twilightlycan

[twilightlycan]

Tips for caninekin

These are just things that have worked for me as a wolfdog, so feel free to suggest things or give feedback!

1. Make a nest indoors. Use pillows, plushes, lots of blankets, and maybe some clothes. Make it comfortable, maybe make it like a “fort” so you can crawl inside, or one you can lie on if you’d prefer. If you don’t want others you live with to know of your alterhuman status, I suggest making a nest late at night, and sleeping in it until morning, then undoing it.

2. Make a den outdoors. The den can involve a nest as well! A forest, a park, a field, a riverbank, maybe even a bench. Wherever feels freeing, and feels like home. If your den is in a forest or field- somewhere private and more wild -make small alterations to suit your tastes. Claw in your initials, make a snow- or moss nest, dig a comfortable pit to lie in, or anything else. If it’s in public and, well, public, spend time there doing more discrete activities if you prefer. Maybe journal about your theriotype, draw yourself, or bring things that remind you of yourself to relax.

3. Dog stuff. You knew it was coming. Collars and chew toys, right? Well, sorta. There are also paw warmers, small accessories, trinkets to put on your backpack instead of collar, a shorter leash to make your keys more noticeable in your bag, and you could sew dog booties into clothes for extra storage. Don’t let yourself be limited to collars and toys; there are a lot more options out there- even if collars and toys are great too.

4. Listen to your theriotypes calls, and replicate them. Be it yipping, howling, snarling, barking, or laughing, replicating the sounds while listening to them can be soothing and make you feel included. If you cannot join in, listening to the noises can be soothing in and of itself, as well.

5. Wear affirming clothes. It can be clothes that somehow involve your species (like a graphic t-shirt), clothes that are the same color as your fur or body, or that just feel like the correct clothing. I tend to like looser clothes that are very neutral, but other may prefer clothes that make them look like themselves more. Patches are also wonderful for clothes and accessories. Choose a pair of old jeans and just go to town with patches, sewing, and painting; it feels great. You can also decorate your bag for school with pins, drawings, and similar items.

6. If you can or want to, do quads! Not only can you walk around like your theriotype, it’s also a shockingly good workout. Just make sure your form is good and you don’t go too fast, as to prevent injury!

7. Yarn tail time! Make an accurate one to your body size if possible, or make a smaller tail to hook onto your backpack.

8. Forage stuff to eat, or to decorate. From edible flowers like dandelions, to wood sorrel, to maybe even mushrooms if you have the knowledge, there are a lot of things you can just eat outside. Eating wild grown foraged items, either on their own or in a salad or similar, feels freeing in a way hard to describe in my experience. You can also gather twigs, pine cones, nuts, and similar items to make things out of, or make your room/den more comfortable!

9. Draw paw prints of your specific theriotype. Try to make it as accurate as possible. Draw it on paper, on your pants, on your palms, or on your shoes- anywhere you like. They are your paws, and it can feel safer when you can visibly see your correct paws type, in my experience.

10. Shake after getting wet. This is also something that’s a-ok to do in public, which I really enjoy. Coming in after it has rained, getting out of the shower, or drying off after swimming in a lake- it feels great!

11. Make treats. No, not necessary dog treats. It can be chunks of shaggily cut bell pepper, pieces of meat to gnaw on, and other treats that don’t feel “human”. It can be the classic “seeds and peanut butter shaped as a dog bone”, or a whole cucumber that your tear apart. Use it as a reward for doing good, or just eat it when you want to.

12. If you like gnawing, get a chew stim toy. It’s less harmful than most other things you could be gnawing on, and works quite well for molars!

13. Claim some territory. It can be your house, or a place in the forest, or your room. Allow only those you want to to come in. Chase out creatures you do not want in. Create a marker along the edges of the territory, for example a specific cloth color tied on trees, if needed.

[twilightlycan]

hello, i am sort of spiritual otherkin as some sort of deity (not from any pantheon, i believe). i'm not looking for anything specific i just want other people linked to any sort of divine (deitykin, angelkin, demonkin, etc) to talk to. i am an adult, and i am only comfortable talking to other adults.

!!!!!!!!

[twilightlycan]

You don't have to be attracted to the same gender to be a therian.

You don't have to be trans to be a therian.

You don't have to have the perfect body to be a therian.

You don't have to do quads to be a therian.

You don't have to wear gear to be a therian.

You don't have to have a "rare" theriotype to be a therian.

You don't have to have a past life to be a therian.

You don't have to have shifts to be a therian.

