Therianthropy

Recently I came across an interesting topic; therianthropy. Apparently, therianthropes have the capability of transforming into an animal. This transformation can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Although many ancient cultures are said to be derived from a physical metamorphosis in mythical history, another form of therianthropy exists today. This form of transformation develops inside the mind of an individual, and is used to connect the shifter with his/her animal form, or were-animal. This belief is strictly spiritual in the sense that a user must have faith and determination to relate with their inner animal. Hobby, trend, belief, religion......You tell me.

Upon interacting with a few therianthropes, I was eager to understand their relationship with the rest of Earth's creatures. In fact, many of these unique individuals believe that they were born animals. Anybody with the basic knowledge of science and religion can appreciate the possibility of evolution or reincarnation. Both of these terms refer to a previous life that could have been distinctly animal. Therianthropy, a word derived from Ancient Greek, translates "therios" into animal and "atropos" into man.

The definition of therianthropy is used loosely by therianthropes, with each having their own meaning. So if it is difficult to explain what a therianthrope is, why not illuminate a sense of what they do. Firstly, if an individual is born a were-animal, how do they discover which form to take? It is recommended that the individual first endures a soul search, a mental journey to proclaim their exact characteristics and which animal it relates most commonly towards. It is said that although a therianthrope may desire a specific form, they are not chosen by the individual. This soul search may involve mediation and other forms of achieving mental clarity in order to pinpoint the emotions inside. Self-exploration may take time, and it is not achieved by hurrying the process. In order to properly succeed in inner-peace, one must piece together all the aspects of life and what they expect from it. After obtaining their animality, a therianthrope is ready to proceed to the next stage.

To conclude, I do not label this sense of righteousness as a religion similar to that of nagualism, but rather a belief in which an individual seeks their "true" form in hopes of relieving themselves from the life humans have so comfortably adjusted themselves to. It is more a sense of positive refinement, or merely a way to disburden themselves with negative energy than an actual metamorphosis into an animal counterpart. However, cultures across the world still believe that such powers exist when performed by the right mind.