Vampire lifestyle

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The vampire lifestyle (or vampyre subculture) is an alternative lifestyle, based on the modern perception of vampires in popular fiction. It has been noted that the Vampire subculture has stemmed largely from the Goth subculture,^[1] but also incorporates some elements of the S/M subculture.^[2]

Active vampirism within the vampire subculture includes both blood consumption, which is commonly referred to as Sanguinarian Vampirism, and Psychic Vampirism, through which the practitioners believe that they are drawing spiritual nourishment from auric or pranic energy.

Members of the subculture take on a variety of 'roles', including both "vampires" and donors, their sources of blood or pranic energy.^[3]

Contents 1 Sanguinarians 2 Psychic vampires 3 Donors and non-vampiric persons 4 Health risks, methodology & life style practices 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Sanguinarians

A sanguinarian is someone who believes they need to consume blood to maintain their health. Taken from the Latin sanguineus meaning "blood-thirsty, Bloody or reddish in color", a sanguinarian is someone who has an alleged need, or craving for blood. This desire is generally non-erotic in nature.

Contrary to Energy Vampires, who claim to be able to sustain themselves on pranic, auric, or core energy, a sanguinarian claims to need to consume blood. The preferred source is human, with many practitioners claiming that non-human sources are not as satisfying. ^[4]

However, according to the published work by the occultist Order of Aset Ka on real life vampirism, the Asetian Bible book, a real vampire can't really be distinguished between being a sanguinarian or a psychic vampire, because what a vampire truly craves for is for vital energy, known among Asetians as Ka, an Ancient Egyptian concept. By this, it is defended that the form of feeding, whether psychic or by the ingestion of blood, ultimately represents a choice from the vampire in his preferred ways to drain vital energy from a human being.^[5]

It is debated whether or not Sanguinarianism is Renfield's syndrome (also known as clinical vampirism) or another psychological condition all together, as practitioners claim that they need blood other than their own to feel fulfilled. It should be noted that Renfield's is not recognised by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and is thus usually classified as a delusional symptom of Schizophrenia.

Autovampirism (the drinking of one's own blood) is not seen by members of the subculture as providing a sanguinarian with any energy, since the energy is just being recycled back into the system of the sanguinarian. It is frowned upon by many in the community, who see it as a destructive act that provides no benefit. ^[6]

Many sanguinarians believe sanguinarianism is a natural (but poorly documented) medical condition, one they are born with. Sanguinarianism also states that the condition is apparently not hereditary, and in most instances the parents are not sanguinarians themselves. Some believe that they generally manifest symptoms during puberty, sometimes earlier, sometimes later, but each case is unique.^[7] Others believe one has to be 'turned' (physically or spiritually morphed) into a sanguinarian through one of the processes mentioned in modern vampire fiction. Most sanguinarians claim to believe that you cannot 'turn' someone into a sanguinarian.^[8]

[edit] Psychic vampires

Main article: Energy vampire

Dion Fortune wrote of psychic parasitism in relation to vampirism as early as 1930 (considering it a combination of psychic and psychological pathology) in "Psychic Self-Defense".^[9][10] The term "psychic vampire" first gained attention in the 1960s with the publication of Anton LaVey's Satanic Bible. LaVey, who claimed to have coined the term,^[11] used it to mean a spiritually or emotionally weak person who drains vital energy from other people. Adam Parfrey likewise attributed the term to LaVey in an introduction to The Devil's Notebook.
The term is also used by Luis Marques in his work on vampirism and spirituality, entitled the Asetian Bible, where the definition of a psychic vampire goes beyond his ability to drain energy, but is portrayed as a definitive condition of the individual's soul and a secret mark of a connection to a shared past. This polemic view of the energy predator is based on an esoteric tradition known as Asetianism, which relies on predatory spirituality and the extensive use of Ancient Egyptian symbolism, who's teachings are strictly and thoroughly maintained by the occultist Order of Aset Ka.^[12]

The theme of the psychic vampire has been a focus within modern vampire subculture. The way that the subculture has manipulated the image of the psychic vampire has been investigated by researchers such as Mark Benecke^[13] and A. Asbjorn Jon.^[14] Jon has noted that, like the traditional psychic vampires, those of vampire subculture believe that they 'prey upon life-force or 'pranic' energy'.^[15]

Unlike their sanguine counterparts, perceived psychic vampires do not have the need or craving for blood. They claim to work with psychic or psionic energy, manipulating it to their will. There are three main types of energy that they claim to feed from: Auric or Ambient, Core, and Pranic energies.^[16]

[edit] Donors and non-vampiric persons

The vampire community is not made of just those who believe they are vampires. There are many terms to classify others. A more endearing title for these people is 'Swan'. ^[17] The Swans are classified by color, to differentiate what their role is in the vampiric community. The most common term is Black Swan. Black swans encompass most non vampiric people in the community, including friends, relatives, significant others, and donors to vampires. Donors are divided into three colors under the Black umbrella: Crimson, who donate blood; Crystal, who donate psychic or psionic energy; and Amber, who donate in all possible ways.

There is also a term for those who are in the community, or interact with perceived vampires, and either fear or dislike perceived vampires. They are white swans.

A great deal of the community dislikes naming nonvampiric peoples after an animal, as it projects the image that "non vampires" are some how subservient and are merely to be fed upon, while others think it's sweet, and helps to keep the community private. There is a growing trend of people in the Swan/NVP community to wearing black swan themed clothing or jewelry. Some have even gone so far as to get a tattoo.

Once the donor and perceived vampire are ready, they finalize how their relationship will work out. If bloodletting is to happen, there is often a donor-vampire contract drawn and notarized, protecting both members of prosecution from claims of assault or harassment. According to the Donor Bill of Rights, it is the responsibility of both parties to prevent assault, and most vampire-donor relationships have that as their goal.^[18]

[edit] Health risks, methodology & life style practices

For one person to consume another's blood presents a serious hygiene risk to both parties, with a major risk of sepsis from human bites and the possibility of transmission of blood-borne diseases including HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis.^{[19][20] [21]}

There is no general belief in the Sanguinarian community that one ever has a requirement to bite into their donor. Biting is often looked down upon, due to the danger that the action puts the donor in. ^[22] The most common method mentioned involves the use of a sharp, thin, un-serrated, sterilized knife that is used to cut open the skin away from any dangerous points that could result in the (potentially fatal) damaging of parts of the human anatomy. The cut is usually as small as possible and the blood taken is rarely more than a couple of teaspoons worth at most. However blood can also be exacted from the body by the use of syringe, scalpel or medical lancet.

Blood is taken orally from the wound by suckling, it is not usually lapped, as this can promote infection and cause pain to the other party. Most wounds are self inflicted and a perceived vampire would rarely make a wound in a donor as this could be seen as assault if the relationship ever soured. In the case of a Donor/Vampire contract, there are instances where it is written in the contract that the perceived vampire will do the cutting, and that the perceived vampire is absolved of any possibility of being prosecuted for assault of that type.

[edit] See also

• Energy vampire

[edit] References

[edit] External links

COVICA:

• House Eclipse Dictionary: [1]

The Black Veil:

• The Black Veil, 2nd Edition: [2]