Written by Mikyla Abigor

Differing Schools on Vampirism

My husband initially agreed to be my donor because he has a blood fetish. This worked out really well for us at the beginning of our relationship. As time passed, we had discussions about vampirism and I explained everything the best I could. Unfortunately, the more we discussed, the more skeptical he became. He said he believed me, but didn't fully understand - and I think skepticism of that which you don't know and/or understand is a good defense. I have pointed him in the direction of a few good websites and try to answer any questions he might have. I like to ask him questions as well - not only to get his opinion, but to see if there's anything I can address for him. A recent query brought up, as he terms it, different "schools" of vampirism; most likely because he has to put up with me bitching when I have to deal with people spouting nonsense.

This comes about because people have, apparently, decided that since we use the term "vampirism" to define our condition, we will accept ANYTHING they tell us. You know: dates of birth from prior to the last century, unable to venture out during daylight (not sensitivity to light, but "burst into flames" inability), they were "bitten" and turned", etc… Unfortunately, for those people, we are NOT that naïve. The majority of the people I know feel the same about vampirism; the body does not create enough energy to sustain us daily, so we are able to gather the needed energy from external sources. Others might state their definition more eloquently, but I prefer simplicity.

Now, NONE of us are stating we know ALL or that there isn't room for learning. I believe we can all agree vampirism, in and of itself, is a learning process. Life, for that matter, is a learning process. This acknowledgement aside, there are several things that can be stated vampirism is NOT.

First of all, no matter how many large words you string together to state otherwise, there is no vampiric virus. Yes, I'm aware the theory rears its ugly head every few years. Yes, I'm aware people are always spouting research being done. Guess what? If there were a virus causing our vampirism, it would have made headlines. My doctor would have found it when running all the tests I've had done. A donor, either past or present, would have contracted the condition. If the scientific/medical community even suspected a virus, there would have been news reports about it.

Second, vampirism is not spiritual. This makes as much sense as stating diabetes is spiritual or that lymphoma is spiritual or, even, that turnips are spiritual. When put in that light it seems quite comical, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it isn't that comical when dealing with the realities of vampirism, especially when trying to sift through all the rubbish to educate others – or to learn for oneself. Simply put, vampirism is a condition of the body and spirituality pertains to the soul or spirit. One definition of spiritual* is. "of or pertaining to the spirit or soul as distinguished from the physical nature; a spiritual approach to life." Did you catch the "as distinguished from the physical nature"? The spiritual is SEPARATE from the physical. The majority of us probably equate spirituality with religion. It cannot be stressed enough: religion and vampirism are NOT related. We do not need a vampire bible, a political party, or any vampiric rituals – we need an acceptance of reality.

Third, while many vampires might drink blood, vampirism isn't the NEED to drink blood. It's the need for the ENERGY contained within the blood. We need living energy. It's as simple as that. A few pointers that go with blood feeding:

1. Safety is first and foremost. For yourself and your donor. Always have your donor tested (their doctor or a free clinic can do this) – every 6 months is a good time frame. If you don't know enough about basic anatomy to not harm someone, DO NOT cut on them. Try using a diabetic lancet on the finger.

2. A large amount of blood is generally not needed. We do not "drain" our donors – ever.

3. As someone recently pointed out elsewhere, make sure your donor is psychologically sound. If your donor has a history of instability, I would not recommend using that person as a donor. Who knows when they might call the police on you?

4. I've recently seen discussions of "squeamish" donors and donors mentioning pain. If either of these is the case with you, there are two concerns. A.) A squeamish donor might not be suited to blood donations – or donations as a whole. B.) If your donor complains of pain and they aren't a masochist, then you're HURTING them and need to stop immediately.

One final "school", I feel the need to discuss, unfortunately is those who believe they were bitten and turned. Mythological vampires sure SOUND interesting, but the majority of us understand they're just that –mythological. While I think it's great that you have such a vivid imagination, please don't try and use it here. We know that you weren't born in 1792, we know that you don't "drain" "victims", we know that you don't burst into flames when you step into the sunlight. We know all of those things aren't true. If someone, especially a loved one, bit you and it wasn't part of your sexual activities, then perhaps you should look into severing that particular relationship. If someone is trying to convince you they're immortal and because they've bitten you, then so are you; they need to seek professional help. While I won't state that it's impossible because I don't have all the answers, I will state it's highly improbably and we're not buying it. Please don't try to sell it here.