone who has changed. Even if he disagrees with othermagic’s views, he should calmly state his disagreements somewhere instead of personally PMing them on discord and attacking them out of the blue like that like everyone else who has reasonable criticisms of othermagic does.

I also want to point out that he never really and truly apologized to his original victims for the actual actions he committed against them. I have not heard a single one come forward saying he has and we know A LOT OF THEM.

I get the feeling these anons are being sent by someone heavily involved with him at the moment. If you are then I am going to take a wild guess and assume he is a kind and friendly person to you who is claiming he has legitimately changed and people are trying to make him look bad. I am going to guess this without even knowing what he is saying to you. Maybe he’s a best friend. Maybe he’s someone who comes off as truly wanting to help others.

These are the same tactics he uses on most of his victims to lie and make himself out to be a good person they can befriend. He is so good at manipulation and lying that he can come off as one of the most friendly people on the planet until you see what he’s really saying behind closed doors. He can and has kept people trapped for years like this. It’s a pattern and he is known for lying. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING GET OUT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE FOR YOU TOO. HE IS PROBABLY SAYING ALL KINDS OF SHIT BEHIND YOUR BACK.

#cults

[soulbondinghelp]

Also, the screenshot of him “attacking” you again after so long looks More like he is hurt from toxic behaviors from you guys rather than being a predator. If someone is ableist and making others s*cidal then it only makes sense they would be met with anger

That wasn’t us he was attacking. It was othermagic. We are not othermagic but both us and othermagic are trying to spread the word about him. Again, if he has problems with othermagic he can take them up like everyone else does in a reasonable manner. There are plenty of blogs with reasonable criticisms of othermagic because some of their views are controversial. He specifically went out of his way to PM them on discord though and say those things to them.

That is not the sign of a changed man. That is the sign of someone who is immature and toxic.

Also anon, if you want more screenshots and evidence so badly why don’t you take me up on my original offer? You haven’t yet. Is there something you’re hiding by avoiding showing me your url and coming off anon? Like maybe the fact that I’ll know who you are? Maybe the fact that I’ll know that Sora or another one of his cultists is sending me these?

I’m going to stop answering these now. If you want to take me up on my offer please do. If not then your loss I guess. But don’t say we didn’t warn you.

[othermagic]

Otherkin and the Alchemical Ladder

(Copied/slightly edited from my original post on magick4kin)

So, recently I’ve been thinking over the lack of anything at all that deals with the experiences of otherkin past the awakening stage, the comparisons I’ve seen to otherkin and mystery religions, and some personal exploration and magical experimentation I’ve been doing. After some reading, thinking, and some “a-ha” moments, I realized that the general process of understanding and living as otherkin parallels the process of spiritual alchemy.

For those of you who don’t know what spiritual alchemy is, it’s a type of apotheosis (humans becoming gods) or ascension (humans becoming one with “the source”) that is represented by the more commonly-known variety of alchemy that involves the creation of the philosopher’s stone, changing lead into golds, etc. It revolves around the physical processes being an allegory for the spiritual ones. (There’s some debate as to which is the “real” alchemy, but that’s not the point of this.)

It’s important to note that, like any archetypal path (the hero’s journey being a common one) that the steps aren’t necessarily in any set order, and the steps can be repeated as many times as necessary. Someone who has reached the “final step” can be reset to the lowest rung for any variety of reasons, and revelations or lack of introspection can move you wildly up or down, depending. Not everyone experiences it the same way, either. This is just a general guide and my observations on the subject.

Awakening (Calcination)

In the physical alchemical process, calcination is burning something to obtain ash (usually from an herb or other vegetable matter). Spiritually, that association of burning refers to the spark or light of the initial awakening, in this case to the idea that you’re not fully human or of this world. Like a fire, awakening can happen suddenly or smolder a bit before really taking effect. The discovery of one’s kintypes may happen at this stage, but it’s more likely to happen during the next stage, that of dissolution, or introspection.

