How to Switch

[Within]

Here is the link: https://write.as/within/switching.

[Breloomancer]

My problems with this guide are:

1. The definition of switching that you gave is pretty vauge. I switch, but I still don't really know what you mean by "calling the shots," I feel that it's pretty important for a guide on switching give a good definition of what switching is.

2. Parallel processing is not possible simply due to the limitations of the human brain. Because of this including parallel processing in your guide is redundant, helps propogate the misconception that it is possible, and makes the guide look less professional overall.

3. When talking about what the tulpa would do when trying to switch the wording that you use is confusing, it would be much better if you could say what the tulpa is supposed to do more literally instead of using the metaphor of "pushing yourself into the body,"

4. This guide does not give any suggestions for what to do if they are not able to switch on the first time trying these things.

All of these are things that i consider necessary for this guide to be approved. The next problem that I will address is much more minor and this guide could still be alright without it

5. What the host is supposed to do in order to disassociate with the body is alright, but I think that this guide could greatly benefit from going a bit more in depth with what the host should be doing, I think that that would make it much easier for readers to be able to get results quickly.

 

Other than those complaints I think that the guide it pretty good. It says what it needs to quickly and most of it is easily understandable

[Ember.Vesper]

Ember:

 

>None of these are hard requirements (except possession)

 

Not in our case. We're still not very good at possession, while switching just worked the first time without preparation. While switching from possession is probably a good way to learn for most systems, I think it's actually a separate skill, just as visualization is a separate skill from imposition, and some of those who have achieved imposition report poor visualization.

 

Or did you mean a hard requirement for your technique rather than a hard requirement for switching? Saying that something is part of your technique instantly resolves most potential objections.

 

>If you need to, you can regain control at literally any time you want.

 

Not in our case. The first two times Vesper switched in and the first time Iris switched in, I was instantly dormant and they didn't know how to force me. It may take some time for the host to learn to "think like a tulpa" and have sufficient presence of mind to want things or be able to act on wants. Also, even now, my will isn't strong enough to displace Vesper from control against her will. So, yes, complete trust is important, not as regards the technical aspects of switching, but to avoid running away screaming from the very concept of switching.

 

Parallel processing is not possible simply due to the limitations of the human brain.

 

Depends on what you mean by it. (And I don't think Within specified.) When a singleton walks and talks, the relevant mental processes run simultaneously in different parts of the brain. When they walk and talk while looking at cat pictures on their phone, they still aren't overtaxing their mind, because the processes don't conflict (until they trip). So as long as headmates are doing things that are sufficiently different on a mental level, they should be able to learn to do them simultaneously. Using mindvoice simultaneously? Nope, that bottlenecks hard, probably in Broca's area. But there is an analogue to Broca's area in the opposite hemisphere, mainly idle in most people, but associated with auditory hallucinations. So if someone reported the ability to speak in mindvoice *while* their partner spoke via auditory imposition, I wouldn't automatically respond that it was beyond the capacity of the human brain.

 

it would be much better if you could say what the tulpa is supposed to do more literally instead of using the metaphor of "pushing yourself into the body,"

 

The earliest method of intentional switching we used, I could not describe with greater detail or accuracy than, "Vesper's visualized form leapt at our body and shoved me out, naturally settling in my former place." Sometimes a vivid metaphor gets the job done.

 

Vesper:

 

>Host, now, in the background, take a load off. You don’t need to do anything, so don’t feel forced to. You don’t even have to answer questions if you don’t want to.

 

Switching can be very frightening and lonely at first. Consider that non-hosts may never have been alone before in their lives. If you can have a trusted out-system person present your first time, I recommend it. (I didn't, but Iris did.) And if it's just us, the first thing we still usually do after switching is to reach out for the comforting presence of the others. So, no, hosts, don't hide away. Be there for us when we call to you, as we are for you.

[Breloomancer]

If they mean an actually possible definition of parallel processing then they should specify that, because a lot of people (including me) will just assume that they are talking about the other dsfinition.

