Werebeasts

"See those fireflies dancing? That's what I want to do:
Dance in the moonlight, sing to the stars,
Jump straight up to the moon."

What is a Were:

The term "were" has the capability to be applied to a very large subset of relationships between humans and animals. However, no matter the gulf between conflicting sides of the battle for meaning, all have one specific relation: The connection between a person and an animal. Not something as trivial as a Role Playing Game or a thought experiment in some author's study .. but a Real and present part of a person's everyday life.

The following makes an attempt to describe the major camps of people who have such close ties to animals, but is in no way intended to be comprehensive. It is said that if you ask ten weres their own definition of "were", you'll get eleven answers.

Please make a note that you can be more than one of the listed entries for the "werebreeds".
This also places no limits on how you combine the different classes, as so many have done before. In fact, it's not uncommon to find those who subscribe to the same ideal several times over for varying species. (also known as "poly-weres")

The three major classes:

Weres can first be divided into three major classes. These describe the basic tenet of the specifc philsophy's method of aligning the animal with the person.

Below is a brief description of the three major classes, and finally, then the specific types of weres listed by class.

PHYSICAL WERES:

Weres that have a physical connection

with the animal. These people are not necessarily PSers, they might have a strong physical resemblance to their animal counterpart. Easily recognizable and liable to scare small children.

Natural:

Born Physical Shifter
The lucky ones

These are unique and gifted individuals that were given the ability to physically shift naturally (through means of genetics, or just w/o known provocation). They may or may not have any "therianthropic" beliefs. These are "weres" on the outside but not necessarily on the inside.

major proponent: accounts by those that claim to be psers.

WERES Common dual natured were

These weres are those with "weresides" that are "separate" from the human persona. They generally experience M-shifts regularly, sometimes not recalling what goes on during the m-shift. These weres recognize their animal-side, know it exists, but would remain mentally separate (similar to MPD).

This is the most common type of M-Were.major proponent:

Single natured were:

From Lion's text on Contherianthropy :
"I bring forth then contherianthropy, adding 'con', from Latin 'contas', meaning unchanging."

Contherianthropes are similar to standard therianthropes, however lack the ideal of "shifting" and remain a constant combination of human and animal nature. They function as stable members of society, while still recognizing their animal nature.

major proponent:
essays on Contherianthropy
by Lion Templin

Lifestylers:

Those with a lifestyle modeled around animal traits

This group has evolved from the Furry Groupings From gathered info from the ALF FAQ, Furry Lifestylers choose the form they wish to "portray". As most "true-weres" are those that are their animal no matter what, lifestylers can pretend to be whatever they wish, they essentually take on the "lifestyle" of their chosen animal. Here is one quote from the ALF FAQ: "When you consciously choose to act a certain way because of a furry or a furry idea, it's a part of your furry lifestyle."

MENTAL WERES:

Weres that have a deep connection to the animal within, as it tends to affect several core aspects of the person, including: personality, temperment, responses, instinct, emotions, and slight physical manifestations.

Wishers/Dreamers

Desire to be an animal

These are weres that have no spiritual connection to their animal side. This group merely wishes to be an animal of their choice or to just not be human anymore. They don't shift emotionally, spiritually, or mentally. These people don't generally show outward traits belonging to an animals. These weres are just looking for an escape from humanity.

This type is not commonly referred to as a were.

SPIRITUAL WERES:

Weres that the animal is a seperate

entity of themselves, of their physical self, or non-exsistant. Spiritual components don't affect human cognitive abilities. They remain part of their "awereness" on a religious/spiritual level.

Trans-Species:

Animal born to a human body

This group of weres believe they were supposed to be born in the physical animal body of their "wereside". These weres may or may not be "contherianthropes" or "shifters". They don't necessarily believe their spirit body has a particular form, just that they were born into the wrong body.
accounts from those claiming to be Trans-species

Therians

Animal spirits only

These are weres that believe that they were either animals in a previous life, or they are simply *the* animal within. Basically, they believe that no part of their spirit is human, it is entirely animal, functioning within a human body. How that spirit got there is another story. Therians closely resemble Trans-Species and can overlap.

major proponent Accounts from those claiming to be Therians.