The main “activity” during awakening is essentially the discovery of the term “otherkin”, or sudden memories or feelings regarding a possible new kintype. Awakening is not necessarily an active process, as it occurs spontaneously and occasionally quite violently.

Introspection (Dissolution)

Dissolution, physically speaking, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the process of dissolving something (the ash, in this case) in a different substance (solvent, usually a liquid) to create what is known as a solution. In reference to otherkin, this is the stage at which one begins to dissolve their ideas about themselves and their kintypes, leading to new discoveries about their nature. This is probably the most crucial stage in the process, as introspection is vital to the understanding of your nature as otherkin. This stage is also more involved than awakening, as it requires active participation on your behalf to question yourself and your kintypes to narrow down memories, feelings, and identity.

Useful activities for those undergoing the process of introspection or dissolution include journaling, research (whether that be studying a potential theriotype, reading various myths, or looking for small details in canon), meditation, and looking into the experiences of others.

Withdrawal from Humanity (Separation)

Don’t get confused by the wording, this simply means becoming engrossed in your otherkin nature to the near-exclusion of non-kin or mundanes. The process of separation in terms of alchemy is removing any insoluble matter from the previous step. This is the point at which many otherkin seek people experiencing similar things or join the community. This is also a potentially dangerous step for those who either jumped too quickly out of dissolution or those who become obsessed with the idea of being nonhuman. Cult-like mindsets can run rampant as people search for validation and those who feel a similar way or share opinions. On a more positive scale, this step can lead to the building of communities, groups, meetups, or rarely a healthy pack or clan. Memories, thoughts, and feelings are often expressed during this step.

Becoming active in a community, joining a meetup, discussing things and simply meeting otherkin online and offline are useful tools for progressing, if you don’t let yourself become too egotistical or sheltered.

Return to Humanity (Conjunction)

Much like the previous stage, this involves becoming more active in the mundane, non-kin world. Conjunction is recombining the saved parts of the separation process and creating a new substance from them. Once someone is settled and comfortable with their otherkinity, less focus is placed on the differences between the otherkin part and the human part, allowing for a more unified sense of self. While someone experiencing this process may drift away from the community, they might end up sharing their experiences and helping others with their individual processes. This is the stage where the experience of otherkin is just as important, if not more important than the memories, learning experiences, and feelings. Anything from learning to shift when needed, to changing your living space to make life more comfortable, to general community contribution are included in this stage.

Most people at this point don’t mind wearing tails or getting tattoos or expressing their otherkin nature in day-to-day life, as they’re comfortable with their nature. Sometimes, people have no intent of exploring their nature further. So long as this doesn’t affect their ability to live healthily and safely, this isn’t an issue. Participating in activities that soothe both your human side and otherkin side are particularly useful at this point.

Self-doubt (Fermentation)

This is often the most disagreeable part of the experience of being otherkin, and likely part of why some choose (or try their hardest) not to move past conjunction. Fermentation is also the process by which some may choose to deal with this stage, as alcohol is a result of the fermentation of grain or fruit. This stage can feel like an existential or identity crisis, and can be caused by internal or external provocation. You may doubt your kintypes, your sanity, your nature as otherkin, or other’s perceptions of you. Unlike introspection, this stage is often not consciously initiated and is far more self-critical and intense. Despite its harsh experiences and trials, the process of self-doubt or fermentation is the secret to fully integrating one’s nature as otherkin and their physical form. It’s not an easy path, and most would rather stay happily at the stage of conjunction.

Rest assured, though, as far more good than harm will come out of this stage if treated properly. There is nothing wrong with breaking down and re-defining your experience as otherkin, and in most cases it’s necessary. You may find yourself in denial or even nearing the verge of becoming anti-kin because of your inner turmoil. The only thing to do at this point in the process is to weather the storm and wait for the sun to come out.

