TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Introduction
i. What is M-Shifting? An Overview
ii. FAQ
2. Preparation
i. Determination
ii. Education
iii. Time Management
3. The M-Shift
i. Sensory Awareness
ii. Thought Elimination
iii. Physical / Vocal Cues
iv. Real-Life Engagement
4. Reference
i. Glossary
ii. Further Reading – Shifting
iii. Further Reading – Animal Information
Introduction:
Mentally shifting is an active, rigorous process to improve and change the way you think and process information. It requires dedication, and comes in many different forms for different people.
The four basic things this guide will focus on are:
· Sensory Awareness
· Thought Elimination
· Physical / Vocal Cues, and
· Real-Life Engagement
This means being aware of your surroundings, changing your thought processes, and changing your physical reactions to situations.
It is not known who the first therianthrope was, but examples can be found as far back as the founding of Rome. Likewise, public guides of this sort can be found from as early as 1993. There are many available guides on the subject, and I will link some of my favorites at the end of the document.
M-shifting is an essential process in order to enable physical shifting, and sets yourself to become much more emotionally and mentally connected with your animal. It is recommended that all therians attempt it.
If looked at closely, any successful shifter can be found with these differences about them. They are small to spot, but a major indicator of their true being. A mentally shifted individual may growl under their breath, examine their environment differently, or notice smells and sounds that other people do not.
-FAQ-
What is the M-Shift?
To put it simply - the M-Shift is a different state of mind. The process of m-shifting entails changing your mental processes to be more that of an animal. Not only is this a crucial step on the way to the P-Shift, it also puts you in a better state of being, and makes you closer to your animal.
How Does M-Shifting Basically Work?
The process of m-shifting involves focusing on actively changing your behaviors during the day (Active), and meditating at night (Passive).
About How Long Does M-Shifting Take?
It can take anywhere between two months to several years, depending on your level of commitment, and how well you are already predispositioned.
Is M-Shifting Hard?
M-Shifting itself can be very hard, or easy. It all depends on the circumstances. If you have a good memory, and high dedication, it may come quite easily. However, for others, it may take quite some work.
Is M-Shifting Painful?
As far as it is known, m-shifting is not painful in any physical way. If you feel phsycial pain during your m-shift, you may be doing something wrong, or it may be entirely unrelated to therianthropy. Some emotional or mental pain may be felt, but this is normal.
NOTE - If you are beginning to feel this intensely, consult someone before continuing.
Can M-Shifting Wear Off?
The M-Shift is like a muscle. When you complete it, depending on how strong it is, it may take more or less time to deteriorate, especially if you engage in activities that weaken it. However, if you actively improve it (‘exercising’), your M-Shift should never decline.
Can Anyone M-Shift?
This is currently debated by many different therians in the community. Some non-therians claim to have mentally shifted, but it is not known whether they have a ‘true’ mental shift.
Preparation:
1. Determination
Before you can begin your m-shift, you must first know your animal. Even if you believe you know your animal, it may be wise to still read through this section.
As quoted by Ice Fang, chances are, you are not a wolf. There is a huge number of known theriotypes, many being canines. Besides the wolf, there is the Coyote, Fox, Dhole, Dingo, Hyena, Culpeo, Zorro, Jackal, Dog, Fox, and all assorted big cats. So why do so many people think they are wolves?
“Hollywood. ‘Why Hollywood?’ Well, have you ever seen a movie about werecats? I doubt it. Hollywood advertises the werewolf, WOLF. Everyone knows the supposed majesty and strength of wolves, and many admire it. Because of this, many people connect with them, and there is a great amount of lore about it.”
To determine your animal, much meditation and self-exploration is needed. Browse pictures of the animals; find which one strikes you the most. Listen to calls of each animal. Which one causes you to stir? Meditation may also be necessary. Let your thoughts float throughout your brain, and really try to piece together why you are reading this guide, right now. In time, the animal will come to you.
2. Education
After you have figured out your animal, you need to find absolutely everything you can about it. If you plan to change your thoughts and ideas to model it, you have to know the model. Spend at least a week simply doing research. What does it eat? How does it find a mate? Does it howl? Is it colorblind? How long does it live? All these are important questions. Check the last page for great links to find out this information.
3. Time Management
Figure out the best times and ways to enact these methods. If you plan to meditate, make sure you find a time where you are alone with little distractions. If you plan to seek a shifting mentor, find one that has the best times to talk to you. If you live in the U.S.A. and your mentor is in England, you may have to wait till midnight to get a word in!
The M-Shift - Active:
Sensory Awareness
The first step to becoming your animal is to change your sensory awareness. This means discarding your human ways of listening, feeling, smelling hearing, and seeing the world. Take notice of everything in your environment. Stop reading this right now, and look around. You may know the basics, you may be in your room, you may be on a computer, etc. But what else is there? What does the room smell like? What are all the sounds you hear? Even further – what’s the air pressure of the room? What temperature is it? While most people may discard this type of information, an m-shifted individual is always aware of it.
