#Tulpamancy Guide

[eeveecraft]

Possession: By a Tulpa for Tulpas

By: Arcanus of the Dragonheart System

Introduction

Possession is an optional skill in Tulpamancy that allows a tulpa to access the physical world; it gives a chance for a tulpa to experience things not curated or managed by their host or other system members. Thus, what is possession? For those uninformed, possession is quite simply the act of a tulpa or other system members taking partial or full control of the physical body while the previous person in control is still connected to said body. For many tulpas, this is our primary manner of accessing and interacting with the same world our hosts do, especially so for systems where the host is incapable of fully disconnecting from the body, often considered a highly important step for switching. As such, even possession itself is desired by many tulpas for this opportunity of interacting with the outside, with people who are not of the same mind and body, and to gain experience and develop as individuals.

Numerous possession guides are often created by hosts rather than tulpas or by a neutral viewpoint; there are very few possession guides designed by tulpas themselves who are capable of possession and wish to teach it to others. This guide is crafted by a tulpa who has existed as such for six years, and has been capable of possessing quite well for nearly as long. The aim with this piece is to guide other tulpas with this specific perspective in hopes of sparking a form of eureka moment for other tulpas that can be the flicker necessary to obtain this skill, and for tulpas who use solely nonhuman forms that may be uncomfortable with the idea of using a human body.

Preparation and Mindset

Before attempting possession, there are things to consider and prepare for. These preparations allow future training sessions for possession to be less vexing, and can aid in avoiding potential issues further down the line.

A primary thing a host and tulpa should obtain before practicing possession is the ability to have clear communication between each other, often in the form of vocality. Seizing control of the body is an action that requires both parties to communicate their feelings to each other consistently, especially when speaking about consent. Without clear communication, a situation can go awry or create a schism between the two parties. For example, imagine a tulpa possessing the body without informing the host first, causing bewilderment and fear within the host who had no inkling that the tulpa was going to possess. On the opposing side, picture a tulpa possessing and performing activities when the host snatches back control deliberately and without warning, and thus disrupts what the tulpa was doing. With both parties, this can cause unease and anxiety simply due a lack of communication and respecting boundaries.

To avoid this, both the tulpa and host need to speak with each other and mutually agree to the possession beforehand through means akin to vocality or even tulpish. If one member does not consent, then the other should not ignore the boundaries set by the other person. However, this does not mean a host should unreasonably prevent a tulpa from possessing. There are reasonable times to possess and situations where possession is not ideal where a host may state, "Sorry, now's not a good time because we're in public," and other circumstances that are unreasonable such as, "Sorry, but I don't want you doing this harmless thing." From personal experience, it can be quite thrilling to possess and experience existence in such a physical and lifelike sense, but it is best to show self-restraint and ask before attempting possession.

For further reading to learn about techniques to build communication and vocality, here are a few well-written guides:

Tulpamancy: Guide Into the Strange and Wonderful: Section 13: Vocality & Section 25: Methods of Communication

Tips for Hearing Your Tulpa

Quantum's Nametag Method

Clear communication often also requires the tulpa to be fairly developed, capable of making informed decisions without the host's input while also being mature enough to handle any possible outside world responsibilities. Fledgling tulpas have a tendency to be childish and emotional in nature, even being somewhat unstable in form and personality at times, as they continue to establish their identity with forcing sessions and experience. Therefore, a younger tulpa may not understand the importance of respecting boundaries, maintaining what are usually the host's responsibilities such as school or occupations, or may make emotional decisions in favor of logical ones. Harsh world experiences can also be stressful for the tulpa and negatively impact their development while they are still malleable and easily influenced, thus it is ideal for the tulpa to be developed to the point of their identity being mostly solidified, and where they have learned to manage their emotions in times of stress and hardship.

It must be specified that this advice is targeted towards more extensive possession sessions, sessions that may span hours, days, or longer. Shorter sessions within a controlled environment are more suitable for a less developed tulpa learning possession and do not require as much preparation and development from the tulpa.

How much time it takes for both of these to be met is subjective and has a high degree of variance between Tulpamancers. Both maturity and vocality can come with time, consistent forcing sessions, and patience. What is imperative is to not rush possession; possession is not a fleeting opportunity that is capable of vanishing at a moment's notice. Regardless of the system's age, possession is a skill that will always be available, thus do not feel the need to rush it or obtain it as quickly as physically possible. Nor should a Tulpamancy system feel as though they are obligated to learn possession. Though few in number, there are tulpas who are quite content with never being in control of the body, instead preferring to be imposed on the material plane or live their lives in a mindscape. Neither host or tulpa should be forced into learning a skill they do not wish to learn if they do not desire it within reason, however, it does not harm either to at least attempt possession once.

