Models of the Selves

[Anonymous]

Hi. This has been a topic I've been boring my friends with, and I thought that it might be more of interest to spiritual minded people.

I've recently been contemplating the relationship between the physical body and the spirit. In some people's view, there's no such thing as a spirit, in other's there are many layers of 'astral bodies'.

I started thinking about this when a lass I know came to me claiming she had met someone and their auras had 'merged'. My first response what 'What do you mean by merged?'. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for another play-gan fairy tale.

She went on to say that, despite having no physical contact, she and this guy both felt their auras merging. I told her that I saw it as an unlikely event, but I pointed her at some sites about auras and encouraged her to research it for herself.

Anyway, this started me off on this train of thought. I thought back to a model of the selves I'd seen a couple of years back, and started to think of how I would devise a similar model, and where the 'aura' would fall in that model.

So, I was just wondering what other people's views are. Do you believe in auras? Do you believe in a soul or spirit? How many layers would exist in your model? What is the relationship between each layer?

[RedRonin]

I believe in the concept of spirit, but I think people have made the mistake of trying to turn it into something of a separate part of self.

I am one being, composed of physical, mental and spiritual subdivisions that can be considered separately but not made a separate entity in and of itself.

Tree is not leaf, tree is not trunk, tree is not root or sap or seed.  They are all part of the whole without which the whole cannot survive.

[Anonymous]

Good answer. It's hard to find the terminology to describe things in this area properly. Selves was probably a poor choice of word.

I actually agree with your view, but I evidently failed to explain myself properly. Sorry about that. Despite that, your answer was exactly the kind of response I wanted.

Thanks.

[Sebbi]

Firstly can I challenge you as to why you think that auras can't merge? I'm not disagreeing, it just seems that you've created a very strict metaphysical thoery that doesn't allow for the merging of auras and I'm hoping for some context of that thoery.

Secondly my own answer. I believe in something. I don't see the point in trying to pin down exactly what that "something" is but I believe that there's more than just the physical.

A while ago when I was very heavily into Christian mysticism, the particular strand I was following had created a very very complex model of the metaphysical realm including the physical, the astral and the noetic bodies all interconnected by the etheric body - the aura.

I made a very conscious descision to, not neccesarily dispute the model itself, but it's worth as something to include in my path at this point. I still haven't reached a stage where I see any point in it really, and I have no plan to think furthur into it.

However, I will repeat this - I do believe in something. I very often think of my environment by the quality of it's "energy" in a very real and tangable sense. I won't try and pin down what this energy is, what form it takes etc, but there is definately more out there than the physical.

Sorry for the repetition and long-windedness.

Much Love
Sebbi

[Anonymous]

Firstly can I challenge you as to why you think that auras can't merge? I'm not disagreeing, it just seems that you've created a very strict metaphysical thoery that doesn't allow for the merging of auras and I'm hoping for some context of that thoery.

Well, first of all, it's not that I categorically believe auras can't merge, I just found the notion unlikely, in that situation.

The way I see it, the aura (for want of a better word) is a field of ethereal energy surrounding a person. I see this as a sustaining life force, that the body gives off and takes in (sort of like breathing).  The only concept I can think of akin to 'merging' auras would be swapping a great deal of energy.

When people hug, I see this as a feasible way for energy to pass from one to another. When people make love, I see this as a feasible way for energy to pass from one to the other. When someone makes a conscious effort to send someone energy (as is often practised on this board), I see this as a feasible way of someone receiving another's energy.

When two people stand separately, I see it as a less likely situation in which they'd swap energy, at least, not a significant amount. So, while I personally see the event as unlikely, I'm not going to deny it outright as a possibility, which is why I told the lass to do her own research.

Secondly my own answer. I believe in something. I don't see the point in trying to pin down exactly what that "something" is but I believe that there's more than just the physical.

A while ago when I was very heavily into Christian mysticism, the particular strand I was following had created a very very complex model of the metaphysical realm including the physical, the astral and the noetic bodies all interconnected by the etheric body - the aura.

I made a very conscious descision to, not neccesarily dispute the model itself, but it's worth as something to include in my path at this point. I still haven't reached a stage where I see any point in it really, and I have no plan to think furthur into it.

However, I will repeat this - I do believe in something. I very often think of my environment by the quality of it's "energy" in a very real and tangable sense. I won't try and pin down what this energy is, what form it takes etc, but there is definately more out there than the physical.

It's better to at least have an idea about what you believe than to follow another's path blindly, so I could never fault you for not having all the details worked out.

Sorry for the repetition and long-windedness.

That's fine. I've been known to babble. ;-)

[Zenon]

I don't think auras can merge, but the two people but have magnetic or vibratory qualities that are the same, that attract each other.  I think that might be, but I don't know about auras.  Auras sound to me as very personal manifestations.

[Anonymous]

Auras merging...hmm...well, as I think of it, sounds more like a "connection" than a "merging". In that sense, I have had very similar connections, even over the internet.

For instance, and I'm not going to go into the background of this situation yet, as its a deep one, my close friend and i had to preform a binding spell on a VERY nasty and dangerous individual. (it was a self-defense act, again, long story). anyway, while we were doing it, i could feel her next to me, i could hear her thoughts and her feelings as clearly as if they were my own, but distinctly seperate from my *own* thoughts/feelings.

I can on occasion see auras, its something i have to concentrate on to do. But, I could see how this kind of connection could be interpreted as a "merging of auras"...hard to explain it...but, it's like an astral meeting without the astral, so, it gets joined with the ring of energy around us all that is the aura. I dont know if what I said makes any sense, so I'll leave it at that.

