 
|
Page 1 of 2 [20 Posts] |
  
Goto page: 1, 2 Next |
| Author |
Message |
Mike (Clodaus)
Founder, Director, Forum Administrator
Joined: 20 Oct 2005
Points: ---
Posts: 3291
Location: United States
View Blog
|
 Defining "Otherkin"
Quite a tall order
|
 |
|
As I'm sure many of you are aware, there is no solid definition for the term "Otherkin". Over my years of discussions on the topic, nobody can seem to agree on a definition. And I'm not expecting it to ever happen. But I do want to know what everything thinks.
What does "Otherkin" mean to you?
If The Community is going to go public with Otherkin, it would be nice to provide a description that the vast majority of Otherkin can identify with. So, what does it mean to you? When someone says "Otherkin", what comes to mind? Who would you consider to be Otherkin? Who would you not consider to be Otherkin?
I'll start it off with my views. I find it easier to simply consider the term "Otherkin" as a title. It's not a culture or a belief system - everyone believes something completely different. You could be a Christian Otherkin, Wiccan Otherkin, an individual with their own personal beliefs, etc - no single person is the same. The only thing most Otherkin can agree on is that they are, in some way or another, non-human.
So, "Otherkin" to me is no more than saying "doctor" or "web developer" or "officer" - it's a title that provides a description about me. Additional information. Another quality.
|
 Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:37 pm
_________________
If a theory doesn't raise an eyebrow, then it's not a theory.
The content of my posts may not reflect my personal beliefs.
"...Put it inside them; men and women will never think of looking for it there..." ~The Secret of Life
|
|
|
|
 |
Miniar
Ardent Defender
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Points: 774
Posts: 1184
Race: Rakshasa + Elf Halfbreed
Location: Iceland
|
|
|
|
And yet again.. here's the quote from my work-in-progress book.
"Otherkin are people who believe themselves to be something other than a human being on a spiritual, psychological, energetic and some even on a biological level, and choose to identify with that non-human fragment of themselves to the point where they count it as a permanent and ingrained part of their personal mythology and/or identity." ~ Miniar/Freetha
Feel free to quote me on this, with source ofcourse.
|
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:30 pm
_________________ 
|
|
|
|
|
Shiari
Member
Joined: 28 Nov 2007
Points: 387
Posts: 563
Race: Dragon
Location: United States
|
|
|
|
Min has pretty much the same definition I do.
That an otherkin is a person who feels that they are not fully human, for varying values of "not" and "human". This is most commonly through mental Archetypes, through a belief that the soul is made in a set "type", or via reincarnation with certain lives leaking through and influencing the current life.
I just don't say it quite so prettily. 
|
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:41 pm
|
|
|
|
|
Luinbariel
Member
Joined: 15 Nov 2006
Points: 4,204
Posts: 4711
Race: I dunno, lol
Location: Canada
View Blog
|
|
|
|
I think I more or less agree with these definitions provided.
Especially since Miniar makes sure to mention that most feel this on a spiritual or energetic level but also takes care to mention that some believe it on a physical level.
<3
|
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:48 pm
|
|
|
|
|
Seraphyna
Member
Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Points: 1,420
Posts: 1342
Race: Polymorphic Angel
Location: United States
|
|
|
|
Ditto Miniar. That definition sums it up pretty darn nicely.
|
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 4:28 pm
_________________
*Everything I post comes with a built-in "I believe." It's annoying having to restate that fact over and over again. What I post is a reflection of personal belief. Nothing more.*
|
|
|
|
|
Tsukikage
Forum Administrator
Joined: 17 Feb 2007
Points: 1,421
Posts: 1347
Location: United States
View Blog
|
|
|
|
xD Again, I generally agree with the above statements, including Clody's. Admittedly, I am not sure if I would consider myself Otherkin in the sense that I am well aware of being human. But, there is also something... more... than just being human, of course. So I guess that fits under Min's and Shiari's interpretations of varying values for "not" and "human".
