How Do You Tell Other People You Have a Tulpa?

[Ashmo]

...I read the progress report and I can't stop crying.

 

I've been lucky with the people I've told. Before I even started my journey in tulpmancy I talked to my girlfriend about it. Bree thought it would be a good idea. Or at least neat. My friend, Marie, had heard of the phenomenon before I brought it up to her and she was stoked to have a friend that was willing to put so much work (her words, not mine) into a mental exercise. I don't really plan on telling anyone else about him though, it's not that I fear they would think I'm crazy or that they wouldn't understand, it's the simple fact no one else I know would honestly believe me. And I'd much rather them be out of the loop than have them humoring my silly fancies.

[cartowheel]

I personally don't plan on telling anyone else, and I certainly wouldn't dare mention it on my Tumblr, since we tulpamancers are 'making disassociative identity disorder a joke', 'being special snowflakes', and 'appropriating Buddhism' (by the way, I'm Buddhist and I don't see anything wrong with any of this). Unfortunately, not everyone sees tulpae the way we do.

[Nobillis]

Like everyone else says, be careful. And I always suggest people read this PR before they tell anyone, just so they know the worst that can happen.

 

[Metaphysics] I'm glad we avoided this. Kevin is a baptist too. I chose to become a Christian of my own free will. But, I understand why a tulpa may choose to go - if that would help their human ("greater love hath no man ..."). (Edit: please don't be silly about this - I'm not advocating suicide.)

[Dr. Faust]

I luckily have another friend who is into Buddhism and we often talk about things like this but I always find it best to try to find out who a person is before you relate it to them.

 

I feel as if the whole tulpa thing can manifest in any religion.

 

Abrahamic religions have Angels.

 

Eastern Religions have numerous Gods and Deities.

 

Forcing can be considered a form of creative prayer.

 

Just keep in mind that you don't always let people know what's going on in your mind. No one is guaranteed to approve of your imagination. Surely you've had thoughts that you could never let some one know about correct? Well, a tulpa is kind of a large, self perpetuating thought. Be careful who you share it with.

[Shui]

...I read the progress report and I can't stop crying.

 

I know!

 

I personally don't plan on telling anyone else, and I certainly wouldn't dare mention it on my Tumblr, since we tulpamancers are 'making disassociative identity disorder a joke',

 

This is just my humble opinion, but I feel like the idea of tulpa and healthy multiplicity can help people with DID. At least in that there isn't anything wrong with many such people until their family and friends and therapists convince them that there is.

 

and 'appropriating Buddhism' (by the way, I'm Buddhist and I don't see anything wrong with any of this).

 

I'm not sure if I'm Buddhist. According to the sutras, I don't think I am, but several Buddhists I've spoken to interpret things differently.

 

Anyway, the charge of appropriating Buddhism is ridiculous. In part because this is a technique used by a very few members of one particular sect of Buddhism, and in part because Buddhism is so flexible. If you treat Buddhism like a philosophy (and in my humble opinion, it always should be) it doesn't conflict with most religions. You can be a Baptist and a Buddhist at the same time. And when you try to be nice to people, or refrain from alcohol, nobody accuses you of appropriating Buddhism.

 

I luckily have another friend who is into Buddhism and we often talk about things like this but I always find it best to try to find out who a person is before you relate it to them.

 

I feel as if the whole tulpa thing can manifest in any religion.

 

Abrahamic religions have Angels.

 

Eastern Religions have numerous Gods and Deities.

 

Forcing can be considered a form of creative prayer.

 

Just keep in mind that you don't always let people know what's going on in your mind. No one is guaranteed to approve of your imagination. Surely you've had thoughts that you could never let some one know about correct? Well, a tulpa is kind of a large, self perpetuating thought. Be careful who you share it with.

 

That's a good point. If you wanted, you could put the concept of tulpa into any religion, but still, people of most religions will balk at the idea because it's alien to their experience.

[Linkzelda]

Only told about tulpa to one person, but she was an open-minded friend that I shared all sorts of philosophic discussions with. I don't intend to tell anyone, but like people have stated before, they will contemplate on why you would bring up the subject to them. My parents are pretty open-minded to me lucid dreaming, but discussing about tulpa, no matter how many contingency plans I could formulate to defend myself in case they worry that I have tulpas, I'm not going to risk facing ostracism.

 

I'm perfectly fine with validating my tulpas existence through them and myself, not through others. It's just one of those things that even if the tulpa phenomenon gets recognized and is more tolerable to where we aren't secluded to smaller social groups like this site, reddit, and such, wanting social acceptance for this isn't as enticing as one may think it is. Sometimes how one presents it in a casual way and the whole "here's what would happen if one where to do this" format, it may soften up people wanting to be critical and skeptical towards it, but again, gauging people's reactions isn't as black and white as it seems.

[Thunderfrost]

Thanks for replying, everyone. :3

 

That PR was actually one of the saddest things I've ever read. ;_; Very relevant though, thanks. I think it was helpful.

 

Right now my boyfriend knows about Callista. They get along very well. He's actually the one who told me about tulpas in the first place. He's planning on making one, too, once he has the time to put full effort into the project. Callista is hopeful she can get to know my other friends, too.

 

That said, though, I'm definitely going to be careful. I mentioned it to one friend once who clearly tried to take it well in Callista's early stages. I think that friend forgot about it since then and I don't plan on mentioning it again to her.

 

All of that's the reason I joined here though. It's nice to know there's a group of people that gets it~ n_n

[Silrain the Everlurking]

That PR made me very upset, Not just sad, but angry and a bunch of other negative emotions, but mainly anger, but that's pretty much a good lesson on why to be careful who you tell if anyone.

 

Of the people I've told, one of them is a host himself and is the one who introduced me to this site. The other is very open minded, and probably already forgot I told her with the bunch of things going on in her life (Not bad things, just very busy)

[Lunaclipse]

I have told a few people I regret telling. Not for the possible of laugh or scorn from them, but because I barely know them. I met them both very recently, and I would rather keep the whole concept of tulpamancy to myself. Telling them about Tay's existence was something that should not have been done, even if I did it to test how understanding they were, because my own judgemental skills were not enough to determine their level of understanding.

 

I may simply say that I have given up on the idea of tulpamancy to them, and only keep it within the tulpa.info community and another who are very close to their own tulpa. I shall still force, visualise and narrate, except I shall keep all of this to myself and others who know about tulpa.

 

I was upset and angry at that PR. Honestly, I could barely bring myself to read the end part. I don't want to go back to that again, and I don't want that to happen for Tay and I.

[Horatio]

I haven't told anyone, and I don't plan to.

 

Heck, both my parents are therapists, one is paid for it. That's his job... :P

 

I have a feeling neither would be happy to know I have what sounds like an imaginary friend stuck inside my head that I pretend exists in the real world, especially with all the visual imposition.

 

Besides, my tulpa isn't even properly formed yet. She seems to have a basic way of answering yes/no questions, by bringing a smiley face to my mind, or a sad face. I've got a long way to go... xD