The “Otherkin Rapture”
The “otherkin rapture” is a concept that appears to have fallen off the face of the universe. I can’t say its a bad thing, but its a bit stunning to me, because many years ago now, it seems like the concept was everywhere. Now as far as google is concerned my own essay is the only trace left of the whole thing. I suppose the original posts pertaining to it were all either behind a friendslock/passworded forum, or were deleted long ago out of embarrassment.
What was the so called “otherkin-rapture”/””””otakukin””” rapture”? It was a concept that appeared in the kin community and was briefly heavily discussed around 2007. The idea was that in some coming revelation/end of the world scenario all the kin on earth would either ‘return to their true home’, or be given their true spiritual body here on earth.
I don’t know who spread the idea of the ‘otherkin rapture’ and I don;t know if they, or anyone else really believed the idea beyond ‘well, that would be nice if it happened.’
Its interesting to remember the whole incident, relatively brief as it was, because I doubt such an idea would take hold now, especially on tumblr, even for a little while, with the shift away from spiritual discussion, and the shift toward the extreme end of ‘polykin hell’.
Included below is the entirety of my 2007 discussion of the ‘Otherkin Rapture’ taken directly from my old website, and unedited. The term “otakukin” appears repeatedly. That term is no longer in use, and appears as a historical usage only.
The Otherkin/Otakukin Rapture/Apocalypse
In one of my last articles I said that I wouldn’t touch the subject of the Otakukin Rapture with a ten foot pole. However, since it’s the topic of the day, I decided to air my dirty laundry on the matter.
The so-called ‘Otherkin Rapture’ is a term I first heard three years ago, on the livejournal community ‘Otherkin’. I’ve heard it many times since then, and lately, its begun to be applied by Otakukin.
As far as I can tell the basic idea is this:
Some time in the future there is going to be some kind of event; a change in the laws of physics of this universe, or more often the spiritual plane merging with this plane, causing all otherkin and otakukin to either be “raptured” back to their universe and form of origin, OR for all otherkin and otakukin to regain their previous forms and magical powers here on earth
The first idea seems to have derived from the fundamentalist Christian idea of Rapture, the time before Jesus returns, when all good Christians are taken up into heaven without actually having to die.
The second idea I have heard in conjunction with the belief that this earth once *was * magical, and that the magic, sealed away, will return at some point. This seems to be derived, or at least share similarities with Larry Niven’s stories The Magic Goes Away and The Magic May Return.
Some signs that are supposed to indicate its imminence are changes in physical forms, regaining old abilities (like if you were a wolf in the last life your sense of smell would suddenly enhance), increase in the effectiveness of magic spells and astral traveling, dreams, signs, portents, cats and dogs living together etcetera.
As far as when its supposed to happen 2012 is what I’ve heard used most often, probably because there’s 2012 prophecy going around already, talking about spiritual shifts and end times. However recently the date 2010 has come up recently, possibly because we otakukin are in impatient lot. Or maybe we’ll get our forms back for two years, and then in 2012 the world will end. I have no clue.
To me it seems like, true or not, the benefits of such an event would vary greatly depending on who you were in your past. For otherkin and otakukin who were immortal before this, with super cool powers and such, it would certainly be a great thing.
But what about those otakukin who have had multiple past lives? Would they be an amalgam of all of them? Be able to shift between them? And where’s the benefit for anyone who was just a normal or relatively normal human being in the past?
What about those of us who share a body (soulbonds and multiples) will we each get our own body at the Otakukin Apocalypse? I have to say that’s a nice thought.
Do I believe in the whole thing? That depends. On the one hand there has been a lot of strange things going on lately, and it would be nice if those of us who are trapped here could go home. Or even just get our old forms back. On the other hand, the whole 2012 mayan calendar thing is pretty arbitrary. I get the feeling that if the otakukin movement had started a few years earlier than it did, we’d all have been saying the same thing about 2000/2001. So, while I can see where people are coming from, and I’m hopeful, I’m really not gonna bet the farm just yet.
http://otakukin.atspace.com/rapture.htm by Felix, circa 2007