Is there a fan on? Is there water running? In the time you have been in the room you may have not even noticed these sounds. Smell is another major factor as well. What does the room smell like? Sweet? Dirty? Salty? Like something is burning? While you aren’t changing your actual ability to sense things, you are instead changing how well and how often you notice them, and this can make almost as much of a difference. After doing this actively, you should automatically notice everything in your environment.
Thought Elimination
This is the most important, and crucial step. To put it simply, when you undergo thought elimination, you stop thinking in words. This is more plausible than it sounds. Consider this – how do infants and animals interact in the world without words? It’s obviously possible, because they have been shown to do complex tasks. Dogs can sit on command, infants can figure out shapes – primates have even been shown to undergo things as advanced as trading and bartering. So how is this possible? Well, how do you form thoughts? Where do the words you think with come from? They have to originate somewhere – and they do. There is a creation of the thought, and the final action that comes with it. The middleman is the words that go through your head. Simply cut them out.
Try to catch yourself thinking in words, and correct it. If you’re thinking about your favorite food, instead of thinking “I love steak”, think of the steak itself and the enjoyment itself. However this is accomplished for you, the smell, the feeling of good taste, even a smiley face image in your head, try to think of the steak as being good without actually saying so. After a while of this, it should become automatic as well.
Physical / Vocal Cues
Next, change the way you physically interact with others. This means acting in some of the ways your animal would. We will use the wolf as an example for this.
If you are angry or threatened, growl. If you are near someone you don’t trust, adjust your posture to be higher than them. Don’t look at people you consider superior to you in the eye. These acts do not need to be extremely noticeable- when you growl, it could be under your breath. However, try to remain normal communication with your friends and family. After all, they are an important aspect of your life. This is where your animal research becomes extremely important. You need to know the mind of your animal. Try to mimic every possible thing it does within reason. (Don’t pee on your lawn or anything!)
Real-Life Engagement
Finally, partake in real-life engagement. This means watching your animal in action, and exploring your animals’ environment. This step will be the easiest for dog-therians.
Try watching your animal in real life. If at all possible, try to see your animal first hand! Zoos, conservatories, and nature trails are all great chances to find your animal (If it lives in the wild). However, do not put yourself in danger, and do not endanger the animal in question. If this isn’t possible, videos work almost as well. Go on YouTube, and search for videos of your animal. Watch the way it moves, the way it takes in its surroundings, the way it looks at the world. Take it in, and do it for yourself.
For example, after watching a video about wolves, you may notice that they change gaze with quick, rapid movements of the head, rather than slowly like we do. You’ll then know to try this yourself.
Secondly, explore your animals’ environment. If your animal lives in the forest, explore a forest. If it lives in the mountains, try hiking. Again, do not put yourself in danger! Don’t go too far into the woods. Try to remain in an area familiar to you. Always bring a cell phone with you as well, and let others know where you will be going before you leave.
The M-Shift – Passive
The second type of m-shifting is passive m-shifting. This means doing something that is not active throughout the day, such as meditation. There are many different ways to meditate, but I will describe my favorite. This is called a
MILD D-Shift.
First, find somewhere very comfortable to relax. You must be willing to stay in this period for a long amount of time without moving. It will be almost like falling asleep. Your bed, lying down, is probably the best candidate. Make sure no distractions are present – ask yourself if you could fall asleep in the current situation if you tried. If no, wait until the distractions are gone.
This is what I call the “full body” relaxation. Close your eyes, and think about your feet. Simply think about them. Imagine them in your head. Now, relax every muscle in your foot. Let your foot go limp completely. Repeat this with every part of your body, starting from the bottom up. Remember to include your shoulders, neck, eyebrows, and fingers. Finally, relax your mind. Go slowly, as well. When you finish, your whole body should be entirely relaxed. Now, sit there for a few minutes, and focus your mind on imagining. Work on imagining things in your mind. Think about the color blue. Try to fill your entire vision with pure blue, as though it is real life. When you are ready, imagine a 10 step staircase, with your happy place at the end (See Below).Tell yourself for each step, you will relax even more and become closer to sleep. At the last step, you will be completely relaxed. Walk into your happy place, and imagine every single thing about the environment. Think about the wind in your face, the sun in your eyes, the birds in the sky. Think about the temperature. Realize every single aspect. You are now in control of your happy place.
This will take multiple tries. Don’t give up after the first few times if it isn’t as real as you’d like!
Now, shift your body. As you are in a MILD, it will be much easier. Imagine your body, and see your body turn into that of your animal. Finally, explore the area. Walk around; take in the sights, hunt, run, howl! This is a taste of what it will feel like to be your animal.