Therianthropy: Difference between revisions
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Those preferring a spiritual understanding of this phenomenon may believe that they partly or fully have the spirit, or [[soul]], of some type of animal.{{fact}} Such beliefs often overlap to some extent with aspects of [[shamanism]] or [[totemism]], and may also draw inspiration from stories of shapeshifting in [[Celtic Mythology|Celtic]], [[Norse Mythology|Norse]] and [[Native American mythology|Native American]] myths, among others. This is sometimes called ''spiritual therianthropy''.<ref name=Eliade>{{cite book | last=Eliade | first=Mircea | title=Rites and Symbols of Initiation: the mysteries of birth and rebirth | publisher=Harper & Row | year=1965}}</ref><ref name=Perkins>{{cite book | last=Perkins | first=John | title=Shapeshifting: Techniques for Global and Personal Transformation | publisher=Destiny Books|year=1997}}</ref> |
Those preferring a spiritual understanding of this phenomenon may believe that they partly or fully have the spirit, or [[soul]], of some type of animal.{{fact}} Such beliefs often overlap to some extent with aspects of [[shamanism]] or [[totemism]], and may also draw inspiration from stories of shapeshifting in [[Celtic Mythology|Celtic]], [[Norse Mythology|Norse]] and [[Native American mythology|Native American]] myths, among others. This is sometimes called ''spiritual therianthropy''.<ref name=Eliade>{{cite book | last=Eliade | first=Mircea | title=Rites and Symbols of Initiation: the mysteries of birth and rebirth | publisher=Harper & Row | year=1965}}</ref><ref name=Perkins>{{cite book | last=Perkins | first=John | title=Shapeshifting: Techniques for Global and Personal Transformation | publisher=Destiny Books|year=1997}}</ref> |
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The medical term used for people who believe they have changed into an animal form (''theriomorphosis''), or possess supernatural non-human animal traits, is [[clinical lycanthropy]], a mental disorder. |
The medical term used for people who believe they have changed into an animal form (''theriomorphosis''), or possess supernatural non-human animal traits, is [[clinical lycanthropy]], a mental disorder. Therianthropy is not normally considered to be a disorder, in that it does not typically interfere with the leading of a relatively normal, functional life. |
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Therianthropes are notably different than [[Furries]], although there is some overlap between the two groups. |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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Revision as of 04:52, 4 December 2006
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 | It has been suggested that this article should be split into articles titled Therianthropy (mythology) and Therianthropy (subculture). (discuss) |
Therianthropy is a generic term for any transformation of a human into another animal form, or for a being which displays both human and animal characteristics, either as a part of mythology or as a spiritual concept. The word is derived from Greek therion (Θηριον), meaning "wild animal" or "beast", and anthrōpos (ανθρωπος), meaning "man".
Historic examples
In folklore, mythology and anthropology, therianthropy can be used to describe a creature that displays both human and animal characteristics . The most commonly known form is lycanthropy (from the Greek words lycos ("wolf") and anthropos ("man")), the technical term for the transformation from man to animal form. Although the precise definition of lycanthropy specifically refers only to the change into wolf form (as with a werewolf), the term is often used to refer to shape changing to any non-human animal form.
Ethnologist Ivar Lissner theorized that cave paintings of beings combining human and non-human animal features were not representations of myths about physical shapeshifters, but were instead attempts to depict shamans in the process of acquiring the mental and spiritual attributes of various beasts.[1] Religious historian Mircea Eliade has observed that beliefs regarding animal identity and transformation into animals are widespread[2].
Therianthropy can also refer to characters that share man and animal traits at the same time, for example with the animal-headed human forms of gods in Egyptian mythology (such as Ra, Sobek and others) as well as creatures like centaurs and mermaids. A nearly endless number of types of therianthropy could thus be referred to by their own individual terms, though most of these would be neologisms. Other than lycanthropy, cynanthropy and ailuranthropy are the best known varieties.[3] Cynanthropy existed by at least 1901, when the term was applied to myths from China about humans turning into dogs, dogs becoming people, and sexual relations between humans and canines.[4]
Modern use of the term
In the early days of the Usenet group alt.horror.werewolves (around 1992), the members discussed fictional shapeshifters. Some users began to publicly claim that they considered themselves to be partially non-human animal. A number were only joking, but enough people were serious about it, and claimed this was their personal understanding and experience of themselves, that it became the subject of ongoing discussion.[5] Initially such people called themselves lycanthropes, but as that word more accurately describes wolf-people, therianthropes was chosen as a more general term.
Those preferring a spiritual understanding of this phenomenon may believe that they partly or fully have the spirit, or soul, of some type of animal.[citation needed] Such beliefs often overlap to some extent with aspects of shamanism or totemism, and may also draw inspiration from stories of shapeshifting in Celtic, Norse and Native American myths, among others. This is sometimes called spiritual therianthropy.[2][6]
The medical term used for people who believe they have changed into an animal form (theriomorphosis), or possess supernatural non-human animal traits, is clinical lycanthropy, a mental disorder. Therianthropy is not normally considered to be a disorder, in that it does not typically interfere with the leading of a relatively normal, functional life.
Therianthropes are notably different than Furries, although there is some overlap between the two groups.
See also
References
- ^ Steiger, B. (1999). The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink. ISBN 1-57859-078-7.
- ^ a b Eliade, Mircea (1965). Rites and Symbols of Initiation: the mysteries of birth and rebirth. Harper & Row.
- ^ Greene, R. (2000). The Magic of Shapeshifting. York Beach, ME: Weiser. p. 229. ISBN 1-57863-171-8.
- ^ De Groot, J.J.M. (1901). The Religious System of China: Volume IV. Leiden: Brill. p. 184.
- ^ Cohen, D. (1996). Werewolves. New York: Penguin. p. 104. ISBN 0-525-65207-8.
- ^ Perkins, John (1997). Shapeshifting: Techniques for Global and Personal Transformation. Destiny Books.
- OED (1933) Vol XI p 288
- Encyclopaedia Britannica (1886) Vol XX p 367 (C.P.Teile)
- Eliade, Mircea (1965). Rites and Symbols of Initiation: the mysteries of birth and rebirth. Harper & Row. Includes a specific account of Norse hunters who 'turned into wolves' during the course of an initiation and mentions other accounts.