Taking a Role (Distillation)

In the process of alchemy and science, distillation is the process of purifying liquids or volatile substances by evaporation. Refining the experience of otherkin is a major part of this stage, including more security in your experiences, beliefs about otherkin, and forming opinions based on observation rather than what a certain part of the community believes. This can come with a sense of seeing the “big picture” in regards to what the community or you are in need of, or the ability to help others come to terms with their identity and a refusal to interfere with their discovery process (e.g. not suggesting kintypes, ensuring that they know their experience may be different, not presenting memories as absolute truth, etc.) Some may no longer experience extreme species dysphoria or the insatiable need to discuss memories or experiences with everyone they meet at this point. They are simply comfortable with who they are and feel no obligation to discuss it. Others may learn better, healthier ways of coping with and curbing the more undesirable aspects of otherkinity and still discuss it with close friends or those who need assistance.

Integration (Coagulation)

The ultimate step in the alchemical process, coagulation is the creation of a new, pure substance (the philosopher’s stone) and spiritually is the integration of all aspects of the self. For many, this could display itself as suntherianthropy (”sun” pronounced “soon”), the state of being partially or fully shifted at all times. The intensity of this state can fluctuate, but never really leaves. Contherians experience a stable “percentage” of otherness at all times. At this point, you have full control over your kintypes and/or kinselves and there is no longer much of a difference between your human and nonhuman aspects. No special precautions may need to be taken to avoid shifting or alleviate dysphoria, or you’ve simply become so good at solving kin-related issues that it becomes second nature to stop the problem as it come up. Regardless, major shake-ups or discovering a kintype you hadn’t previously acknowledged can still cause you to return to an earlier rung on the ladder. The difference is, you don’t lose your previous experiences. Each time you start again, you know what it’s like to work through them and the process gets faster and easier each time. It’s like re-playing a video game on a lower difficulty in some respects.

Again, this post isn’t meant to be the ultimate guide to how awakening and discovery progresses, though. It’s simply a guide to potentially gauge yourself and your growth on, and maybe gain insights from. Everyone’s experience is unique, don’t let this limit you.

Cloud (Portal)

#otherkin #fictionkin #therian #alterhuman #othermagic originals

[othermagic]

Summer tips for Otherkin

I don’t see enough posts dedicated to helping kin feel more in touch with their “other” side, and summer is often a time for people to relax, enjoy themselves, and generally have fun. So, why not make a post giving some ideas (and hopefully some safety hints) for some neat activities? For a lot of people in the northern hemisphere, summer is on its way. What’s an otherkin with seasonal-specific needs to do?

REMINDER: Please, please, please use common sense when engaging in ANY activity. You are still physically human. Your human body has human limitations. Also please keep in mind any laws or regulations specific to your location.

For otherkin from warm habitats:

Spend time outside! Especially if it gets cold in the fall/winter where you live, use the weather change to your advantage.

Remember, just because you aren’t human internally doesn’t mean your human body has the same immunities. Even if you love running around all day in the sun, you’ll need lots of water, juice or Gatorade. Tips for how to prevent dehydration can be found here.

If it rains a lot, don’t fret! Just grab some blankets or a space heater and watch some movies that take place in warm climates.

If you have nature trails or parks near you, go on a hike and take your favorite book. Make sure to pack snacks and water, you don’t want to collapse. Ideally, you should bring a friend or a close family member.

If you have kin friends, plan a get-together with food, activities, or whatever that suit your kintypes. Here’s a cool blog with recipes sorted by kintype and ingredients.

For otherkin from cold habitats:

Eat cold foods or ice cream. Take some time to make new drinks or popsicle flavors, then eat them! There are plenty of kin and non-kin recipe blogs on Tumblr, and Google is always your friend.

Don’t feel bad about spending time inside. If you need to chill (literally), you need to chill. If AC won’t cut it, take cold showers occasionally.

Just like with warm-climate Otherkin, don’t push yourself. If you start feeling uncomfortable, step outside for a bit until you’re feeling better.

If you live alone or have a personal computer that can play movies, don’t feel bad about watching Christmas movies in the middle of summer. If anyone asks, just say something like “I’m feeling nostalgic for holiday movies” or “Summer weather is the worst, so I’m watching movies with lots of snow.”

