i’m not sure if the term has been coined before—but if it hasn’t, then here it is now:
a temporal shift is an episode of heightened alterhumanity or nonhumanity that affects your temporality—your subjective experience and/or relationship with time.
it could manifest as:
time feeling faster or slower
time seeming to skip or pause
time becoming all you can notice
time slipping you altogether
feeling suddenly older or younger
feeling ageless or immortal
feeling displaced forwards or backwards in time
feeling outside time altogether
feeling like you’re running on a clock set to a different zone than human standard time*
feeling like you’re holding conflicting temporalities or nonlinear time
feeling indifferent to time entirely
and more!
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*human standard time views time as
a strict linear progression from point A to point B
objectively measurable, dividable, and countable (as standard seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc)
passing at a fixed rate in actuality, regardless of subjective perceptions (at least when we're not talking physics!)
experienced through a purely (1) singular and (2) human mind and body
(it’s really a big ball of wibbly-wobbly stuff!)
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these are just a few possibilities based on what I get from temporal shifts, and what I’ve imagined myself, but anyone who feels their alterhumanity causes the same or similar can use the term to describe their experiences too.
for example, when I temporally shift as a weredog, time seems to stretch the way it does for a dog in the animal realm: a short time feels like a long time, small moments feel enormous, and the biggest time I’m concerned about is right now!!! I can still think about the past and the future, but thinking about them worries me less. most times the dog in me will just go “fuck it we ball”.
when I temporally shift as a cosmic stray, I have barely any urge to call time by minutes and hours, just by what drifts into my awareness when it drifts into my awareness, kinda like a wandering celestial body catching this and that with its orbit
if you temporally shift too, please share however you’d like!! it would be awesome to hear!!
I can’t remember if I’ve asked u this or not I’m sorry lol but do u know if there’s a way to induce mental and phantom shifts so they happen more often? or just feel more connected to being your type more often than it just being in the back of your mind
Oh yeah 100%
Some of the earliest writings on phantom/mental shifting is on how to induce it.
Of course, obligatory warning here- trying too hard to force any kind of shift can be dangerous and can genuinely induce psychosis. So remember to take things in moderation and do research on Meditation induced psychosis and Spiritual psychosis. :)
Now, as for methods, the general consensus is Meditation. Though I've also seen hypnotism, role play, bdsm/kink play, and many other methods! Actually, myself and @mekroh (and some others) are writing a panel for Othercon next year on how to use kink and bdsm to connect to your species better :)
Meditation, though, is a very powerful tool. And it's more than just "sit quietly and think." There's visualization, mindfulness meditation, walking meditation, repetitive movement Meditation, guided mediation, and many more! So if one style doesn't seem to work for you, don't be afraid to try a different one!
But at the core of most Meditation is focus on grounding yourself and letting your thoughts drift by. Like watching cars on the road, when you have a new thought, acknowledge it and let it drive by. Personally, I like to pair this with visualisation techniques. I let the thoughts drift by and turn my focus to my true self, I visualize what my paws feel like. And how the paws connect to my legs. And the legs to my body. Feeling my fur. Thinking about each part of myself. This is probably the most common method you'll hear about for inducing a shift. Probably cause it works for most people (even humans who don't usually shift can induce cameo shifts using this method!)
The more you practice these skills, the easier it will be to use them and the more you'll find it incorporated into your daily life.
When starting out, I found guided meditations on the Headspace app to be the most useful!
There are lots of methods so dont be afraid to keep trying things until you find one thay works for you! Best of luck!
So yes, im coming up on the end of my detox.
During this time, ive actually learned a LOT because simply, im not glued to my phone 24/7.
Society pushes this idea that we NEED phones. That without your portable dopamine box you arent cool, or normal, or whatever the hell they choose to say.
Ive found clarity in my life. Ive focused more on my witchcraft and learning the craft itself. Ive danced in the rain and felt the rhythm of the earth, its heart beating beneath my feet. Ive started to learn Finnish even better than before, and my studies on homework have become so much easier because im not as distracted.
If it was up to me, i would never go back to being glued to my dopamine box. But...
If anyone who is following me and knows of my Amino, Ive been gone from it for awhile now. I worry that certain rules arent being enforced, or its becoming a hateful place. I left it in the hands of my staff, of course, but i still worry...
But regardless, Ill see if I can get an app that allows me to run mobile apps on my computer. I dont want to go back to using my phone unless i have to.
(Keep reading if you wanna see what I have to say about shapeshifting and stuff. I dont want this post to be eons of scrolling to those who dont want to read about it.)
