How Did This All Start?

[KenzieK]

Hello all! I'm writing an article for a journalism class about tulpas. I've been trying to search around for how tulpas were "discovered" in the western part of the world.

 

I know that it started on the paranormal board on 4chan a number of years ago, but does anyone know how tulpas came about in those forums? Or how people found out how to create tulpas using the methods we use today and wrote the guides? I assume they also came from 4chan, but I'm not sure.

 

Again, I did some searching and couldn't find any clear answers so if anyone knows anything it'd be really helpful!

 

Also, I'm not mentioning anyone in my article or anything, so don't worry about it!

[PsychoticDoc]

To be honest, you should just not use tulpa as a topic. There are many less controversal topics you can use and all that jazz.

[KenzieK]

i'm known for using controversial topics, so it's not unusual. And in my opinion, people should be more informed about tulpas which is why i chose the topic

[hbenton]

I've only been here since April of this year, and even then have spent most of the time on this forum (and not on IRC or any reddits/subreddits/4chan tulpa threads). That said, I did find a picture Albatross made that may or may not be accurate, but it should give you a head start. I've attached it to this post.

You also might want to shoot Nobillis a private message -- her host has had a tulpa for something like 40+ years, which far predates the internet's western tulpa community.

 

Good luck.

[curiousity]

Tulpas in the west date back farther than internet forums. The original story(or at I believe it's the original) would be the story of Alexandra David-Neel, a woman who studied with monks in the east and learned the art of Tulpa-making. The story goes that even other people could see her Tulpa and could mistake it for another human. But he got out of her control; his features changed, and he became troublesome and willful, so he was destroyed.

 

The part about other people seeing the Tulpa is almost certainly an exaggeration; or the way we make Tulpas today is a watered down version of how it was done then. I can't fathom how that's possible. Also, the changing of the Tulpa and her destroying him sounds like she had a bad reaction to deviation.

[KenzieK]

Thanks everyone! That picture was especially helpful!

[Nobillis]

The early times

 

Early books connect tulpas with "magic" practices.

 

The Wikipedia article references both the 1927 and 1929 books.

 

Even further back there were the works of the Theosophical Society, notably Blavatsky, Helena (1888). The Secret Doctrine which is possibly the first mention in the "West" of the tibetan practices relating to tulpas. There was a later book in 1901 from the same publishers.

 

modern references

 

An interest in eastern philosophy and religion was widely promoted by members of the Beetles in the 1960's and 1970's. This was taken to by many americans (most notably in California), resulting in books on eastern topics (including "self help" books promoting the use of "thought friends" [tulpas] to improve your life). This is where Kevin learned (and don't ask him about the books, it is a sore point now).

 

The rest you know from Albatros' timeline.

 

Also, read Shui's post.

 

Tulpas in the west seem to have a resurgence, cyclically, about every 20-40 years; coinciding with the publishing of books about thought forms.

[Hound]

people should be more informed about tulpas which is why i chose the topic

 

^ THIS.

 

Also I'd be interested in being able to read your paper. Would you post a copy on here once it is finished?

[jean-luc]

I'd also be interested in reading it.

[Yori]

Hmm, I don't see any particular reason why they should be more informed of them. I think atm, any "strange" behavior with people would likely be something else rather than a tulpa anyway. More people with legit issues than with tulpas, if that's what you meant, awareness to keep people out of wards.