If you’re able to take tours to cold places, do it! Look online to see if there are any neat places like ice bars or mountain caves that stay frozen year-round that you could spend a few hours at. Make sure to bring a winter jacket, though, and stay safe.

For otherkin with strong elemental ties:

Water-dwelling kin and related–seriously consider getting a pool membership or water park season pass. In some places pools only stay open from about Memorial Day to Labor Day, and if you need that sort of thing, the investment is well worth it. If you’re lucky enough to live by a beach, why aren’t you there right now?! If you don’t know how to surf/bodyboard/etc., learn how to. Get SCUBA certified if you can, or just buy a snorkeling set if you don’t really want to make the full commitment.

Fire-related kin–If you live somewhere without fire restrictions, buy some fireworks (with adult supervision/consent if you aren’t old enough) and set some off every night or every week or whatever. If you know people who are interested, set up fireworks displays together and invite the neighbors to watch. Use a backyard fire pit if you have it whenever you can to roast marshmallows or leaves or something. Learn how to cook over an open fire, too. If you have fire restrictions, candles are most likely okay, and citronella candles keep annoying bugs away if you’re out on your porch or balcony.

For kin from forests and other similar locations–Summer is a great time to go camping with family and friends. Go out, spend some time in the woods, go bird-watching or learn how to track animals. If you can’t make a commitment to more than a day, see if there are botanical gardens or nature parks near you. Take a sketchbook or a small bag to collect things in, but make sure to check the legality of things like collecting bones or feathers in wherever it is you want to go.

Other fun ideas and tips:

Glow sticks. Incorporate them into a glamourbomb or put them all over your room/blanket fort/attic/secret space/etc. and meditate. Most people are off school in the summer, and if you work, your hours will likely have changed. Take some time to relax.

Kin parties. If you have some friends or a group you do kin stuff with, take advantage of the longer twilight hours in the summer and throw together some related activities, maybe even some sort of group ritual if you’d like. Once again, glamourbombs are a great idea.

Learn how to induce a shift or how to banish one if you don’t know how. It’s a very handy skill and can save you some weirdness in the long run, especially if you’re doing things with family over the summer and they’re not aware of your kin side.

See if any public classes/events are being held that you feel are beneficial and fun to your kin side. This can be art classes, metaphysical seminars, pop culture conventions, anything you like. If you don’t know what to do, check the website Meetup and look for activities that interest you near you, and make sure to check any restrictions that may be in place.

Cloud (Portal)

#otherkin #fictionkin #therian #othermagic originals #lmao this is the post that got featured on tumblrinaction and it was hilarious

[othermagic]

Remembered Language, Forgotten Discussion

One of my favorite things to read about in the otherkin community was the idea of a remembered language, something you used to write or speak in your kin life but have since lost… supposedly. The Silver Elves wrote extensively on this and even published a few books on the subject, Jarandhel Dreamsinger’s list of elven words can be found here, and Isedon Goldwing’s dragon runes have a wiki. However, these are rather old and fairly well-known languages as far as otherkin goes, but surely there must be more. What caused this sudden drop in remembered languages? Why does nobody talk about it anymore? It’s long been my favorite “lost” aspect of the community, and I honestly don’t know the answers to these questions. (Feel free to reblog/reply if you do know, I’d appreciate it a lot! Sources are even better, if you can find them, along with other languages I haven’t listed.)

Now, I’ve actually explored remembered languages… in the context of fictionkin, believe it or not. I’ve seen a couple of Hylian dictionaries, but I was never quite sure whether the authors were fictionkin or not (and then again, there are many variations on the language in canon, and languages change and evolve over time, or even whether or not the creators accidentally recreated the actual language…) I’ve also done some of my own work with this, and I wanted to discuss it. Now, I’ve only really explored the written aspect seeing as the spoken language is actually more of a pain (imagine saying “quote” and “end quote” and “period” and “comma” for every time you’d write them…) but I have noticed some things about doing so that I want to discuss.

