Fantastic Claims vs. Objective Evidence: The Fun of The Vampire Community

• Don’t get me wrong. I love Science Fiction and Fantasy. If I could shapeshift, fly, breathe flames out of my mouth, glamour go-go boys or teleport in an exploding puff of black glitter….believe me, I would just do it. (And as a side-note, I wouldn’t announce it. But, more on that note, later.) However, there are some things that I do not think are presently possible. As a matter of fact, I think it’s distracting for me to spend too much time contemplating particular areas of possibilities, because I have a limited amount of time in my personal schedule.

  There are magickal philosophies, metaphysical theories and other resources of information which claim that we can perform certain metaphysical, paranormal, or magickal acts, with enough practice. Such references might be the fuel that some members of the Community take to believe in those activities that other ridicule and attack them for.

  It probably all depends on the individual’s point of reference–how they relate their internal worlds of belief and imagination to the their personal external world–and how they relate both of those worlds to the GVC. Some members might use the Community mostly as a tool for escapism, a break from the stress and boredom that everyday life might bring to the system. For these members, the GVC is an alternative to the SCA, LARPing or The Ren Faire circuit–a supplement to the real world, some place to let off steam.  They might not be so concerned with the actual activities of psychic vampirism or sanguinism to fulfill personal health needs. It is more that the role playing gives them what they need to de-stress or temporarily divert their attention from everyday life.

     Vampires have our everyday, dayside, “normal” lives. We wake up, get ready for the work or school, interact with family, loved ones and the people on the street. We have very practical matters to attend to–work, bills, children, relatives, romances, customers, bosses, pets, food, drink, our bodies, our emotions, bathroom breaks….all of the same unglamorous things that everyone else in the world has to deal with. The details might differ. The resources might vary….but, we all have our practical matters to take care of. Because of the negative effects of not energetically feeding, sanguine feeding or energetic auto-feeding, we eventually come to the information of the Vampire Community.

  Mixed in with the practical information of the various types of vampirism, we have our exploration of the metaphysical aspects associated with the vampire world. The same difficulties appear in the vampire groups as appear in the pagan, magick, and energy workers groups. Role playing is making any claim of activities beyond the realm of possibility in an actual vampire’s experience. This can also include exaggerations of actual activity, in terms of frequency or any other extent of occurrence or measurement. The problem with role playing is that it affects the database of information that we are adding to–facts and numbers to refer to in the future.

     Psychic Vampires trade information about feeding techniques–techniques and imagery that we find useful to share. Because we deal with the energetic/non-physical levels, we easily venture out into information about other energy systems–the various “spiritual” dimensions, chakras, the energy bodies….energy work, including magick. We glean useful information from energy healing modalities and the various forms of spiritual practices.

  As we gather information about psychic vampirism, we go beyond the purely physical and take note of information about any and all experiences which are beyond the material realm. Psychic Vampires often have events which would fit them easily into the groups of Psychics, Mages, Psionics and Metaphysicians. Practical energy workers are concerned with those techniques which produce results that affect the practicing Psychic Vampire in some very personal or direct way. Psychic Vampires are still human. Because of the time we spend moving energy, our magickal skills, energy worker abilities and psychic sensitivities strengthen….not in inhumanly, outrageous ways. We can be as talented and refined as any well-trained or well-gifted psychic or magician–human and still within the skill range of a magickally/psychically talented human.  As technicians, we want to be aware of how to readily make things happen, now….not fantasize about levels we will probably not be able to reach in this lifetime.

  Within the Witchcraft Community, the more practical Witches deal with magickal theories and principles….but, we still observe and respect natural laws. It is only the achievable results that we acknowledge. This is the realm of grey area and sliding scale, depending on the practitioner and their group. But, for the most part, we have a range of possible magickal feats that we can easily expect, within particular parameters. Some feats are not considered practical from the general community because they are not completed or easily observable by the majority of Witches. Such feats as physical shapeshifting, long range flight, instantaneous manifestation (as opposed to eventual manifestation through a series of events) or spontaneous combustion are generally considered to be out of the norm. Most Witches will assume that anyone that makes claims of such activities that challenge the laws of the physical plane is either delusional or actively role playing.

     It is possible to actively pursue a magickal feat that one has not accomplished, but if such an activity is not physically possible….then, the potential Magician is wasting their time pursuing an impossible feat, when they could be productively spending their time on strengthening their abilities to perform possible feats of magick. Talking about trying to fly on a broomstick will only lead to the rest of the Magickal Community thinking that you are off your rocker and that you only want attention. If one has an overwhelming desire to do the impossible, guard that secret desire and do not tell anyone–invest all of your energy into eventually accomplishing the desired act, instead of trying to gain the attention of others. (As long as no one is harmed and energy is not taken away from any practical area that is required to live a happy, healthy life….then no harm.)

  To have the most productive stay in the Vampire Community, be very aware of your surrounding audience. Observe the parameters of the conversation topics. If there are no outlandish claims defying natural physical laws, then be aware of how any such dialog would be accepted. How will your audience react to what you have to say? Will you get the support that you hope for?  Is there some part of your psyche that is looking for a little conflict or drama?

  To complicate matters, there are those of us who are actual Blood or Energy Feeders, but also role play to some degree. We might make jokes which somehow reference back to the mythology of the Fictional Vampire–we refer to vampires as “bats”; we make jokes about shapeshifting or flying; we claim that we are going to “drain someone dry” or break someone’s skin through biting…. Actual Feeders might not ever do any of the things that we exaggerate or brag about, but these phrases have become part of our common “slang”.  Be aware that sometimes we are only joking, making fun of the myth or fiction…poking a little at ourselves and each other.  Pay attention to context and your interactions will be a lot smoother and productive in the GVC.