swanpinions

fwugradiation:

First of all, let’s get this straight. You should be able to identify as whatever makes you happy and comfortable. It’s ok to “feel” any way you do. Your experiences are your own. We just have one life, so you should be happy with it. So on a fundamental level, I don’t mind. The whole basic idea of having the “spirit” of an animal isn’t any more ridiculous than believing religion X.

What I don’t like about otherkin is not the idea of believing something that people see as weird. It’s not on the individual level at all. I don’t like the idea of a COMMUNITY that fosters unhealthy delusions.

These aren’t delusions about identity I’m talking about. I have read a number of otherkin websites and a lot of them talk about magic and/or psychic powers. Generally just the supernatural. People having “special intuition” or being “in tune with the energy of the universe.”

There’s a line that’s crossed somewhere when you talk about believing that stuff. It stops being comparable to religion/identity and begins to be a belief in completely fictional ideas.

See the original post for the rest of it, but:

Belief in magic is a religious idea and it’s very offensive to a lot of religions to say it’s fictional, most of them have a concept of magic in one or other way (even the Bible mentions magic, though speaks of it as a bad thing) to say it’s an unhealthy delusion.

Yes, some people who explore or practice magic might have mental health issues that get mixed up in it, and treat everything that happens as responsibility of a demonic force controlling their life, etc. That could become a problem when they don’t see, because of this, that they have problems in their life that need to be fixed in ways other than magic.

But, most people who practice magic do not do this, including ones who are neurodiverse/have mental health issues/differences. I have some mental health issues, but magic does not in any way cause problems with that, it does not stop me from knowing when I am struggling with something and need help, etc. It never has. Most, most, most people who practice magic do not end up seeing it in this negative way where it keeps them from trying to get a medical treatment that they need. And, this could happen with any belief. Not just magic.

I’m sorry about your brother’s experience, but, don’t use that pain to attack every person out there who uses or believes in magic.

othercounsel:

Here is a better look at what I did with my nest!  I have a few more layers of cloth I might add on later, but for now I love the way this looks and feels.

the green panel on the outside gets in the way a little but it will be easy to extend later.  the top of the canopy has dark green and navy veil material that makes it look like the night sky. 

sparkles!!

and inside is a thick layer of pillows and junk we sleep on.

Oh, lovely snuggly nest! >w<

bindahumanheart:

A GUIDE TO MAKING MASKS

for any and all interested! 

what you need:

- plaster paper (you can find this in almost all stores. plaster paper looks like bandages that have been dipped in dry plaster. when you wet the bandages, they become sticky and maliable!)

- a bowl of water

- a helping friend would make this easier

- aluminum foil

- your face

- goggles OR elastic bands/ribbons

- sandpaper

1. wash your face thoroughly and make sure that you face remains slightly moist for this entire affair

2. cut the plaster paper into small strips (approximately 8 inches long and by 1-2 inches in size)

3. (optional) put the goggles on. if you pick wear goggles and let the plaster stick to the goggles/around it, you can use the goggles as “eyes” of your costume and the plaster on the edges as the eyelids. goggles will also allow you to already have a strap so that you can just wear you mask later with ease!

4. when dipping the plaster paper into water, make sure that it does not become so wet that the plaster is dripping off. try folding the plaster paper over to make sure you remove any excess plaster! this stuff dries very quickly!

5. have a friend, or do it yourself while looking in the mirror, apply the wet plaster strips to your face. MAKE SURE THAT THEY LAYER! they will become adhesive and stick together in the shape of your face

apply quickly and DO NOT cover your eyes or your eyelids, just make the plaster strips go around your eyes. remember, if you are not using goggles, that you eyes need a lot of space so that they are not constricted!

DO NOT cover your mouth or your chin, but your cheeks are okay! we will take care of your muzzle and beak LATER!

6. let the mask dry while you are still wearing it. it will look something like this when it is complete:
 

7. once it is dry, sand it down so that the surface you will be working with is smooth. make sure to blow off any excess dust that may catch when you are painting the piece

tada! you now have the base of a mask which fits the shape of your very own face! 

to make a beak/cover for the mouth: 

- if you have not covered your chin and lips, (or you cut out the piece of plaster that is wear your lips are), you can fashion a beak or a muzzle out of cardboard (MAKE SURE YOU CAN BREATH!)