O o;;
|
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:40 pm
_________________ 
|
|
|
|
|
Shilo
Member
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Points: 78
Posts: 80
Race: Elven
Location: United States
|
|
|
|
| Miniar wrote: |
And yet again.. here's the quote from my work-in-progress book.
"Otherkin are people who believe themselves to be something other than a human being on a spiritual, psychological, energetic and some even on a biological level, and choose to identify with that non-human fragment of themselves to the point where they count it as a permanent and ingrained part of their personal mythology and/or identity." ~ Miniar/Freetha
Feel free to quote me on this, with source ofcourse. |
Pretty much what I was thinking, though I tend to think of the self-identity as being more or less wholly other in personality or soul rather then just partially. However - that's just me, and since I don't have 'sides' like some do - I could be missing something.
|
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:30 am
|
|
|
|
|
Miniar
Ardent Defender
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Points: 774
Posts: 1184
Race: Rakshasa + Elf Halfbreed
Location: Iceland
|
|
|
|
| Shilo wrote: |
| Miniar wrote: |
And yet again.. here's the quote from my work-in-progress book.
"Otherkin are people who believe themselves to be something other than a human being on a spiritual, psychological, energetic and some even on a biological level, and choose to identify with that non-human fragment of themselves to the point where they count it as a permanent and ingrained part of their personal mythology and/or identity." ~ Miniar/Freetha
Feel free to quote me on this, with source ofcourse. |
Pretty much what I was thinking, though I tend to think of the self-identity as being more or less wholly other in personality or soul rather then just partially. However - that's just me, and since I don't have 'sides' like some do - I could be missing something. |
I do not have sides either, however, I use the terms fragment and part for a reason.
The human body and it's hormonal and biological functions do undeniably affect us directly even to the point where we can not rule it out as a significant factor in our personality, emotional balance, and identity. Thus, it's impossible to be "wholly" other on a personality/mental/intellectual level, and that does make a huge difference.
An we are all undeniably human.
|
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:54 am
_________________
|
|
|
|
|
sadstoryteller
Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2008
Points: 52
Posts: 320
Race: Dragon
Location: United States
|
|
|
|
i agree with miniar on this. most of the time it is hard to define what an otherkin is but he defines the best.
|
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:56 am
_________________
The rise of dragons will come some day
|
|
|
|
|
Shilo
Member
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Points: 78
Posts: 80
Race: Elven
Location: United States
|
|
|
|
Good point, Minar. I sometimes forget about the biological component - LoL, but I should be better - especially since I'm currently in cognitive psyc - and my teacher is very interested in how biology effects psychology ^_^.
|
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:18 pm
|
|
|
|
|
Sak'Hareth
Member
Joined: 21 Mar 2008
Points: 3
Posts: 6
Race: Dragon
Location: Belgium
|
|
|
|
My definition of Otherkin is:
A person who can identify him/herself as human & animal beeing in a mental-spiritual-soul or in same cases physical way.
|
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:22 am
|
|
|
|
|
Shira
Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2007
Points: 2,415
Posts: 697
Race: Polymorphic Nymph
Location: Canada
View Blog
|
|
|
|
I must say, my path as an otherkin (and general energy-user) leaves me quite in awe about what I think otherkin are. My personal definition has shifted so much that I'm not even sure where it stands anymore. To be honest, I don't even believe in the term itself anymore because of how others have defined it, and its lack of absolute definition.
There are a variety of concepts both inside and outside of the energy communities that describe who we are. (Or maybe that's just to describe myself).
| Quote: |
"Otherkin are people who believe themselves to be something other than a human being on a spiritual, psychological, energetic and some even on a biological level, and choose to identify with that non-human fragment of themselves to the point where they count it as a permanent and ingrained part of their personal mythology and/or identity." ~ Miniar/Freetha |
If it were to have a proper definition, I completely agree with your words Mini. Well done ^^.
