Need Advice.

[Deleted]

I have been feeling really disconnected with my therioside for a couple months now. I've been repressing shifts, save a couple phantom shifts that happen from time to time, and the rare light mental shift. And I haven't really been checking out the therian community until lately.

I would like to try meditating but the fact that someone is almost always in the house as well (mostly its my younger brother, and his room is right next to mine). Even though there is a lock on my door, it is one that can be opened by a coin, so I'm nervous that someone might come in and see me meditating and disturb me.

I'm wondering if anyone knows any other ways to help get in touch or any good meditations that I could use when I do get the chance, or any ways of letting the wolf out? Do keep in mind that I live very close to a park so that is an option, but it is very public.

Any help will be appreciated, thanks.

[Doppel]

I would suggest that you wait until everyone is dead asleep (2AM, probably?) before you try. That ensures that no one is going to disturb you for a couple hours.

Here in Toronto there's an Urban Wild that almost no one walks around in, maybe there's one near your place as well?

[Deleted]

No, I'm over in BC, near the heart of Vancouver so there is no chance of a place like that nearby. I do like your suggestion of staying up later to try. I will try that once I find a good meditation. Thanks Doppel.

[Deleted]

Stella

Holy crud, Lonewolf... those locks must be the same as the ones from my previous household. My older brother got so clever to the fact that he was able to use his own nail to open the locks. Boy, oh boy... lol

Anyway, back onto the subject-- Like what Doppel suggested, you should try late at night or if you're a morning person-- early in the morning.

If you live in the big city, like myself, maybe you can try to find a spot in the park that is a bit more on the quiet side. I do not suggest it too much (since you're open and exposed), but if you need to get outside and away from people, that's a good natural place to go in the city.

For myself, a great way to help myself let my 'kin-side' out is getting my blood flowing by the means of excersize from dance (kind of akward if someone walks in. I'd admit) and my favorite, running to some familiar sounds regarding to my kintype. By familiar could be different for you. Myself, I like the beating of drums, classical music, and the sounds of chanting. For you, it could be the sounds of rushing water, the sound of leaves blowing and the chirping of birds.

I hope I helped a bit and good luck!

[Railaybara]

Stella
What they said we good ideas.
The most important thing is to be able to delve into yourself and feel yourself and learn more about yourself in the process. Be completely relaxed when you can to let things flow, because if you end up tensing up nothing is going to come out really.
-Rail

[Re Harakhti]

I find that meditation is an impossibility for me as well, due to the constant company. To be honest it was easier to fit this in when (years ago) I didn't have a job for a while and I could achieve it during the day while everyone else was at work, but the depression of not having a job didn't make it very easy.
Being home when others are doesn't make you feel completely comfortable, even if they are asleep in the next room. But, as Doppel suggested, it's certainly a good idea to practice doing it at home when all the lights go off in the house.

With every successful attempt you will become more relaxed each time the lights go out, and probably even start to look forward to having that quiet time to yourself.

[Telegdrian]

I find that I can get in touch with my otherkin side by going for a walk. I have a trail nearby that I walk down every day and quite often think about my Equitaur memories and I find that it is easier to clear my mind while moving.

If you want to meditate at home, you could change out the doorknob to one with a proper lock. They can be found at a hardware store quite inexpensively, or for next to nothing at a used building supply stores like Habitat Re-Store. It can be changed out in a few minutes with just a screwdriver.

[Deleted]

Stella

Well, I can offer a suggestion, but it requires a little more focus than just meditating. Some soldiers do it, I know because my step-dad (an ex Navy) told me. Its almost like a 'battle meditation' and I use it almost all the time during school, homework, even a concert once. Find something that will take over your sense of sight/hearing/feeling first.

I use music normally overly loud, or something with a constant beat that prevents me from hearing anything else, mostly metal from bands: Devildriver, Otep, Five Finger Death Punch, etc, etc.. That keeps outside noise from distracting me, but try to make sure that the music is in the same beat, or put one song on repeat that you can stand. This makes it that after awhile your mind tunes it out, yet you cannot hear anything else at the same time save your own thoughts.