Now, onto the important stuff that people might be asking me.
"Rio, did you fully m-shift and achieve your goals of shifting???"
Well... no. Sadly.
Life has been really hectic, so Ive been focusing on the important, human stuff in my life, and have been struggling with balancing the important, animal stuff in my life. Im not going to lie, its easier to do now than it was before, but I still have to put effort into it.
With p-shifting, well... recently Ive been reading a lot of hate on p-shifting in general, how its wrong, how much actual stigma surrounds it, and im in a ditch when it comes to believing it will actually happen. Ive watered down my beliefs so many times for others online recently, that im questioning that they are true.
I know that they arent true. But, I know for a fact that even if I never p-shift, I will still be happy being who I am. Its a constant itch, and constant scratch to be who I really am, but I honestly believe that even if I never do p-shift, I will never stop being here, being a shifter and being happy.
In the end thats all its really about, seriously. Arent we just trying to be happy with ourselves, our identity, our lives? It hurts to even go a step outside of the shifting community, and see hours and hours of people talking about how horrible it is, how manipulative, how impossible it is. It makes me want to hide again in my little bubble and forget I ever saw it.
But it brings a sort of... clarity I guess? Many people who have never been apart of the community or have even ventured in will say "its impossible to do".
People who have been hurt, or have seen the hurt caused by misinformation and misguidance of shapeshifting will almost always say "p-shifting is manipulative, horrible, the people within it are blah blah blah blah blah...."
People who are apart of it but havent p-shifted will say "Ive seen so many success stories, Ive even seen my own progress with it and im really happy"
And people who have shifted... well they either disappear quite quickly, or their stories are lost to deaf ears.
And after years and years of feeling like I have to fight against these people, show how I am, show the truth and understand it all... I feel domesticated by the reality that is always, constantly shoved in my face.
Nobody cares. Im trapped within society and I cant escape. I will never be free. I will never, ever be my animal. I am delusional for even believing it.
vitut.
I know that currently in my life, I am where I am. I cannot change it, because I am not old enough to. I know that I have and must make do with what I have, instead of wishing for things I do not have. Cougars are adaptable, we are survivors and change with our enviornment.
There will ALWAYS be time to be who I am. There will always be chance after chance after chance for me, I just have to grab it.
And ive noticed that I no longer have to force every single m-shift. It feels like just thinking about it, about mountain lions causes a shift. Ive gotten so comfortable in my living situation ive been vocalizing as my animal, jumping around on all fours and feeling like my animal.
Sometimes I worry that Ive become so obsessed with trying to m-shift that Ive forgotten that theres still more beyond it. While writing this post, I feel... excited for my future. I feel like p-shifting can happen to me. I feel like I am almost close to permanently m-shifting.
And let me tell you a little secret about m-shifting.
(There is no trigger for when you permanently m-shift. There is no way to actually know by just reading what others say it feels like. There is no actual way to do it.)
Permanently m-shifting to me, simply feels like a comfortableness with my animal. It feels safe, and okay to be who I am. And personally for me, after years of m-shifting, trust is what has brought me to where I am. (This might not be the case for everyone lol, figure out whats going on with yourself instead of using what I say to be the end all for you and your problems!) I was honestly afraid of my other side. That it was dangerous, wild, would hurt someone. I was also afraid that I would never actually get here and do this, because my mental shifts arent as strong or frequent as others. I was also afraid that it wouldnt work. So, so afraid that I would mess up and fail.
But I've learnt that... I am in control of myself. And being an animal IS myself. I have the control to be safe, and not harm others. We all do. Its an idea that has been presented to us through media, stigma, ableism and society itself. We always talk of people "losing control" or "flying off the handle". Werewolves are seen as beings who will rip your face off if they get mad.
We arent like that, you know that, right? I had to trust that I would be in control of my m-shifts. And even if my control has slipped, (such as when I had an m-flare in the middle of gym class) I was able to quickly recover because it wasnt appropriate at school to start running on all fours and hiding beneath the bleachers.
Ive also learnt that no, you cannot fail while m-shifting. There is no right or wrong way to m-shift. There is no way to fail an m-shift. M-shifting is just allowing yourself to be more animal-like, allowing your animal to be safe and comfortable with itself. Its complicated to explain the connection between our animal selves, and our human selves, but the most basic (not too accurate) way to explain it is that we are each other. You are your animal, and your animal is you. As you m-shift more this makes more sense, and you find your own meaning to what your connection, and your animal's connection is.