There isn't a right or wrong way to be a therian. If you're a therian, then you're a therian. No matter your body type, sexuality, gender identity, theriotypes, quadrobics skills, etc.

You are a therian. And you are loved. <3

[twilightlycan]

Recognition post for carnivore therians that are:

-Uncomfortable about the idea of hunting/killing/preying on other animals

-Grossed out by/dislike raw meat

-Living by diets that exclude meat

You are not less of your species because of it. Have a happy day 🐺

[twilightlycan]

You don’t have to know all of the terms. You don’t have to have an encyclopedia in your head. You don’t have to identify with or call yourself a microlabel.

I am just alterhuman. Others have told me I’m constelic, and other things. All of those are great, I’m glad there are specific labels that fit people’s experiences.

Alterhumanity is a spectrum, a wide rainbow of experiences. You can just be alterhuman. It’s okay. There’s no expectations.

Breathe.

[twilightlycan]

Hey, I'm looking for testimonials and stories from people who are part of the otherkin, therian, and fictionkin communities! I'm outlining ideas for a video essay on the comprehensive history of otherkin and I'm looking for anyone willing to share in regards to things they experienced in the community, particular incidents, notable events, and anything else that folks might want to contribute that you think belongs in a video chronicling the full history! I'd be particularly interested in hearing from people who were in the fictionkin community on Tumblr around late 2014-early 2015 since the events happening during that period were pretty pivotal in changing the course of the community, but any stories anyone has would be great! They do not have to be Tumblr-based experiences; if you were in any other communities on any other sites be they social media, forums, in-person, etc, I'd love to hear from you!

If there's anything you'd like to share, please feel free to send me an ask or a message here with the best way to contact you (or we can correspond through tumblr if that's more comfortable) and I'd love to chat! Any information you give can be credited or anonymous to your own comfort. I'm really excited to make this video since one like it that touches on a lot of the important details I remember doesn't really exist as far as I'm aware. Thank you so much for your time!

[twilightlycan]

reblog this post if ur alterhuman (stuff like otherkin/hearted, therian, fictionkin, etc) i want more alterhuman stuff recommended to me

[twilightlycan]

No matter how funky your identity may be, you don't owe anyone an explanation for it. The only one who needs to understand it is you. And even then, you don't need to fully understand your own identity.

That being said I really want to try and explain my identity, simply just to see how I would put such a thing into words- or maybe even pictures. I think it could be fun!!! So later I'm going to try and do that, and if no one else understands what I mean, oh well. I think it will help me better understand what I mean.

[twilightlycan]

Howl at the moon tonight, my wolves, howl at the moon therians of all! And for those who cannot howl tonight, anyone who can will howl for you!

[twilightlycan]

Sit and wait, breathe and focus.

I listen to the wind, it calls my name, beacons me to run with it.

I hear the stream, and the leaves.

I smell the other animals around me, I know them all.

I am home, amongst the others who are free.

[twilightlycan]

🌒There are two full moons next month!🌘

Excuse me while I go absolutely Fₑᵣₐₗ

[twilightlycan]

Claws. Teeth. Fangs. Blood seeping down your chin. It's summer, its time to feel alive again, beasts of the forest. It's time to prowl and stalk and run.

It's time to be alive.

[twilightlycan]

Happy new year to:

 those missing their home

 those who walk alone

 those who have found a place of belonging

 those recently finding themselves

 those still on their journey

May this new year bring you all joy and good fortune. Keep your chins up. You are strong.

[twilightlycan]

FAQ - Rebloggable Version

What’s a Lokean?

A Lokean is someone who honors Loki as their primary deity (or at least one of their primary deities if they have multiple) and chooses to identify as Lokean. Beyond that, there are no special requirements.

What’s the purpose of this blog? Why does it exist?

I would give you kids a dramatic backstory, but in full honesty I just thought it would be useful if new Lokeans had resources I (Mod R) didn’t have when I was new to the community. Plus, there’s a little bit of stigma around Lokeans, and it’s good to have a space of our own, yeah?

We’re here to welcome you guys and help you with your beginner work! We’re like the Lokean Professor Oak.

How cool is the Lokean Welcoming Committee?

Moderate-to-severely cool.

You worship Loki? Isn’t Loki evil?

Nope. He’s not evil. He’s also not the God of evil. The Norse didn’t really have the same concept of absolute good and evil as we do now. Loki is far more complex than you might have realized. Most modern devotees view him as a vital agent of change.

Important note: Lokeans do not believe that everyone needs to worship Loki. Most Lokeans are polytheists, which means that respect for a wide variety of worldviews and a wide variety of gods is built into our belief system. Not a fan of Loki? That’s fine! The vast majority of us just want to do our own thing in peace.