Independant Spirit Guides

Totemist weres are those that have the animal connection with totems and/or spirit guides. They may or may not have a "true wereside". Totemist weres can seemingly change "weresides" because spirit guides can come and go as they please. Also many weres **choose** their totem(s) thus may not truely be that animal in spirit.

major porponent spiritualist movement, native philosophy

�

Werebeast Info:

I know most of you think that a were is a person who shifts into a half-man, half-wolf form by the light of the full moon, then goes off to kill some helpless children. A were is half and half, but usually only in spirit. My own 'inner self' is half wolf, half human.

However, wolves are not the only weres around. I've talked to were felines, and even a were fox! I'm sure that there are other animals, too. One thing about being were: we have a great earth/animal bond. We have enhanced senses, a great immune system, and can be deadly in a fight with a normal human. Also, all weres are different. You won't find the exact same personality in any of us, which is very refreshing when talking amoung friends.

Another thing I have to address is that thing about the moon. Though looking at it through the a campfire is very refreshing, and going for moonlit strolls exhillerates some weres, we are not governed in any way by it. Looking at the full moon does not make us shift, but rather using it as a focal point can help many find the mind control to shift mentally.

Oh yeah, another thing...we don't turn anthropormorphic or into the total form of our totem animal, and those who can shift physically only show minor changes, such as a different eye color, longer teeth, or more muscle mass. Most can only shift in the astral or mental.

We are born the way we are, and you won't turn into a wolf if you are bitten by one. We aren't really harder to kill, though we have much stronger immune systems and are more tenacious than humans. We aren't evil, human eating creatures. After being raised by humans, the thought of eating one is disgusting! However, some do tend to eat a lot of meat, ringing up high food bills. Course, no self respecting were would go near Spam...

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHIFTS & WERE TERMS:

WERE TERMS:

SHIFTING:

Shifting is short fo shapeshifting, although the terms transforming, morphing, changing, and turning� into can also mean the same thing. There are many forms of shifting and, with it, many interpretations of what shifting is, exactly. To me, it's like the merging of the� body and the soul, whether it's spiritual and/or physical.

PHENOTYPE:

A person's phenotype is considered the animal form their body assumes when they shift. It can be any animal, a tiger, fox, bear, dolphin, eagle, or whatever. It doesn't always pertain to wolves exclusively, wolves are just the most common (like with me). It's also not too uncommon for a person to have more than one phenotype.

SHIFTERS:

A shifter, as you may have already gathered, is a person who can shapeshift. Calling a shifter a "were" also works because it can be short for werewolf or whatever phenptype it is that they have. It's that general and for that reason some shifters may prefer to be called weres. Like being called a shifter, it implies only that they have the ability to change their shape� into an animal form. There are three main types of shifters: lycanthropes,� therianthropes, and polymorphs. Of course there are others, but to keep things simple I've narrowed it down to these main three...

��

LYCANTHROPES:

also known as werewolves, are people
�� who have the ability to shift into their wolf phenotype.
�� They can become a full-fledged four-legged wolf, or a
�� werewolf.

��

THERIANTHROPES:

Therianthropy covers all animal
�� forms, including wolves, so a lycanthrope can be
�� considered a therianthrope. However, since lycanthropy
�� specifically deals with wolves, therianthropes are
�� generally thought of as people who transform themselves
�� into other animal forms. Therianthropes include
�� weretigers, werefoxes, werebears, etc.

��

POLYMORPHS:

The difference between a polymorph and
�� the other two types os shifters is that polymorphs not
�� only have many phenotypes, but they can appear as a mixed
�� hybrid of all their phenotypes combined into one. An
�� example of a polymorph would be a person who could shift
�� into a creature that is part human, tiger, and eagle, a
�� weretiger with wings perhaps.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHIFTS:

SENSE SHIFTING:

Sense Shifting can occur with any of the other shifts or it can happen all by itself. It's simply a heightening of the senses.

DREAM SHIFTING: A Dream Shift occurs when a lycanthrope becomes a wolf or werewolf in their dreams. The change is often involuntary, which means "it just happens". Lycanthropes usually have less control over what they do in this form of shifting because, unlike Lucid Dream Shifting, they are unaware that they are dreaming. A Dream Shift still happens in a normaldream, the only exception is that the dreamer can shapeshift.