Finally, another common issue, specifically for hosts, is a sense of fear or anxiety when pondering the idea of the tulpa taking control. This fear is reasonable, especially with how possession and control swapping is often portrayed in many nations and cultures. In tandem with this, the host is often one who has spent their entire existence being the singular entity of the body; switching as a concept is a direct opposite of what the vast majority of humanity believes to be the sole way of existence, that each consciousness belongs to one vessel and is that vessel. There are some hosts who require self-introspection and must accept that they are not the body itself, but a single consciousness of multiple that happens to dwell within it.

Anxiety for switching can stem from pathological anxiety or this mindset of singularity, and thus not all Tulpamancy-specific advice may apply. Trust between both parties is critical when exchanging control, not simply that they will do no harm with the power they are given, but as a general rule. For both the tulpa and the host: trust in the tulpa to be responsible, and trust in the host to allow the tulpa to safely express themself without overstepping boundaries. Any and all concerns should be spoken about between both members and genuinely listened to, this includes doing whatever possible to negate any doubts or fears.

In conjunction with maturity, the ability to communicate properly, and dousing any fears and anxieties, another key factor in possession is the mindset of both the host and tulpa. It can be deceivingly simple to believe that possession is this archaic skill, possibly due to preexisting connotations of possession from various forms of media and how only supernatural beings are capable of performing this feat. Despite this, possession is not impossible to achieve, nor does it take years for most Tulpamancy systems to gain. Remember that both the tulpa and host exist within the same mind and body; both parties have access to the same neural pathways, and thus access to movement. As months become years, a tulpa eventually reaches a point to being on equal footing with the host, being a fully separate person capable of all the same feats the host is capable of and not simply some entity that can be willed away on a whim.

In addition to this, it is a highly prevalent and pervasive myth that the host must manually dissociate from the body to allow the tulpa to possess. Quite frankly, this is false, as many tulpas have proven to be capable of possession while the host is still fully connected to the body and is aware of what the body is doing. Mindset, however not being an absolute factor, can still majorly influence how quickly or slowly a skill in Tulpamancy is gained. Another belief that can stymie possession training is the belief that the tulpa is lesser, weaker, or simply less capable than the host. By doing this, the host is setting unnecessary limitations on the tulpa, which further slows skill development. When speaking about Tulpamancy, one should not think in absolutes, but instead keep an open mind for any possibility instead of denying or wholeheartedly believing a certain outcome will occur.

Thirdly and finally with possession myths, older guides often reference possession being this "alien" feeling when experienced, a sensation easily noticeable. In recent years, many Tulpamancers have started fervently exclaiming that possession will not feel alien and that it was merely an artifact from the past. As previously stated, believing in absolutes is often an unhelpful mindset in Tulpamancy. Despite the claims from either side, there are Tulpamancers who experience this "alien" feeling and others who do not. A possible explanation for this is a tulpa's presence and the sensation it gives when the tulpa possess, or perhaps this "alien" feeling is more common with tulpas with nonhuman forms that clash more with a human body when attempting to control it. Regardless of whether or not a system will experience this "alien" feeling is unimportant, as many believe this sensation alerts the host whether or not the tulpa is actually moving the body. If one is simply unsure if the body's movement was theirs or their tulpa's, they can simply verify it with the tulpa instead of merely guessing.

Once mentally overcoming these hurdles to the best of one's ability, possession is much more likely to be swift with ample progression and lowering the possibility of tribulations in the future.

Step-by-Step Process and Explanation

At last, the process of possession specifically for tulpas in the perspective of another tulpa. For the sake of brevity and simplicity, the possession strategy will be laid out in steps first, then the explanation will be placed after the method itself. Remember that this method is done solely in the perspective of the tulpa, however, the host at minimum should relax in whatever means they wish and simply allow the tulpa to go through the process.

Begin by connecting to the body's senses, look through the body's eyes, feel the gravity of the earth pulling downwards, take in any scents or sounds in the area, and even pay close attention to any flavors the mouth may be experiencing.

Hone in on a singular sense, whichever is desired. With the eyes, absorb every single detail possible, every color, every shape, their distance from the body, and more as an example. Or not simply feel the effect of gravity, but also the textures of objects or even the body itself, the temperature of the air or ground, and potentially even focus on negative sensations such as pain if they are present.

Entrench oneself in that specific sense until feeling completely absorbed by it, entranced to the point of losing awareness of one's form or anything else, even the thoughts of oneself or the host.

Become that sense, become the eyes, become the skin, the nose, the mouth, or ears. Not simply using the sense, but embodying that sense itself.

Once this step is complete, repeat the process with the other senses, slowly becoming them while remaining connected to the ones already focused on.

