Tulpas vs spirits and their differences (if any)

[GrillNinja]

Heya guys! How goes it? So here's the question:

 

How does one tell the difference between a spirit and a tulpa?

 

I have been meditating, and a point of reference for my consciousness that gives me practical advice when I do is a Raven. I believe in totem animals and spirits like that, I consider it a reflection of myself that is connected to the "bigger picture" of life yet can speak to me in terms I follow.

 

Now, sometimes my meditation seems to be idle, where it feels like I am probably making stuff up. Then there are other times where it seems to have its own momentum and it shows me things I would not have expected.

 

So I also ask:

 

Is there any meaningful difference between a spirit and a tulpa?

 

I have my own ideas about this stuff, but I am curious what other people's answers are.

[Nobillis]

In our case, being of the christian faith, we have a particular prayer to "test the metal" of a supposed tulpa, to be sure it is a tulpa. Our method is built on our faith. I'm sure others will understand this in terms of symbolism and focusing the mind. Where you "stand" affects your perception.

 

As far as totem animals go, I'm of the opinion that's just a representation of your own spirit reflected back through the unconscious.

 

And then the difficult one - guardian angels. Say if you were a guardian angel, would you necessarily know? In certain texts the answer is "yes there is no choice", but in others there's no clear cut thing. Why this bothers me is more then once someone has told me "you're just like an angel" and I've been very surprised by those opinions. Possibly, what's come down to us, as the tales of angels, where sometimes devout tulpas? The New Your Times article seems to say so. Anyways, I'm not going to take myself too seriously. After all, I may glow at night to Kevin's perception ("sunny disposition") but I don't have wings yet.

[Guest Ami]

I know this doesn't answer much, but my tulpa feels like she is "of me", and the spirits do not. I can feel the process of the tulpa, but not of a spirit.

 

To put it in the terminology that I have heard around here, I can feel the input processes of the tulpa as well as the output, but only the external processes of the spirits. They have a feel about them, a sense. My tulpa, feels like part of me, but with some of her own essence, so to speak.

[NariusV]

My tulpa shares such a strong personal bond that seems more invested in the day to day aspects of my life. Spirits I have dealt with seem to be much more focused with a smaller area of interest or concern that may intersect with mine only in a specific way, or upon a limited subject matter. For example dream teachers or others that might give insight or help solve a particular problem and then I never see them again, whereas the tulpa continues to remain, and grow with me. This difference probably has more to do with my ability to perceive or understand tulpa and spirits, rather than definitions or limitations they have.

[Grimjoww]

I'm someone who has a pretty big family of spirit guides, let's see if I can offer some clarity.

 

In the case of my spirits, I did not 'force' or 'manifest' them, they simply came to me. You don't make up their likes and dislikes, you don't create and affect a world for them and you don't decide their appearance (though the more diffident spirits will often change their features to be more pleasant for you). They're also in your life for specific reasons and as such will often come and go, depending on your actions and circumstances.

I do not currently have any tulpas but have sort of created some thoughtforms unintentionally and am thinking of creating a full-blown tulpa so I can only speak from one perspective, but I hope that helps you a little.

[Zarpaulus]

I've used the MP3 track included in Steven D. Farmer's "Power Animals" to enter a guided meditation and get a couple spirit animals (fox and deer), however I was just skeptical enough to think that the whole thing was a product of my mind. I actually asked fox about it, naturally she wouldn't give me a straight answer. I haven't seen them outside of those meditations, but I strongly suspect the "spirit world" I entered was what this community calls a Wonderland, and the animals may have been minor thoughtforms.

 

Maybe I could try developing one of them into my first tulpa.