For Shifters
Q: Do adult shifters exist?
A: Yes! Yours truly is an adult, and there are several adults that hang around the community.
Q: Do all shifters believe in or use Blaze's (or Blaze-inspired) methods?
A: No, not really. Some shifters do, but others use their own methods or don't have methods at all. Many shifters may not have even heard of Blaze; his beliefs only really took off in the therianthropic portion of the shifter community.
Q: Do I need an animal spirit/soul to shift?
A: No, you don't. Some shifters do say that having a spirit guide or spiritual entity does help, but others can do without it.
Q: Do I have to eat/live/act as my species to help me shift?
A: No. You can (within reason-don't do anything that would be harmful to your human body) but it's not going to speed up shifting any faster.
Q: How do I avoid scams within the community?
A: This is not a complete list, but this is what I've done and seen other people do, and it's served me well:
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Be very skeptical of doomsday claims, or any urgings to go off with someone online for "safety". It is very easy for someone to control you using fear, and get you to do something ridiculous thinking you're protecting your family or friends. Our world has gone through pandemics, major extinction events, social and political strife before, why would now be the time for our world to end? Never give money to other supernaturals without proof of their claims. I mean it for everything- shifting help, tarot readings, spirit beings, etc. It is incredibly easy for someone to make stuff up or tell you what you want to hear, and take advantage of a believing mind.
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If you really want these things, learn the craft or make a purchase for physical objects plus the supernatural thing in question (ex: paying for an art piece plus a reading), but never pay for the supernatural thing alone, unless you can verify the supernatural nature of said thing.
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Be wary of "information dispensers". You know those people who seem to have an answer for almost everything, and don't like to be questioned or be wrong? And if they are questioned, they fight back a disproportionate amount? These are information dispensers- every community has them, and some are worse than others. While they can be invaluable sources of information on the community's history and beliefs, try not to follow them unwaveringly. You're allowed to have your own beliefs and theories!
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Don't join or create a pack if you're brand-new to the community. Many new shifters don't yet know what they want out of a pack (social group, friendship, or a lifelong family?) and some new shifters may even realize they not shifters after all. If you discover your values differ from the pack you've joined, it could be hard to part from them.
Instead, start a blog or join a forum/social group - any non-pack related group will be better and easier to pull away from in the event you change your views.
Q: I see a toxic group or individual in the shifter community. What can I do?
A: This depends on the circumstances. If the toxicity has to do with misinformation (ex. people encouraging dangerous methods of becoming a shifter, trying to meet others to turn them), you can try to correct the person at fault. Try to be nice when doing this - people are unlikely to change their ways if they're greeted with hostility. Most people will change once they realize what they're saying is harmful, but if they don't then you can always report it to the mod of the group, or the platform you're on. Harmful information for shifters is often harmful information for humans as well, so many platforms should be willing to do something about it.
If the toxicity is stemming from behaviors (ex. members peer pressuring others to shift or demanding money or NSFW pictures from them, controlling others or mocking them) you could try and check in with any victims, and offer help. This can be tricky, since if it's a group situation some victims might feel beholden to the group, and will be reluctant to seek an escape. In that case you can provide them some resources in case they ever need it and an ear in case something goes wrong.
You can also try calling out the perpetrators publicly, but if they are in a position of power or have a good standing within the community, it might be an uphill battle to convince others. In these cases having evidence (as well as support from other victims) can support your case and help preserve your reputation.If it's a group and the leader or members don't appear open to hearing critiques or changing, the only thing you can do is leave or suggest leaving to those in it. Don't try to change a whole group or a stubborn leader- you're likely to end up in a dangerous situation if they try to mob you or have any personal information about you.
Warn others about toxic groups! Keeping things quiet is how toxicity and unhealthy behaviors in the community fester. And remember, anybody can call out a toxic shifter or toxic group. If you see something, say something.
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Q: What do shifters look like after shifting?
A: It varies! Many shifters say they resemble their human selves in some manner after shifting (such as having the same color hair or frame), although whether they're bipedal or not seems to vary. Most assume full animal forms, however.
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Q: How long does shifting take?
A: Timeframes vary from a few minutes, all the way to a few days, weeks, or even months. Shifters who report fast times tend to be shifting in life-or-death situations, while shifters that take much longer are shifting without an environmental trigger. A few have been documented as having an instantaneous change, but this is generally considered to be a form of materialization instead of a bodily change.
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BearWithMe. “Genuinely: What Is the Shifting Process Like?” Tumblr, 25 Sept. 2022, www.tumblr.com/bearwithmeshifting/696334349117882368/genuinely-what-is-the-shifting-process-like-when?source=share.
DyanWerewolf. “Shifting.” I Am a Real Werewolf, dyanwerewolf.wixsite.com/i-am-a-real-werewolf/shifting. Accessed 19 Aug. 2023.
Godfrey, Linda S. “The Church Lady Monster.” Monsters among Us: An Exploration of Otherworldly Bigfoots, Wolfmen, Portals, Phantoms, and Odd Phenomena, Perigee Books, New York, NY, 2016, pp. 58–71.
“Who Here Can?” Kin-Walkers, 7 Oct. 2012, web.archive.org/web/20210630012615/https://kin-walkers.webs.com/apps/forums/topics/show/8162897-who-here-can-.
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Q: Is shifting painful?
A: It can be! Some shifters report a lot of pain during the shift, while others seem to have little to no pain at all. Shifting pain is often unique with regards to how it feels (you often just know it's shifting-related, as opposed to it being guessed at), and leads to some sort of unmistakably "non-human" change. Assume any pain you encounter is non-supernatural related unless proven otherwise, and see a specialist about any pains that last longer than a few hours.
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