With every sense focused intensely on, attempt to move the body in some capacity. An example would be moving the eyes if the first step taken was to become sight.

Attempt to do this with the other senses and what they are related to. Move the body's arms, look around, take a deep breath, and listen to one's environment.

If the process was successful, the tulpa will be possessing the body.

Note how this strategy does not ask the host to "give up" the body or instruct the tulpa to flow their essence into the body unlike other possession guides. The mindset behind the method presented is guiding the tulpa to essentially synchronize with the body to the point of becoming one with it instead of a nonphysical person, becoming so lost with the world they are experiencing that they simply forget that they are a passenger in the metaphorical car. When honing in on or focusing highly on a sense, it can be possible for a tulpa to accidentally begin possessing what controls that sense. For example, a tulpa may be interested in what the host is eating, paying such close attention to the food that they begin to experience it physically, possibly even moving the mouth to eat without realizing it.

However, not all tulpas understand the idea of "connecting" to the body's senses, especially tulpas used to living their days in a mindscape. Quite simply, this can be done through intuition and trial and error, or through symbolic means that translate to the act of connecting. It boils down to: what seems logical? For every tulpa, this is highly subjective and there is no flawless method that can be taught.

One must also keep in mind that following these steps may not be successful the first attempt or even after multiple attempts. Rather, a tulpa may take time learning how to focus on a particular sense, or possibly learning how to focus so intently in any sense. One day may be a day filled with progress, but said progress is halted by a singular part, mileage will vary between systems.

Possession for Nonhuman Tulpas

Not every tulpa takes on a human appearance, or even an appearance that matches a human's general shape. Though a tulpa is not quite literally their form, there are some tulpas who are quite connected to their form in a sense either through means of identity or simply out of fondness for their appearance. For tulpas in this category, possession or fronting at all can be uncomfortable or possibly unpleasant due to the contrast between the body and the tulpa's form; this connection with the tulpa's form can also impact how they act whilst in control such as mannerisms, walking style, or even voice to a notable degree.

Common advice to counteract this is for the tulpa to temporarily take a human form when fronting to ease the bodily dysphoria, yet, there are tulpas who are uncomfortable with that idea and would prefer to avoid it. This section is intended for tulpas who are uncomfortable with changing their form just to front.

A simple way to ease the discomfort of body dysphoria is to accept any "quirky" fronting mannerisms, opting to embrace them instead of fully attempting to act like a human. Walking on toes, using hands in a way that is considered odd, even imposing one's own form over the body to whatever capacity within reason (typically known as "phantom limbs" if this includes adding otherwise nonexistent limbs). Unless it is necessary not to out the system as plural to others the system is not out to yet, allow oneself to be nonhuman in nature regardless of if they are currently using a human body.

Another method is to have the mindset of, "I am not actually a human, just a nonhuman taking control of a human body," much like the more fantastical definition of possession many are familiar with. This mindset can create a disconnect that may ease the dysphoria, especially for tulpas who solely identify as a singular or set form.

Choose articles of clothing or accessories that match the form or at minimum, mask the human shape such as hoodies or sweatpants. One can also avoid staring at the body in the mirror or undressing, but this can have the negative consequences of becoming more and more avoidant of the body, which is not ideal if one wishes to become at least somewhat accustomed with it.

Conclusion

Being able to control a physical body can be a wonderful opportunity to grow as a person, form relationships and bond with new people, and to have meaningful impact on the world. Possession in of itself may not be a tedious challenge, but it also may not be a breeze a tulpa and host can accomplish within a day. Remember that this guide and strategy are one of many; do not feel shackled to a particular method if it is simply not working out. Every host and tulpa's experiences with possession will vary to some degree, and that is the beauty of such a thing, as it allows for many to share their experiences and knowledge that can reach out to benefit others.

I do hope this guide aids my fellow tulpas.

Please consider supporting us on Ko-Fi if you found this guide useful.

This is a slightly improved iteration of my guide, as I was unaware that we had never posted it on this blog. However, the body of the content remains identical to the Tulpa.info and Tulpanomicon iterations of the guide.

7-21-2024

[goldstargloww]

does anyone have any discord servers focused around created plurality? usually advertised/branded as tulpamancy servers (though i still dont know if thats the right term to use in all cases)

we're struggling with un-monoconscious-ing ourseulves, un-frontstuck-ing me, and giving my headmates more autonomy and more of a consciousness

we've been suggested tuplanomicon and other guides, but does anyone have anything else? guides? google docs/similar? games? communities? anything would be helpful!

[eeveecraft]

Oh look, literally a few minutes ago, ANOTHER Chinese Tulpamancer asked if they could translate my guide and post it on Tulpa.cn.

Seems like the guide is well-liked in the Chinese Tulpamancy community.

