Why are people always referring to True-Forms around here?

A person's True-Form is the energetic manifestation of their nonhuman body, which is usually experienced similarly to an aura field around the body.

Some people have the talent to see or sense True-Forms, and some people can kinesthetically feel only their own. This is considered a mixed blessing, because it's not always comfortable. Sometimes having these phantom body parts is fun or interesting, sometimes they get in the way. For example, people are referring to their True-Form when they complain that their wings are bothering them.

"True-Form" was coined some years ago and is a poor term for what it means, but it has stuck in the community. Another term that has cropped up is "Dire-Form". Similar concepts of phantom limbs and subtle bodies are also out there and need to be explored for similarities and differences with "True-Form".

Synonyms and subtleties:

• Animal side. Term used among Therianthropes. Difference: not a suitable term for a sapient or civilized true form.
• Dire-Form. Term seems to have originated in roleplaying games.
• Fursona. Term used among Furries; contraction of "furry persona." Difference: tends to lack spiritual connotations, instead usually referring to a role-playing persona.
• Phenotype. Term used among Therianthropes and Furries. Difference: refers to a whole species rather than an individual of that species. (For example, the difference between "dragon" and "a middle-aged dragoness with thoughtful gold eyes.") Term not to be mistaken for its wholly different definition in biology, for which reason some members of the therianthrope community wishes this term to be phased out in favor of some other term.
• Therioside. Term used among Therianthropes; means "animal side." Difference: probably not a suitable term for a sapient or civilized true form.
• Theriotype. Term used among Therianthropes; means "animal type." Difference: probably not a suitable term for a sapient or civilized true form.
• Totem. Term used among shaman and animal totemists. Difference: Usually refers to a whole species, or a representative of that species (such as Coyote.) Also, this term tends to indicate that the creature is a seperate entity from the person's self. More like a guardian spirit.
• True form. Term used among Otherkin.
• True self. Term used among...?
• Wereshape. Term used among Therianthropes; derived from "were-" as in "werewolf."
• Wereside. Term used among Therianthropes; derived from "were-" as in "werewolf."