|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 9:39 am
Saltski Circe I think at some time in our lives we all wish that we could be animals, or try to relate to them. We make believe when we're young, and as we grow older wish that we could be our pets, perhaps, to lament our own hardships. It's important to remember, though, that that is pretending. There ARE those that feel a spiritual and emotional connection to animals--while not necessarily sexual, it can be almost religious and prayerful, to an extent. Take me, for example. I like animals better than people, because I can relate to them and they can give me a peace of mind that humans can't. I'm not a therianthrope--but I can understand why therianthropes feel the way they do, I think. Or perhaps not. In any case, I don't turn down anything until I see solid evidence to the contrary, and this looks very well-informed. Therianthropy isn't about pretending, or escaping being human. I'm sure there are some people that use it that way, but that's not what it's really about. That would be more on par with furry lifestylers. Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between what you want to be and what you are, most serious therians(as in, people who are serious about their claims, not just leaping on the bandwagon or jumping to conclusions) have spent years debating over that question. For a lot of therians the answer they end up with isn't one they'd hoped for. I can only speak for myself, but I don't think I would have chosen or wanted to be a feline therian. I don't even like cats that much. I certainly didn't want to be a cladotherian('connected' to a genus, rather then specific species). Actually I spent many years in denial about that, and even after I began to accept it I didn't really want to, I just realised there was no point in denying what I felt.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 10:19 am
velvet-wings Solvent Solution When I think of this subject, I think of that quote about music: "Music that soothes the savage beast". For centuries and in thousands of cultures, the idea that the psyche of man is not human, but animal related has existed. Even in ancient Christian mythology, such ideas exist. Example would be those angels called Seraphim. They had the heads of animals as well as man. In my theory, I think the heads reflect more than just God's mortal creatures, but the creature that exist in all of us. Totemism (probably mispelled, but oh well) is another popular Therianthropy-like belief. I personally believe that there is an animal inside us that feels "inhuman". Now I don't believe it is connected to an animal species (like how one feels like they can relate to a fox), but that that "inhuman" feeling is true man. I mean, aren't we animals ourselves? The only difference is our level of thinking and perhaps it is this level of thinking that has caused the barrier between who we currently are and the primal beast within us. Also, remember in history class when we learn about those Viking warriors called Berserkers? Who's to say that they somehow managed to find a way to tap into that barrier and unleash the "creature" inside themselves. Also as a note, Vikings aren't the only ones to do Berserk-like actions. Several Indian tribes have been known to follow what the Viking Berserk would do in their "transformation". I think this is kind of a seperate topic within itself. Humans are just another species of animal, so naturally we will have a base animalistic consious and set of instincts. We tend to think of being 'animalistic' as out of control, violent, dangerous, impulsive etc. In my opinion these are all very much a part of being human. They are human behaviours and actions. It's just that these particular aspects of humanity are looked down upon and so labled as animalistic because of the view 'humans are above animals'. We seem to want to seperate ourselves from animals and make ourselves seem better then them, so lable the 'bad' aspects of human nature as 'animal-like'. Therianthropy isn't about tapping into that animalistic human nature, it isn't really about tapping into or becoming anything. It's just about being yourself. It's about believing that a core and integral part of yourself is a non-human animal. I suppose it would be similar to the way in which some people feel they are a different gender inside. It's about personal identity. I see what you are saying. Its more of a personal discovery of self through the idea that you compare yourself to an animal, right? I know many Native American tribes followed such beliefs as well as several other cultures in Europe, Asia, and Africa. I find it slightly fascinating. Though I wonder, is it we who suggest that we have the traits of an animal or that we have given the traits of man to the animals and are simply recognizing those traits of man through the idea of being related to an animal mentally? Or better yet, what traits or personality is what? Is a fox personality smart? Is a dog personality loyal? Is a cat personality lazy? Just kidding on that last part, but I do wish to understand a little more on how do people come to the conclusion of what animal they relate to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 11:37 am
Solvent Solution I see what you are saying. Its more of a personal discovery of self through the idea that you compare yourself to an animal, right? I know many Native American tribes followed such beliefs as well as several other cultures in Europe, Asia, and Africa. I find it slightly fascinating. Though I wonder, is it we who suggest that we have the traits of an animal or that we have given the traits of man to the animals and are simply recognizing those traits of man through the idea of being related to an animal mentally? Or better yet, what traits or personality is what? Is a fox personality smart? Is a dog personality loyal? Is a cat personality lazy? Just kidding on that last part, but I do wish to understand a little more on how do people come to the conclusion of what animal they relate to. Personality wise, I'd imagine each individual animal would vary, just as a humans personality varies from person to person. I don't think there is a universal personality that can be slapped onto each species of animal. As for finding which animal we relate to, I guess mostly through research. There are a lot of common steriotypes we give to animals that aren't true. So to find out what the animal is really like you'd have to study it, read books, look on websites, visit zoos, read studies etc... Of course that takes a lot of time, which is why it takes many therians years to narrow it down to a specific species. But then there are certain things that give a definite feeling of canine, feline, equine, aves etc... To be honest it probably just boils down to something along the lines of personal assosiation. I don't know what it feels like to be those other creatures, because I'm not them. I know what it feels like to be human, because I am human and I know what it feels like to be cat, because I am cat. However describing what those things feel like is very hard, I don't know if there are words for it. How do you explain what it feels like to be human? Especially hard for cat, because cat doesn't work in human words. If you'd like I can try and explain how I feel cat, but not right now. Because right now I need to go start cooking dinner. razz
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 10:35 pm
velvet-wings Saltski Circe I think at some time in our lives we all wish that we could be animals, or try to relate to them. We make believe when we're young, and as we grow older wish that we could be our pets, perhaps, to lament our own hardships. It's important to remember, though, that that is pretending. There ARE those that feel a spiritual and emotional connection to animals--while not necessarily sexual, it can be almost religious and prayerful, to an extent. Take me, for example. I like animals better than people, because I can relate to them and they can give me a peace of mind that humans can't. I'm not a therianthrope--but I can understand why therianthropes feel the way they do, I think. Or perhaps not. In any case, I don't turn down anything until I see solid evidence to the contrary, and this looks very well-informed. Therianthropy isn't about pretending, or escaping being human. I'm sure there are some people that use it that way, but that's not what it's really about. That would be more on par with furry lifestylers. Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between what you want to be and what you are, most serious therians(as in, people who are serious about their claims, not just leaping on the bandwagon or jumping to conclusions) have spent years debating over that question. For a lot of therians the answer they end up with isn't one they'd hoped for. I can only speak for myself, but I don't think I would have chosen or wanted to be a feline therian. I don't even like cats that much. I certainly didn't want to be a cladotherian('connected' to a genus, rather then specific species). Actually I spent many years in denial about that, and even after I began to accept it I didn't really want to, I just realised there was no point in denying what I felt. I don't know that kids truly "play-act" though. Not when they're in the heat of the moment or playing. They have to assume a mindset, and I think, if just for a moment, they become that animal--if only just how they perceive it. I don't know. I guess I don't understand it all that well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