8-14-2024

What do you mean there's little to no Asians. There's a whole Japanese tulpa community?

[protectingtulpas]

Hi!

We have a few questions for you!

First, is it possible/normal for tuplas to start responding verbally almost immediately? My tuplas Jax & Jasmine were accidentally created when I was 12, and from what I can tell they started talking almost immediately, but were pretty undefined as people.

Second: Do you have any tips for learning to co-front and how we can learn to switch who's fronting? We have a final goal of functioning multiplicity with mutually beneficial fronting to help with daily life, but aren't sure how to start.

All three of us are interested or curious about learning to co-front/switch fronts & I, the host am mainly the one curious about our first question.

-💜🔗 (we'll probably be back so here's our signoff)

Yo! I'm gonna combine these two asks into a singular one since it's way easier. I'm gonna answer things bottom-up since the second one gives more context 👍

So there's a lotta crossover between paragenic systems and tulpas, which makes a lotta sense because it's really similar in the how you're starting with a non-autonomous concept of a person that then gains autonomy & awareness for themselves. Especially with unintentional tulpas, there's really a thin line between em. From what we know, most paragenic systems call their members paratives: "a member of a system that was originally a para. The development of a para into a parative is unique to neuronarrative plurals, immersive daydreaming plurals, or systems that have Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder." Which means that it's kinda up to you what you feel like; if it seems like your system members used to be paras and then turned into full system members, then you might like paragenic more; but if ya feel like tulpamancy terms and concepts fit wirh you better, then go ahead and use that one! Labels are just things ya use to describe yourselves, is all.

And here's the secret part: you can still use tulpamancy techniques if you're of another origin! A lot of it is writtwn for previously-singlets that don't have any dissociation problems, so you gotta know yourself best when you go into looking into this stuff with a dissociative disorder, but it's still super useful for a lot of people. Fronting/switching/possession guides are the reason I'm able to front at all, plus maybe our non-tulpas too 👍 What helped me a ton when I was first starting was trying partial possession first- the first part of the body I ever controlled was the voice, actually!

For your last question, it's not super unusual for different tulpas to hit different points of development/awareness/personhood at different times. For some people the awareness comes first and then the emotions and then the mindvoice communication, but for others it can be in a buncha different arrangements. My guess with amateur-knowledge on MaDD is: the fact that you daydreamed with your proto-headmates primed them to be able to respond with their mindvoice way easier, while they were still developing a sense of self behind it.

Lots of fronting/possession guides to use:

- Possession Explained

- Possession via Dissociation

- DJFlix on Possession (this one is based in visualization and colors; good for ppl with vivid imaginations)

- Possession: By a Tulpa for Tulpas (hell yeah tulpa made resources)

- Parallel Processing and Switching

- Malfael's guide to switching (in-depth, awesome)

- So you wanna switch? Do you, really? Might be able to help with that. (Written by a DID system)

- Controlled switching (a few short intentional switching methods)

- Sophieinwonderland's ghost switching method (short)

[shunted5934]

Magic Spells (self portrait) -2024

this is my spirit guide, who is almost like a tulpa but he lives inside of my head. His name is Dweezil and he possesses my body and mind as I create, speaking in a voice that isn't my own. He is an archangel, and he holds my scars on his body.

My years-long hyper fixation is christianity and various systems of belief, and that has shown up on his form.

Symbology manifested onto my body: Rib stolen as from Adam, Wound of Longinus, Cross on my abdomen reaching rib to rib and sternum to vagina.

I would like to have his stigmata, although that's a lot to hope for. maybe Scarification on my palms then, when I have to money.

[pretentious-art-love]

Book Reviews #5 - Tulpamancy by Eevee Craft

Tulpamancy is the practice of consciously creating and interacting with a sentient, autonomous mental companion, often called a tulpa. In common terms it is basically the next step of having imaginary friend. If you are disciplined you can get into this practice for years until you can create a separate, independent identity in its own separate network of neurons in your brain. This is a topic that deeply fascinates me and I have finally read this entire guide I found in Tulpamancy circles. While still not a full fledged book, the guide is available online in a google docs file, I messaged the author to give me a copy I could download so I could read it on my e-reader and they gracefully accepted, with the condition I didn't leak the file so they could publish it down the line. This is a cover I quickly made in 5 minutes for my version.

The book is filled with tons of techniques and considerations about the creation of a tulpa. How to practice visualisation, conceptualisation of the person, the possibilities like giving the tulpa in question a different body to a human one, the ability to give them independence and train of thought and the limitations like how much the brain can host each different personality at the same time, how to handle parallel processing and the basis of switching and possession.

