Psychic manifestations: Monsters of the Id
One of the most interesting and disturbing aspects of early psychic development is the suppression-manifestation phenomenon or id monsters.
The short version is that the suppressed fears, impulses, urges, and desires of the human psyche are filtered by the subconscious mind into a physical form that can appear in any form the manifester's mind feels is appropriate. Most such manifestations are limited to a few shapes and all of these shapes are determined by the individual's subconscious. They tend to be childish bogeymen or a mutation of an image or character the individual associates with strongly. These forms tend to follow one of three types, fighters, chasers, and inevitables. Fighters are usually based on a monster or hero template and tend to be melee combatants using claws or melee weaponry. Chasers tend to be fast predatory cats, large wolves, or some other powerful and intimidating quadruped. Inevitables are large, powerful, relentless characters combining the melee power of fighter types and the relentless stalking of chasers. Inevitables are rarely of a type, though some recorded types include large amorphous blobs, slasher movie villains, and even a children's television host.
All of these forms are seemingly limited in actual power by their creator. The total power of a manifestation seems to have a proportional limit based upon the strength of the manifester. The more experienced and strong-minded the manifester the more powerful and dangerous the creations. However, such powerful creatures are rare even among id monsters due to the ability of most experienced and strong willed individuals to come to terms with and learn to control the awesome forces of their own minds. Psychic manifestations are usually the results of the confused and terrified psyches of early adolescents who have begun to manifest their new powers and are afraid of the damage and isolation that their powers may cause.
The short version is that the suppressed fears, impulses, urges, and desires of the human psyche are filtered by the subconscious mind into a physical form that can appear in any form the manifester's mind feels is appropriate. Most such manifestations are limited to a few shapes and all of these shapes are determined by the individual's subconscious. They tend to be childish bogeymen or a mutation of an image or character the individual associates with strongly. These forms tend to follow one of three types, fighters, chasers, and inevitables. Fighters are usually based on a monster or hero template and tend to be melee combatants using claws or melee weaponry. Chasers tend to be fast predatory cats, large wolves, or some other powerful and intimidating quadruped. Inevitables are large, powerful, relentless characters combining the melee power of fighter types and the relentless stalking of chasers. Inevitables are rarely of a type, though some recorded types include large amorphous blobs, slasher movie villains, and even a children's television host.
All of these forms are seemingly limited in actual power by their creator. The total power of a manifestation seems to have a proportional limit based upon the strength of the manifester. The more experienced and strong-minded the manifester the more powerful and dangerous the creations. However, such powerful creatures are rare even among id monsters due to the ability of most experienced and strong willed individuals to come to terms with and learn to control the awesome forces of their own minds. Psychic manifestations are usually the results of the confused and terrified psyches of early adolescents who have begun to manifest their new powers and are afraid of the damage and isolation that their powers may cause.
posted by Gunrock - DGH at 3:40 PM
