Reality Group's Glossary

A

Awaken
To progress through self discovery. To become aware of and accept one's identity. Awakenings are not exclusive to Vampiric nor Nonhuman identified persons.

Animal-Kin
A lack-for-better term introduced to identify and describe non-earthly animal-identified Otherkin. After it was no longer accepted to use “Therian” to apply to all animals and animal-creatures.

Anthropomorphic
resembling or made to resemble a human (Dictionary.com) ; The Werewolf, in forms of entertainment and media is often depcited as an anthropomorphic , wolf-man, creature.

Alternative Identity
a catch-all term used to describe anyone who's identity/being is not considered mainstream, typical or mundane. Otherkin, Therians, Vampires, etc. may be considered Alternative Identities

Alter
See also Headmate
Relating to Multiplicity/Plurality. Is an individual/entity who exists as part of a Multiple System.

Alter Human*
(please offer correction if inaccurate) A super-umbrella term introduced to refer to all Alternatively Identified Persons, primarily the Nonhuman variety (Werefolk, Otherkin, Therians) as well, Copinglinkers, Other/Animal-Hearted (Kith).


B

Beacon
similar to "Gay-dar", it is the debatedly innate ability for anyone with an alternative identity to recognize each other.

Berserk
out of control with anger or excitement; wild or frenzied. (Oxford Diciionaries Website)

Berserker



C

Contherionthrope
A therianthrope who’s animalistic side is so interwound into their human side the two are indistinguishable. A contherianthrope does not experience shifting but rather expresses a constant of both animal and human sides at the same time. Contherianthropes have been described as finding it very natural to use both human conceptualization/logic and native animal emotion/instinct, jointly, as combined factors in decisionmaking, dynamically blending each to add richness and insight to the overall process. (http://www.therianthropes.com/contherianthrope.htm) – In other words; Contherians constantly feel half Kinside and half human. Otherkin can technically be Contherians as well, though there is no official term for this (Con-Kin?).

Construct (Psionic)
an non organic (not from “the source” or “creator”)  created entity or object via psionic means. Examples: Psi balls, Energy Shields,

Channel/Channeling
To cause or allow energies to connect to and flow into and through you.


D


Deity
A Divine being, potentially responsible for the various aspects, phenomena and existence found within Nature and human culture. Usually titled as a God or Goddess.

Dysmorphia
A conviction that one’s physical body is wrong. This is often accompanied with Dysphoria of varying severity.

Dysphoria
is generally a feeling of unhappiness, discomfort and even disconnectedness, usually with one's self.

Demon
A demon is a supernatural and often malevolent being prevalent in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology and folklore. - Wikipedia
Not all demons are necessarily "evil", some follow a greater entity, others act of their own reasons. Demons are "dark" entities.
For you Roleplaying nerds, Demons can embody any of the following: Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Evil. Click here for a description of "Alignments" by EasyDamus.com

Daemon
(in ancient Greek belief) a divinity or supernatural being of a nature between gods and humans.
An inner or attendant spirit or inspiring force. - - OxfordDictionaries.com
Daemons became more popular in pop culture with the release The Golden Compass movie. Click Here for a further description of what Daemons are (tl;dr: They're essentially spirit guides who take on the form of an animal - In the movie/fantasy world they are physical, in the real world, they aren't.)

Donor
an individual who consents to blood, other bodily fluid or energy draw in order to feed a vampire or sanguivore.



E


Entity
a being, usually non-physical, incorporeal, etheric.

Egregore
the most complex type of thoughtform representing a “collective group mind” created by a group via ritual or regluar thought. This entity can be maintained and effected by the creator(s) but can also influence the creator(s). Examples of possible Egregores: Jesus, Santa Claus, Slender Man, Tinkerbell (Reference to Peter Pan, in which belief keeps her alive),…


F


Fangsmith
an individual who creates custom synthetic fangs for buyers. These individuals often are, and typically serve, Lifestylers and non-vampires.

Feral
A term used in opposition to anthropomorphic. Ex. A Werewolf might be described as an anthropomorhic form, while a wolf would be feral form.
The wild form of a domestic species. Ex. a Feral Cat.

Fluff/Fluffy
Shortened/Modified from Fluffy Bunny; a term taken from the Wiccan/Pagan communities. - Wikipedia
Something that is not apparently genuine (real, true). “Fluff” is also defined as an individual (usually self-identified ‘Kin or Therian) who is mislead, closed/refuses to learn and may be varyingly delusional (delusion is defined as holding beliefs or ideas despite evidence to the contrary – basically rejecting facts). The term has lost some of it's edge/derogatory connotations (implied or perceived meaning) over time.

Fictionkin
a physically human-bodied individual who identifies as a species, or character, best known from modern fictional type media.
Note: Not all Fictionkin qualify as Otherkin, since otherkin is specifically someone who identifies as Nonhuman. Some Fictionkin identify as human characters from fictional sources.

Fictive
A headmate or alter who originates from, or who's design largely resembles, a fictional character (or species).