This topic deeply fascinates me and as a manual this book is really valuable, basically, it all depends on how you can conceptualize things, everyone can imagine anything they want, right? The difficulty is in making imagined places, ideas, people and characteristics to persist during time, this is the crux of the matter. I have learned how fluid identity can be and the concept itself is fascinating. Nowadays people are very averse to plurality and they point out to cases like DID where plurality turns into a disorder or condition that can affect your life, but I have learned so much and I see the world of plurality and tulpamancy as full of possibilities. This kind of things deeply inspire me and captivate me.

8/10

[sophieinwonderland]

Hi Sophie! Do you have any ideas or resources about coming out as plural?? We don't need it for ourselves, but for our system friends and I remember you sharing a link about that under one of our posts, but now we can't find it and it's lost in the void and well... it would be really helpful.

~Lawrence

Here you go! I think this is what you're after!

[the-party-collective]

Made this blog JUST for blogging about Tulpamancy, which I am putting a good effort into attempting. More effort then I've thus far put into the blog, but I'll pretty it up later. I just really wanted a place to express some things.

So, what's interesting to me is that I'm a creative writer already- and some of the descriptions of Proto-Tulpas I've seen sound incredibly similar to something that happens when I've been fixated on a certain story for a while, where the characters feel like they start to make their own choices about the stories.

And unfortunately I only learned about Tulpas after I switched to writing short stories and thus didn't focus on any one character for nearly as long.

The good news is that te experience means that not only do I know I CAN do it, but I have an idea of how.

Which means that later I'm gonna have to show Goer all the fanfic I made of him to coax him into being.

[salorade]

I'm actually a bit upset, a tulpa front guide I had saved has been "access denied"-d on google docs. There's also a reddit post that got deleted a bit ago too.

While tulpamancers write a lot, they write in places that aren't very easy to archive! IDK how to archive a reddit post or a google doc!

[misc-system-culture-is]

collection of plural resources:

beginning:

What is plurality? (link)

Am I plural? (link)

New/Questioning system (link)

Plurality hub (link)

Plurality resource (link)

guides:

Multiplicity links (link)

Healthymultiplicity (link)

DIS-SOS (link)

First person plural (link)

The plurality playbook (link)

Multiplicity database systemology (link)

New alter (link)

specifics:

System sources (link)

Resources for faceclaims (link)

System communication and journaling (link)

System internet safety (link)

Powertotheplurals (link)

System Comfort's plural resources (link)

Plurality resources (link)

Discussing dissociation (link)

Exploration into endogenic & non-disordered plurality (link)

Endogenic systems (link)

Endogenic systems new carrd (link)

Endogenic hub (link)

Tulpas and mental health (link)

The tulpamancy guide I wish I had (link)

Tulpanomicon (link)

Tulpia.io (link)

The chimera's library (link)

information:

The plural dictionary (link)

Plural terms (link)

Quick'n'dirty plural history (link)

Pluralpedia (link)

Multiplicity and plurality wiki (link)

Kinhost.org (link)

Tulpa.info (link)

Soulbonding info (link)

Soulbonding links (link)

services:

Simply Plural - alter logging & chatting (app & site)

Anytype - journaling (app)

Twinote - chatting (app)

Ifake - chatting (app)

Antar - chatting (app)

Fortelling - system logging (app)

Notion - system logging, journaling, chatting (app & site)

Pronouns.cc - system logging (site)

Lighthouse - system logging & journaling (site)

Pluralkit - social bot (discord)

Tupperbox - social bot (discord)

Firefox Multiacc Extension - multiaccounts (extension)

Feedbro - multiaccounts (extension)

feel free to reblog with more resources, will update as new resources are found! last updated: Jul. 09, 2024

[neonspectrumdreams]

Shifting Types

I have been awake as a therian for over 20 years. I have a long history of experiences as being otherkin, and I think that after all this time, after all these experiences, I may have some wisdom to impart in others.

These are the main shifts that I have experienced and seen other therians experience. I'll write a guide on how to strengthen your connection to your shifts as well as how to trigger and control shifts later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dream Shift

Dream shifts are some of the most intense shifts that are possible for a therian/kin, and are personally my favorite type of shift. During a dream shift, a person lives through their dream as their kintype instead of as a human. It is possible to deliberately shapeshift into your kintype during a lucid dream. It is possible to be an animal for the entire dream or to change back and forth between forms.

Mental Shift

Mental shifting, or mshifting, refers to the experience of someone's mind shifting to their nonhuman kintype. They think differently in this state - more similar to their kintype. They may experience the desire to hunt as their theriotype does, or roll around and play (or otherwise move) like their kintype. Their identity may feel strongly altered and vividly nonhuman without any other accompanying changes in thought process.