How do I start this Lokean business?

Weeell, first of all, you need to read up on Norse myths so you know all about what you’re getting into. If watching/reading Marvel comics and movies inspired you to look into this and you haven’t done your reading yet, just know that Norse mythology is vastly different from its depiction in the Marvel comics. Lucky for you kids, we have a reading list! We recommend that you start with all that stuff. You don’t have to be an expert on Norse mythology, you just have to have the basics down. You can learn more as you go!

Once you’re done with the reading, I recommend doing some of this stuff to start off:

Find ways to incorporate Loki into your everyday life

Pray. Tell him why you think he’s awesome and why you want to worship him. Or tell him what brought you to him. Or just tell him whatever’s on your mind. Make sure to take time to listen as well. You may or may not “hear back” from him, but spending time in contemplation is important and can lead to valuable insights. If prayer and connecting with the divine are new or difficult for you, these links on communication and discernment might help.

Make offerings. Mead and ale were traditional, if you’re of age and can get them, but even water or coffee will do. And there are a bunch of other options. They don’t even have to be food. If you’re most comfortable doing a scripted formal ritual, you can find posts on how to hold a blót here, here, and here. You can also check out our offerings tag for ideas.

Set up a shrine or altar. The Norse didn’t really have altars in the sense that modern pagans do, but nonetheless, a lot of devotees find it helpful to have a designated space for worship in their home. Here’s our introductory post on altars. We also have an altar tag with lots of tips and pictures of altars to draw inspiration from.

Talk to other devotees. Connecting with other people who share your beliefs is helpful and fulfilling in a lot of ways! But be careful, since Heathen spaces also tend to have neonazis lurking around. the @valkyriesquad​ has a list of non-folkish bloggers. @anothersusurrus​ maintains a list of Norse god devotees which includes a Loki category.

Keep exploring. You’ll grow as a person over time. Your life will go through a lot of changes. Inevitably, so will your practice. Don’t be afraid to try new things, or to abandon something that just isn’t working for you anymore. This post offers some suggestions along those lines.

What does “work with” mean?

People often say “work with” instead of worship/honor/etc.! Don’t know why, but I say it because it sounds more casual!

An altar? Offerings? Why? What does that do?

Everyone enjoys gifts, but gifts were reaalllyyy important to the Norse. The gods already provide us gifts by helping to keep the world running, so we, as devotees, give offerings in return to acknowledge the gods’ hard work and affirm our continuing relationship with them. And altars serve as a place to leave those offerings as well as being a visible reminder of the gods. They also give people who don’t have access to a public temple or natural area a place to worship.

See this post for a more thorough explanation about why we participate in these practices, or the rest of this FAQ for how to go about it.

How do I leave offerings?

Put them somewhere. Leave them out for as long as you want (make sure you pick it up before it spoils or something). You can leave it out for minutes, hours, or days. Whatever you feel comfortable with. It isn’t required to be super formal and ritualistic. However, if you’re more comfortable with being formal and would like to perform a blót rite, then you can find a few different heathens explaining the basics of how they do theirs here, here, and here.

When you feel like it’s the right time to get rid of the item, dispose of it in one of the following ways:

throw it away

burn it (stay safe, y’all)

bury it

eat/drink it

throw it outside (in a place where it won’t kill anything or harm creatures)

whatever else you can think of that you feel comfortable with

What sort of offerings does Loki like?

From what I’ve gathered, he likes:

cinnamon

sweet things/candy

coffee (I think I’ve heard of him liking mocha as well)

just food in general, man

cake

alcohol (“When in doubt, Mead it out.”)

plants associated with him

crystals associated with him

Seriously though, pretty much anything is fine

For a list of offering ideas other than food/drink, check out this post. For some offering recipe ideas, check out our recipes tag! You might also be able to glean inspiration from our offerings and craft tags.

What if I can’t leave offerings due to (reasons)?

You don’t have to give offerings. It’s your own practice, make it as you like/can. Just don’t be rude about it. (i.e. “I’m not leaving offerings because I think the Gods are beneath me” <- don’t say anything like that)

How do I set up an altar?

Take random items that you think the God/spirit the altar is for will enjoy. Arrange them in a decorative way somewhere. Bam, you’re done. You don’t have to have specific items. You don’t have to arrange things in a specific way. It’s not that particular. It’s your practice, you do what you are comfortable with.

Item suggestions for beginners:

candles

bowl/plate for offerings

incense

cloths

plants

crystals/stones

pictures/artwork/poetry

ANYTHING YOU WANT AHHH SURPRISE IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY

If you want a more detailed post, check this one out. You could also browse our altar tag for examples of real Lokean altars.

