Dæmons on the brain

Analytic is, without a doubt, the least intuitive of the form-finding systems – it requires a bit of knowledge and study to really understand how it works. That's because the analytic system is entirely unique! It's unintuitive because it's just genuinely doesn't resemble any other approach to "animal personification" you're likely to find.

The Basics

Analytic works by interpreting animal behaviours as human personality traits.

So: analytic represents a specific thing about a person (their personality traits) and it draws this meaning from a specific place (animal behaviour). It doesn't use conventional symbolism at all, unlike the other two systems.

Analytic can be hard to learn, but it's very rewarding! That said, it isn't a good fit for everyone and that's okay. The kind of introspection on your own behavioural patterns which analytic form-finding calls for can be a real challenge, because it's not a way we're usually taught to look at ourselves.

Interpreting animals in an analytic way is also a pretty specialised skill, though it's one you can learn!

How It Works

Analytic interpretation, at its heart, builds on a speculative idea of "why" animals might act in certain ways. Even though literal animal behaviours rarely apply to human personality, their underlying motives can! This concept can be built on, through interpretation – so that, from a deep look into an animal's behaviours, you can piece together an idea of what sort of person that animal might align with.

It's not a science, even though we draw from scientific research a lot on the animal behaviour side. The interpretation of the behaviour is more personal and artful – not everyone would interpret the same animal the same way. This means not everyone with the same analytic form would necessarily relate to that animal in the same way, because each might interpret its behaviours differently. This isn't a flaw in the system; it's actually a big part of what makes it work!

An Example

I've written a quick example of how I interpret behaviour, to try and get the idea across a bit better. For this I've chosen (at random) the snow leopard, Panthera uncia.

Snow leopards are solitary animals which are primarily active in the early morning and early evening. Like many large carnivores, they spend a lot of time resting; for this, snow leopards often choose high cliffs and ridges, which provide good visibility and shelter from the wind. Though solitary, they scent mark their home ranges and travel routes – communicating to others their presence and identity. They don't defend a territory, so their ranges often overlap with others, but they avoid making direct contact except for reproduction. (Source: Wikipedia)

Being solitary as they are, I think a snow leopard would represent someone who's quite comfortable in their own company, and on the flip side, probably isn't a big fan of intense social situations. Snow leopards do keep tabs on their neighbours though, which is the purpose of the scent marks – so I think they wouldn't be entirely reclusive, but might need a lot of down time after socialising, to rest and process.

I think they'd prefer to keep socialisation low-key; maybe they're the sort of person who'd rather quiet companionship over active discussion or playful banter. They seem like they'd value keeping tabs on what's happening around them, even if they're not always going to directly engage.

Between the scent marking and the animal's preference for resting in places with good visibility, I think they'd be quite attentive to their surroundings – the sort of person who'd pick up on the little things and find them important enough to remember. So maybe they wouldn't be eager to go to someone's birthday party, but they might be the kind of person to remember a specific thing their friend wants and surprise them with it on the day. They'd probably appreciate friends who can respect their need for space, calm, and privacy.

Where To Learn More

So, say you're one of the specific few people who finds this idea very cool (it's niche for a reason!): you might be wondering where to go next, to learn more or even get involved.

The best way to really get an understanding of what the analytic system does is to read analyses. This is where I suggest anyone start, because it can give you an idea of whether the concept really appeals to you before you put in any work to learn it!

My most recent full analysis was of the sika deer. Full analyses like this include the reasoning behind each interpretation, so you can get an idea of where the trait came from, or the reason for interpreting the behaviour that way. The Daemon Forum houses a huge repository of analytic interpretations which anyone can look through, either by using the index or just browsing! This index includes long-form interpretations (called analyses), as well as mid-sized studies and short vibes.

If you wanted to try your hand at finding an analytic form, or were interested in learning to interpret, your best next step would be to join the community. Analytic is a collaborative creation, and can be pretty hard to learn on your own. You can get into analytic even if you don't have a daemon, or have interest in any other aspects of daemonism practice. Given that it's a subcommunity of an already pretty niche group, it's a pretty small bunch of us who work with this system and we're always happy to have new folks get involved!