A subcategory of mental shifting is sensory shifting. In a sensory shift, one's senses become sharper or more similar to what their animal senses would be. For example, a dog therian may begin processing the world with scent and sound over vision, as well as experience an intensification of their senses, during a sensory shift.

Reality Shift

When a therian feels as though they are in the world of their kintype. They may vividly see it inside of their imagination during these shifts, or just feel the presence of their world.

Shadow Shift

This is similar to imposition in tulpamancy. In a shadow shift, the mind projects your form into the physical world (although it is just a perception, it is not actually there.) This can occur naturally or a therian can learn imposition to strengthen or engender this type of shift.

Spiritual Shift

This is when you shift for a reason related to spirituality. Your aura/spirit may intermittently shift to animal form.

It is possible to construct and conduct rituals to provoke shifts, which is also another form of spiritual shifting. Mixing your theriotype with a variety of spiritual practices can lead to shifting that takes the form of spiritual processes and experiences.

Astral shifts are similar to dream shifts except they take place outside the mind in the astral plane, and this plane connects to the spirit world and things outside the mind (unlike dream shifts.) The astral realm is entered through the change of states between waking and sleeping wherein you have the experience of waking up after losing consciousness and leaving your body. Lucid dreams feel similar but you do not leave the body in a dream and are not as connected to the spirit world (although we are always connected to some extent to the spirit world even when awake) like in astral projection.

Bilocation Shift

This is when you are still existing as human in one place but are also existing as your kintype, often in the astral or inside the mind's eye. Your nonhuman self is often leading a separate and meaningful existence during these times, which you perceive alongside your regular human daily life. You are both human and shifted into your kintype simultaneously during this shift.

Cameo Shift

Shifting not associated with a regular kintype. One-off shifting. Often related to being a gateway or being an astral shapeshifter.

Contherians

A therian who is always to some degree chronically shifted into their kintype.

Coconscious Shift

When someone is a multiple system, some or all of their alters may be nonhuman. Coconscious shifts occur when a human identity is co-present at the same time as a nonhuman identity. The nonhuman identity's experiences my bleed over into the nonhuman identity's perceptions.

Phantom Shift

Feeling the physical perception of your theriotype's physical features instead of your body. So this would be the phantom perception of wings or a tail, or being larger or smaller like the kintype.

Physical Shift

Pshifting is when one physically transforms into their kintype. This one is the coolest of the shifts and, tragically, the only one that is not physically possible. There are guides as well as people who claim they can teach this - they are lying. No one has ever been able to do it.

[panthera-dei]

I got another witchy FAQs question so I want to go ahead and share it.

This time, we're talking some basic chaos magic with different types of thoughtforms!

Please note that I am not an expert in chaos magic, nor do I consider myself a chaos magician, so feel free to (kindly) leave feedback or corrections as needed. ^^

Thoughtforms 101

Definition of Thoughtform: Thoughtform is a catch-all term from any entity that was created with or by human thought (conscious or otherwise).

Types of Thoughtforms: Common thoughtforms include sigils, servitors, thoughtform companions (aka tulpas), daemons, and egregores.

Sigils: Most folks who create sigils and use sigil magic probably don't think about sigils as a type of chaos magic or a thoughtform. However, sigils actually do fall into this category. Think of a sigil as being like a simple computer program that's powered by your mind. You give the program a basic function (such as protection or prosperity) and the magical "coding" of your intentions allows the sigil to carry it out.

Servitors: If sigils are basic computer programs, then servitors are robots. They're not sentient per se, as they still require the coding and programming that comes with intention and magical energy. Yet they're much more complex than a sigil and can carry out higher-level functions & multiple tasks (e.g., drawing in people to shop on your Etsy page for prosperity, or actively guarding a space or casting a magic circle for protection).

Thoughtform companions: The widespread term for this type is "tulpa," and creating/having one of these thoughtforms is commonly referred to as "tulpamancy." Since there's also a widespread controversy over these terms, I don't use them myself. I say "creating or working with a thoughtform," and I'll refer to the entity as a thoughtform or thoughtform companion. Regardless of the terminology or beliefs behind this category, they are defined as a separate consciousness created by the thoughts and actions of a human. The human is typically referred to as the "host," since the companion is typically treated as its own separate consciousness. These are fully sentient, autonomous beings with their own thoughts and feelings. They're generally created, either intentionally or not, as friends for the host (hence my personal terminology for them).

Daemons: This category is similar to a companion, but with a different origin and function. Daemons have been documented since ancient Greece, to my knowledge. A daemon is also a sentient entity, however, they are not created intentionally by the host (although they can be brought to the forefront by the human in question). A daemon is instead a conscious entity created by, and representative of, the human being's subconscious mind. They typically serve as helpers and mental guides for the human. They are not considered separate entities; instead, they're part of you.

