The Lack of Genuine Sanctuary (for "actual Otherkin") in the Modern Era

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Post by Hound 03.09.20 14:18

Tehom wrote:Currently, the only real way to "make anything happen" is to put yourself "out there and get talking to people" in a very personal way, making strategic choices as to the who, where, when of it all. And should you not arrive where intended, all you've then accomplished is telling, perhaps showing, a bunch of strangers deeply personal things about yourself...

I would agree. That is one the most accessible methods available to individuals like us to find "connection" without wading through the murky waters of the public facing communities. Although, as you said, it comes with its own set of troubles. In the past, I used to view it as a danger as well... but my perspective is shifting a little bit. Still a danger but... less dangerous than it used to seem. There's been way too many instances of it falling through, and the nature of my being left exposed to those who may not treat it with the necessary care. It used to feel "naked". Now... I'm not exactly sure how to frame that thought shape. First, it is not to infer I actively seek out such a position, as it usually arises from conflict or disagreement, but more so its inevitable happening I am trying to treat as less of a wound and more of a means of actualization. It may not always end how I like it... but I have left a "mark", regardless. My being is put out into the world, for better or for worse, and it leaves the personal sphere (the internal) to become more externally present.

I may view it this way because, regularly, I feel as if I'm bursting at the seems. Raging against the silencing motion of the anthropocentric, consumptive post-colonial world that rejects and revolts against any mention of the Other. I am staining their colours with mine, when they would rather my colour not exist.

Tehom wrote:I would agree with you. I would be interested in hearing more of your journey, insofar you are comfortable sharing. Also Extended to Glasswalker. But to a more related thought -- What would your advice be toward those attempting to do as you had, in our current time?  As You and Others say, the "Community" is not at all what it once was in the way of being able to provide these opportunities, these friendships. I am sure there are many More without the benefit of answers gained through experience with their Own ...  What would You do Now if you had never met those aforementioned people?

I would definitely be more willing to go into more depth about my journey in another thread, or in PM if that would be more preferable. I feel like should it occur here, it might abscond with the current thread entirely aha...

Advice for in the now... Well. I can't really overstate the importance of self actualization. If I had never met who I met, if I had never had the experience I had, I would really encourage myself, in this instance, to self actualize like no tomorrow. It would be the best way to not only explore the self, and put it into forms which can be observed critically by both the self and others, but it would also act as a beacon towards other individuals whom of which might be valuable connections. It can also create new pathways for others who come into contact with these efforts, and afford them new methods of exploring themselves, as well. Literature, artwork, music, ritual, etc. Any and every method that resonates with the self. This process has brought me much growth and change over the years, and should I have not had any of the experiences I had, it certainly would generate them in new ways.

As an example, I engage in artwork, poetry, and academic literature for both myself and other nonhuman persons. The first two are mostly for myself, as a means of "making real" what I am experiencing internally, the latter is an effort conducted with a friend of mine, whom of which is also Other, as a means of challenging false narratives perpetuated about nonhumans in Academia. Because that is... sorely needed. I have something I can share from our current draft, which is about 300 pages, that touches on something I said when I responded to the first quote:

When confronted with the oceanic problems with essentializing a concept of “the human” as an ontologically distinct object from nature and the nonhuman, the tendency historically has been to resort to passive erasure of all that problematizes the definition. Indistinction between human and nonhuman creates anxiety for a culture that is reflexively seeking to justify what is only a relative cultural perspective and ideology as “the vital and eternal truths about humanity,” and historically this recurrent indistinction that haunts these rigid distinctions has either been passively erased (excluded form discourse) or violently suppressed.[22] [23] The machinations of anthropocentrism share a common thread across time: the (human) history as largely devoted to a desperate pursuit of fabricating “the human” as wholly distinct from “the nonhuman” by the erasure of “the nonhuman” which is itself only one particular lens of “the history of modern civilization” not shared by many indigenous peoples. And what is ignored in all of this is the more-than-human history of thought and being, which extends across the life ages of the Earth.

