#guide review

The guide was released in 2016 and uses Gitbook to host the guide. Farcaller, the host of Shinyuu that some of you may know of is the author of the guide, and when clicking on the link to the guide, this is the page we are presented with:

[Rylazide] Wow, that’s bright! I’m glad this place has brightness and theme settings that Ryleigh found:

[Rylazide] Accessibility is neat! Because not everyone can read small text or look at very bright screens! I like this a lot! You can make the text size whatever works best from really tiny to really big!

[Arcanus] The introductory section of this book illustrates that the purpose of the guide is to provide a clear-cut view into Tulpamancy with merely suggestions  of practical exercises. As a warning, the guide states that a large quantity of time must be spent if following the teachings of this guide coinciding with the statement that the guide is “controversial.”

Further below are legal notices and acknowledgements that are not entirely relevant, though the guide is under the  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, meaning this guide is capable of being adapted and shared non-commercially, which I suppose is convenient for the purposes of this review.

It should also be noted that when proceeding onto the other sections, the guide does seem rather late to respond.

[Ryleigh] “READ ME FIRST” is the next section, which most of it is generally along the line of not using archaic language without a definitions section, heavily emphasizing not to blindly follow the guide and see it as law (you get points on that one because we don’t see enough guide authors doing that), and does mention that there are references to Buddhism only as a set of meditation exercises and further emphasizes that you do not need to believe or follow Buddhist religion to use the guide. One thing I do appreciate is how often this section states to, “Apply your best judgment and study the options,” instead of expecting the reader to do exactly what the guide says and expect the same results.

At last paragraph, the guide even states that you can leave notes using the [+] button to give feedback, which is a really nice addition, as the author acknowledges that the guide can and will have its shortcomings and will need feedback.

[Rylazide] Next section! “What is a Tulpa?” is the next section and it first starts with saying why the r/Tulpas subreddit is too complex and wrong! The guide talks about how tulpas aren’t imaginary friends because we’re conscious, but I don’t like the guide calling us its! I’m not an it! I’m a guy! A Rylazide guy! I don’t think tulpas like being called objects when talking about them! I don’t think I’M an object and I’m a tulpa! 

Then it talks about hallucinations! Hallucinations are when you see things that aren’t there, but the guide talks about how hallucinations actually don’t play a role in a tulpa’s development! Imposition’s optional and lots of hosts and tulpas can’t do imposition, so I think that’s true! Oh! And the guide says creating a tulpa for escapism is a big no-no and also says a badness word at the reader if they wanna make a tulpa for bad reasons like that! 

After that, the guide guy then says a tulpa is a personality and still calls us its instead of theys! I don’t think we’re just personalities! Tulpas also have memories and experiences with their traits! Isn’t a personality someone’s traits? I’m more than just traits! The definition for personality in the guide also says what I said: 

Tulpas are more than personalities! So are hosts! That’s a thing that isn’t very okie-dokie with this guide!

Next paragraph talks about why someone would want a tulpa, which the guide talks about how tulpas aren’t meant for solving problems only and that tulpas can want their own lives and goals! Then it talks about how tulpas need guidance when they develop like kids do and how giving tulpas specific memories can help shape their personalities! I don’t understand why we should use memories... I thought that’s what personality forcing was for! 

And last, there’s a quote by a tulpa who says they’re sad about how people abandon their tulpas! I agree! That is sad and I would be sad too if that ever happened to anyone I know! They’re right! Making a tulpa is a big responsibility and shouldn’t be taken lightly at all!

[Ryleigh] The more guides I read, the more I get annoyed at people referring to their tulpas as its. Rylazide goes on about how it’s like equating tulpas with objects, but he didn’t state about how it dehumanizes a tulpa. That’s why we use they pronouns when referring to tulpas as a whole. That alone is a very large flaw in this guide, given how this was written in 2016.

Why am I saying this? Because it’s all throughout these sections.

Anyway, the first paragraph mentions using Vipassana self-observation techniques, explains how consciousness and personality work together to form a person, and it illustrates the guide’s “Universal Law,” which simply is, “Everything is changing,” when talking about tulpas and the entire practice of Tulpamancy. And they’re right: everything not only in Tulpamancy but in real life constantly shifts no matter how small said shift is. This includes people, and I do really appreciate how the guide actually takes time to talk about that.

One paragraph I also do really appreciate is the section about how true understanding comes from experience; it is something that cannot be taught or explained. With Tulpamancy, that is absolutely correct and this is why many state that Tulpamancy is an experience to believe it experience. There is only so much you can learn from guides and other people when it comes to Tulpamancy until you take the plunge. 

Talking about how the “I” in a body forms is the next few blurbs and how consciousness isn’t just the body, but the mind as well. Although, the sentence explaining, “The brain is a fucking escapist,” is very off-putting, and Rylazide already mentioned the author swearing at the reader before, so it does sound unprofessional at times despite the guide trying to sound like a proper book. Then again, the guide’s title is literally “The No Bullshit Tulpa Book.”