Egregores: These are essentially the AIs of the thoughtform world. Whereas companions and daemons exist within the human mind, egregores are similar to servitors and sigils - created by the mind, but separate from it. Egregores are often made or manifested by a group of people intentionally for a purpose. E.g., a coven may create one as a guardian or a spiritual guide. They're also often created by accident from widespread symbols - for example, branding. And nations. Every time somebody posts a picture of the Starbucks logo, you're most likely feeding an egregore, according to one theory I've heard. Do I believe that personally? Not sure. (I do have an exact source for this one available on request.) As far as I know, egregores exist with varying degrees of sentience, power, and free will depending on the individual scenario (much like artificially intelligent computers & androids in science fiction).

Pop Culture Entities / Deities: These are often referred to as PCEs or PCDs. I prefer the former but I often use them interchangeably. Some folks prefer to be more specific. For example, Raiden from Mortal Kombat is considered a god in that series, so many folks would consider him a pop culture deity. Whereas Dean Winchester is *not* a deity in Supernatural - so he could be considered a pop culture entity instead. However, this is up to the preferences of the individual entity & practitioner.

Differences between PCDs and Egregores: Egregores are ALWAYS created, intentionally or not, by human energy and thought. PCDs, on the other hand, can have a mixed origin sometimes. Some of them may be pure egregores, manifested on purpose or by accident. Others may be preexisting spirits - often nature spirits that are aligned closely to the fandom content - that latch onto a fictional work as a power source, and eventually fuse with it. And then another theory is that PCDs are *all* preexisting spirits or even deities wearing a mask - so for example, folks with this belief would say that PCD Marvel Loki is just Loki appearing in a different form/aspect. I personally think that all PCEs have a unique origin and I try not to make any assumptions.

Where do I fact check you and/or learn more?: Unfortunately, it is *really damn hard* to find good, solid information on pop culture work because it's very new. And while there's *lots* of info on chaos magic, you have to be careful to check the reliability of the source, much as is the case with demonolatry sources. Fortunately, Tumblr is a great source to find other pop culture practitioners. I personally also have *some* sources available for these topics on request, I'm just too lazy to dig through my Drive right at this moment. :)

[aokozaki]

Dating guide for singlets on picking up systems that is very clearly just a tulpamancy guide with the title changed.

[protectingtulpas]

Are there any websites you recommend I can use for my Tulpamancy?

Yeah totally!

Tulpa.info has beginners' information on tulpamancy compiled by the community!

The Tulpanomicon is a beefy document of a ton of different really in depth guides!!

[orange-orchard-system]

Hi, I would like you guys' input on something if you're comfortable

Is it bad/rude that as a singlet I want to be plural? I'm not trying to romantacize it or anything (heck I was hyperfixated on DID and did a lot of research on it for like a year straight), I understand probably better than most singlets the struggles, but I can't help feeling a soul-deep sense of longing just towards the idea in general

Probably influenced by the fact that I'm a lot more identity fluid than most singlets but yeah... I want to be plural so badly and I'm really conflicted cause isn't that like... Rude?

No, it is not rude at all. In fact, this is what drives some people to become plural!

See, plurality is something that can be achieved purposely through practices such as tulpamancy. Tulpamancy is the practice of creating other headmates, consciousnesses, or persons (the term used to explain the process differs depending on preference and text; the general term for these created beings is "tulpa(s)") to live alongside their creator in their body/mind. It can be done unintentionally, but if you want to become plural, then you'd probably be looking into resources for intentional tulpamancy. If this sounds like it interests you – whether that means you just want to learn more or you think you might want to create a tulpa – then I'd recommend some of @eeveecraft's resources on the subject. A masterpost of them can be found here, but I'd particularly recommend their Tulpamancy Guide and the FAQ for their guide. Although the tulpa community is not one-to-one connected with the wider plural community, tulpamancy is still recognized as a practice that can allow someone to become plural, typically through repeated interactions with an imagined entity until it begins to form its/their own autonomy and sense of self [and become real, or their own person]. The community also has a great number of resources for bettering communication between headmates, creating innerworlds, and the like.

However, before you jump into any practices like tulpamancy, I do want to let you know that what you describe is a very common experience for those who already are plural and just don't know it yet. Before discovering their plurality, many systems describe having an undescribable connection with the plural community or longing to be plural. Considering you mention having an especially fluid identity, perhaps this is an angle you should look into? It may be possible that your longing is something closer to subconscious recognition, or a desire to be open with yourself and others about plurality that you're suppressing. Maybe this isn't the case and you really are a singlet, but I see this often enough that it felt prudent to suggest it.