Factkin
are people who identify as real life people who either have lived or are currently living. So factkin, by definition, are not otherkin as they identify as human beings, similar to how some fictionkin are otherkin but not all are.
Factkin is a highly contested topic within the community - Kin Experiences - Tumblr

Furry
An individual of the Furry Community and Fandom. The Furry Community is a culture involving anthropomorphic mascots and fictional characters created and chosen as one’s fictional identity (Fursona), used in roleplay and expressed in many other artistic forms.

Fandom
is a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of empathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest. - Wikipedia

Fronting
(See also: Switching)
[Referring to Multiplicity/Plurality] When an Alter or Headmate has control of the body. Co-Fronting (more than one controlling the body at the same time) is possible.

G


Greymuzzle
A member of the Otherkin, or Therian, community who has been around for a long time, is aged 30+ and/or is considered equivalent to a community "elder" or mentor.


H

Host
The body, or original inhabitant, of a Multiple System. May also be considered the Alter/Headmate who fronts most often.

Headmate
See also: Alter
In reference to Multiplicity/Plurality. One of many (more than one) inhabitants within a Multiple System's body.

Howl
A meet-up, gather or get-together of Otherkin or Therians.

I


J


K

Kintype
The creature, entity, animal or species an Otherkin identifies as.

'Kin
With or without the apostrophe - an abbreviation for Otherkin.

-Kin
A suffix used to label an Otherkin as their kintype. Example: WerewolfKin, Fairykin, Dragonkin.


L

Lucid Dream
a dream in which you are coherent and aware that you are dreaming.

Lycanthrope/Lycanthropy
an alternative to Werewolf. In mythology and culture this is a creature who expresses both human and canid form, and sometimes varyingly hybridized forms of each. Shifts may be at-will/voluntary or involuntary and influenced by outside forces (such as the moon), depending on the source myth. (Anecdote) Lycans (for short) may be described as more aggressive or dominating than an average Werewolf.

Lycanthropy, Clinical
A psychiatric condition in which one fully believes they are becoming a werewolf or that they do physically transform. Often accompanied by hallucinations and delusions, periods of erratic and uncontrollable aggression or other [animalistic] behavior, moments of lucidity where the individual may describe a feeling of being less human. May be the result of, or accompanied by other conditions such as Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder. While "Lycan" refers to wolves or canids, patients of Clinical Lycanthropy may experience hallucinations and delusions related to other animals or creatures.
For more information:  Clinical Lycanthropy - wikipedia, Clinical Lycanthropy - Sick-Celebrities.com, Clinical Lycanthropy: Where Psychiatry and Mythology Collide - The-Gist, Werewolves: Lore, Legend & Lycanthropy - LiveScience


M

Multiplicity/Multiple System/Multiple
(See also: Plural)
any individual body with more than one individual residing in it.

Median System/Median
A Multiple [System] who's headmates or alters are or were originally formed as fragments or splits from the original or host. Some varied level of connection (shared mind/thoughts, memories, etc.) exists.

Medium
An individual who channels outside entities through their body or allows for temporary control of their body, senses or mind, by foreign entities.

N


O

Otherkin
(1)An individual who identifies spiritually and/or psychologically as non-human. Generally this may refer to Mythological creatures, (2)can also be used as an umbrella term for all creatures (animals), as well as other entities (plants, inanimate objects, machines, etc).


P

Proprioception
the sense of the relative position of one's own parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement - Wikipedia

Plurality/Plural System/Plural
A Multiple [System] who's headmates or alters are not trauma induced or otherwise trauma related.

Q


R


S

Shift
A sensation which expresses one’s therio/kin-type. It is considered possible for non-‘Kin identified persons to will or otherwise experience shifts of some level or degree for a number of reasons. Most ‘Kin/Therians if they experience shifts at all (not all do) experience their first shifts involuntarily and learn to recognize triggers (if any exist) or otherwise control shifts to varying degrees. Below is a list of Types of Shifts.

• Phantom
  Phantom Limb; A term taken and modified from the medical community, is the sensation of having physical limbs where physical limbs do not exist (medically this is a physical nerve reaction which causes sensation felt after amputation of a limb). Some phantom limbs can be felt superimposed on, as if on top of, existing physical limbs.
  
  – The official term for the sort of limbs that Therians/Otherkin experience is Supernumerary Phantom Limbs which are phantom limbs one experiences where no such limb has physically existed before, this version of Phantom Limb or Shift is still considered a primarily psychological phenononon by the “professionals”. Shifts of this sort may not be limited to obvious limbs and can come about as sensations of fur, scales, etc or specific organs such as eyes, teeth and claws.
  
  - Believed explanations of Phantom Limb Sensations in Non-Human identified persons range from spiritual bodies to neurological or nervous system activity.
  
  – There are an incredibly small number of individual Therians/Otherkin (actually one to my current knowledge) who, through use of an MRI was able to confirm neurological responses in regards to these phantom limb sensations.
  
