Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Shape Shifting - Three Word Wednesday




"Shape shifting is the transformation (mentally or physically) of one's self into an animal. A 'theriomorph' is a shapeshifter; a being who can assume an animal as well as a human form.

"A spiritual theriomorph is someone who at least sees aspects of animals in his or her personality and actions, and those aspects shape who he or she is. More so in the meaning of a spiritual shapeshifter, being able to assume animal as well as human form in spirit (or a mix of the two).

"There are two types of shapeshifting; changing your light body in the astral to power animal, and changing your physical form on the earth plane into an animal. Perhaps this is where the lycanthropy legend actually began. Very adept shamans are said to be able to change their physical human forms into that of animals.

"During certain ritual dances, humans can be possessed by the animal spirit. Although they outwardly do not become the animal, their body may contort or move in the fashion that the animal is most comfortable. Vocalizations are also heard, such as the cry of the Eagle, scream of the Falcon, etc.

"These power dances are not harmful, as long as they are done within some type of sacred circle. Inwardly, the individual melds with the animal. The human's sense of smell or sight may be heightened, there could be increased dexterity in the limbs, or a feeling of savage power that the animal may represent.

"Depending on animals for food and fur for warmth, primitive man knew that his destiny was linked with that of the beasts. His almost religious fascination with the creatures he hunted is evidenced by cave drawings found as far apart as France and Australia.

"Many early civilizations revered animals as the incarnation of gods; in ancient Egypt, for example, both the cobra and the cat were objects of worship. It is not surprising that stories of humans turning into beasts, has become deeply ingrained in the popular imagination. Often such metamorphoses are associated with fear and terror.

"In central and eastern Europe, for example, a belief in the bloodsucking vampire that condemns its victims to a living death has persisted into the 20th century.

"In West Africa until recently, members of a secret society called the Leopard Men believed that simply wearing the leopard's distinctive spotted skin would magically imbue them with that animal's fearsome strength." - Crystal Links

Written for 3 Word Wednesday

Rule For Shape Shifting

On the slow descent
from human to beast it is
important to kill
only for food if
you don't want to get sicker,
go rogue, surreal,
end up bad, hunted,
chased into a corner, treed
snarling and spitting.

13 comments:

  1. and are there poems about rule in regards to sifting through the thoughts that these days are shaping the shift?

    mean to say, looking over aspects that have tendencies to bend, or shift the directions a shape shifts, are there rule to as this?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sheilagh Lee said:interesting take on the words .Love the introduction to the poem and then the Shapeshifting .I like it the paranormal aspect of it as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. who, there are rules about making the frigging rules. There are probably rules about those rules too. There is even rule sixty-two after the sixty-one other rules, the rule which says don't take the rules too damn seriously. Oh by the way don't take yourself too seriously either. Me neither. Just don't overkill the prey is all we ask.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sheilagh, thanks for stopping and liking. May you always shift into happy shapes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. An excellent subject. I write on such mysteries a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I liked it.. Happy to be here again..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey Christopher, sorry, I must be going blind, I somehow missed seeing your contribution this week.
    With the Lapps in the North of us we have much experience of shamanism and general 'weird goings on'. Let's face it, the North American Indian came about from Lapps crossing the land bridge over what is the Bering Strait - they brought with them all that about which you speak. There is much strangeness above Rovaniemi, and the singing or chanting - the Lapp 'joiku' - is immediately reminiscent of the chanting and dancing of the Native American customs. A very interesting piece, and I believe
    it all. I come from the borders
    of the English West Country where we believe in The Green Man; Hern the Hunter; the need for Wickermen from time to time, and the Black Dog.

    ReplyDelete
  8. a most interesting post... yes, shapeshifters are and is an incredible species right outta star trek deep spaced nine... just a wee little joke... for us trekkies.. seriously i believe in this beautiful incredible transformation... it never stops to amaze me the world we live in beyond the edge of shadows and shifting... i am always turning around expecting someone... a leopard, a jaguar... big kitty majestic...

    ReplyDelete
  9. You are pulling me into a warped nine shape as you speed off after your next assignation. It is the ubervacuum in the matriculum you have left behind and the clap of the slamming lips of Gabriel is acting like the gong at the edge of the world, shaking the sense back into the mudslide near the cliffs of fatherhood.

    If I were more gullible I would accuse you of all deliberation but I know some chaotic remarks Froggy made started the whole thing last Tuesday.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Altonian, I like your picture of the proto-Lapps. May the Wickermen weave your protection from the Black Dog and make likely the encounter of the Green Man with Hern the Hunter at the next full moon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I really appreciated this post. Really gave me something to ponder.

    ReplyDelete
  12. These things in retrospect always seem...what? even in retrospect impossible. And so I'll keep my words short and only say, wolf.

    (and i'm not even one of those devoted wolf lovers. just respect 'em.)

    xo
    erin

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thom, thanks for reading.

    Erin, I'm having my fun. It's harder and harder to stay in this old form.

    ReplyDelete

The chicken crossed the road. That's poultry in motion.


Get Your Own Visitor Map!