WereCreatures and Therianthropy


According to Webster's Dictionary, Therianthropy is 1. the state of being part animal and part human, 2. The worship of such creatures.

Therianthropic itself refers to being part animal and part human. While this connotes "Physical" it is not the case with the vast majority of those that call themselves "Therianthropes". Spiritual and Mental therianthropy are by far the the most common types for those that do consider themselves part animal. Spiritual therianthropy simply means the soul or spirit of the person is not totally human. The spirit could be wholly animal (and they are human in body), or said person has both a human and animal spirit. This could also refer to those that have animal spirit guides, but that is not considered true "therianthropy" because the animal counterpart is not really a part of the person, in body, mind or spirit.

Mental therianthropy is when the person takes on mental characteristics, if not the entire mindset, of an animal. This may occur in "shifts", whereas the person almost totally acts like an animal mentally and physically in their movements. Contherianthropes (Non-shifters) are included in this subset, and are both human and animal as one within the mind.

The other kind of Therianthropy is not well known, or believed. Physical therianthropes, or physical shifters/shapechangers, etc, are those that have the ability to either change into animals on the physical plane, or those that are in a constant 'anthropomorphic state'. It is easy to see why many people including therianthropes don't believe this type of therianthropy exists.

In order to be a therianthrope, you do NOT choose your wereside. You don't need to be a glorious hunter to be a were. You can be anything from a Bear, to a bat, to a wolf, housecat, spider, kangaroo, lemming... Polyweres are those that have more than one animal species for their wereside. This means they could have (for example) a complete canine mindset, and complete feline mindset or they could have a "spirit" that has taken the form of a hybrid creature (for example, a wolfcat).

Spirit guides, also animal guides, totem animals, are indeed spirit animals that "guide" us through life. Weresides and spirit guide animals are NOT one in the same. Many non-weres have spirit guides, and they should not be confused for one in the same. You can choose your spirit guide, as in call upon the qualities and traits of certain animals. Your wereside is not something you choose or "figure out" based on characteristics or "traits" found in totem guide references. For example, because you are courageous does not make you a Lion. Because you consider yourself to be a good leader doesn't make you a wolf.

Therianthropes are human.

Author Unknown