There's also an array of analytic resources on TDF that can't be accessed without an activated forum account, including my main analytic guide which digs into the concept in more detail. The discord server has a channel for it too! (I hang around there a lot and I love talking about analytic). :D

Last Thoughts

Because of the way analytic works – and its complete disregard for conventional symbolism – you can end up with some really unique, unexpected results. That's part of the fun of it!

However, it's not gonna appeal to everyone and I think you do have to approach it with a bit of an open mind. Usually, your fitting analytic form isn't going to be an animal you already love. Sometimes it won't even be an animal you've heard of (and it may well even be an animal you dislike).

Finding an analytic form can also be a pretty long process, though it varies. It took me years! So, in a sense, it's not just a thing you do – it's an entire journey, likely with highs and lows and unexpected turns along the way (and even when you think you've reached the end, you might just experience something which changes how you see yourself enough that you're right back at it again)!

So, in short, analytic isn't always going to be the right approach for everyone and that's okay. If you read this and feel nothing but a dawning horror: don't worry, you don't have to do any of this! Only if you think it sound interesting, cool, or fun. (Some of us do find this fun. This has been a major hobby of mine since I was a teenager. Yes, I am weird).

If you're looking for something which you can connect with more intuitively – something which matches your overall vibe, or which other people would understand a bit easier – then the pullman or symbolic systems would likely have more appeal. I'll be making separate posts about those later!

What is dæmonism?

There are two different aspects of the practice of dæmonism. A person could choose to participate in both, or only one or the other.

One aspect involves finding, or creating, a dæmon, and learning to communicate with them. Then, bonding with them, getting to know them, and letting them be part of your daily life in whatever ways appeal to you.

The other aspect is form-finding, which involves finding dæmon forms which represent you in some way. These forms are often animals, and may align with a form-finding system or be wholly personal.

Overall, dæmonism is… somewhere between an introspective practice encouraging self-awareness and acceptance, and a fun, often silly hobby where you talk to yourself and get too invested in figuring out “which animal are you?”

What is a dæmon?

A dæmon is a kind of non-physical, mental companion. Dæmons have a very deep, close connection with their dæmian – their person. Beyond that, dæmons are almost infinitely diverse, and their natures are individual and personal.

Some dæmons are intentionally-created thoughtforms. Some are natural aspects of a person’s mindscape – a part of their thought processes or mental chatter, given a name and form. Some are spiritual companions or guides. But dæmons are not at all limited to these options; they are as diverse as the mind itself.

Many dæmons take animal forms, but that’s optional. The most defining part of a dæmon is their connection and bond with their person.

Can anyone have a dæmon?

Hypothetically: yes!

Some people have dæmons “from the start”. Either they have a mental companion who already fills the dæmon role, or they search for their dæmon and find one pops up of their own accord.

Others have to work to find or create their dæmon. How easy it is seems to simply depend on how a person’s mind works. For some people, the amount of effort involved in creating, or locating their dæmon might mean it doesn’t feel like a worthwhile use of their time – that’s valid! We’re all different, after all.

In my experience, however, that is very rare. Most people can indeed have a dæmon!

How do I find my dæmon?

There’s a lot of different approaches to finding your dæmon, and no “one size fits all” trick to it.

For someone just starting out – the first thing I’d suggest, though it will definitely feel a bit silly, is just to ask in your thoughts if there is a dæmon there. “Listen” for thoughts that feel like they reply, or contrast with your own.

… You’d be surprised how often that works.

There’s plenty of more involved methods to try if your dæmon isn’t quite so eager to make themself known! The community can give advice on this, and direct you to more thorough resources.

Can I have more than one dæmon?

Traditionally it has sometimes been said that one person can only have one dæmon. TDF’s community nowadays doesn’t hold to this – instead, the approach is that people can have as many dæmons as feels right for them.

A lower number of dæmons is most common; one or two is roughly “the norm”. But that is not a limit, and it’s not wrong to have many daemons.

Sometimes people have “temporary dæmons” that help with specific situations. Sometimes dæmons can come and go, or change fluidly over time.

There’s no “correct” number of dæmons. It’s purely what works best for you, and what feels most natural to your mind!