How consciousness functions and how the brain wants to remain unconscious as possible is what the next paragraph is about and how the subconscious deals with sensory information usually instead of the typical conscious. Right after that in a small blurb, the author recommends Vipassana for self-awareness techniques, as the blurb states that one must understand themself before creating a tulpa. Though this is certainly helpful to know how the mind functions with responses and thoughts, it’s not a requirement to create a tulpa, therefore goes against the “No Bullshit” title of the guide. Oh, and of course mentioning practices like Vipassana that not many people even know about and not actually explaining properly about with it is. Although, they do leave a link to another site when the word is mentioned, which is somewhat helpful, yet inconvenient when just explaining a practice.

And just in the very next paragraph, the guide goes on about how something defined in Buddhism is “crucial for success,” is definitely off-putting, as the guide clearly stated beforehand that you do not need to follow any organized religion to create a tulpa, which is absolutely true. This is most likely why the guide has that READ ME FIRST part, but why include something that is part of a religion as a crucial part of the success to making a tulpa with your guide? That definitely goes against what the guide author was aiming for.

[Arcanus] “Creating a Tulpa,” as a section entails that a single thought is the nascent form of any tulpa, described as, “Now, some random thought wants to stay in the head.” They form the comparison of the genesis of human life and the genesis of a tulpa as objects of minute significance. A mass of cells or a singular thought, both capable of forming into a being of higher meaning.

Akin to a leaf drifting through a wind storm, the author details how a thought is a brief moment of consciousness, then with all the other leaves that pass through a location on a windy afternoon, they drift past and are never seen again as a new thought is focused on by the mind. Though, it is a complete possibility to step back onto previous thoughts, to find this leaf among all others in the pile and peer at it once more. Being unable to peer at a singular thought once more is something I truly disagree with, as we have been able to revisit specific and seemingly spontaneous thoughts far into the future many a time.

However, the idea of rooting a singular thought as though one is planting a seed is indeed a method that can create a tulpa. Allowing this thought to properly root, to develop, and flourish until it no longer needs nurturing is an accurate depiction of a tulpa’s development. Another thing mentioned within this section’s contents is how a thought’s origins is irrelevant to developing them further though either deliberate creation or accidental formation, which is another thing that is accurate in our opinion to a tulpa’s formation.

A fledgling tulpa requiring intervention by the host to become conscious again is another accuracy; the beginning steps for a thought to develop into something more. 

[Ryleigh] The “Before Starting” section states that the guide will not hold the readers hand and that the reader must experience this themself. However, it does give out a general guideline of “precepts,” also known as things you should not do with your not-sentient tulpa. This includes important things that every guide should include such as, not killing your tulpa, sexual misconduct, actually take the commitment, and don’t isolate your tulpa or fake being them. 

HOWEVER, this statement: “Sex is one of natural body desires that are hard to fight against,” is uh, kinda gross and is also kinda aphobic. This assumes that every Tulpamancer is a sex-driven creep who wants to have sex with their tulpa, which is simply not true. Yes, please do not do that with your tulpa if you’re unsure on whether or not they give consent. That’s definitely important to note, but I wish that comment was not a part of this precept.

Though, they do state to abstain from all drugs/mind-altering substances including legal ones, which I don’t entirely agree with. Reason being is some people use drugs like cannabis and weed for medicinal reasons, meds for people with mental illnesses (durr), and the fact that drugs don’t all have the same affect on every Tulpamancer, so a blanket statement is kinda harmful. Of course, this is NOT me condoning legitimately life-destroying drugs just for Tulpamancy, just that I don’t agree with the blanket statement the author put here.

At least I can appreciate how the author includes this because they do believe that tulpas should have free will and how respect is important to creating a tulpa.

Oh, and the author also mentions that these precepts are from the concept of Buddhism, yet they don’t carry any religious subtext.

[Rylazide] “The Development Stages”! This section starts with saying there are three stages when making a tulpa... at least that’s how this guide structures it! How a tulpa needs to be focused on by the host be awake in the early stage! I agree!

The second stage is where the tulpa can get hobbies and things and the guide says this is a fun time for hosts and their tulpas, even if the host now has less time because their tulpa wants to do stuff too!

Then the guide talks about how it’s important for a tulpa to have real-world experiences and how only doing mindscape stuff is a “dead-end,” but I don’t think that’s fully true! I think a tulpa can still grow if they live in a mindscape, but I also think they should experience real world things to learn too! I think that’s the best of both worlds!

And lastly, the guide says that a fully made tulpa can connect to the senses and experience the world like the host! Then both the host and tulpa can experience things at the same time with different perspectives! I think that’s neat! Though, they don’t mean switching! I think they mean a kind of co-fronting!

Oh.. That was short!

[Ryleigh] It’s taken several sections to actually reach the “Starting the Practice” segment, but here we are. Firstly, the guide states that the reader can choose any thought to start their tulpa while not actually giving any guidelines to personality forcing, which isn’t necessary, so I can see why the author did that, given the point of the guide.