 

Using metaphors are fine sometimes, but in a guide, especially when talking about such a central aspect of the guide, it is important to be much more clear about what you mean when. If somebody is unable to figure out the meaning of that sentence then they will not be able to use this guide to switch, so it really has have an obvious meaning

[Ranger]

(3/27) EDIT: I made this post before I became a GAT member. This is not my review for this submission.

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I like that this guide emphasizes trust between the host and Tulpa, but there's not tons of emphasis on dissociation. Dissociation is a key step to switching, otherwise my host will just sit around and jump back into control if her attention is grabbed. I am very comfortable possessing my host, but we never achieved switching.

 

Meditation is an interesting approach because it may help her calm down and give her something to focus on. It's worth a try, but I don't know how effective that would be. My host has issues with anxiety, so that would make things harder anyway.

[Ponytail]

So from the first paragraph you say the technique is "easy" yet also drop a good ol' "It took me five years" and a "few seemingly master this" on the reader. Is it easy or a rare and difficult thing? Pick one. Or, you should explain why so many have difficulties with it and why it's actually easy and people overthink it, or something. Give a reason that your guide will make it easy.

 

At a high level it is not controlling the body, not interfering with the tulpa possessing the body, and then just not reacting to input from the body unless you want to.

 

So, here, you give it from the host's perspective, which is nice. However, these are all from a negative view: what is not happening. You give nothing in the way of "the tulpa is possessing, reacting, and eating cookies" or whatever. You only detail a lack of experience which could be mildly confusing. It certainly confused me the first time reading it.

 

Some other definitions of “switching” include arcane requirements, but I prefer a much more simplified view in order to make it seem less “difficult”.

 

This is a psychological forum and a primarily psychological community. This is a given, delete it.

 

Possession should be first in your list of prerequisites, as it's the only real prerequisite. Also, the link for tulpaforce doesn't work for me, and I'm not reading a 164 page book to learn to meditate. You should perhaps clarify how these skills are not requirements but can help the process.

And since unfortunately for you, I'm on the GAT team, I'm going to have to tell you to remove parallel processing, because parallel processing has been given a definition for something that is impossible outside of rare anomalies. Neurologically speaking, it is impossible to do all the things those pushing parallel processing claim to be able to. You can't think two things at once, especially not in detail.

However, if you give a definition to parallel processing that is not total bogus and you introduce parallel processing with that definition, I can let it slide.

Additionally, in this section, you tell the person to trust their tulpa twice. Back-to-back, no less. One is the bullet point, and the other is the conclusion to prerequisites.

Also, why are they called prerequisites if only 25% of them are actually required? Perhaps a name change for the section is appropriate.

 

Also, I know you suggested they read a 164 page book on how to meditate, but nobody has time to dig through that. Perhaps at least give some basic instruction in how to meditate and what a meditative focus is? You're talking to a group of people who aren't into mysticism and religious practice, catch them up a little in reading instead of requiring such difficulty to get into your content.

 

Push yourself into it as hard as you can as your host pulls themself out.

Uhh

first, himself* Them is plural. I suppose that's nitpicking though

Second, what does this even mean? Possession isn't some mental struggle, right? Like, maybe it's just me, but I don't have cerebral palsy so moving comes pretty naturally. Tulpas are able to use the bodies just as effectively as their host, so what more than possessing needs to be done? Also, what am I pulling myself out of? At this point I should already be dissociated, correct?

 

The issue with the next paragraph is that a lot of words mean nothing. Slow down what, exactly? Backpace isn't a word. The general message of "take it slow and communicate worries" is good but you need more clarity in those two nitpicks or to just remove them entirely.

 

Start moving things and see if your host tries to subconsciously jump back into control

Reeee, subconscious.

But, seriously, the subconscious doesn't exist. The only place you'll see it in a psych book is a section dedicated to discussing Freud. Plus, movement is rarely an unconscious action anyway. They may unintentionally bumble into the front however, which the future bits actually tackle well. I will say "It's a hell of a habit" comes off strangely with the previously established tone. Aside from the minor nitpicks, I do like this paragraph.