NOTE: make sure the cardboard piece fits OVER the space of the mouth so that you can attach it properly

- wrap the cardboard with aluminum foil  and then gently wet the foil. the foil will protect the cardboard from getting wet as long as you make sure it is sealed shut over the cardboard

- plaster the cardboard just like you did your face. upon finishing this, use the plaster strips to attach it to your mask

VIOLA you now have a base with a muzzle or beak or whatever attachments you fancy! (you can also do this for ears, etc)

It realised, that this also can be used as a base for a transformation ritual: a prayer for transformation of the self. You are making a mask based on your face, and then changing it. This can be powerful magic, if you wish it.

[tw: death]

For a transformation ritual, I would suggest to do this:

• Into the plaster, put herbs and oils that are symbolic with transformation. You can search for transformation oil on Etsy to find some ideas for ingredients.
• While the mask is drying on your face, concentrate on the bond between your mask and your face. Try and fill the mask with the energy of your appearance as a human (if this is dysphoric for you, you don’t have to think of your particular human face exactly: just imagine the things that make “human appearance” in your mind, like the feel of skin, the color of your skin, the color of eyes, etc.) Picture all that “human” energy going into the mask.
• Before you peel the mask off your face, make sure you can imagine the energy in the mask strongly. Peel it off and imagine you are removing your face, with possibility underneath! The mask you hold in your hands is now your human appearance, to shape as you wish.
• Say to the mask, “You are my mask, the face I wear. By the power of my hands, you will be transformed.”
• Then, begin to shape the mask as you wish.
• When you are satisfied with the new mask, say, “It is done.” Place the mask on your face and take some deep breaths, close your eyes. Imagine the mask becoming one with your face again. Remember how it felt to wear the plaster, remember when you felt that energy going into the mask. Take it back into your body now, feel your face tingle with the energy. Leave the mask on your face until you feel that this is complete.
• One idea for the use of this mask, is to keep it and let your friends and family know that when you die, you wish to wear this mask while being buried or cremated. Wearing the mask then, it will be a powerful prayer for your spirit to take a body of your true form in the next life.

(I did say spirit animal because that’s what my great grandmother called it from her cherokee upbringing)

As I understood it, when i was little and I haven’t done further research, my great grandmother said it was that the animals protected you, or the spirit of the animal protected you, because you had a part of their spirit in you, thus it was kind of a protect your own type thing. They saw a familiar spirit in you, saw you as part of them, and thus they protected you with their life, like they would others of their kind. That’s just how i understood it. Maybe it’s wrong, that’s justh ow it came down to me and how I will pass to my children.

Hmm, interesting! I like that thought better I think.

So I guess by that, we would say, nonhumans have spirit animals the same as their kintype?

Okay, not better time than now to post this!

I, and autisticwolfchild collected a long list of books that we personally recommended, or others personally recommended, which have good nonhuman characters, feelings of nonhuman identity, etc.

Reblog and add to this list if you have a book that you personally recommend, or, someone you know personally recommends, for nonhumans! It must be a book you have read or that person has read and recommended. Not just all books about nonhumans, but, ones that personally moved you or someone you know, as a nonhuman.

Movies and other stories are welcome too!

—-

These two lists are a little different organised, and I think has some duplicated ones. The first list does not have trigger warnings. The second list does have some, it’s not complete.

—-

autisticwolfchild’s list:

Williamson. J. (1972). The Moon Children. New York: Berkley Publishing

Winter. L. (2000). Growing Wings. New York: Sandpiper.

Yolen, J. (1993). Children of the wolf. New York: Penguin Group.

Besson, L., Chasman, S. & Li, J. (Producers) & Leterrierr L. (Director). (2005). Unleashed. [motion picture]. France: Europa Corp.

Eastman, A. & Feke, S. (Executive Producers). (1999-2002), Beastmaster. [Television series]. Queensland, Australia: Alliance Atlantis.

Immergut, S., Mayfield, L., & Zaloom, G. (Executive Producers) & Rader, P. (Director). (1995). Escape to Witch Mountain.[Motion Picture]. United States: Buena Vista Television.