I myself do believe in spirits and astral "selves". as a therian and otherkin, in which parts of my soul are that of a dire wolf and elf, i experience what us therians/otherkin call "phantom-shifts" in which we *feel* an aspect of our theriotype's body. For example, sometimes I *feel* my wolf tail, or my elven ears, or sometimes my whole wolf/elf body. I compare it to be similar to how your astral self feels. Don't misinterpret my words, though. I feel it, but in no way is it visible. It is genuinely a soul-thing. I've had past life in which I was a wolf, and another in which I was an elf (and not the tolkein-elf or santa-elf or anything you might be thinking). im not trying to stray from the topic here, im just trying to explain another sense of spirit that i experience.

[Anonymous]

Auras merging...hmm...well, as I think of it, sounds more like a "connection" than a "merging". In that sense, I have had very similar connections, even over the internet.

For instance, and I'm not going to go into the background of this situation yet, as its a deep one, my close friend and i had to preform a binding spell on a VERY nasty and dangerous individual. (it was a self-defense act, again, long story). anyway, while we were doing it, i could feel her next to me, i could hear her thoughts and her feelings as clearly as if they were my own, but distinctly seperate from my *own* thoughts/feelings.

Well, in magical working, you're directing accessing energy, so this is a more likely scenario (in my view) for the auras to 'merge'

I myself do believe in spirits and astral "selves". as a therian and otherkin, in which parts of my soul are that of a dire wolf and elf, i experience what us therians/otherkin call "phantom-shifts" in which we *feel* an aspect of our theriotype's body. For example, sometimes I *feel* my wolf tail, or my elven ears, or sometimes my whole wolf/elf body. I compare it to be similar to how your astral self feels. Don't misinterpret my words, though. I feel it, but in no way is it visible. It is genuinely a soul-thing. I've had past life in which I was a wolf, and another in which I was an elf (and not the tolkein-elf or santa-elf or anything you might be thinking). im not trying to stray from the topic here, im just trying to explain another sense of spirit that i experience.

That's fair enough. I've never actually heard of a therian or an otherkin before. I welcome all view-points.

How would you define an elf? Just curious. I've heard of people believing in reincarnation from animals, but never from elves. You obviously have your own view on what an elf is, so I was just wondering what that was.

[Anonymous]

Well thank you! You have no idea how many people (even pagans, which strikes me as odd) who tell me I must be delusional for believing that people can be reincarnated as something other than human. Which is just why people don't hear about therians and otherkin...but I think the number of us would surprise people.

Anyway, more to the point.

Yes, therians believe that part of their soul is that of an animal (only some take that the next step to say that they were that animal in a past life, I'm not sure why). Otherkin, are people who believe that part of their soul is that of another being, like elves, for example. There are also otherkin who are faeries, draginkin, demonkin, angelkin (fallen angels included).

Being a therian/otherkin is not somthing you become, it is something you are, part of your soul. (this may seem redundant for me to say, but if I dont say it someone will ask "how do i become a therian" or some nonsense like that. sorry, not trying to be trite, but its just like the people who come to a pagan forum and ask where they get a white-lighter like they have on Charmed. It gets annoying.)

That aside, the descriptions of elves even differ within Elven Otherkin circles (different universes and all that, is my guess. Or simply that our minds interpret energy in different ways.) My elven body (Nialdas was my name in that life, I was male then as well) is more like the elves from scandanavian mythology, mainly the Aesir. More human-esque, in other words, and maybe even a *touch* like Tolkein (he did afterall use Scandanavian mythology a lot in his conceptual undertakings). usually fair individuals. My elven ears (are a bit difficult to describe through text, so bear with me as much as you can) are long and pointed, but angled back slightly at the top. Like if someone were to grab the tip of your ear and stretch it back at a 30-degree angle a few inches to a point. But beyond that, elves are very similar to us.

The only other main difference is the mental state of elves. Beyond phantom-shifts, I also experience mental shifts, where my mental processes becomes that of my wolf/elf. When I have elven mental shifts, I am very sensitive to energy, especially that of nature. I find it's like I'm in a meditative state, I'm very calm, very few stray thoughts. I believe that elves have less of the constant mental dribble that us humans have. I also find that I have an easy time connecting with animals during elven mental shifts. (they dont last long though, five minutes average).

Well, again, thanks for your open-mind! I'm always happy to dicuss my therianthropy/otherkin.

[Anonymous]

So, do you see elves as a physical species, or a spirit entity? I try to be tolerant of other beliefs, and I am curious about your beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Physical species. To me now its more of a spiritual entity, but thats because the essence of my life as an elf is part of my soul. Think of it like knowing about a past life you had here on earth (maybe from the 1700's or something, you get the idea), except for that instead of from earth, i was from whatever planet/universe/dimension i was from as an elf. I believe that in the afterlife, souls are transcended forms, the highest form of energy, the same energy as that of the god/desses, (all life is). that transcended form is beyond time, space, gender, etc... so, really, it makes no matter if all your lives were on earth or as the same kind of animal, or animals-only. you plan out all your lives before you enter them, assign spirit guides and so forth, all to learn or gain certain experiences. why, well, that would be the meaning of existance, and i think something that our minds cant comprehend. anyway, your soul incorperates all your previous experiences into itself. i think some people are more sensitive to their aspects of their soul than others, just like some people are more sensitive to energy than others.

i also believe that in your life, you display certain characteristics of your past life self(ves). being human in a past life makes it blend more with your current state, so you dont really notice the difference. i was human in two other past lives that i know of, possibly three. and i can pinpoint exactly what attitudes/characteristics i think i carry on from those lives. sure, some argue that you only show these characteristics because of genes or your conditioning to your enviornment/experiences. but, if we planned out our life before we entered it, wouldnt this be the same thing as allowing those aspects of your soul to show through?

anyway, sorry, i didnt mean to drag on like that. once i get rolling, its hard to stop me!