The guide does explain that using the foundation of the ego, wanting and aversion is what can be used along with meditative practices to create a tulpa, essentially a tulpa’s likes and dislikes such as basic personality development. Giving a tulpa a form and personality help the tulpa root themselves is another thing the guide explains and how that form and personality will need to be given experiences, which is true.

There is more mention of meditative practices and the author entails what some misconceptions about meditation; there are links to more Vipassana sites and Headspace for resources on meditation instead of actually including some basic meditation exercises, which is again inconvenient.

The next section is seriously more explanation that meditation isn’t always sitting in the lotus pose and burning incense, but still, no mention of any actual methods, just, “Be mindful and learn how to focus without it specifically being about your tulpa,” kind of stuff. Basics of being mindful, how having a focused mind in general is beneficial in Tulpamancy, and literally the only thing that seems truly helpful is the mention of including your tulpa in sharing experiences to let them grow. 

“Points of Focus” entails parts about “proto-tulpas” from fleeting thoughts about others, how the mind discards these proto-tulpas when hopping to a new thought, and how keeping one of these proto-tulpas is the key to creating a full-fledged tulpa. One helpful metaphor from this section is how a tulpa forms like a pearl: how a tulpa develops and grows more complex with each layer added. Another helpful point that a nascent tulpa may not be capable of complex thinking yet and how it is advised to start with more simplistic tasks and activities instead of like, conversations about the meaning of life and so on. Nothing really wrong with this section.

[Arcanus] I already have issues with “Living Through Experiencing” with the incorrect usage of pronouns for tulpas, as has been stated vehemently in this guide so much so, that my host has made a post requesting others to cease the practice of referring to tulpas as “its.” Barring the previous grievance, I see no issues with the introduction to this penultimate section.

Each particular section in this I suppose chapter is labeled with “Chanting” being a brief paragraph giving a method to focus on a “proto-tulpa” by repeatedly chanting their name. Intriguing how the use of chanting as a railway to a tulpa instead of being the destination itself; I see no issue with this advice.

Although the previous paragraph indeed held no flaws, many errors plague the “Visualization” section. Apart from a handful of grammatical errors, the word choice by the author is rather poor. An example of this distasteful word choice is found in this sentence: “ While it might be popular for a male tulpamancer to create a tulpa looking like an attractive female, it must never be the goal of the practice.” “Attractive female” quite simply sounds akin to a cisgender, heterosexual, and heteroromantic male who had forgotten to remind themselves that women dislike being referred to as “females.” Ergo, there is a high lack of manners and respect in that sentence that should have been never been implemented. Might I also mention the assumption that every Tulpamancer has ulterior, lustful motives when creating their tulpa, which quite frankly, is incorrect. However, the end of the sentence is correct in saying that appearance is not and should never be the end goal of the practice.

Personality, a fundamental aspect to many creatures. Developing a tulpa’s personality through experience, teaching them the fears behind one’s own flaws, and teaching them akin to mentoring a child is a comparison I do indeed agree with. This reminds me of my own development, being taught of morality and how to change from malevolence to benevolence. From my personal experiences, I do indeed endorse this method of personality development.

“Talks” or rather narration entails how a bored mind is a dangerous one, how new experiences are highly beneficial for both the tulpa and host. Indeed, my systemmates and I have found it a vexing issues to maintain conversation when we are all aware of the topic or topics at hand and we prefer speaking of new experiences for more constructive conversation. Endorsed.

[Rylazide] And then the last bit! There’s not much guide stuff in the “Conscious Tulpa” section, but I like it because it talks in a tulpa’s perspective and how they formed and became more and more complex! I also like a how the tulpa refers to others tulpas as theys! I also like the end! This was a nice section about what being a tulpa is like!

[Ryleigh] And... that’s it. As our final thoughts, this guide isn’t as good as I remember it being. The gross language, the issue with calling tulpas its (mind you, the guide was last updated a mere six months ago), the inconsistency with calling a tulpa a personality (which tulpas are more than just personalities) or a consciousness, not keeping the promise of there being no bullsh!t, and not including techniques on the practices they recommend, it has a lot of flaws. Though, it still has some upsides like the focus on giving your tulpa experiences to grow from like an actual person, the accessibility options, how it gives a lot of perspective on the nature of thoughts, how it acknowledges that the guide is not law, telling the reader to follow their own judgement, and so on.

As a result, I personally feel mixed about this guide now. I think because of it’s flaws making it look like it’s outdated and NOT in a good way, I think we’re going to remove this guide from our personal recommendations.

It’s certainly not a bad guide, but it could absolutely be improved and updated to fit with modern times more. As a result, “The No-Bullshit Tulpa Book” in fact does have bullsh!t in it. If what we mentioned as positives for this guide help you, then good! But with it’s flaws, I can’t say we would recommend it over the other guides we have in our recommendations section.