Phantom Shift - Blog Posts

sometimes when i see my girlfriend i feel my pupils get large and im just staring at her with pure admiration feeling my tail shift into a wag and feeling my mouth go into a gummy smile

literally how i look at her

i hate how my teeth can’t retract when i try to show off my gummy smile ☹️

YOO WAKE UP NEW SHIFT DROPPED (i see nobody talkin bout this one so why not create it /hj)

idk- i usually call it the 'centaur shift' in my head but its more of an offbranch of phantom limbs/shifting- it feels like i have a sorta centaur-like body with another pair of legs and gets me really sensitive about my arms xdd

ive only had it about 7 times now and its pretty rare/sporadic- but most happened when im outside walking my dogs or smthin, i dont think its a new kin either (rip centaur research /j) i really do wish i could relate to somebody else with shifts similar to this one but everyone has a different nonhuman experience and i havent found somebody whos also experienced this yet and im quite curious lolol

HELP A WING CAMEO SHIFT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR LIKE AWHILE AND I JUSFDYJAHKVKWBJDAW,NHKSD, IS THIS WHAST BIRDS FEEL LIKE??? IVE NEVER WANTED TO GET RID OF A PHANTOM SHIFT BEFORE SO IDK HOW TO DO IT IVE TRIED LAYING ON MY BACK WHERE THEY ARE BUT ITS JUST SORTA UNCOMFORTABLE-

AARGHSJAA

im gonna go get some snacks n watch some yt hopefully itll go away with time- I FEEL BAD FOR YALL BIRDS BUT YALL PROB USED TO IT LIKE I AM WITH ANTLERS AND RARELY GET THIS SHIFT-ALSO ITS NEVER BEEN SO REALISTIC AND UNCOMFORTABLE BEFORE T_T

🐅 and 🐞!

🐅 ➤ Sort of? I usually only dress in natural/earthy colors which might be connected to my therianthropy in someway, as for specific theriotypes tho not really. If im feeling particularly connected to my canine types I might wear a tail or dress more masculine, but other than that no I dress pretty much the same all the time.

🐞 ➤ Yep! I have shifts from time to time. Mental, phantom, and dream shifts are the ones I experience. Most of the time they're canine centric.

Mental shifts are pretty uncommon, at least the ones that are actually intense enough for me to realize they're happening lol. I'll have them maybe once every few months. The ways I feel/act depend on what triggered the shift or what environment I was in when it happened, but usually I'll become energetic and more aware of my surroundings, I think less in actual thoughts and more so in basic emotions/instincts, I want to be away from humans and civilization, sometimes i'll have an increased prey drive or become more aggressive, and speaking feels uncomfortable. It's both a fun and annoying experience; fun because i feel more in tune with myself and feel physically stronger, annoying because usually when it happens im not in a place/situation where I can indulge it so I have to ignore it and act normal to the best of my abilities until it goes away.

Phantom Shifts really only happen when I meditate, or my body is otherwise relaxed (like when Im trying to sleep). The most common limb I'll feel are paws in place of my hands, but Ive also felt paws on my feet, a muzzle, wings on my back, and fangs. The best way I can describe how they feel is like wearing a glove or a shoe. Even though it technically isn't part of your body, you can still feel it attached to you, and if someone touched it you'd still be able to feel it.

Dream Shifts are the least common but most enjoyable shifts I have. Oddly, Im rarely physically nonhuman during these shifts, rather Im just able to run on all fours really fluidly, fly, vocalize, and/or in a mental shift mindset. I've always had extremely vivid and lifelike dreams where I can see, hear, and feel almost everything (both a blessing and a curse), so it's nice being able to feel almost fully nonhuman for once.

The whole idea that forcing shifts is bad and something you shouldn't do really irks me ngl. Like yeah, if you're using it as a way to determine kintypes that's definitely not the best route to go down, but with already confirmed kintypes idk what everyone's issue is. Personally, I don't get shifts of any kind too often, so by forcing them, specifically in the case of phantom shifts, I'm able to relieve some of my species dysphoria that I may not otherwise have an outlet for. If anything, I think actively trying to get yourself to shift rather than passively waiting for one to happen (not that there's anything wrong with that) is further proof of your desire to be connected to your nonhumanity.

Me: in public, trying to wag my tail by rotating my rotating my waist/hips side to side bc thats what i do to wag it when I ACTUALLY HAVE ONE ON

other people: thinking it's a stim or somethin

Me: "WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG i wanna bark rn WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG WAG"

Well I started seeing myself as a angel like you suggested, and now I feel better with your reassuring post!! I am excited to see further in my journey as a angelic being and finally not just a boring human whose only last purpose is dying :3 (not making fun of y’all humans, i still love some and a lot are cute and nice)

And I have a question, just out of curiosity because I love seeing winged other kin talk about their phantom wings like idk something is just so whimsical that you feel this.. How does IT generally feels ? When you lay on your back in your bed or simply leaning against a wall, does you sometimes accidentally feels them?

— 🐏🕊️

Ooh I never thought about describing that, but sensing my wings is one of the things that make me the happiest!!

Basically, for me, my body isn't made of flesh and bone - I describe myself as a "being of light" 99% of the time. I remember my wings being feathered in "shape", but they also feel very, very light. I have at least a pair of "traditional" wings on my back, but the ones that are most noticeable are the ones under my "arms" - I don't really know how to explain it, sometimes I have trouble recalling how they actually look like. My real form has two arm-like limbs, and wings that are an extention of them. They aren't big compared to the ones on my back; they're just there.

They are one with my body - I'm aware that they're there, and they aren't numb, but there's no muscle or tissue to them. They feel warm, though.

If I ever start feeling them while I'm lying on my back, they don't really hurt or anything - but it's uncomfortable because they take up too much space, so that's why falling asleep become pretty hard lol. If they brush against something like a wall, I noticed it kind of tickles. And as for when i sit down, it's not really a problem, I can just tuck them in and they dont really get sore at all.

Generally speaking, they don't add any extra weight on my body.. but the ones under my arm can feel uncomfortable and weird, and even when they don't, they still get in the way a lot for obvious reasons. But I ignore that!!! Species euphoria >>>>> not being able to rest my arm on a table, am I right?

Idk how to explain it but,

This. This is how I see things during my shifts !! The whole white and glowing aura, it reminds me of home🤍

And I'm still trying to figure it out, because my memories definitely include places on Earth. Animals and forests + water (rivers, the sea etc) are what I see the most, other than my home in the clouds. Which makes me think I've somehow observed and dwelled on Earth multiple times in my true body, before my soul was sent here in a mortal body. Honestly, can anyone else relate??

Me when I haven't really had phantom shifts all day but then I enter a room and i feel my wings randomly brush against the doorframe/walls

Being otherkin with maladaptive daydreaming is on another level