Kagen, J. (Director) (1989). Big Man On Campus. [ Motion Picture]. United States: Lions Gate.

Khait, I. & Williams, C. (Producers) & Blaise, A., & Walker, R. (Directors) (2003). Brother Bear. [motion picture]. United States: Walt Disney Feature Animation.

Robinson, J. (Executive Producer), & Cain, C. (Director) (1986). Where the River Runs Black. [motion picture]. United States: MGM.

Sackman, J. (executive producer) & Bradshaw, J. (Director) (1996.) Specimen. [motion picture]. Canada: A-Pix Entertainment.

Tuchman, E. Himelfarb, D., Mackye, J., Bender, C., Spink, J., Heus, R., & Bress, E. (Executive Producers). (2006-2009). Kyle XY. [Television Series] Vancouver: ABC.

Weston J. ( Director). (2002). Wild Child: The history of feral children. [Documentary]. UK: Optomen TV.

Briggs, K. (2002). The Fairies in Tradition and Literature. London: Routledge.

Bruce. E. (2002). Shaman, M.D.: A plastic surgeon’s remarkable journey into the world of shapeshifting. Rochester, Vt.: Destiny Books.

Croker, T. (2008). Irish Fairy Legends. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.

Cousineau. P. (2001). Once and Future Myths: The power of ancient stories in our lives. York Beach, ME: Conari Press.

Ingerman, S. (1991). Soul Retrieval: Mending the fragmented self. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

LarsenS. (1996). The Mythic Imagination: The quest for meaning through personal mythology. Rochester, Vt.: Bantam Books.

McCleary. T. (1997). The Stars We Know: Crow Indian astronomy and lifeways. Prospect Heights Il: Waveland Press.

Mehl-Madrona. L. (2005). Coyote Wisdom. Rochester, Vt.: Bear & Company.

Mehl-Madrona. L. (2007). Narrative Medicine: The use of history and story in the healing process. Rochester, Vt.: Bear & Company.

Mehl-Madrona. L. (2010) Healing the Mind Through the Power of Story: The Promise of Narrative Psychiatry. Rochester, Vt.: Bear & Company.

Newton. M. (2002). Savage Girls and Wild Boys: A history of feral children. London: Faber and Faber.

Woodward, K. (1997a) Concepts of Identity and Difference. In K. Woodward (Ed.), (pp 7-61). London: Sage Publications.

Nonfiction

Atwater-Rhodes A. (2005). Falcondance New York: Delacorte Press.

Atwater-Rhodes A. (2006). Wolfcry New York: Delacorte Press.

Atwater-Rhodes A. (2007). Wyvernhail. New York: Delacorte Press.

Bell, C. (1994). Ratha’s Challenge: The fourth book of the named. New York: Penguin Group.

Bennet. H. (2005). The BoneMender. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers.

Bennet. H. (2006). The BoneMender’s Choice. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers.

Bennet. H. (2007). The BoneMender’s Oath. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers.

Berman. J. (2005). Bear Daughter. New York: Penguin Group.

Borchardt. A. (1998). The Silver Wolf. Toronto: Ballantine Publishing Group.

Borchardt. A. (1999). Night Of the Wolf. Toronto: Ballantine Publishing Group.

Borchardt. A. (2001). The Wolf King. Toronto: Ballantine Publishing Group.

Burroughs, E. (1966). Tarzan of the Apes. New York: Ballantine Books.

Carter. C. (1988). Star Trek: The Next Generation: The children of hamlin. New York: Pocket Books.

Donohue, K. (2006). The Stolen Child. London: Random House.

Evans. M. (1995). Nell. New York: Berkley Books.

Friedman. C. (1998). This Alien Shore. New York: Daw Books.

Harris. A. (1998). Accidental Creatures. New York: Tor.

Hesse. K. (1996). The Music of Dolphins. New York: Scholastic.

Jordan. S. (1994). Wolf Woman. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group.

Jackson. P. (1988). Born Into Light, New York: Scholastic.

Kipling, R. (1987). The Jungle Book. London: Penguin Group.

Kipling, R. (1994). The Second Jungle Book. London: Penguin Group.

