Therianthropy - a Guide in Four Parts

What does hold most therians in common with one another is their ability to shift - to change into a state other than the normal, everyday. Shifting instead takes many forms, all of which can happen singly, or in combination with others. Some therians don't consider themselves to shift at all, but instead ARE that animal inside a human body, all the time.
Everyone can "shift". When you get into any sort of altered state, which humans do on a regular basis, through practice, adrenaline, drugs, etc., you have shifted away from your normal baseline state of mind, and are capable of doing things you might not normally. When you meditate, you shift - this is how people can learn "shapeshifting" without being a therian. When you are practicing martial arts that require focus, you shift. Air Force pilots shift. People in emergency situations shift. I don't recommend using drugs to acheive your altered states - there's a lot of complications come with that, and it can be dangerous.
The difference between these shifts, and the way a therian shifts, is that a therian's shifts are innate. They just...happen. They don't learn to trigger the change or cause it - they simply slide into their animal-self, at times. That doesn't mean, of course, therians can't learn to shift when they want - some indeed do practice, and gain some measure of control over it. But most don't. And some therians don't shift at all.
Shifting is an instinct rising to the surface, a spiritual experience, a set of sensations and reactions unlike our normal human reactions. It is percieving and experiencing the world in a different framework. We shift ourselves from the norm. We change, and so too do our reference points and symbology and needs and desires.
Being therian is like being on a sliding scale - you're never 100% human, or 100% animal-self. Most of us spend time being a mix of the two, and those values slide one way or the other, depending on the day, or the situation. I'd say, as a rough guestimate, I usually hang at about 70% human, and 30% animal, most of the time. It'll obviously be different for someone else.

I don't like the "terminology". I realize it's something that comforts the newbie (and some more experienced folks), given that it's usually a common point of reference. But I feel that, at best, it's pseudoscientific claptrap that really takes away from what shifting really is. These terms seem to have a love-hate thing: either you love 'em, or hate 'em.
So...that being said, obviously not everyone (including me) will use the following terms to describe their shifts. In the end, I guess, it doesn't matter what term you use to describe yourself and how your animal shows its colours. I'm only using them here for clarity.

Type of Shift Description

Astral Shifting This happens when a therian is projected astrally; they may shift into their animal-side without hindrance or complication, and many remeber vividly these projections as they hunt and run and live in their animal skins. Some therians are able to project and shift this way naturally, with some practice, and others must learn to project first, and then learn the skills of shifting in the astral.

Aura Shifting This happens when the aura around an individual shifts to the shape of your animal-side. Animals and people around you who are sensitive to auras and energies may notice there's something happening around you, and may even see you as the aura. Animals will certainly act as if you've shifted physically into that form, and react accordingly. It's an uncommon type of shift..

Dream Shifting This occurs when a therian is dreaming; like an astral shift, some weres have the innate ability to dreamwalk, or project themselves into the Dreamlands where they may control and affect their and others' dreams. Again, shifting between forms here is easy, but for those not innate with the skill it is again something that must be learned. Most therians, whether they dreamshift or not, will have dreams where they are in their animal form.

Mental Shifting This happens when the mind, or thought patterns, or whatever you'd call it, shifts to an animal state, and not human; you begin to react with an animal's instinct and behaviors. Sometimes this can lead to some interesting consequences if you're in public. This is the most common form of shifting, and it happens outside the therian community often.

Physical Shifting This happens when a therian begins to physically change forms between their human and animal forms. Some claim to have pushed it to its ultimate end, a totally animal form. NO form of physical shifting has any documented scientific proof that it exists, and it really does defy many physiological. factors, as well as being against the laws of physics. What does sometimes happen is people percieve that there are physical changes; eye color or shape, nails into claws, elongated eyeteeth, etc. What is likely happening is that the spirit plane is strongly overlapping the physical plane. If you have ever had any strong spiritual experiences, you'll know that that can sometimes that can feel very real, as if it is happening in the physical plane. But it's not.

Spirit Shifting This happens when the soul of a shifter takes on the the form or attributes of the animal-side; often this happens in conjunction with the aura shift, but not always. People who spirit shift sometimes are told they seem more powerful, beautiful, majestic, or wise; they are imbued with the traits of their animal-side. But it also goes both ways; sometimes they will seem innately bored, easily distracted, twitchy, dangerous, or unapproachable if the shift isn't focused or the person is otherwise distracted. Many shamanic and pagan shapeshifting exercises work to this end, in conjunction with mental shifting.

Next Section:
And Another Thing...

Type of Shift	Description
Astral Shifting	This happens when a therian is projected astrally; they may shift into their animal-side without hindrance or complication, and many remeber vividly these projections as they hunt and run and live in their animal skins. Some therians are able to project and shift this way naturally, with some practice, and others must learn to project first, and then learn the skills of shifting in the astral.
Aura Shifting	This happens when the aura around an individual shifts to the shape of your animal-side. Animals and people around you who are sensitive to auras and energies may notice there's something happening around you, and may even see you as the aura. Animals will certainly act as if you've shifted physically into that form, and react accordingly. It's an uncommon type of shift..
Dream Shifting	This occurs when a therian is dreaming; like an astral shift, some weres have the innate ability to dreamwalk, or project themselves into the Dreamlands where they may control and affect their and others' dreams. Again, shifting between forms here is easy, but for those not innate with the skill it is again something that must be learned. Most therians, whether they dreamshift or not, will have dreams where they are in their animal form.
Mental Shifting	This happens when the mind, or thought patterns, or whatever you'd call it, shifts to an animal state, and not human; you begin to react with an animal's instinct and behaviors. Sometimes this can lead to some interesting consequences if you're in public. This is the most common form of shifting, and it happens outside the therian community often.
Physical Shifting	This happens when a therian begins to physically change forms between their human and animal forms. Some claim to have pushed it to its ultimate end, a totally animal form. NO form of physical shifting has any documented scientific proof that it exists, and it really does defy many physiological. factors, as well as being against the laws of physics. What does sometimes happen is people percieve that there are physical changes; eye color or shape, nails into claws, elongated eyeteeth, etc. What is likely happening is that the spirit plane is strongly overlapping the physical plane. If you have ever had any strong spiritual experiences, you'll know that that can sometimes that can feel very real, as if it is happening in the physical plane. But it's not.
Spirit Shifting	This happens when the soul of a shifter takes on the the form or attributes of the animal-side; often this happens in conjunction with the aura shift, but not always. People who spirit shift sometimes are told they seem more powerful, beautiful, majestic, or wise; they are imbued with the traits of their animal-side. But it also goes both ways; sometimes they will seem innately bored, easily distracted, twitchy, dangerous, or unapproachable if the shift isn't focused or the person is otherwise distracted. Many shamanic and pagan shapeshifting exercises work to this end, in conjunction with mental shifting.