Regardless, even if I took breaks. Even if I wasnt dedicated, or spent all of my time m-shifting. I still am getting closer. What matters is the fact that you still care about it, and will do it when you can. Its unrealistic to believe someone could constantly be m-shifting actively, most circumstances make it very hard to do so. (Especially mine. I have divorced houses, 2 AP classes im taking, problematic siblings, responsibilities...)
It feels like learning a new language in a sense. Like, to m-shift is to constantly m-shift. To learn a new language is to constantly immerse yourself in it. Well... we cant really do that, so instead we go with short bursts of doing this, with interspersed passive learning, or attempting to m-shift when we can.
And nobody is barred from m-shifting. Let me let you know. NOBODY IS BARRED FROM M-SHIFTING!! Some people I know feel stuck, like they cannot m-shift. That its only involuntary. Listen. Listen listen listen.
There are many different ways to m-shift. So many!! Lots of people say "I cant meditate, and so ill never m-shift." Thats NOT true. Thats not true. I literally cant meditate lol.
And its not really attempting to voluntarily force a shift using triggers and stuff. I just think about it and try to feel more immersed in my senses, allow my perspective of life to shift more animal-like. AND, m-shifts do NOT have to be large, explosive things that change your whole reality and how you think and you want to crawl on all fours and you feel yourself p-shifting and fur-
Nah nah nah. Most shifts people will experience, at least how i know it, will be small, tiny shifts that you most likely wont notice unless you pay attention to it. Even if you arent trying to m-shift in the moment, even thinking about it may cause you to fall into a light shift. You do not need to have very impactful m-shifts to m-shift.
And I wont lie, my friend @dakotathewolf has helped me a lot, even with the endless ramblings on both ends (lol) I feel like we have both grown as people and understand more because of what we have taught each other.
I hope this helps you, dakota, along with anyone else who needs it.
This is kinda of a stupid question? from my view but is it possible to control a kinshift by yourself?
Yes, it can be possible to control kinshifts. Both voluntary and involuntary shifts happen to people; sometimes people are more prone to involuntary shifts, or to only shifting voluntarily.
Please send a follow up if you are looking for more specific details.
I’ve got one. Probably not terribly insightful, but…what’s it like being a cougar? How did you realise you were one? I myself am actually a cat (tiger, jaguar), but I’m always interested in what other’s experiences as other animals are like, and quite like cougars. Do you find any fun in it? Is it purely serious?
:000
Its alright, uhmmm let me get my thoughts together for a second.
Its, honestly very interesting. A lot of it feels so much more like a house cat sort of way, I guess? Im not too instinctual as a cougar when im passively tuning in. I've spent so long being one it can be hard to pick out what it's like honestly.
Theres a huge pull to any sort of habitat. Arizonian deserts, forests, grasslands, mountains, it's so strange having so many places call to me, which was actually one defining factor to me figuring out i was a cougar.
Cougars relate so closely to house cats behavior-wise that I thought I was a house cat for a hot minute there. I've always been drawn to them in a way? I also live in their range, so I'm not shocked that Im a very passive cougar. It's like I'm safe in my home range and dont have to worry. (Like im not even kidding a few weeks ago a cougar walked down our street and it was on the news :D)
and i mean like, i was just kind of putting the puzzle pieces together on the floor (mentally) about my identity, and it all just suddenly clicked. Wish I could say it changed my whole life, I just kind of felt like I already knew and haven't really worried about my identity too much since. It's always been a peace and just a knowing that I was right. And I'm glad i figured it out so soon too.
I mean like, there is both serious and fun parts! Like getting phantoms while you are blasting music and feeling like a badass; or waking up in the morning, putting on a shirt and suddenly you begin having a physical flare and you start to grow fur on your back for no reason... Or or, mentally shifting and just a joy that fills you.
I used to be much more serious when I was younger (makes me sound old lol); mental shifting every day, researching everything I could for weeks on end, Journaling... I was very intense, almost to the point to complete obsession. Nowadays I just exist and let myself be a cougar, and I've had much more progress in these last few weeks in discovering than I did when I was pushing so hard.
Im so glad tp be where I am right now, its a mix of both serious and having fun. Might as well have fun, it's who I am going to be my whole life.
Thank you for the ask, I really appreciate it ^^ I love making posts like this :D
Small tip for questioning people, or people who are trying to understand themselves better:
Try mental shifting into the creature you're questioning. Just start acting like this creature, to see if it makes sense to you, to your identity.
What kind of connection does this creature have to you, if it makes sense to you?
You should spend a lot of time questioning who you are in general, taking time to ask deep questions about yourself and your identity as a whole. If you dont need to, then that's okay!
