by Adnarel

I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on what being otherkin means and especially upon weather or not I felt up to writing something like this. I mean, I get this feeling that tells me, “Who the heck am I to dictate what the meaning of the word otherkin to other people?” As a general thought, I’m not comfortable with it. Yes, I am otherkin, but at the same time, there are a lot of us out there, and there are as many different varieties of us as there are flowers on the earth. We are each unique in our own beautiful way, multifaceted and special. We all have our own beliefs and gifts. I feel that it is not just my duty to step up and speak about this, but we should all share our views with each other. I will write how I’ve perceived things in my own experience, and how my kinship has affected my life.

Otherkin is a term that is generally used to describe people who, In some way or another, physical bodies aside, do not feel that they are “human” in the conventional sense of the word. We (they) feel as though their spirits are not human, nor have they ever been, despite our physical bodies and outward appearance. Some otherkin have testified that they feel that this is their first time on this plane of existence, a.k.a. Earth. Others feel that they have been here numerous times to teach and to heal people. Maybe once they were here in their “true forms”. Otherkin use the term “true form” to describe what they feel to be the shape and nature of their true selves.

There is an argument that for an otherkin to deny their human self totally is a form of escapism. After all, we realize that it does take these hands to type these words, and understanding of human cultures to get our message across to people, if that is indeed our purpose. It could very well be that we are incarnated as we are to understand and interact with humans. I’ve known otherkin who feel this way, and that’s alright but then there is also a question on whether or not it is alright and/or healthy to believe you are something other than what your body makes you out to be, to believe that you are not human. Everybody has beliefs, and their own ways of perceiving life. As long as their beliefs are not directly or intentionally harming someone, what difference would it make? In fact, many otherkin, including myself, are not open about who they are except to the people they trust. Many otherkin, like some other groups, are not tolerated much by the general populace, being labeled as incompetent, crazy, or mentally unbalanced. Like other “alternate” lifestyles, kinship, or being otherkin, is a carefully guarded secret, something precious only to be shared with those who would understand. (Fans of Elfquest would understand, relate it to the “soul name” pitch.) It is a sacred part of ourselves, sacred and precious to us. If you are the friend of an otherkin, and your consciously aware of this fact then I urge you to encourage their creativity. An otherkin longs for nothing more than someone who knows about them, and cares for them anyways, despite, “What they are.” It’s the best gift anyone can give to an otherkin. An Individual otherkin might wait years to tell a loved one “what they are” and often it is hard for Otherkin to express to others how they feel, because there really is no way for us to physically “prove” what we are. It can’t always be seen by physical eyes, more often than not, it has to be seen with the spiritual. It has to not only be seen, but believed as well. Many otherkin’s beliefs and rationalizations for feeling how they do are very subjective also. What might be a dream about ones true form that leads to an awakening might only be a cool dream to a skeptic. It is an individual’s interpretation of what they feel themselves to be, in their own rights, and own convictions. No one has the right to take that from anyone else.

I’ve noticed that there is a pitfall to the otherkin community. There are, of course, the serious individuals. Lots. LOTS. But, like any community, there are bad apples. Recently, in the otherkin community, there have been some very people popping up, acting very juvenile, and giving the otherkin community a bad name. These individuals, acting in a mocking way, will loudly proclaim they are otherkin, saying they are “Half wolf/bear/frog/warthog/flamingo/whatever” and laughing and making crude jokes about otherkin. Be warned, and do not take such individual’s claims seriously. Its important for people who are truly interested in otherkinness to take these people at face value; they’re either being immature, mocking us, or just trying to get attention. Just walk away from these people. If you’re interested in interviewing otherkin, contact a reputable person, Like an administrator of a genuine otherkin site. These people are generally always happy to help newcomers and the general investigator/enquirer. I too, am always open for questions.

There is a wide variety of otherkin. Listing them all would take eons. As a general rule of thumb, you have “terrestrial: otherkin, such as spirits of wolves, tigers, bats, etc. Basically, they’re animals in human bodies. Then you have the “mythical” creatures. These would be your unicorns, gryphons, dragons (^^) etc. And then there are angels, faeries, pixies, elves, leprechauns, etc. The great thing about the last three is their tendency look like their namesakes. Generally speaking, humanoid otherkin like fae and such, look like larger versions of their kin, minus the pointed ears or wings, (which can be viewed in your spiritual conscience, or by the “third Eye.”) Usually, they act like their inner selves, too, playful mischievous, etc., while some otherkin realms are more difficult to distinguish. There are also healthy blends of realms. For example, certain mythical creatures were also said to be Gods angels, so, the realms can cross. Each otherkin has a story to tell about who they are. and the stories are worth hearing.

Seeing otherkin is a task. Once one is aware of the fact that their friend/loved one is otherkin, that person too, goes through an awakening period, (Awakening is the term otherkin use to describe the process in which they realize, through dreams, intuition etc., what they perceive their true selves to be,) during which they begin to see the otherkin the way he/she really is. I’ve heard lots of stories about it. Usually all it takes is a little imagination. Sometimes that’s where the awakening and development comes in, as the person develops their imagination and learns to see the otherkin as he/she really is. Other times, the person will dive right in, and use their imagination when talking to their otherkin friend/loved one. They can see the soul speaking, and it’s a sacred thing for a person to truly see another as they are. I’ve also been told that a person can watch the otherkin walk into a room, but they see not just that persons physical, human shape, but a physical manifestation of their true form entering the room. Its been linked to the metaphor of peering through murky water to see what lay just beneath the surface. I’ve heard its a truly remarkable experience for all involved. I look forward to it, as do many otherkin.

As you can see, each otherkin has his or her own unique story to tell about who they are.