Lindskold. J. (2001). Through Wolf’s Eyes, New York: Tor

Lindskold. J. (2002). Wolf’s Head, Wolf’s Heart, New York: Tor

Lindskold. J. (2003). The Dragon of Despair. New York: Tor

Lindskold. J. (2004). Wolf Captured, New York: Tor

Lindskold. J. (2006). Wolf Hunting, New York: Tor

Lindskold. J. (2007). Wolf’s Blood New York: Tor

Logston. A. (1995). Wild Blood. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

Luard. N. (1990). Kala. London: Arrow Books

McGraw. E. (1998). The Moorchild. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks

McGuire. S. (2009). Rosemary and Rue. New York: Daw Books.

McGuire. S. (2010). A Local Habitation. New York: Daw Books.

McGuire. S. (2010). An Artificial Night. New York: Daw Books.

McGuire. S. (2011). Late Eclipses. New York: Daw Books.

McGuire. S. (2011). One Salt Sea. New York: Daw Books.

Murphy. P. (1996). Nadya. New York: Tor.

Murphy. P. (2000). Wild Angel. New York: Tor.

Reichert M. and Wingert. J. (1998). Spirit Fox. New York: Daw Books.

Rusch. K. (1997). Alien Influences. New York: Bantam Books

Roberts. W. (1980). The Girl With Silver Eyes. New York: Scholastic.

Sherman, D. (2006). Changeling. New York: Penguin Group.

Shinn. S. (2006). The Dream Maker’s Magic. New York: Penguin Group.

Spencer. W. (2001). Alien Taste. New York: Roc.

Spencer. W. (2002). Tainted Trail. New York: Roc

Spencer. W. (2003). Bitter Waters. New York: Roc

Spencer. W. (2004). Dog Warrior. New York: Roc.

St. Clair. M. (1967). The Dolphins of Altair. New York: Dell Publishing

Tolan. S. (1996). Welcome to the Ark. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

TolanS. (2004). Flight of the Raven. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Pierce. M. (1985). The Woman Who Loved Reindeer. New York: Tor

Springer, N. (2001). Becoming. In B. Coville(Ed.), Half-Human (pp.1–17). New York: Scholastic.

Simner. J. (2001). Water’s Edge. In B. Coville. (Ed.), Half-Human (pp.47–63). New York: Scholastic.

Mandell. J. (2001). Princess Dragonblood. In B. Coville. (Ed.), Half-Human (pp.139–163). New York: Scholastic.

Wagoner. T. (2001). Soaring. In B. Coville. (Ed.), Half-Human (pp.165–181). New York: Scholastic.

Waltz, M. (n.d). Metaphors of Autism, and Autism as Metaphor: An exploration of representation. Retrieved October 1, 2011 from the World Wide Web: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/ptb/mso/hid/hid2/waltz%20paper.pdf.

My list:

The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle (unicorn)
Wings, Julie Gonzalez (dragon, winged person)
Night Flying, Rita Murphy (bird person, winged person)
Bird, Rita Murphy (no particular species, longing to fly)
Selkie Girl, Laurie Brooks (selkie)
Half-Human, Bruce Coville (varied species, the best story is about a selkie) [some stories are negative about nonhumans]
Birdwing, Rafe Martin (swan)
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach (seagull)
Murkmere, Patricia Elliot (swan)
Autobiography of Red, Anne Carson (monster, winged person)
Gwinna, Barbara Helen Berger (winged person) [binding and cutting off wings]
Wild Blood, Anne Logston (half-elven)
Growing Wings, Laurel Winter (winged person) [binding and cutting off wings]
Shadoweyes, Ross Campbell (monster)
Wolf’s Head, Wolf’s Heart, Jane Lindskold (wolf)
Spirit Fox, Mickey Zucker Reichert and Jennifer Wingert (fox)
Owl in Love, Patrice Kindl (owl)
The Woman Who Loved Reindeer, (reindeer)
Bear Daughter, Judith Berman (varied)
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, Paul Goble (horse)
Blood and Chocolate, Annette Curtis Clause (wolf)
Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (dragon)
Wild Magic, Tamora Pierce (no particular species)
The Swan Maiden, Heather Tomlinson (swan)
Iron and Gold, Hilda Vaughan (fairy, character is only part of the story) [possible triggers for trying to fit a society where you don’t fit]
The King of Elfland’s Daughter, Lord Dunsany (fairy, character is only part of the story)
Music of the Dolphins, Karen Hesse (feral child) [psych system stuff and child neglect]
Someplace to be Flying, Charles de Lint (bird, fox)
The Other Wind, Ursula K. LeGuin (dragon)
Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone, Carol Berg (fae, elementals, land-spirits)
Eva, Peter Dickinson (chimpanzee)
Raptor Red, Robert T. Bakker (dinosaur; good example of a book written from the perspective of an animal without anthropomorphizing and without portraying animals as being less) [hunting-related violence, death of loved ones]
Child of the Owl, Laurence Yep (owl) [race, family conflict]
Dragonfly in Tales from Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin (dragon) [sexism]
Seal Child, Sylvia Peck (seal/selkie)
Switchers, Kate Thompson (shapeshifters, all species)
Princess Mononoke (movie) (wolf)
Black Swan (movie) (swan)
Skin Deep (webcomic) (sphinx, gryphon, nixie, stag, satyr) http://www.skindeepcomic.com/

