Environment

[Xzengrim]

Do you think that environment has anything to do with the ability to shift? I was thinking about that the other day, and I'll explain why.

The weather here was warm, but just yesterday it turned deadly cold. I went up to the lake to walk, and the lake was smoking from the cold. Huge, thick, opaque clouds of it, billowing into the sky like a furnace. I went into the woods on the other side, and they were just like a fairy tale forest. A soupy knee deep mist crawled over the ground, and smoke blew thickly through the dead trees. It was deep and dark and murky; just like a werewolf forest in a horror movie. I really liked that.

But yesterday at work I almost Mshifted twice. I had to go outside to get some things. The weather was misty and foggy, and when it got dark I heard the wolves howling in the woods. I like weather like that. It was maybe thirty degrees, with just a little bit of rain. And both times I was walking outside, and I could feel an energy suddenly arc out of my spine and well up in the back of my head. I had to stop and catch my breath, because I could feel the world swimming away. Scents rose up, and my hearing spiked, and I could feel the shift coming. It was all I could do not to get down on all fours and try to run.

It was spontaneous and powerful, and I wonder if the weather in the last few days could have had something to do with it. Any thoughts?

[Wolvaurynomir]

Definitely. I find that when I'm in a quiet place--be that outdoors or indoors--that I "shift" more often. It doesn't even have to be quiet: certain music can do it or even public places in which I feel distant from the people around me. I think environment can have a very major factor in a "shift".

[Moonlight]

Oh yea, no doubt it does. I think environment plays an enormous role on shifting and behavior.

After all, when a wild thing is free, it is what it is. But when a wild thing is caged, it is not itself anymore.

Does that make sense to anyone? I've got it in my head, but it no worky when typey...

[Wolvaurynomir]

After all, when a wild thing is free, it is what it is. But when a wild thing is caged, it is not itself anymore.

Does that make sense to anyone? I've got it in my head, but it no worky when typey...

Certainly. When we're around other people, we tend to be more guarded than if we were by ourselves. When you're by yourself, there is no enemy and you can be yourself without the fear of another being there to use your most personal actions and ideas against you. For example: let's say you enjoy playing the piano, but only when you're by yourself because you view that as a very, very personal thing. If someone heard you playing and put down your talent, that could be a devastating attack on you. "Personal" is where your opponent (and yourself) are the weakest, which is why you'll want to keep it very well-protected.

[ThrasherCub]

Well it makes sense though doesn't it? Shifting is generaly the animal soul (or spirit or essence or whatever you personaly call it) inside you coming to the surface. Say you are thrust into a country far away with bizaar customs that scare the crap out of you and you don't speak the language and you're not entirely sure that these people won't kill you for being different from them. You'll sit still and keep quiet won't you? That's what your inner beasty does in places unfamiliar, especialy around people. But now go back to your house that you've lived at forever and you know it's every quirk down to the patern the light flickers. You'll let it all hang out (hopefuly it's just a metaphor unless you're alone) and calm down and be yourself. When the situation is right, your spirit will feel right at home and rise closer to your surface.

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