My animal nature. General thoughts and such.

[Thoughtless]

Hm. This seems like a fitting place to post this. The most agreeable-seeming forum on the subject. So here goes.

Sometimes I go into a "shift". I get a maddening desire to act somewhat like an animal. I don't know which animal, but it doesn't really matter. The fact remains it's very hard to remain in control. Sometimes I go out. I find a secluded spot in the woods and just sit there. I just watch. I feel like my vision is broader, hearing more acute... smells become more vivid. I'm aware of everything. It feels so right to just sit there as the hunter and notice everything, to just be, to just experience, and not think. If I'm close to a road I might scutter deeper into the forest if people pass by. Not for fear of what they'd think if they saw a weird guy just sitting there, more because I just don't want them to see me. I don't want to have any contact with them.
I wish I could just stay in that state, but the fact that I'm human weighs me down. I CAN'T just run off into the wilderness. It doesn't work for a human. I've been declawed. I couldn't survive, and if anyone was to see me, I'd be shipped off with the men in white coats in the blink of an eye.

It's always been like that but lately it's gotten stronger. It's so very hard to fit myself into work, into the stuff I'm supposed to do and enjoy as a human. I make it trough by knowing that eventually it'll be over for the day. I can go home and throw away the mask. Even if I can't be an animal, I don't have to be a human either, at least all the time. I can do whatever I feel like.

I've always figured there's some name for whatever mental disorder or <i>thing</i> I have. So I searched for it because I couldn't bear slowly loosing my mind. I found a lot of interesting stuff, like this here (http://www.otherwonders.com/swiftpaws/therian/old/undertree.html) which deeply resonates with what I feel. So I'm not alone. And apparently I'm a "therian". Funny stuff. I don't know what my inner animal is. It doesn't matter that much either.

I might never meet another "therian" in real life. Doesn't matter... I'm not alone. There are people who wouldn't classify me as a nutcase, some people I could talk to if I wanted. Probably. And it sure is a comforting thought.

Liner-note: Sure feels like I got a load off my mind there. Feel free to comment or something.

[DarkWolf]

What you describe is more akin to mental disorder Lycanthropy than the spiritual belief of Therianthropy.

[Thoughtless]

What you describe is more akin to mental disorder Lycanthropy than the spiritual belief of Therianthropy.

Hm hm. I'm not an expert obviously but I can't really see the difference. From what I've read on "therianthropy" material it's pretty similar to my feelings.

What seems to be common in the ones with the mental disorder is the inability to control themselves while they feel the "animal nature". That's why it's a disorder.

[DL Lycan]

Well no, it's more of a disorder because people with Lycanthropy simply don't know they are still human, and they are a danger to both themselves and people around them. If you are truly a therian, then saying "you are not alone" on a website with a few therianthropes in a topic entitled "therianthropy" goes without saying...

[Thoughtless]

If you are truly a therian, then saying "you are not alone" on a website with a few therianthropes in a topic entitled "therianthropy" goes without saying...

It was more of a personal confirmation of the fact. The topic title says "thoughts" after all.

I'll try and drop the redundancies, then. Nice to meet you.

[ThrasherCub]

I get a maddening desire to act somewhat like an animal. I don't know which animal, but it doesn't really matter. The fact remains it's very hard to remain in control.
Few therians experience this. It's rarely some sudden desire to act like an animal - that clearly indicates that one is not of an inhuman nature. Most therians just have a more animistic thought process and a few weird animal-habits. More than one therian is more comfotable nesting in a wad of blankets than in a well-made bed.

I feel like my vision is broader, hearing more acute... smells become more vivid. I'm aware of everything. It feels so right to just sit there as the hunter and notice everything, to just be, to just experience, and not think.
Sounds like lycanthropy. Sounds almost nothing like therianthropy.

Not for fear of what they'd think if they saw a weird guy just sitting there, more because I just don't want them to see me. I don't want to have any contact with them.
Not therianthropy, and probably not lycanthropy. Just odd and isolated.

I wish I could just stay in that state, but the fact that I'm human weighs me down. I CAN'T just run off into the wilderness. It doesn't work for a human. I've been declawed. I couldn't survive, and if anyone was to see me, I'd be shipped off with the men in white coats in the blink of an eye.
Sounded fine until you mentioned the men in white coats. Therians are perfectly normal members of society. Hell, sometimes the 'men in white coats' are therians themselves.

It's always been like that but lately it's gotten stronger. It's so very hard to fit myself into work, into the stuff I'm supposed to do and enjoy as a human. I make it trough by knowing that eventually it'll be over for the day. I can go home and throw away the mask. Even if I can't be an animal, I don't have to be a human either, at least all the time. I can do whatever I feel like.
That's not therianthropy. That's angst.

