How to speak to non-kin

This seemed like an important topic to bring up. What's your strategy, assuming that you talk at all?

After hanging out here for awhile it occurs to me, since we're primarily talking about the spirit or soul, or whatever name you want to call it, that what we're talking about here borders on the realms of spirituality, philosophy or religion. Since people believe in all sorts of crazy things under those headings, then adding otherkin to the list really isn't that far fetched.

So, for me, instead of saying, "I'm an angel." I could say, "I believe that my soul has angellic qualities." I'm using angel instead of celestial because most people don't know the difference. The first declaration will have people looking for something white with long sleeves to put on me. The second one might spark a philosophical debate if I'm lucky, or just make people think I'm full of myself if I'm not.

What do you think?

I am always a fan of taking things in steps. Otherkin is a big step to take, and I'm a firm believer of letting the crazy out a little at a time, rather than throwing my cards on the table and saying "Guess what!"

The first step is reincarnation, talk to them about that, see if they find that palatable. Usually people are pretty accepting of that much.

I then will discuss the possibility that not just Humans are involved, and perhaps sometimes a Human soul doesn't possess a Human body, perhaps the soul of an animal might do that as well. Given a Human brain and raised in a Human environment, they'd really be no different. I'd talk about past life regressions and how little they really effect most people's lives and relate to how an animal would perhaps have some interesting memories, but nothing life changing. This gets on to the idea of Therianthropy.

If they are swallowing this all so far, I might relate then the idea of life off of this planet, or even out of what we consider fantasy books, may exist in the collective unconscious or even be in the collective unconscious because we are aware of them somehow despite their lack of physical presence here on Earth. That perhaps Elves and Fey exist and are part of that same reincarnation cycle.

Then I'll go to the big step, Angels and Demons. This is usually the step that I hardly would ever get to as it's comparing a big religious ideal and claiming to be one. However if I keep it low key enough, where I just have these weird experiences and I theorize that this is possible though I understand it's more likely me just having a weird subconscious obsession with Angels, it usually goes over pretty well.

Well lets see. I tend to figure out if they firstly are openminded to things like energy use. then I ask if they're open to the idea of reincarnation.

then I basically go into this whole twisted interesting logic thing (to me anyway) where I'm like okay, so do you believe in reincarnation or believe its possible? "yes" okay, do you believe in the possibility of life on other planets? "yes" okay. Great.

"Here's my take on it. I figure if there are some sort of spirit/essence, which I believe is true, in everything, then why would it be so hard to believe that when you reincarnate you sometimes go into a different body, and sometimes even a different planet? I believe that reincarnation is for learning, and how better to learn than to try out every civilization?"

I'm working up to this with a guy I know.

First off, the term "norm" is pretty offensive. Non-kin works just fine.

Anyway, since I believe otherkin are a product of reincarnation, this is how I go about it:

I first approach the subject of reincarnation, if that's accepted then I go on to the idea that souls could end up in the wrong body.

Based on how that's taken I either drop the subject or go on to breaching the subject of otherkin.

If that's accepted then I go on to talk about how energetic beings could incarnate like a soul into a body.

If that's accepted I fess up.

The first step, in my opinion ofcourse, would be to give the non-kin or unawakened enough respect to refrain from using derogatory slang words to refer to them. (Norms, hoomans, mundanes, muggles, or anything of that sort is just plain disrespectful.)

Secondly, be a rational, intelligent, and reasonable human being, not only in how you present your beliefs but also towards the person you're speaking with.
Start small (like has been mentioned) with beliefs regarding reincarnation, soul, energy, etcetera. The base, foundation, for your beliefs. For me, this would come out something like this (after leading the conversation towards general spiritual/religious beliefs to start with): "Well, personally, I choose to believe in the concept of reincarnation. From my perspective it just seems natural for the soul to be recycled and re-used just like everything else in nature."
From which you can introduce the concept that it's not neccicarilly bound to one species. Taking the time to mention that this is just how you see it ofcourse.
After all, none of our beliefs can be proven at all anyways.

But more importantly than Anything else...
Be ready and willing to answer questions!
If you are the sort of person who equates being question with being attacked, then you'll have to get over that before you can present your beliefs in an reasonable, intelligent and rational manner. Our beliefs are not all that "out there" but they are uncommon and as such they Will be questioned!

Ok, I changed the offensive title.

Dang you're fast on the draw Freetha!

Anyway, I'm sick of debating words. So there. Change the subject on your own post if you want.

...and how is it that 'unawakened' is not derogatory?

Oops, my bad, I'm getting drawn in anyway.

Fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@$^*&*^&*&^(%$*

Because "unawakened" isn't necessarily true...and calling non kin names that just sound derogatory is well...derogatory.

There, changed the title again, for the sole purpose of getting on with some conversation.

Personally, I don't discuss Otherkin-related topics offline, excepting 'kin gatherings and hardly ever discuss them outside of Otherkin boards, livejournal and the like.

Hmm. I think the funniest thing for me so far has been, out of all the people I've told that I was Otherkin, the worst reactions I've gotten are from people who say they're "spiritually awakened" themselves.

Yep, any of my friends who don't focus on spirituality so much just ask what I mean, and are generally accepting.
I've got one chick, for instance, who said she was looking into aura-reading because she saw mine and she said it looked a lot "different" than other peoples'.

The ones who call BSI are the ones who claim to practice magick or go to church or etc, etc.
A lot of "spiritually aware" people are the ones who will go "Otherkin is a load of crap."

Mind you, this isn't me saying what I am; this is me bringing up the subject of Otherkin, period.

But yea, telling "non-kin" who couldn't tell the difference between dogma and doctrine, really isn't that difficult.

Many times I've ended up explaining myself merely because I'll end up saying something like, "I don't believe I have a soul," or something similar.
Note this doesn't happen as much as me reading into my context thinks it sounds like.