Also, quick note: It’s spelled ‘altar’, not ‘alter.’ If you make this mistake, don’t worry! It’s a common error!

Where do I put my altar?

Anywhere! On a table or window sill! In a drawer! In a basket! In a box! On the floor! On a dresser! Wherever you want/Wherever you can!

Looking to be discreet? We have resources and ideas about discreet altars, pocket altars, and eshrines for ya!

What if I can’t have an altar due to (reasons)?

You don’t have to have an altar, just like you don’t have to give offerings.

How do I talk to Loki?

There’s no single correct way to pray to Loki. Some individuals and kindreds might choose to follow a particular format every time. However, there’s no kind of universal mandate on how it should work anywhere in the surviving texts, and it’s not like we have an unbroken tradition to work from the way some other religions do. Basically, as long as you’re respectful, you’re good!

If you’re still stuck, we have a prayers and poems tag with some examples.

But a lot of people who ask us this question are actually wondering how you might hear Loki communicating with you. In which case, you have a few options.

Talking directly to gods/spirits is generally referred to as “having a godphone.” But you don’t need a “godphone” to communicate. Some use divination, like tarot or runes. Some people hear back in dreams or through omens. Everyone’s different!

And really, you don’t need to hear anything back at all in order to worship Loki or call yourself a Lokean. Loki can still hear you just fine. Not hearing anything back doesn’t mean that you’re a lesser person or that you’re doing it wrong.

Some more posts on communication and discernment that might be of interest:

Talking to Loki

Gods and God-Phones 101

Please Talk About Godphones

Developing the Godphone

Hearing the Gods

What Do They Want? – Hints for the Headblind

Discernment

Questions to Ask Yourself

When Godphones Ring – Discernment for Pagans

Discernment – Is it a sign?

Not Everything is a Sign

Evaluating Mystical Experiences and Messages From Beyond

Seven Spirit Rules

A Note on Discernment: Hearing Your Own Voice

Divine Communication, Ethics, and Manipulation Techniques

Your God is on the phone. He has a message for you.

Spiritual Abuse Red Flags

Polytheism While Dealing With Mental Illness

Our communication tag

All this seems overwhelming! Do I have to start doing all this stuff right away?

Internalizing a new worldview and forming new habits takes time! And the gods understand that. It’s okay if you start small and adopt new practices at your own pace.

What are some common symbols for Loki?

This post has got you covered. As you might have guessed from our blog theme, snakes and the colors red and gold are pretty popular.

I also work with gods from another pantheon, can I still honor Loki?

Please refer to this ask!

I heard some Lokeans practice magic! Will worshiping Loki grant me special powers?

It’s true that some Lokeans practice magic in a variety of different traditions. However, real witchcraft works nothing like it does in most popular movies or fictional stories. If casting the right spell or praying to the right god could grant you Hollywood-style superpowers, then society as a whole would be taking advantage of that, and our world would run very differently.

This isn’t to say you can’t practice magic if that’s something you’re interested in. Regardless of whether it actually works or not, it is a real thing that people do, and have done throughout human history. Just be aware that you’re not going to be able to recreate the stuff in Harry Potter.

Do Lokeans have to practice magic?

Nope. A lot of Lokeans don’t practice magic. Some don’t even believe magic works. Your practice is equally valid regardless.

Is (book) a good book to read?

Many books on Norse mythology generally make Loki out to be the god of evil and stuff like that.

If it says “Loki, the God of Evil and Chaos” when introducing Loki, it’s prooobably not gonna be a fantastic read. However, there are exceptions to the rule, and one of the mods will be glad to point you in the right direction should you ask!

(Here’s a list of books you should definitely avoid, though.)

I keep hearing something about “godspouses”? What’s that about?

A godspouse is a person who has ritually married a deity. They can be any gender or orientation, as can the deity in question. Some godspouses function more or less like Christian nuns and treat the commitment as symbolic of their lifelong devotion. Others believe they have a romantic or sexual relationship with the deity in question.

Becoming a godspouse isn’t required or expected in order to be a Lokean, nor does it make you better or more devoted than other devotees. It’s simply one of many ways to define a personal relationship with Loki.

For more information on godspouses, see these resources.

What does (weird term) mean?

Just like any other community, Pagan Tumblr has developed some of its own vocabulary. Plus, Heathenry has a bunch of weird words that come from Old Norse. Here are some common things we’ve seen newbies get tripped up on:

Blót - A Heathen ritual sacrifice. Don’t worry. It’s not, like, humans or anything these days. Most people use booze or blood from a butcher shop.