 

You don’t even have to answer questions if you don’t want to.

This just... confuses me. Why are you saying this?

 

back inside reality

Um. Can you be "inside" reality? I mean, you're never really outside it. Whatever, this just sounds weird.

 

Your tulpa will take care of reality for you

Perhaps "take of your life for you" instead?

 

In general I think you should use the word "reality" less in general and try to find some synonyms.

 

Overall I think this can be a good switching guide. Like Yuki's Possession guide but more in depth. Still, major issues abound so for now I can't approve this

 

Edit: Also give a backup link and a perhaps a synopsis link in accordance to our new guide guidelines. I'm too lazy to properly hyperlink it at this moment so here's the link https://community.tulpa.info/thread-the-gat-s-guide-guidelines

[Luminesce]

Possession should be first in your list of prerequisites, as it's the only real prerequisite.

 

Wrong, wrong, wrong. We did not experiment with possession until a while after learning to switch, at which point we only practiced it for a day or two before deciding it was invasive and impractical compared to switching. Not only that, but I personally believe people's success rate with learning to switch can go down after learning to possess. Not that it's like "If you learn to possess, you'll have trouble learning to switch" by any means, but I've too often seen people who are very familiar with possession be unable to switch just because they think they're related at all. They so are not. Full-body possession is a viable alternative to switching to accomplish the same tasks more or less, but they aren't the same, and I think learning to possess has a chance of giving you entirely the wrong perspective on learning to switch.

 

Absolutely just my opinion, but it's my opinion nonetheless. Either way, possession is not a requirement for learning to switch. The only requirement is a fully developed tulpa; fully vocal, and obviously sentient and all. I've seen some cases of tulpas learning to possess to varying extents without being vocal yet, but that's basically impossible with switching (unless it's a system with other vocal systemmates and that particular systemmate just doesn't speak).

 

Also, "subconsciously" is a colloquial term meaning "without consciously intending to". I know the GAT is afraid of its use in any way shape or form, but I don't think the "The Subconscious" argument is relevant here. Also, you don't know that the subconscious mind doesn't exist. It does in my model of thinking. The problem is/was people talking about it as if they had any idea what they were talking about, which they didn't. But.. yeah, that doesn't apply here.

 

Anyways, the rest of your post is great. Just one big and one small thing.

[Ember.Vesper]

In agreement with Lumi and as I previously stated in this thread, possession is not a prerequisite to switching in general. It may be useful for some systems and it may be intrinsic to this particular technique.

 

A great deal of what goes on in the brain is not subject to conscious awareness, even though psychologists have long preferred terms like unconscious, preconscious, and implicit over subconscious. Subconscious remains the preferred term among lay audiences and has a generally understood meaning.

 

-Ember

[Luminesce]

Hmm, possession may or may not help with this technique in specific, I can't tell. I'm still tempted to say possessing first only leads to confusion/full-body possessing though. By the way, I'm terribly lazy and often only reply to what I see in replies, especially if the guide is hosted off site, so if I ever say something blatantly wrong (like if this guide had literally said to possess first... luckily it didn't), tell me lol. My assumptions are going to get me in trouble some day.

[Ponytail]

The guide itself said possession is a requirement. I don't think it's wrong at all either. Switching and possession are similar phenomenon. Either way, your tulpa is the one moving. The only thing switching involves is a headmate yeeting themselves out.

 

And even disregarding all of that, possession is movement. You have to be qble to move to switch in.

[Breloomancer]

That's just not true. You don't have to be able to possess to switch, maybe in some methods, but not in all, that's certainly now how i learned it. Also, there is a lot more to switching than just the tulpa controling the body and the host going inactive, that's certainly the most obvious, but it has little to do with the appeal of switching for the most part, and should definitely not be the only thing that you bring up if you are trying to compare it to possession. What switching is really about, other than controlling the body, is greater association and attunement to the body, and having unconscious processes change to fit you rather than the host. That's not really something that you can get at all with possession, it's a very different experience