Being Animal Hearted

Well as you all know previously I identified as polytherian, wolf and barn owl. Well as of recently I came to the conclusion that perhaps I am simply animal hearted. The definition of animal hearted is having a deep, bond, connection etc. with an animal, so basically identifying with I guess one can say. Whilst therian is identifying as said animal, with or without having a deep bond. Now since I can remember I have always loved wolves and ran around acting like one. I simply loved watching wolves on tv. And as for owls, I became interested in them because they are just beautiful birds. And well I do identify as a wolf and owl still, I have come to realize that I chose to identify as them. They are in a sense my alter egos, not in a furry sense though. But as we all know we cannot choose to be therians. Hence why I no longer fit in this catergory, but my identification with and as a wolf and an owl is as valid as any other therian. Though I cannot call myself one anymore. The way I came to this conclusion was I never shifted really, I was satisfied calling myself suntherian, but it still didn't feel right to call myself that because I never really felt like my types were completely intergrated into me because I never really felt wolf like or owl like constantly. It was only during certain situations in which I felt "wolfy or owl like". Which brings me to my second reasoning of being animal hearted, I only felt more like my types when I was on this site interacting with everyone, so it perhaps was the influence of my other peers that also got me feeling more like my types. I noticed this when I would leave TG for a period of time, I didn't really feel wolfy or owl like, hell I didn't even think about therianthropy really, I just went on about my life doing stuff and what not. But being on TG I felt like I could be the other parts of me, wolf and owl. Not really through roleplay but because I am surrounded by others who understand what it's like to not feel completely human, although everyone else may experience it differently than I do. But anyways, regardless of what label I give myself my identity and experience is just as valid as everyone else's, I gave it much thought and research just like everyone else. I decided to truly dissect, analyze, and question why I feel the way I feel and my results are pretty much just as valid as any therian who is trying to find out their theriotype.
Thanks for reading!! Feel free to comment and ask questions!

Thank you so much for this Ren!
I have been meaning to ask what it is to be animal hearted!
I have been pondering over my therianthropy. Although lately I have tried to step back a bit because sometimes thinking too much can make things even more confusing.
I'll definitely look to this for future internal exploration.
Thank you!

Well to be honest I'm new to the term animal hearted myself ^^' haha this is mostly to get opinions on if my definition is correct.

Thanks for the definition Ren! I've been trying to think on it myself for a while. Also, good for you!
I've been pretty sure for a while that I've been animal hearted towards deer, as well as some other animals, so thanks lots for this!

Ren, I'm happy for you! Having these nagging feelings of doubt sucks. We missed you in the time you were gone, but if this is the result it's been well worth it. Keep us posted on your developments. It might help others who are having doubts and are doing some soul searching. ^_^

It is never too late to discover more about one self, or coming to the conclusion about the core of your identity. I'm happy for you, Renata. Good luck.

This sounds a lot like me, renata! Though conversing with therians hasn't swayed me either way, I just like learning of the common ground and differences I share with them. And they have only strengened my convictions about my own self.
One thing I find, is that in all furry, other hearted and therian contexts I get called "bonobo" like it's the normal thing, have people chat to me using apey puns and have had ape therians call me an honorary ape/bonobo. I know a bonobo that told me on skype a few times, "yup, you're a bonobo!". And that feels so epically good, it really boosts my self esteem when people use those words on me, it's like they have acknowledged the little apes in my head as something a little more, idk, out of my head? It may be an alter ego, unlike with therians, but it's still a part of me in my own, weird little way.
I didn't choose the ape thing in a fully conscious way, however, it was kinda instant fireworks going off explosions fanfare thing when I'd first proper learned what a bonobo was. Of course, I develop other hobbies over the years, live life as usual, and even when I'm not researching the animal like an interest, they still take their place in pockets of my brain like little friends. But then, after doing other stuff, I get insanely bored and lost and the apes come back and I just snuggle down for some catch up time. And that I feel, for me, is the difference between other hearted and favourite animal/interests, hobbies come and go, my affinities never fully leave and are my special secret escape. I tend to get dreams a lot where I'm about to either hold an infant, or interact directly in some way with apes (usually orangs or bonobos) and be accepted by them in some cases, but then something gets in the way like glass suddenly appears, they turn into humans or dogs or they just don't notice me. And I wake up really frustrated!!!

And the mermaid thing is pretty much the same and has been since I was a toddler, but it is of similar strength to the ape thing despite being with me for longer. And I can genuinelly say that I do mermaid shift, mentally atleast. Whenever I swim or see images/films of coral reefs and other warm climate oceans (especially Pacific). Yet, I don't call myself mermaidkin because mermaids don't even exist, so it would seem silly to me (personally) to go all out otherkin when I'm know I can't be something that's not real. But I totally understand and respect those that do, though.

Okay adding more to this because earlier today I saw a post on tumblr about someone saying that you can chose to be other kin or therian. They said that if you really like a creature and really want to be that creature and if you feel like you are not human then you can choose to identify as kin. No. You cannot chose to be kin. What she described was basically being animal/other hearted. Yes the definition of therianthropy and other kin is identifying as non human, but not by choice, typically we don't say that part because as a community as a whole we understand this. But it seems that now younger and younger people are identifying as kin without knowing the definition of kin and other heartedness. I feel that because these two things may seem to be the same thing people seem to think that the two are interchangeable in definition which it is not. Aside from identifying with rather than as a creature, animal heartedness from my personal perspective is a choice. A CONSCIOUS decision. Not that it is wrong to consciously choose to identify as non human but what is wrong is to call this conscious decision for what it isn't, therianthropy. Why this bothers me is because I feel that those of us who are other hearted are like cousins to those who are kin, if people are going around saying that they chose to be therian then it delegitimizes therianthropy all together making it that much more difficult for our therian cousins to be taken seriously. It makes therianthropy look like role play or that they chose to be this way. Although I will saying being other hearted is as legitimate as therianthropy and other kin, it's just that some may have chosen to identify as non human. Anyways my point is that as a community we must stick together put on our thinking caps and eyeglasses and really think things through and truly see what we are and come to a conclusion if we chose this identity or was this always how we were. Getting to truly know and understand therianthropy and other heartedness and figuring out which is which is a good place to start the movement in the kin community to be taken seriously.

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(2015-01-11 5:12)Berlin Wrote:  As a wolf-hearted person, I'm going to mention that a lot of animal-hearted people use their imaginations to be what ever animal they feel a connection to. For the longest time, I showed jackal behaviors (that is one reason I managed to confuse wolf & jackal...both canines, not much of a difference). My brain has always worked that way.

The thing about the wolf was that I was using my imagination and confusing myself about it. For 3 years, I thought I was a wolf. All because my imagination deluded me because of the connection (along with some misinformation). It didn't occur like a theriotype would at all. It was only a connection.

I really think some people need to think a lot more about their theriotype(s) in regards to whether it really is a theriotype or simply a connection.

I can definitely agree with this. Being dragon-hearted, I took my wing shifts to be draconic wings without a second thought at first because I wanted it so bad. I even let myself phantom shift scales, horns, etc. in hopes that it would all click. It never did, though.

You're right that more people need to think about whether their theriotypes are actually a theriotype. The two subjects overlap so much though, that some people just don't bother.