Sight is easy for me, I allow my eyes to tunnel vision (the eyes focus on a narrow channel, and everything else unfocuses around it), or I just close my eyes for that slight darkness that helps. You can use a bandanna, a hand, sunglasses, etc, etc. Find something that will be easy to use and that people won't find terribly strange.

Feeling is a little more difficult. Allow yourself stand, sit, lay down, whatever else, and make it so you don't react to physical touch. Imagine yourself as stone that can feel, but not move. After awhile once you get the hang of it, you can allow yourself movement so you can still be animated, even though you are somewhere else mentally.

Then from there it is all up to you really. I wouldn't know what else to suggest, but I use this technique when I'm unable to be left alone. Granted the only fall-back of this, is that sometimes acute detail is unobtainable, because you don't have a full sense of being motionless and in-tune with yourself. It is almost like comparing the laptop to the desktop computer set up. One is for mobility and practicality. One is for power and slightly faster.

Hope this helps you out, if it does or doesn't, let me know please? Thank you!

- Sce

[Deleted]

I agree with what everyone else has said. There is a great thread on meditation on here, by Drakku.

Although meditation is probably the best method, it isn't the only one. Sometimes I'll picture myself as a dragon, but I have to be away from mirrors for it to work. Or going on a walk, and letting the phantom shifts come (I get powerful four-legged shifted pretty often), or just being around a pet (if that's possible for you) and acting as myself around them (mental shift.)
Writing and drawing about your kin type could help too. You're a wolf, right? If you like video games, playing on about a wolf might help. I STRONGLY recommend The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which is on GameCube and Wii. Then there's Okami, but that game is... VERY weird, with some disturbing stuff. But if that doesn't bother you, Okami is on PS2 and Wii.
Or if you like anime, there's always Wolf's Rain, a post-apocalyptic show about wolves that can look like humans.

Oh, I forgot one game - The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind: Bloodmoon. Bloodmoon is an expansion pack, and it takes some work, but you can become a werewolf in it, and it's very well executed. That's on xbox, pc, or you can download it on Xbox 360. It's probably on Steam for PC, too.

Stuff like that always makes me feel better. Even if the only decent dragon game around is Spyro.

[Deleted]

Wow guys, you've been alot of help. It will take some time to try everything.

@sce

I will have to try that sometime, and I will tell you if it works or not after a few tries.

@seric
I have played Twilight Princess and I have seen Wolf's Rain, but I havent played okami or bloodmoon. I will try to watch or play something that involves wolves. And Spyro was a fun game.


Thanks for all the help guys.

[Deleted]

Stella

When the lights go out, and its time for bed, I do something from my "werewolf days." [time when I awakened and had no word for what I was. I was therian, but referred to myself as were because of no word for it] Anyhow, I focus in on the species, what I look like and try to feel myself turning into this creature. I have a good grasp of my appearance because of this. Eventually, I feel warm prickling [phantom fur/feathers], wings, mouth elongating, etc. I then go astral in said form. It really helps me to identify and also helps me sleep.

For me, Okami doesn't work. I mean, you play a japanese goddess taking the form of a red and white wolf with a magic brush. Its a cool game and all, but....

Good luck!

[Deleted]

@ Nevermore

And not to mention all the gross/disturbing parts of Okami... I mean UGH. I DID NOT want to see that guys...
Yeah, if you want to enjoy that game, play up until you kill Orochi, then just stop. It was supposed to end there anyway. It just only makes sense... I'm not even kidding. I felt like everything after that was just a dumb add-on. /off topic rant

[TwoFox]

Stella
Is the problem that your brother keeps unlocking the door and walking in or is it that he keeps making a racket in his room and you can't concentrate?

If you're simply meditating then if a person walks in on you they won't really think anything of it. If they ask simply say something like you heard some people at school say that it really helps them concentrate or something like that and you wanted to see if it would work.. If you're trying to meditate in order to induce a shift and then walk around and do stuff while shifted though then, like a lot of other people said, you should probably wait until everyone else in your house is asleep.