Blood Brothers - Loki and Odin as a pair, referring to the pact mentioned in Lokasenna. Also affectionately known as the “two man con” or, by particularly exasperated devotees, sometimes just “Them.”

Folkish - An adjective used to describe the belief that only people of Nordic descent should be allowed to worship the Norse gods. However, historical and archaeological evidence reveals that this wasn’t true back in the Viking Age. Many folkish Heathens are white supremacists, so you should approach anyone who identifies as such with extreme caution.

Fulltrúi - The Heathen equivalent of a neo-Wiccan “patron deity”, although they don’t function in quite the same way. Basically, it’s the primary god you worship, if you choose to focus on one god. (Many don’t.) The word translates roughly to “fully trusted one.”

GLE - Grumpy Lokean Elder. His blog has some awesome, scholarly resources.

Godphone - The ability to communicate with deities without divination or physical signs. Despite the name, it doesn’t usually work like an actual phone. See this post for more info.

Godspouse - A person who has “married” a deity. Some of them function more or less like Christian nuns. Others believe they have a romantic or sexual relationship with the deity in question.

Lore - The mythology, sagas, and other various historical and pseudo-historical writings about Norse religion.

Nokean - A silly person who is against the worship of Loki. They generally don’t know what they’re talking about and are just looking for reasons to exclude people (especially minorities.) Pay them no heed.

UPG - Unverified Personal Gnosis. Knowledge you’ve gained about a deity that isn’t (and perhaps can’t be) verified by the lore. If more than one person has the same UPG, it becomes SPG, Shared Personal Gnosis. Since UPG isn’t verified, it’s important not to treat it as hard facts.

This weird thing happened to me! Is it a sign from Loki?

Only you can determine whether to treat something as a sign or not. You know the context of the situation and your own personal symbolism way better than any stranger on the internet. Odds are, you also have slightly different criteria for what counts as sufficient proof than our mods. And that’s okay.

Regardless, remember that you don’t actually need a sign or a “calling” in order to worship Loki. If it’s something you want to try, that’s justification enough. By the same token, you’re allowed to say no even if a god is calling you. It’s your existence, and you get to decide who or what you’re devoted to.

What if my question isn’t answered here?

Our ask box is always open! Anonymous questions are welcome. We’re here to help, so don’t be shy.

[twilightlycan]

This is just a reminder that if you are LGBTQ+, BIPOC and/or a person without Scandinavian heritage… You are valid as a Norse Pagan.

[twilightlycan]

Promoting a new blog. Feel free to check them out.

Brand new Kin/witch blog!

if you're looking for:

-tarot reading

-pendulum reading

-moodboards

-affirmations

-kin art

-pride flag edits with your kin

You've come to the right place! Whether you're fictionkin, otherkin, therian, witch, fictive etc

A but about myself. My name is Crow, (he/they/ve) I am the host of a system. I was raised pagan and still practice to this day. One of my highest kins is Tomura Shigaraki from bnha. I'm 20 and at uni. I'm an artist and I also play guitar. Anything else you'd like to know my ask box will be open ♡

DNI: pedo, racist, lgbtphobic, proshipper, support incest, bi/pan lesbians

[twilightlycan]

easy witchy tips i have learnt through my craft

writing a protective sigil inside your door to avoid bad energies to enter your room

making sigils by yourself works better because you pour your intention into it and can be a great way to manifest

white candles can replace any candle when doing candle magick

clear quartz can replace any crystal

when drinking your daily coffee/tea, stir clockwise to manifest something and anti-clockwise to let go of something. repeat your affirmations as you stir

salt baths absorb bad energies so having a salt bath once in a while helps with having your energies balanced

write an affirmation in a bay leaf and burn it to manifest it

always keep iron on you for protection

work with the moon phases and transits to make your spells more powerful

keep a sigil in your phone case for protection/manifestation

after giving an offering to a deity, return it to the earth

drink mugwort tea for lucid dreaming/astral projection (don’t drink it if you are pregnant!!)

before you put a crystal under water or in the sun, research about it

keep a dream journal. it helps for lucid dreaming.

put an amethyst under your pillow to sleep better and to recall your dreams

charge your tarot/oracle cards by putting a crystal on top of them while you are not usinf them

mix moon or sun water with your cosmetics for a quick beauty spell

try to do an activity to connect yourself with each element everyday. (ex: a bath for water, walking barefoot for earth, lighting a candle for fire, singing for air)

make an habit of meditating everyday