multiples and otherkin (x-posted)

[morgil-lomion.livejournal.com]

Well, I think this is my first official update in this community but I think most people are familiar with me. If not, I'll briefly introduce myself. I'm an outside walk-in to a system of several different people living inside one body/mind. I call myself an Angel of Death and believe myself to be over 700 years old [although I admit even I am skeptical to my own claims; I don't even take my own memories as absolute evidence of the truth of my claims e.g. I may be crazy :)].

That being said and all of this beingg taken into consideration, I find myself interested in the interactions between multiplicity(be it natural or disordered) and otherkinism(to coin a word).

It seems to me that there are many commonalities between the two phenomena and, while different in many ways, Kin seem to often share some traits with Multiples and vice versa. At the same time, the interactions and reactions between persons who consider themselves only to be one or the other are not always necessarily amiable. Some Kin think of Multiples as "crazies" and some Multiples seem to do the reverse; at very least there seems to be a good deal of skepticism as a subtext for their interactions with one another.

There also exist subtle differences in the language used between the two groups when it comes to terms and ideas that are at least superficially nearly identical.

Take the concept of a "walk-in", a term I use to describe myself to aid other people's understanding of me. Whereas Kin often use this term in a highly mystical and transendental fassion roughly similar to the old idea of someone either possesing or being possesed by a spirit(not necessarily evil although possesion certainly has that connotation culturally for many), Multiples tend to think of it as a common or a more internal experience where another person simply walks into the mind and takes up residence there.

Because of these observations, I am curious as to other people in both communities perspectives on each other and people's unique personal observations or general experiences with these ideas.

I find both groups of people and their interactions fascinating, largely of course because I consider myself both, and also because of the blurred line that marginally seperates people in both categories.

I look forward to the reactions and impressions of the people who respond, be they experienced in these interactions or completely uninformed of the paradigmatical juxtaposition these two groups usually fall into. Id est: Both the experienced and the newbie I'm sure will have interesting things to say.

Discussion in otherkin.

Comments

[shadowechoes.livejournal.com]

A large majority of Us are therian (some We suspect may be pure animal though), and obviously multiple as well. I know We're not the only system like this out there - Our SO's system and several close friends' systems also are multiple and majorly therian. I don't think multiplicity and therianthropy/otherkin have any correlation. However, I do think there are some similarities, for example some therian/otherkin who describe their "phenotype" as a somewhat separate entity from themselves, but don't claim it to be "multiple personalities". Sometimes polyweres can be similar to multiples, especially the ones whose multiple phenotypes are viewed separately instead of one hyrid creature. We're multiple, but many of Us just happen to be also therian. None of Us view Our phenotype as a separate entity - and the polyweres in here are all hybrid types - although inside most of Us can usually take either a human, animal, or anthro form. In my case I'm Ash the wolf therian, not Ash who has a wolf side. (I'll also note, I don't consider the phenotypes of other therian members of my system to be part of my phenotype.) And I think it would be that way whether or not I shared a body with others.

~Ash

[morgil-lomion.livejournal.com]

I should probably become more familiar with therianthropy. I know _flute_ used to run with a pack of what she calls "furrythings" before she came to us, and I wonder if maybe they could be identified by those who know more about said subject than I.