I Was Probably Away From Tumblr Long Enough To Miss A Lot Of The Alterhuman/therian Discourse That Has

I was probably away from Tumblr long enough to miss a lot of the alterhuman/therian discourse that has been circulating. To be fair, discussions around ‘otherkin’ were just peaking in popularity around the time I abandoned my old account (not for any reason besides being busy with other things and it was mainly used for creative reference anyway).

While I personally do not use any of those labels to identify myself nor do I feel compelled to thoroughly define myself in that way, perhaps I always figured everyone had experiences that triggered very specific emotions and bodily memories that were not quite describable by ‘normal’ means. Then again, I similarly felt for a long time that everyone wondered what it would be like to be a different gender or that everyone dealt with executive dysfunction to some degree—only to come to the realization years later that it was surely not the case.

But these feelings of ‘otherness’ within the self is part of what I was alluding to in my manifesto when I say that ‘We are fragmented and multifaceted’. Of course each of us is allowed to explore diverse interests and aesthetics but it’s more than that: within each of us is a series of refractions of experiences and emotions like if life was light filtered through a gem or placed in front of funhouse mirrors. It can be beautiful and terrifying and lonely to be confronted with disparate feelings or memories and contradictions within ourselves.

If you’re new to visualization and astral projection, are having some difficulties with it, or even if you’re a veteran looking for resources, I highly recommend The Mentalist's Handbook: An Explorer's Guide to Astral, Spirit, and Psychic Worlds by Clint Marsh with illustrations by Jeff Hoke.

It was one of the first occult texts I picked up that I found refreshingly succinct and accessible. One of my biggest pet peeves is when occult authors describe tools or techniques but fail to explain the mechanics or don’t even attempt to offer any insight; Marsh not only details an approachable practice regimen but Hoke’s illustrations offer a bit of whimsy and inspiration for your own visualizations. Not to mention, the publication itself is just beautifully printed! Of course it is also available online in many formats but I definitely do not regret having a copy in my personal library!

Are there other topics you’re looking for more information on or are interested in other recommendations? Feel free to send me a message and I can try to point you in the right direction! ☆

But I am curious of what that actually entails? Like, I don’t expect that many of those who say they can ‘physically’ transform undergo a spontaneous magical transformation sequence that others can witness. Rather, I think any magical hero can use costumes, tools, theater techniques, or even glamours to undergo a transformation that they can employ at any time. Maybe I’m just not understanding the need for distinction.

But it could also be that I’m just approaching things from a different perspective, since I personally do not subscribe to ‘the law of attraction’ and the movement(s) that followed from that idea. I can admit that it is difficult sometimes to discuss these kinds of practices while coming from different paradigms.

This is not to say that I am belittling anyone who works with these kinds of manifestation and affirmation techniques; I think they can be helpful and if it works for you, that’s great! I do believe there are other ways to manifest change, however.

Can someone explain to me the actual difference between ‘physical’ and ‘astral’ magical heroes? Most of the folks that I have come across that label themselves ‘physical’ heroes don’t really seem to have a practice rooted in or working in this reality? They seem to still rely heavily on astral work and reality shifting.

For example, I suppose you can argue that my approach is ‘physical’ since I have an established magical practice utilizing tools and techniques that are tangible in the here and now (not that they couldn’t also be used out of the current timeline or on the astral) and I work to better our current and shared reality. I don’t really assert that the ‘physical’ or ‘astral’ distinction has to be made but if people feel that they need to use those labels, I think the community has to do a better job explaining the difference in approaches.

A friendly reminder that you do not need to transform to be a magical girl!

You don’t need a familiar or magical guide to be a magical girl!

You don’t need a set battle costume or magical weapon to be a magical girl!

You don’t need a concept or script to be a magical girl!

There are limitless ways your practice and identity can manifest and grow and they are all valid and beautiful. ♡