Terminology
Brief descriptions of common terms you will come across in daemonism.
Daemon
The personification of the second half of someone’s mental dialogue or subconscious. (See "Daemon" section for other examples)
Dae
Abbreviation of "daemon"
Daemonism
The practice of cultivating a daemon.
Daemian
1. A person who knows and communicates with their daemon.
2. A member of the daemon community
Corporeal
A tangible, solid object or body.
Imposition
The practice of making something not corporeal noticeable to our body's senses. A voluntary hallucination that can be seen, heard, touched, or tasted.
​
This term is not common amongst daemians and instead is swapped for projection.
Projection
Seeing your daemon by imagining them overlaid in your surroundings.
Similar to, but often seen as "soft" imposition. Projection seemingly taking far less time, focus, and work.
CIEday
"Coming Into Existence day"
The day you discovered your daemon.
Form
What your daemon looks like. This can be whatever you or your daemon chooses. Often there is significance but other times it is based on personal preference and comfort.
Form Finding
The process of finding your daemons true, or default, form. Used when searching for a "fitting form" rather than general form exploration.
Fitting Form
A daemon's form that best represents who you are. Typically in reference to someone's analytic or symbolic animal form. These types of forms are specific to the daemonism community closely tied to the book series, His Dark Materials.
​
Analytic: An animal that best represents your personality and behavior. Uses animal behavior while ignoring symbolism.
Pullman/Symbolic: An animal that fits your personal narrative and associations. Uses animal tropes, mythology, and popular symbolism.
Settled
When your daemon is settled you have found your fitting form and/or your daemon no longer changes shape.
​
Settled, Stable, and Unsettled are used by the daemonism community involved with His Dark Materials and references your daemons form, how set your personality is, and your progress in form finding.
Plurality
The experience of sharing the same physical body with other individuals.
Headmate
Another entity who shares the same physical body as you. A general blanket term in plurality but not everyone will use or favor it for their own experience.
Fronting
When an individual is in control of the body, or their consciousness and emotions are the most prominent in the forefront of the mind's awareness.
Co-Conscious
Two or more members in a plural system who are conscious at the same time. They may be aware of each others' thoughts, emotions, and memories to varying degrees.
Alterhuman
An identity consisting of not identifying partially or entirely as human or being disconnected with the "typical" human experience.
HDM
"His Dark Materials"
The original 3 part series by Philip Pullman that inspired and set the foundation for the first daemon community.