But in the end, we are who we are... cept for the roleplayers out there. They are who they are.
Everyone just wants to be something >.>
*dances* Off the school! Chao!
|
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:19 pm
|
|
|
|
|
Shangrila
Member
Joined: 07 Sep 2008
Points: 375
Posts: 995
Race: Polymorph
Location: United States
|
|
|
|
I agree with Miniar's definition--it was also the one I learned of while learning about the otherkin community.
|
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 2:35 pm
_________________ 
|
|
|
|
|
Eshari
Member
Joined: 08 Nov 2006
Points: 27
Posts: 61
Race: Sidhe
Location: United States
|
|
|
|
Well said, Miniar. I too am a little iffy on the fragment/whole thing, because as you explained, I don't consider it a "side" of myself in most circumstances; it's just "me". However, it's a "fragment" in the sense that it doesn't consciously occupy every waking moment, any more than the fact that I am a hominid mammal does. Perhaps that could also be phrased as "that non-human fragment or view of themselves"?
I like that you put in "choose to identify with" as being an important point; I think a lot of, maybe even most, humans have something non-human about them, but without first perceiving this and then deciding that it is a big enough deal to merit identifying with, they are not "otherkin", IMO.
|
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:05 pm
_________________
Come, bind your steeds to the rushes so green,
And dance by the haunted oak
|
|
|
|
|
Atrum Tempestas
Member
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Points: 445
Posts: 340
View Blog
|
|
|
|
My Definition:
Otherkin is not a religion; Otherkin are individuals who have been born human, but have come to the conclusion that their soul is inhuman. Often, Otherkin come to this conclusion through meditation and/or Past Life Viewing; there are many races of Otherkin, spanning from beings your find in Earth's mythology and religion (angels, demons, dragons, vampires, to name a few) to beings that haven't even been heard of, or given an appropriate name on this planet.
In my experience, your soul defines who you are, not your physical body. I find that Otherkin I come across do not seem to have the same "feel" that human-soul'd individuals have. There's something very different about the way an Otherkin's soul feels - whether that individual has incarnated as one race, or multiple. There's just something there that's very, very different than the souls of actual human beings.
I think coming to a conclusion about a definition will be difficult, though. There's more that one way people "feel" that they are Otherkin, after all. There's really no simple, dictionary-length description for it.
As Miniar said;
| Miniar wrote: |
| "Otherkin are people who believe themselves to be something other than a human being on a spiritual, psychological, energetic and some even on a biological level, and choose to identify with that non-human fragment of themselves to the point where they count it as a permanent and ingrained part of their personal mythology and/or identity." |
Though, I disagree with the part after that. I didn't choose to identify with my 'kinness, I am 'kin. I am a long-lived polymorph - that's who I am through and through, even though my current body doesn't share that. I act and think the way I have in my past lives, I am who I've always been. Hopefully that makes sense. >.>
If people"choose" to identify with their inhuman sparkle, then everyone who claims they have an animalistic side could "choose"(claim) to be a Were<whatever>. If people could "choose" to identify with their energy or bloodlust, then that would make them a Psy/Psychic/Sanguine Vampire.
The way I see it, is you are Otherkin, or you aren't Otherkin. Even human beings have an animal/carnal side to them, or some other quirk - yet that doesn't make them Otherkin.
I feel it has to do with your soul. Shortest definition I can give...:
"'Otherkin' is not a religion; Otherkin are individuals who have been born human, but have come to the conclusion that their soul is not human, or that they are of inhuman origin in some other way." Perhaps that'll work better for those who don't think the soul plays a part in 'kinnes.
|
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:33 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page 1 of 2 [20 Posts] |
Goto page: 1, 2 Next
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum
You cannot post calendar events in this forum
|
Copyright © 2006-2009 The Otherkin Community, Inc.
|
Calendar