I recommend trying out some basic exercises, such as seeing how it feels to call yourself plural, tracking your identity and preferences for any patterns, and practicing talking to any headmates you might have, especially before you take that step of making a tulpa (assuming you're interested in doing so). Tulpamancy can be a delicate process, and it's better to go into it with an understanding of your mental situation (and if you have any pre-existing headmates) than not. (I mean, hey, who knows? Maybe you have some unintentionally created tulpas hanging around your head. Probably best to check before you go making another one, don't you think?)

But, again, even if you're not plural, wanting to be plural isn't rude. Some say it is, but, eh, I don't really agree. I don't think wanting to be plural is the same as erasing our struggles or romanticizing our disorders or whatever. Being plural can be a wonderful thing, and I don't blame anyone for wanting to partake in plural joy. The only thing to consider is that if you're looking to become a created system (a person or system that caused their own plurality), you need to make sure you're prepared and have enough time and patience to manage any hiccups that might come up. For instance, there might be identity confusion or conflicts in the early stages of headmate creation. Tulpamancy resources and spaces typically offer advice on these kinds of troubles, but it's good to go over them and make sure you know what you're getting into before you start. After all, even if a created headmate isn't the same as a baby, bringing someone into this world is still a big commitment. Make sure to make that commitment responsibly.

In short, no, wanting to be plural is not rude. It would be rude to claim our struggles aren't that bad or that a disorder like DID isn't that big of a deal, but wanting to be something that can bring positive change to someone's life is not. You might want to investigate the possibility that you're already plural, but even if you're not, I don't take wanting to be plural – in a way, wanting to be like me – as an insult. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as they say!

[starlingsyscourses]

Transcending comment section character limits. @indigochromatic

I think the fantasy/iatrogenic/sociocognitive model of DID is baaaasically the tulpamancy model but said in a mean way. Compare:

These stupid people imagine they have other people in their heads/imagine they are those other people. This is basically just their overactive imagination, like roleplaying.

These cool people construct new people out of imagination/learn to inhabit new identities. This is so like roleplaying that it sometimes happens by accident to people who roleplay too hard.

Those are basically the same thing. One is just saying it in a mean way and one is saying it in a respectful way. I think people in tulpa circles even claim that tulpas are "made of imagination" and this just doesn't make them unreal.

My understanding of why, according to tulpamancers, this doesn't make tulpas unreal is that:

Identity isn't about being physical. A corpse isn't the person that used to live there, right?

Identity isn't about memory, either

Identity is about your choices, your values, your habits, your personality, your body language, your hobbies, your friendships

Tulpas have their own choices, values, etc., so therefore tulpas are not their hosts.

But tulpas do sometimes switch in and use bodies, and (apparently) an fMRI study showed that something was really happening when tulpas do things, and in general they behave consistently (at least as consistently as other people) over time instead of just saying whatever would be most convenient for their host.

But this is basically all applicable to other systems: it's why some people in DID systems hold that they're separate people from their headmates. And this is... basically an argument that's not accepted by experts, in general. For the most part experts seem to hold to a definition of identity that is physical--to a greater degree than the general population, I think. (For instance, it's been described as a notable level of thought disorder to imagine that multiple people could coexist in one body--I think the person who described it this way is R. Loewenstein but I might remember wrong--even though the belief that there could be multiple people present in the same body at the same time or one after the other is a very common religious belief. Psychiatry hasn't impressed me with its ability to live up to its own standards with respect to religious pluralism.)

So: the way the fantasy/sociocognitive model differs from what tulpamancers say about their own experiences is just this specific point about philosophy of identity, which is a way that the fantasy/sociocognitive model doesn't disagree with the trauma model, and it's a way the trauma model is sometimes unsatisfying to people who otherwise believe in it and are aware of trauma in their body's past and find mental health care helpful. And I'd go farther and say this isn't even part of the models. it's part of how the people using them define the words "real person."

So I do think arguments saying that the trauma model makes more sense than the fantasy/sociocognitive model are basically all applicable to tulpa systems. I know less about what people who believe in non-tulpa endogenic systems believe causes their systems. (Not exactly for lack of trying. It seems like people say "we've always been this way" a lot, but that's entirely compatible with the TOSD and also not an answer in the first place. It's like asking what causes cystic fibrosis and being told "I was born with it." Sure. That's probably true but it's not much of an explanation, is it?)

And I think it's probably important that, even though tulpamancers have a highly systematic guide to becoming multiple, what actually happens is that a lot of people try it and get no results at all, while other people show up in their communities saying "I think I had a tulpa all along, ever since I was a child, and just never knew there was a word for it!" Like there's some reason why people are multiple that isn't contained in their guide. Maybe it's fantasy-proneness. Maybe it's the mysterious non-answer that leads some endogenics to be born that way. It's just... neither of those seems like a good answer.