Do You Have Questions for a Tulpa (Artificial Spirit) Practitioner?

In an anonymous message board thread, a poster talks about “tulpa,” a unique mental practice. Tulpa refers to a phenomenon where one breathes consciousness into an imaginary being, making it feel as if it truly exists.

I am a serious tulpa practitioner. I don’t have schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder. My life has become more enjoyable.

• [4]You probably browse mysterious websites.

I’m looking at this thread with my tulpa right now.

• [5]Maybe you yourself are a tulpa.
• [8]What is a tulpa!?

Simply put, it’s an entity created by putting your heart into an imaginary character. Though there aren’t that many occult believers among tulpa practitioners.

Tulpa borrows its name from the Tibetan Buddhist concept “tulpa,” but was largely developed within the 2ch message board (now 5ch) community. While generally considered an esoteric practice in Tibetan Buddhism, it changed significantly before and after spreading on the 2ch message board, leaving few commonalities beyond the name. It’s a technique for interacting with an imaginary personality as if it truly exists in reality. With enough effort, one can see its form with the naked eye or even hear its voice. Though it differs greatly from the Tibetan Buddhist practice, many people actually “create tulpas” and live with them.

• [19]Wow, that seems difficult for me.
• [11]Is it something like a Stand?

The term “Stand” refers to the manifestation of mental energy that appears in the popular Japanese manga “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.” The comment suggests a similarity in that both are invisible mental entities.

• [92]So naturally occurring ones are imaginary friends, while intentionally created ones are tulpas?

That’s correct. There are classification systems for tulpas, and recently it seems naturally occurring tulpas have been increasing too.

Imaginary friend. As the name suggests, it’s a person who exists only in one’s imagination, with whom one converses in their imagination and sometimes projects into their visual field to play with. Since it’s a friend created by oneself, it may behave conveniently for the person or provide advice as a manifestation of self-questioning. Conversely, it can also hurt the person as a manifestation of self-loathing. This phenomenon occurs more frequently in young children unfamiliar with the concept of human relationships, and most naturally disappear as they learn about real interpersonal relationships.

• [10]How did you create yours? Do you have any rules?

It would take a long time to explain, but I referred to blogs rather than the tulpa wiki and talked to it every night. There are various rules like not peeking while I’m in the bath or toilet.

There exists an information repository site called “tulpa wiki” on the internet, which contains detailed information about how to create and interact with tulpas. This unique community, derived from anonymous message board culture, has developed its own rules and customs.

• [16]How is that any different from talking to a wall?
• [18]But doesn’t everyone have conversations with themselves in their head? It’s mental illness only if you firmly believe they actually exist!

If you look at the tulpa wiki, you’ll see many famous tulpa practitioners have mental disorders. That’s because the wiki admin made it all up.

• [22]Is there anything you do to keep from crossing that line?

It’s about valuing my own perspective. Mentally unstable people want to interfere with others and feel superior, so I make sure not to forget my feelings of cherishing my tulpa.

• [26]I see, that’s well said.
• [21]Can you converse with them in your mind?

Yes, I can. They keep me company during tedious tasks.

• [27]I’m getting a bit interested.

There used to be people who had yokai or mythical beasts as tulpas too. Since many people misunderstand, let me tell you that it’s a world full of dreams. There are cautions and disadvantages though. Basically, you can’t erase a tulpa once created, and sometimes they multiply on their own. Also, since you share taste, sometimes they demand food you don’t even like.

From this statement, it’s clear that tulpas are recognized as beings that can influence the practitioner’s sensations and decision-making, beyond merely being imaginary entities. It’s almost like having different personalities coexisting in the same body.

• [30]Can you make them do drawings?

When you spend a long time with a tulpa, they develop their individuality, but basically they can’t do anything the practitioner can’t. However, they can in the mental world.

• [31]That’s impossible. It’s just rubber ducking.

