Shifting

Mental	Mental Shifting is possibly one of the most recognised types of shift next to Dream Shifting. Mental shift is when the person in question assumes the mentality of their phenotype (animal). People under this kind of shift are rarely violent unless provoked- in fact, the person is probably more vulnerable than at any other time.. The shifted person experiences animal like thoughts and feelings, acting more on instinct that anything else. Human thought is momentarily forgotten. The shift can either be deep or light: light shifts leave the person leaving slightly uncomfortable and panicky, or with the urge to get outside and let them selves be. Speech may become difficult as may everyday tasks. Deep shifts leave the person in question with a totally animal mentality. They will forget everyday human thoughts and worries, and usually experience a sort of peacefulness and happiness that is connected with the animal.
Dream	Dream shifting is possibly the most common type of shift- yet not all therians have experiences of them. This is often attributed to the fact that not everyone remembers every single dream, and even if the shift was experienced, there is no guarantee that it was remembered. Also, this 'shift' is also common among non-therians, and some believe it not to be a shift at all. A dream shift is when the person dreams that they are their animal, or they become their animal during the dream. Newly awakened therians sometimes experiences dreams where their phenotype is chasing them, sometimes managing to eat them. Yet when this happens most report a strange feeling of inner peace and being at one with that animal. This occurrence has been attributed to the fact that the animal side is trying to get closer to the more human self.
Astral	Much like Dream Shifting, the only difference being that the shift is experienced on the Astral Plains, during Astral Projection. Some find that they have to shift their astral selves to the animal, or that it happens only at certain times, while others find that the shift is permanent when entering astral realities. This shift is also more memorable than a Dream Shift, because one is usually conscious, or becomes conscious of being on an Astral plain during the shift. Not to be confused with Spiritual Shift and Spirit travel.
Spiritual	Spiritual shifting is the less known about shift, as well as one that is wildly different for each individual that may experience it. The general description for such a shift is, is a period of meditation or trance where the persons spirituality shifts to that of the animal. More often it goes further than that, and many claim that during this shift they find them selves sensing and seeing places where their shifted spirit is currently. These are often known at the Spirit Realms, something similar to the Astral Plains, yet on a different axis of perception.

Bi-location	The phenomena of Bi-location is said to occur when a person either willingly or subconsciously projects a visible image of them selves, another person, an object or an animal to any place they may wish (or the subconscious projects it to). It is said possible with therians that they may willingly or subconsciously project an image of their phenotype anywhere outside their body. This shift has been attributed as the reason for physically shape shifted werecreature sightings. It is also thought possible to be able to have the image over lapping one physical body, to give the appearance that that person has indeed shape shifted. The projected image is believed by some to be the etheric/astral body manifesting its self on the physical reality.
Shadow	Thought to be closely connected to Bi-Location and Phantom shifting, Shadow Shifting is when the person produces a ghostly image of their phenotype around them selves. It is called Shadow Shift because it is really only visible in poor lighting conditions. The person experiencing the shift may also be able to see this 'shadow' around them selves with the use of a mirror.
Berserker	Not really a recognised type of Shift, yet worth a mention. The Berserkers were famous for their rage and strength they built up with it, which they used to fight. It was said that they tried to achieve some animal like qualities in their fury by donning animal skins before battle. Some therians claim they have experienced a kind of mental shift which was charged with this fury, and they often found them selves bearing extraordinary amounts of strength, and when they shift ended, they found them selves drained and very weak- the same thing that happened to the Berserkers after battle.
Cameo	This can be any kind of shift into an animal which is not the therians recognised phenotype/s. It may well happen more than once, and most likely with different animals- yet the therian recognises what ever animal they had shifted to as not one they connect to. An example would be someone with a wolf phenotype, shifting once or twice into a tiger, yet knowing they have no connection with the tiger.
Personality	Believed to be a form of light mental shift, this is where the person experiences (sometimes at will) a change in personality to a more animal like one, while still retaining human thought.
Aura	Aura shift is when a person changes the shape of their auric field to that of their phenotype, and also changes they way it charged to a more animal like aura. Often done subconsciously, yet some are able to trigger this event.
Sense	This shift can be attributed to two different events. Some experience sense shifts by suddenly being aware that they are able to see and feel the world around them through the eyes of a certain animal (and sometimes people). Others experience a heightening or change of their senses, such as better/poorer eyesight, stronger sense of smell ect.
Lucid Dreaming	Lucid Dream Shifting is very much the same as normal Dream Shifting, only that it is experienced within a Lucid Dream.
Phantom	Said to be rather like Phantom Limb Syndrome experienced by people who have had arms or legs amputated, yet sometimes still feel the limb itching or hurting. Phantom Shifting is an occurrence when the person feels tails, ears our fur, and are able to move these phantom limbs, despite the fact that there is nothing there. Some are able to trigger this.

Contherianthropy	Some therians find that they are in constant state of a mental semi-shift. This is known as Contherianthropy. Some believe that contherianthropes cannot experience any shift, and that their Mental Shift never deepens. Other believe that contherianthropes can experience other types of shift, and find that sometimes their mental state deepens to a full Mental Shift
Poly-shifter	There are some therians that claim the have no specific phenotype, and that they could shift to any animal should the occasion arise. Often though, they have 'favourite' animals which they shift to most often. Sometimes referred to as Shape-shifters.
Poly-were	A Poly-were is a therian with more than one phenotype. The most common number of phenotype is two or three. Not to be confused with Poly-shifter, as Poly-weres have set phenotypes.
Antherions	A little known subject, but some believe that humans are not the only creatures to experience therianthropy. This could mean that certain animals could experience shifts to other animals or even humans.