I've always figured there's some name for whatever mental disorder or <i>thing</i> I have.
It's called 'living in an urban area and desiring the romanticised life of the wild.'

So I searched for it because I couldn't bear slowly loosing my mind.
Lycanthropy = insanity.
Therianthropy = perfectly normal.

And apparently I'm a "therian". Funny stuff. I don't know what my inner animal is. It doesn't matter that much either.
1 - Whoever or whatever made it 'apparent' that you are a therian is probably full of crap.
2 - No, it's not funny.
3 - You probably don't have an inner animal.
4 - you should care.

[Thoughtless]

Fine, then.

So in other words, therianthropy has a very strict definition of what classifies and what does not?

I suppose that's true, then. I don't fit the checklist, I'm not a therian. Fine. I suppose it was the wrong term.

But you do realize I didn't actually mean everything I said literally? The part with men in white coats is obviously an exaggeration - I could of course just claim I was picking mushrooms or something - it's just the general idea of what people would think. A metaphor.

Also, why should it matter to me what my "inner animal" is? I know I have an animal side to my personality. That's all I need to know.

But I didn't really post this to argument about my post.

EDIT: But I don't see the need for all the hostility. You don't have to aggressively go through the whole therian checklist. It's enough if you say it. It's not like I have a need to call myself that.

[DarkWolf]

There was no apparent hostility in ThrasherCub's post. It was just an explanation of what your words are and what they're relative to in terms of lycanthropy or therianthropy or neither.

Don't be so defensive just because you don't like what somebody has to say.

[Thoughtless]

I just don't like how he clearly defines a mental phenomena. But you're right, the post isn't very hostile, I just took it in the wrong fashion.

Few therians experience this. It's rarely some sudden desire to act like an animal - that clearly indicates that one is not of an inhuman nature. Most therians just have a more animistic thought process and a few weird animal-habits. More than one therian is more comfotable nesting in a wad of blankets than in a well-made bed.

This for example. Basically every human probably finds it more comfortable to sleep in a pile of blankets, it's just that it's inconvinient, so they don't do it. But therians do it because they have a desire to act like animals. To me it seems like another side of the same coin.


Sounds like lycanthropy. Sounds almost nothing like therianthropy.

So you're saying that therians don't experience any kind of "shifting"? Almost every other source I've found says they do/might. :confused:

[ThrasherCub]

So in other words, therianthropy has a very strict definition of what classifies and what does not?
Not really, but there are certain obvious things. Like telling the difference between colors. There's no set dividing line between orange an red, so classifying a shade can get tricky. Unless it happens to be a shade of green or something.

But you do realize I didn't actually mean everything I said literally? The part with men in white coats is obviously an exaggeration - I could of course just claim I was picking mushrooms or something - it's just the general idea of what people would think. A metaphor.
Yes, and the general meaning of such a metaphor is insanity - something I clearly stated that therians are not and generally fail to resemble.

Also, why should it matter to me what my "inner animal" is? I know I have an animal side to my personality. That's all I need to know.
I don't know, maybe because it's you on one of the deepest levels? Because it affects your life? Because depending on your religion it may affect where you go after you die? Because it may help you through life? Because it may lead to greater understanding of yourself?

But I don't see the need for all the hostility.
I don't see all the hostility.

You don't have to aggressively go through the whole therian checklist. It's enough if you say it. It's not like I have a need to call myself that.
I wasn't be agressive, I was being blunt. I don't tend to sugar-coat my words because that's all the people pay attention to - the sugar-coating. And this isn't about a need to call yourself anything, it's about the fact that you did call yourself something which lends to the idea that you believe this is what you are. Really, this is an attempt to undo the damage of whatever made therianthropy apparent to you.

Notice that I never said you're not a therian. I said that those things don't sound like therianthropy, or that those actions or descriptions are not therianthropy. You may well be a therian, and have therianthropic attributes. They just aren't those.

I just don't like how he clearly defines a mental phenomena.
That it is largely mental is debatable. In fact, for some individuals it's debatable as to it being mental at all.

Note: I'm a woman.

Basically every human probably finds it more comfortable to sleep in a pile of blankets, it's just that it's inconvinient, so they don't do it. But therians do it because they have a desire to act like animals. To me it seems like another side of the same coin.
Most everyone I have met prefers a well-made bed over a wad of blankets. I've asked around. Yes, I got lots of weird looks for it.
Now, therians do not desire to act like animals. There is no desire, there is no acting, and it's not 'like an animal.' We're just being ourselves. It is no different than any other aspect of life, and it's no different for a therian than it is for a non-therian.