LUCID DREAM SHIFTING:

The difference between Lucid Dream Shifting and Dream Shifting is that with Lucid Dream Shifting the lycanthrope is aware that they� are dreaming and therefor the change is usually voluntary. They know that they ae dreaming and shapeshift by true will and desire. As with regular lucid dreams, Lucid Dream Shifting experiences are just as vivid,
sensual, and very realistic, the closest thing you can get to a Physical Shift.

PHYSICAL SHIFTING:

Physical Shifting occurs when the lycanthrope's real and physical body actually undergoes the transformation from human to wolf, or werewolf, the state somewhere inbetween.

ASTRAL SHIFTING:

An Astral Shift occurs when a lycanthrope enters a spiritual trance, travels out of� body to the astral plane, and shifts there. Sometimes,� it's hard to tell the difference between Lucid Dream Shifts and Astral Shifts, lucid dreams being just as real, but Astral Shifts are sometimes associated with "psychic" experinces as well, such as : dream sharing,� telepathy, clairovoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis. Astral Shifts are also said to be more spiritual in nature.

MENTAL SHIFTING:

Mental Shifting, as the name implies, deals with the mentality of a lycanthrope. This, of course, varies from person to person, but there seems� to be a common thread. The most common is an ability that� I too have experienced. It is the ability to shut out all� human sapience, that constant dialogue playing in our� heads, human thought. Then, our senses becomes acutely� heightened. It's a lot like what the Army calls "Condition Orange", only our instincts and reactions are more lupine.

AURA SHIFTING:

Aura shifting consists of shaping one's aura. It's mainly done by instinct, but it can be shaped by will. It often happens when the shifter finds� themself in a dangerous environment. They'll shift, looking very much the same but their soul has changed shape, for added protection. Much like how auras have different colors, it can be shaped into an anthropomorphic shape as well.

Shifting how to's:

Here are just some of the ways I have come across on the net, or methods that have worked for me. A warning: Make sure this is what you want before going ahead...it may not be reversable.

(From "the Wolf Inside" site): This is the method called "Affirmation": You pack your goal into a single sentence, but with a special case. If you want to become famous singer, you'd write: "I, John Blow, will become a famous piano player." IMPORTANT: Don't use a sentence like "I, John Blow WANT to become a famous piano player". Valid wishes are "I, Marlboro Joe, will stop smoking cigarettes." or, even better, "I, Anonymous Man, will be able to shapeshift into a wolf". Ok, so now you've got your goal in a sentence. You can, of course, have several wishes in one sentence or even several sentences, but I'd recommend a single wish for the beginning.

Now to the hard part: Once every day you write that sentence fifteen times. Write onto a paper or type it into your computer, whatever fits you best. If you forget once or twice it doesn't matter, just try to do it as regulary as you can (If possible once a day). Write the sentence 15 times a day, every day, until your goal is achieved. Usually this should take 2 or 3 months. If you've tried for 6 months or longer I'd stop because then something's wrong. It is important that you believe into the method to have it succeed. Scott Adams (the author of Dilbert) wrote that he himself tried it several times and achieved every goal he wanted. For instance he wished to be a famous cartoonist, and he really is now. He wished a skin anomaly to be no maligant tumor, and it turned out to be harmless. (end)

Self Hypnosis:

Start off with the relaxation method. Once you are relaxed, say to yourself "I am now going into self hypnosis for ______minutes" (insert time you want). "I am doing this to acheive______, and will wake up feeling (insert how you wish to feel)"

Now you can do one of two things:

1: Focus on your breathing. When you inhale, think of the number 1, visualizing it and saying it in your head. When you exhale, do the same, but with the number two. Pause for a five second count and repeat. You will find yourself coming out of the state after the time you gave is up. Trust that your subconcious was working in the background to acheive your goal.

2: Notice things around you: ie: with eyes closed, make visualizations and name them, such as "I see my fur ruffling in the wind" Try to make out the details. Next, try it with a sound, such as "I hear birds singing outside". Then, a feeling, such as "I feel leaves crunching under my paws." Repeat with a different feeling, sound, and visual each time for however long you are "under". This has worked countless times for me in healing myself and clearing my mind. Good luck, there's more to come!

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