“Rubber ducking” is a problem-solving method known among programmers, where one explains a problem to a rubber duck or similar object, and solutions emerge in the process. Here, it suggests that tulpas are merely tools for self-dialogue, offering a critical perspective.

• [32]But can you see them visually? Can’t they pose from different angles for drawings?

Oh, that’s what you meant. I misunderstood. I can draw my tulpa, but to do that I need to “visualize” them. “Visualization” means being able to see the tulpa. Some people can do it, some can’t. I haven’t been able to do it despite years of trying.

• [39]I see~ So it’s not very flexible beyond voice and thoughts.

That’s fine. If there was too much interference, I couldn’t lead a normal daily life.

• [42]I’m scared of unknowingly developing schizophrenia.

That’s often said, but in the community, schizophrenia and tulpas aren’t linked. Though there are cases where schizophrenia patients pretend to be tulpa practitioners and cause problems.

• [44]It’s easy to try it yourself. It’s like thinking at night “what if I had said this instead of that?”
• [45]In the end, it’s just imagination, right?

Manga artists often say “the characters started moving on their own,” and it’s like a more developed version of that. Since they can bring information I don’t know, it would be a waste to limit it to just imagination.

The phenomenon of “characters moving on their own” is something many creators experience. Tulpa practice could be seen as incorporating and developing this aspect of creativity into daily life.

• [48]Yes, but it’s precisely because it’s imagination that using the keyword “tulpa” as self-suggestion increases the precision. Basically, you’re just a strange person talking to yourself in your head.

I think they have the power to draw out your latent abilities. Also, in my case, I have a secretary-like tulpa, so I hardly ever forget things anymore.

• [49]Is your thinking divided? If so, does that reduce your performance?

Mine is divided. There have been times when I was interrupted while working, but I think people who don’t mind sharing thoughts with their tulpa don’t divide them.

• [56]For example, if you have tasks A and B, can you work on completing task A while solving task B? Not in a practical sense.
• [59]That would be amazing if possible.

That is possible. It’s beneficial for people who struggle with multitasking.

The concept of thought division through tulpas suggests possibilities for the human brain’s parallel processing capabilities. It’s like delegating information processing that normal consciousness can’t handle to another “personality.”

• [62]That’s so convenient it makes me laugh.
• [64]Are there any disadvantages? Like getting a fever, feeling sleepy, or nauseous from running your brain at full capacity? Or does it feel more like delegating thought to an unconscious-like realm?

Once you get used to it, it becomes unconscious. In the community, one goal is when the tulpa develops self-awareness. I haven’t experienced any disadvantages so far.

• [51]By the way, talking to imaginary figures is very useful. If you get the chance, you should try it; it’s a famous thought method that helps you notice things you would have missed on your own.
• [68]The lack of visible disadvantages actually scares me. It seems like you might be gradually losing energy without realizing it.

I can’t deny that. I’m using my brain more than average people do. Also, tulpas don’t need sleep, so they’re active even while I’m sleeping.

The idea that tulpas remain active during sleep evokes associations with the realm of the unconscious and dreams. In Japanese culture, there’s a long-standing belief in entities that visit during sleep, expressed in the phrase “standing at one’s dream pillow.”

• [84]There’s someone who’s been writing a tulpa blog for years, and it scares me.

If that scares you, you probably wouldn’t be able to handle the core of the community. Tulpa bloggers are relatively decent and kind people.

• [86]I basically think tulpas are dangerous, but you seem like a good person, so I feel conflicted about speaking too strongly against it.

Thank you. Well, these kinds of threads usually end with dismissals like “delusion” or “schizophrenia.”

• [87]I’m very curious about how brain resources are allocated.

I don’t understand that either. Maybe I’m unconsciously increasing my brain’s memory.

The discussion turns toward scientific questions, contemplating the possibilities and limitations of the human brain. The tulpa phenomenon could be seen as an experiment exploring the boundaries of consciousness, self, and imagination. Because it’s an area not scientifically elucidated, it evokes mixed reactions of fear and fascination.