With their long, sharp fangs, pale skin and uncanny ability to turn into bats, vampires are some of the most frightening of legendary creatures.
Very little can be done to stop a pursuing vampire.
“I’ve always thought that vampires stalk and kill people, turning them into vampires themselves,” Angela Kuo, 20, a communications major, said. “They have pale white skin, never age, hate garlic, and have an aversion to mirrors.”
Unless the stalked individual is armed with a supply of garlic, large mirrors or wooden stakes, this fanged being will most likely catch, bite and convert the victim.
This, of course, is all according to folklore, which has been distorted over years and years of retelling. It may be surprising then to learn that people from one edge of the world to the other identify themselves as "vampires." Some are simply playing the part of a vampire – donning flowing capes, sporting fangs and sleeping in coffins – but others have shed their vampiric facades, living their lives as "real vampires."
“When I was younger, people used to think I was a vampire because I had unusually sharp canine teeth,” John Nicoll, 20, an art major, said. “After years of thinking I might be a vampire, I did a lot of research on them and I found that many vampires don’t even have sharp fangs. It’s just a myth.”
Folklore also claims that victims of vampires become vampires themselves. According to Inanna Arthen, who has studied vampire phenomena since the 1960s, in her article, "Real Vampires," on www.earthspirit.com, “True vampires are born the way they are – no one can be 'turned into a vampire.'”
To determine if someone you know is a vampire, do not look for sharp teeth, gothic dress, or pale skin. There are many deeper characteristics that real vampires possess.
“A real vampire is a person born with an extraordinary capacity to absorb, channel, transform, and manipulate "pranic energy," or life force,” Arthen said. “The capacity to handle energy results in a constantly imbalanced system, and is the cause of negative behaviors and notable characteristics of a vampiric person.”
There are many different types of real vampires out in the world today. They go by many names, including pranic vampire, energy predator, empathic vampire, psionic vampire, energy parasite, or energivore.
In the Asetian Bible, the predominant literary work on vampirism and predatory spirituality, author Luis Marques defines a vampire as “a being beyond the ability to drain energy, but also as a definitive condition of the individuals soul, and a secret mark of connection to a shared past.”
“A lot of the things people hear about vampires are myths,” said Olivia Chavez, 21, a self-proclaimed real vampire. “Yes, we drink blood at times, but it doesn’t have to be human. I personally choose to feed off of animal blood instead.”
There are usually a number of true characteristics that vampires possess, which distinguish them as real vampires.
According to Arthen, vampires are night people on a biochemical level with inverted circadian rhythms and a brain that produces sleep hormones at the opposite time of day than most. They also tend to be highly photosensitive, avoid sunlight, sunburn easily, and have excellent night vision.
Emotionally, vampires are unpredictable, moody, temperamental, and at the core, extremely intense people. Real vampires are empathic, according to Arthen, which means they are psychic sponges that absorb everything around them. Most real vampires have a talent for attracting, or distracting the attention of everyone present.
The need for pranic energy is also referred to as “the hunger” in vampire culture. It can refer to the need to manipulate or remove (feed from) then energy of others. Vampires deplete positive energy from those around them in their craving for pranic energy.
This does not mean that vampires are dangerous, though. According to vampiresamongus.com, it is no more common for a vampire to be psychopaths or killers than for any other person.
“I have learned to control my hunger,” Chavez said. “If I ever feel tempted to feed on someone, I always try my best to avoid them. If it became impossible to avoid them, I would do everything in my power not to feed.”
Another cure for the hunger, according to sanguinarius.org contributor Sarah Dorrance, is to mix red Gatorade, high pulp orange juice, beef broth, and liquid multivitamins.
Others have found that high pulp orange juice alone can take some of the pain of the hunger away, according to "Fate," another contributor to sanguinarius.org.
This Halloween, remember that real vampires are distinctly different than the made-up, fake-fang-wearing, caped partygoers.
Real vampires may be different, even scary to some, but they are real people with unusual gifts and cravings, which they are forced to hide from mainstream society in order to maintain their vampiric lifestyles.
So if you’re able to spot a real vampire on the streets, try to remember that they will not hurt you. They can be just as gentle and caring as everyday humans. They just happen to have a thirst for a life force that the rest of us can live without.
Blood drinkers walk among us
Myths about the legendary creatures abound but local vampires blend in seemlessly
Published: Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Updated: Tuesday, October 28, 2008
 "Photo: Courtesy of Clipart.com")
Courtesy of Clipart.com
And if you do notice that you are psychic or can read minds or feel the physical and emotional states of people, so what. A lot of people are born with such abilities. You don't have to pretend to be a comic book character and live in the dark.
just saying.
Just to let you know there are vampires like me who do not hide in the face of others. I do not wish to harm humans of anyothers. There are vampires who let people know who they are and they are proud of it.
It was interesting the reference to the Asetian Bible by Luis Marques, as you mentioned, being the predominant literary work on vampirism and predatory spirituality, I believe it deserved a bit more of an in depth look and overview. Could you please someday write a review on this book? I would be quite pleased in reading it. Thank you so much.
Sensation seekers of course, we have them amongst us to. Some of us choose not to expose ourselves for that very reason. There has been much debate amongst the Communities as to whether or not to appear on television and other media for interviews and things, lest we be responsible inadvertantly or no, for further bad press.Some of us actively seek to educate. We do this in order to try to prevent future stereotyping/prejudice. Many of us have families of our own, children we would like to see free to explore their nature in a loving, supporting environment where they can flourish and grow like any child. That is probably the most difficult thing, hiding who and what you are to the world, as though you are a drug addict or a criminal who is ashamed of themself.We have been growing in awareness of one another even through all of that hiding. Unfortunately, anyone can buy a computer and tap into the internet. With that capability many have researched well, and are currently playing the part of the "dark, mysterious, sexy" vampire. Just as unfortunately, some of these people make it into the media to represent us.If you do not believe in vampires, by all means, you are entitled to your belief. America is awesome like that! I won't get up in a tizzy because you don't believe, I don't need you to believe honestly, and most of us have too many things to do to mind your disbelief in the least. What I do ask is that for those who do, bare this in mind when researching..Everytime someone plays a vampire and then shows their face to the world, our Community takes another step back in an already uphill battle. There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of gaming sites all over the net, there are role playing games that you can get involved in, all sorts of outlets for your fantasy. Please please PLEASE do NOT present yourself to the world as a REAL vampire if you are not. We are struggling as it is, all we ask is the opportunity to be held as equal as someone of another race, sex, religion or ethnicity. Thank you