  
• Mental
  The sensation of having the mindset of one’s Theri/Kin-type. This often is described as more instinctual, basic, animalistic and even carnal-based (depending on one’s Kin/Theriotype).
  
  – This may or may not be accompanied by an observed Sensory shift where apparent basic senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) improve, worsen or otherwise alter. It is however generally considered impossible for such senses to alter beyond the physical capabilities of the human vessel.
  
  – There may be some speculation in regards to Clair-Senses/Abilities in relation to Sensory Shifts (as in Clair-audience, Clair-Sentience, Clairvoyance, etc.).
  
  
• Astral
  The sensation or experience of being in the form of one’s Therio/Kin-type while astral projected, or during any Out of Body Experience (OBE). “Projection Shifts” may be more accurate, but is not an official term
  
  
• Aura
  When one’s Aura, or “energy field” shifts into the form of one’s kin/theriotype. This may be accompanied by the sensation of phantom limbs and detectable to those able to sense or see such things.
  
  
• Shadow
  Often mistakenly identified as Physical Shifting by those (if any) who witness it. This may be a form of Aura-Shifting. When light is low and/or visibility is questionable, the outline of one’s body (their shadow or silhouette) may appear to morph into that of their therio/kin-type. This is said to be visible/observable to others while the Non-Human Identified Person (NHIP) may/may not be experiencing any shift sensations.
  
  
• Dream
  existing as one's kin/theriotype within a dream/the dream realm.
  
  
• Berserk[er]
  a reference, and borrowed term, related to the Norwegian (Old Norse/Viking) Berserkers who would go into hallucinogenic, usually drug-induced, aggressive frenzy for war and pillaging. For Non-Human Identified Persons (NHIPs), this is a shift usually caused or experienced during extreme or heightened emotional states. A Berserk shift in this context is not always aggressive nor of anger. This sort of shift is said to be common among self-identified Lycans and Werewolves (Werefolk and Otherkin).
  
  
• Empathy/Empathetic
  (also Clairsentience) the ability to feel another's energy fluctuations or emotions as your own. An Empathy(/ic) shift is the experience of someone else's shift.
  
  
• Physical
  Highly controversial. The physical morphing of a physical body into the form of another.
  
  
• Cameo
  Any type of shift that is represents a Kin/Theriotype that is not your's.
  

Switching
[Referring to Multiplicity/Plurality] When Alters/Headmates take turns Fronting.


T


Therian
An individual who identifies spiritually and/or psychologically as a non-human animal.

U


Unverified Personal Gnosis
(UPG) also Unverifiable Personal Gnosis, refers to any spiritual beliefs, truths or revelations experienced or adhered to by an individual that is based on personal experience that differs from or does not exist in accepted lore. - Witchipedia

V


Vampire
Generally an individual who identifies a need for blood and/or metaphysical energies (also referred to as: non/meta-physical, life energy, Qi, Ki, Chi, Prana..) in order to maintain their all-around health, well-being and ability to function on a regular basis.

VampireKin
An individual who identifies as the supernatural creature of myth, legend and folklore known as the vampire. Many Vampire-Kin seem not to identify a need to feed on blood or energy, though some claim to experience (usually sanguivorous) cravings in relation to their kintype.

W
X
Y
Z

#reference #terminology #definitions

Taken from G+. To be assimilated into master list.
So it's often confusing when talking about Energy-Needing vampires. There are so many alternate terms, which one do we choose?

Personally, I'm not always sure it matters, but to some it may.

Here area few quick definitions and descriptions to some of (but not limited) varied terms used to describe the sort of "substance" or method this sort of Vampire needs.


Psychic -
adjective:

1. relating to or denoting faculties or phenomena that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws, especially involving telepathy or clairvoyance.

2. of or relating to the soul or mind.

noun

1. a person considered or claiming to have psychic powers; a medium.

Psionic -
adjective

relating to or denoting the practical use of psychic powers or paranormal phenomena.

- previous definitions from Google.

Energy

In this context, we are shortening the term from "Metaphysical Energy", "Nonphysical Energy" or "Life Energy". This is believed to be our literal life essence, in some cases. It is a non-physical substance that is life, gives life and is circulated and radiated (for want of a better term) by all life. Often put out as equivalent words are (but not limited to): Qi, Chi, Ki, Prana.

- My own words


Prana

1. is the Sanskrit word for "life force" or vital principle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prana

2. noun HINDUISM
breath, considered as a life-giving force.

For more reading/Information:

http://www.qigongchinesehealth.com/chi

http://www.crystalinks.com/kundalini.html

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Pranic

http://psionguild.org/about/faq/


http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1982/emay82/prana582.shtml

https://psiwarriors.com/index.php?threads/the-difference-between-psionic-psychic-and-magick.4330/

http://www.eclecticenergies.com/energy/whatis.php

http://healing.about.com/od/glossary/g/g_chi.htm

http://www.quora.com/Qi-life-energy/Is-there-any-scientific-evidence-that-chi-or-prana-actually-exists