European Hare Archetrope
Oct. 25th, 2023 12:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nimdreamsThis essay is 541 words and takes on average 4.2 minutes to read.
I only joined the alterhuman community when I was already 29 years old. Before that I was always looking for my animal species. I had identified as a foxelf but fox always seemed off and like there'd be an animal out there that was me way more than fox was. So I was always questioning and researching.
When I found the therian community, it was obvious to me that I had to be a therian. I was an animal person looking for my species, so that had to make me a therian. But as the years went by, I started to realize more and more that I don't act animalistic, I don't have animal behaviors or habits. I did have some animalistic experiences, but for my dog-hearted type (which is why I tried on dog therian multiple times). I identify as a shapeshifter, so it was quite natural for me to feel like I was different animals at different times but I felt like there was still a species I was on an integral level.
Hares were suggested to me as a possible theriotype years ago and I immediately felt something there. I used the label hare therian on and off, then hare folcintera and eventually called myself hare-hearted. Because again, hare habits and behavior seemed not to be part of my experience.
Recently I have come to the conclusion that I indeed probably am not a therian. But that doesn't mean I am not an animal and won't be able to find my species. I just had to find a different term to describe myself. I thought vaguetype would work, I could call myself a European hare othervague. But when I explained my experience as an animal and connection to hares to a friend they suggested archetrope. That seemed like a really good fit so now I call myself a European hare archetrope.
I find it difficult to explain how my animality differs from therianthropy. It feels like, this animal represents me. It is who I embody. If I had a dæmon it would be settled as a European hare. If I lived in the world of Harry Potter, my patronus and animagus form would be a European hare. The hare symbolism in mythology, that is me. I was born on an Easter Monday and reclaiming the Easter hare as my species feels like a birth right.
I love reading about hares, their biology and mythology. I love hares in general, how magical and beautiful they are. I was never really into foxes or cared about them much, but with hare I am really proud to be one. I don't know if I will settle now, and stop searching for an animal that fits me better, but I feel really excited about where my journey has led me.
I do have some smaller animalistic experiences and I tie those to being fae rather than therian. Fox is still a form I take a lot as a shapeshifter, so this part of me is not completely gone, as well as being an anteatype through my old foxelf identity. I am really interested to hear if there are other archetropes where their archetype is an animal, so please share if you'd like.
I only joined the alterhuman community when I was already 29 years old. Before that I was always looking for my animal species. I had identified as a foxelf but fox always seemed off and like there'd be an animal out there that was me way more than fox was. So I was always questioning and researching.
When I found the therian community, it was obvious to me that I had to be a therian. I was an animal person looking for my species, so that had to make me a therian. But as the years went by, I started to realize more and more that I don't act animalistic, I don't have animal behaviors or habits. I did have some animalistic experiences, but for my dog-hearted type (which is why I tried on dog therian multiple times). I identify as a shapeshifter, so it was quite natural for me to feel like I was different animals at different times but I felt like there was still a species I was on an integral level.
Hares were suggested to me as a possible theriotype years ago and I immediately felt something there. I used the label hare therian on and off, then hare folcintera and eventually called myself hare-hearted. Because again, hare habits and behavior seemed not to be part of my experience.
Recently I have come to the conclusion that I indeed probably am not a therian. But that doesn't mean I am not an animal and won't be able to find my species. I just had to find a different term to describe myself. I thought vaguetype would work, I could call myself a European hare othervague. But when I explained my experience as an animal and connection to hares to a friend they suggested archetrope. That seemed like a really good fit so now I call myself a European hare archetrope.
I find it difficult to explain how my animality differs from therianthropy. It feels like, this animal represents me. It is who I embody. If I had a dæmon it would be settled as a European hare. If I lived in the world of Harry Potter, my patronus and animagus form would be a European hare. The hare symbolism in mythology, that is me. I was born on an Easter Monday and reclaiming the Easter hare as my species feels like a birth right.
I love reading about hares, their biology and mythology. I love hares in general, how magical and beautiful they are. I was never really into foxes or cared about them much, but with hare I am really proud to be one. I don't know if I will settle now, and stop searching for an animal that fits me better, but I feel really excited about where my journey has led me.
I do have some smaller animalistic experiences and I tie those to being fae rather than therian. Fox is still a form I take a lot as a shapeshifter, so this part of me is not completely gone, as well as being an anteatype through my old foxelf identity. I am really interested to hear if there are other archetropes where their archetype is an animal, so please share if you'd like.