Stop trying to draw a distinction. There isn't one.

So you're saying that therians don't experience any kind of "shifting"? Almost every other source I've found says they do/might.
We do. I never said we don't shift. We just don't tend to shift like in your description.

Let's take a look at that, shall we?

I feel like my vision is broader, hearing more acute... smells become more vivid. I'm aware of everything. It feels so right to just sit there as the hunter and notice everything, to just be, to just experience, and not think.
Well, we do not get heightened senses. Sorry. Those would be symptoms of a physical shift, which is currently unproven and generaly believed to be impossible.
Continuing, most shifts bring home thoughts, not experiences.
On a final note, the hunter will be thinking more than you or I probably are right now. That does not lend to reality, but to a romanticized idea of the werewolf - a very common occurance in therianthropic circles.

[Thoughtless]

I don't know, maybe because it's you on one of the deepest levels? Because it affects your life? Because depending on your religion it may affect where you go after you die? Because it may help you through life? Because it may lead to greater understanding of yourself?

I just figure I'll know it naturally, eventually. Hm. There isn't really any way other than that, is there? I know roughly what (if anything) I am, but without being able to name the exact animal, it just sounds pointless. ("I'm some sort of big cat, but since there are many similar species I'm not sure which one.")

If I don't just realize/know my nature, I'm not a therian, clearly. That's why I don't care, I can't speed the process anyway.


Now, therians do not desire to act like animals. There is no desire, there is no acting, and it's not 'like an animal.' We're just being ourselves. It is no different than any other aspect of life, and it's no different for a therian than it is for a non-therian.

Oh, now I see your point. What I do does all feel natural, and as you said there's no acting. I don't actually think like "hm, I should go into a forest and act like an animal", I just think "hm, I feel like going into a forest". I just do what I feel like, and I suppose calling what I feel like doing a desire was a bit of a poor choice of words.

The more I think of it, the more that whole first post was a poor choice of words.

More on that, the "shifts", I've thought are the only manifestation of a possible animal self, so I've just focused on them... the little things like the "nesting habits" I haven't really thought about. They've just felt... ordinary.

Yes, I get exactly what you mean now. I think. Something to think about.


Well, we do not get heightened senses. Sorry. Those would be symptoms of a physical shift, which is currently unproven and generaly believed to be impossible.

It's all subjective. I probably don't hear stuff better, it just feels like it. Or perhaps it's because I focus more on hearing.

[ThrasherCub]

without being able to name the exact animal, it just sounds pointless. ("I'm some sort of big cat, but since there are many similar species I'm not sure which one.")
Actually, that's an accepted and often-used sort of description. It's like a WIP. For years I just refered to myself as a large canine. As it turned out, I wasn't large so much as I was compact. But that was still enough - those that had gone through simmilar experiences of trying to figure out what their canine therioside was would occasionally help out.

I just do what I feel like, and I suppose calling what I feel like doing a desire was a bit of a poor choice of words.
Understood. Many many wanna-be therians think we 'try to act like animals' which is quite clearly a statement comming from someone on the outside looking it. You know, sometimes it's not even as coherent and human as "gee, I think going into the forest would be nice." Sometimes its, "Why the hell am I in this tree?" Sometimes the intermingling of the two minds is so great that it becomes hard to distinguish if what one is doing is perfectly normal for a human or perfectly normal for the therioside. It's not until afterwards when you give it consideration that you realize, hey, I don't think it was the human mind that came up with this one.

Perfect case in point for myself - running on all fours, generally up stairs. It isn't until I reach the top and notice my companions stairing at me weird that I realize what I've done.

the little things like the "nesting habits" I haven't really thought about. They've just felt... ordinary.
Ahh, those are the things to think about. Many people go through shifts. In fact, there are entire forms of yoga based upon this.
The habit of totaly freaking out because someone changed their deoderant, now that's worth investigating.

It's all subjective. I probably don't hear stuff better, it just feels like it. Or perhaps it's because I focus more on hearing.
I do believe I've experienced something simmilar. The coolest such experience though, by far, was when I payed attention to movement more than color - like a canine. It was really weird, it's almost as if the moving objects were brighter, and everything else was boring.

Don't feel bad if this ever gets confusing. I told you, I myself went years without being able to figure out what I was. :)

[Thoughtless]

Hm. And now about a week after I just felt like noting that I'm actually grateful for you (especially TrasherCub, but the others too) not sugar-coating what you had to say. Or just simply for setting the facts straight.

So thanks for being harsh instead of overly accepting. I think I needed it. Keep up the good work.