Don’t go into it with any expectations.

If you can learn automatic writing, please do. It’s the method I’ve been using for this, in addition to talking with soulbonds and patrons about the language itself. You could get something similar to Spanish or Greek or Russian or Chinese or any other conceivable language (even Akkadian cuneiform or Mayan glyphs), or some unusual mixture, or something you can’t make heads or tails of. Similarities also don’t mean anything other that it sounds like that language or looks like it or maybe has some grammatical parallels. You’re likely looking into a nonhuman, non-Earth-based language, so don’t assume there will be anything similar.

If you’re remembering a spoken language, try and write phonetically until told/remembered otherwise.

This holds especially true if you plan to share it with others. Nobody wants to try and pronounce “Cthulhu” if they don’t know a damn thing about the mythos, so try and write things so you know exactly how to pronounce it. Record yourself saying it if you feel comfortable doing so. Even if you know how it would technically be spelled in English (or your native language, I’m writing this in English and it’s the only technical language I speak), write out a translation. It doesn’t even have to be how you’d see it in a dictionary, those pronunciation keys are hard to read, anyway.

Don’t overthink things.

I really can’t stress this enough. You will write meaningless scribbles. You will say gibberish words. Take time to meditate and think about what you’ve written or recorded or said, ask anyone or anything that’s helping you remember this language for tips and guidance. I’ve been very lost on one or two things (especially names) that my soulbonds have needed to point out for me, and I have absolutely made up useless words and glyphs as I explore this. Don’t doubt yourself too much, either. If you see similarities and parallels, look into them! See if they help, and listen to your instinct. If you feel a word means something in your heart and soul, it probably does. If you get confused, that’s okay. You can’t remember an entire language overnight. You will get things wrong, you will make mistakes and need to retranslate. That’s normal for any language, remembered or learned. It’s okay.

You can end up with similar or identical words with different meanings, or vice versa, and other linguistic oddities.

Words that sound/look identical but mean different things exist in a lot of languages. It’s how puns are made. You might end up with a lot of these and some weird modifiers, or no written vowels, or some really strange style of writing (spirals, zig-zags, who knows.) You could end up remembering tonal differences that vastly alter meaning (yes, these exist in real life, notably in Chinese) or have a lot of differences in vowel sounds depending on the surrounding sounds. Everything could be monotone or rhythmic or rolled off the tongue or growled in the throat. Weird things happen with languages.

Languages change over time.

I know I mentioned this in the intro, but it’s really important. Just look at any language, and human language as a whole, to see this in action. It’s happening to English at least right now with the internet allowing for more unusual forms and variations of written communication. This probably goes for other languages, too, so perhaps you and a buddy from the same world remember different things as a result of this. Don’t be too hard on yourself, this is meant to be an exploration into another part of yourself.

If you’re fictionkin, don’t be afraid to expand upon a canon language or completely remake it according to your memories.

Some people might not even have access to a spoken or written language other than the language of the media itself in their canon. The canon representation might be right, it might be wrong, or it could be a little bit of both. There may not be a written or spoken counterpart when you remember having one. All of this is okay, it just might take more time to sort out.

Lastly, don’t feel like you have to remember a language or symbols or anything like that. It’s fine if you don’t, and pretty normal. I just hope to spark interest in this topic again with this post. Feel free to reply to this post, send an ask, whatever of anything you or others have remembered, I’d love to hear about it and I might even do a “language spotlight” if there’s enough interest. Good luck, and happy remembering!

Cloud (Portal)

#otherkin #fictionkin #remembered language #soulbonding #othermagic originals

[othermagic]

Question #1

Since we’re up and running and waiting for a bit more content (and since replies are back), why not start off this new run with a question for all our followers:

What is the strangest thing about being otherkin to you?

It can be good strange or bad strange, but what still makes you think and wonder when it comes to being otherkin?

Cloud (Portal)

#otherkin #fictionkin #therian #prompts #othermagic originals