But at the heart of it, divergent persons are presented with another deeper problem: how do we communicate highly divergent experiences, thoughts, worldviews and lifeways with “normal” individuals who have no analog within their own experiences by which to draw an understanding? What if our very experiences of reality themselves do not conform to many of the ontological assumptions of what reality constitutes according to the normative viewpoint of what reality is?

This poses a problem for nonhuman-identifying humans as well—our experiences are of a highly divergent nature—how can other humans who have never literally experienced their bodies and selves as other animals possibly relate to how that alters our concepts of ourselves and our being in the world? For the average person, the thought is, “how could you possibly be nonhuman? I am looking at your body right now! It is human?” What is not understood in this case is that we are experiencing our bodies, our selves, our being as nonhuman in modes that only we can perceive because we are being that: it is a subjective lived experience. The onlooker, without any way of relating to or experiencing our inner worlds, concludes that because we look the same, we must think and experience the same.

This constitutes the passive erasure of nonhuman beings; it is a passive form of anthropocentrism. We can call it: normalized cognitive bias. It is, essentially, an overgeneralization of oneself to the world of experiences, a truly difficult problem to overcome. It is anthropocentric in that it usually manifests in an individual who overgeneralizes their own “experiences of being” and “belief that these experiences are human” to the world, to all other “humans,” even if those “humans” have nonhuman experiences, beings and identities. It is, in many ways, innocent, and there are practical ways to move past that: through sharing our experiences with each other, especially our differences and bridging understandings through this, through presentation of divergent thoughts and perspectives by adapting theses as best as we can to forms of communication which have historically been unconducive to them (due to how the presuppositions that “we are all essentially human in the same way” have influenced the development of language and communication), also through refusal to conform to reductions of our experiences to an essentially human framework, which erases significant alterity and differences of being. Bridging this gap requires the maintenance of a tension between our actual radical divergence and attempts at conveying that divergence through relatable modes of similarity. It is the self-same problem that is at the heart of how much of “humanity” misunderstands the nonhuman/animal. We have to be Open and receptive to significant difference and real alterity without always already assuming we can even understand it let alone notice it.

Is is important to express the self, at least to me, regardless of the dangers involved. Because they certainly do exist, and we will inevitably be subject to them, but to allow ourselves to be silenced is, in my eyes, the death of our reality. Anyone can engage in self actualization, especially with how many modes are available for such. Through this action, it is possible for others (and myself) to learn, grow, change, and connect with others. To fine sameness. Not done as an obligation, but rather an act of resistance.

Briefly touching on what 8lou1 had said... I think it is important to work on acceptance within the self (actual acceptance and knowing, not compromise), but it's not going to solve every problem, unfortunately. You can know, accept, and love the self as much as possible, but it doesn't negate the external issues that arise with Otherness.
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Post by 8lou1 04.09.20 5:22

I am a firm believer of those who do good meet well.
Tru selflove and selfcare we are thought our goodness. When one accepts this in combination with being other, the external world doesnt necessary change, but one is given tools to make life more worthy in ones own paradigm. In other words love the inner ways, so the outer ways will love you. (mind you Love is a harsh teacher inwards and outwards, but conquers All)
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Post by 8lou1 05.09.20 6:37

[quote="Tehom"]It is significantly easier for one to look inwards when they are with the knowledge that they are not entirely alone on planet Earth.

Or where they are not tortured with this uncertainty for an extensive amount of time.



To that effect I am [b]surprised[/b] at this information not being disclosed to these 'people' at a much earlier point in their journey.

But all roads lead where, and when, they must go ...  

For some it was as you said: testing and trust issues. For others it was none of their business and it never will. For a few it was too dangerous. And most of all noone really knew what to look for, just that some were in need of being found and still are.

It makes me cry, really and gives a feeling of being torn apart and desperation.






[/quote]
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Post by A.Nightside 12.09.20 18:23

The state of the Otherkin community is a joke now, or at least, last I knew.

Offline and mundane life responsibility grows, but so too the reaction of offense and defensiveness when questioned and introspection and self reflection is encouraged. It was too much to keep up with life, but also feel like I'm baby sitting.

Not sure what else to say, other than I'm enjoying the exchange here.
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