Non-fiction:

The Fox and the Jewel, Karen Smyers (fox)

prettylittlebutterfly:

The human race naturally judge people from first impressions of how people look, talk and act, we also thrive off interaction and social communication. Imagine what it would be like if you couldn’t understand or relate to people as well as others. What if you couldn’t communicate with people the way others around you could?
This is what living with Autism is like

Most of the human race are encouraged by society to judge people from first impressions of how people look, talk and act, they also thrive off interaction and social communication. Imagine what it would be like if you didn’t thrive off those things, and you saw past the shallowness that it is to “judge on first impressions”, and society treated you as broken just because you were different. Imagine what it would be like if very few people took time to try and relate to you or understand you because they saw your different way of communicating as something to fix, not something that was allowed. What if other people never tried to communicate with you, to express in ways that you could understand, but just continued to talk in their own language that is almost a code, never saying things clearly, always hiding things behind layers of half-truth that they call “having social skills”?

This is what living with autism is like.

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects a person for their whole life, despite the fact it is seen as a ‘childhood disorder.’ People with autism show significant language, social and behavioural problems and can have below average intelligence, or above average intelligence depending on the type of autism they are diagnosed with.

Autism is a neurodiversity that can not be changed, just like being neurotypical can not be changed, despite the fact that it is seen as a “childhood disorder”. People with autism often feel uncomfortable with speech and struggle with a world that expects them to behave in a particular social way that they brains are not designed for.

Children with Autism can find it particularly hard to make friends, even if they want to they just don’t know how to, so a lot of the time will end up playing alongside people or alone.

Children with autism sometimes prefer to avoid making friends because they would rather be alone than be judged unfairly for their difference, or, sometimes they enjoy being alone and find this comfortable. The ones who want to make friends, often suffer because most allistic people’s idea of “friendship” is based on the same kind of social games that autistic people hate to play. They wish to have an honest friendship, but allistic people see this as being “too rude”.

I don’t mean to be offensive, I just hope to correct a few of these things because they are focused very much on the allistic perspective. “This is what it is like to live with autism” is a story that belongs to us to tell. Only we know how it is. It might seem “sad” or “brave” for the allistic person who is outside us, for us, it is just normal life.

herhandswereleavess:

Otherkin friends, let’s remember what we can do when we find a troll:

you can block them, and they wont ever show up again. In case they’re a constant threat, just block them and you wont see them spamming up the otherkin tag.

just so we’re all aware. ;) Sad that we have to do this, however

Block them.

Warn other people to block them.

Report them for harassment too, if they are doing anything like:

• sending a death threat or saying “I hope you die”
• trying to encourage you to suicide or self-harm
• posting triggering images at you
• insulting you with slurs
• spamming your inbox when you told them to stop
• encouraging other people to attack you or go to your journal to make fun of you

And continue to remind everyone on your Tumblr, that bullying, shaming and harassment are not okay, they are low ways to attack and they do not mean that person is right. In fact, it means they don’t have a better argument.