Can my dæmon be a (human / character / object / etc.)?

Yes!

Dæmons conventionally take animal forms. This is in large part because of the community’s roots in the fan community of His Dark Materials, which is also where a lot of our terminology (including the word dæmon) originates!

In His Dark Materials, human characters have dæmons, which are physical embodiments of their souls in animal form. The animal form of a dæmon represents the nature of their human.

Many people find their way to dæmonism via His Dark Materials, and many more of us are simply animal nerds. As such, animal forms are common for dæmons in the community – but it’s not a “rule” you need to follow! If you or your dæmon don’t like animal forms, that is not a problem at all.

A person with a human dæmon, or a dæmon that takes the form of inanimate objects, or a dæmon in the form of a fictional character, are all welcome in the community (and indeed we’ve seen all of those and more throughout our time here)!

Is this presence in my mind a dæmon?

Only you (and your mind companion) can answer that one, I’m afraid! Figuring it out might take time, but learning about dæmons can help for comparison.

The term dæmon is very inclusive, and all sorts of “brain buddies” use the label. Sometimes, the question of whether a mind presence is a dæmon or not purely comes down to – do you want them to be? Do they want to be? If yes on both counts: you have your answer!

What’s the difference between a dæmon and a tulpa?

The communities of dæmonism and tulpamancy arose separately, and remain mostly separate now. There are some overlaps between the two, for sure, but there are differences as well. It would be considered inappropriate to refer to a dæmon as a tulpa, or vice versa.

It's worth noting that dæmonism is not an "offshoot" or "based on" tulpamancy. The first dæmian communities actually predate the first discussions of tulpamancy by about a decade! The similarities between the two are, functionally, coincidental. The dæmian community has always mostly kept to itself, and even its interchange with the alterhuman community (and the separate communities within it, like the therian and otherkin communities) have been relatively minimal.

Perhaps the biggest difference, then, between dæmonism and tulpamancy, is that they are different communities with different cultures and different histories!

On a more practical level, there is one difference which seems to broadly exist between dæmons and tulpas: the intention behind their creation (or, as may be the case for dæmons, their discovery).

Dæmons usually fill the role of a sidekick. They are advisors, supporters, or cheerleaders for their dæmian – taking the role of the supporting character where their dæmian is the protagonist. Dæmons don’t typically have goals or desires separate from their dæmian.

Dæmons are companions first and foremost; they will usually end up as complex and autonomous as best fits that role for their individual dæmian. That means that dæmons can be anything from imaginary friends here for fun or inspiration, to independent individuals with their own identities, traits and opinions. Both can fit equally within the definition of “dæmon”!

Unlike with tulpas, autonomy or independence isn’t much of a goal in itself within dæmonism. The community doesn’t put much focus on trying to separate our dæmons from ourselves. Instead, a dæmian and their dæmon will often, over time, settle into a point of separation and autonomy that feels most comfortable for them. For some this might mean a dæmon is relatively unseparated; for others, their dæmon might come to be a full-fledged headmate in their own right, while also being a dæmon.

The connection between dæmon and dæmian is a core, central pillar of the practice of dæmonism. Generally, trying to encourage everyone to strive for independence and separation (as is conventionally an end goal for tulpas) would run counter to the purpose and nature of dæmonism.

Is dæmonism plural?

Dæmonism can be plural, but – from what I’ve seen – most dæmians don’t consider themselves plural for having dæmon/s. Individuals may have their own reasons to use, or not use, the plural label.

Folks who are part of larger plural or multiple systems can practice dæmonism, and have dæmons, either individually or collectively. Systems may or may not consider their dæmons to be an aspect of their plurality or multiplicity.

The dæmian community is sometimes considered “plural-adjacent”. There are known similarities, but the communities arose separately and have different cultures and histories.

One thing to note is that the practice of listening to your thoughts, and the approach of open-minded self-awareness, can lead some people who practice dæmonism to discover that they are part of a system. That’s probably one reason you’ll find the dæmonism community has many plural and multiple members!

Wait, so it isn't about [demonology / occultism / computer programming / blond Matt Smith / etc.]?